Beef Fillet, Madeira, Yorkshire Pudding

A decadent Sunday Lunch! Roasted beef fillet is paired with a sweet Madeira jus and richer Yorkshire puddings.

We have been developing extra-matured 60 day, dry aged steaks at work (my family butchers business) and I had the pleasure of using an extra-matured fillet for this dish. Beautifully tender with a rich, almost game like flavour – the results are better than we could have wished for – a really special steak! Our extra-matured steaks are available to buy from our online shop!

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Beef Fillet, Madeira, Yorkshire Pudding
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Beef: 800g Beef Fillet, 25ml Rapeseed Oil, 25g Unsalted Butter, 1 Rosemary Sprig, 1 Garlic Clove, Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper

For the Madeira Jus: 3tbsp Unsalted Butter, 1 Shallot (Finely Diced), 1 Garlic Clove (Bashed), 100ml Madeira, 200ml Beef Stock, Sea Salt, Cracked Black Pepper

For the Yorkshire Puddings: 225g Plain Flour, 375ml Milk, 4 Eggs

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Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 220c. Make the Yorkshire pudding batter by whisking together the milk and eggs. Slowly add this mixture to the plain flour in a large bowl – whisking to combine (don’t worry if there are a few lumps!). Pour a little vegetable oil into the bottom of each hole of a 12 hole muffin tin and place in the oven to preheat. Once hot, remove and pour the batter into the muffin tin, dividing the mixture equally between the holes and return to the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

2) Make the Madeira jus by sautéing the shallot and garlic for 5 minutes in 1tbsp of the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Turn the heat up high and add the Madeira, allow to reduce by half. Add the beef stock and continue to reduce until the mixture has reduced by 2/3. Strain the sauce into a clean pan and whisk in the butter whilst over a low heat. Set aside.

3) Preheat the oven to 200c. Season the beef fillet with sea salt and cracked black pepper and sear for 2 minutes on each side in the rapeseed oil in a large pan over a high heat. Transfer to the oven, sitting atop the rosemary and garlic clove, and roast for 25-30 minutes for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Remove, cover and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, turn the oven down to 160c and return the Yorkshire puddings to the oven to warm.

4) Slice the beef fillet and serve with the Yorkshire puddings and warmed Madeira jus. Also great served with some roast potatoes and baked carrots.

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Enjoy!

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Winter Popovers

 

Anyone that knows me knows I have an insatiable obsession with Yorkshire Puddings! And when it comes to cooking these delicious pillows of crispness I am strictly a traditionalist – one tried and trusted recipe every time. However, this normally means I only get the opportunity to eat them with Sunday lunch.

Rather ignorantly, I never appreciated that popovers were simply flavoured Yorkshire puddings; not dense, heavy muffins. Now I have the perfect excuse to adapt them to every meal!

I stumbled across this recipe in the latest edition of Bon Appétit and had to give it a try. Served with a parma ham, manchego and grilled pear salad they were absolutely delicious. They would also go fantastically well with roasted lamb. The combination of spicy black pepper and nutmeg is perfect for this time of year – the chopped parsley stopping them from becoming overly heavy.

Now it is time to experiment with different fillings!

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Winter Popovers
Makes 12

Ingredients:
2 Cups Plain Flour
2 1/2 Cups Whole Milk
3 Large eggs
3 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
1 Tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Large Knob Unsalted Butter, Melted

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Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 220C. Grease a 12 tin muffin tray with melted butter – around 1/2 tsp in each cup.

2) Prepare the batter by combining the flour with the black pepper, parsley, nutmeg and salt.

3) Whisk together the eggs milk and 3 tbsp melted butter. Add to the flour mixture and whisk to combine – trying to incorporate some air into the mixture.

4) Pour the batter into the muffin tin and place in the top half of the oven. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

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Enjoy!

Gluten Free Yorkshire Puddings

 

As you may have noticed I am a Yorkshire pudding fiend! Whenever the opportunity arises to have one of these delicious little beauties, I pounce! I have long searched for the ultimate Yorkshire pudding – and finally found it. However, cooking Sunday lunch for a Coeliac sufferer threw a spanner in the works!

Finding a half decent recipe was a challenge in itself. Many called for a frightening array of nasty sounding ingredients and the majority required a laborious amount of effort. After several hours of mind-numbing research, Coeliac UK (a fantastic charity) appeared to have the answer.

Making a few alterations, the result was incredible. You would be very hard-pushed to find fault with these Yorkshire puddings. Sure, they don’t rise as spectacularly as the standard variety, but these little wonders are just as delicious. The use of self-raising flour and skimmed milk ensures they are super light and fluffy!

Even if you are not forced to follow a gluten-free diet – I urge you to try these. Their lightness means you can eat far more without the guilt!

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Gluten Free Yorkshire Puddings

Makes 12 Small

Ingredients:
50g Corn Flour
50g Gluten Free Self Raising Flour
3 Medium Eggs, Beaten
140ml Skimmed Milk
Vegetable Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Pre-heat the oven to 215C. Pour a thin layer of oil into a heavy-gauge 12 muffin tin. Place in the oven to bring up to temperature.
2) Meanwhile make the batter. Sift the corn flour and self-raising flour into a bowl and add a pinch of salt.
3) Add the eggs and whisk to form a thick batter. Gradually add the milk whilst whisking to form a smooth batter. Try to incorporate some air into the mixture whilst whisking.
4) Once your muffin tin is up to temperature, remove from the oven and pour the batter between the 12 muffin holes.
5) Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and well risen.

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Enjoy with a big Sunday roast!

Toad in the Hole

 

Toad in the Hole is the ultimate in British comfort food. Glorious Yorkshire puddings and sausage – what could be finer on a cold windy night? Nearly everyone I know gets excited at the prospect of a crispy Yorkshire pudding.

Best served with butter laden mashed potatoes and rich onion gravy with your feet up in front of the fire! I make my Yorkshires in a muffin tin – making them super crispy and portion sized.

Use the best quality sausages you can get your hands on and ensure your oil is super hot and they will come out perfectly.

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Toad in the Hole

Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 Good Quality Pork Sausages
1 1/2 Cups Plain Flour
1 1/2 Cups Milk
3 Eggs
Sunflower Oil
Sea Salt

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Method:
1) Pre heat the oven to 220C. Fill the bottoms of a 12 cup muffin tray with a little sunflower oil. Place in the oven to pre heat for at least 10 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, brown the sausages in a large frying pan on a medium heat for around 5-10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cut in half.
3) Make the Yorkshire Pudding Batter by combining the flour, milk and eggs with a little salt and whisk well – try to incorporate as much air as possible into the mixture.
4) Remove the muffin tray from the oven and quickly pour the batter amongst the 12 cups. Place a halved sausage in each cup and return to the oven.
5) Cook for around 20 minutes or until well browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little.

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Enjoy!