DINNER PARTY BRAISED BEEF ON A BOARD

A ‘grazing’ dinner platter of beef chuck braised in a rich tomato sauce served on a wooden platter
covered in maizemeal mixed with sweetcorn and grated cheese and garnished with fresh herbs.

Click here for the downloadable recipe.



INGREDIENTS

Beef

2 kg Beef chuck roast, cut into large pieces about 5-10 cm.

2 teaspoons Salt

½ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons Olive oil

2 large Onions, finely chopped

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 medium Carrots, grated

4 tablespoons Tomato paste

2 tins Plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

500 ml Red wine

½ cup Balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Roasted red pepper and sundried tomato pesto

1 tablespoon Oregano, dried

Maizemeal

8 cups Water

2 teaspoons Salt

2 cups Coarse maize meal

1 can Sweetcorn

1 can Kernel corn

2 tablespoons Butter

1 ½ - 2 cups Pecorino cheese, grated

METHOD

Preparing the braised chuck:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°.

  2. Pat the beef dry, using paper towel and season on all sides with salt and pepper.

  3. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pot with lid over medium-high heat. Brown the meat until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

  4. Reduce the heat and add the onions, garlic and carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are softened. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.

  5. Add the tomatoes, red wine and balsamic vinegar, increase the heat and cook for 5 minutes, add the browned meat, pesto and oregano. The meat should be partially covered by the liquid to achieve a good, braised meat.

  6. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30-45 minutes, until the meat is very tender.

  7. Remove from the oven, use some paper towel and skim the fat off the top of the braised meat, using paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Cover and leave to rest in the juices for 10-15 minutes.

  8. Serve the braised chuck on top of the maize meal on a large wooden platter or board, sprinkle with more grated pecorino cheese.


Preparing the maizemeal base:

  1. Place 8 cups of the water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Add the salt.

  2. Reduce the heat.

  3. Add the maize meal to the boiling water and stir using a whisk to prevent any lumps forming. Stir until the mixture is well blended. Bring the mixture to the boil and let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes. Reduce the heat and continue cooking and stirring occasionally for about 30-45 minutes until the mixture is glossy and the maizemeal has lost its grittiness. If the mixture gets too thick during cooking add a little water.

  4. Add the sweetcorn and kernel corn plus its liquid. Stir, add the butter and cheese. Remove the pot from the stove and pour the maizemeal onto a prepared wooden board or large platter. Use a wet spoon or spatula to evenly spread the maizemeal base over the platter to an even layer of about 3 cm.

  5. Let the maizemeal base sit for a few minutes to set. Ladle the braised chuck and sauce over the maizemeal base. Finish off with some grated cheese and fresh herbs. Tuck in with a fork and have a serviette handy.

  6. Leftovers can be placed in a baking dish and baked the following day for a light meal.

** Recipe can be halved to serve 4 portions