Top Tips for a Tops Steak 2008-08-19

I've got a bit of a secret that I want to share with you guys, because honestly...everyone deserves to know how to cook a good steak. I've had my fair share of average steaks, so hopefully sharing some tips will ensure that fewer people have to suffer through that chew-it-fifty-five-times-before-you-swallow-it agony... So here we go:

1. Season meat: a smear of olive oil and a nice grind of salt and pepper blend (I recommend using black, white, pink and green peppercorns)
2. For medium-rare: cook it 3min lengthways on a fairly hot grill, then turn it at a right angle across the grill to get the criss-crossed charcoaled pattern. Cook for another 3 mins. Repeat on reverse side. Cook for 12 mins tops.
3. Rest: loosely wrap in foil and rest of 7-8 mins before serving.
4. Eat! Alyways with a great cab. sauv. or a nice Bordeaux

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KING ISLAND BEEF TARTARE 2008-08-19

How many people could say that they have ever prepared beef tartare (or have prepared it and confidently served to guests...)? It's a dish that lots of people shy away from, following the logic of "it's raw; it must need a professional to prepare it", but I've got to tell you it's so easy! (And don't stress with the number of ingredients - I guarantee you'll have at least 95% of them in your cupboard already...)

Ingredients
2 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup shallots-finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp barbecue sauce
2 tbsp chopped fine herbs
Splash Tabasco
1 tbsp soy sauce
500g freshly diced grass beef tenderloin

Method
Put anchovies, garlic, capers and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a chilled medium-size mixing bowl. Mash to make a paste. Whisk egg yolks through paste with fork first, then mustard. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly until incorporated. Stir through remaining salt, black pepper and all sauces.
Add beef and mix well with a wooden spoon. Taste to determine seasoning.

To serve
Mound beef tartare in the center of a large cold plate, place an egg yolk in the centre and garnish with croutons or chargrilled sourdough.

Tip
It is also delicious with a simple mesculun salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
This is a slight deviation from a classical recipe, if you like your tartare slightly spicier, just add more off the different sauces!!

Yield
about 8 appetizer servings (more...)

Congrats to my team... 2008-09-26

Last month the boys and I entered the Fonterra Food Services Culinary Challenge at Fine Food Australia and I'm thrilled to say we won!

No small sum either - we shared the $10,000 between us (Jade Brandreth, Alan Davies and myself) and I was quite happy to spend my share on a holiday in Sydney.

We were up against the best in the business, competing against teams from Hotel Sofitel and Atlantic Group, and were judged to the highest standards. Our temporary kitchen was no larger than 10m squared and we had to prepare everything from scratch - nothing was allowed to be brought in from off-site aside from the odd condiment.

Whilst the boys and I are certainly accustomed to preparing top-quality food for large functions, doing it in a small, temporary kitchen with judges hovering near by certainly tested our under-pressure skills!

For the two-course a la carte menu for 30 pax we chose:

· Butter poached Western Australian marron, foie gras and chicken liver parfait, apple jelly and Sauternes reduction

· Assiette of new season lamb, white asparagus, minted pea puree, rosemary and morel velouté

The dishes are on our spring menu, so I invite you all to come in and sample the winning dishes! (more...)

Best Steak Restaurant in Australia - well done boys! 2008-10-30

At the risk of looking like a bit of a bragger, I just had to tell you all about our most recent win at the Restaurant & Catering Awards for Excellence, who crowned us "Best Steak Restaurant in Australia".

As you can imagine, the boys and I were stoked with this recognition, particularly as it is judged by the general public. They're the people we want to impress - everyday people who walk through our doors - and I feel that this award is a true reflection of what we are acheiving in the restaurant everyday.

We're pretty serious about our meat at The Point and really strive to deliver the most diverse and in-depth beef experience to guests. We source premium-grade meats from some of the country’s most reputable suppliers, dry age them in on-site facilities and prepare the cuts in a range of traditional and contemporary styles.

As you can tell, I'm pretty proud of our craft! And am stoked to see that our customers are too. Thanks to all those who voted.... (more...)

Summer's Coming...And it's Best Enjoyed with Fresh Seafood! 2008-11-27

Well, summer's almost here (three days, and counting!) so I thought I'd share a couple of my favourite summer recipes with you... Aussie crayfish is always a favourite and this dish, laden with citrus as it is, really brings out its best flavours. I've also added a nice Asian lime dressing - it's so easy and is a great match for most summer seafoods. I've paired it with oysters here, but it's also make a nice dressing for a summer salad or ceviche.

Grilled King Island crayfish and summer citrus salad

Ingredients:
One crayfish (approx 500g per person)
1 x lime
1 x orange
1 x ruby red grapefruit
1 x lemon
1 x mandarin
1 x blood orange
1 bunch watercress
Medium-sized witlof (red or yellow)
Mixed fresh herbs: your choice of chervil, tarragon, chives, parsley or dill
1 fennel bulb (shaved finely)

Vinaigrette:
75ml mixed citrus juice
200ml quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Pinch of sugar

Split crayfish lengthways using a long sharp knife. Remove the "inners tube" and rinse crayfish clean. Brush the meat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place flesh side down on a char grill or directly onto the BBQ. Cook for approx 7-8 mins, turn and cook shell side down until meat comes away easily from the shell when touched. The flesh should be slightly opaque at the thickest point – you want it cooked to "medium" not overcooked or dry. In a bowl, combine citrus segments, picked herbs, shaved fennel and witlof dress. Dress with citrus vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:
Place 1/2 a crayfish per person, flesh side up on a large plate
Place citrus salad into head cavity and drizzle the remaining citrus and olive oil dressing directly over flesh. Garnish with a lemon or lime cheek.

Fresh shucked oysters with Asian lime dressing

Ingredients:
3 limes; juiced
150ml peanut oil
25ml Mirin
30ml rice wine vinegar
30ml good light soy sauce
Knob grated ginger

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until combined. Drizzle over oysters and garnish with fried shallots and freshly chopped coriander.

Our Sommelier, Tim Cohen, tells me these dishes are best enjoyed with a zingy Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris. (more...)