Servings: 4
Time to prepare: 15 mins
Time to cook: 45-65 mins
Ingredients:
1/1.5kgs Sirloin of Lincoln red beef (organic if possible)
100g smoked poacher cheese
6 rashers smoked streaky bacon
2 springs of rosemary
1 carrot
1 onion
1 stick celery
1/2 a small leek
Cold pressed virgin rapeseed oil
For the Gravy:
1/4 bottle red wine
750ml good quality beef stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
Recipe:
Ask your butcher to make an incision through the centre of the beef so as to make a hole for the cheese.
1. In a roasting tin, heat some rapeseed oil until nearly smoking, season beef and place in pan and seal all around the beef so as to seal in the juices. Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly.
2. Stuff the centre with the cheese and wrap the bacon around both ends so as to cover the two ends where the cheese is placed. Tie with string to hold bacon in place.
3. Roughly chop the vegetables and place in roasting tin with rosemary springs. Lay beef on top and roast in a hot oven (approx 200c, gas mark 6) for around 45 mins for rare or 65 mins for well done. When cooked remove from tin and allow to rest for at least 15 mins. Keep the crispy bacon from the outside for your Brussels tops later.
4. Now the gravy. Place the roasting tin on a hot stove and caramelise vegetables until dark brown, not black or your gravy will be bitter. Add the tomato puree and fry for 1 min stirring constantly, then add red wine and reduce by ½. Add the beef stock and reduce by two thirds, stirring to loosen all the sediment on the bottom of the tin. Now pass through a fine sieve pushing firmly so as to push some of the vegetables through as well as to give a natural body to your gravy. Check seasoning and your gravy is now ready to serve.
