Tag: beef

Beef and pork ragu

~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

Technically something close to an Italian ragù napoletano, this meat stew is hearty, filling and rich. Feeds a small army.

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 500g beef shin, cut into chunky pieces
  • 500g pork ribs
  • 200g thick-cut bacon, cut into chunks
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 200ml red wine
  • 1 carrot, peeled
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tins chopped tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  1. Heat the olive oil in a big, heavy-based saucepan, add the meat to the pan in batches and fry until it’s brown all over, then remove from the pan
  2. When the meat is all browned and put to one side, turn down the heat and add the onion to the pan
  3. Cook for 7 mins or so until softened
  4. Increase the heat, stir in the tomato puree and wine and boil for 5 mins
  5. Add the celery and carrot, chopped tomatoes, a tin of water, salt and pepper
  6. Bring to the boil then lower the heat to a low simmer
  7. Add the meat back to the pan, along with any juices that have leaked out
  8. Cover and cook very gently for 2-3 hours. Stir from time to time and check there’s enough liquid – you can add a bit more water if it gets too thick. The sauce will be rich and thick when cooked and the meat will be so tender you can cut it with a spoon
  9. Remove the pork ribs and any bits of gristle, plus the bay leaf, carrot and celery (and eat the veg secretly in the kitchen before serving)

Serve with piles of tagliatelle or papardelle, traditionally as 2 separate courses – the pasta with the tomato sauce (primo) and the meat (secondo).

Beef ramen

~ Sophie ~ 1 Comment

I’m a big fan of a noodle packet, but this is for when you want something a bit more special. Not completely authentic, but quick and simple to make. And very delicious – deep, rich and savoury. Endlessly adaptable, and always good. Change it up with grilled chicken, slow cooked meat, gyoza, tofu, salmon, vegetables. Feeds 2.

  • 900ml beef stock (I like to use one of these and one of these – because who has time to make stock?)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp black vinegar
  • 2 thick slices of ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, left whole and squashed a bit with the flat of a knife
  • 1 tsp mirin
  • 400g rump steak
  • Veg oil
  • Salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 300g mange tout
  • 200g noodles, whichever sort you like. I like wheat udon because they’ve got a lovely texture
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp Szechuan chilli oil
  1. Heat the beef stock in a large pan with the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, garlic, ginger and the green ends of the spring onions. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 mins. Taste it – it should be beefy, aromatic and delicious
  2. Rub the steak with oil and sprinkle with salt
  3. Heat a frying pan until very hot and cook medium-rare. For a 1 inch thick steak, give it 2 mins on each side and then rest. Slice thinly and add any juices into the soup
  4. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and lower the eggs into it. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 6-7 mins, depending on egg size. Remove the eggs and run under cold water until cool. Peel and keep on one side until the soup is ready
  5. Cook the mange tout for 1 min in boiling water
  6. Finely slice the spring onions
  7. In the bottom of each soup bowl, put 1 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tsp chilli oil
  8. Fish the flavourers out of the broth and bring it to the boil
  9. Add the noodles to the soup and cook them for as long as they need. Then it’s time to construct the soup!
  10. Use tongs to divide the noodles between the 2 bowls
  11. Pour over the stock then arrange the other ingredients on top – sliced steak, mange tout, spring onion. Finally, cut the egg in half lengthways and place on top

Ready, steady, slurp!

Konigsberger klopse

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A very traditional German meatball dish, one that I’ve never come across anywhere but my family. My dad’s granny used to make it for him and the tradition continues through the generations. It sounds odd – meatballs in a gravy which includes sour cream, capers, lemon and gherkins – but you won’t regret trying it. The combination is rich, savoury, tangy, creamy and delicious.

  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 thick slice white bread, torn into pieces
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 350g minced beef
  • 300g minced pork
  • 5 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Zest and juice of ½ lemon
  • 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • A grating of nutmeg
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp baby capers
  • 3 tbsp gherkins, finely chopped
  • 200ml sour cream
  1. Soak the bread in the milk for 5 mins then mush it together and pull into smaller pieces with your fingers or mash with a fork
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and cook over a low heat for around 8 mins until completely soft
  3. In a large bowl put the beef and pork mince. Add the soaked bread and cooked onion
  4. Add 3 tbsp of parsley, the salt, paprika, lemon zest, 1 tsp juice, worcestershire sauce and nutmeg
  5. Combine really thoroughly with your hands, pressing the mixture together as you mix
  6. Shape gently into golf ball-sized meatballs. Don’t compress them too much, you want the texture quite light and open
  7. Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a large pan, then turn to a simmer
  8. Drop the meatballs into the stock gently, one by one. Cover the pot and cook for 15 mins
  9. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Pour the stock into a jug. There should be around 800ml
  10. In the same pan, over a medium heat, melt the remaining 4 tbsp butter
  11. Add the flour and combine into a paste. Cook for 2 mins, then whisk in the hot stock bit by bit to make a sauce
  12. Season with salt and pepper, then add the rest of the lemon juice, the capers and gherkins. Stir in the sour cream and the remaining chopped parsley. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed
  13. Add the meatballs back in and heat for a couple of mins, but don’t allow to boil

