Slow braised beef and rocket mini buns with beetroot relish and horseradish

Zeffer's Slack Ma Girdle is carefully crafted with more than 50 varieties of cider apples so it needed to befriend a bite with some tang. Tara's slow braised balsamic beef and famous beetroot relish is a good match with this full-bodied cider. For an extra kick, Tara recommends making your own horseradish cream by grating fresh horseradish into sour cream. Makes 18.

This recipe is one of four created by chef Tara Brogan (owner of Foxtrot Parlour in Ponsonby Central, Auckland) to serve at a drinks party matched with Tuatara beer and Zeffer ciders. Click here to see all four recipes.

For the sliders

18	Ciabatta rolls, mini, or dinner rolls
1 kg	Brisket (Main)
1	Onion, chopped
2	Celery stalks, chopped
3	Cinnamon sticks
2	Carrots, chopped
4	Bay leaves
1 cup	Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp	Peppercorns, whole

For the filling

1 bag	Rocket
1 cup	Creamed horseradish
1 to serve	Pesto

Directions

1. Sear brisket in a pan or hot plate until sealed, salt and pepper the beef.
2. Place onion, celery, carrot, cinnamon, bay leaves, peppercorns and balsamic vinegar in a roasting dish and place seared brisket on top. Add water to the roasting dish until the dish is three-quarters full.
3. Cover in foil and braise overnight in the oven (approximately 12 hours) at 100C.
4. Shred brisket and set aside for assembly.
5. Cut sliders/buns in half vertically, place rocket into bun followed by pulled beef, a tablespoon of beetroot relish (make your own or alternatively pop in and see Tara at FoxTrot Parlour for the recipe), horseradish cream and pesto on top and serve on a platter with a crack of pepper.