Pot Roasted Beef with Gremolata & Lemon Semifreddo with Citrus Salad

This Pot Roasted Beef Recipe was a really simple way to cook a roast. You browned the roast (800g for 4 people) on all sides in a little olive oil in the casserole dish then removed it and added in 2 peeled and chopped parsnips, 2 peeled and chopped carrots, 6 whole garlic cloves, 1 chopped onion, 12 thyme sprigs, 1/2 cup red wine and 1 cup beef stock. Stir to combine then place beef on top, cover and cook in oven until tender. For the last 15 minutes you can remove the lid to brown the roast.

This recipe served the beef with gremolata which is a chopped herb condiment of garlic, parsley leaves and lemon zest. I found the garlic and lemon a bit overpowering but I don't love lemon or raw garlic! My husband tells me it was delicious. The vegetables were really nice.

Rating 7 out of 10.

This recipe featured on the Better Homes and Gardens Show and the video showing how to make it can be found at http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/better-homes-gardens/tv/watch/-/7833496/semifreddo-with-citrus-salad/

A semifreddo is simply a semi frozen dessert. This particular one was made by combining an Italian meringue mixture (made with boiling sugar syrup rather than granulated sugar; this makes the meringue more stable), thick plain yoghurt, lightly whipped cream, lemon juice and lemon rind. The mixture is frozen in a loaf tin and sliced to serve.

The citrus salad in the recipe is made from the segments of 2 limes, 2 lemons and 2 oranges and dressed with the rind from this fruit, the juice reserved from when the fruit is segmented, extra lemon juice, caster sugar, the seeds of one vanilla bean and some basil leaves which are simmered together for 2 minutes. I found the segments of lemon and lime too sour so tried making the salad again with 4 oranges which I found much nicer.

The dessert is served topped with Persian Fairy Floss or Pashmak. This fairy floss is made from sesame oil and sugar and you can buy various flavours from speciality shops. I used the vanilla flavour. It has a very different texture and flavour to the fairy floss you find at shows and fairs and looks great piled on top of this dessert. I love the feel of it as you pull it out of the packet...you have to try it to understand!

Rating 8 out of 10.