Castle House head chef Claire Nicholls presents a recipe with a truly local flavour (From Hereford Times)

Castle House head chef Claire Nicholls presents a recipe with a truly local flavour

5:20pm Thursday 12th January 2012 in Food & Drink

FOR our food feature this month, Claire Nicholls of Castle House Hotel shares her recipe for a dish with a very local flavour, using a Wye Valley Brewery ale and best Hereford beef.

Hereford Beef Olives in Butty Bach

INGREDIENTS

75g (3oz) streaky bacon (rind removed and finely chopped)

1 onion chopped

2 tsp fresh parsley chopped

4 sprigs of thyme leaves

100g (4oz) fresh breadcrumbs

50g (2oz) beef suet

1 egg

1 lemon

Salt and pepper

8 thin slices of topside weighing approx 700g (1½lb), from Ballingham Meats

1 tbsp English mustard

3 tbsp seasoned flour

25g (1oz) butter

30ml (2tbsp) vegetable oil

450ml (¾pint) Butty Bach

1 beef stock cube

2 onions sliced

METHOD

Mix the bacon with the chopped onion, parsley, breadcrumbs, suet, thyme leaves and egg, add the grated rind of the lemon and 1tbsp of the juice, season with salt and pepper.

Put the slices of beef between sheets of greaseproof paper and beat out with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Spread the mustard thinly over each slice of beef, divide the stuffing equally between each slice, roll up and secure with fine string, toss each one in seasoned flour.

Heat the butter and oil in a shallow flameproof casserole into which all of the beef olives will fit, brown well and remove from pan.

Stir the remaining seasoned flour into the pan residue and brown lightly, gradually stir in the Butty Bach and crumble in the stock cube, bring to the boil, season to taste then return meat to pan.

Scatter the sliced onions over the meat, cover and bake at 170 C (gas mark 3) for one and a half hours or until meat is tender.

For more information about Ballingham Meats contact George Watkins on 07817 371587.