Bresaola of silverside with blackcurrants, ricotta and rocket
Bresaola is a type of cured salt beef originating in Lombardy, Italy and is commonly served as part of an antipasti platter. Although a little time-consuming, curing your own meats at home is really rewarding and Russell Bateman's Italian starter recipe is a fantastic place to start if you have never done it before. Brining the beef in a spiced red wine liquor first gives the meat its distinct taste, which is delicious sliced wafer thin and served with a blackcurrant dressing and homemade ricotta.
First published in 2015
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Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 1.9kg silverside steak, rolled
Brine
- 2 bottles of red wine
- 200g of rock salt
- 100g of Maldon salt
- 100g of dark muscavado sugar
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 shallot
- 1 carrot
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 bunch of fresh thyme
- 3 star anise
- 4 black cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp of black peppercorns
- 1/2 orange peel
Ricotta
- 1l milk
- 250ml of double cream
- 188ml of buttermilk
- 4g of salt
- truffle oil
Blackcurrant dressing
- 75g of honey
- 200g of Blackcurrant juice
- 200g of extra virgin olive oil
Croutons
- 1 wholemeal baguette
- extra virgin olive oil
SAVE RECIPE
Method
1
To prepare the brine, combine all of the ingredients into a large pan and place over a high heat. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse until completely cool
- 2 bottles of red wine
- 200g of rock salt
- 100g of Maldon salt
- 100g of dark muscavado sugar
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 shallot
- 1 carrot
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 bunch of fresh thyme
- 3 star anise
- 4 black cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp of black peppercorns
- 1/2 orange peel
2
Once the brine has cooled add the silverside to the pan, ensuring that it is completely covered by the liquid. Place in the fridge for 2 weeks, turning the beef over every 3 days to allow even brining. When turning the beef, wear gloves or use a sterilised spoon to ensure the brine does not become contaminated
- 1.9kg silverside steak, rolled
3
After 2 weeks, remove the silverside from the brine and pat the meat dry with a clean cloth. Wrap the meat in a muslin cloth and hang the beef in the fridge or a well-ventilated cool place – between 4°C–12°C – for 2 weeks
4
The night before serving, make the ricotta. Place the milk, cream and salt in a heavy-bottomed pan and place over a medium heat. Using a thermometer, heat until the liquid reaches 82°C and stir through the buttermilk
- 1l milk
- 250ml of double cream
- 188ml of buttermilk
- 4g of salt
5
Increase the heat to 95°C and continue to cook until the curds have separated from the liquid whey. Strain the mixture through a colander, then place the curds in a muslin cloth and hang over a bowl overnight to remove all excess liquid
6
Once drained, remove from the cloth and place in a bowl. Mix through with a little truffle oil to taste and chill in the fridge until ready to serve
- truffle oil
7
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3
8
To make the croutons, carefully slice the baguette as finely as possible and arrange the slices on a baking tray. Brush with a little olive oil then bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave on a wire rack to cool
- 1 wholemeal baguette
- extra virgin olive oil
9
To make the dressing, combine the honey and blackcurrant juice into a heavy-bottomed pan and place over a medium heat. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and allow to reduce by about half, until you have roughly 125g of liquid. Remove from the heat and whisk in the olive oil, then set aside until ready to serve
- 75g of honey
- 200g of Blackcurrant juice
- 200g of extra virgin olive oil
10
To serve, remove the beef from the muslin cloth and slice as finely as possible. Arrange the slices on plates and alongside a few spoonfuls of the ricotta, topping with the croutons and blackcurrant dressing. Garnish with rocket leaves and edible flowers and serve immediately
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