Tag: beef

Sweet potato and chimichurri steak rice bowl

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Another week-night supper construction job – it can be done in 30 mins start to finish, so excellent if you’re hungry! Feeds 2

  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into 2cm cubes
  • Fajita seasoning (paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder)
  • 6 padron peppers
  • 2 tbsp + 1 tsp veg oil
  • 120g white rice
  • 400g rump steak (around 2-3cm thick)
  • Ground black pepper
  • 14 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
  • Chimichurri
  1. Toss the sweet potato pieces with 2 tbsp veg oil, 1 tbsp fajaita seasoning and a pinch of salt, and tip out onto an oven tray
  2. Bake at 180C fan for 20 mins until soft and brown around the edges (alternatively for 15 min in the air fryer). Halfway through add the whole padron peppers and turn everything over
  3. Meanwhile, cook the rice (twice the salted boiling water to rice, put on a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 10 mins, then leave untouched with the lid on/heat off for another 5 mins)
  4. Oil the steak with 1 tsp oil, season with salt and pepper on both sides
  5. Get a heavy frying pan scorching hot and then sear on a high heat for 2-3 mins per side for medium doneness
  6. Remove to a plate to rest until everything else is cooked
  7. Construct your bowl – rice, sweet potato, peppers, cherry tomatoes. Slice the steak and add it, then drizzle the whole thing with chimichurri and eat up!

Chilli oil beef – or smoked tofu – noodles

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Rich, spicy, nutty, savoury – relieved by the fresh salad veg on top. The essential bit is the chilli oil

  • 3 tbsp chilli oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 400g minced beef/crumbled smoked tofu
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 2 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 200g cooked udon noodles
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • Coriander leaves, diced cucumber, sliced radishes, avocado, lime
  1. Heat chilli oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium heat
  2. Fry the minced garlic and sesame seeds
  3. When golden, add the minced beef/crumbled tofu and stir into the spicy garlicky oil
  4. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, peanut butter, sesame oil and sugar
  5. Add this to the beef/tofu, rinsing out the bowl with some water and adding that too
  6. Add the udon noodles and spring onions, stir together gently while it bubbles and the noodles soften
  7. Serve immediately, topped with coriander, cucumber, radish and avocado – and a squeeze of lime over the top

Sloppy joe

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Super-gross name, but nonetheless delicious. In the US, you put this super-savoury mince inside a burger bun. But why stop there? Load it onto jacket potatoes, or use it as a topping for pasta or rice. Just choose your carb and add this to it! Long list of ingredients, but short list of instructions. Happy days

  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green pepper, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 250g minced beef
  • ½ beef stock cube
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 200g passata
  • 250g cooked lentils (I like beluga or puy lentils because I’m fancy AF, but anything will do really)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 shakes worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp sage
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Heat the veg oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat
  2. Add the onion, green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring now and again, until soft
  3. Turn the heat up and add the minced beef, break it up in the pan while you stir it until it’s brown
  4. Add the beef stock and tomato puree and continue to cook until everything is deeply bronze and starting to get sticky
  5. Pour in the passata, lentils and all the rest of the ingredients. Add about 200ml water, stir it all together and bring to a bubble
  6. Simmer over a low heat for 30-40 mins, stirring occasionally. And then you’re done. Use it as you please.

Swedish meatballs in the slow cooker

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So savoury, so soothing. A bowl of these tender meatballs in gravy could solve almost anything. Feeds 4

  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 350g beef mince
  • 350g pork mince
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 100ml single cream
  1. Add all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl, mix until combined and homogenous. Shape into small walnut-sized meatballs.
  2. Add 1 tbsp butter to a big frying pan on a medium-high heat and fry the meatballs until browned all over but not necessarily cooked through. Fry in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
  3. Transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker and get as much of the juices in too
  4. Then to make the sauce (you can use the same pan if it’s fairly deep, or just use a saucepan – I love not having to wash more things up, so I’ll always re-use pans if possible) – melt 2 tbsp butter over a low heat and slowly mix in the flour.
  5. When fully incorporated, add the stock and mustard. Heat to a bubble whilst continuously stirring. Mix in the cream, taste for seasoning and then pour over the meatballs in the slow cooker.
  6. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with mashed potato, rice or (for the full Ikea experience) chips!

