Steve Bennett’s ‘Recipe for Success’

Steve Bennett of the Llansantffraed Court Hotel kicked off our ‘Recipe for Success’ events at the Tithe Barn in Abergavenny on Thursday 14 April when he prepared a meal using Welsh beef provided by award-winning local butchers H J Edwards & Son. Here’s his recipe – for you to try out yourself. Check out the other dems in the series and buy tickets online now.

HERB AND OXTAIL GLAZED FILLET OF WELSH BEEF WITH BEER-CURED ONIONS AND CAULIFLOWER PURÉE

1 beef fillet – cooked to your liking

Beer-cured onions

A – 20 boiled, pearl onions
B – 200ml beer ( ale )
90g honey
1 sprig thyme
5 juniper berries
C – Balsamic vinegar

Cut A into ½’s and separate the leaves. Bring B to the boil, add C then pour over A.
Infuse in a warm place for 1 hour, then decant into a preserving jar and seal. Can be allowed to mature for up to 1 month.

Oxtail Braise

A – 1 small oxtail, jointed
B – 1 carrot
1 onion
1 leek
2 bay leaves
C – 200ml red wine
300ml beef stock ( cubed is fine )

Colour A all over in a frying pan, remove and put into a deep saucepan. In the same frying pan, colour the chopped vegetables (B), and also add to the saucepan. Pour C over the oxtail and vegetables. Cover and bring to the boil, then simmer for 3-4 hours until the meat falls off the bone. Whilst still warm, remove the meat from the bones and pass the liquid into a clean pan. Boil the liquid to reduce to a thick stock. Use some of the reduced stock to bins the shredded meat, to keep it moist.

Cauliflower Purée

A – 1 small cauliflower
B – Milk to cover
1 clove of garlic
1 small bayleaf

Trim the cauliflower (A) to florets with as little stalk as possible. Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes so that the cauliflower is tender. (This helps to keep the purée white). Put the blanched cauliflower into a pan with B. Cover with a cartouche (a circle of grease proof paper) and bring to a simmer. Cook for 8 – 10 minutes until tender. Strain the cauliflower, and purée with some of the cooking milk, discarding the garlic and bay leaf. Check seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Herb Breadcrumbs

8 slices of fresh bread
2 cloves of garlic
A handful of herbs – basil, parsley and tarragon
Salt and pepper

Put the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until green crumbs are formed.

Cook the beef fillet to your liking, and allow to rest. Whilst the beef fillet cooks: Warm the oxtail and cauliflower purée.

Also served with small florets of cauliflower, wilted wild garlic, peas, broad beans and asparagus.

Pan fry the cauliflower florets in a little butter until nut brown. Wilt the garlic in a little olive oil
Blanch the beans and peas.

Steves finished dish

To assemble: Cut the fillet into portions. Spread a little of the oxtail mixture on top of the portions, followed by the bread crumb mixture. Colour the herb crumbs gently under a medium grill. On the plate, spread a little of the cauliflower purée, and arrange the wilted wild garlic, asparagus and peas.Scatter a few florets and beer cured onions. Place the fillet in the middle of the plate.

Christ the butcher talking about the beef