SCOTS bEEF OLIVES
Slow-braised beef rolls with carrots, onions and red wine gravy.
Serves: 2 — two small beef olives each
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 2–2½ hours, plus browning
Oven: 180°C / 160°C fan
Ingredients
Beef olives
- 4 thin slices of braising steak, approximately 100g each
- 60g medium oatmeal, not porridge flakes
- 25g shredded beef suet
- ½ small onion, very finely diced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1–2 tbsp water, enough to bind
Braising sauce
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks
- 100ml red wine
- 350ml beef stock, plus extra if needed
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water, optional
To serve
- 400g potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 25g butter for the mash
- 50ml warm milk
- 100g kale, tough stalks removed
- 10g butter for the kale
Method
- Heat the oven. Flatten the steak slices between sheets of baking paper to approximately 5mm thick.
- Mix the oatmeal, suet, finely diced onion, salt and pepper. Add just enough water to hold the mixture together when pressed.
- Divide the filling between the steak slices, leaving a border. Roll up, tuck in the sides and secure with cooking string.
- Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole. Brown the beef olives for 5–6 minutes, turning carefully. Remove.
- Cook the sliced onion and carrots in the same casserole for 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the base.
- Return the beef olives and add the stock. Cover tightly.
- Cook for 2–2½ hours, until the beef and filling are thoroughly cooked and the meat is tender. Check halfway through and add stock if the casserole is drying out.
- For the mash, boil the potatoes for 15–20 minutes. Drain and mash with butter and milk.
- Steam the kale for 4–5 minutes and toss with its butter.
- Remove the string from the beef olives. If necessary, thicken the gravy by stirring in the cornflour mixture and simmering for 2 minutes. Serve with the mash and kale.
Shortcut: Use four small butcher-prepared beef olives and follow the braising method, allowing for the butcher’s cooking guidance.
Development note: The homemade oatmeal filling is a proposed version; the programme uses ready-made beef olives.
Beef Roulades with Chicken, Mushroom and Barley Filling
With onion purée, braised onion, mushrooms and crispy kale.
Serves: 2
Prep: 40 minutes
Cook: Approximately 50 minutes, with components cooked together
Allow: 1 hour 30 minutes
Oven: 180°C / 160°C fan
Ingredients
Roulades
- 2 thin-cut sirloin steaks, approximately 150g each
- 80g skinless chicken breast, chilled and diced
- 30ml cold double cream
- 60g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 20g dry pearl barley
- 10g butter
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- Salt and pepper
Onion purée and braised onion
- 2 medium onions
- 20g butter
- 100ml beef stock
- 40ml double cream
Garnishes
- 100g mushrooms, sliced
- 40g kale, tough stalks removed
- 10g butter
- 2 tsp oil
- Salt
Method
- Simmer the barley in water for 25–30 minutes, or according to its packet, until tender. Drain thoroughly and cool.
- Fry the finely chopped mushrooms in 10g butter for 5–7 minutes, until their moisture has evaporated. Cool completely.
- Make the onion purée: thinly slice one onion and soften in 10g butter over a low heat for 15–20 minutes. Add the cream and blend until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Season.
- Cut the second onion into wedges. Brown gently in the remaining 10g butter for 4–5 minutes. Add the stock, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender.
- Heat the oven. Flatten the steaks between baking paper to approximately 5mm thick.
- Blend the chilled chicken with a pinch of salt into a paste, then briefly blend in the cold cream. Fold in the cooled chopped mushrooms and 40g of the cooked barley. Keep chilled until needed.
- Divide the filling between the steaks, leaving a border. Roll tightly and secure with cooking string.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Brown the roulades on all sides for 4–5 minutes. Transfer to the oven for approximately 20–30 minutes.
- Check the centre of the chicken filling with a thermometer: it must reach 75°C and remain there for 30 seconds. Continue cooking if necessary; thickness affects the timing. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Toss the kale with 1 tsp oil and a little salt. Spread on a tray and bake for 8–12 minutes, checking frequently, until crisp.
- Pat the remaining cooked barley dry. Fry in 1 tsp oil for 5–8 minutes until lightly crisp; it may spit.
- Sauté the sliced mushrooms in 10g butter for 5–6 minutes.
- Remove the cooking string and slice the roulades. Serve with warm onion purée, braised onion and its reduced juices, mushrooms, kale and barley.
Development note: This is a home reconstruction of the chicken mousse filling and accompaniments. The beef will be cooked through to ensure the chicken centre is safe.