Fillet of Beef à la Napolitaine is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of a larded fillet of beef that are braised with vegetables, herbs and beef frimmings before being garnished with raviolis and a half-glaze made with the cooking stock. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Fillet of Beef à la Napolitaine.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Fillet of Beef à la Napolitaine that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 390.—FILLET OF BEEF A LA NAPOLITAINE.
Prepare the fillet as in the foregoing number, and when dished up, garnish it at each end with groups of raviolis No. 167; in each flank or side of the dish place a vase or cup, formed of turnip, and just scalded in salt and water coloured with a few drops of cochineal ; these are to be filled with white, fresh-scraped horse-radish; pour some Neapolitan sauce, No. 59, over the fillet, and serve.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 beef fillet
fatty bacon cut into strips about 3cm long and 1.5mm square in cross-section
2 carrots, quartered
2 celery sticks, quartered
1 bouquet garni
2 onions
6 cloves
1 blade of mace
1 tsp salt
stock or water
1 batch raviolis
2 turnips, cut into the form of a cup horseradish Neapolitan sauce
Method:
Trim the fillet neatly and remove any membranes and sinews. With a larding needle, insert the fatty bacon strips into the upper surface of the fillet so that the strips form neat parallel rows that dovetail into each over. Arrange the larded strips so that equal parts of the larding strip dip into and out of the meat (like basketry weave).
Arrange the fillet on a wire rack in a lidded roasting tin. Add any meat trimmings, the carrots, celery, bouquet garni, 2 onions, studded with 3 cloves each, 1 blade of mace, 1 tsp salt and enough of the stock or water to just reach the level of the larding (do not cover the larding). Cover the pan, transfer to an oven pre-heated to 190°C and cook for about 120 minutes, or until the meat is very tender.
When done, remove the meat from the pan and place on a dish then place in an oven to keep warm and to dry the larding. Strain the pan juices into a bowl, skim off any fat from the surface then pour into a clean pan and whisk in the egg whites and the egg shells. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes to clarify then pour through a fine-meshed sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth. Pour the liquid into a clean pan then bring to a boil and reduce to a half-glaze.
In the meantime, cook your raviolis. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, add a few drops of red colouring, place the shaped turnips in this and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove the turnips.
Arrange the meat on a serving dish. Garnish the ends with the raviolis. Place the turnip cups on either side of the meat then shave the horseradish and add these shavings to the turnip cups. Pour Neapolitan sauce over the meat and serve.
