This is a very simple dish to make: slices of cold roast beef, cooked beetroot, soured cream and a little freshly grated horseradish to add a kick.
Method
1. Preheat oven to 210°C/Gas Mark 7.
2. First make a seasoning paste for the beef by crumbling the Knorr Beef Stock Cube into the teaspoon of olive oil, slowly dissolving it. Massage this paste evenly into the piece of beef. Using a Knorr Stock Cube this way always helps the beef to caramelise.
3. Heat an ovenproof frying pan until hot. Add in olive oil. Add in the beef and cook for 5 minutes until browned on all sides, turning over to brown it evenly.
4. Transfer the beef in the pan to the oven. If you don’t have an ovenproof frying pan, don’t worry. Simply transfer the browned beef to a roasting tray and place in the oven. Roast the beef in the oven for 40 minutes, until the beef has been cooked pink. If you have a meat probe to test the temperature inside then around 48°C is what you’re looking for. Set the beef aside to rest and allow to cool.
5. Carve the beef, making sure not to cut the slices too finely. Not only is it much easier to carve a cold joint than a hot one, you also get more slices from it, so it goes further.
6. Arrange the slices of beef on the platter. Cut a thin slice off the base and top of each beetroot and place them on the platter along the beef. I’ve used fresh beetroots, which I cooked myself, but you could use the vacuum-packed ready-cooked beetroots you find in supermarkets. If you’ve got time, and you don’t mind your fingers going purple through peeling them, then get fresh beetroots, boil them until tender, then take their skins off.
7. Spoon a tablespoon of soured cream over each beetroot. Peel the horseradish and grate over the fresh beetroot. It’s very strong, so you don’t need a lot. Alternately, mix the creamed horseradish with the soured cream, then spoon it over the beets. Decorate with a little parsley and serve. This would be nice served with new potatoes or a potato salad.
