Rare Medium Issue #3

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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 AT

M E A T

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L I V E S T O C K

A U S T R A L I A

RARE MEDIUM #03 Level 1, 165 Walker Street North Sydney, NSW 2059 Phone 02 9463 9308 Email raremedium@mla.com.au

EDITOR

Connaugh Sheehan csheehan@mla.com.au FREE SUBSCRIP TION

MLA Foodservice Contacts

1800 550 018 raremedium@mla.com.au M AGA ZINE ENQUIRIES

Connaugh Sheehan csheehan@mla.com.au DESIGN

NATIONA L M A RKETING M A NAGER FOODSERV ICE

Claire Tindale ctindale@mla.com.au N.S.W/A .C.T

MASH mashdesign.com.au

Doug Piper dpiper@mla.com.au

PRIN TING

QLD/ N.T

Southern Colour (VIC) Pty Ltd southerncolour.com.au PHOTOGR A PHER

John Laurie johnlauriephoto.com PROP ST YLIST

Sonia Rentsch soniarentsch.com FOOD ST YLIST

Deborah Kaloper deborahkaloper@hotmail.com

Glen Burke gburke@mla.com.au S. A

Brett Atkinson batkinson@mla.com.au V IC/ TAS

Gerard Doherty gdoherty@mla.com.au W. A

Rafael Ramirez rramirez@mla.com.au

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 AT

I-S-S-N 2201-1609 Paper Stock Grange by K.W Doggett __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. Š 2013

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Feature One

Paul Fuhrmann Veal Farmer ˇ Pg.

Master Class Lamb Mince ˇ

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Pg.

On The Menu

Feature Two

Life Beyond The Veal Parmi ˇ

The Veal Deal ˇ Pg.

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MLA

CONTENTS RM #03

Feature Three

Three New Kings ˇ

F E A T U R E

O N E

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Bite Sized Pg.

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One Cut Wonders Lamb Mince ˇ Pg.

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Momentary

Chef Wendy Miedzinski ˇ Pg.

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E D I T O R ’ S

N O T E

Dear Rare Medium Reader, Welcome to the pub issue of Rare Medium. Moving into winter, we think those warming, comfy, quintessential pub style meals are deserving of a whole issue to themselves.

As always, there is heaps of meaty info for you to get your teeth into. We’re taking you to visit veal farmer, Paul Fuhrmann in Northen NSW to find out what actually happens on an Australian veal producing property. As you'll see in these pages, there are vast differences between Australian and European veal production methods.

Five Aussie pub chefs share their veal recipes with us and, demonstrating their creative flair, there is not a veal parmigiana in sight! (Not that we here at Rare Medium don’t love the chance to have a pint and parmi, it’s just that there are definitely other ways to show off this unique and delicately flavoured meat.)

Our butchery master class clears up some confusion over a bit of industry jargon used around mince – Chemical Lean % and Visual Lean % – we show you two different % and how they’re made.

If you’ve been hanging for some more lamb mince inspiration since our last Lamb Masterpieces then look no further than page 32. You’ll find three pubby, handheld delights that I can safely say are absolutely delicious. Even at our 8am photo shoot we were all craving a beer to go with them.

Last issue I asked for your advice. Thanks to everyone who responded – I really appreciate it. I’ve loved reading all the weird and wonderful red meat dishes you've made or tried – most of you are braver than me! We're currently collating the responses – some of which we'll publish in our next issue.

Read on my Fleischmeister in the making, Connaugh

VEAL

FARMER

Paul Fuhrmann

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For many years veal has been considered a by-product of the dairy industry — a misconception that Paul wants cleared up — as well as the production of Australian veal being similar to that of North America or Europe where such practices as shackling, force feeding and penning are permitted. The comfort and safety of his animals are of paramount importance to Paul who raises his veal on their mums, in the open air pastures of Northern Rivers.

F E A T U R E

Northern Rivers, NSW is one of the veal producing capitals of Australia. With its high rainfall, nutritious grasses and mild climate it’s perfect for the production of pink, tender, quality veal. Veal producer and second generation farmer, Paul FUHRMANN — who produces veal for the Northern Rivers Meat Company — invited Rare Medium onto his property to take us through how Australian veal is produced.

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Tell us about your veal production.

