Simply beef and lamb delicious winter recipes with quality assured beef and lamb
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Winter Essentials
Contents
Looking for inspiration this season? Then look no further! In this edition of Simply beef and lamb we’ve Christmas all wrapped up with ideas for both the main event and entertaining over the festive period.
Roast Rib of Beef with Coriander Seeds and Thyme Slow Roast Lamb in Sloe Gin Potato and Onion Bake Fillet Steak with Stilton and Cranberries Dry Rubs and Pastes Seasonal Stuffings Roasting Essentials Carving Essentials Lovely Leftovers – One Pot Beef Pasta Lovely Leftovers – Thai Lamb Broth Lovely Leftovers – Festive Tortilla Miniature Beef Tarts with White Bean Purée Lamb Skewers with Lemon and Chilli
Nervous about cooking for a crowd? Just follow our roasting guide to stay cool in the kitchen. Finally, perk up your leftovers! We’ve created three mouthwatering ways to make the most of your roast. For further great recipe ideas this winter visit simplybeefandlamb.co.uk We’d love hear your feedback, email us at georginae@eblex.org.uk
Make sure it’s farm assured p03 p05 p06 p07 p08 p10 p12 p14 p16 p18 p20 p22 p24
It is important to choose quality ingredients when cooking, which is why it pays to select beef and lamb that is farm assured. Look for the Red Tractor logo on packs in the supermarket or the Quality Standard Mark in your butcher’s shop or selected supermarkets. Both schemes ensure the meat is produced by farmers who operate to strict independent standards which are regularly checked by Assured Food Standards on our behalf. Beef and lamb that carries the Red Tractor or Quality Standard logo can be traced back to farms the livestock came from and you can be assured that our farmers and suppliers meet comprehensive standards covering hygiene, safety, environmental protection and animal welfare. In addition, both marks provide you with a provenance guarantee with the flag in the logos indentifying the country in which the meat was farmed and packed. So whether you’re after a nice piece of steak or a lovely leg of lamb, look out for Red Tractor and Quality Standard beef and lamb to be confident in the meat you are buying.
Serves: 8-10 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: Rare: 20 mins per 450g/1lb plus 20mins Medium: 25 mins per 450g/1lb plus 25 mins Well done: 30 mins per 450g/1lb plus 30 mins WORTH THE EFFORT
Roast Rib of Beef with Coriander Seeds and Thyme
Ingredients
3 Place the joint on a chopping board and spread the butter mixture over the joint. Roast uncovered for the preferred calculated cooking time, basting well with the meat juices. Cover any bones with foil if browning too quickly. During the last 35-40 minutes of cooking time, add the shallots and garlic.
1 x 2.7kg/6lb lean rib of beef, sirloin or topside joint 50g/2oz butter, softened 30ml/2tbsp fresh thyme leaves 20ml/4tsp coriander seeds, crushed Salt and freshly milled black pepper 300g/10½oz shallots, peeled and left whole 2 large garlic bulbs, cut in half horizontally For the gravy 500ml/18floz good, hot beef stock 15ml/1tbsp plain or sauce flour Pinch dark brown sugar Dash Worcestershire sauce
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Method 1 Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F. 2 In a small bowl mix the butter with the thyme and coriander seeds. Season.
4 Remove the beef, shallots and garlic from the pan, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. 5 Meanwhile, prepare the gravy; spoon off the excess oil, leaving about 45ml/3tbsp meat juices. Place the roasting tin over a medium heat and sprinkle over the flour. Stir well, add a little stock and stir again. Add the remaining stock, sugar and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain before serving. 6 Serve the beef with the shallots, garlic, gravy and seasonal vegetables.
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Serves: 4-6 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 2½-3 hours SIMPLE
Ingredients 1 x 1.3kg/3lb lean traditional lamb leg or carvery shoulder of lamb Salt and freshly milled black pepper 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped mint 2 large red onions, peeled and quartered 15ml/1tbsp olive oil 150ml/¼pint sloe gin or purple grape juice
Tip For a more informal dinner, serve the joint with the meat juices and a selection of breads and salads.
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Slow Roast Lamb in Sloe Gin Method 1 Preheat the oven to Gas mark 3, 160°C, 325°F. 2 Place the joint on a chopping board and make several slashes over the surface with a sharp knife (taking care not to cut the meat bands or butcher’s string). Season and stuff the mint into the slits. 3 Put the onions into the base of a large non-stick roasting tin, position the joint on top, drizzle with the olive oil then add the sloe gin. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 2½-3 hours, basting occasionally. 4 During the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, remove the foil to allow the joint to brown. 5 Transfer the lamb to a warm plate, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove any excess oil from the juices in the roasting tin, strain, and serve with the lamb, seasonal vegetables and roast potatoes.
