Smoked Fillet of Beef with Verjus Sauce and Butternut-parsley-root Vegetables

Smoked fillet of beef with verjus sauce

1. Take the meat out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before preparation. Clean and dice the root vegetables (carrots, celery, onions).
2. Line a flat saucepan with lid with aluminum foil. Cover a suitable grate (e.g. a round kitchen grate) with aluminum foil, prick this foil approx. 20 times with a fork.
3. Mix rice, sugar and tea and add to the saucepan. Place the star anise and broken cinnamon sticks on top. Place the wire rack on top so that there is about two fingers of space between the wire rack and the rice. Put aside.
4. Season the meat all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a pan. Brown the meat in it for 4 minutes. Set the pan aside. Place the meat on the wire rack in the smoker. Open the pot and heat it over high (not the strongest!) Heat until visible smoke rises. Close the pot and smoke the meat for 15 minutes over a mild heat.
5. In the meantime, preheat the oven with a fire-proof pan on the grate on the 2nd rail from the bottom to 80 degrees (gas level 1, convection not recommended!). After smoking, place the meat in the pan and cook for about 1 hour up to a core temperature of 55 degrees.
6. Heat the frying fat again, fry the root vegetables vigorously on all sides. Deglaze with the stock and reduce to half over high heat. Add verjuice and reduce to half again.
7. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Squeeze out the vegetables, season with sugar, salt and pepper. Thicken the sauce with 2 tablespoons of starch. Serve the meat with the sauce and butternut-parsley-root vegetables.

Butternut-parsley-root vegetables

1. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the soft core and stone. Peel the pumpkin and cut into approx. 1 cm cubes. Peel and dice the parsley roots as well. Finely dice shallots.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large pan. Fry the parsley roots in it over medium to high heat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Add shallots and pumpkin and fry for another 6-8 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Pluck the marjoram leaves from the stems, mix in and serve with the meat.