My production is exclusively veal. It’s not a by-product or outcome of the dairy industry, the only milk produced on this farm goes straight from the mothers into the mouths of the calves. I look for very specific characteristics in my breeders — my cows and my bulls — of which are selected for certain traits and quality characteristics as well as mothering abilities and so on. My bulls are Charolais which have quiet temperaments and produce lean, high yielding carcases. The mothers are Santa Hereford cross, neither of which are used in the dairy industry. The mothers have one calf a year.

F E A T U R E

O N E

Once born, I split the steers (males) and heifers (females) up because they’re intended for different markets and their growth rates can differ. The cows and vealers roam between 2, 1 ½ hectare paddocks in groups of 50 (cows) until the vealers are ready to be processed at around 220kg which will produce a 120 -150kg carcase or what is known as heavyweight veal. Once the vealers are ready, they’re taken, in their groups to be processed and the mothers are rested.

O N E

All farmers treat their animals with respect – no matter what they’re farming.

You’re a fool if you don’t. The meat you spend a year or two producing won’t be tender and tasty and you’ll have other problems such as bruising – the truth is in the meat. A stressed animal will be a dark cutter and as a producer, that will lose you business in the long run (dark cutting in meat is a result of an animal using up all its energy stores through stress or physical exertion prior to slaughter. The meat appears dark in colour, tends to be 'sticky' or 'sloppy' and has a very high pH resulting in reduced tenderness).

My vealers are treated no different to a human baby. They have their shots, they’re fed by mum and they’re all free to roam with their mother in the paddocks. I check on them every day to make sure they’re healthy, being fed enough and gaining weight. For all of us who produce meat, animal welfare is the main concern, closely followed by land management — we can’t exist without a focus on those two priorities — we’re nothing without them.

F E A T U R E

Does veal receive any special treatment, anything different from beef cattle?

How long are they milk fed for?

Once the cow drops the calf, the calf can be on milk for about 5 -7 months.

The length of time really depends on how good the season has been, how much milk the mother is giving and how much weight the vealer is gaining. The majority of vealer that come from the Northern Rivers are actually milk fed the whole time. So it is milk fed veal in the truest sense.

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Unless specified, minced or ground lamb is produced from lamb trimmings.

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The amount of fat in mince can vary depending on the cuts used or fat added. Lamb mince can be fine or coarse depending on how it is being used in a dish.

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Lamb Mince

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When ordering lamb mince you should specify the desired fat content which is described as Chemical Lean (CL) or Visual Lean (VL) and if you’d like it to be fine or coarse minced meat.

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The mince you order from your wholesaler will usually carry a measurement of Visual Lean which is a trade ‘guestimate’ of the fat content, based on visual inspection. So 80VL means 80% lean meat and 20% fat content.

Chemical Lean (CL) is the ‘chemical’ measurement of meat to determine its fat content. The known relationship between moisture and fat in meat is used to estimate the CL. This is done by drying out samples of meat. The loss of weight on drying is expressed as a percentage of moisture content.

Meat from separate cuts and textures should be minced separately and then mixed together. The cut we have chosen to mince is leg and therefore the batch can be minced as one.

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These cube represent what 80VL would look like before mincing.

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This will end up as 90VL.

M A S T E R

C L A S S

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M A S T E R C L A S S

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A mincer is the most efficient piece of equipment for making mince meat.

Feed the meat through the mincer piece by piece, don’t force haphazardly or this will yield uneven textures within the mince.

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The friction of the plates in the mincer will generate heat. It’s important to moderate the temperature. If you are mincing a large amount of meat, stop between batches to re-chill equipment. You could do this quickly by rinsing in cold water or mincing some ice.

90VL

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80VL

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VEAL

DEA L

F E A T U R E

T W O

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According to the Handbook of Australian Meat, the official industry language of meat, produced

by AUS-MEAT, veal is a female bovine or a castrated/non-castrated male bovine with no evidence of adult incisor teeth (the front teeth).

Cattle can lose their milk teeth and start to grow their adult front teeth from about a year old.

VE AL ME AT COLOR V1

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F E A T U R E T W O

A veal carcase weighs between 70kg - 150kg and must weigh no more than 150kg.

All meat must show youthfulness and be of the veal colour range as per the AUS-MEAT standards.

