Beef olives, mustard mash, young carrots and wilted greens

Idris Caldora, Executive Chef, Chefs Adopt a School

Olives have featured in British cookery since the 17th century, when they were known as ‘aloes’. 

Ingredients

Method

Bat out slightly the 8 slices of meat, as this will tenderise it by breaking down the fibres
To make the forcemeat, place 25g of butter into a pan and sweat the onions for about 5 minutes without colour, drain onto paper towel. Then add the other 25g of butter to the same pan and cook the bacon until golden brown, also drain onto paper towel.

Once the onion and bacon have cooled, then add to the minced veal with the breadcrumbs, anchovies and the juice and zest of lemon. Mix altogether. Add the egg with the chopped parsley and season to taste. To get the seasoning correct, you can take a teaspoon amount, shape into a small burger, and pan fry in oil on both sides.

Place the 8 slices out and divide the forcemeat. Spread the mixture and tightly roll. You can secure with cocktail sticks or by tying with fine butcher’s string.

Heat the 25ml olive oil in a pan and seal and colour the beef olives, this will add additional flavour, remove and place to one side. In the same pan, add all of the root vegetables from the braising list and lightly brown. Add the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and reduce by half, this will also cook out the alcohol.

Place the vegetables into a braising pan, large enough to house the beef olives. Place the olives onto the vegetables and cover with the boiling stock. Add the thyme, cover with a lid and place into a preheated oven at 140°C. Cook for about 2½ hours, checking every ½ hour.

For the garnish, bake the potatoes in an oven at 180°C. (You can also boil your potatoes if you lack oven space) Once the potatoes have cooked, cut in half and scoop into a pan and mash, place onto a low heat, add the warmed milk by mixing with a wooden spoon, then finish with 25g of butter and mustard, season to taste. Peel the carrots and cook in lightly salted water. Wash your greens, place 25g of butter into a pan and gently wilt the greens.  As the greens begin to wilt, add a pinch of salt, this will help to retain the colour. Once the greens have fully wilted season to taste.

Once the olives have cooked, remove from the pan, cover and keep warm. Drain the cooking liquor by passing through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Reduce the liquor down to about 500ml.  Pass once again through a fine sieve and season to taste.

To assemble the dish, place the potato and mustard puree in the centre of the plate. Top with the beef olives, surround with the wilted greens and carrots, and then coat the beef olives with the sauce, without flooding the plate.