Rare Medium Issue #5

T H E C H E F ' S J O U R N A L O F A U S T R A L I A N B E E F, L A M B & G O A T

R A R E M E DI U M # 05 Level 1, 40 Mount Street North Sydney, NSW 2060 Phone 02 9463 9333 Email raremedium@mla.com.au

E DI T O R

Melissa Leong

mleong@mla.com.au S U B S C R I BE

路

MLA Fo o d s e r v i c e Contacts

路

1800 550 018

raremedium@mla.com.au M AG A Z I N E E N Q U I R I E S

Melissa Leong

mleong@mla.com.au D E S IG N

MASH

mashdesign.com.au

N AT IO N A L M A R K E T I N G M A N AG E R F O O D S E RV IC E

Claire Tindale

ctindale@mla.com.au

PRI N TI NG

Southern Colour (VIC) Pty Ltd southerncolour.com.au

N S W/AC T

Doug Piper

dpiper@mla.com.au

PHOTOGR A PH ER

John Laurie

johnlauriephoto.com

Caroline McCredie

carolinemccredie.com.au PROP ST Y LIST

Q L D/ N T

Gary McPherson

gmcpherson@mla.com.au SA

Brett Atkinson

Sonia Rentsch

batkinson@mla.com.au

Andy Irwin

Michael Tan

soniarentsch.com andy@sprppl.com FOOD ST Y LIST

Deborah Kaloper

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V I C/ TA S

mtan@mla.com.au WA

Rafael Ramirez

rramirez@mla.com.au

I L LU S T R AT O R

Alejandrina Herrera alejandrinaherrera.com

T H E C H E F ' S J O U R N A L O F A U S T R A L I A N B E E F, L A M B & G O A T

HE

D » O CT

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OBER

PUBLI S

PA P E R S T O C K — GR A NGE by K .W DO GGET T > Elemental chlorine free pulps, sourced with responsible forestry practices.

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This publication is published by Meat & Livestock Australia Limited ABN 39 081 678 364 (MLA). Care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information in the publication; however, MLA cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained in the publication. Readers should rely on their own enquiries in making decisions concerning their interests.

Reproduction in whole or in part of this publication is prohibited without the prior written consent of MLA. © 2013

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M.L.A

CONTENTS RM

#05

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BITE SIZED

MOMENTARY Claire Van Vuuren Bloodwood Newtown – NSW

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ONE CUT WONDERS Butterflied Lamb Leg Item #4800

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ON THE MENU Kids Menu

FOOD TRENDS The Chef's Guide To What's Hot In 2014

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FEATURE TWO Prime Lamb

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MASTER CLASS Butterflied Lamb Leg Item #4800

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SPECIAL FEATURE The Kids Are Alright

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FEATURE ONE Sam White: Grass Fed Producer from Northen NSW

Editor's Note ___While the cat's away...

With Connaugh away for a few months (giving birth to the world’s next rock star butcher), I've stolen the keys and made off with the goods in issue #05 of Rare Medium... grabbing stories from producers, nabbing recipes with chefs, and pulling on the chain mail glove to do some butchery. What a sweet ride!

From flying up to Guyra to see Angus producer Sam White’s stunning Northern NSW operation, to digging up the big trends for the coming year, it’s been a busy first month getting my head well and truly in the meat game.

Speaking of games, in this issue we shine the spotlight on kids and what’s on menus for them. Our next generation of diners are becoming a sophisticated bunch, and chefs like Sam Massari from Tuileries in Rutherglen are recognising the opportunity and importance of inclusiveness when it comes to family dining.

Meanwhile, dads Mark Jensen (Red Lantern), Daniel Wilson (Huxtable) and Colin Fassnidge (Four In Hand, 4Fourteen) share dishes from their big kids' menus, which get the thumbs up from their smallest diners, and toughest critics... their kids.

Our butchery masterclass looks at breaking down the humble lamb leg: once thought of as the domain of the home cook, it's really a cut that presents a host of possibilities limited only by your imagination. Trend watching brings us (no, not Cronuts® or ramen burgers), but a litany of themes we'll see more of in the next year – from smoking anything from vegetables to fat, fermentation, and a return to doing things the old fashioned way; it's interesting to see how times of economic downturn makes us more creative and resourceful with what we have.