Colours displayed show the darkest colour of each grading and is a guide only, not a true representation.

Traditions of veal rea r i ng a nd vea l butchery vary from country to country.

Veal in Australia is different from that of Europe. In Australia, we don't produce "white veal", which is from calves about 18 - 20 weeks old that are fed only milk, have their movement and exposure to sunlight restricted. Australia has a strict code of animal welfare practices which ensures the animals are reared in the open, in small groups and fed a diet of milk and grass or grain.

The flavour of veal Veal is very lean because it is derived from young animals that have had little time to lay down fat cover.

Veal is tender because it has not had the chance to fully develop muscles and connective tissue associated with older cattle.

Veal has a sweet and delicate flavour.

The shank, knuckle, rump (veal leg steaks are usually from the rump), schnitzel and parmigiana (from the silverside) are derived from the leg. Diced veal and thin slice for stir fry is usually prepared from the topside or knuckle. Hindquarter shin and Osso Buco come from the veal leg.

Veal rack, cutlets, tenderloin, backstrap and the eye of shortloin are derived from the loin. Veal T-bones come from the shortloin as well as fillet medallions from the tenderloin.

The forequarter provides the chuck (bone-in and boneless), blade, forequarter chops, forequarter shin and Osso Buco. Veal mince is prepared from veal trim, and diced veal can be prepared from veal chuck and blade.

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Veal Forequarter

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Veal Loin

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Veal Leg

ON T H E M E N U

LIFE BEYOND THE VEAL PARMI

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Sticky Balsamic Veal Ribs

Loosely based on a sandwich eaten by the editor of Rare Medium at Schnitzi Schnitzel Bar, Brooklyn, NY

M E N U

Israeli Schnitzel Sandwich

A shy apprentice NSW

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Dances of the Baby Bovine Chef Nick Finn The Highway, SA

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Char Grilled Veal Cutlet with Blood Orange bĂŠarnaise

Slow cooked Veal Shoulder with Pappardelle

Chef John Alexander Norman Hotel, QLD

Chef Michael Acevedo Greengate Hotel, NSW

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fo r 4 sambos

M E N U

Israeli Schnitzel Sandwich

Place three veal schnitzels on bottom half of each baguette, and cover with sauces. Top each with lettuce, tomatoes, remaining raw onions, cooked onions, and pickles, and cover with top half of baguette.

T H E

Loosely based on a sandwich eaten by the editor of Rare Medium at Schnitzi Schnitzel Bar, Brooklyn, NY

FO R T H E S C H N I T Z E L 4 cups flour

8 eggs, beaten + 4 cups breadcrumbs + ½ cup red chili flakes, crushed 12 veal schnitzels + salt and pepper, to taste + ¼ cup canola oil 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise + 4 30cm French baguettes, split sweet chili sauce to taste + 4 cups loosely packed romaine lettuce, shredded 3 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced + ½ cup dill pickles, sliced +

Place flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs mixed with chilli flakes in three separate shallow dishes; season flour and veal with salt and pepper. Working in batches, coat veal with flour, shaking off excess. Dip in eggs, dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add veal and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Once all schnitzels are cooked, add half the onions to pan and cook, stirring often, until soft and caramelized.

FOR THE PESTO SAUCE 6 ½ cups packed basil leaves + ¾ cup, plus 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbs toasted pine nuts + 3 cloves garlic + salt and pepper, to taste FO R T H E R E D C H I M I C H U R R I S AU C E ½ cup extra virgin olive oil + ¾ cup roasted red capsicum, roughly chopped ¼ cup distilled white vinegar + 1 ½ tbs salt + 1 tbs red wine vinegar 1 tbs sweet paprika + 1 tbs oregano, finely chopped 1 ½ tsp red chilli flakes, crushed + ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground ¼ tsp ground cumin + 3 cloves garlic + 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley MAKE THE PESTO a n d C H I M I C H U R R I S AU C E 1 4 .

