PAW's Recipe of the Month December 2013 -Braised Seasonal Beef

So we are now on the serious countdown. Of course you took my advice and wrote your plan for the Holiday period and you know exactly what you are doing. Foods that can and could be bought for the cupboard or deep freeze are now awaiting their turn for use.

So now time to think about the preparations. I like to have home cooked ready meals in the deep freeze so that not too much cooking and preparation has to be done over the period. Just finishing or reheating. Stews, Braised Dishes, Flans, Light Nibbles that can all be produced at the click of a finger. For Christmas Day I lock myself in the kitchen on Christmas Eve for about two hours and have no disturbances or diversions and just concentrate on getting all the preparations done for the Day. Veggies peeled, prepared and blanched, Potatoes par cooked and ready for roasting. Don’t forget, your meat can be cooked and removed from the oven up to two hours before it is needed. Cover with foil to retain the warmth and that will free up the oven for all the other things. Christmas Puddings can take a few minutes in the microwave and therefore do not need hours over a steamer. I like to serve Ice Cream with my Pudding. Starters should be light and flavorsome and not substantial. If you wish to serve Cheese choose just two contrasting ones a full selection of 4 – 8 is not necessary and only leads to waste.

My other coo was to have our gathering at 16.30 hours and eating about 17.00 – 17.30. This makes it into a late luncheon and early dinner party. The young can leave the table once the food has been eaten and the oldies can sit and talk the evening away. This means no morning rush – no evening meal- snacks to produce and better still a reduction in overeating. It can of course cause riots with some who traditionally eat at 13.00 hours but if warned well in advance they can compensate and prepare accordingly. You will also have the house to yourselves till your guests arrive. Enjoy the morning with the young and be much less stressed. It certainly has been a revolution in our household.

This month’s dish a little different can be frozen before adding the force meat balls and once defrosted add the force meat balls whilst reheating. 

Braised Seasonal Beef

700g Cubed Stewing Steak            25g Flour

1 Medium Onion – Chopped            S & P

¼ pt Port                                   ¼ pt Stock

4 Cloves

225g Sausage Meat                      50g Fresh Breadcrumbs

2 tbsp Parsley Chopped                 1 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly

1. Coat Beef with Flour shake off excess and put into a lidded oven proof dish. Add Onion and Cloves and Season. Pour on Port and stock to cover.
2. Put lid on and slowly braise in the oven for 3 hours or more till tender.
3. Mix together the Sausage Meat, Breadcrumbs and Parsley. With floured hands make into about 8 small balls.
4. About 40 mins before cooking is complete stir in the redcurrant Jelly. Add the force meat balls and cook uncovered until the balls are slightly golden. Skim off any surplus fat.

N.B. You can always use ready made bought stuffing balls if you wish.