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Potato and Onion Bake Serves: 2 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 50-60 mins WORTH THE EFFORT
Method
Ingredients 675g/1½lb waxy potatoes, e.g. King Edward or Maris Piper, skin on and finely sliced 15g/½oz butter 1 small onion, peeled and sliced Salt and black pepper 225ml/8floz hot vegetable stock
1 Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 180°C/350°F. 2 Rinse the potatoes in cold running water, drain and pat dry in a thick tea towel or absorbent kitchen paper. 3 Grease a shallow ovenproof dish, approximately 20cm x 15cm/8inch x 6inch and 2.5cm/1inch in depth, with half the butter and place a layer of potatoes over the base of the dish. Top with a layer of onions and season.
Serves: 2 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: (based on a 2cm/¾inch thick steak) Rare: 3-4 minutes on each side Medium: 4-5 minutes on each side Well done: 6-7 minutes on each side WORTH THE EFFORT
Ingredients 2 lean fillet steaks 50g/2oz blue cheese, e.g. Stilton, crumbled 5ml/1tsp dried cranberries, roughly chopped 15ml/1tbsp freshly chopped chives Salt 5ml/1tsp black peppercorns, crushed 30ml/2tbsp oil
Fillet Steak with Stilton and Cranberries Method 1 In a small bowl, mix the cranberries, chives and cheese together. 2 Place the steaks on a chopping board and slice in half horizontally. Spread two steak halves with the cheese mixture. Top with the remaining steak halves. 3 Secure the steaks with butcher’s string or cocktail sticks. Season with salt and roll in the crushed pepper. 4 Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the steaks according to your preference. Transfer to a warm plate and leave to rest for a few minutes. 5 Remove the string or cocktail sticks from the steaks before serving with any pan juices and the potato and onion bake.
4 Repeat until all the vegetables are used, finishing with a neat potato layer and press down firmly. 5 Pour over the stock and dot with the remaining butter. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cover with foil if browning too quickly. 6 Serve with the fillet steaks.
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Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: (Based on a 2cm/¾in thick steak) Rare: 2½ minutes on each side Medium: 4 minutes on each side Well done: 6 minutes on each side SIMPLE
Ingredients 2 lean sirloin, rib-eye or rump steaks Herb and Paprika Rub 15ml/1tbsp dried thyme 15ml/1tbsp dried basil leaves 15ml/1tbsp dried parsley flakes 10ml/2tsp smoked paprika Salt and freshly milled black pepper Dried Porcini & Rosemary Paste 10g/¼oz dried porcini mushrooms 15ml/1tbsp fresh rosemary leaves Freshly milled black pepper 15ml/1tbsp olive oil 30ml/2tbsp light soy sauce
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Dry Rubs and Pastes Method For the Herb and Paprika Rub 1 Place all the ingredients on a shallow plate and mix well. 2 Coat the steaks on both sides and cook under a preheated moderate grill according to your preference. 3 Serve the steaks with your favourite accompaniments. For the Dried Porcini and Rosemary Paste 1 Place the mushrooms, rosemary, pepper and oil in a blender and whizz together until combined and the mixture forms a paste. 2 Brush the steaks with the paste on both sides and cook under a preheated moderate grill according to your preference. 3 Serve the steaks with your favourite accompaniments. Tip: If preferred, pan-fry your steaks instead – same cooking times apply.
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Sweet Potato and Mushroom Stuffing
Method
Serves: 6 Prep time: 25-30 mins; Cook time: 25-30 mins
For the Sweet Potato and Mushroom Stuffing
175g/6oz prepared sweet potatoes, boiled, mashed and cooled 15ml/1tbsp sunflower oil 1 small bunch spring onions, finely chopped 75g/3oz mushrooms, finely chopped 45ml/3tbsp freshly chopped chives 100g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs Salt and freshly milled black pepper 1 egg, beaten Lemon and Mixed Herb Stuffing Serves: 4-6 Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 20-25 mins
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225g/8oz fresh white breadcrumbs Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 30ml/2tbsp each of freshly chopped tarragon and flat-leaf parsley 5ml/1tsp Dijon mustard Salt and freshly milled black pepper 50g/2oz butter, melted
1 Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°C, 375°F. 2 Heat the oil in a small non-stick frying pan and cook the spring onions and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Cool slightly. 3 In a large bowl mix the sweet potato, onion mixture and remaining ingredients together. Season and shape into 16-20 small balls. 4 Arrange on a foil-lined baking tray and cook for 25-30 minutes. For the Lemon and Mixed Herb Stuffing 1 Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5, 190°C, 375°F. 2 Place all the ingredients into a food processor or blender, season and whizz together. Shape into 15-20 small balls. 3 Arrange on a foil-lined baking tray, cook for 20-25 minutes.