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Combine basil, oil, nuts, garlic, and salt and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth; transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Clean food processor, add oil, capsicums, white vinegar, salt, wine vinegar, paprika, oregano, chilli flakes, pepper, cumin, garlic, parsley, and 1/4 cup water. Process until smooth; transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

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Sticky Balsamic Veal Ribs

FO R R I B S 3.5kg veal ribs 8 large garlic cloves 2 tbs rosemary, finely chopped 2 tbs packed dark brown sugar 2 tbs balsamic vinegar 1 tbs cayenne pepper 1 cup water salt and pepper, to taste

M E N U

FO R G L A Z E 2 cups hot water 1 cup balsamic vinegar ½ cup packed dark brown sugar

MARINATE a n d R OA S T R I B S ___Mince and mash garlic to a paste with 1 tsp salt. Stir together with rosemary, brown sugar, vinegar, cayenne, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Rub evenly all over ribs and transfer to roasting pans. Refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours. ___Preheat oven to 200°C. ___Pour 1/2 cup water into each roasting pan and tightly cover pans with foil. Roast ribs until meat is very tender; about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pans from oven and transfer ribs to a platter.

O N

T H E

M A K E G L A Z E and G R I L L R I B S ___Add 1 cup hot water to each roasting pan and scrape up brown bits. Skim off and discard fat. Transfer liquid to a skillet. Add vinegar and brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil until reduced to about 1 cup. ___Brush some glaze onto both sides of racks . Grill, turning occasionally, until ribs are hot and caramelised, about 6 minutes.

Brush ribs with more glaze and serve remaining glaze on the side.

O N T H E M E N U

serves 8

as a bar snack

A shy apprentice NSW

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Chef Nick Finn The Highway SA

I think veal makes a really classical dish. I love “ experimenting with a diverse range of products

and styles and, as you can see from my recipe – I place a lot of importance on the quality of produce, I try to stay local.

This particular dish sells very well, it’s a shared dish and Highway customers love those.

We also happen to love this dish as the GP on it is around 65%.

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L I M E S TO N E F R E E R A N G E V E A L 1. 5 KG ST R I P L I O N Trim and seal your striploin.

Sous vide for 45 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

2.8KG VEAL OP RIB RACK Clean and roast in an 180°C oven for 45 minutes. Rest.

(Each rack will weigh about 350g).

A D E L A I D E H I LL S H E I R LO O M TO M ATO E S Roast in oven with olive oil, seasoned with salt flakes.

O N

T H E

M E N U

CANDY BEETROOTS Boil until cooked, then peeled and finished in the oven.

Serve with red sorrel.

Served as a shared plate on a bed of curly Kale, finished with deep fried Covelo Nero. Slice striploin and rib rack and plate up in desired portion sizes.

Sauces for the dish are Newman horseradish and Beerenberg tomato chutney.

O N M E N U

Dances of the Baby Bovine

T H E

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serves 4

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T H E

M E N U

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Char Grilled Veal Cutlet with Blood Orange béarnaise

I wanted something different for a “ function menu but I needed to have

a consistent size and plate coverage.

We had incredible feedback from customers who compared the tenderness of the veal rib to eye fillet.

Our GP% on the dish was 65+, which the kitchen was happy with.

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Chef John Alexander Norman Hotel QLD

O N T H E

4 200g veal cutlets 12 asparagus spears (90mm long once prepped) 4 medium potatoes, washed 200g picked baby spinach 120g butter

When all the butter is added, remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the extra tarragon.

Season with pepper but taste before seasoning with salt. If you would like a stronger flavour, add a little reserved strained liquid until it is to your liking.

Serve immediately. Béarnaise sauce is not a hot sauce – it is usually served warm.

M E N U

This sauce will take up some time.

B LO O D O R A N G E B É A R N A I S E 3 blood oranges (2 to squeeze and 1 to segment) 10 black peppercorns 60ml blood orange juice (from the 2 blood oranges) 60ml white wine vinegar 60ml dry white wine 60g (about 2 large) eschalots, peeled and finely chopped 3 tbs fresh tarragon leaves and stems, finely chopped 3 egg yolks (at room temperature) 125g butter, cubed (at room temperature) 1 tbs fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped (extra) salt & ground black pepper to taste Pour the blood orange juice, white wine and the vinegar into a pan. Add in the pepper corns, eschalots, tarragon leaves and stems into a small pan and reduce by half.

Strain off the liquid into a bowl or jug.

