Meat mains
Lemon and caper beef escalopes with celeriac
Simmering and frying celeriac imparts aromatics from the water and controls the browning in the pan. Finishing it with butter helps it colour and adds a nutty flavour. Try using a sharp knife to peel the gnarly roots, a veg peeler should do for the rest
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 celeriac
- salt and pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 15g fresh thyme
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 head broccoli
- oil for frying e.g. sunflower
- 25g butter
- 4 beef escalopes
- 1 lemon
Method
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Step 1
Place the capers in a mug of cold water to remove some of the salt. Leave to one side.
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Step 2
Peel and halve the celeriac. Lay each half cut-side down on a chopping board. Slice into thick 1cm slices.
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Step 3
Place the slices in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a good pinch of salt, the bay leaves and a few thyme sprigs. Bash 2 garlic cloves to split them open and throw them in.
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Step 4
Bring up to a simmer and cook the celeriac for 12-15 mins, until just tender.
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Step 5
While the celeriac cooks, trim the broccoli. Cut into even-sized florets, not too fat, so they cook in time (split down larger ones). Drain the capers and roughly chop them.
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Step 6
When cooked, lift the celeriac out of the water with a slotted or large spoon. Keep the water on the heat.
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Step 7
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add the celeriac, season and fry it for 3-4 mins on each side, to give it some colour. Add half the butter for the last couple of mins. Remove the celeriac and keep to one side. Wipe the pan clean.
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Step 8
Put the frying pan back on the heat. Add the remaining butter and a dash of oil. Season the beef on both sides with salt and pepper.
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Step 9
When the butter is foaming, add the beef. Fry for 1 min on each side. Add the capers to the pan with a good squeeze of lemon juice. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the beef to sit while you cook the broccoli.
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Step 10
Boil the broccoli in the reserved celeriac cooking water for 2-3 mins until just tender, then drain.
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Step 11
Serve the celeriac and broccoli with the beef. Tip over the capers and browned butter from the frying pan before serving.