Phil Howard’s chargrilled rump of aged beef with chestnut-stuffed field mushrooms, bay-glazed turnips and black velvet sauce

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Remove the beef from the fridge at least 2 hours before cooking. Take out of any packaging and wrap in a clean tea towel to absorb any excess moisture. Before cooking the beef, prepare the vegetables.

For the potatoes, preheat the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6. Stick a long metal skewer through each potato lengthways – about 1 cm from the underside – then slice through the potato every 1mm or so from one end to the other. The skewer will prevent you from cutting right through to the bottom. Transfer the potatoes to a small ovenproof tray, coat them with the oil and dot with butter, season lightly with salt and cook in the oven for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown, basting every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a bit more salt and set aside.

For the mushrooms, methodically peel the skin from the cap of each mushroom and cut the stalks flush with the gills. Finely dice 2 of the mushrooms. Melt half the butter in a heavy-based pan, add the shallots, a pinch of salt and the thyme, then smash 1 of the garlic cloves with a heavy bladed knife and add to the pan. Sweat for a few minutes until the shallots are translucent, then add the diced mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook for a further 3 or 4 minutes.

Add the chestnuts to the mix, followed by the cream, and cook until the cream has bound on to the chestnuts and mushrooms – it should be a rich creamy mix. Check the seasoning and set aside.

Heat a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil and season the base of the pan with salt. Add the 4 remaining mushrooms to the pan, season with a little more salt and cook for a minute or so or until the base has coloured a bit. Add the remaining butter and allow to sizzle for a minute or so. Add a splash of water, cover with a lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the lid, allow the water to cook away and set aside to cool.

Add a dessertspoon of the crumbs to the mushroom mix to thicken it. Put the parsley in a blender along with the rest of the breadcrumbs, the other garlic clove, a pinch of salt and the cheese. Blend to a green crumb, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C F/Gas 6. Carefully stuff the field mushrooms with the mushroom mix, sprinkle generously with the crumb and cook in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden, then set aside.

To cook the onions, preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. Put a medium, ovenproof frying pan or wide casserole over a high heat, add the oil to the pan and sprinkle the pan with a generous pinch of salt. Put the onions, cut side down, into the pan and cook over a high heat until they have a good strong colour. Turn the heat down to medium, add the butter, allow to cook for a further minute or so, then transfer to the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the turnips, preheat the oven to 180C/160C F/Gas 4. Heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof pan, add the turnip wedges with a pinch of salt and sauté until just turning golden. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then add the bay leaf and cook, uncovered, in the oven for 20 minutes or until almost tender. Transfer back to the hob and reduce the chicken stock until it glazes the turnips. If the stock is reducing too quickly, cover the pan.

Now cook the beef. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C F/Gas 9. Place a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat and allow to get hot for 5 minutes. Season the beef very generously with salt and pepper, add the oil to the pan, then place the beef carefully into the pan. Fry hard on all sides until the outside of the beef has coloured.

Transfer to a roasting tin and cook in the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 150C/130C F/Gas 2 and continue to cook until the core temperature is 55C, or until an inserted skewer feels warm to touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for at least 45 minutes.

To make the sauce, sweat the shallots in the butter with a pinch of salt until softened. Add the Guinness and champagne with the orange zest, bay and thyme, and cook until reduced to a syrup. Add the beef stock and reduce until you have around 6tbsp rich sauce.

Tip any fat and juices from the beef into the sauce, then check the seasoning and pass through a sieve to remove the zest and herbs.

While the sauce is reducing, transfer the onions, mushrooms, turnips and potatoes to the oven to reheat.

Carve the beef and arrange the slices on a warmed plate. Garnish with the vegetables and finish with the black velvet sauce to serve.

This recipe was taken from the Christmas 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.