Place a pan of water over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low so the water is barely simmering. Place the egg yolks and 2 tbs of the strained liquid in a heatproof bowl. Reserve the remaining strained liquid. Use a balloon whisk to whisk the egg yolk mixture until combined. Place over the simmering water and whisk constantly for 5-7 minutes or until a ribbon trail forms and holds its shape for about 15 seconds when the whisk is lifted. The bowl should be warm, but not too hot to handle.

___Pick the stems from 200g of baby spinach, place aside. ___120g of salted butter, diced ___Salt and pepper to taste Place in a bowl and mix together until butter is melted. Keep warm until required.

• VEAL CUTLETS • When cooking the veal cutlets, serve them at medium rare, no more than medium as you want to retain the maximum flavour of the veal. Cook them on the char grill for the 200g portions (three minutes each side for M/R).

Prepare and blanch asparagus.

To Plate

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Place the crushed potato, baby spinach and butter at the top of the plate, rest asparagus on the side of the crushed potato. Place the veal cutlet, spoon over the Béarnaise sauce. Garnish with some segments of blood orange and cracked black pepper.

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Add the butter to the sauce one cube at a time, whisking constantly and adding each cube only when the previous one melts and is thoroughly combined (this process should take up to 10 minutes). The sauce will lose some volume, but should still have a thick, aerated texture. If the butter is added too quickly, the sauce may lose too much volume. As you add the butter, keep checking that the bowl is not overheating.

CRUSHED POTATOES: ___Steam off 4 medium potatoes. Once cooked, cool and then dice into 2cm squares.

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M E N OU N E

Slow cooked Veal Shoulder with Pappardelle

O F N E A T U TR HE E

1 veal shoulder 100ml olive oil 200ml red wine merlot 250g carrot, diced 250g onion, diced ½ celery stick, diced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2kg tomato, seeds removed and diced 4 bay leaves 1 bunch thyme, chopped 2L vegetable stock 30g flaked sea salt 5g ground black pepper 1 bunch parsley, chopped 1 bunch sage, chopped

Chef Michael Acevedo Greengate Hotel NSW Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add oil and brown veal shoulder well.

Remove shoulder and sautĂŠ all vegetables. Add garlic and herbs then deglaze with red wine and reduce. Add vegetable stock and tomato. Gently simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on.

After 15 minutes submerge the shoulder. Replace lid and cook slowly in the oven at 160°C for 3 hours.

Remove from oven and remove shoulder. Leave lid off the pot and place on burner.

Shred the shoulder with tongs or two forks and return meat to the pot. Continue to cook to reduce sauce to the desired consistency.

Blanch the pappardelle half cooked then add to the pot. Toss the pasta through to finish cooking and fully coat pasta with sauce.

Just before serving, check the seasoning and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and either shaved Manchego or Pecorino.

HANDMADE PA PPA R D E LLE 360g Italian flour 10 egg yolks 2 whole Eggs

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___Place flour in a medium sized bowl or directly on the workbench.

Make a well in the centre. ___In a small bowl, mix egg yolks and egg together. Pour all eggs into the well in the flour. Alternately, break eggs directly into the flour well. ___Begin to mix, slowly drawing in flour from the sides gradually to make a paste. This can be done with your fingers or with a fork. ___As the mixture begins to thicken up, begin to mix with your hand or a dough scraper. Once all of the flour is incorporated and the dough has formed, turn out onto the bench. ___Clean your hands and begin to knead the pasta dough. ___The dough will become very smooth and elastic. This will take 5-15 minutes. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to rest before rolling. ___Roll through your pasta machine stopping at the third setting. Hand cut 2cm wide. Set aside.

F E A T U R E

T H R E E

Three New Kings

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F E A T U R E T H R E E 2 4

Rarely do you see a menu without it.

Scotch is massive in a pub with its ribbon of fat melting as it cooks on the grill. Rump is also a pub fav; however there are 17 other steak cuts on a carcase, one of which was only discovered a few years ago in the US, the Denver. Different steaks can offer a point of difference on the steak menus, yield better returns on plate profits (many of them are non-loin cuts), and allow you to raise the quality bar by offering a cut of steak that isn’t as well known but eats beautifully (try branded beef to maintain that constancy of quality). Here are three steaks that are sure to impress.

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2 6 T H R E E F E A T U R E

With its beefy flavour and ease of preparation, flank steak is a favourite.

