Here’s a a lovely combo that’s perfect for an alfresco weekend lunch. Thick slices of roast beef, with an easy onion and raisin chutney, on French bread with greens and cherry tomatoes and anything else you fancy. Pretty easy to prepare, with the satisfaction of having made your own delicious chutney!
Sweet Onion and Raisin Chutney (adapted from July 2013 delicious. magazine)
Ingredients
100 gm raisins
300 ml sweet fortified wine (I used Pedro Ximenez sherry)
100 ml sunflower or vegetable oil
1 kg large red onions, halved, thinly sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
125 ml white wine vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Place the raisins and and wine in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Immediately remove, then set aside to soak for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes or until the onions are soft and starting to colour and stick to the pan.
Add the sugar, cook, stirring frequently for a further 30 minutes or until the onions are a rich brown colour.
Add the vinegar and soaked raisins, including the soaking liquid, then cook stirring often, for a further 30 minutes, or until the mixture is thick. Remove from the heat, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
Spoon into sterilized jars and seal. This will give you a few jars, so plenty of chutney to use later.
Roast Beef
Ingredients
500 gm piece scotch fillet (this is enough for 2 large sandwiches)
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place a heavy based baking dish in the oven to heat through.
Thoroughly coat the fillet in salt and pepper on all sides. Drizzle with the olive oil over all sides. Place in a hot frying pan, searing quickly on all sides to caramelize the fillet. Turn the oven down to 180 degrees C. Place in the baking dish in the oven with the pan juices, adding the butter.
Cook the beef for 15 minutes for medium rare or 15-20 minutes for medium. Remove from the oven when cooked to your satisfaction and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing thickly.
Sandwich
Assemble the sandwich with the following ingredients or whatever takes your fancy:
French bread stick, butter, roast beef, cherry tomatoes, baby salad greens, sugar snap peas, sweet onion and raisin chutney, plenty of salt and pepper.
The Quirk and the Cool 