Luigi Vespero, Head Chef at Galvin Bistrot de Luxe in London, has an Italian take on the classic French stew, with the addition of freshly made tortellini, filled with foie gras.
Ingredients
For the Madeira beef bouillon:
- 1 kg2¼ lb veal or beef bones
- 500 g17¾ oz chicken wings
- 500 g17¾ oz shin of beef
- Water, to cover
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- ½ head of celery, trimmed and chopped
- 1 leek, trimmed and chopped
- ½ head of garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 100 ml3½ fl oz Madeira wine
- 25 g1 oz dried ceps
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the tortellini:
- 450 g15¾ oz '00' pasta flour
- 5 eggs, 1 beaten for egg wash
- 4 egg yolks
- 25 ml1 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- 150 g5¼ oz foie gras, diced
For the fillets of beef:
- 4x 170 g6 oz fillets of beef
- Splash of olive oil
- 25 g1 oz unsalted butter
For the sautéed vegetables:
- 1 courgette, cut into julienne strips
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into julienne strips
- 1 leek, trimmed and cut into julienne strips
- Splash of olive oil
- 25 g1 oz unsalted butter
- 200 g7 oz watercress
- 20 g¾ oz fresh chives, chopped
To garnish:
- 20 g¾ oz mixed chopped chives and chervil, plus extra chervil to serve
- Drizzle of truffle oil (optional)
- 20 g¾ oz Autumn black truffle, finely chopped (optional)
Method: How to make Beef rossini 'pot au feu'
For the Madeira beef bouillon:
Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
Put the bones in a roasting tin and place in the oven. Do the same with the chicken wings. Roast for 45–50 minutes until browned and then transfer the bones to a stock pot with the shin of beef. Cover with water and bring to the boil. With a slotted spoon remove any foam that forms on the surface. Add the fresh vegetables and herbs and leave to simmer for about 5 hours over a low heat, skimming the surface occasionally.
Pass the liquid through a sieve or muslin cloth into a smaller pot (and chill or freeze half the liquid for use another time). Add the Madeira wine, bring back up to the boil, then remove from the heat. Add the mushrooms, cover with cling film and leave for about 30 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Strain the stock again, season with salt and pepper, and keep in the fridge for later.
To make the tortellini:
First make the pasta dough. Put the flour in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the 4 whole eggs with the egg yolks, oil, a pinch of salt and a splash of water. Start to knead the mix, slowly incorporating the flour into the wet ingredients until it forms a dough. Knead until all the ingredients are well combined and the dough is smooth. Wrap in cling film and allow to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Roll out the pasta using a pasta machine. Start at the highest setting point, pushing the pasta through and folding it in half. Repeat on the same setting. Work your way down the settings, folding between each roll until you reach a setting of 1.5. If the pasta starts to stick to the machine, dust the pasta with a little flour.
Lay out the rolled pasta and cut out sixteen 5cm-diameter discs. Brush each disc on the edge of one half of the circle with egg wash. Place 1–2 tsp of diced foie gras in the centre of each disc, then fold the discs in half, pushing out as much air from the middle as possible, and seal the ends to make a semicircle. Take the two ends and pull them round to meet, sealing with more egg wash.
For the fillets of beef:
Season the meat with salt and pepper, then sear in a hot pan with the oil and butter for 2–3 minutes on each side until coloured all over. Transfer to a cooling rack, cover with foil and leave to rest for about 5 minutes.
For the sautéed vegetables:
While the meat is cooking, sauté the vegetables in a hot pan with some oil. Finish with the butter and about 2 tablespoons of water to emulsify. Add the watercress at the end to wilt it and then drain off the excess liquid.
To serve:
Bring 350ml of the bouillon up to the boil and then add the chopped herbs and a drizzle of truffle oil (if using). Blanch the pasta in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes, or until the tortellini float to the surface. Lift from the pan using a slotted spoon and place in warmed bowls. Place the sautéed vegetables in a ring in the middle of each bowl. Cut each fillet in half and place on top of the vegetables and then sprinkle with the truffle shavings (if using). Garnish the plates with some picked chervil on top of the tortellini and add the bouillon.
