Recipes: Beef mini roasts with a twist

Great British Beef Week, organised by Ladies in Beef, kicks off on Sunday 23 April and runs through to 1 May.

It raises awareness of the quality and versatility of British beef and this year will be encouraging consumers to cook a mini-roast.

Here are two delicious ways of having a familiar and favourite joint of beef, but just smaller – and perfect for any day of the week.

Topside mini roast topped with a horseradish sauce, honey and lemon

• Serves 2
• Time to prepare: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• A 400-450g beef mini roast (we used beef topside)
• 10ml/2tsp runny honey
• 10ml/2tsp prepared horseradish sauce
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 5ml/1tsp oil
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
2. Mix together the honey, horseradish sauce, lemon zest and oil in a small bowl.
3. Place the joint on a chopping board, make several slashes over the surface, season and spread with the honey and lemon mixture. Transfer to a medium non-stick roasting tin and roast for 40-50 minutes (for medium). Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
4. Remove the joint from the oven, cover and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes (20 minutes if time allows).
5. Serve with a crushed new potatoes and sprouting broccoli.

Beef mini roast with porcini and chilli, cut into strips and tossed in a spring salad

• Serves 3
• Preparation time 5 minutes
• Cooking time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• A 400-450g lean beef mini roasting joint (we used a mini topside joint)

For the porcini and chilli paste:

• 15ml/1tbsp caster sugar
• 10ml/2tsp salt
• 5ml/1tsp dried chilli flakes
• Pinch of freshly milled black pepper
• 30ml/2tbsp dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 75ml/5tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

For the salad:

• 1 bunch green asparagus, shaved with a swivel-headed potato peeler
• ½ small cucumber, thinly sliced into ribbons
• 30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 75g baby spinach or pea shoot leaves
• 30ml/2tbsp extra virgin rapeseed or olive oil

Method

1. To prepare the paste, put the sugar, salt, chilli flakes, pepper and mushrooms into a small blender and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a small bowl, add the garlic and oil and mix to form a paste.
2. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
3. Place the beef on a chopping board, make several slashes over the surface and brush with the paste. Transfer to a roasting rack in a medium non-stick roasting tin and roast for 40-50 minutes. Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
4. Remove the joint from the oven, transfer to a warm plate, cover and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes (20 minutes if time allows).
5. To prepare the salad, mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, season and stir gently.
6. Slice the beef into strips, toss in the salad and serve.

See also: Fillet of beef with prosciutto and wild mushrooms