Preheat oven to 200°C. Stir herbs, garlic and vinegar in a bowl to combine and add about 1 tablespoon olive oil, season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, cover with plastic wrap and marinate beef at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove beef from marinade, place in a roasting pan on a rack, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and roast, basting occasionally with pan juices until browned and cooked to your liking (35-40 minutes for medium-rare, 40 to 45 minutes for medium).
Meanwhile, bring potatoes to the boil in a saucepan of salted water over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes until just tender when pierced with a knife or skewer, drain well and return to pan. Add about 2½ tbsp olive oil and the polenta, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and toss to coat potatoes in polenta. Spread in a separate roasting pan lined with baking paper and roast for about 30 minutes until crisp and golden.
Remove beef from pan and set aside covered loosely with foil to rest for at least 15 minutes while you make the dressing. For the warm anchovy dressing, place roasting pan over medium-high heat, stir in anchovies and garlic, scraping the base of the pan to remove any delicious crusty bits, then stir in rind, juice, oil, vinegar and herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve spooned over sliced beef along with polenta potatoes and steamed greens.
Tips
The most precise way to check for doneness is with a meat thermometer. Check about 10 minutes before the final cooking time is reached and be sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the beef.
The flavours of this recipe could easily transform into a light winter salad. Simply slice the cooked meat and toss with torn radicchio, rocket and blanched beans, along with the warm anchovy dressing and a handful of shaved parmesan.
Keep any leftover beef and use it in the next day’s sandwiches. Cool to room temperature before covering, then refrigerate until required. Thinly slice and pile into a crusty roll with slices of good quality cheddar, pickled onion, mayo and rocket.
