Fricandeau of Beef is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a beef sirloing fillet wrapped in seasoned bacon that's cooked in stock with sherry, herbs and spices and which is served with sorrel sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Fricandeau of Beef.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
FRICANDEAU OF BEEF.
624. INGREDIENTS.—About 3 lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin (a piece of the rump may be substituted for this), pepper and salt to taste, 3 cloves, 2 blades of mace, 6 whole allspice, 1 pint of stock No. 105, or water, 1 glass of sherry, 1 bunch of savoury herbs, 2 shalots, bacon.
Mode.—Cut some bacon into thin strips, and sprinkle over them a seasoning of pepper and salt, mixed with cloves, mace, and allspice, well pounded. Lard the beef with these, put it into a stewpan with the stock or water, sherry, herbs, shalots, 2 cloves, and more pepper and salt. Stew the meat gently until tender, when take it out, cover it closely, skim off all the fat from the gravy, and strain it. Set it on the fire, and boil, till it becomes a glaze. Glaze the larded side of the beef with this, and serve on sorrel sauce, which is made as follows:—Wash and pick some sorrel, and put it into a stewpan with only the water that hangs about it. Keep stirring, to prevent its burning, and when done, lay it in a sieve to drain. Chop it, and stew it with a small piece of butter and 4 or 6 tablespoonfuls of good gravy, for an hour, and rub it through a tammy. If too acid, add a little sugar; and a little cabbage-lettuce boiled with the sorrel will be found an improvement.
Time.—2 hours to gently stew the meat.
Average cost, for this quantity, 4s.
Sufficient for 6 persons.
Seasonable at any time.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1.35kg inside fillet of sirloin (or rump) or beef
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
3 cloves
2 blades of mace
6 whole allspice berries
600ml stock, No. 105
150ml sherry
1 bunch of savoury herbs
2 shallots
streaky bacon
Method:
Stretch the bacon with the back of a knife. Render the cloves, mace and allspice to a powder then use this along with salt and black pepper to season the bacon. Wrap the bacon around the beef then place in a pan with the stock, sherry, herbs and shallots. Adjust the seasoning to taste, bring to a simmer and cook the meat gently until tender. Take the meat out, cover with foiled and set aside to keep warm.
Skim the surface of the liquid in the pan, bring to a boil then cook down to a glaze. Take the meat, remove the bacon covering then coat in the glaze. Serve on a bed of sorrel sauce.
For the Sorrel Sauce:
75g sorrel leaves
1 tbsp butter
5 tbsp good gravy
sugar or honey, to sweeten
Wash the sorrel well then place in a pan, with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the leaves have wilted.Turn into a colander, allow to drain, then chop the leaves, return to the pan and add the butter and gravy. Simmer gently, covered, for about 40 minutes then turn into a blender, purée until smooth, pass through a fine-meshed sieve,sweeten to taste and serve.
