Beef with Onions (Apulia)

Meat

Ingredients

Beef fillet in one piece - 2 pounds

Fat salt pork (optional) - 1/4 pound

Juice of 2 lemons

Salt and pepper

Sweet onion - 6 large

Olive oil - 1/4 cup

Butter - 1/4 cup

Stock

Put the fillet in an earthenwar dish, add the lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let marinate for 2 hours.

Peel the onions and make a cross shaped cut in each one without cutting right through. Heat the oil and butter in a pan, add the onions and cook over a low heat. As soon as they begin to soften, add 2/3 cup stock and let the onions cook slowly uncovered for 20 minutes, gently disintegrating. By the end, the stock should be completely evaporated.

Tie the meat with thread to keep it in shape. Add it to the onions and brown gently on all sides. Continue to cook gently for about 30 minutes for slightly underdone or rare steak, longer if medium rare is preferred.

Take the meat from the pan and cut it into thick slices, discarding the threads. Keep it hot in a warm oven. Add a little water or more stock to the pan and cook over a high heat for 2 minutrs. Rub the onions and stock through a sieve, reheat to boiling point and pour over the meat. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6