James Martin’s version of traditional roast dinner, with best beef, rich red wine gravy and his special Yorkshire puddings.
Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a 3cm/1¼in diameter pastry cutter.
Ingredients
- For the Yorkshire pudding
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- 225g/8oz plain white flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 medium free-range eggs
- 600ml/20fl oz full-fat milk
- 50g/1¾oz beef dripping
- For the red cabbage
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- 75g/2½oz butter
- 600g/1lb 5oz red cabbage leaves, finely sliced
- 285ml/10fl oz red wine
- 50g/1¾oz dark soft brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 5 tbsp redcurrant jelly
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- For the beef
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- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 500g/1lb 2oz middle-cut aged beef fillet
- For the fondant potatoes
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- 4 large potatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 300ml/10½fl oz chicken stock
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 50g/1¾oz butter
- For the red wine gravy
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- 200ml/7fl oz red wine
- 300ml/10½fl oz beef stock
- 50g/1¾oz butter
Preparation method
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First make the batter for the Yorkshire puddings. Put the flour in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the eggs and milk and whisk to make a smooth batter. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least one hour, but preferably overnight.
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For the red cabbage, heat a large saucepan until hot, add the butter and red cabbage and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened. Add the red wine and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and continue to cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender.
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To cook the beef, preheat the oven to 60C/140F/Gas ¼. Heat half the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef fillet and fry until browned on all sides – this should take no more than two minutes in total. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside to cool.
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Wrap the cooled beef fillet in cling film and place onto a roasting tray. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. Warm through before serving if necessary, but remove the cling film if using a higher heat.
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For the fondant potatoes, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
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Cut the large potatoes in half widthways. Using a 3cm/1¼in diameter pastry cutter, cut two cylinders out of each potato.
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Heat a deep, ovenproof saucepan and add a little vegetable oil. Place the potatoes in the pan standing on end and fry gently until golden-brown at the base. Add the chicken stock and bring it up to the boil. Add the garlic, thyme and butter. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Set aside and keep warm.
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To cook the Yorkshire puddings, preheat the oven to 220C/450F/Gas 7.
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Divide the dripping or lard between the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin or Yorkshire tin. Place the tin in the oven for ten minutes, or until smoking hot.
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Carefully pour the batter into the tin, filling the holes two-thirds full. Cook for 20 minutes. Do not open the door during this time.
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After 20 minutes, open the door to allow any steam to escape and turn the temperature down to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Continue to cook until the Yorkshire puddings are golden-brown and crisp.
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To make the red wine gravy, heat the red wine in a small pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by half.
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Add the beef stock and simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and whisk in the butter.
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To serve, slice the beef and place on serving plates alongside the Yorkshire pudding, cabbage, fondant potatoes and gravy.