So channel your inner child and get your hands dirty creating finger licking meaty meals. I hope you enjoy this playful edition of Rare Medium, Melissa

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Sam White

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Grass fed producer from Northern NSW

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says Sam White, of his favourite cut of steak and how he likes it.

He ought to know a thing about beef; his family have run Bald Blair Angus Stud in NSW’s New England region since 1898. And while his tastes may be simple, his operation is anything but. An exnavy guy with a background in agricultural economics, Sam White is no ordinary farmer. Rare Medium talks to him about what makes Bald Blair Angus a poster operation for modernmeets-heritage farming.

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“Scotch.

Medium rare, bit of salad.

Simple.”

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From complex genetic diversity programs, to risk assessment plans and an ongoing development scheme geared towards a sustainable future, the White family are a study in cutting-edge farming practices. These come fused with a connection to the land that has sustained the family for over 5 generations, so you get the feeling the Whites source their strength from being able to look backwards as well as forwards.

Producers of purebred, high grade grass-fed Angus which ends up on the table under the Rangers Valley brand, White’s stunning looking produce is born and bred in Guyra on the Northern Tablelands of NSW, before ending up in some of the country’s best restaurants (Quay and Rockpool Bar & Grill to name but two). Some of Bald Blair’s herd are even more intrepid, travelling to the high end Japanese and European markets.

Spread over four properties and 5,500 acres, Bald Blair’s 1,000 head of cattle is made up of breeding program herds and those bred for the beef market. These herds are grouped and rotated around each property ensuring adequate pasture recovery and soil health levels.

RM: How do you manage the relationship

between maintaining the soil, the pasture and your cattle?

SW:

It’s crucial to sustainability of the farm. We are conscious of matching the needs of the animal with the grass.

(Grass) growth rates slow during winter; so cattle feed is supplemented with additional feed so that they receive the proper amount of nourishment.

RM: What about grazing

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and paddock rotation?

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We have a 7 day graze/28 day rest cycle for each paddock. There is also an ongoing care program for our pastures.

Each year, we have a set of projects that contribute to maintaining and maximising productivity of our pastures. I believe the future of farming is about understanding what’s going in (to the land) and what’s coming out. These projects include planting shelterbelts (groves of trees that provide cattle protection from the elements and help prevent soil erosion), establishing solar powered water systems, and in some cases, even reshaping the land in order to anticipate or prevent certain environmental outcomes from even occurring.

RM: Farming

is such a long game pursuit...

SW:

It is. It’s really important to think about the ‘what if’. For example, we plant trees, thinking about what role they’ll play in 5-10 years and beyond.

By planning ahead, and considering risk assessment in the overall farming systems, we can hopefully avoid finding ourselves in situations we don’t have answers for.

These farming systems extend further than the farm gate too. Bald Blair’s relationship with Rangers Valley, located in nearby Glenn Innes is a perfect example of a successful farming partnership. For over two decades, Bald Blair and Rangers Valley have worked together to produce the high calibre beef celebrated by some of the world's top chefs.

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with Rangers Valley?

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We have a good dialogue with Rangers Valley. They provide us with feedback on what they’re looking for based on market demand and we work with them to achieve it. This ensures that we always have a market for our cattle, based on consistency, responsiveness and trust.

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Their systems fit our systems and at the end of the day, that works for us. We’re interested in ongoing genetic improvements and diversity; to turn our cattle off early (around 16-18 months), with a modest frame.

Rangers Valley wants cattle with precisely these characteristics. Genetic improvements lead to desirable traits in the meat and the size and age of the cattle going to their feedlots also works for them.

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There are other systems at work too, including Bald Blair co-mingling stocks and familiarising the cattle with feeding stations, so that when they arrive at the feedlot, cattle know what to expect, and aren’t phased by the new.

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“Our goal is to deliver stressless cattle to slaughter. The more relaxed and happy the cattle, the better the end result, and that benefits everyone from our bottom line, all the way to the customer.”

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Preparing a Butterflied Lamb Leg from a Lamb Leg Chump On

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Remove any excess fat and meat from around the rump and aitch bone.

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Follow the contour of the chump and aitch bone,

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gently pull the bone away carefully releasing the meat with your knife,

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then remove the aitch bone from the femur bone by locating and separating the bones at the joint.

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Starting at the top of the shank cut down either side of the shank bone,

then at the main leg joint, cut straight down hard against the femur bone cutting between the knuckle (round) and inside (topside) follow all the way around the femur bone removing the meat from the bone.

