At this time of year as we enjoy the vibrant colours of Autumn, we are aware that Winter is lurking on the horizon. And with the change of season our tastes buds change too. We tend to turn to recipes that can take advantage of what seasonal produce our British farmers can offer, and there is nothing better than quality British beef accompanied by the new season of fantastic winter vegetables.
Asked what would be his choice for a hearty and flavoursome dish for this time of year, our head chef, David Summerell, suggested one of the staple dishes of the 1960’s that is making a comeback, the fantastic French classic, Boeuf Bourguignon, made, of course, with the finest quality British beef.
According to David: “This dish originates from the Burgundy region of France and is made with red wine, mushrooms, pearl onions and bacon. It’s an example of a peasant dish that over time has been refined into haute cuisine status and has become a standard of French cuisine.
“Boeuf Bourguignon is the perfect comfort dish and works perfectly with the new seasonal vegetables. It is traditionally served with steamed or boiled potatoes, some clients, however, might prefer to have it with mash or even celeriac puree.”
The quality of the ingredients is vitally important, particularly the beef. Tony Meadows from our meat supplier, IMS of Smithfield, recommends using the best quality diced chuck beef from the fore quarter.
IMS of Smithfield provides Farmers & Fletchers in the City with meat from some of Britain’s most prestigious farms using practices that have been passed down from generation to generation. The beef cattle, predominately Herefords, are cared for by small, dedicated, family-run farms throughout the UK and Ireland. All the beef supplied by IMS of Smithfield is from Farm Quality Assured Farms, with a standard ageing process of 21-days.
Tony said: “In this country we are blessed with so much pure, clean rain, we have the highest growth rate of grass in the Northern hemisphere. In fact, 80 per cent of farmland in the North West region is grassland, that’s double the European average.
“Our customers can be assured that they can offer meat connoisseurs the benefit of eating grass fed beef packed full of flavour, natural minerals and vitamins, as compared to grain fed beef.”
David Summerell is always happy to discuss seasonal menu ideas for any size of lunch or dinner to ensure your guests enjoy seasonal ingredients at their very best.
For more information call Sarah 020 7600 2064.
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