Beef Olives

I was guided to this recipe by Mr B, one of Millbrook’s best amateur cooks, who found it online and I must say it’s blomin’ lovely.

Ideal for when you want to serve something up a little more showy than your average Sunday roast. I’d certainly count this as “posh cooking”.

What you’ll need (to serve four):

2 x 1.5-2cm thick piece of topside of beef, about 200g each. (each piece should then serve two people)

2 or 3 tsps English mustard (more if you like it hot)

Salt

Black pepper

Paprika

Garlic, crushed

Onions (red or white) finely chopped

Gherkins

5 or 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, chopped into small pieces

Vegetable oil

Beef stock (cheat - use a stock cube and boiling water)

What do to:

Lay out slices of beef and spread the English mustard over the beef as if buttering bread.

Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with paprika and crushed garlic.

Spread evenly, finely chopped onions, gherkins and smoked bacon.

Roll up strips of beef and tie in place with string or use a skewer to keep in place.

Seal the outside of the “Olives” until just brown in some oil, transfer to a

shallow baking tray and cover with stock until bottom 2” are covered, pop them into the oven at 180˚C/Gas 4 and cook for 45-50 minutes.

Have a look at them, if you reckon they need more time try another 10 minutes and keep checking – you don’t want cinders!


Serve with creamy potatoes and your favourite vegetables.