Serve with oodles of noodles (tagliatelle or papardelle work), a pile of knobbly spaetzle or some steaming new potatoes. Green beans on the side. Job done.

Goulash

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A big family Sunday lunch classic and a nod to the Hungarian bit of my heritage. Goulash can take all sorts of forms, but this one is made with beef, no peppers, no sour cream, but with a solid hit of paprika. 100% simple, delicious and cosy.

  • 600g beef shin, cut into chunks
  • 600g of onions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp veg oil
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 3 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • Large pinch hot smoked paprika
  • 600ml beef stock
  1. Mix the flour, 1 tsp paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper
  2. Dredge the beef in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess
  3. Heat oil and butter in a lidded casserole dish over a medium-high heat
  4. Fry the beef in batches, browning well on all sides
  5. Remove the beef, turn the heat right down and add a little more oil if needed
  6. Fry the onions gently until translucent
  7. Add the other 2 tsp paprika, the tomato puree, 2 tspnof the leftover flour in the bowl, and the hot paprika
  8. Stir in and cook for a minute
  9. Then pour over the beef stock, bring to the boil and pop the browned beef back in, along with any juice that has accumulated on the plate
  10. Cover and cook for 2 hours – either on the hob on a low-low temperature or in the oven at 160C fan
  11. The beef should almost be falling apart with succulent deliciousness. Check the seasoning, add a bit more salt, pepper or paprika as needed
  12. If you want to thicken the gravy a bit, put the pot on the hob and bring to a simmer. Either mix together equal parts of flour and butter to make a paste (beurre manié, ooh fancy!) Drop bits of the paste into the stew and stir in to achieve your desired thickness. Alternatively, mix a couple of heaped tsp of cornflour with a bit of water and pour in, stirring all the time
  13. Serve with egg noodles, dumplings or spaetzle. Or mashed potato or bread or rice. Any carb really. But whatever you choose, I highly recommend a cucumber salad on the side

Thai red curry beef

~ Sophie ~ 1 Comment

Intensely tasty curry with tender beef, crunchy veg and creamy, spicy, flavourful sauce.

  • 300g beef rump steak
  • 1 tin coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 tbsp thai fish sauce
  • 3 lime leaves
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tin of bamboo shoots
  • ½ medium red pepper, cut into fine strips
  • Handful of frozen peas
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp ground roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed (not finely ground)
  • 20 fresh basil leaves
  1. Slice the beef into 5mm strips, trimming off any sinew or fat. This might be easier if the meat is frozen slightly so you could pop it in the freezer for 20 mins before you start cooking if you remember (I never do)
  2. In a wok over a medium-high heat, add the red curry paste and half of the coconut milk
  3. Stir to dissolve the paste into the coconut and cook on high heat, stirring constantly for about 5 mins
  4. Add the fish sauce, the other half of the coconut milk and turn heat down to medium
  5. Add the beef, lime leaves, lime juice, red pepper, sugar and ground peanuts
  6. Stir cook for a minute until it comes to a bubble then add the bamboo shoots and peas
  7. Cook for a couple more minutes until the beef is cooked as you’d like, then turn off the heat
  8. Taste and add more lime/salt/sugar as needed
  9. Roughly tear up the basil leaves and stir in
  10. Serve straight away over jasmine rice with a sprinkle of sliced fresh red chilli if you’d like

Chilli con carne

~ Sophie ~ 1 Comment

Feeds at least 4, depending on how hungry they are. Serve with rice, tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream and loads of love. And a cold beer.

