Braised Smoked Shoulder of Beef on a bed of Polenta with a Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce, Green Dressing and Walnut Pangrattato

Words by Rupert Cooper

A seasonal menu to celebrate spring, designed for the Porthleven Food Festival by Chef Rupert Cooper of Philleigh Way Cookery School and Cove Café.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the beef:1kg of whole chuck

Salt

Pepper

Glass of red wine

200ml beef stock

For the sauce:

Tin of good quality chopped tomatoes

2 red onions

3 cloves garlic

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Cooking liquor from beef

For the Green dressing:

Handful each of coriander and parsley

1 tbsp lilliput capers

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

4 tbsp olive oil

For the Green Pangrattato:

Small handful of walnuts

Breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic

Mixed herbs

3-4 tbsp olive oil

Method:

You don’t have to smoke the beef, but if you want to give it an extra level, do so! Use a couple of handfuls of charcoal and two large pieces of wood and then indirectly smoke the chuck beef (so the beef isn’t sat directly over the heat), for 1-2 hours in a barbecue with the lid down. Don’t worry if it isn’t cooked… this is all about flavour.

Then, roughly chop the onions and garlic. Heat a large casserole dish with some vegetable oil and brown the beef all over, then add the onions/garlic. Begin to sweat down. After 5 minutes, add the tomato paste, red wine and cook for 2 minutes.

Finally add the chopped tomatoes and beef stock. Season. Then place some baking paper over the top, then the lid of the casserole dish. Place in the oven at 150°C for 2-3 hours. Check after 1.5 hours to see if tender or needs some liquid adding.

Whilst that is cooking make the green dressing and pangrattato.

To make the pangrattato, blitz the ingredients together in a food processor to make a crumb mixture, then toast lightly in a dry frying pan or spread on a baking tray in the oven until golden brown.

To make the green dressing, chop the herbs together and combine in a bowl with the capers and olive oil.

20 minutes before you want to serve the beef, add 1 cup of polenta to a large saucepan, with 4 cups of water along with a chicken stock cube, and then whisk over a medium heat until thickened. Season and then add parmesan and butter, whisking it in. Add more water if you require a looser consistency.

Serve the beef and sauce on top of the rich polenta, and dress with the green sauce. Enjoy.