Almochse is young mountain beef, not fully matured, but no longer veal

INGREDIENTS

(serves four) 

500g top shin of beef
500g rump
350g mirepoix (carrot, celery, celeriac and turnip)
4 or 5 juniper berries
Bouquet garni
Salt
400g well-hung, trimmed fillet steak
3/4 litre seasoned single consommé [or beef broth from cooking the rump and shin]

For the sauce
50g parsnip brunoise
80g diced Charlotte potatoes
50g butter
1/2 litre stock from the above preparation
2dl sour cream
Salt and pepper
30g chilled butter
Hollandaise sauce

METHOD

Put the shin, rump and mirepoix in a pan. Cover with water. Add juniper berries and bouquet garni. Boil, skim and add salt. Simmer until tender (about two hours). Reserve 3/4 litre of broth. Put it in a clean pan, boil and add the fillet. Reduce the temperature to 80ºC, cover with foil and simmer on the side of the range till tender, but still pink.

Sweat the parsnip and potato in butter until tender. Add stock from the beef fillet. Simmer until done, liquidise and sieve. Add the sour cream. Check seasoning, bring to boiling point and whisk in the butter.

Spoon a little hollandaise over the rump (and glaze if you like). Serve the shin and the fillet warm with piping hot parsnip sauce.

Helmut Österreicher