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Roasting Essentials There’s plenty going on this time of year without worrying about how to impress your guests at the festive table. When thinking ‘meat’, speak to your butcher – they’re the experts after all! They offer free, tailor-made advice on cuts, cooking times and the quantity you’ll need, depending on the occasion, your budget and how many you are feeding. As a general rule: boneless joints allow 100-175g/4-6oz raw meat per person and bone-in joints allow 225/350g/8-12oz.
Beef Roasting Cuts
Lamb Roasting Cuts boneless rolled leg
boneless rib
fore rib
boneless mini joint rolled & boned shoulder
boneless rolled sirloin silverside
mini joint
• If time allows, remove your joint from the refrigerator an hour before roasting. mini joint
topside
cushion of lamb
guard of honour
half leg
whole leg saddle of lamb
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Beef Joints: How do you like it?
Cooking time per 450g/1lb
Internal temperature
Rare
20 mins per 1lb plus 20 mins
60°C
Medium
25 mins per 1lb plus 25 mins
70°C
Well done
30 mins per 1lb plus 30 mins
80°C
Lamb Joints:
crown of lamb
We’ve put together a handy roasting guide to ensure you get great results and no roast rage!
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Roasting Tips
How do you like it?
Cooking time per 450g/1lb
Internal temperature
Medium
25 mins per 1lb plus 25 mins
70-75°C
Well done
30 mins per 1lb plus 30 mins
75-80°C
• After cooking, cover your joint with foil and rest for at least 20 minutes. This ensures that the meat fibres relax and allows the meat juices to distribute evenly, making the joint moist and easier to carve.
• If in doubt, invest in a meat thermometer; they are now widely available.
• Place the joint fat side up, to allow the juices to run down and baste the joint naturally. For best results put your meat uncovered on a wire rack in a metal roasting tin. Alternatively, lay a combination of roughly chopped root vegetables such as carrots and parsnips or onions in the bottom of the roasting tin.
• Position the oven shelves so that the joint is in the centre of the oven
• If your joint is browning too quickly cover with foil.
simplybeefand lamb.co.uk/perfecttrimmings
• Always season well before cooking • Before roasting, always weigh the raw joint and calculate the cooking time
• To download recipes for all the trimmings for your roast go to:
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Carving Essentials Your next task is carving. We’ve made your life easier over the festive season by providing you with step-by-step guides to carving the most popular beef and lamb joints.
Carving a Rib of Be ef
Place the joint on a
carving board as shown. Hold one end of th e ribs, and with yo ur knife, carefully begin to cut along the back of the ribs until they are removed from th e joint.
Carving a Leg of Lamb Place the joint on a carving board with the meatier side of the leg facing upwards and the carving fork placed firmly in the narrow end of the joint.
Invest in a good carving knife and fork set, and ensure they are sharp. This will make carving easier and the blade will slice through the meat rather than tearing at the meat fibres. For information on how to sharpen your carving knife, visit:
Begin by carving a narrow wedgeshaped or ‘V’ cut piece from the middle of the leg.
Following the angle of the ‘V’ carve the lamb down to the bone and lift out the slices.
Try not to carve too thinly, but aim for about 5mm/¼inch thick.
Carry on until all the meat is removed from the bone.
Using a clean tea towel to hold the bone, turn the joint over and cut horizontal slices away from you.
A delicious plateful of roast lamb ready for serving.
simplybeefandlamb.co.uk/carving/tips/
Remove any butch er’s string or elasti cated meat bands from the joint.
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Insert the carving fork into the joint to hold it firmly in place, an d with a smooth action, letting the knife do the wo rk, cut into even slices.
Continue to carve slices of the leg on both sides of the ‘V’ cut.
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Lovely Leftovers – One Pot Beef Pasta
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Serves: 2 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: Under 20 mins SIMPLE
Salt and freshly milled black pepper 175g/6oz pasta shapes 25g/1oz grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish Fresh basil leaves, to garnish
Ingredients
Method
225g/8oz cooked roast beef or lamb, cut into bite-size pieces 15ml/1tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 200g/7oz butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm/½inch cubes 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes 150ml/¼pint good, hot vegetable stock 10ml/2tsp dried oregano 15ml/1tbsp freshly chopped basil 30ml/2tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 Heat the oil in a large non-stick pot (with a lid) and cook the onion and celery for 3-4 minutes until soft. Add the squash or pumpkin and beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
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2 Add the tomatoes, stock, herbs, chilli sauce and seasoning. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if required. 3 Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain and stif into the beef mixture. 4 Garnish with the cheese and basil. Serve immediately with a crisp salad.
