Aromatic beef with orange and apricots
Ingredients:
450g/1lb lean braising or topside steak, cubed, 5ml/1tsp fennel seeds, 5ml/1tsp ground coriander, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped, 2 small onions, peeled and sliced, 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped, 50g/2oz dried apricots, chopped, 50ml/2floz orange juice, 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped, 100ml/3½floz red wine, 30ml/2tbsp red wine vinegar, 30ml/2tbsp oil, 30ml/2tbsp plain flour, 15ml/1tbsp tomato puree, optional, 800ml/1½pint beef stock, 175g/6oz button mushrooms.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F
2. In a large bowl mix together the beef, fennel seeds, coriander, thyme, garlic, onions, carrots, apricots, orange juice, celery, red wine, red wine vinegar and seasoning. Cover the marinade and if possible leave in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
4. Drain the marinade mixture and reserve. Heat the oil in a medium-sized casserole or ovenproof dish and brown the meat with the vegetables in batches. Stir in the flour, reserved marinade, tomato puree, beef stock, and bring to the boil. Add the button mushrooms, halved, if preferred.
5. Transfer to the oven and cook for 1½-2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is tender.
6. Serve with herb mash and spring greens.
Recipes and images taken with permission from www.lovepotatoes.co.uk
Spanish pork with butter beans and chorizo
Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil, 50g chopped chorizo, 1 onion, sliced, 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips, 4 pork loin steaks, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 400g can butter beans, drained and rinsed, 150ml hot vegetable or chicken stock, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Method:
1. Heat the oil, in a non-stick frying or sauté pan with a lid, over a medium heat. Add the chorizo, onion and red pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chorizo has released its oil and the onion and pepper have softened. Remove from the pan to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the pork steaks to the pan and cook for three minutes on one side, then turn over, and cook for 2 minutes. Return the chorizo and pepper mixture to the pan and stir in the paprika.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, butter beans and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes, until the steaks are cooked through and the juices run clear.
4. Season to taste and sprinkle with the parsley. Divide between 4 plates and serve with green vegetables.
Recipes and images taken with permission from www.lovepork.co.uk.