This long and flat cut, from just below the Short Loin, is quite lean and has a distinctive longitudinal grain — which means it is imperative to slice the steak thinly across the grain before serving. This coarse grain also means that the flank steak is very porous so perfect for marinating.

Plus, there is no waste due to any gristle, fat or bone. There are two flank steaks per carcase. Each flank weighs between 600-800g so, depending on the size, can serve 2-4 people. The Flank must be served medium rare.

CAFÉ DE PARIS BUTTER 500g butter, softened • 30g tomato sauce • 1 tbs Dijon mustard • 1 tbs baby capers, washed 3 eschalots, coarsely chopped • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked & roughly chopped 1 bunch chives, coarsely chopped • 1 tsp dill sprigs, chopped • 1/2 tsp marjoram, dried 1 pinch dried rosemary, chopped • 1 clove garlic • 4 anchovy fillets • 1 tbs brandy 1 tbs Madeira or Malmsey • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp mild curry powder • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed • zest of 1/2 lemon zest of 1/2 orange • juice of 1 lemon • 1 tsp sea salt /o n e/ Remove butter from refrigerator 30 minutes before using. Beat butter until very soft and aerated.

The butter will become almost white at this stage. Combine the other ingredients (except the butter) in food processor and process until well pureed. /t w o/ Fold puree into the beaten butter. /t h r e e/ Form the butter into a log on glad wrap or baking paper, shape and freeze until required.

BLACK GARLIC BUTTER 150g unsalted butter, softened • 5 cloves black garlic, peeled and pounded • salt & pepper to taste /o n e/ Blend all ingredients together using a food processor. /t w o/ Roll into a sausage shape using cling

wrap and keep in the fridge or freezer. Sliced as required.

CHIPOTLE BUTTER 1/4 cup butter, softened • 1 tbs shallots, chopped • 1 tbs fresh coriander, chopped 1 tbs chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped • 1 tsp lime juice Combine all ingredients and mix until evenly blended.

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The often overlooked Chuck Eye steak is separated from the Rib Eye at the sixth rib on a carcase, and it shares many characteristics with the Rib Eye, but for a much better price. With many different muscles running through it, the boneless Chuck Eye steak is not a particularly pretty piece of meat, but it is well-marbled with fat, quite tender, and very tasty. Chuck Eye steak is often braised because it has some gristle, but it also takes happily to the grill if it is not overcooked.

SERVES

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4 x 250g chuck eye steaks 4 bacon slices 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups onion, thinly sliced 1 cup water

/o n e/ Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving

fat in skillet. Crumble the bacon. /t w o/ Meanwhile, pound steaks between sheets of plastic wrap using flat side of a meat pounder. Snip through any gristle with kitchen shears (to prevent curling), then pat steaks dry. /t h r e e/ Mix together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and dredge steaks on all sides, shaking off excess. /f o u r/ Heat reserved bacon fat over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown steaks on both sides in batches; transfer to a plate. /f iv e/ Add onion to skillet, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits, until softened and browned, about 10 minutes. /si x/ Add steaks and any meat juices to the skillet.

Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer, tightly covered, over low heat until meat is very tender, about 1 1/4 hours. If sauce is thin, transfer meat to a platter and boil until reduced to about 1 cup.

Season steaks with salt and pepper.

+++++ Serve with sauce, onions and bacon.

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Denver steaks are cut from the chuck undercut. The chuck undercut is prepared from the chuck roll and sits underneath the chuck eye log. Denver steaks perform best when cut from highly marbled meat that has been aged for a minimum of 14 days.

1 onion, sliced • 1 tbs butter • 1 tbs olive oil • 2 x 250g Denvers, sliced 1/2 tsp garlic, minced • 1 tsp Worcestershire • salt & pepper to taste 2 soft white rolls, known as Hoagie rolls in Philadephia • cheese sauce to serve /o n e/ In a pan over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. When butter melts add onion. Cook

until onions start to turn brown and caramelise. Remove and set aside. /t w o/ In the same pan add Denver steak slices, garlic, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Cook until meat is medium rare. Rest. /t h r e e/ Toast the white rolls under the grill, layer the meat, onions and cheese sauce on the roll.

+++++ Serve hot.

