Recipe Inspiration

Ingredients...

Angus Beef Fillet: 

200g Angus beef centre-cut fillet 

Fine sea salt 

1 Garlic clove, lightly crushed 

2 Sprigs thyme 

25g Unsalted butter 

Essential Cuisine Signature Beef Jus, for glazing

Beef Sauce:

120g Onions, finely sliced

6g Thyme

3g Rosemary

3g Tarragon

1 Bay leaf

1g Black peppercorns

75g Red wine

75g Port

600ml Essential Cuisine Signature Beef Jus 

600ml Essential Cuisine Signature Chicken Stock Reduction

100g Beef trim

15g Dry aged beef fat, diced

Sherry vinegar, to taste

Butternut Purée:

1 Medium butternut squash (about 800g flesh), peeled and diced

80g Unsalted butter

100ml Essential Cuisine Signature Chicken Stock Reduction

50ml Double cream

Salt, to taste

20g Cold butter, to finish

Sherry vinegar

Veal Sweetbread, Toasted Seed Crumb

300g Veal sweetbreads

2 Garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1 Bay leaf

100ml Essential Cuisine Chicken Stock Mix

Essential Cuisine Chicken Stock Mix, to season

Toasted Seed Crumb:

60g Pumpkin seeds

60g Sunflower seeds

20g Breadcrumbs

5g Maldon sea salt

Pinch of Essential Cuisine Chicken Stock Mix (optional)

5g Chives

Boulangère & Short Rib Potato:

300g Maris Piper potatoes, thinly sliced

150g Picked slow-cooked beef short rib

200ml Essential Cuisine Beef Stock Mix

80g Unsalted butter, melted

Salt

White pepper

Presentation Layer:

1 medium potato

30g melted butter

Pickled Butternut Discs:

12 Butternut squash discs (2mm thick, 25-30mm diameter)

100ml White wine vinegar

100ml Water

30g Caster sugar

2g Fine sea salt

1 Bay leaf

2 Black peppercorns

Small sprig thyme

Method...

Angus Beef Fillet Method:

1. Trim the beef fillet, tapering the ends to create a uniform cylindrical shape.

2. Roll tightly in cling film and tie securely to maintain its shape.

3. Steam or cook in a water bath at 62°C until the core temperature reaches 48°C.

4. Remove from the steamer or water bath and rest for 5 minutes before unwrapping.

5. Carefully remove the cling film and pat dry thoroughly.

6. Season evenly with fine sea salt.

7. Heat a heavy-based frying pan until very hot and sear the fillet until a deep, even caramelisation is achieved on all sides.

8. Add the butter, crushed garlic and thyme. Reduce the heat slightly and continuously baste the fillet with the foaming butter for 2-3 minutes, ensuring an even colour and glaze.

9. Transfer to a resting rack and rest for 3-5 minutes.

10. Lightly glaze the fillet with warm Signature Beef Jus.

11. Carve into the required portions.

Beef Sauce Method:

1. Caramelise the onions with a small amount of rapeseed oil until deeply golden.

2. Add the beef trim and continue cooking until well coloured.

3. Add the thyme, rosemary, tarragon, bay leaf and peppercorns.

4. Deglaze with the red wine and port and reduce until a jam-like consistency.

5. Add the Signature Beef Jus and Signature Chicken Stock Reduction

6. Simmer gently and reduce by approximately two-thirds.

7. Pass through a fine chinois, pressing lightly.

8. Return to the heat and reduce to a rich coating consistency.

9. Finish with sherry vinegar and fold through the diced dry-aged beef fat before serving.

Butternut Purée Method:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan and cook to a deep beurre noisette.

2. Add the butternut squash and a pinch of salt.

3. Cook over medium-high heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and allowing the squash to colour heavily between stirs.

4. Once deeply caramelised, add the Signature Chicken Stock Reduction and cook until tender and the liquid has almost completely reduced. Add the cream and reduce gently until the cream lightly coats the butternut.

5. Transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth.

6. Pass through a fine chinois if required.

7. Finish with the cold butter, check the seasoning and finish with a splash of sherry vinegar.

Veal Sweetbread, Toasted Seed Crumb Method:

1. Season the sweetbreads with Chicken Stock Mix.

2. Place into a vacuum bag with the garlic, bay leaf and Chicken Stock Mix.

3. Vacuum seal and cook at 65°C for 40 minutes.

4. Remove from the bag and allow to cool slightly.

5. Carefully remove the outer membrane and any sinew.

6. Press lightly between trays if required.

7. Portion into 100-150g pieces, pan-roast in foaming butter until golden, finish with toasted seed crumb and glaze lightly with beef jus.

Boulangère & Short Rib Potato Method:

1. Mix the short rib with a spoonful of reduced cooking liquor or beef jus.

2. Butter a small cast iron serving pot.

3. Layer sliced potatoes in the base, seasoning lightly between layers.

4. Add a layer of short rib mixture.

5. Continue layering with potato and short rib until almost full.

6. Pour over Beef Stock Mix to three-quarters of the height.

7. Cover with foil and bake at 170°C for 45-50 minutes until tender.

Presentation Layer:

1. Slice the potato very thinly on a mandoline and cut into 3cm rounds using a pastry cutter.

2. Arrange in an overlapping rosette on top of each pot.

3. Brush with butter.

4. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until crisp and golden.

5. Finish under the grill if required and garnish with freshly picked thyme leaves.

Pickled Butternut Discs Method:

1. Peel the neck of the butternut squash and slice into 12 discs, approximately 2mm thick.

2. Place the discs into a heatproof container.

3. Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme in a saucepan.

4. Bring to the boil, ensuring the sugar and salt are fully dissolved.

5. Pour the hot pickle over the butternut discs.

6. Allow to cool completely in the liquor.

To Serve: 

1. Drain the discs and lightly pat dry.

2. Arrange in an overlapping fan shape alongside the beef.

3. Lightly brush with rapeseed oil for shine and finish with micro herbs and edible flowers.

Plating & Presentation: 

1. Spoon a generous quenelle of caramelised butternut puree towards the top of the plate. 

2. Position the glazed veal sweetbread neatly to one side of the puree. 

3. Arrange the pickled butternut discs beside the sweetbread in an overlapping fan shape. 

4. Pipe small dots of additional butternut puree around the pickled butternut for height and refinement. 

5. Finish the garnish with carefully selected micro herbs and edible flowers. 

6. Carve the Angus beef fillet into neat portions and place centrally on the plate with the cut face visible. 

7. Spoon the aged beef fat jus down one side of the beef, lightly coating the meat without covering the caramelised exterior. 

8. Serve the short rib boulangère potato separately on a lined side plate.