Juicy Beef Skewers with Horseradish Dip

Chef

Cookbook

Nigella Express

Published by Hyperion

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

This is another recipe that you can bring into play as something to eat for people who are standing up milling around, or seated at a table as a first course. I find fresh horseradish incredibly easy to come by these days, but if you don’t, use some hot horseradish sauce or cream from a jar. If you want to serve lamb skewers alongside, then use cubed leg, replace the horseradish in the marinade with a teaspoon each of ground cumin and ground coriander, and make a dip by mixing good store-bought hummus with Greek-style plain yogurt and drizzle the top with a little olive oil before scattering with some pomegranate seeds.

Cooking Methodgrilling

CostModerate

Total Timeunder 1 hour

OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Cocktail Party

Recipe Coursehors d'oeuvre, hot appetizer

Equipmentgrill

Mealdinner, lunch

Taste and Texturehot & spicy, meaty

Type of Dishskewer

Ingredients

1 lb beef rump
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish or hot horseradish sauce
2 tablespoons rosemary needles or 1 teaspoon dried plus a bunch of rosemary for decoration, optional
1½ tablespoons good-quality red wine vinegar (otherwise use balsamic vinegar)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons port
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt or coarse-grind table salt
¼ cup chopped chives

Instructions

Cut the beef into 1-inch cubes, and put into a freezer bag with the olive oil, 1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish or horseradish sauce, rosemary, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and port. Set aside for at least 20 minutes, but preferably overnight, in the fridge.
Let the meat come to room temperature, and soak about 10 bamboo skewers in water at the same time.
Make the dip by beating together the crème fraîche or sour cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish or hot horseradish sauce with the mustard and salt. Stir in the chives, leaving some chives to sprinkle over the top.
Heat a grill or griddle, then thread three or four pieces of meat onto each skewer and slap on the heat, turning after 2 minutes. Cook for another 2 minutes on the other side and then remove to a plate, strewn with some sprigs of rosemary if desired. Do not serve while grill-hot.