MAPLE MUSTARD ROAST TENDERLOIN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
2kg beef tenderloin roast
4 tbspns pure maple syrup
2 tbspns whole-grain mustard
2 tbspns olive oil
2 tspns fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
1 tspn fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tspns fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 tspn sea salt flakes
1/4 tspn black pepper, freshly cracked
For mushroom sauce:
200g fresh button mushrooms
200g porcini mushrooms
200g shiitake mushrooms
80g butter
1 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 tspn salt
1/8 tspn black pepper, freshly cracked
1 tbspn fresh thyme, chopped
120ml water
1/4 vegetable stock cube
80ml cream
How to prepare the beef
• Position a rack in the centre of the oven and heat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius.
• In a small bowl, mix together the pure maple syrup, mustard, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Put the tenderloin in a deep roasting dish and rub the paste mixture all over it, really massaging it into the meat.
• Cover the meat with foil and refrigerate for four hours.
• Remove and massage the meat again with additional marinade.
• Roast the tenderloin for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.
• Remove and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• Serve with the mushroom ragout.
How to prepare the mushroom sauce
• Wash and clean the mushrooms. Remove the shiitake stems and discard.
• Quarter all the mushrooms and put in a bowl.
• Heat half the butter in a large frying pan over low heat.
• Add the mushrooms and spread them out evenly in the pan, increase the heat.
• Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed until they brown, then shake the pan and use a spoon or fork to turn all the mushrooms.
• Add the remaining butter along the sides of the pan as the mushrooms cook if the pan seems very dry.
• Continue to cook for a further five minutes.
• Add the onion and cook until translucent.
• Season it with the salt and pepper. Add the thyme.
• Pull the pan off the heat and add the water and stock cube.
• Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and serve with the beef.
SPICED LAMB TAJINE
2 purple onions, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
60g fresh root ginger, grated
2 tbspns olive oil
11/2 kg lamb fillets, cut into cubes
3 cinnamon sticks
6 cloves
6 cardamom pods
3 star anise
pinch saffron
3 bay leaves
2 tspns ground coriander
3 tbspns almonds, ground
1l water
2 vegetable stock cubes
to taste pepper, freshly cracked
to taste salt
60g white raisins
120g dried figs
60g dried apricot
• In a large stock pot, fry the onions, garlic and ginger in the oil over low heat until the onions are translucent and begin to colour.
• Add the lamb cubes and stir fry until the meat is browned all over.
• Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and star anise. Cook over the heat to release their flavours. Add the almonds.
• Mix the water with the stock cube and stir to dissolve. Pour the vegetable stock over the lamb.
• Add the saffron, bay leaves and coriander. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover the pot and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add the raisins, figs and apricots, then simmer for a further 20 minutes.
SPICED ORANGE AND MASCARPONE CHRISTMAS PUDDING TRIFLE
5 oranges, zest and flesh
80g light brown sugar
pinch cinnamon, ground
pinch garam masala, ground
120ml fresh orange juice
600g leftover Christmas pudding
500g vanilla custard (store-bought)
250g mascarpone
400ml double cream
60g icing sugar
30g honey
1 vanilla pod
50g almonds, sliced and roasted
60g dark chocolate, grated
• Grate the orange zest into a large bowl. Once the zest has been removed, use a small sharp knife to remove the skin and white pith from the outside of the oranges. Slice the oranges as finely as possible.
• Sprinkle the oranges with the brown sugar, cinnamon and garam masala. Stir gently to combine everything including the zest, but being careful not to break up the orange slices. Let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
• Place half of the orange mixture at the base of a glass bowl. Crumble the left over Christmas pudding over the orange. Top it with the remaining marinated orange mixture and orange juice.
• Place the cream into a bowl of an electric mixer with the mascarpone, icing sugar, honey and vanilla pod scrapings and whisk gently until it is whipped to a stiff peak.
• Pour the custard over the top of the oranges and Christmas pudding.
• Pipe the cream on top of this using a piping bag or gently spread with a spoon.
• Top with the flaked almonds and grated chocolate and chill in the refrigerator for two hours before serving.
