The star of this dish is the tangy lemon basil flavor accented with sweet port wine. If you can’t find Black Forest ham, any smoked ham can be substituted, however, the more thinly sliced, the easier it will be to work with. If you like, you can leave out the ham entirely, although it makes the end result more flavorful.
Lemon Basil Beef Roulade
Ingredients
- 2 lemons
- 1 bunch of fresh basil you will need at least 24 leaves plus more for garnish if desired
- 4 pieces thinly cut beef
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 thin slices of black forest ham
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 onions
- 2 ounces port wine
- 1 cup of beef stock
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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Wash and pat dry both lemons. Zest & juice one. Set aside.
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Wash and dry the fresh basil.
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Halve each piece of the thin-cut beef. Season both sides with salt & pepper.
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Lay a ham slice on top of a beef slice. Add 3 basil leaves. Sprinkle lemon zest on top.
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Roll up tightly. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat.
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Slice the other lemon crosswise into thin rings.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a large skillet over med-heat.
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Fry lemon slices on both sides for about 5 minutes & tranfer to the baking sheet.
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Preheat the oven to 350F.
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Add rolls to the pan. Braise, turning the rolls to brown evenly on all sides.
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Remove the toothpicks to turn the rolls with a wooden spoon. Reinsert and cook them on the other side.
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Tranfer to the baking sheet, laying them on top of the lemon slices.
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Bake for 15 minutes.
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Peel and slice the onions into thin rings.
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Add the remaining tablespoon of canola oil to the pan and heat. Add the onion rings and cook until transparent.
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Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
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Add the port wine, lemon juice, and beef stock into the skillet.
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Bring everything to a boil.
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Remove the rolls from the oven. Transfer to a platter arranging the beef rolls on top of the lemon slices. Cover with aluminum foil and store in a warm place.
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Turn the heat down and whisk in the tablespoon of flour. When the sauce thickens, strain it and return it to the pan.
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Stir the onions back into the sauce and remove from heat.
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Uncover the serving platter with the beef rolls and lemon and spoon the sauce over the top.
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Garnish with small basil leaves, if desired, and serve.