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed/minced
  • 1 red pepper, diced about the same size as the onion
  • 1 red birdseye chilli, thinly sliced (or a large pinch of chilli flakes)
  • 500g minced beef
  • 150ml red wine
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes (400g)
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Large pinch chipotle chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 15g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tin black beans, rinsed and drained (I know kidney beans are more traditional but I really dislike kidney beans!)
  1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli and red pepper until softened but not coloured
  2. Increase the heat and add the mince, cooking quickly until browned and stirring to break down chunks of meat
  3. Add the tomatoe puree and stir in, then pour in the red wine and boil for 2-3 mins until almost gone
  4. Stir in all the other ingredients except the beans. Add half a tomato tin of water. Season well with salt and pepper
  5. Bring to the boil and then turn heat down to a low simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 45 mins, stirring occasionally
  6. Then uncover, add the black beans and cook at a simmer for another 15 mins to allow some of the moisture to evaporate until thick and rich. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
  7. Check the seasoning and serve

This is the salsa I like to serve alongside:

  • 2 large, ripe avocados, roughly diced
  • 4 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • A handful of chopped fresh coriander
  • 4 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 1 large red chilli, deseeded and chopped

Put the salsa ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover and chill until needed.

Beef and red wine stew

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A testament to the power of low heat and time. It starts as an unprepossessing combination of chunks of stuff floating in red wine and stock. Ends as a bowl of rich, warm, comfort food. Eat it with dumplings, eat it with mashed potatoes or just dunk bits of crusty bread in it.

  • 500g stewing beef (I like beef shin, but it works with any stewng cut except that extra-lean stuff)
  • 3 tbsp flour, mixed with salt, pepper, a sprinkle of paprika and garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 stick celery, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 300ml red wine
  • 1 beef stock cube
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 stalk of fresh thyme
  • Salt & pepper
  • Additions such as whole peeled shallots, trimmed chantenay carrots, button mushrooms
  1. Cut the beef into chunky cubes and dredge in the seasoned flour
  2. Melt the butter and 1 tbsp oil in a lidded casserole over a medium heat
  3. Brown the beef (in batches) in the hot oil, removing it into a bowl afterwards
  4. Turn the heat down and, into the empty pan, add 2 tbsp oil and the garlic, onion, carrot and celery
  5. Cook for 5 mins until softened, then add the crumbled stock cube and tomato puree
  6. Stir in and cook for a further couple of mins
  7. Add the red wine, turn the heat up and bring to the boil, stirring and scraping to get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan
  8. Boil for 2 mins and then add the beef, herbs, seasoning and enough boiling water to cover everything
  9. Put the lid on and cook over the lowest possible heat on the stovetop, or in the oven at 140C fan (160C)
  10. Cook for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom
  11. Add the additional veg and cook for a further 40 mins

If cooking dumplings in the stew, add them with the extra veg

If you want to make this into a pie, leave it to cool and use ready-rolled shortcrust pastry to line a pie dish. Fill with stew, seal the pastry lid and brush with egg wash. Make a small hole in the pastry lid to let the steam out and bake at 180C fan (200C) for 30-40 mins until golden brown and crunchy.

Beef gyudon

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Intensely savoury, wonderfully comforting. Feeds 4

  • 500g steak
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 4 small onions, finely sliced into half moons
  • 2cm ginger, peeled and finely julienned
  • 100ml soy sauce
  • 100ml mirin
  • 50g dark brown sugar
  • 150ml beef stock
  • To serve, sliced spring onion, pickled ginger, toasted sesame seeds
  1. Slice the beef against the grain into very thin pieces, approx ½ cm thick. Remove any hard fat or sinew
  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onions
  3. Cook over medium flame, stirring occasionally until they are completely soft and brown. This takes at least 10 mins
  4. Add the fresh ginger, stir in and cook for a further 2 mins
  5. Add the soy, mirin, sugar and stock. Cook for around 10 mins until the sauce is reduced to a syrupy consistency
  6. Stir the beef into the sauce and cook for just a couple of mins, until the beef is no longer pink on the outside
  7. Serve straight away on top of white rice, sprinkled with sliced spring onion, toasted sesame seeds and pickled garlic. Eat with a spoon

Bolognaise

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My go-to for tasty, warming dinner. Straightforward, delicious. Feeds 4

  • 500g beef mince
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stick celery
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tin tomatoes (400g)
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • ½ beef stock cube
  • shake of worcestershire sauce
  • pinch of sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • vegetable oil
  1. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery, and mince the garlic (if you are cooking for people who are fussy about lumps, you can whizz these in a food processor instead)
  2. Warm the oil in a large pot, add the veg and cook for a couple of minutes
  3. When soft, turn the heat up and add the minced beef
  4. Stir and break up the meat as it browns
  5. Add tomato puree and stock and stir together, cooking over medium heat for a couple of minutes
  6. Add tinned tomatoes, half a tin of water, sugar, worcestershire sauce, seasoning
  7. Bring to the boil and then cook on a low simmer for 45 mins, stirring occasionally
  8. Serve with piles of steaming, slippery spaghetti and drifts of grated parmesan on top