Five-spice Beef Sirloin with Wasabi and Herb Gravy and Roast Vegetable Salad
Ingredients
ROAST VEGETABLE SALAD
Handful green beans, trimmed
6 small tomatoes
6 small potatoes
400g pumpkin
2 kumara
2 carrots
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2 courgettes
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
BEEF
1.5kg piece well-trimmed beef sirloin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
2 teaspoons salt
WASABI AND HERB GRAVY
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon wasabi
1 large cup beef stock
Handful chopped fresh
Garden herbs (tarragon, chives, parsley, mint)
Description
I like to add lots of flavour when I roast a piece of beef, even if it is simply masses of herbs from the garden, or a simple spice rub like this. And to ring the changes from horseradish, the usual accompaniment to beef, try adding a little wasabi (now grown in New Zealand) to the gravy.
Method
Begin by preparing the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 190?C. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the beans. Refresh in cold water and set aside. Cut the tomatoes in half and set aside.
Peel the potatoes, pumpkin, kumara and carrots and cut into evenly sized chunks (about 5cm). Cut the peppers into quarters. Top and tail the courgettes and cut into four slices lengthwise.
Choose a very large oven dish, add the oil and tip on all the prepared vegetables. Turn them well so a thin coating of oil covers them on all sides.
Chop the rosemary and sprinkle over the vegetables with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
Put the dish in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, then turn and toss the vegetables so they brown evenly. Cook for a further 15 minutes so they are soft and sweet.
Meanwhile prepare the meat. Rub the beef with oil, five-spice powder and salt. After removing the roasted vegetables from the oven and turning them out on to a large platter, increase the oven temperature to 210?C. Put the meat in a roasting pan and roast for 35 minutes.
When the meat is cooked, take it from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest on a plate in a warm place for at least 10 minutes.
Make the gravy with the juices that remain in the roasting dish. Stir in the flour, scraping up the residue in the bottom of the pan. Add the wasabi, stirring in well.
Return the pan to a high heat, and add the stock, stirring continuously until the gravy thickens and comes to a simmer. Add the chopped herbs and simmer for two to three minutes.
To serve, strew the beans and tomatoes over the roast vegetable salad. Carve the beef and lay slices on a warmed serving plate. Pour the hot wasabi and herb gravy over the meat and hand around with the salad.
Categories
now to save this recipe to 'My Recipes'
Already joined up? 
