Glenn Roach, Executive Chef of the Surf & Turf restaurants in MacDonald Hotels & Resorts (www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk), gives his recipe for braised beef shin, leek fondant with braised gem lettuce...

Beef shin braise

Ingredients

  • 2kg beef shin, bone-in
  • 1 fennel
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • thyme
  • 8 anchovy fillets
  • 1 orange, juiced
  • 1 bottle of red wine
  • 500ml of beef stock

Method

  • Season the beef shin with salt and pepper
  • Heat some olive oil in a cast iron casserole dish until hot
  • Sear the beef in the dish until brown
  • Remove from the dish and set aside
  • Roughly chop the vegetables and add to the dish
  • Mix in anchovies and thyme, stirring briefly
  • Place the beef on top of the vegetables and cover with the wine, stock and orange juice
  • Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2.5 hours
  • Brasied gem lettuce

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 gem lettuce – cut vertically in half
  • 1 clove garlic thickly sliced
  • 150ml chicken stock
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • Small handful of parsley

Method

  • Season the beef shin with salt and pepper
  • Heat some olive oil in a cast iron casserole dish until hot
  • Sear the beef in the dish until brown all over
  • Remove from the dish and set aside
  • Roughly chop the vegetables and add to the dish
  • Mix in anchovies and thyme, stirring briefly
  • Place the beef on top of the vegetables and cover with the wine, stock and orange juice
  • Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2.5 hours

Crispy leeks

Ingredients

  • 200g leek tips
  • 500ml veg oil
  • 1g Maldon salt

Method

  • Heat oil to 140 degrees
  • Julliene cut the leeks (matchstick shapes)
  • Place leeks into the oil
  • Cook until oil stops bubbling and remove leeks
  • Place on draining tray and sprinkle with Maldon salt
  • Place the leeks into hot oil and cook until the oil stops bubbling then carefully lift the leeks out of the oil and place on to a draining tray and sprinkle with maldon salt.

Beef jus

Ingredients

  • tsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 175ml port
  • 175ml red wine
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 800ml beef stock
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • pinch sugar

Method

  • Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the shallots until golden and caramelised, about 10 mins
  • Add the port, wine and herbs and simmer for 10 mins, or until reduced by half
  • Pour in the stock and continue to cook until reduced by half again, then strain, discarding the shallots and herbs.
  • Transfer the sauce into a new pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, then season to taste.

Carrot purée

Ingredients

  • 200g of carrots, chopped
  • 50g of butter
  • 50ml of water

Method

  • Melt butter, add carrots and cook for 5 minutes at a medium heat in a saucepan
  • Add water and cook for 15 minutes until soft
  • Blend in a food processor and pass through a sieve.