Reader recipe: Borscht beef on green herb rice

Diane Davidson's recipe won her a Marlborough experience for two. We liked the sound of this dish from the outset, with its interesting flavours of caraway seeds and smoked paprika and the healthy addition of beetroot and capsicum. We were not let down when tasting. It was rich in flavour and colour and nice and easy to make — a meal that is special enough to serve to guests, especially when you match it with a glass of award-winning Brancott Estate merlot, as we did.

Ingredients

400 g	Beef, in strips (Main)
1 large	Red onion, sliced in strips
1 Tbsp	Cornflour
1 tsp	Salt
1 tsp	Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 medium	Red pepper, sliced in strips
1 medium	Beetroot, grated
1 tsp	Caraway seed
2 Tbsp	Tomato paste
1 tsp	Garlic, crushed
½ cup	Red wine
1 cup	Water
1 Tbsp	Smoked paprika
1 cup	Long grain rice
2 cups	Vegetable stock
½ cup	Fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 serving	Sour cream, to serve
1 serving	Beetroot relish, to serve

Directions

1. Combine beef and onion in a strong plastic bag. Sprinkle with cornflour, salt and pepper and shake well to coat evenly.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the beef/onion mix and saute until browned. Remove from pan.
3. Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add grated beetroot, red pepper, caraway seeds, garlic and tomato paste and continue stir-frying just until it all begins to caramelise.
4. Stir in the red wine to deglaze the pan then add the water. Return the beef and onion mix to the pan. Sprinkle smoked paprika over and bring to the boil. Lower heat to a simmer and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until mixture is richly saucy.
5. Meanwhile cook rice in the vegetable stock until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir through chopped parsley.
6. Serve the borscht beef over the green herbed rice. Accompany with dollops of sour cream and beetroot relish.

Tip

Check out Ray McVinnie's video onhow to cook the perfect white rice.

More recipes

For more winning reader recipes,go to this collection.