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Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins SIMPLE
Ingredients 450g/1lb cooked roast lamb or beef, cut into strips 10ml/2tsp oil 45ml/3tbsp green Thai curry paste 2 small sweet potatoes or parsnips, peeled and cut into small chunks 1 x 400g can coconut milk 300ml/½pint good, hot vegetable stock 15ml/1tbsp Thai fish sauce, optional 10ml/2tsp caster sugar 100g/4oz mushrooms, sliced 50g/2oz peas or green beans (halved, if used) 100g/4oz cherry tomatoes, quartered Freshly chopped basil leaves, to garnish
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Lovely Leftovers Thai Lamb Broth Method 1 Heat the oil in a large non-stick pot (with lid) and warm the lamb or beef with the curry paste for 1-2 minutes. 2 Add the sweet potatoes or parsnips, coconut milk, stock, fish sauce (if used) and sugar. Stir gently. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. 3 Add the mushrooms and peas (or green beans). Adjust the seasoning if required and cook for 3-4 minutes. 4 Divide the broth between four bowls, garnish with the tomatoes and basil. Serve immediately.
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Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: Under 10 mins SIMPLE
Ingredients 175-225g/6-8oz cooked roast beef or lamb, roughly chopped 30ml/2tbsp oil 1 medium red onion, peeled and finely sliced 350g/12oz leftover cooked roast potatoes, cut into bitesize pieces 50g/2oz leftover cooked Brussels sprouts, halved 6 eggs, beaten 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley or chives 15ml/1tbsp ground paprika 45-60ml/3-4tbsp grated cheese
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Lovely Leftovers Festive Tortilla Method 1 Heat the oil in a medium-sized non-stick frying pan. Cook the onion for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the meat, potatoes and sprouts, stirring gently. 2 In a small bowl mix the eggs and herbs together, then pour into the pan with the meat and vegetables. Gently move the mixture around with a fork. Sprinkle over the paprika. 3 Reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until the tortilla is set then sprinkle over the cheese. 4 Finish cooking the tortilla under a preheated moderate grill for 3-4 minutes until golden. 5 Serve the tortilla with a mixed green salad and crusty bread.
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Makes: 20 canapés Prep time: 15-20 mins Cook time: 2-4 mins SIMPLE
Ingredients 2 lean thin cut sirloin or minute steaks Salt and freshly milled black pepper 15ml/1tbsp olive oil For the White Bean Purée 1 x 400g can white beans, e.g. cannellini, drained 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 45ml/3tbsp olive oil 10ml/2tsp freshly chopped chives 20 prepared mini toasts 15ml/1tbsp creamed horseradish, optional Fresh chives, to garnish
Miniature Beef Tarts with White Bean Purée Method 1 To prepare the white bean purée; place the beans, garlic and oil in a food processor or blender and whizz together until smooth. Spoon into a small bowl and stir through the chives. Adjust the seasoning, if required, cover and set aside. 2 Heat a non-stick griddle or frying pan. Season the beef on both sides and brush with the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat to rest for 1-2 minutes then thinly slice on the diagonal. 3 Spoon a small amount of the purée evenly onto each toast. Top with a slice of beef, a pea-sized amount of the horseradish sauce (if used) and garnish with a few fresh chives. Serve immediately.
Tip If preferred, warm the purée slightly before assembling. If time allows why not make the pastry cases with prepared short crust pastry? Use it to line mini muffin tins and cook according to the packet instructions.
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Makes: 15-20 skewers Prep time: 10 mins, plus marinating time Cook time: 6-8 mins SIMPLE
Ingredients 450g/1lb lamb rumps or boneless leg steaks, cut into strips Grated zest of 2 lemons 2.5ml/½tsp dried chilli flakes Salt and freshly milled black pepper 15ml/1tbsp olive oil 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
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Lamb Skewers with Lemon and Chilli Method 1 In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together, cover and set aside for about 20 minutes. 2 Thread the lamb strips onto 15-20 short metal or wooden skewers (previously soaked in water). 3 Cook under a preheated moderate grill for 3-4 minutes on each side. 4 Serve the skewers garnished with salad leaves and a prepared chilli jam, onion chutney or onion marmalade.
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Contact us at georginae@eblex.org.uk visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk or call 0870 606 3030
BEEF & LAMB SECTOR BODY EBLEX is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board For media requests only please call: 020 7861 3143 Recipe photography by Steve Lee Home Economist – Denise Spencer-Walker Styling by Jo Harris Design by Crossing O’Sullivan
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