Week 9: The Cookbook Challenge – Eye Fillet with Raspberry Sauce
Cookbook Used: Delicious – Quick Smart Cook
I know I’m meant to be using a variety of my cookbooks for the cookbook challenge… but I seem to have used this particular book about 3 times now or so. It’s not my fault there are so many delicious things in there I want to make. And the worst part is, Hamsley introduced me to Book Depository, and it’s sooooo incredibly cheap (better than Fish Pond).
So I know some of you are sitting there thinking…”raspberries AND beef…. TOGETHER?? Has she lost the plot???”
Truth be told, I have not lost the plot, and if Valli Little think the two of them go well together, then who am I to doubt her?
Turns out it was a delicious combination! It really worked well with the mashed potato. I don’t think it would have been as nice with rice or pasta. The raspberries added a nice sweet taste to match the richness of the eye fillet.
After we all got used to the idea of raspberries and beef; most of us kept adding more raspberry sauce to our plates. There were a few jokes as the mashed potato looked like cream, and dad would say “please pass the raspberry jam”; I asked my aunty if she brought the scones over.
I’ll definitely make it again!
A few reasons why my photos don’t look as good as in the book:
– Mum pre-sliced the eye-fillet before I could stop her
– Mum insisited I add a couple of frozen raspberries when garnishing for the photo despite my cries of “BUT THEY LOOK FROZEN!!”
– I didn’t serve with green beans, but with a nice garden salad instead
– I cooked double quantity as we had extra people over, and my raspberry sauce somehow ended up looking more like a raspberry thick shake (still damn tasty though)
Get your hands on:
1 tablespoon olive oil
10g unsalted butter
4 x 180g beef eye fillet steaks
1 cup (250ml) red wine
2 tablespoons caster sugar
250g raspberries
1 cup (250ml) good-quality beef stock
3 tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream
Serve it with:
Potato mash
Steamed green beans
1. Place the oil and butter in a frypan over high heat. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until browned and cooked to medium-rare (or until done to your liking). Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and set aside while you make the sauce.
3. Strain the sauce, discarding the soilds, and return to the pan. Add any beef resting juices and the reserved berries to the pan and stir until heated through.
4. Serve the steaks on potato mas and green beans, drizzled with the raspberry sauce.
Serves 4.
What's For Tea?
I'm with you on this one Shellie. I had venison with raspberry sauce at Taxi Dining Room and once I'd stopped poo pooing it long enough to actually try some it was delicious!
Good on you going outside the box with a recipe like this.
penny aka jeroxie
Definitely could see it work well together. I love using fruits this summer in dishes.
Jeanne
Looks very interesting Shellie, actually, very taste tempting also. Even though I have never seen or tasted the two together, I just luuuv them both. And I reckon they would really compliment each other. Great pics to, and would make a great change from savory gravies, and sauces. We mingle grapes, oranges etc with our Salads, and Apricot Chicken etc., So a great combination, and a tasty change from the ordinary. A great meal Shellie.
Hugs, Jeanne.x 🙂
Ellie
To be honest, looking at the picture I thought it was chocolate semifreddo with cream and raspberry sauce. lol!!! I have never tried berry sauce with beef. Interesting 🙂 I love book depository too!!
Agnes
Ahh very good! I was wondering if anyone would manage a savoury recipe this week. I think I'm going to do sweet (I know, I know, it's Saturday and I still haven't decided on a recipe!).
Conor @ HoldtheBeef
The book depository is the shizzle!
I thought this was a dessert dish too, hehe.
200 species of raspberries??!
mademoiselle délicieuse
Haha, because mothers always know best! =p
pierre
very challenging I love it thanks for htis
Pierre the french foodie in Paris ( come and visit my blog you are very welcome !! )
Iron Chef Shellie
Hi What's For Tea? – Thanks =D I'm glad I did too, to find out that it was actually fantastic!
Hi Penny – Me too =D Mango is my favorite.
Hi Jeanne – That's true, we have apricot chicken and dishes like that!
Hi Ellie – LOL! ah well, I'm glad you read on to find it wasn't the case 😛
Hi Agnes – Ah, glad I could come through with the goods 😛
Hi Conor – Sure is my nizzle 😛
Hi Mademoiselle Délicieuse – Ah, yes, my mother likes to say that 😛
Hi Pierre – Thanks =D Shall pop by shortly!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
I totally missed this recipe in the book so thanks for reminding me and good to know that it tastes great! Hehe at your mum, sometimes they try to help but it doesn't always work out 😛
Mae
How the heck have I not found your site before? Your photos and your theme rock! Bookmarked!
Thanks for stopping by Peas Love Carrots, I'm so glad you did. 🙂
Jo
I didn't realize it was beef until I read the recipe. Seemed kinda of strange to add raspberries to beef but heh we have apples to pork, apricots to chicken … so what's this!
Rilsta @ My Food Trail
I don't think I would have been daring enough to try this – the thought of beef and raspberries just don't connect in my head! 🙂
Glad that you liked it though and are getting plenty of use out of the Delicious cookbook!
Iron Chef Shellie
Hi Lorraine – No worries =) So true, so true!
Hi Mae – Thanks so much! I love your blog!
Hi Jo – haha, yes, that's true too!
Hi Rilsta – Oh you must be more daring!