Beignets

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

To replicate the airy, crisp texture and tangy yeast flavor of these classic New Orleans doughnuts, we began by using plenty of yeast and prodding it with warm water and sugar to start developing flavor right off the bat. A super-hydrated dough means lots of steam, which creates an open, honeycombed structure as soon as the beignets hit the hot oil. Since wet dough is tricky to roll out, we let it rise in the refrigerator to firm it up. After a few minutes of frying and a shower of powdered sugar, our beignets were ready to be enjoyed, Big Easy–style.

Makes about 2 dozen beignets

This dough is very wet and sticky, so flour the counter and baking sheet generously. You’ll need a Dutch oven with a capacity of at least 6 quarts.

INGREDIENTS

1cup water, heated to 110 degrees

3tablespoons granulated sugar

1tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

3cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour

3/4teaspoon salt

2large eggs

2tablespoons plus 2 quarts vegetable oil

  Confectioners' sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and yeast in large bowl and let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Combine flour, remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and salt in second bowl. Whisk eggs and 2 tablespoons oil into yeast mixture. Add flour mixture and stir vigorously with rubber spatula until dough comes together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

2. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Line second sheet with parchment paper and dust heavily with flour. Place half of dough on well-floured counter and pat into rough rectangle with floured hands, flipping to coat with flour. Roll dough into ¼-inch-thick rectangle (roughly 12 by 9 inches). Using pizza wheel, cut dough into twelve 3-inch squares and transfer to floured sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

3. Add enough of remaining 2 quarts oil to large Dutch oven to measure about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Place 6 beignets in oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through frying. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Using slotted spoon or spider, transfer beignets to prepared wire rack. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining beignets. Dust beignets with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.

TEST KITCHEN TECHNIQUE: FORMING BEIGNETS

Our dough is very wet, a quality that allows a network of delicate holes to develop in the beignets. However, wet dough can be tricky to work with. Here’s how to easily shape and cut the beignets.

STOP STICKING: Dust the counter and rolling pin heavily with flour before you roll out the chilled beignet dough.

CUT INTO SQUARES: Traditionally, beignets are measured by the size of the cook’s hands: four fingers by four fingers. We cut 3-inch squares with a pizza wheel.

GARLICKY ROASTED SHRIMP WITH PARSLEY AND ANISE

Published January 1, 2013.  From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

To keep our roasted shrimp plump and moist, we brined them briefly. To further protect them as they cooked and to produce a more roasted flavor, we left their shells on. The shells browned quickly in the heat of the oven and transferred flavor...(more)

SERVES 4 TO 6

Don’t be tempted to use smaller shrimp with this cooking technique; they will be overseasoned and prone to overcook.

INGREDIENTS

1/4cup salt

2pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)

4tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4cup vegetable oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1teaspoon anise seeds

1/2teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4teaspoon pepper

2tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dissolve salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Using kitchen shears or sharp paring knife, cut through shell of shrimp and devein but do not remove shell. Using paring knife, continue to cut shrimp ½ inch deep, taking care not to cut in half completely. Submerge shrimp in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine melted butter, oil, garlic, anise seeds, pepper flakes, and pepper in large bowl. Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Add shrimp and parsley to butter mixture; toss well, making sure butter mixture gets into interior of shrimp. Arrange shrimp in single layer on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet.

3. Broil shrimp until opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Flip shrimp and continue to broil until second side is opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Transfer shrimp to serving platter and serve immediately, passing lemon wedges separately.

KEYS TO SHRIMP THAT BROWN DEEPLY—BUT DON'T DRY OUT

USE JUMBOS: Bigger shrimp are less likely to dry out in the heat. Plus, there are fewer pieces to crowd the baking sheet and thwart browning.

 

LEAVE SHELLS ON: Cooking the shrimp shell-on helps protect their lean, delicate flesh from dehydrating before the exterior develops good browning.

