St. Valentine’s Stuffed Beef Heart
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Are we alone in thinking that Beef Heart is a good centrepiece to a Valentine’s Day meal?
Today, we slow roasted a beef heart in honour of the bold Valentine as an alternative to a Hallmark-inspired frenzy of hearts and flowers. Forget the tales of ‘tough meat’, this recipe produces a melt in the mouth effect. The heart does have a strong (almost gamey) flavour though so this is not a great choice if your dinner companion likes their food light and airy! |
To heighten the flavour and effect, we stuffed the heart with herbs associated with love and romance:
- Rosemary was used in old recipes to bind two people together “in a gentle love”,
- Thyme symbolises affection,
- Oregano signifies joy and happiness,
- Dill was sometimes sprinkled around the home to protect and strengthen an existing love,
- Bay leaves represented “the glory of love” and were used in a bath to attract a soul mate. The lovelorn could also carry them around in a pocket, while searching for their soul mate.
Ingredients
- 1 beef heart (trimmed of sinew and vessels to make a ‘pocket’)
- 100g butter
- 100g finely chopped onions
- 200g breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- 1 tbsp finely chopped oregano
- 1 tbsp finely chopped dill
- 2 bay leaves.
- 600ml beef stock
- 100ml red wine
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170C.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan with the bay leaves and gently sweat the onions until translucent and softened.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Add the breadcrumbs and chopped herbs and mix well.
- Stuff the mixture into the heart.
- Place the stuffed heart into a cast iron casserole dish with the beef stock and cover. Roast for 3.5 hours until very tender.
- Remove the heart and leave to rest in a warm place.
- Add 100 ml red wine to the juices in the pot and bring to the boil.
- Simmer until reduced and thickened (use a little roux if you need to).
- Slice the heart and serve with roast potatoes, steamed veg and the gravy to your beloved.
(This recipe also works as a great Hallowe’en dish , if you’re feeling bloodthirsty!)