Tomato is such a wonderful ingredient in slow cooked winter stews and pasta sauces, but it can be a challenge when it comes to wine pairing. Luckily the versatile 2018 La Motte Millennium works with Chef Eric's recipe for free range beef olives with fire-roasted tomatoes and a moreish creamed maize.
Free range beef olives with fire-roasted tomatoes and a moresih creamed maize.
Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
250 g ground beef or pork, or a combination of the two
50 g flat-leaf parsley chopped
10 g Origanum
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
50 g fresh bread crumbs
4 x 200 g slices of rump steak
Instructions
Cook the onions and half the garlic in 4 tbsp. of the oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat for 15 minutes until soft and sweet. Add meat, parsley, and origanum, and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in eggs, breadcrumbs and season to taste, and mix well.
Using a meat mallet pound the rump slices out. Place about two heaped tablespoons of filling in the center of each piece of steak. Roll lengthwise, tucking in sides as you go. Tie each roll securely with kitchen string. Brown in a pan and reserve.
Tomato sauce
1 Onion
2 Celery sticks washed
6 Large tomatoes, peeled
1 Tbs Tomato paste
1 tin whole peeled tomatoes
1 Carrot peeled
2 Garlic cloves peeled
Salt
Pepper
100 g Flat leave parsley
150 ml Extra virgin olive oil
Chop all vegetables into rustic chunks. In a sauce pot heat up the oil, add the garlic and fry till it starts to colour. Add all the vegetables except the tomatoes. Brown until well caramelized. Add the tomatoes, thyme and rosemary and season. Poor over the beef olives and cover with foil. Cook in a low heat, wood burning oven or roast in a 160 degree oven until the olives are soft and browned.
Creamed maize
Ingredients
1 lt water
150 g milk
100 g cream
8 g salt
180 g medium-grind maize meal
3 Tbs butter
50 g Parmesan cheese
Method
Bring the water, milk, salt and cream to a boil in a sauce pan.
Gradually sprinkle the maize into the pan while whisking at the same time. Turn the heat to a very low simmer, cover and continue to cook the polenta for 25 - 30 minutes, until it's thick, fluffy and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
When it's done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese and additional salt to taste if needed.
To assemble
Place a good spoonful of maize in the centre of a bowl. Place a beef olive ontop with a good amount of the tomato sauce. Garnish with parsley, some grated Parmesan and a splash of olive oil.
