Girello lends itself to pot roast type cooking to maintain moisture.  This dish improves on flavour if made a day ahead. Refrigerate overnight, then the next day thickly slice the meat and return to the sauce and gently reheat over a low-medium heat. Alternatively the chilled meat is also delicious sliced finely for sandwiches. If you’d like to go a little bit retro, 1970s fancy, there’s the option to fill the centre of the meat with the parsley stuffing, or not. 

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves plucked

¼ cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

3 garlic cloves

sea salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1kg beef girello

black pepper

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

3 Dutch carrots, finely chopped

1kg ox heart tomatoes, chopped

2 bay leaves

200ml white wine

500g potatoes, cut into 5cm chunks

Place the parsley, parmesan, garlic, a teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor and blend until a coarse paste forms. Set aside.

If you’d like to fill the meat with parsley mixture (see photo), cut the girello, lengthways, along the centre but not all the way through, leaving about 1cm-2cm intact. Open the meat with cut side facing up, like a book. Spread half of the parsley mixture along the centre ‘seam’. Season generously with salt and ground pepper.  Fold the meat back into its original shape. Using kitchen string tie at regular intervals along length of girello to secure back into shape. Set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-large heavy based casserole over a high heat.  Add the girello, either unfilled or filled (with parsley stuffing), and cook for about 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Transfer meat to a plate. Pat the remaining parsley mixture over the top of the meat, or if the meat is not filled spread mixture all over to coat evenly. Set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the same pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until turning light golden. Add the tomatoes bay leaves and teaspoon of salt and grinding of pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. Transfer the meat to the centre of the tomato mixture and place the potatoes around the meat. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 1 hour to 1¼ hours, turning every 20 minutes. The parsley topping will gradually disperse into the sauce. Check seasoning adding salt and pepper, to taste.

Cool in mixture. Slice meat 1/2 cm thickness. Serve with sauce spooned over with potatoes alongside.