 

BRINE BRIEFLY: Plumping up the shrimp with a quick saltwater soak further buffers them from the oven’s heat and also seasons them throughout.

 

BROIL ON RACK: Broiling the shrimp on a wire rack set in a baking sheet allows the hot air to circulate around them for deep, even color.

COOKING CLASS

THE SURPRISING POWER OF SHRIMP SHELLS

We found that cooking shrimp in their shells kept them juicier, but our shell-on roasted shrimp boast such savory depth that we wondered if there wasn’t more to this outer layer than we thought. Our science editor confirmed our suspicions. First, shrimp shells contain water-soluble flavor compounds that will get absorbed by the shrimp flesh during cooking. Second, the shells are loaded with proteins and sugars—almost as much as the flesh itself. When they brown, they undergo the flavor-enhancing Maillard reaction just as roasted meats do, which gives the shells even more flavor to pass along to the flesh. Third, like the flesh, the shells contain healthy amounts of glutamates and nucleotides, compounds that dramatically enhance savory umami flavor when present together in food. These compounds also get transferred to the meat during cooking, amplifying the effect of its own glutamates and nucleotides. Bottom line: Shrimp shells not only protect the meat during cooking but also significantly enhance its flavor. This also proves that those of us who enjoy eating the roasted shell along with the meat are onto something.

TECHNIQUE

BUTTERFLYING SHELL-ON SHRIMP

Starting at head of shrimp, snip through back of shell with kitchen shears. (This can also be done with very sharp paring knife: Cut from tail end of shell toward head.) Devein shrimp but do not remove shell.

 

Using paring knife, carefully continue to cut ½-inch slit in shrimp, making sure not to split it in half completely.

Grilled Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

To get grilled eggplant that isn’t leathery or spongy, the size of the slice is crucial; ¼ inch is just the right thickness to produce a charred exterior and tender flesh. For flavor, we quickly infuse olive oil with garlic and chiles in the microwave and brush it on the eggplant slices before grilling. We save a tablespoon of the oil and mix it with yogurt, lemon, and fresh herbs for a Mediterranean-inspired sauce to drizzle on at the end.

Serves 6 to 8

For spicier eggplant, increase the amount of red pepper flakes to ¼ teaspoon.

INGREDIENTS

6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/8teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2cup plain whole-milk yogurt

3tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice

1teaspoon ground cumin

  Salt and pepper

2pounds eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in bowl. Microwave, uncovered, until garlic is golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Strain garlic oil through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl. Reserve garlic oil and crispy garlic separately.

2. Combine yogurt, mint, 1 tablespoon garlic oil, lemon zest and juice, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt in separate bowl; set aside while preparing eggplant.

3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

3B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium-high.

4. Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush eggplant all over with remaining garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange half of eggplant on grill and cook (covered if using gas) until browned and tender, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Serve eggplant with yogurt sauce and sprinkle with crispy garlic.

EGGPLANT EVEN GOLDILOCKS COULD LOVE

If the eggplant slices are too thick, the exterior will nicely char, but the inside will be spongy and underdone. We found that ¼-inch-thick slices are the optimal size for eggplant rounds destined for the grill.

1/4-INCH-THICK SLICES—JUST RIGHT

Broccoli Salad

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Most recipes for this salad leave the broccoli raw, but we found that cooking it briefly in boiling water improved both flavor and appearance. Adding the hardier stems to the cooking water before the florets levels the playing field, so both are tender at the same time. Drying the broccoli in… read more

SERVES 4 TO 6

When prepping the broccoli, keep the stems and florets separate. If you don’t own a salad spinner, lay the broccoli on a clean kitchen towel to dry in step 3. You can make the salad up to six hours in advance.

INGREDIENTS

6 slices bacon, chopped fine

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse

1 large shallot, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook bacon in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain on paper towel–lined plate.

2. Combine 4 cups water and 4 cups ice in large bowl. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Remove ½ cup boiling water and combine with raisins in small bowl; cover, let sit for 5 minutes, and drain.

