Beef and Polenta

Beefy winter treat!

I thought this was a great recipe for a quick supper or with a little more flair a delicious dinner party dish. If you are using the instant polenta the whole dish can be prepared and plated in 15-20 minutes, and it tastes amazing. Sadly by the time I typed this up, the temperature had managed to sore to over 30 in Jozi, so save the recipe for the winter – it deserves a hearty appetite and a cold evening with a good glass of wine.

ROSEMARY BEEF WITH POLENTA 
Serves 4 generously

Ingredients
– 800g beef fillet
– 4 large zucchini
– 2 sprig fresh rosemary
– 1 large clove garlic
– 2 tbsp butter
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 200ml white wine
– 500ml cream
– Salt & pepper

– 400g instant polenta
– 500ml water
– 500ml milk
– Salt & Pepper

Step 1:
Get the polenta on to the cook, see my earlier recipe for how to make it and decide how luxurious you want it, the beef topping is rich.

Step 2:
Using a potato peeler shave ribbons of zucchini length ways, don’t make them too thin, by increasing the pressure on the peeler you will get thicker slices. In a pan heat 3 tbsp butter and olive oil together with a whole clove of garlic lightly bruised (pull the garlic out at the end) Pan fry them till they get some colour and begin to soften, season with salt & pepper.

Step 3:
Once the zucchini is on the cook you can start the last stage, the meat. Cut the fillet into strips, finger thickness. In a pan heat the olive oil and butter gently, add the garlic and whole sprig of rosemary. Add the strips of beef when the oil is hot and allow it to begin to brown, don’t over crowd the pan or the meat will broil, avoid turning the beef too often, allow it to develop some colour. You should have browned the meat within 4/5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and with tongs remove the beef from the pan. The meat should still be rare as it will cook again after a few minutes. Add the white wine to the hot pan and return it to the heat to allow the pan to deglaze. Once the wine has begun to cook off add 100ml beef stock, and the cream. Drop the heat and allow the cream to slowly come up to the boil and to begin to reduce. After a few minutes drain the juices that will have collected from the beef into the cream mixture. Once the cream mixture is thickened enough that the mixture coats the back of a spoon lightly, chuck the beef back in and switch it off. I usually add fresh chopped parsley and stir it in, allowing the meat to stand in the sauce while I plate the rest of the meal.

Plate up the meal starting with the polenta, then the zucchini so you have something to soak up all the delicious sauce, your beef strips should be cooked medium with loads of rosemary, garlic and white wine flavour.

HINT: If you want to use this dish on a winter’s night to entertain friends, spend a little more time with how you plate it, creating a central mound of polenta, pike the beef strips on this. Then place the zucchini ribbons around this and spoon sauce over