During the week, I don’t often get the chance to cook as much as I’d like. If I do, it’s something quick I whip up to take to work for lunch. But every Sunday night, dad comes over and I get to make something I have been wanting to make all week. This week I didn’t have anything in mind and was a little short on time, so I decided to do a spin on a family favourite: roast beef with potatoes and salad.

Roasted Whole Scotch Fillet

While shopping for my ingredients, a nice butcher saw me deliberating over which cut of meat would be best for my roast. He suggested a nice whole scotch fillet, which turned out to be an excellent idea.

1 kg whole scotch fillet
olive oil
salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Rub beef with olive oil and season with lots of salt and pepper. Roast in a hot oven for 1 hour for medium rare.

Serves 4

Basil Pesto

I decided to serve my roast with a basil pesto, rather than a traditional gravy, as I was making a salad.

1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
olive oil
salt & pepper

1. Using a mortar & pestle, bash basil leaves, garlic and pine nuts with a pinch of salt until pine nuts are crushed.
2. Add parmesan and enough olive oil to make a thick pesto. Season well with salt and pepper.

Makes 1 cup.

Roast Cauliflower, Carrot and Capsicum Salad

I was inspired to incorporate cauliflower into a roast vegetable-type salad by it pleases us‘ Quinoa tabouleh with cauliflower and herbs. I love the way this recipe uses cauliflower as a salad ingredient, as I’m so used to it as a roast vegetable only.

1/4 cauliflower
1 bunch baby carrots
1 yellow & 1 red capsicum
3 tbsp olive oil + 1/4 cup extra
150g mixed baby spinach and rocket
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
100g Danish feta, crumbled into large chunks
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place capsicum on a baking tray and rub with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Place in a hot oven and roast for 30-40 minutes until soft. Remove from oven and transfer to cold water while you remove the skin and seeds. Slice thickly.
3. Slice cauliflower into 5mm cross sections. Toss gently in 2 tbsp olive oil with carrots and season well. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
4. While vegetables are warm but not hot, toss with spinch and rocket leaves, pine nuts, feta, lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil. Season well and transfer to a large bowl to serve.

Serves 4-6

Rosemary Roast Potatoes

Every good Sunday roast needs roast potatoes. I always pick my rosemary from the bushes that grow opposite our house.

1 kg baby pontiac potatoes, skins on
4 stems of rosemary
olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Cut potatoes in half and place on a baking tray with rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season well.
3. Roast for 1 hour until golden.

Serves 4