Beef in Mustard and Red Wine Sauce

A twist on a classic dish, a taste of traditional luxury that is easy to make.

Serves about 10

Ingredients

• 300g small shallots
• 1kg lean sirloin or rump beef steak
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50g green peppercorns in brine, drained
• 3 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 5 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 200ml red wine
• 300ml beef stock
• Small bunch of thyme sprigs
• Cornflour or plain flour, to thicken (optional)
• 300ml Millac Gold
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

• Cook the shallots in boiling salted water for 10 minutes and drain. Remove any fat from the beef and cut into thin strips.
• Heat the oil in a large pan, add a small batch of the beef strips, cooking very quickly until lightly browned. Lift out of the pan and put on one side. Cook the rest of the beef in batches in the same way.
• Put the shallots into the pan, cook until golden brown. Stir in the peppercorns, redcurrant jelly, mustard, wine, stock and thyme sprigs. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
• For a thickened sauce, blend a small amount of cornflour or plain flour with a little of the Millac Gold to make a smooth paste, then stir in the remaining Millac Gold. Add the mixture to the pan and bring to the boil, stirring, until thickened. Reduce the heat and add the browned beef. Cook until the beef is piping hot, adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve immediately.

In place of the beef steak, use strips of venison, skinless duck breasts, or breasts of guinea fowl. The liquid can be thickened if wished; alternatively serve it without thickening, in large shallow bowls with crusty bread, rice or mashed potatoes to mop up the delicious sauce.

Serve with

Crushed potatoes mixed with cooked shredded leeks and a little Lakeland butter, plus small whole roasted beetroots. Or potato galettes, stir-fried mange-tout, French beans, spinach and glazed carrots.