Beef Carpaccio with Bramley Apple Salad Canapes

A delicious and succulent canape to impress your guests this Christmas.

Makes 15-20 canapés 

Prep time: 40 minutes, plus freezing 

Cooking time: 5 minutes 

Ingredients

For the beef carpaccio: 

  • ½  tsp coriander seeds 

  • ½  tsp Szechuan peppercorns 

  • ½  tsp fennel seeds 

  • 2 pinches sea salt 

  • 1 pinches ground black pepper 

  • 250g beef fillet, centre cut, trimmed 

  • ½ tbsp vegetable oil 


For the horseradish crème fraîche: 

  • 20g horseradish sauce 

  • 30g crème fraîche 

  • 1 small pinch sea salt 

  • 1 small pinch cayenne pepper 


To make the beef rolls: 

  • ½ head red chicory  

  • 1 small bunch rocket 

  • 1 celery stick 

  • ¼ lemon, for juice only 

  • 1 Bramley apple 

  • 1 tbsp  extra virgin olive oil (optional) 

Method

For the beef carpaccio: 

  1. In a medium-sized frying pan, and over a medium-high heat, cook the spices for about 2 minutes, until you can smell them toasting. Pour the spices into a grinder (or use a blender, or pestle and mortar) and grind them to a coarse powder. 

  2. Spread the spice mix, and salt and pepper over a baking tray. Now roll the piece of beef in the tray until the meat is covered in the seasoned spice mix (this is always the best way to evenly season a piece of beef).   

  3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Sear the beef fillet for about a minute on each side, until golden brown all over. 

  4. Remove the fillet from the pan and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before tightly rolling it in clingfilm. Tie a knot in each end of the cling film and transfer it to the fridge. 

  5. Once the beef is chilled, place it in the freezer and leave it overnight. 

  6. Remove the beef from the freezer, unwrap it, and leave it to stand for 10 minutes. Using a very sharp knife, cut very thin slices of the fillet.  

  7. Lay these rounds on a tray lined with baking parchment and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to build the canapé. This can be done up to 1 hour before serving. 

For the horseradish crème fraîche: 

  1. In a small bowl mix all the ingredients with a spatula until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Keep it in the fridge until required.  

To make the beef rolls: 

  1. Remove the base of the chicory and separate the leaves. Halve each leaf lengthways and wash the leaves as well as the rocket. 

  2. Peel the celery and slice it into matchsticks (3-4cm long). Slice the apple into matchsticks. (These celery and apple slices can be kept in water – with a strong squeeze of lemon – to help prevent oxidisation.) 

  3. In a bowl, combine the celery and apple matchsticks with the chicory and rocket, and the horseradish crème fraîche. Keep this salad to one side.  

  4. Fold the round slices of beef so they are half-moon shaped, and season with salt and pepper.  

  5. Spoon a little of the salad into the centre of a folded slice of beef, and then roll the beef to form a cylinder, and stand it upright. 

  6. Repeat this process with the rest of the beef slices and arrange them on a platter. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (if using) and serve to your guests. 

Credit: Chef Raymond Blanc on behalf of British Apples and Pears

TaraMay ByrneComment