3. Meanwhile, add broccoli stalks to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Add florets and cook until slightly tender, about 1 minute. Drain broccoli and place in ice water to cool. Drain again, transfer to salad spinner, and spin dry.

4. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add broccoli, raisins, walnuts, and shallot to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

BEST CHICKEN STEW

SERVES 6 TO 8

Mashed anchovy fillets (rinsed and dried before mashing) can be used instead of anchovy paste. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, halved crosswise and trimmed

Kosher salt and pepper

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 pound chicken wings, halved at joint

1 onion, chopped fine

1 celery rib, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine, plus extra for seasoning

1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound small red potatoes, unpeeled, quartered

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange chicken thighs on baking sheet and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper; cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

2. Cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon browns, 6 to 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to medium bowl. Add chicken wings to pot, increase heat to medium, and cook until well browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes; transfer wings to bowl with bacon.

3. Add onion, celery, garlic, anchovy paste, and thyme to fat in pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until dark fond forms on pan bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to high; stir in 1 cup broth, wine, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits; and bring to boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables begin to sizzle again, 12 to 15 minutes. Add butter and stir to melt; sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in remaining 4 cups broth until smooth. Stir in wings and bacon, potatoes, and carrots; bring to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.

4. Remove pot from oven. Use wooden spoon to draw gravy up sides of pot and scrape browned fond into stew. Place over high heat, add thighs, and bring to simmer. Return pot to oven, uncovered, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken offers no resistance when poked with fork and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes longer. (Stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

5. Discard wings and season stew with up to 2 tablespoons extra wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

BUILDING A RICH, FLAVORFUL GRAVY

START WITH BACON AND WINGS: Brown chopped bacon, then sear halved wings in rendered fat to develop meaty depth. Set bacon and wings aside.

ENHANCE FLAVOR BASE: Sauté aromatics, thyme, and anchovy paste in fat to create rich fond. Add chicken broth, wine, and soy sauce, then boil until liquid evaporates.

COOK GRAVY: Cook reserved bacon and wings (with potatoes and carrots) in more broth. This extracts flavor from meats and body-enhancing collagen from wings (later discarded).

THIS IS FOND, TOO

We often use liquid to release the browned bits, or fond, that remain on the bottom of the pan after meat has been sautéed or pan-seared; this enables us to easily stir the fond into the dish. These bits are packed with the complex flavors that are created by the Maillard reaction and can greatly enhance the flavor of a braise or a sauce. We found that leaving the lid off our chicken stew as it cooked in the oven led to the development of fond on the sides of the Dutch oven as well. To take advantage of this flavor-packed substance, we deglazed the sides by wetting them with a bit of gravy and scraping it into the stew with a spatula. The result? A considerable flavor boost.

SCRAPE THE DARK RING INTO THE STEW

Mushroom and Leek Galette with Gorgonzola

From America's Test Kitchen Season 13: Simple & Satisfying Vegetable Mains

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

To elevate our tart to entrée status, we wanted a crust that was delicate, sturdy, and flavorful, with a filling to match. To increase the flavor of the crust and keep it tender, we swapped out part of the white flour for nutty whole wheat, and we used butter rather than shortening. To punch… read more

Mushroom and Leek Galette with Gorgonzola

We knew we wanted the ease of a free-form tart, but the typical delicate butter pastry just wouldn’t do. And how could we avoid a soggy vegetable filling?

Watch the Video

Serves 6

Cutting a few small holes in the dough prevents it from lifting off the pan as it bakes. A pizza stone helps to crisp the crust but is not essential.

