my grandma's beef olives reciupe - enjoy!!!

[SpeckledHen]

Beef olives

3.75 lb topside of beef sliced thinly
1oz dripping
1oz flour
2 chopped onions
0.75 pt chicken stock + dried herbs
A little tomato puree

For forcemeat

2oz breadcrumbs
1oz shredded suet
Little chopped onion
0.5 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp chopped parsley
0.5 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp mixed herbs
Seasoning
Beaten egg to bind

Cut meat into pieces about 3 inch squares. Put a little forcemeat onto each piece, roll up and tie with cooking string. Heat fat and fry til brown then lift out. Fry onion til brown. Add flour, brown, add stock and stir til boiling. Return meat to pan and see that it is covered with liquid. Simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

ooh that looks lovely - what nationality is the recipe?

ooh that looks lovely - what nationality is the recipe?

not sure what nationalirty. think it is british. i will google it!

Beef Olives are braised meat stuffed with breadcrumbs and herbs. It was seen as early as the 1600's in Scotland! I have seen many variations. Some with Stilton Cheese stuffed on the inside, others filled with herbs, spices and cheeses not from the British Isles, yet it is all the same!

Some of you may find it to be similar to the Italian dish, Braciola (beef stuffed with Parmesan, breadcrumbs, tomatoes, basil and garlic). Argentina has something similar, but in a much grander scale: Matambre (beef stuffed with carrots, hard-boiled eggs, spinach and braised in milk). The French have their Roulade (beef stuffed with mushrooms, breadcrumbs and cheese, braised in wine). The Filipinos have Morcon (beef stuffed with sausages, pickles and eggs, braised in soy sauce, bay leaves, garlic and other Asian spices). And then there is the German Rouladen (beef stuffed with pickles, onion and bacon). We could go on and on, but you get the point!

Try this out on your family and see what they think. Perfect for a cold winter night, and clearly very adaptable to your tastes.

Beef Olives

1 1/2 lb. top round (topside), thinly sliced - need 8 4-inch slices

4 slices bacon, cut in half

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup beef stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper, to taste

STUFFING

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, minced

1 carrot, minced

1 tablespoon parsley

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 egg, beaten

1.) Combine the stuffing ingredients together. Separate into 8 servings.

2.) Using a meat malette, beat the meat until thin.

3.) Lay a piece of bacon onto each piece of meat. Add the stuffing, and roll. Using toothpicks, secure each roll.

4.) Heat oil in a large frying pan. When hot, brown the beef rolls until nicely colored on all sides.

5.) Place each roll into a casserole just large enough for each to NOT be on top of each other.

6.) Add flour to frying pan and brown the flour. Next pour the stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and deglaze the pan. Make sure to scrape off any food from the bottom of the pan. When the liquid boils, pour onto the beef olives in the casserole.

7.) Bake at 350 for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.

8.) Remove toothpicks, and serve with remaining gravy. Perfect with potatoes and carrots.

Yields: 8 servings