To reduce the meat content in this dish, substitute 1 drained and pureed tin of green lentils for either the beef or pork.

And to make it gluten free, substitute the breadcrumbs for 3 heaped tbsp of uncooked basmati rice. Then cook the meatballs in the beef stock and cream without making a roux with the 2 tbsp butter and flour – instead, once it’s finished cooking, remove the meatballs and decant the sauce into a saucepan or deep frying pan. Heat the sauce to a bubble and whisk in a slurry of 2 heaped tbsp cornflour mixed with 2-3 tsp water. Cook gently until it thickens, then return the meatballs to the sauce and serve.

Beef stifado

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Beef and onions. But make it more aromatic, fragrant and flavourful. A Greek-style stew to warm the cockles of your heart on a frosty day. Feeds 4.

  • 500g stewing steak (I like beef shin), cut into chunky pieces
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 150ml red wine
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 300g shallots, peeled and left whole
  1. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and turn it around so the pieces all get coated
  2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over a high heat until the butter froths
  3. Put the meat in and leave it to brown on the bottom, then turn and brown the pieces all over
  4. Remove the meat from the pan and turn the heat right down
  5. Pop in the onion and garlic and saute gently until soft
  6. Add the cinnamon, allspice, oregano, beef stock cube, tomato puree, red wine and vinegar
  7. Stir together and cook for 3-5 mins until the wine is reduced and the whole thing is thick, deep brown and sticky
  8. Add the tinned tomatoes, red wine vinegar and bay leaves. Fill the empty tin with water and pour that in too
  9. Bring to the boil, scraping the pot with your wooden spoon to make sure all the delicious brown bits on the bottom are incorporated
  10. Stir in the beef and the shallots. Season well with salt and pepper
  11. Reduce the heat as low as possible (and use a heat diffuser if you’re using a gas stove), stick the lid on and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally

Serve with wodges of crusty bread, or rice or orzo pasta. And maybe some greenery on the side for contrast and vitamins.

Cottage pie

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We’ve discussed shepherd’s pie previously – and here is its delicious cousin. Deeply savoury and immensely cosy, this is proper nursery food. Feeds 4.

  • 750g beef mince
  • 3 tbsp veg oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 beef stock cube
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 3 dashes worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 400ml boiling water
  • 1 sprig rosemary, needles stripped from the twig and finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 heaped tsp cornflour
  • 1 kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks
  • 50g butter
  • 50ml whole milk
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Heat oil in deep frying pan over a high heat and add the minced beef
  2. Cook the mince, stirring and breaking into small pieces, until well browned
  3. Remove the mince from the pan, turn the heat to low and add the 2 tbsp butter
  4. Add the onion, stir and cook for 5 mins until soft
  5. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook for another couple of mins
  6. Add the tomato puree and crumbled stock cubes and stir together until it coats the onion
  7. Add the mustard, worcestershire sauce and boiling water, scraping all the delicious brown off the bottom of the pan
  8. Add the mince back to the pan, along with the herbs, salt and pepper
  9. Bring to a bubble, then cover and simmer for 30-45 mins, stirring occasionally
  10. While this cooks, make the mash and pre-heat the oven to 200C fan (220C)
  11. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil
  12. Tip the potato pieces into the boiling water and cook for 15-20 mins until soft
  13. Drain the potatoes and put back into the pan with the butter, milk, a bit of salt and plenty of pepper
  14. Mash well until smooth and then stir through the grated parmesan
  15. When the mince is cooked, in a small cup mix together the cornflour with 1 tsp water and stir until smooth. Pour into the mince and stir together over a low heat until it goes clear and thickens into a rich gravy
  16. Taste everything for seasoning and then you’re ready to construct your cottage pie
  17. Empty the mince into the base of a large ceramic or glass baking dish. Top with big dollops of mash, gently joining the potato islands together until it covers the top of the pie from edge to edge
  18. Bake for 30 mins until golden and crisp on top

