Recipes: Braised cuttlefish | Bee Edge Beef Blade

Braised cuttlefish with sweet spices and squid ink, cauliflower puree, broad beans and Seabeets

Ingredients:

1.5kg cuttlefish (cleaned and trimmed); 0.8kg finely sliced banana shallots; 0.35kg skinned, deseeded and coarsely chopped plum tomatoes; 1 (each) bird’s eye chilli (deseeded); 1 (each) bay leaf; 3 cloves garlic peeled and left whole; 1 sprig thyme; 10g fresh peeled ginger left whole; 1 flat teaspoon of fresh ground nutmeg; 1 flat teaspoon of freshly ground cinnamon; 100ml olive oil; 1 flat teaspoon of pasteurised squid ink; 1 head cauliflower; 100ml light red wine; 200g broad beans (in the pod); 200g seabeets; 1 lemon; 20g finely sliced spring onions; 20g finely chopped dill; 10g sea salt; 10g freshly ground white pepper.

Method:

In a heavy based pot warm the olive oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, bird’s eye chilli, garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme and ginger to infuse. As the oil gets to medium heat, start sweating the sliced shallots until they become translucent. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

Add the tentacles of the cuttlefish and the rest of the body; sear. Deglaze with the red wine, add the tomatoes and leave to stew at a relatively low temperature with the lid on. The result should be a soft and moist cuttlefish packed with subtle flavours. Add a teaspoon of pasteurised squid ink to the stew, leave to simmer gently. Dress with olive oil and herbs.

Chop the cauliflower florets. Slice the shallots and garlic very finely. Sweat with olive oil and butter until very soft, top up with vegetable nage and cream. Puree the cauliflower to a very fine and light texture, add seasoning. Pod the broad beans, shred the dill and spring onions. Cook in heavy based pot with olive oil. Top up with nage, cover with a cartouche (lid with greaseproof paper) until soft. Pick the seabeets, sweat gently in a pan with butter and nage, finish with a squeeze of lemon.

Bee Edge Beef Blade Cooked in Innis and Gunn, Seared Rib Eye, Tender Stem Broccoli, Salsify and Crowdie Cream

Ingredients:

For the blade of beef:

1.5-2kg blade of beef; 3 onions (peeled and cut in half; stick of celery (peeled); 3 carrots (peeled); 3 sprigs thyme; 5 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed); 2 bottles Innis and Gunn beer; 50ml pomace oil; 50g unsalted butter; 400ml brown veal stock

For the rib eye of beef:

1kg dry aged rib beef (fat cut off, just the eye left, trimmed to 6-7cm in thickness); 50ml pomace oil; 25g unsalted butter; Fresh ground white pepper to taste; Fine sea salt to taste

For the broccoli puree, salsify and tender stem broccoli:

500g tender stem broccoli (cut and trimmed into florets); 500g salsify (peeled, thickly cut, and blanched); 2 banana shallots (finely chopped);

3 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed); 1 sprig thyme; 1 bay leaf; 50g unsalted butter; 50ml double cream; 2 lemons

For the crowdie cream:

100g crowdie cream; 50ml whipping cream; Fresh ground pepper to taste; Fine sea salt to taste.

For the sauce:

1 bottle Innis and Gunn beer (original); 500ml blade braising liquor; 25ml olive oil; 4 shallots (finely sliced); 6 white peppercorns (lightly crushed); 1 sprig of thyme; 50g unsalted butter; 50g treacle.

Method:

Marinade the beef blade with the onions, carrots, celery stick, thyme, garlic and seasoning. In a heavy based pot sear the blade on a high heat. Add the unsalted butter and caramelise evenly. Remove the blade from the pot.

Drain all of the fat from the pot. Deglaze with Innis and Gunn, reduce right down and add the veal stock. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and braise in the oven at 180°C until the blade meat is soft. When ready remove the blade from the braisner liquor and roll in cling film, leave to set. Season the rib eye steaks. Sear gently in a non- stick pan. Add the unsalted butter, caramelise evenly and cook to the desired doneness.

Soften some crowdie cheese. Semi-whip some heavy cream, season to taste, and mix gently to form a homogenous mixture. Keep chilled.

Broccoli Puree

Take half of the tender stem broccoli and cut the florets.

Finely chop the shallots and garlic. Sweat in a heavy based pan with olive oil and butter, as they soften top up with some hot nage and cook until very tender.

Blend the mixture in a food processor, season to taste. Pass through a fine sieve on ice. The resulting puree should be bright green in colour. Reheat gently when needed.

Salsify

Peel the salsify. Cut into 5-6cm sticks and add citrus water to stop the oxidation. Bring to the boil in a pan of seasoned water. Cook until tender. Refresh in ice cold water. Pat dry and reserve until needed. Finish in a hot pan with unsalted butter and a touch of nage.

Trim the broccoli and keep the florets. Blanche into boiling seasoned water. Season to taste.

Sauce

Sweat the banana shallots, garlic, thyme and peppercorns in olive oil. Pour in 1 bottle of Innis and Gunn, reduce until syrupy. Add the blade braising liquor and reduce to a sauce consistency – season to taste. Fold in the treacle, bring to a simmer then emulsify the unsalted butter into the sauce. Adjust seasoning if required.