WINE braised BEEF, BLACK PUDDING fritter, BEETROOT Purée and OATS

THE RECIPE

This beef dish is to northern Italy what roast beef is to Ireland. However there is nothing traditional that one would expect to accompany the beef on an Irish table and it is not roasted. However I believe the ingredients work wonderfully together and most can still be typically classified as Irish ingredients. This couldn't be easier to make and is delicious and a great alternative to what one would normally expect. So go ahead and give it a try!

INGREDIENTS:

Braised Beef
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 kg braising beef, in one piece
1 small onion, sliced
1 small carrot, sliced
2 Celery sticks, sliced
2 Garlic cloves, skin removed, left whole
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
A pinch of ground cinnamon
500ml of fruity red wine
500ml Beef stock
Salt and black pepper

Black Pudding Fritter
150g Black pudding (beef based such as Clonakilty black pudding)
75g Plain flour
1 Egg
75g Sourdough breadcrumbs
5 Hazelnuts, chopped
Vegetable oil for frying

Beetroot Purée
4 large cooked beetroot
50ml Apple juice
15ml red wine
Salt

Oats
50g Oats
15g Olive oil
10g Honey
Salt

Baby beetroot leaves to garnish

Serves 4


METHOD:

Heat the olive oil in a casserole dish and add the beef, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and rosemary. Season with the cinnamon, salt and black pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, turning the beef to brown it. Add the wine and stock, bring to the boil then lower the heat, put the lid on and leave to simmer for 1 hour. Remove the beef from the casserole dish and keep warm. Remove the rosemary sprig and bring the sauce to the boil and reduce by half. Purée the sauce in a blender and pass through a sieve.

For the black pudding fritter, remove the skin from the black pudding, crumble and whisk until smooth. Form the mixture into 4 small balls. Roll the balls in the flour, dip in a beaten egg and roll in the bread crumbs mixed with the chopped hazelnut. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Deep fry in a deep fat fryer for 4-5 minutes at 170°C.

For the beetroot purée, place the beetroot cubed in a saucepan with the apple juice and red wine, bring to the boil. Blend in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Keep warm.

For the oats, mix all the ingredients together in an oven proof dish and place in a preheated oven at 160°C/Gas Mark 3. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the oats are golden, stirring every 3 minutes. Allow to cool.

TO SERVE:

Carve the beef into slices. Place some of the beetroot purée on each plate and place 3 beef slices on top. Spoon some sauce over the beef and around the plate. Place the black pudding fritter on the side of each plate. Add a sprinkle of oats and finish with the baby beetroot leaves to garnish. Enjoy......