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Remove the shank meat if desired.

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STE P 4 : Lay the boneless leg out flat and butterfly the remaining muscles,

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ensure the leg is butterflied to an even thickness when laid out flat.

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The Kids are Alright “I think that it’s as important to have a children’s menu that reflects the kitchen’s approach, as much as the main menu itself.”

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says Sam Massari, Executive Chef of Tuileries Restaurant, tucked away in Victoria’s celebrated Rutherglen wine region.

A dining jewel in the historic town known for its Durif, and fortified wines such as Tokay and Muscat (thanks to a cool climate coupled with plenty of sun), Massari’s cuisine is an elegant expression of regional and seasonal produce.

It’s a catch cry often heard these days, but in this case, Tuileries really seems to walk the walk.

He sometimes even incorporates local wine grapes into the mix. Along with a deft hand and a creative eye, it’s the kind of food that says ‘romantic weekend away with the missus’ more so than ‘holiday with the Griswolds’... hardly the kind of restaurant you’d expect to see a two-course menu designed exclusively for the establishment’s non paying customers.

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Massari’s philosophy on inclusive family dining may just be the progressive approach some restaurants look to in an economic environment where everyone is looking for ways to build and maintain bums on seats. In the end, given these diminutive diners are our next generation of restaurant patrons, perhaps that old adage about children being seen and not heard isn’t quite as accurate as we thought.

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Tuileries’ nine item children’s menu features cut down adult menu dishes such as petit Cape Grim sirloin and jus with mashed potato, salad or steamed vegetables, as well as kid’s only creations such as house made fish fingers with a herb crumb, French fries, steamed greens and tartare sauce. Did we mention they also receive a canapé on arrival?

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It’s not all simply an altruistic and paternal drive to consider children though. Massari vouches that the move to create a dedicated kid’s menu also makes good business sense. “I tell my staff that they need to put as much time and care into kid’s meals as they do for their (parents).

(This includes) presentation, to make kids feel special and not an annoyance. If a child is made to feel important, then the chances of the family returning are greatly improved.” He also adds that in his view, many restaurants simply don’t expect children to dine frequently at their establishment, so they keep contingent options frozen, ready for the deep fryer. Convenient, yes. Considered?

Not so much.

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Fed up by taking his young children, Poppy (5) and Ivy (3 months) out to eat, only to be met with deep fried afterthoughts and little consideration for flavour and presentation, his frustrations led him to create a menu that reflected his philosophies on how children should eat. “I encourage my kids to eat a variety of foods. My father-in-law lives in Singapore and Batam, so (when visiting), we eat at a lot of local restaurants. Poppy’s willingness to trying all sorts of food is a blessing (but sometimes challenging!)”, says Massari, so finding places that offer freshness and variety features high on his dining agenda for kids.

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Parents, for one are grateful to see a range of options designed for children. “There are families whose children prefer to order a la carte, and those who prefer their own special menu.”

Best sellers include petit steak and pasta with fresh basil, tomato sugo and Parmesan.

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Sheep Meat Family Tree: What is

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Prime Lamb?

All meat-producing sheep in Australia stem from Merino genetics. In order to produce the prime lamb we’re so proud of (and love to eat), a system of multi-generational breeding needs to happen. From Merino ewe to ewe beauty in three generations... Here’s how.

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THE REASON FOR THIS CROSS IS TO PRODUCE OFFSPRING THAT ARE GOING TO BE GOOD MOTHERS. LONG WOOL BREEDS ARE RENOWNED FOR BEING PROTECTIVE MOTHERS, GOOD MILKERS AND A HIGH RATE OF FERTILITY. THE MAJORITY OF LONG WOOL BREEDING RAMS IN AUSTRALIA ARE BORDER LEICESTER.

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MERINO IS THE FOUNDATION BREED OF AUSTRALIA’S SHEEP INDUSTRY REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE CURRENT FLOCK.

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Merino

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LAMBS

Market

LAMBS PROCESSED BY WOOL AND SHEEP MEAT FARMERS.

rst Cross

SPECIALIST LAMB FARMERS WILL BREED THE EWE PORTION OF THEIR FIRST CROSS TO WHAT IS KNOWN AS A ‘TERMINAL SIRE’ - A RAM WHOSE OFFSPRING IS DESTINED FOR MEAT RATHER THAN BREEDING – USUALLY A SHORT WOOL BREED SUCH AS POLL DORSET.

