Roast Beef with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

The Method

Preheat the oven to 220C / 450F / gas mark 7. Peel the onion and cut into thick slices and then pile up in the middle of a small roasting tin. Add the garlic and rosemary sprigs and put the beef on top. Add a splash of water to prevent the vegetables from drying out. Roast for 30 minutes for medium to well done. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with tin foil and a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm place to rest for 15 minutes - this allows the juices to settle in the joint.

Peel the potatoes and using a small sharp knife, cut into even-sized dice. Put in a saucepan half filled with water over a medium heat with a pinch of salt, if using. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes or until completely tender. Check by piercing a piece with the tip of a sharp knife it should go in with no resistance.

Meanwhile, peel the carrots and cut into thin slices. Break or cut off the broccoli florets and then cut into even-sized small florets so that they will cook evenly. Put the carrots into a saucepan fitted with a petal steamer and tip the broccoli on top and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Put the beef on a plate to carve and drain off any excess fat from the roasting tin. Place directly on the hob over a medium heat, then sprinkle over the flour and cook stirring for 1 minute. Dissolve the beef stock cube in the boiling water and then pour into the tin. Bring to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape any sediment off the bottom of the tin. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan and then reduce down until you have a nice gravy.

Tip the cooked potatoes into a bowl and mash using a potato masher, then beat in the butter and milk with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Season lightly with salt, if using and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Carve the beef into thin slices and arrange on plates with the mashed potatoes. Add the carrots and broccoli and pour over the gravy to serve.

Prepare Ahead

This is a great recipe to double up and meat and mashed potatoes on and then you will need to roast the beef for 1 hour in the oven. Once made you will still have two portions left, which can be plated up and kept in the fridge covered with clingfilm and reheated once in the microwave once to be eaten with plenty of vegetables as a back up meal.