Beef parcels with tomato and garlic sauce
Serves 4
Small bunch English spinach, stems removed and well washed
4 beef schnitzels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 cup tomato purée
1. Blanch spinach in boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain and plunge into ice-cold water. Drain well and squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands.
2. Lay out schnitzels on a bench-top and pound with a meat mallet to flatten. Season with salt and pepper and cover each schnitzel with a layer of spinach. Fold in sides and roll up to form long, thin parcels. Secure with string or small skewers.
3. Heat a little oil in an ovenproof pan and brown beef parcels for 1 minute on all sides. Remove and place to one side. Add red wine to the pan and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes to reduce, stirring to remove sediment from pan. Add stock and tomato purée and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Return parcels to the pan so they fit snugly, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
4. Remove string or skewers and slice beef parcels to serve. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce, then adjust seasoning before pouring sauce over beef parcels.
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