Serve with peas and a spoon and a comfy sofa

Polpette al sugo

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Deliciously comforting – succulent, tender meatballs in a rich tomato sauce. Feeds 2

  • 1 slice of white bread, crusts removed
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 300g minced beef
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tsp sugar
  1. Rip the bread into pieces and soak in the milk until soft
  2. Put the beef mince into a large bowl with the wet bread, egg, 1 clove of minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper
  3. Use your hands to mix everything together.
  4. Divide the mixture into 8 large meatballs with wet hands and let them rest while you make the sauce
  5. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium-low heat and cook the other minced clove of garlic gently until fragrant
  6. Add the tomato puree and stir in, cooking for 2 mins
  7. Add the tinned tomatoes, half a tin of water, the sugar and seasoning
  8. Cook for 20 mins until the sauce is rich and thick
  9. Drop the meatballs in the sauce, making sure they are submerged
  10. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and poach for 15 mins

Serve with tagliatelle, or long grain rice or just a pile of crusty bread for dunking.

Spicy steak stirfry

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As well being marvellously alliterative, this dish is so delicious you will lick the bowl clean. Feeds 2 generously.

  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • ½ onion, cut into 2cm pieces
  • ½ red pepper, cut into 2cm pieces
  • 100g green beans, cut into 2cm lengths
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400g rump steak, trimmed and finely sliced into slices around 3mm thick
  • 3 tbsp chilli oil
  • 2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey/golden syrup
  • 1 heaped tsp cornflour
  • Small handful fresh coriander, chopped
  1. Have everything ready and to hand. This is a quickie!
  2. Heat a wok over the highest heat until scorching hot. Keep.it this hot all the way through
  3. Add the oil, swirl up the sides of the wok and then add all the veg
  4. Stir fry veg until browned round the edges and starting to soften
  5. Add the garlic and stir in
  6. Add the steak and stirfry briefly until it loses most of its pink (but not all)
  7. Add the chilli oil, shaoxing, soy sauce, oyster sauce and honey, plus 100ml water
  8. Stir in and bring to a bubble
  9. Pour in the cornflour slurry and mix quickly in create a glossy sauce
  10. Turn the heat off, stir in the coriander and serve with coconut rice for a beautiful contrast of mild sweetness against savoury spiciness. Job done.

Spiced beef and chickpea stew

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A marvellous marriage of a British beef stew and a Moroccan tagine. Sounds delicious – definitely is.

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g beef shin, cut into chunks
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 2 tsp harissa paste
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 heaped tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 preserved lemon, skin only, diced
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 200g green beans, cut into pieces
  • Handful of green olives
  1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-high heat
  2. Brown the beef in batches, removing it to a plate on one side
  3. Lower the heat and add onions
  4. Cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally
  5. Add garlic and continue to cook for further 5 mins until soft and golden.
  6. Add spices, crumbled stock cube, harissa and tomato puree, and stir together. Cook for 2 mins while the kettle boils.
  7. Add approx 500 ml boiling water and the pomegranate molasses
  8. Season well with salt and pepper
  9. Bring to the boil and then cook over very low heat for an hour
  10. Add preserved lemon and zest, stir in and cook for another hour
  11. Add chickpeas, olives and green beans, cook for a further 30 mins.
  12. Serve with a pile of lovely cous cous

Lemongrass beef stir fry

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Fragrant, spicy stir fry. Serve with jasmine rice cooked with the lemongrass trimmings for an extra layer of flavour.

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and grated with a microplane
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 red chillis, de-seeded and sliced
  • 300g rump steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 100g baby corn, sliced in half lengthways
  • 1 carrot, sliced into skinny-thin batons
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Handful coriander leaves
  1. Heat the oil in a wok until toasty hot
  2. Add lemongrass, garlic and chilli and stir, then add the beef and stir fry for 2 mins
  3. Turn heat to medium and add tamarind, sugar and fish sauce
  4. Stir in and add carrot and baby corns
  5. Cook, stirring, for 2 mins
  6. Add lime juice and fresh coriander and stir again before serving straight away