Beef Fillet, Creamy Mash, Miso Cabbage, Pickled Blackberries and Port Sauce

You can see I've tried to do some posh presentation for the photo here but the recipe makes more than what is plated. It really is a banger though so I encourage you all to make it. It's a dish I've done a handful of times in 2021 and I'm really happy with it.

Ingredients

Port sauce

2 onions, peeled and quartered

2 carrots, unpeeled, cut into large chunks

2 large sticks of celery, cut into large chunks

3 garlic cloves, crushed, with skins on

1 tsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 sprigs of rosemary

4 rashers bacon

2 tsp plain flour

150ml of port

1 bay leaf

1 pouch (500g) of good quality beef stock


Pickled blackberries

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp runny honey

10 blackberries


Beef

260g beef fillet

25g unsalted butter

3 large sprigs rosemary

Horseradish (optional)

Salt and cracked black pepper


Mash

3 large King Edward potatoes

100g unsalted butter

200ml double cream

White pepper and salt


Miso cabbage

25g butter

1 tsp white miso

1 small sweetheart cabbage, quartered

Wine pairing

Pairs perfectly with a bottle of Georgian Saperavi, we had this bottle of Orgo from Bottle Apostle – highly recommended!

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to a roasting pan. Drizzle over the oil, season and toss so everything is evenly coated. Add the rosemary sprigs and lay the bacon over the top. Put the pan in the oven to roast for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. You may need to remove the bacon a little ahead of when the veg is done so it doesn't burn.

For the pickled blackberries, add the vinegar, sugar and runny honey to a small bowl and stir until all the sugar and honey is dissolved. Add the blackberries to the bowl, stir and set aside.

Remove the veg from the oven (keep it on for the next step) and transfer to a medium sized saucepan and place on a medium to high heat. Remove the garlic skins and add back into the saucepan Add the port and bay leaf and reduce down until the mixture is thicker and almost fully reduced. Reduce the heat then sprinkle over the flour, stir to coat everything, then gradually pour in your beef stock. Simmer away until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste for seasoning - I add a good crack of black pepper. When it's about the right consistency, sieve the gravy into a clean saucepan and discard or nibble on the veg and bacon. Keep the gravy to one side until later.

Whilst the sauce is reducing, coat the potatoes in a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for an hour or until soft.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly. Cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the insides and add to the potato ricer. Push the potatoes through the ricer into a large bowl, cover with cling film for later.

Take the beef fillet out of fridge to get to room temperature.

For the miso cabbage, melt the butter and miso in a small bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds. Once warmed, use the back of a spoon to combine the miso with the butter. Add the miso butter into a frying pan on a medium-high heat. When the butter has melted add the cabbage skin side down and fry until it's charred on both sides. Remove and place cut side up on an oven tray, roast for 20-30 minutes.

Season the beef with a little salt and plenty of black pepper. Add 25g of butter to a small oven tray and melt over a medium heat. Brown on all sides to form a nice crust, brushing it with the rosemary sprigs. Roast in the oven on 200°C fan for 15 minutes for medium-rare, turn your beef half way through for an even cook.

When the meat is done, remove from oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Whilst the meat is resting, start warming the gravy through.

For the mash, warm the cream in a new saucepan and add the riced potatoes with the butter, then mash to combine it. Add the butter continue to mash or use a spatula at this point to help get rid of any lumps. Season with a little salt and white pepper.

Remove the cabbage from the oven and place on a side plate. Slice the beef fillet into two then serve with the mash, pickled blackberries and gravy.

Enjoy!