Beef beef
Sir: Jennifer Paterson's Food column on dry spiced beef (2 December) should send warning shots crashing across any cook's bow: `...though the time isn't given for the larger joint, I imagine another hour and a half would suffice.' Thus a cooking time of six and a half hours is recommended for a 101b piece of silverside.
In the unlikely event that readers have not seen Elizabeth David's promotion of the Harrod's recipe before and feel in- spired to have a go, I urge caution. What starts out as a 101b piece of beef weighs considerably less after 14 days' dry spicing since this method — as the name implies draws moisture from the meat. Cooked for the proposed length of time the end result will bear little resemblance to the delicious dish described and will most likely choke a brown dog on Boxing Day.
Incidentally, where is good quality, lean silverside to be found at £2 a pound? Not in London. My butcher is charging £2.98 in his Wandsworth shop while the local Sains- bury sells it at £3.12. This means that 10 lbs of raw meat is going to cost you around £30. For once the buy-it-at-Harrods option wins hands down for value, flavour and minimum kitchen distress.
Richard Whittington
57 Melody Road, London SW18
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