INGREDIENTS

Dough

1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled

7 tablespoons ice water

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Filling

1 1/4 pounds shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin

5 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced ½ inch thick and washed thoroughly (3 cups)

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

2 tablespoons crème fraîche

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE DOUGH: Process flours, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, 2 to 3 pulses. Add butter and pulse until it forms pea-size pieces, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle water and vinegar over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix until loose, shaggy mass forms with some dry flour remaining (do not overwork). Transfer mixture to center of large sheet of plastic wrap, press gently into rough 4-inch square, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

3. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Roll into 11 by 8-inch rectangle with short side of rectangle parallel to edge of work surface. Using bench scraper, bring bottom third of dough up, then fold upper third over it, folding like business letter into 8 by 4-inch rectangle. Turn dough 90 degrees counterclockwise. Roll out dough again into 11 by 8-inch rectangle and fold into thirds again. Turn dough 90 degrees counterclockwise and repeat rolling and folding into thirds. After last fold, fold dough in half to create 4-inch square. Press top of dough gently to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

4. FOR THE FILLING: Cover mushrooms in bowl and microwave until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to colander to drain and return to bowl. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add leeks and thyme, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl with mushrooms. Stir in crème fraîche and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

5. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, place pizza stone on oven rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. (Trim edges as needed to form rough circle.) Transfer dough to parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. With tip of paring knife, cut five ¼-inch circles in dough (one at center and four evenly spaced midway from center to edge of dough). Brush top of dough with 1 teaspoon oil.

6. Spread half of filling evenly over dough, leaving 2-inch border around edge. Sprinkle with half of Gorgonzola, cover with remaining filling, and top with remaining Gorgonzola. Drizzle remaining 1 teaspoon oil over filling. Grasp 1 edge of dough and fold up outer 2 inches over filling. Repeat around circumference of tart, overlapping dough every 2 to 3 inches; gently pinch pleated dough to secure but do not press dough into filling. Brush dough with egg and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt.

7. Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and filling is beginning to brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool tart on baking sheet on wire rack for 10 minutes. Using offset or wide metal spatula, loosen tart from parchment and carefully slide tart off parchment onto cutting board. Sprinkle with parsley, cut into wedges, and serve.

TECHNIQUE

DON'T DOUBT YOUR DOUGH

SHAGGY DOUGH

Barely mixing the dough and then resting it in the refrigerator hydrates the flour while minimizing gluten development, for a more tender crust. Don’t worry if the dough looks loose and shaggy—it’s supposed to.

 

TECHNIQUE

KEYS TO MAKING A FLAVOR-PACKED, STURDY VEGETABLE TART

MAKE A WHOLE WHEAT CRUST

Whole-wheat flour contributes earthy flavor that complements the savory filling. Its coarser consistency makes for a hearty crumb.

PRECOOK THE VEGETABLES

Removing moisture from the vegetables is crucial to concentrating flavor and preventing a soggy crust. We microwave and drain the mushrooms and combine them with browned leeks. 

ADD BOLD-FLAVORED BINDERS

To help the vegetables stay neatly bound and add complexity to the filling, we worked in a rich, three-part binder: crème fraÎche, Dijon mustard, and crumbled Gorgonzola.

PLEATING A FREE-FORM TART

It’s surprisingly simple to create pleated edges around free-form tarts.

 1. Gently grasp 1 edge of dough and make 2-inch-wide fold over filling.

 2. Lift and fold another segment of dough over first fold to form pleat. Repeat every 2 to 3 inches.

Pear and Ginger Upside Down Pudding

Ingredients:
200g Butter
200g Soft brown sugar
3 Pears, cored, peeled and quartered
2 Eggs, beaten
125g Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
2 tsp Ground ginger

Method:

1. Melt 75g of the butter and add 75g of the sugar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears and stir gently to coat the pear quarters. 
2. Arrange the pear quarters onto the base of a greased 20cm cake tin and drizzle over a little of the melted butter.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the remaining butter and sugar to a creamy consistency. Gradually add the egg and the flour, adding a little of each at a time. Add the ginger and baking powder and fold in. Test the consistency of the sponge mixture to see if it drops off the end of a spoon in a big dollop. If it is too dry, add a little milk, until dropping consistency is reached. 
4. Spoon the cake mix evenly over the pears.
5. Place into an oven at 180° C and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the cake is risen and golden. To ensure the cake is cooked, gently press in the middle - the cake should bounce back into shape. 
6. When cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring (upside-down of course) to a wire cooling rack.
7. Drizzle the remaining syrup over the cake once it is cool.