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SHORT WOOL BREEDS PRODUCE LARGE LEAN LAMBS WITH EXCELLENT EYE MUSCLING AND RATIO OF LEAN MEAT TO FAT. THEY HAVE EXCELLENT GROWTH RATES AND CAN SATISFY DIFFERENT MARKET WEIGHT RANGES.

P r ime

LAMBS

Market

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‘PRIME LAMB’ HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY FARMED FOR MEAT. THEY HAVE HIGH QUALITY, HIGH YIELDING CARCASES AND FAST GROWTH RATES.

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Talk about developing a palate early. Ordering like a b i g k i d can be child's play, ˆˆˆ when your dad’s the

chef.

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Crumbed l a mb cu tle t s w ith salsa v erde

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pretty much

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6 lamb cutlets on the bone

on the pub the Four... but they love lamb

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because

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cutlets

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plain flour 2 eggs, scrambled 4 pieces sourdough bread, blitzed into crumbs salt and pepper oil for frying

menu at

+ Season lamb cutlets with salt and pepper. ++ Dip in flour, then egg wash and then coat in

their dinner comes complete

breadcrumbs.

with little

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it means

+++ Shallow fry for 1 minute on

each side or until golden.

‘handles’.

” S a l s a V e rd e 1/2 bunch mint 1/2 bunch parsley 1/2 bunch sage 10g capers 1/2 bulb garlic, peeled

a splash of red wine vinegar olive oil for blending salt and pepper for seasoning

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In a food processor, add herbs and garlic cloves with olive oil until a

thick consistency is achieved.

++ Add

capers and blitz briefly to coarsely

chop, then pour in a splash of red wine vinegar. pepper to taste.

+++ Season with salt and

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C ol i n Fa s sn id ge

Arrange cutlets on a plate, drizzle with salsa verde and serve with salad.

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no. “

Children should be encouraged to try everything and then make their own mind up.

Telling them that they won't like something is exactly the way to keep them eating

1 boneless lamb or mutton shoulder (approx. 1.5kg) 1L whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with hands 10 basil stalks, leaves reserved 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted 6 anchovy fillets 12 garlic cloves 3 tbsp salted capers, washed 2 long red chillies, sliced into rounds salt and pepper to season 1 packet kataifi pastry (shredded filo) clarified butter > for the pastry stage

+ Trim any large pieces of fat from the outside of the shoulder but do not remove all, as some fat is important. Season with salt and pepper. ++ Place

baking paper in the bottom of a deep oven tray or roasting dish then add the seasoned shoulder. Top with all of the ingredients (except basil leaves

bad food

and the clarified butter) and then wrap well with foil.

forever!

+++

Place into

These filo

preheated oven at 110°C and cook for 10 hours. We put it in the oven

logs are

before we go home and cook it overnight.

like fancy

the meat and other bits into a colander with a bowl underneath. Once the

sausage

meat has cooled a little, but is not cold, pick it apart with your fingers and

rolls, my kids order them every

++++

In the morning, put

discard any fatty bits. Mix the meat well with all of the olives, garlic and other bits. Once all of the juices have settled, transfer them to a saucepan, skim

time they

off the excess fat, then reduce the liquid until thick and mix through the

visit the

picked meat mixture. Finely slice the basil leaves and add to the mixture.

restaurant.

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+++++ Check the meat for seasoning, it will probably need some pepper but it should have enough salt from the capers and olives. ++++++ Line

a pan or dish approximately 25cm x 30cm with baking paper and press in the lamb mix so that it is about 15mm thick. Place another piece of paper on top and then a flat tray of roughly the same size and a and then roll with kataifi pastry, liberally applied with clarified butter.

Place on a lined tray and cool.

10 minutes in an oven preheated to 190°C turning once.

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Cut into 24 logs

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little weight then refrigerate until firm.

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Cook on a lined tray for

L e m o n yo gh u r t 1L Greek yoghurt, hung overnight

in the fridge in a sieve lined with muslin juice of 2 lemons salt and pepper

..... Mix together add season to taste.

Serve with the l e m o n yoghurt on the side.

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Crisp Fil o L og of L a mb P u t ta ne sc a , L emon Yoghur t

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24 log s 2 2 .

