“This year, Easter falls in March, which is earlier than many years and, in my opinion, too early for spring lamb. When this happens, I like to cook my family a rib of beef for Easter Sunday. This dish has all the freshness of spring, with the added young onions, goat’s cheese, sprouting broccoli and herbs – a real celebration of the new season”
Richard Corrigan’s
A BIT ABOUT RICHARD The Irish über-chef has cooked for heads of state and been a regular on TV (winning Great British Menu three times!). He now runs four London restaurants: Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Daffodil Mulligan, The Portrait and Corrigan’s Mayfair, as well as Virginia Park Lodge in Co Cavan, Ireland.
Rib of beef with young onions, goat’s cheese and purple sprouting broccoli
Serves 4
Hands-on time 40 min
Oven time 40 min
• 1kg British beef forerib, with
1 rib bone, at room temperature
• Dash sunflower oil
• Bunch watercress to serve
• Roast potatoes to serve
(optional)
For the sauce
• 120ml balsamic vinegar
• Pinch black peppercorns,
coarsely crushed
• 1 garlic clove, peeled but left
whole
• 2 thyme sprigs
• Pinch sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour, mixed
with 1 tsp water
For the onions
• 12 salad onions
• Olive oil to coat and drizzle
• 1 tbsp chopped marjoram
or ½ tbsp chopped oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 125g soft goat’s cheese
(ideally Irish)
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Freshly grated
nutmeg
For the broccoli
• 500g purple sprouting broccoli,
any woody ends trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 green chilli, deseeded and
finely chopped
• 1 preserved lemon, halved,
pips and flesh removed and
discarded, skin finely sliced
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• Bunch tarragon, leaves picked
• Bunch mint, leaves picked
1Begin with the onions. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6 and bring a small pan of water to the boil. Trim the roots off the onions and slice off and reserve the green tops. Halve the white bulbs, then cook them in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water, then arrange them cut-side up in a lightly oiled baking dish that fits them snugly in a single layer.
2Season with salt and pepper,
