Casseroled Rump with Port

A type of ragout with a full-bodied flavour, which is excellent served peasant-style with hot bread or noodles, a salad and a good burgundy. It should be made well ahead, cooled and refrigerated to allow the flavours to mature.

Ingredients


750g well-trimmed piece of rump steak


Oil and a nut of butter


Salt and milled black pepper


1 large onion, chopped


1 green pepper, seeded and diced


200g brown mushrooms, wiped and sliced


50ml flour


200ml port


200ml seasoned beef stock


Pinch salt


2 whole cloves


2 cloves garlic, crushed


2ml dried origanum

Method


Cut rump into biggish squares, about 5cm x 7, 5cm, and brown briefly over high heat in a large heavy frying pan just slicked with oil. Remove steak to baking dish to fit, arrange in single layer, and season. To frying pan, add a little more oil and a nut of butter and fry onion, green pepper and mushrooms. When softened and beginning to smell good, spoon over steak. To pan juices, add flour and stir until nut brown. Slowly add port, stock, sugar and cloves. Stir well, and when hot and thick, pour over steak. Cover and bake at 160ºC for 30 minutes. Add garlic and origanum and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove and cool. Refrigerate all day, but remove in time for baking dish to reach room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, at 160ºC for about 50 minutes, by which time gravy will be thickened and slightly reduced. Remove cloves before serving as suggested, or with parsleyed new potatoes, spinach and baby marrows. Serves 4.

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