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Bò l úc l ac — Bl ack A ngus Rump Wok-Tos sed w ith S oy an d Se s a me M a r k

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Kids should at least try to eat

menu. Most menus have something kids can

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a la carte

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500g Black Angus beef rump or eye fillet 3 tbsp lucky sauce 1 tbsp oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 1/2 small onion, cut into a large dice 50g butter

from the

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pinch of salt pinch of cracked black pepper

eat. The Bò

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like having a BBQ in

Luck y sauce

a wok. The

125ml oyster sauce 3 tbsp hot water 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar.

kids love the tender meat with

..... Mix and whisk until combined.

the charred smoky flavours.

+

It comes

It’s best to cook this dish in small batches to maintain the highest

with rice

possible heat in the wok. Cut the beef into 1.5cm cubes, then marinate it by

a simple

massaging the lucky sauce into the beef and letting it stand for 5 minutes.

salad of

Drain the excess marinade from the meat before cooking.

tomato and

wok over the highest heat until smoking hot. Drizzle the oil around the top of

cucumber.

Simple with loads of

the wok, allowing it to run down the side and into the middle.

++

Heat the

+++ This should

be done quickly and oil should ignite into flames. Add the beef in small

flavour. Kids

batches and seal it on all sides, shake and toss the beef in the wok. The beef

love it.

should be charred and the wok flaming. Add the garlic, onion and butter to the wok and continue to stir-fry, moving around with a wooden spoon or

”

wok ladle. Cook the beef to your liking (ensuring you don’t overcook the meat). Medium-rare should take 3 – 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper and turn out onto a serving plate.

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Serve with r e d rice and a salad of tomato and cucumber dressed with dipping f i s h s a u c e.

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M a rk Jen s en

1 tomato, sliced 1 Lebanese (short cucumber), sliced 2/3 tbsp dipping fish sauce

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Smoke On The Water When it comes to our tradition of honouring the BBQ, the infiltration of American ‘pit culture’ into our wide brown land opens up a whole new world in the primal pursuit of cooking meat over flame. Incorporating elements of smoking, curing and slow cooking, American BBQ techniques add a new dimension of flavour and texture to our meaty, meaty arsenal.

Meat Your Maker A fascination with provenance continues to grow, with more people asking about where

their produce comes from. More than that, it’s about getting out there in your gumboots, seeing it for yourself, and bringing back a tasty story. A greater desire to have a connection with where our food comes from is a heartening development in our evolution as a food loving nation and it’s about time farmers had their day in the sun.

We Value Your Service

Homespun Classics Challenging economic times tend to put people back into a more practical frame of mind. With this as food for thought, we’ve seen a return to the time honoured tradition of doing things yourself in the home. From pickling, to jamming and curing, as well as making the most of non-loin cuts, it’s about doing more with less, to great effect.

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Dining continues to undo its top button... and maybe the button after that, in an altogether much more relaxed approach to eating. But it’s more than just the casualisation of dining that’s the focus here: it’s about value.The world is in a more frugal mood, and if we’re dining out, there had better be some bang for buck going on, dammit. So it’s less degustation extravagance and more interest in creative, shared, innovative and accessible food experiences.

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Locavorism

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It’s about low food miles, eating according to seasonal and local availability and supporting producers who live in, or near, your world. The trend towards eating and supporting your local food network continues to be an important theme for 2014 and includes ‘growing your own’, with restaurants, cafes and consumers supplementing produce by cultivating their own, from veggies on verges, to rooftop bees and café chickens.

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Every ‘Gram Matters

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Put away that digital SLR, you don’t need it. Social media’s current favourite child, Instagram, is all about opening a window into the worlds of producers, chefs and punters... immediately. Like an access-all-areas pass, image-based social media transcends distance, exclusive dining spaces and more, resulting in a fascinating voyeuristic fix.

Mutton Dressed As...

There’s something to be said for ageing gracefully and trailblazing chefs are noticing. It started with asking for older cattle and word on the street is that mutton is the new old thing. Think back straps with veal-like texture and amped up flavour... just as nose to tail philosophy encourages us to embrace a new perspective on lesser cuts, chefs are now looking at forgotten beasts as well.

