In this recipe we combine the rich flavours of sweet balsamic and earthy beetroot with a beautiful fillet of beef. Most of us grew up thinking beetroot was only the crinkled fridge-cold slices in a bland Irish salad plate. But something incredible happens when you roast beetroot to bring out its sweetness and the balsamic caramelises the corners for an even richer depth of flavour. If you have any leftovers, this also makes a great salad served cold the following day.
Typical nutritional content (per portion)
100g (4oz) half-fat crème fraiche
2 tablespoons creamed horseradish (from jar) or 1 tablespoon fresh horse radish root, grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of caster sugar
675g (1 1/2lb) beef fillet (preferably cut from the thick end)
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 large fresh whole beetroot
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
Rocket salad, to serve
To make the horse radish cream, place the crème fraiche in a bowl and stir in the creamed horseradish (or freshly grated horseradish root) with the mustard, lemon juice and caster sugar. Stir until well blended. Spoon into serving bowl, cover with cling film and chill until needed.
Allow the beef fillet to come to room temperature before cooking.
Preheat the oven to 200°C /400°F / Gas Mark 6.
Rub the beef all over with one tablespoon of the olive oil, then season lightly with pepper. Heat a heavy-based frying-pan (ovenproof if possible). Cook the beef fillet over a high heat, turning until all sides are golden brown; this should take about 6 minutes in total.
Peel the beetroot and cut each one into eight wedges. Tip into a roasting tin, then drizzle the vinegar over them. Sprinkle the cumin seeds on top and the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes until tender but retaining a bite, turning occasionally.
Transfer the seared beef in its oven proof frying-pan to the oven (or place in a small roasting tin). Roast for 15minutes per 450g (1lb) for medium rare. This means that a joint this size will take approximately 22 minutes. Add an extra 15 minutes if you prefer your beef well done. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving into thin slices.
Arrange the beef fillet on warmed plates with the balsamic beetroot and some of the rocket salad. Serve with the dish of horseradish cream on the side.
