Braised top rib of prime Hereford beef with potato purée

Michelin-starred chef Ross Lewis of Chapter One restaurant in Dublin shares a recipe from his book, showcasing the best Ireland’s agriculture has to offer – from the richly textured top rib of beef cooked on the bone, to the floury Skerries potatoes. The twist is the addition of the buttermilk to the potato puree, giving a slightly acidulated flavour. This, combined with the crispy potato skin and small pieces of baked potato make it the complete picture.

Ingredients

For the braised beef

3 kg top rib of Irish beef on the bone
3 onions, sliced
4 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 garlic bulbs, sliced in half
3 bay leaves
large handful each fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs
2 litres red wine
50 ml vegetable oil
2 litres chicken stock

For the Savoy cabbage

1 Savoy cabbage, tough core removed

For the buttermilk potato purée and crispy potatoes

1.5 kg floury potatoes, scrubbed (Skerries, if possible)
150 ml milk
40 g spring onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp thickener (such as Thick and Easy)
200 g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
150 ml buttermilk

For the beef sauce

250 ml red wine sauce (see step 2)
50 ml cream
50-60 small Paris brown mushrooms, stems removed
50 g butter
50 g shallots, finely chopped
30 ml tarragon vinegar reduction (see step 2)
50 ml red wine shallot essence (see step 3)

For the red wine sauce

Makes 2 litres
1.5 litres red wine
750 ml port
1 litre chicken stock
1 tsp thickener (such as Thick and Easy)

For the tarragon vinegar reduction

Makes 400 ml
150 g shallots, sliced or roughly chopped
1 litre white wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
5 g black peppercorns
200 ml fresh tarragon sprigs

For the red wine shallot essence

Makes 750 ml
10 shallots, roughly chopped
750 ml red wine

For the butter emulsion

Makes 200 g
100 g butter
40 ml water

To serve

40 g butter, diced
4 tsp butter emulsion (see step 5)

by Irish Beef / July 4, 2018

Step 1 Braised beef

Place the beef in a deep tray with the vegetables, herbs and wine, ensuring the meat is completely submerged. Chill for 24 hours.

Step 2

For the red wine sauce, put the red wine and port in a pan and simmer until reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and bring back to the boil. Reduce by half again and thicken, a pinch at a time, to a rich, thick consistency. Use as required.

Step 3

For the tarragon vinegar reduction. put the shallots, vinegar, bay leaves and peppercorns into a pan and bring to the boil, and continue to boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the fresh tarragon, continuing to simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and cover. This reduction will keep for weeks in the fridge, simply drain off the tarragon and shallots as needed. Use as required.

Step 4

For the red wine shallot essence, put the shallots and red wine in a blender and blend to a purée. Transfer to a bowl and cover in the fridge overnight. The next day, pass the liquid through a double layer of muslin and store in the fridge. This will keep well in the fridge for up to several weeks. Use as required.

Step 5

For the butter emulsion, place the butter and water in a pan and bring to the boil to emulsify. Use as required.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 110°C/225°F/Gas Mark ¼ . Drain the meat in a colander into a clean pan and bring the liquid to the boil for 2-3 minutes to solidify any impurities; pass through a fine chinois.

Step 7

Dry the beef with kitchen paper and heat half the vegetable oil in a pan. Sauté the beef until well caramelised all over, but be careful not to burn it. Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a pan large enough to hold the meat, vegetables and liquid. Add the vegetables and cook over a medium to high heat, stirring frequently, until well browned.

Step 8

Add the browned meat and pour over the reserved liquid and the stock. Cover the surface with greaseproof paper and wrap in 2 layers of foil, then cook in the oven for around 9-10 hours until the beef is completely tender and the ribs can easily be pulled out. Cool to room temperature, then lift out the beef and take out the ribs and remove the connective tissue. Press lightly between 2 trays with a weight on top until cold.

Step 9

Pass the cooking liquid through a fine chinois into a clean pan and reserve. When cold, slice the beef into 8 x 150 g portions. Bring the reserved cooking liquid to the boil and reduce to 1 litre. Chill until needed.

Step 10 Savoy Cabbage

Remove the central ribs from the cabbage leaves and blanch in a pan of boiling salted water until just cooked. Refresh in the bowl of iced water and pat dry with kitchen paper, then cut into ribbons. Cover and chill until needed.

Step 11 Buttermilk potato puree and crispy potatoes

Preheat a steam oven to 140°C/ 275°F/Gas Mark 1 on 50 per cent steam. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes or until completely cooked through. Alternatively boil in salted water until tender. Combine the milk and spring onions in a small pan and warm through, being careful not to boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse. While the potatoes are still warm, reserve 2 and then peel off the rest of the skins and put the flesh through a mouli grater to make 600 g of milled potato.

Step 12

Pass the spring onion infusion through a chinois and whisk in the thickener, a pinch at a time until thickened. Pour onto the milled potato and transfer to a blender. Add the butter and buttermilk, a little at a time, then pass through a drum sieve. Keep warm.

Step 13

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Cut the reserved potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh on to a tray, then break into pieces. Add the potato skins and season with salt, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the potato pieces are golden brown and the skins are crispy. Break the potato skins into similar sized pieces. Keep warm. These are all best made before serving.

Step 14 Beef Sauce

Put 200 ml of the reserved cooking liquid in a pan with the red wine sauce and bring to the boil, then stir in the cream and pass through a fine chinois into a clean pan. Sauté the mushrooms in the butter over a medium to high heat until cooked through. Reduce the shallots with the tarragon vinegar until the vinegar has evaporated. Add to the sauce with the mushrooms, then whisk in the red wine shallot essence. Keep warm.

Step 15 To serve

Preheat the oven to 120°C/250°F/Gas Mark ½. Heat the remaining 800 ml of the beef cooking liquid in a sauté pan and whisk in the butter, then add the slices of beef. Transfer to the oven for 10 minutes to warm through, turning once. Heat the cabbage ribbons in the butter emulsion.

Step 16

Put a large spoonful of the buttermilk puree in the centre of each warmed serving plate and tap the underside to spread it. Turn the beef again in the glaze and then place it in the centre of the puree. Stick pieces of the crispy potatoes, skins and cabbage ribbons into the surface of the puree, then spoon the beef sauce over the meat.