Pickle Your Fancy From black garlic, to sauerkraut and kimchi (all excellent with a good steak, BTW), fermentation continues to bubble along as a key trend embraced by everyone from Momofuku’s David Chang, to health-focused punters the country over. Championed by trail blazers like Sandor Katz, fermentation is not just a forum for highly developed flavour, but happily totes benefits to gut health and general well-being. Quick, hand over the kimchi.

DIY Not just about retaining walls and lighting plans, chefs are exploring how to make, cure, age and break it down. From cheese making to charcuterie and requesting whole carcasses to break down themselves, DIY in the commercial culinary environment is king. Even if you’re not a dab hand at all and sundry, the exploration of artisan skills at the very least creates a newfound appreciation for master craftsmen who’ve been doing it for generations.

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{ Item #4800 }

Butterflied Lamb Leg 3 recipes

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Chef Andrea Tranchero 路 Modo Mio 路 Crown Casino 路 Perth WA

Confit Lamb Leg, Lamb Toast

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Pecorino Cheese Sauce Minted Pea Pur茅e

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Chef David Moyle 路 Peppermint Bay 路 TAS

Lightly Smoked Lamb Leg Kunzea

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Buckwheat, Radicchio Dried Olive

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Chef Patrick Landelle 路 Le Monde Caf茅 路 Noosa QLD

Butterflied Leg Lamb Tabouli

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Quinoa

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Confit Lamb Leg, Lamb Toast with Pecorino Cheese Sauce and Minted Pea Purée S E RV E S 10

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Chef Andrea Tranchero Modo Mio . Crown Casino . Perth WA CO NF I T L A M B L EG

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1.5kg butterflied leg of lamb 1 tbsp coarse salt 3 thyme sprigs 3 rosemary sprigs 1 bay leaf 8 garlic cloves, skin on 2L duck fat • • • Trim the leg of any sinew and thick fat and place in a roasting tray. Season with salt and top with thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and garlic. Heat the duck fat to 130˚C and pour over the meat. Cover with a cartouche to keep the meat submerged and then cover with foil. Place the tray in the oven on 160˚C for around 3½ hours until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven and allow the lamb to cool in the fat.

Take the lamb and garlic cloves out of the fat. Shred the meat with forks and place the meat into a bowl.

Squeeze the garlic on top of the shredded meat (discard skins) and mix through. Reserve a little of the shredded lamb for the toast component. Roll out some cling film onto a bench top and shape the meat into tight logs. Roll, compress and seal. Leave to chill in the fridge to firm up for a minimum of 3 hours. Cut into 100g medallions for serving.

Prior to serving, pan fry to crisp up the outsides.

HO NE Y G L A ZE D RO OT V EG ETA BL E S

5 turnips 100ml chicken stock 20g butter 20g honey • • • Peel turnips and cut into 6 wedges. Turn wedges into half moons. In a deep, heavy-based pot, place the turnips, chicken stock, honey and butter.

Cover with a cartouche and put on a medium heat.

When turnips are half cooked, remove the cartouche and turn the heat up high to evaporate the chicken stock and caramelise the honey and butter. When a nice golden brown colour forms, the turnips should be just cooked. Remove turnips and strain liquid into a container for reheating and quickly cool the turnips and set aside.

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350g green peas 150ml olive oil 25g fresh mint leaves salt

• • • Boil the peas until just tender, drain and refresh in iced water. Prepare an olive oil and mint infusion by blending mint, oil and salt to taste. Strain the oil to remove any pieces of mint leaf. Mix the strained mint infusion and peas in a blender until soft and creamy.

L A M B JUS

10kg lamb bones 4L chicken stock 4L beef stock 6 tbsp tomato paste • • • Place bones in the oven with a little oil and roast, turning occasionally until browned all over.

Drain off any oil and place the bones in a deep stockpot with the chicken and the beef stock. Bring to the boil and skim constantly. Add the tomato paste, turn the heat down low and continue to let the stock simmer for 6 hours, straining any scum that rises to the surface. Strain the stock and reduce to a jus.

CONF I T G A R L IC A ND PECOR I NO CH E E SE S AUCE

300g garlic 100g butter 100g duck fat 250g pecorino cheese • • • Sauté the garlic with butter until golden, add the duck fat and cook on a low heat until the garlic is soft. Remove half the fat, add the cheese and blitz the mix in a Thermomix until smooth.

