What do you do with Round Steak?

The offending cut: Round Steak

One of the problems with having a business that sells food products, is that you get left with the stuff no one else wants to buy. And for us, that means that we're forced to learn how to cook that cut of meat. In this case, it's Round Steak from our side of beef. There are loads of things you can do with it - and I think this is a completely under-rated cut, but it was unfamiliar to me until we were left with the stuff that wasn't selling at the market. So I got inventive and inspired. I have been working on this recipe for a little while, and I'm now pretty happy to share it with you.

WARNING: it's simple, and you already have all the ingredients in the cupboard.

ADDITIONAL WARNING: it tastes bloody good, and if you're anything like me, you'll over eat because of this!

Round Beef Steak and Lentil Pie

Ingredients:

• 850g (or so) of Round Beef Steak - diced
• 1 brown onion - diced
• 2 beef stock cubes (better still, you're own stock)
• 1 jar of passata (the jars in the supermarket are 690g) or 2 tins of diced Australian tomatoes
• 1 cup of whole (puy) lentils (you could use tinned chickpeas or beans instead if you don't have any lentils in the cupboard)
• 1 tablespoon of coarsely cracked black pepper (less if you're feeding littlies too)
• 3 large spuds
• 1/2 head of cauliflower
• 1 cup of grated cheddar
• dash of milk
• butter/olive oil for cooking

Method:

1. Fry off the onion in some butter and olive oil.
2. Brown the diced Round Steak - best to cook in small batches and the remove from the heavy-based pan and cook the next batch. This way, you can properly brown it (it's worth the extra effort for the better flavour and satisfaction you get).
3. Return the browned beef and onion back to the pan, add in the passata, the stock, the lentils and the tablespoon of pepper. Top up with a bit of water if required (should be covering the meat).
4. Cook for about 90 mins on a low heat - until the meat is tender (I use a Le Creuset heavy based pot with the lid on).
5. Peel you spuds, dice and boil, and steam your cauliflower at the same time.
6. Mash the spud and cauliflower together (add the milk and some extra butter until you get a consistency you're happy with) and add in half the grated cheddar.
7. Put the meat combo in a pie dish, layer the mash over the top and sprinkle the rest of the cheddar over the top.
8. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees until the top is browned, serve with a fresh salad or some lightly steamed green beans.
9. Try not to go back for more.