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mediterranean beef

Mediterranean Beef with Gremolata

mediterranean beef

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 2½ hours | Serves 4

This Mediterranean-inspired dish is sweet sophistication, with the meltingly tender beef paired beautifully with the sweet flavours of the dry fruit and cinnamon. Serve with Israeli couscous and let the compliments roll in.

Ingredients

Beef

  • 600g Quality Mark beef cross cut blade steak, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 dried apricots
  • 6 pitted prunes

Gremolata

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons each finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves and mint leaves.

To serve

  • Israeli couscous or couscous
  • wilted spinach or steamed green vegetables.

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Beef

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Rub the beef with a little oil and brown off on both sides in batches. Transfer to a casserole dish as you go.

Reduce the heat to low and add another dash of oil. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and coriander and cook for a further 30 seconds until aromatic. Stir in the flour, then pour in the stock and water and bring up to the boil. Add the cinnamon stick, then pour over the beef. Cover and place in the oven to cook for 2 hours.

Remove beef casserole from the oven, taste for seasoning and add the apricots and prunes. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Gremolata

Finely chop the garlic and place in a small bowl with the lemon zest and herbs. Mix well to combine.

To serve

Remove beef casserole from the oven, top with gremolata and serve with couscous and greens.

Slow cooking

Cut beef into 3cm pieces and brown. Place the beef, onion and garlic in the preheated slow cooker and sprinkle over the coriander and flour. Pour over the stock and ¾ cup water. Add the cinnamon stick and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4 – 4½ hours. Add apricots and prunes 40 minutes before the end of cooking.

beef lambSource: Beef + Lamb New Zealand, reproduced with permission.