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CHEESE SAUCE 2 tbs butter • milk • 1 tbs flour • 60g cream cheese, softened 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded • Kosher salt & pepper to taste /o n e/ In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When butter has melted, whisk in flour.

Cook for 1 minute. /t w o/ Slowly stir in milk. /t h r e e/ Stir in cream cheese and shredded cheddar and cook until melted. /f o u r/ Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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W O N D E R S

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W O N D E R S

Lamb mince is used in cuisines around the world to make some classic dishes such as Greek Moussaka, Spanish Empanada, Lebanese Kibbee, Turkish Kofte, Syrian Chiche Barak, English Sheppard’s Pie, Turkish Gozleme, Sri Lankan Frikadells or Moroccan lamb mince tagine.

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Lamb mince is an economical way to showcase the fantastic flavours and creative possibilities of lamb. It allows for recipe development that crosses over entrée and main courses, as well as bar snacks, finger food, tapas menus, children’s menus and high volume catering.

It can be baked, stir fried, pan fried, poached, used as a stuffing or stuffed with something.

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By combining lamb’s ability to partner with so many flavours with lamb’s cooking versatility, the opportunity to put a twist on dishes is multiplied. How about a Latino lamb burger with chipotle mayonnaise and queso fresco, lamb meatloaf, lamb and fennel meatballs, lamb san choy bow, lamb pizza, or simple but tasty lamb rissoles.

To make the perfect patty for burgers, make sure the raw patty overhangs the bun by half an inch to allow for shrinkage. Make a slight well in the centre to compensate for the edges shrinking more than the middle during cooking and this will result in a perfectly flat cooked burger patty.

Baking is a variation of roasting that suits mince meals. For a twist on meatloaf, use lamb instead. When baking, use mince that is not too lean to keep the dish moist.

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Sear or sauté the mince before adding other ingredients to caramelise the sugars in the meat and bring out its natural sweetness. Cooking lamb mince with a bit of liquid over a low heat helps to ensure the flavours and juiciness of the mince is retained.

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LAMB MOUSSAKA ROLLS W O N D E R S

TO TASTE: freshly grated nutmeg

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100ml canola oil — 2kg lamb mince 4 onions, thinly sliced — 4 cloves garlic, crushed 50g tomato paste — 2 L (4 cups) beef stock 400g canned crushed tomatoes — 1/2 cinnamon quill 1 pinch dried oregano — 2 desiree potatoes, sliced 5mm thick 2 eggplants, sliced 1 cm thick — 8 crusty rolls passata di pomodoro to serve

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Ingredients >

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE 50g unsalted butter — 50g plain flour — 550ml milk 50g parmesan, finely grated — 50g Kefalotiri, finely grated

(if you can't find Kefalotiri cheese, substitute Romano or Parmesan)

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Method >

W O N D E R S

Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat half the oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add lamb mince, season to taste and turn occasionally until golden. Remove and set aside. Add onion and garlic to pan, stir occasionally until golden. Add tomato paste and stir continuously for 2 minutes, then add stock, tomato, cinnamon and oregano and bring to a simmer. Return lamb mince and add potato to pan and bake until potato is cooked through, set aside to cool .

2 … Strain liquid, leaving enough liquid to moisten the meat. Season to taste and set aside. 3 … Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over high heat until smoking. Fry eggplant in batches, turning once, until golden.

Drain on absorbent paper and set aside. For cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add flour and stir frequently until combined. Add milk 50ml at a time, stirring well after each addition, until all milk is incorporated. Stir occasionally until thick (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in cheeses, season to taste and set aside to keep warm. 4 … Increase oven to 180°C. Layer eggplant and lamb mixture and then pour over the béchamel. Bake for 30 minutes.

5 … Slice pieces to suit shape and size of rolls. Squeeze moussaka into the centre and top with warm passata sauce.

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Method >

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W O N D E R S

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Combine sugar, yeast, and 3⁄4 cup water heated to 115˚C in a small bowl; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Combine flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add yeast mixture and stir to form a dough. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth (about 6 minutes). 2 … Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Punch down dough, divide into 4 portions, and roll each portion into a ball. Transfer dough balls to a floured baking sheet. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rest for 45 minutes. 3 … Meanwhile, make the topping: In a large bowl, combine oil, tomato paste, parsley, cayenne, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon and stir vigorously with a fork.

