Kokova Magazine

James Martin will be giving three cookery demonstrations at the Taste Cumbria Festival on Sunday 30th September 2012, stunning food lovers with recipes such as smoked haddock with Cumbrian rarebit, sole with Morecambe Bay Shrimps, vanilla and Grasmere Gingerbread cheesecake and slow roast fillet of Cumbrian beef with wild Whinlatter Forest mushrooms.

(serves 4)

Ingredients

• Whole Fillet of Cumbrian Beef - Medium Rare
• 150ml finished beef jus
• 800g mixed wild mushrooms foraged from Whinlatter Forest
• 2 shallots fine diced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 50ml olive oil

For the mash potatoes

• 900g (2lb) large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 100g (4oz) unsalted butter
• 120ml (4 fl oz) double cream
• 3 cloves peeled smoked garlic
• Salt & pepper

Procedure

• Preheat the oven to 60C/140F/Gas ¼. Heat a frying pan until hot, and then add approximately 1 tbsp of corn oil. Take the beef and sear until it is browned on all sides (approximately two minutes in total).
• Remove the beef from the pan and allow to cool. Wrap the fillet tightly in cling film and place on a roasting tray in the oven. Cook for 50-60 minutes. The fillet can be left in the oven for 1 hour & 40 minutes (the fillet will not cook anymore).
• For medium rare, the core temperature of the meat will be 57-59C (135-138F). Test the meat with a digital meat thermometer - if this temperature has not been reached, increase the heat in the oven slightly and return the beef to the oven for a further 10 minutes, before checking once more.
• Remove the beef from the oven and remove the cling film. Heat a pan until hot and fry the beef in the hot pan for no more than 30 seconds. You will find that there is no need to rest the meat, as the proteins have not shrunk so that it requires resting.
• Pre heat a non stick pan over a medium heat, add the oil and add the mushrooms. Toss together then add the shallots and thyme, season and remove from the heat set to one side.
• For the mash potatoes, boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked, approximately 20 – 25 minutes, depending on size. Drain off all the water, replace the lid and shake the pan vigorously, which will start to break up the boiled potatoes.
• Warm the garlic, butter and cream then add a little at time, while mashing the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. The potatoes will now be light, fluffy, creamy and ready to eat.
• Heat the beef jus through in a saucepan, ready to serve. If you don't have beef jus, you can make your own by adding beef stock to the frying pan used to cook the beef fillet and cooking it over a medium heat until it has reduced, thickened and become flavoursome.
• To serve, spoon the mushroom and smoked garlic pommes puree on to the plate. Place the beef on to the plate, spoon the mash alongside then finish with a drizzle of beef jus.