Beef Redux

So, what did I do with the rest of that beef?

Given that it was a bit rare I didn't want to leave it to slice cold onto sandwiches etc as originally planned. So, it as actually a simple casserole affair the next day.

One large saucepan. Potatoes, carrots, onions, sprouts, peas (i.e. the veg I happened to have left over) and the rest of the beef cut up into small pieces. Stock cube, water, seasoning and bring to the boil. Left it boiling for a good 10 minutes and then reduced the heat so it was simmering.

An hour and a half later it was given a good stir to break up the potatoes a bit and thicken it up. Just make sure to keep an eye on it while it simmers as you don't want it going dry and burning.

Exciting and innovative cooking - No. Simple, tasty and comforting - Yes.

Another Beef

No, not a moan, just an off the cuff beef recipe. I mentioned I had done this on FB and one of my friends asked me if I'd followed a recipe or invented it. I said invented but that probably makes the process sound rather more erudite and conceived than it actually was. Made up as I went along might have been slightly closer to the mark...my apologies if this post rambles a bit as well!

Anyways, what did I do?

I had bought a piece of topside with the intention of roasting it. Some hot for dinner and leave the rest to go cold and eat it over the next day or two. Oven heated up I put the beef into the roasting tray along with some black pepper and then thought to roast some onions as well.

This quickly turned into an idea for a "gravy". The use of quotation marks should indicate that some people may not consider this to be a proper gravy but what the heck...

So, roasting tray, beef, black pepper. Now add 2 large onions chopped into quarters, one vegetable stock cube and half a bottle of Chocolate porter (or chocolate stout) and cover with foil / lid of your roasting pan.

Place in the oven at 190C. I left it for 30mins/lb plus 30 (uncovering it half way through). This should have left me with well done beef - as I was intending to let some go cold. However, presumably due to the liquid it wasn't that well done. Actually medium-rare / bit pink still in the middle. Perfect for eating hot in my book, but, not what I was aiming for. Didn't discover this until I went to slice it though...

While the beef was resting I tipped the remains of the cooking liquid and onions into a saucepan and brought it to the boil reducing the volume down to make the "gravy" / sauce. Simple as it gets!

The final plate was mashed potato, some generous slices of beef and spooned over the top was some of the onion and "gravy". Delicious, especially with the remains of the porter to drink.

In a few days I shall say what I actually did with the the other half of the beef...

Water on the rocks....

A quick walking post, mainly because it was raining so there aren't many photos. Nothing torrential, but, certainly persistent. Lots of water in the air and on the ground with a side order of mud all round!

This is one of the drier paths!

Another South East meet this one took in some of the rock formations to be found down South. I know, rocks to go climbing on isn't what I think of when it comes to the Kent/Sussex border either, but, it seems there are...

We met up in Aytton's Wood by Groombridge Village and walked through the village to Groombridge Place. Beautiful old building that would be worthy of many photos on a drier day. From here we followed that paths that run (roughly) parallel to the River Grom and the Spa Valley Railway until we ended up at High Rocks.

From here it was into Broadwater Woods and then RSPB Broadwater Warren where we sheltered as best we could for a spot of lunch before walking on through the Nature Reserve to Eridge Rocks.

Eridge Rocks

From here it was across the fields and down to Harrison's Rocks where we again picked up the Spa Valley Railway which we followed back to the carpark. A lovely little walk with friends which certainly got rid of any cobwebs. Must go back on a sunnier day though...