L A M B TOA ST

100g plain flour 100g pecorino, sliced 3 eggs, whisked 10 white sandwich bread, sliced • • • Use the reserved shredded lamb from the confit leg and some pecorino to make your toast.

Spread the confit lamb on a piece of bread, top with pecorino and season with salt and pepper. Top with another slice of bread, slice into rectangles, lightly dust with flour, dip in egg wash and deep fry.

G A R NI SH

micro mint 10 cherry tomatoes, confit 5 radishes, mandolined >>> To assemble, remove a portion of rolled lamb confit from cling film and sear in a hot pan to caramelise the outside and warm through the inside. On a platter, place a slick of garlic pecorino sauce; arrange confit lamb and lamb sandwich and a piece of turnip. Garnish with minted pea purée, jus, radish, micro mint and a confit cherry tomato.

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Chef David Moyle Peppermint Bay . TAS

Chef Patrick Landelle Le Monde Café . Noosa . QLD

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300g quinoa 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small garlic clove, crushed 3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 cup mint, roughly chopped 1 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 3 green onions, sliced 2 tbsp lemon juice salt and cracked black pepper • • • It’s best to rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove the naturally occurring bitter saponins from the outside of the seed. To cook, place 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water in a pan. Bring to boil.

Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.

• • • Cool to room temperature then fold through the tomato, mint, parsley, green onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

M I N T E D YO GURT

mint, finely chopped 100g tub Greek yogurt • • • Mix mint and yogurt together

>>> Slice lamb to serve on top of quinoa tabouli. Drizzle with minted yogurt.

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• • • For the buckwheat, place into a substantial pot of rapidly boiling water for 6 minutes. Strain and spread onto a metal tray to let cool in the fridge.

Separate the radicchio leaves, wash and drain. In a large shallow based pan, sauté the leaves without too much agitation, just until they gently wilt. Remove to a mixing bowl, add the rest of the ingredients except for the parsley and gently mix. Adjust for seasoning then add the parsley leaves.

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100g whole buckwheat 3 heads radicchio 1 cup parsley leaves 5 tbsp dehydrated black olives (chopped) 2 tbsp finely diced shallot 80ml new season olive oil 50ml red wine vinegar salt and pepper

TA B OUL I OF QUI NOA

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THE SAL AD

• • • Mix herbs, dates and butter in food processor. Spread evenly over butterflied leg and bake in oven at 160˚C for 2 hours.

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SMOK E A ND ROA ST • • • To smoke the lamb, lay the leg fat side down onto a cake rack and smoke in a hot smoking cabinet for 25 minutes over apple wood chips with a holding temperature of 130˚C. Remove the leg then transfer into a pan with the fat side down. Roughly chop the kunzea leaves and spread over the flesh. Render the fat from the lamb leg in the pan for approximately 5 minutes on a gentle heat before transferring the pan to roast in an oven at 180˚C for 12 minutes.

Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes before carving.

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• • • To brine the lamb, bring 2.5 litres of the water to the boil; add the salt and let it dissolve.

Remove from the heat then add the sprigs of kunzea and the remaining water. Let the brine cool then immerse the lamb entirely for 6 hours. Remove the lamb from the brine, rinse lightly then let dry overnight in the refrigerator.

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1 butterflied leg of lamb 3 tbsp cumin 3 tbsp coriander 2 tbsp rosemary 10 dates, pitted 50g butter

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1 butterflied leg of lamb 5L cool water 400g table salt 12 sprigs kunzea* (leaf removed)

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Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Tabouli of Quinoa

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Lightly Smoked Lamb Leg in Kunzea with Buckwheat, Radicchio and Dried Olive

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* Kunzea is a native Australian shrub from the myrtle family.

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B Iron-rich foods are recommended as first foods for babies at around 6 months of age to prevent iron deficiency, which can affect brain development.

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The World’s Largest Meatball weighed in at 499kgs and was created by the Columbus Italian Club (USA) in 2011. The team started with 676kgs of minced sirloin, onion and dried spices and the behemoth took around 3 days to cook. Now that’s a BIG, spicy meatball!

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The famous 80’s USA television show Lamb Chop’s Play Along featured arguably the world’s most annoying song at the end of each episode. The Song That Never Ends was written by composer Norman Martin in 1988.