Stir in lamb, garlic, tomatoes, onions, and chillies and season with salt. Set topping aside. 4 … Put a pizza stone in bottom third of oven and heat oven to 250°C. Working with one dough ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll dough into a 25cm disk. Brush off excess flour. Spoon 3–4 tablespoons topping onto dough and using your fingers, spread topping evenly to edges. Season with salt. Transfer to baking stone. Bake until dough is golden brown and topping is cooked. Repeat with remaining dough and topping.

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Serve warm or at room temperature.

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C U T W O N D E R S

LAHMACUN Ingredients >

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1 tsp sugar 1 1⁄4 oz package active dry yeast 2 cups flour, plus more 1 1⁄2 tsp salt, plus more 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 tbs tomato paste 1 tbs flat-leaf parsley, minced 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper 1⁄4 tsp ground cumin 1⁄4 tsp sweet paprika 1⁄8 tsp ground cinnamon 100g ground lamb 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tomato, grated 1 small onion, grated 1⁄2 serrano chilli, stemmed, seeded, and minced

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W O N D E R S

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GOOD OLD SHEPHERD'S PIE

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Preheat oven to 220°C. Heat a large pan over high heat. In two batches, cook lamb until no longer pink (about 5 minutes per batch). Transfer lamb to a colander set in a bowl; let fat drain off and discard. 2 … Add 1/4 cup water to the pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and carrots.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 minutes). Stir in tomato paste.

Add flour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. 3 … Add Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups water and lamb. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Divide among eight 250g ramekins.

4 … Make potato mash and spread over pies. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

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Method >

C U T

900g lamb mince — 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 carrots, coarsely chopped — 2 tbs tomato paste 2 tbs flour — 1 to 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce coarse salt and ground pepper — 280g peas 1.5kg mashing potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 cup milk — 6 tbs butter

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Ingredients >

Serve with tomato sauce.

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4 0 S I Z E D

The meat of a young animal is almost always juicier than that of an older animal.

A younger animal’s muscles have more water and less protein than those of an older animal. The collagen is also weaker in young animals, which means that less moisture is squeezed out as the meat is cooking.

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The sizzle of the steak in the pan. The sound comes from juices dropping off the steak and steaming off the hot pan. If searing seals in juices, there would be no sizzle.

When turning your the steak you can see red droplets of moisture pooling on the surface as the other side cooks. If searing sealed in the juices - how are these little gems escaping?

When lifting your steaks out to rest, who here hasn’t left behind some brown juice?

Don’t mistake it for the butter you used to baste the steak while cooking - this juice leaked out of your meat!

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The cloud you see wafting from the surface of a seared steak is nothing but moisture evaporating from your steak.

So much for sealing in the juices.

Brown juices on the resting plate. Even before you cut into the steak, it’s leaking some of its juices.

We sear because of the lovely brown crust it creates... nothing more.

B I T E

(Myhrvold, Young & Bilet. Modernist cuisine: Animals and Plants, 2011)

veal c u t s char t

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chuck short ribs

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topside

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blade

brisket [ 08 ]

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rump

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shank

knuckle [ 09 ]

loin

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silverside rack

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MUSTARD ONIONS M O M E N T A R Y

2 brown onions

nail stout (or any dark stout) 60g butter 2 tbs seeded mustard salt to taste

> Sweat onions until soft with butter. Pour in beer and reduce.

Drain off excess liquid and mix through mustard and seasoning.

Set aside.

TOMATO CHILLI RELISH tomatoes (very ripe) 3 chillies, roughly chop 1 onion, cut into wedges 4 cloves garlic, sliced 1 ginger root, grated 3 tbs balsamic vinegar 100g brown sugar olive oil

M O M E N T A R Y

1 long Turkish bread or good quality continental loaf toasted 8 slices Swiss cheese 150g 4 scotch fillet, cooked to your liking

fresh baby roquette mustard onions tomato relish garlic aioli

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Assemble together

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> In a roasting pan combine all ingredients. Add a good slug of olive oil and mix with your hands.

Sprinkle with salt and roast for 40 minutes or until the tomatoes are browned and onions are caramelised.

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T H A N K YO U FO R R E A D I N G

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

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