Beef fillet with roasted shallots, sauté potatoes and green peppercorn sauce

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Mark Dodson's beef fillet recipe, served with a creamy peppercorn sauce on a bed of sautéed potatoes, packs a real punch thanks to the addition of Tabasco sauce. The heat is offset by the sweetness in the roasted shallots and carrot ribbons, whilst deep-fried parsnip strips bring texture to the dish.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Beef

Parsnip crisps and purée

  • 3 parsnips
  • 150ml of double cream
  • vegetable oil, for deep frying

Roasted shallots

Green peppercorn sauce

Garnish

Equipment

  • Deep fat fryer
  • Blender
  • Parisian scoop / melon baller

Method

1
To begin, peel the parsnips then use the peeler to slice one of the parsnip into long strips. Allow the strips to dry and then deep-fry in hot oil. Drain on absorbent paper, season with salt and reserve
  • 3 parsnips
  • vegetable oil, for deep frying
2
Dice the remaining parsnips and add to a pan. Add enough water to cover and a pinch of salt. Place the pan over a medium heat and cook until soft
3
Drain well and return the parsnips to the pan, stirring to evaporate the last of the liquid. Add the double cream and cook a little further. Blend in a liquidiser and then season to taste. Reserve and keep warm
  • 150ml of double cream
4
Place the peeled shallots in a pan. Cover with oil and add a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme. Place the pan over a low heat and cook until the shallots are tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until required
5
For the potatoes, bring a pot of salted water to the boil and add the new potatoes. Cook until tender
6
Once the potatoes are tender, refresh in iced water and then peel while still slightly warm. Slice in half lengthways and fry with a little olive oil until golden brown. Season and set aside
7
For the peppercorn sauce, place the green peppercorns in a pan over a medium heat and add the white wine. Cook until almost dry, then add the veal or beef stock. Reduce again by half and once reduced, add the cream. Cook until reduced to the consistency of a sauce – it should coat the back of a spoon. Season with a little salt and a drop of Tabasco (optional)
8
For the steaks, place a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Once the pan is scorching hot, add oil and lay the steaks down in the pan. Cook until well browned on one side, turn over and cook on the other side until cooked through. This will give you a rare finish
9
For a medium-rare steak, place in a preheated oven for 1 minute (increase this number by 2 minute increments for medium, medium-well and well-done finishes). Remove the steaks from the oven and set aside to rest for 4 minutes
10
Place a pan of water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Scoop the courgette into balls using a melon baller. Drop the carrot ribbons and courgette balls into the water and cook until slightly tender
11
To serve, re-heat the shallots in the oil, spoon the parsnip purée onto plates and lay the potatoes in the centre. Arrange each steak on top of the potatoes, drain the shallots and place beside the steak. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish with the deep-fried parsnip strips. Serve immediately
First published in 2015

Mark Dodson speaks the language of comfort food with Shakespearean fluency, turning perfectly formed elements into down-to-earth (but heavenly) compositions.

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