James Martin Silverside Beef Food

POT-ROAST BEEF WITH FRENCH ONION GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Rub the meat with 1 tsp of the oil and plenty of seasoning. Heat a large flameproof casserole dish and brown the meat all over for about 10 mins. Meanwhile, add 2 tsp oil to a frying pan and fry the carrots and celery for 10 mins until turning golden.
• Lift the beef onto a plate, splash the wine into the hot casserole and boil for 2 mins. Pour in the stock, return the beef, then tuck in the carrots, celery and bay leaves, trying not to submerge the carrots too much. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs. (I like to turn the beef halfway through cooking.)
• Meanwhile, thinly slice the onions. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and stir in the onions, thyme and some seasoning. Cover and cook gently for 20 mins until the onions are softened but not coloured. Remove the lid, turn up the heat, add the butter and sugar, then let the onions caramelise to a dark golden brown, stirring often. Remove the thyme sprigs, then set aside.
• When the beef is ready, it will be tender and easy to pull apart at the edges. Remove it from the casserole and snip off the strings. Reheat the onion pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. Whisk the floury onions into the beefy juices in the casserole, to make a thick onion gravy. Taste for seasoning. Add the beef and carrots back to the casserole, or slice the beef and bring to the table on a platter, with the carrots to the side and the gravy spooned over.

ONE-POT BEEF STIFADO

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the beef all over, removing it to a plate with a slotted spoon as you go (you may need to do this in batches). Drizzle the rest of the oil into the pan. Peel the onions (but leave whole) and add to the pan, then scatter over the sugar. Sizzle for 5 mins, stirring now and then until starting to brown. Add the garlic, bay, cinnamon stick, allspice, cloves and oregano, and cook for 1 min more. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for another minute, then tip in the beef along with any resting juices. Stir to coat in the spiced onion mixture.
• Add the red wine vinegar and chopped tomatoes. Rinse the cans out with the wine and pour it in, then add a third of a can of water. Season with salt and stir well. Bring to a simmer, stir again, then cover with the lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hr.
• Remove from the oven and stir again. If the sauce looks very thick, add a splash more water. Cover again and return to the oven for another hour, or until the meat is fork-tender - the timing will depend on the cut you've used. Serve hot. To get ahead, leave to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and chill for up to three days or freeze for up to three months. Defrost completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a pan over a low heat with a splash more water to loosen, if needed.

EASY ROAST BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9.
• Mix 1 tsp plain flour and 1 tsp mustard powder with some seasoning, then rub all over the 950g beef top rump joint.
• Put 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges, and 500g carrots, halved lengthways, into a roasting tin and sit the beef on top, then cook for 20 mins.
• Reduce oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and continue to cook the beef for 30 mins if you like it rare, 40 mins for medium and 1 hr for well done.
• Remove the beef and carrots from the oven, place onto warm plates or platters and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Let the beef rest for 30 mins while you turn up the oven to cook your Yorkshire puds and finish the potatoes.
• For the gravy, put the tin with all the meat juices and onions back onto the hob.
• Stir in 1 tbsp plain flour, scraping all the stuck bits off the bottom of the tin. Cook for 30 seconds, then slowly stir in 250ml beef stock, little by little.
• Bubble to a nice gravy, season, then serve with the beef, carved into slices, carrots and all the other trimmings.

CORNED MEAT ( SILVERSIDE OR BEEF)

Steps:

• Take the meat from the bag and place in a large saucepan or boiler.
• Cover with water and add all of the ingredients.
• Bring to the boil and reduce to a gentle heat to keep the water on a gentle boil. Cover the saucepan.
• Slowly boil until cooked. 30 minutes for each 500 grams of meat.
• Remove the meat form the water when cooked and wrap in aluminium foil (you can line the foil with baking paper if desired.).
• You can slice the meat after about 10 minutes. The meat slices better the longer it is left. The meat can be sliced into thin sandwich slices when cold.
• To reheat meat either use the microwave or heat in the foil in the oven until warmed thru.
• NOTE: The vegetables cooked in the water are used for flavouring only and are discarded after the meat has cooked.
• The number of servings and cooking time depends on the size of the piece of meat.