Highland Beef Fillet with Celtuce Sauce and Pignuts by The Ninth Wave Restaurant, Mull

The intense flavour of Highland beef plays excellently against the verdant taste of the herby celtuce and the earthiness of Hebridean blue cheese.

The fresh pignuts add a nutty, sweet taste and crunchy texture. Raw celeriac or macadamia nuts could be substituted.

The Ninth Wave Restaurant on the Isle of Mull showcases quality modern British cuisine with an eclectic mix of vibrant ethnicity: a celebration of quality produce gathered from the magnificent provender of Scotland.

For more information visit www.ninthwaverestaurant.co.uk


INGREDIENTS: Serves 4
500g fillet of Ardalanish beef 
1 tbsp vegetable oil
120g Isle of Mull Hebridean blue cheese
80g pignuts, cleaned 
8 sprigs celtuce 

For the celtuce sauce:
25g butter
25g plain flour
300ml cool white veal stock or chicken stock
300ml single cream 
60ml white wine
2 tbsp chopped shallots
3 tbsp chopped celtuce (or celery leaf)
1 tbsp parsley
2 pinches celery salt
Sea salt and white pepper to taste 

METHOD
1 For the celtuce sauce, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, fry the shallots in the butter on low until translucent. 
2 With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the melted butter a little bit at a time, until it is fully incorporated into the butter, giving you a pale-yellow paste. Heat the roux for another minute or so to cook off the taste of raw flour. 
3 Using a whisk, slowly add the cool veal stock and white wine to the roux, whisking vigorously to remove any lumps. 
4 Add the cream, celery salt, parsley and celtuce, then lower the heat to a simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes. 
5 Season to taste with sea salt and white pepper then blend until smooth with a hand blender. 
6 Next, cut the beef fillet into four equal-sized steaks. Heat a griddle or cast-iron frying pan until smoking hot. 
7 Season the steaks with sea salt and black pepper. Coat the steaks in vegetable oil. 
8 Sear the fillet on all sides in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then place on a board, cover, and leave in a warm place and leave to rest for 5 to 7 minutes. 
9 To serve, place the steaks on serving plates with a portion of the celtuce sauce. Garnish each with 40g blue cheese and sprigs of celtuce (or celery leaf) and pignuts. 

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