Recipe: Fricandeau of Beef (UK)

Fricandeau of Beef

1.35kg (3lb) Sirloin (inside fillet) or Rump
600ml (1 pint) Medium Stock or Water
Bacon
2 shallots
1 Bunch Savoury Herbs
1 Bunch Sorrel
Good Beef Gravy
1 glass Sherry
6 Whole Allspice, ground
3 Cloves, ground
2 Ground Mace
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cut some bacon into thin strips and sprinkle with a seasoning of salt and pepper, mixed with cloves, mace and allspice.

Lard the beef with the bacon.

Put it into a saucepan with the stock or water, sherry, herbs, shallots, 2 cloves and more salt and pepper.

Stew the meat gently until tender,

Take it out, cover it closely, skim off all the fat from the gravy and strain it.

Place on to the heat boil, until it becomes a glaze (reduced).

Glaze the larded side of the beef with it.

Serve on sorrel sauce, which is made as follows:
Wash and pick some sorrel and put it into a saucepan with only the water it retains.

Keep stirring, to prevent it burning and when done, place in a sieve to drain.

Chop it and add a small pieces of butter and 4 or 6 tablespoonfuls of good gravy, rub it through a tammy.

If too acid, add a little sugar and a little cabbage lettuce boiled with the sorrel will be found an improvement.

Time: 2 hours to gently stew the meat.
Sufficient for 6 persons.
Seasonable at any time.