Recipe: Charing Cross Hotel’s Roasted Rib Eye with Yorky Puds and Creamed Greens

‘Every time I have a roast, I still think of my mum. It evokes wonderful memories,’ says chef Matt Kemp. ‘Our roast dinner was never anything flash. But I still never forget it.’

These days the British chef turns out classic Sunday roast beef dinners, with perfectly cooked creamed greens, at Charing Cross Hotel in Waverley. The menu brings together Kemp’s European heritage, local seasonal produce and a focus on simple flavours.

‘There’s no question that the meat you choose is important. Pasture-fed is good and it means less crops go towards growing meat,’ says Kemp. ‘Just don’t buy crap in a cryovac bag from the supermarket. A good butcher will have something sourced and looked after properly and information about the animal’s diet – that’s so important.’

Puffing up the Yorkshire puddings is a high priority too. ‘Get your pan really hot,’ says Kemp, ‘It makes the pan non-stick.’

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 x 1.5kg pasture-fed beef rib eye (Scotch fillet), bone removed and tied by
your butcher
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
60ml vegetable oil

Yorkshire puddings

(makes 1 dozen)
250ml plain flour, sifted
250ml eggs (about 5–6 large eggs), whisked
250ml milk

Creamed greens
15ml extra-virgin olive oil
40g unsalted butter
3 French shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of English spinach, stems discarded, leaves well washed and spun dry
1 bunch of silverbeet, stems discarded, leaves well washed and spun dry
1 bunch of Cavolo Nero, stems discarded, leaves well washed and spun dry
100ml double cream
1⁄2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 pinch of salt flakes 75ml vegetable oil

Method

You will need a meat thermometer for this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional).

Make sure the extraction fan is on and the kitchen is well ventilated, as this next job can get quite smoky.

To make the Yorkshire puddings, place a tray on the bottom of the oven to catch any oil that may overflow. Place a standard muffin tray (or Yorkshire pudding tray, if you have one) into the hot oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the batter, add the flour to a large bowl and whisk in the eggs to form a paste. Slowly whisk in the milk with the salt until combined.

Pull out the hot muffin tray and add enough oil to come a third of the way up the tins. Carefully place back in the oven and heat for 10 minutes. Now comes the tricky part. You have to work safe and fast to get the tin back in the oven while still very hot. Pull out the tray, closing the oven door to keep it hot, and tip enough batter to fill three-quarters of the way up the moulds. Return to the oven very carefully, as hot oil may overflow, and cook for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 150°C fan-forced (170°C conventional) with the oven door slightly ajar and cook for 10 more minutes – the aim is to dry the puddings out without colouring them further, they should fee crisp and light once done. This process means they won’t collapse and can be cooked at least 1–2 hours before serving and simply flashed back through a warm oven when required. When ready, season with salt and store upside-down on paper towel.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional).

Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Place a roasting tray large enough to fit the beef – it will also need to fit a wire rack for roasting – over medium heat. Add the oil to the tray and heat. Brown the beef evenly all over. Remove the tray from the heat, lift out the beef, add the rack and place the beef on top. Roast for 45 minutes.
Check the beef using a probe thermometer, making sure you’re reading the centre of the roast. You are looking for 45–50°C to achieve a nice medium degree. Continue to check every 15 minutes. At this oven temperature the meat will take a little longer, about 11⁄2–2 hours, but will allow for less shrinkage and more even cooking. Once you have reached the desired temperature, remove the beef from the oven and leave to rest in the roasting tray with a loose covering of foil. It is very important to rest for 30–45 minutes in a lukewarm area – this will make the difference between an average roast and an amazing roast.

While the beef rests, prepare the creamed greens. Place a wide, heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the oil and butter and, once melted, the shallots, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook gently until translucent, soft and sweet, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to high and when you see some sizzle, add the greens, stirring them so they start to wilt, about 2–3 minutes. Keep stirring to allow the excess liquid to start to evaporate. Stir in the cream, season and bring the cream to the boil. The greens are ready when the cream has reduced enough to gently coat them. Remove from the heat and stir in the horseradish. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Warm the Yorkshire puddings in the oven just prior to serving.

Divide the greens between warm serving plates. Carve the rested beef into six portions, lightly season one of the cut faces of each piece and plate – give the ends to those who like their beef a little more on the medium–well side.

Pour the meat juices from the pan and strain through a sieve into a small saucepan. Heat gently and spoon 1–2 tablespoons over each portion of beef. Serve one Yorkshire pudding on each plate and a pile the rest in the middle of the table.

This is an extract from The Broadsheet Sydney Cookbook, which contains 80 recipes from the city’s best restaurants, cafes and bars.