Spiced Rub Beef Fillet with Preserved Lemon Salsa
Beef fillet is one of the easiest cuts of meat to cook and you can make it easier yet by buying a good rub to add flavour. The preserved lemon salsa also works well with chicken and fish, so if you have any leftover, store it in the fridge for another meal.
Ingredients
1 beef fillet
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp Saucepan Beef Rub
Rocket leaves for garnish
Preserved lemon salsa:
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp capers, roughly chopped, plus 2 Tbsp caper brine
2 Packed cups herbs such as parsley, rocket mint, watercress, finely chopped
1 Preserved lemon, skin only, chopped
3/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Trim the beef of any sinew and excess fat, rub lightly with olive oil and sprinkle over the rub. Fold the thin end under on itself so the thickness is the same across the then tie with string, roll up tightly in clingfilm, and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge. Bring to room temperature an hour before cooking
Preheat the oven to 210C. Unwrap beef from the cling film, place in a roasting dish and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes for rare, 25-30 minutes for medium-rare (if using a thermometer, you want an internal temp of 50-55C). Remove from the oven and set aside in a warm place for 15-20 minutes
To make salsa, toast cumin seeds in dry pan until fragrant, remove from heat and when cool, grind with the garlic in a mortar to a paste. Place in a bowl with mustard, capers and caper brine. Stir in herbs and preserved lemon skin along with enough olive oil to loosen the mix. Season to taste
To serve, remove string from rested beef, slice and arrange on a platter over a bed of rocket leaves, topped with salsa