So listen this doesn't have to happen on Sunday, right? It could be a Friday night roast, or a Monday roast. You get our meaning. The main thing is that when you get a beautiful piece of grass fed beef, like our topside, you want to cook it perfectly. And Fiona's recipe shows you just how to do it. And while you're at it, you absolutely should serve it with smashed potatoes! 

serves 6

1.5kg topside roast

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

10 sprigs fresh thyme

3 bay leaves

sea salt 

freshly ground pepper 

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ large celeriac, top and ends trimmed, cut into six wedges

6-8 small cipollini onions (skin removed optional)

12 heirloom carrots, stalks trimmed

Roast crushed potatoes, to serve (click herefor the recipe) 

Horseradish cream

Remove meat from refrigerator at least 30 minutes to an hour before roasting. Preheat oven to 200°C.  

Arrange wedges of celeriac, carrots and onions over the base of roasting dish.   Scatter over thyme stalks and bay leaves.  Lightly drizzle oil over vegetables.  

Strip leaves from thyme sprigs, reserving sprigs.  Combine mustard, salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Spread mustard mixture evenly over the meat.  Transfer meat fat side up, on top of vegetables.

Place in centre of preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. If top of meat has coloured to dark brown, cover with foil placed loosely over top of meat to prevent further burning.  Reduce heat to 175°C and roast a further 40 minutes for rare. Roast a further 12 minutes for medium-rare, or until a meat thermometer reads 53°C when inserted into the centre of the thickest section of meat.  Remove from oven and transfer meat to a plate and set aside for at least 20 to 30 minutes to allow meat to rest.  The internal meat temperature will increase to 55°C for rare-medium.  

Meanwhile, discard thyme sprigs and transfer vegetables to a serving platter and keep warm.  Strain the pan juices into a jug, and skim the excess fat from surface with spoon and discard, keep jug warm. Serve with smashed roast potatoes with garlic.

Tip: For a fail-safe method when cooking meat, invest in a meat thermometer. Topside is a lean cut and best cooked rare to medium-rare.

Fiona Hammond © July 2018 

Recipe, photos and styling by Fiona Hammond. www.fionahammondfood.com