Pancetta-Wrapped Fillet of Beef and Roasted Carrots with Smoky Date, Honey and Mustard Butter

Pancetta-wrapped Fillet of Beef
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake.

Season the beef generously with salt and pepper then spread with mustard. Place the pancetta on a chopping board, slightly overlapping. Place the beef crossways along the base of pancetta and roll up. You can tie the beef at intervals with kitchen string at this point if you wish.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof sauté pan over a high heat. When very hot, add the beef then place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest, covered in foil then a tea towel, for at least 10-15 minutes. It’s important to rest the beef otherwise you will lose all the lovely, meaty juices when slicing.

To serve: Slice the fillet and arrange on a serving plate. We served the beef plated up with the Roasted Carrots (see below).

Roasted Carrots with Smoky Date, Honey and Mustard Butter (gf) (v)
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Butter: Stir all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Carrots: Toss the carrots with a little olive oil and place in a single layer on a large roasting tray. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until just tender.

To serve: Spread the yoghurt on a serving platter and arrange the carrots on top. Dot over as much butter as you want to use, letting it melt and meld into the yoghurt. Serves about 6 depending on how many carrots you cook. 

Cook’s note: This makes a lot more butter than you need for this recipe. I love to use it over other vegetables, and on top of barbecued steak, chicken, and lamb. Store in the fridge for a couple of weeks or divide into smaller portions and freeze for up to 3 months.