Serve with a little creme fraiche. The quantities shown in this recipe make enough for a 20cm cake, approximately 12 servings.

Asparagus cappuccino

Ingredients:
25 g unsalted butter
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 baby fennel bulb, chopped
1 medium potato, chopped
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
375ml chicken stock
350 g (about 12 spears) asparagus, woody ends trimmed, chopped
300 ml thick cream.

Method:

1. Heat the butter and oil; fry the onion, celery and fennel for 1 minute.
2. Add the potato, tarragon and stock and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add the asparagus and cook for a further 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
4. Set aside to cool slightly then place in a blender and process until smooth.
5. Season well with salt and pepper and add the cream.
6. Just before serving reheat the soup gently, and you can blend with an electric hand blender to froth the soup. Pour into serving cups.

Serves 8
Adapted from ABC Delicious: Let's do Lunch

Red Velvet Cake from Waldorf Astoria Cookbook

Ingredients:
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1½ tsp pure vanilla
2 cups AP flour
2¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
3 cans (12 oz) canned beets, drained and pureed
1 tsp red food coloring

For the Icing:
2 cups heavy cream
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
12 oz mascarpone cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract
1½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

Method:
For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl and set over a saucepan of boiling water or in the top of a double boiler. ( Or, melt in a microwave for 20-30 seconds.)
3. Meanwhile, place sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in the bowl and mix for about one minute on low speed.
4. In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and continue to mix on low speed until well incorporated. Add melted chocolate and mix on low speed. Add pureed beets and food coloring. Continue to mix on low speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
5. Divide batter evenly between 3 greased and floured pans and bake for 20-25 mins or until cake springs back when touched, or when toothpick comes up clean.
6. Cool for 10 mins in the pans and turn layers out onto rack to cool completely.

For the Icing:

1. Pour cream into small bowl and whip to soft peaks.
2. Refrigerate.
3. Place cream cheese in a bowl and mix on low speed until soft and smooth.
4. Add mascarpone and mix until combined.
5. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and mix well.
6. Fold in whipped cream by hand with spatula.
7. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Salt Beef

Ingredients
2.7kg (6lb) Beef Brisket, lean
285g (10oz) Coarse Salt
4 Tbsp Soft Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Black Peppercorns, coarsely crushed
1 Tbsp Coriander Seeds, coarsely crushed
10 Juniper Berries, crushed
1 tsp Saltpetre
1 Bay Leaf, crushed
½ Tbsp Ground Mace
½ Tbsp Ground Ginger
½ Tbsp Whole Cloves, crushed

Method

1. Place the beef in a ceramic or plastic container (metal would be unsuitable), rub half of the salt well into the beef.
2. Cover the container with clingfilm and refrigerate for 12 hours, turning once.
3. Remove the meat from the container, rinse and dry well with kitchen towels.
4. Mix all of the other together.
5. Rub the mixture into the beef, ensuring its whole area is covered.
6. Place the beef into the cleaned container.
7. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 10 days.
8. Turn the beef every day.
9. After 10 days, remove from the refrigerator, rinse well.
10. Place into a saucepan containing simmering unsalted water.
11. Simmer gently for 3-3½ hours or until tender.
12. If serving hot, add vegetables (onions, carrot, swedes, turnips, etc.) for the final 35-40 minutes of cooking.
13. If serving cold. place the beef into a tight fitting container, cover with a plate (or similar), stand a heavy weight on top.
14. When cold place in the refrigerator overnight.
15. Serve with Horseradish Sauce or Mustard & Horseradish Sauce.