Category Meat

Red Wine Poached Fillet steak on Horseradish Risotto

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The first years harvest of our own homegrown (miniature I add) horseradish roots was the most judicious and pleasing reason to bring out the humble roast a few weekends ago. Star of the show, grated generously like hot, fierce confetti for a meaty beef groom and a fluffy, brunette, Yorkshire bride!

However, I love the smack this root gives and thought it would go dreamily in one of my favourite dishes- risotto. So this Sunday, instead of a roast, I opted for a rather extravagant (but all the same, delicious) wine poached steak to top my horseradish risotto. Drizzled greedily with a thick deep red wine reduction and some seasonal kale, I am set for the week!

  • 200ml red wine
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 200ml beef stock
  • tbsp butter
  • tbsp flour
  • 100g fillet/sirloin steak per person
  1. Begin by adding together the wine, stock, herbs and garlic and one a medium heat, simmer until reduced by about half the amount.
  2. It is important to ensure that the heat is too high so that the liquid is not boiling but gently simmering so your don’t boil your steak but poach it. Add your steak making sure that it is covered in the liquid but not drowning.
  3. Poach gently for about 7 minutes for medium depending on the thickness of you steak. Mine was about 2cm thick.image
  4. Remove from the heat and allow to rest, covered, while you do the sauce.
  5. Turn up the heat again and simmer to reduce by about half again.
  6. Mix 1 tbsp of butter with 1 tbsp of flour in a bowl until you have a paste. This is called a beurre manie and is a method I regularly use to thicken sauces without the flour going lumpy and as a way to get yet more butter into a recipe!
  7. When you have a soft paste, whisk this into the sauce and allow it to thicken. The addition of the butter will also add a nice creamy shine to your sauce. Once it is to the right texture, taste, season and sieve.
  8. This can be served on anything from butternut squash, potato, celeriac or parsnip puree but I served mine on a horseradish risotto. I simply made a plain risotto recipe (minus the parmesan) with the addition of some rosemary and thyme and added 3 good tablespoons of fierce horseradish sauce (per 200g rice).
  9. Top the risotto with your poached steak and drizzle with a splash of red wine sauce and some nutmeg seasoned kale.

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Mission Burrito

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One evening last week, I went to a burrito masterclass at ‘Mission Burrito’, Park Street, Bristol. One of five from a small chain of authentic, delicious, moreish and comforting burritos bars. It was brilliant.

I’ve been in burrito eating territory but this was a new and exciting delight. A whistle-stop guide through owner Jan’s motivation to recreate the tastes from his time in San Francisco and the origins of the business were our first look into their love affair with burritos. No sooner, tupperwares of intriguing chipotle, arbol, epazote and pumpkin seed powders imported religiously from Mexico, were wafted under our noses, eliciting stomach tingling excitement and awe. With not a freezer to be found in any of their kitchens, Mission Burrito focuses wholeheartedly on freshly made burritos everyday from scratch using amazing ingredients.

With Corona in hand, and sticky tortilla chip fingers, we knocked up the largest batch of guacamole I’ve ever seen. Then it was ready for the big show. Jan’s expertise and wonderful passion was effectiously contagious as he casually invited us all to dive behind the counter to marry together our own personalised burrito ingredients into a warm, toasted floury tortilla. With a mouthwateringly fresh array of delectable ingredients from black beans, white beans, rice, shredded pork or chicken, peppers, salad, guacamole, soured cream and a dangerous vat of spicy sauces that would make a grown Mexican weep, we were spoilt for choice. We made our burrito’s in the traditional style, to the amusement of the Mexican staff who casually knocked out double our turnover for the loyal but slightly bewildered customers who lined the room!

Jan’s expert method:

It all begins with a warmed floury tortilla. Next rice…..followed by a good spoonful of creamy beans. Then the shredded pork, salad and in my case, guacamole, soured cream and salad (hold the spice for me)! Mix it together and then craftily and technically fold into a chunky, easily transportable roll of goodness.

Throughout the evening it was apparent of the love that Jan had for good fresh food and for making people happy with it. For many, this is considered fast food, and it is, but not in the way you know it. This is all about freshness and real ingredients which although combined in a speedy ‘subway-style’ manner, you sure won’t taint your precious nostrils with the synthetic wafts of that traditional sandwich bar. So with the lasting take home message that was pinned behind the counter- the difference between a fajitas and a burrito is that a fajitas is filled with grilled meats and vegetables- we said our reluctant farewells and set out to work off our amazing burritos before beginning round two for lunch!