Roast sirloin of beef with Red wine and juniper gravy and horseradish cream

serves 6

4 whole garlic heads 3 tbsp olive oil 2 thyme sprigs, torn ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes 1 x 1.5kg beef sirloin

for the gravy

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 celery stalks, cut into chunks

1 leek, white part only, cut into chunks

1 carrot, cut into chunks 2 tbsp plain flour

2 bay leaves

10 juniper berries

250ml red wine

2 tsp soft brown sugar 500ml beef stock

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

for the horseradish cream

5cm fresh horseradish, grated

200g crème fraîche

For the gravy, put the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the celery, leek and carrot to the pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly brown for about 5 minutes. Then stir in the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 minutes, before adding the bay leaves and juniper berries. Pour in the red wine and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking until the liquid is reduced by one third.

Add the soft brown sugar and beef stock. Return to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes to thicken and concentrate the flavours. Stir in the mustard, then strain into a clean saucepan and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Cut the whole garlic heads in half. Sit them in a large double layer of foil and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and scatter with the thyme and dried chilli. Lift the foil over the garlic and scrunch up to seal into a parcel. Place on a large roasting tin, one where the beef can also fit comfortably (but don’t add the beef yet). Roast for 40 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 220°C/fan 200°C/ Gas 7. Rub the remaining oil over the beef and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a frying pan over a high heat. When the pan is very hot, sear the beef on all sides until it is browned.

Remove the tray with the garlic from the oven. Sit the seared beef on the same tray and roast for 20-25 minutes for rare (7 minutes per 500g) or 30 minutes for medium (10 minutes per 500g). Remove from the oven, cover the beef loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Just before serving, reheat the gravy and make the horseradish cream by stirring the grated horseradish into the crème fraîche and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the carved beef and roasted garlic.

Sirloin is so much tastier than fillet, with a much more tender and succulent meat and it’s conveniently better value, too. We serve it with a prepare-ahead gravy – because who wants to be messing around with pan juices while wearing a fabulous outfit?