KIDS IN THE KITCHEN 18 year old culinary prodigy Luke Thomas is head chef at Michelin-starred Sanctum on the Green in Berkshire, England, and boasts celebrity fans such as Princess Eugenie. Not bad for a kid who started cooking at age 4.

On the other side of the pond in the USA, Greg Grossman (15), started a pop up restaurant and private catering service to the rich and famous in the Hamptons at 11, signed a television development deal at 13 and has been cooking at NYC’s Sanctuary Hotel since 2012.

Plans for a Thai restaurant are in the works.

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Source: Yahoo Shine, 2012

In 2009, Men’s Health Magazine voted Uno Chicago Grill’s Kids’ Kombo with French Fries the worst kid’s meal in America.

Containing 1,250 calories, the kalorific Kombo also contained a whopping 79g of fat and 2,850mg of sodium.

Source: Men’s Health.com

B I T E

S I Z E D

S I Z E D

FOOD MISTAKES PARENTS MAKE: 1. Sending kids out of the kitchen: Kids learn through observation, so familiarising them with the preparation of food and reinforcing positive associations with the kitchen are important.

2. Pressuring them to take a bite: Studies show that children react badly when pressured to eat, even if the pressure is incentivised by reward.

3. Keeping the good stuff out of reach: Telling a child they can’t have something (like treats), encourages them to view forbidden foods as something they OD on, when they have the chance.

4. Crash dieting in front of children teaches them to develop neuroses about eating habits and what’s considered good and bad food.

5. Giving up too soon: It takes up to a dozen or more times for a child to decide if they’ll choose to eat something new.

Source: NewYorkTimes.com

An Australian study involving 5,000 infants found that 1 in 10 has a food allergy, with the highest rates found among children in Melbourne.

In ancient Greece, children of wealthy families were dipped in olive oil at birth to keep them hairless throughout their lives.

Source: ABC.net.au 3 8

On average, a 4 year old child

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asks 437 questions a day.

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Where — South Africa One of my favourite food related memories from my childhood is having Potjies. Potjies are a South African cooking tradition, where cast iron pots cook over open coals but as kids we called them “witches’ BBQs”. In my family we used to have Potjies every couple of months and I remember loving every minute of them. It was my first exposure to the process and rituals of slow cooking and how these outdoor feasts brought my massive Lebanese-Italian-South African family together, with everyone taking part in the cooking.

The day would involve a gathering of my extended family, with everyone bringing their own cast iron pot (my dad’s was always the most rusted and least looked after pot around).

The dish cooked during Potjies was from Zimbabwe, and I never understood how a few simple ingredients could end up tasting so good. While the men were outside making the coal fires for the pots, inside there was a well-organised production line of women cutting up beef, slicing cabbage, washing silver beet, dicing tomatoes and making a huge pot of corn meal.

Once the coals were white and burning hot, the beef, cabbage silver beet and tomatoes would be tossed into the pots, with seasoning and cayenne pepper. So simple!

After a few hours and who knows how many drinks for the adults, the meal would be ready. One of my uncles would always bring a small pot for the children, who would have their serve without chilli, as the dish is ridiculously spicy. We never ate at the table: everyone would grab a paper plate and sit wherever they could find a spot on the ground.

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Claire Van Vuuren

When — 1988

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> Bloodwood 路 Newtown

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NSW

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White maize meal (polenta is fine if you can’t find white meal).

Cook as per instructions on bag. It should be soft, not firm.

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This is usually cooked in a heavy cast iron pot over coals. I have done it many times for staff dinner as a normal braise and it works just fine.

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500g brisket or chuck beef cut into rough cubes 6 tomatoes 1/2 cabbage, roughly chopped 1 bunch silver beet, washed and roughly chopped (use stalks too) 1 pinch cayenne pepper salt pepper water

Brown beef in a very hot, heavy based pot add tomatoes and a splash of water and let this cook for about 30 minutes.

Add cabbage, silver beet, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper. Let all of this braise until the meat is very tender.

The dish needs to be * very salty and spicy.

Beef

> Serve on soft white maize meal.

and silver beet

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white maize

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Claire Van Vuuren

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with

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路 TH A N K YO U FO R RE A DIN G 路

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is a service company that invests in marketing and research and development on behalf of its 47,500 beef, lamb and goat producer members.

Our role within foodservice is to bridge the gap between farm and kitchen by providing chefs with information and inspiration on red meat.

Fo r yo u r S u b s c r i p t i o n

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