Meat, poultry and game
Getting started: meat, poultry and game
Raw meat has long been a favourite in Italy, so when Northern Italian Emma Morgano celebrated her 117th birthday, she revealed that her secret was eating a little raw minced (ground) meat every day… along with three eggs, two of them also raw. As good a reason as any for giving these delicious raw meat dishes a go.
The butcher’s block
If you have a traditional butcher on your high street, or in your local farm shop, that is where you should shop for meat, as they will know where their meat comes from. However, if you want less mainstream meats such as venison, wild boar, kid, veal and so on, you may have to order it in advance, or shop around further.
Tell your expert butcher what you want and, especially, how you are going to prepare it. Fillets and loins are the best cuts to go for to eat raw, as they offer the most tender meat. Rump (top round) and sirloin (short loin) steaks are good, too. Fillet (tenderloin) tails are excellent; your butcher will usually have these, but not often on show, and they are excellent value for money, especially when you want to slice the meat thinly in a recipe. Skirt is good for marinated dishes. All of my recipes recommend the best cuts and types of meats to use.
Choosing raw meat
Meats such as pork, rabbit, veal, lamb and kid should look fresh and pink. (Pork is quite safe to eat raw nowadays, but I find raw pork tastes of the farmyard and prefer to eat it cooked.) Beef, venison and wild boar should be dark red.
The cuts of meat should be the same colour all the way through, showing no signs of browning around the outside, which might well indicate it is not as fresh as you would like.
I do not recommend eating chicken or other poultry raw, or any game birds that have been well hung. However, farmed duck breast makes a great smoked or seared dish (see here and here).
Preparing raw meat
When it comes to preparing it at home, there is no more danger in eating fresh raw meat than cooked meat. Some of us do, some don’t; some will, some won’t. The most important rule to observe when serving and eating raw meat, as already mentioned, is to always buy it from a reliable local source that knows the provenance of the animals they sell. I don’t (and wouldn’t) buy meat in a supermarket to eat raw, for this reason.
After you buy your meat, refrigerate it. Always slice, chop or mince (grind) the meat yourself, using scrupulously clean equipment, under hygienic conditions (see box, here). Contamination generally occurs during unseen, unhygienic processing, not under domestic kitchen conditions, as long as you follow the rules.
Raw meat dishes: carpaccio and la carne cruda
The Italians are masters at raw meat, the literal meaning of carne cruda. The original dish of rose veal, sliced paper-thin, came from Alba in Piedmont, Italy. Carpaccio was created much later, as a dish of thinly sliced beef, but the term has gone viral and is now used globally to describe anything, raw or otherwise, that is thinly sliced.
Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy, and his son Arrigo, first developed a dish of very thinly carved raw fillet (tenderloin) steak dressed with a light mayonnaise sauce in the mid-20th century, to please one of their rich clients. At the time there was in the city a show of the work of the 16th-century Venetian School painter, Vittorio Carpaccio. Carpaccio’s paintings are known for their bright (raw beef) red and, when Cipriani saw a poster advertising the exhibition, he coined the name for his recipe. The dish caught on and the rest is history… or is it?
Because there was a thinly sliced, raw meat dish known as La cruda all’albese or Insalata di carne cruda (literally ‘salad of raw meat’) in Piedmont in Northern Italy long before then. It consists of thinly sliced fillet (tenderloin) of beef or veal with white truffle and extra virgin olive oil. Beyond the truffle season, the beef is sometimes topped with thinly sliced porcini or ovoli mushrooms, or simply with rocket (arugula) leaves and Parmesan shavings. This original dish, today, has come to be incorrectly but almost universally known as carpaccio. The Italian regions are proud of their heritage and are outstandingly partisan, so it’s important to make this distinction clear.
There are myriad variations on the theme: olive oil, lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper are pretty much constants, not to forget the garnish of rocket (arugula) leaves, or sliced artichokes, mushrooms or other vegetables. Other citrus fruit juices can be used instead of lemon; fresh herbs, pestos made with herbs and nuts; toasted almonds, pistachios and pine nuts; balsamic vinegar, chilli and tomato all take their bows. And the cheese need not start and finish with Parmesan; Gorgonzola, pecorino and even Stilton works.
However, call it carpaccio or carne cruda, the meat is sliced and laid out on plates, the garnish added, the dressing poured over and the dish served straight away, to stunning effect.
Slicing raw beef for carpaccio
I use wagyu in one of the recipes in this section. Wagyu means ‘Japanese beef’. Its chief characteristic is the heavy marbling of fat, resembling the veins of a cabbage leaf (see photo, here). It is butter-tender, exquisitely flavoured, juicy… and hugely expensive. It is a real and rare treat and is now available overseas.
Australian ‘wagyu’ has been around for some time, and beef breeders across the world are giving it a try. However, my opinion is that made in Japan is the only way to go if you want wagyu! The secret is not just in the breed, but in how it is bred.
Slices of wagyu (Japanese beef)
◁ Harry’s Bar carpaccio
We can’t be certain where the original carpaccio recipe came from. What we do know is that it was a plate of thinly sliced fillet (tenderloin) of beef served with a thin mayonnaise dressing. The mayonnaise was diluted – possibly with water or milk – spiked with whisky or brandy and flavoured with Worcestershire sauce and / or Tabasco. Some say an inflection of ketchup adds a pleasing note of sweetness. However, in my mind – tainted as it is by lurid, pink thousand island dressings – I cannot even contemplate the idea. Some versions include lemon juice, but this would surely ‘cook’ the meat and spoil the dish. So this is my interpretation. The dressing can be made in advance and stored in the fridge.
Serves 8 small or 4 regular portions
400g (14oz) chilled fillet (tenderloin) steak
1 × quantity Home-made mayonnaise (see here)
2 teaspoons brandy
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
4 tablespoons water
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Freeze the meat for 90 minutes before slicing, as this will help with the cutting process. It is always best to cut the meat and serve it straight away, but you may prefer to slice it up to 2 hours before serving (pile the meat on a plate, cover completely with cling film / plastic wrap and refrigerate until required). It will still be good.
Put the mayonnaise in a mixing bowl or jug and add the brandy, Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces and the water, to dilute it to a pouring consistency. Cover and put in the fridge until required.
Divide the steak between plates and add the dressing. Serve straight away, offering salt flakes and pepper at the table.
VARIATIONS: Add 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish or wasabi to the dressing for extra fire; or try sprinkling the carpaccio with chopped capers, or anchovies and grated Parmesan cheese, for more depth of flavour.
◁ La carne cruda all’albese
Long before the much-celebrated carpaccio was dreamed up in Venice, Italy, la carne cruda all’albese was a well-known antipasto speciality from Alba, popular throughout the whole of the Italian Piedmont region. It consists of raw, thinly sliced or finely chopped veal, in a lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil dressing, fragranced with garlic. In autumn, the lemon juice is omitted and shavings of Alba’s famous white truffle are added. Porcini or ovoli mushrooms are also popular additions. These raw meat antipasti have become universally but incorrectly known as carpacci.
Serves 4
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, squashed with the side of a knife and peeled
pinch of fine sea salt and a grinding of freshly ground black pepper
400g (14oz) chilled fillet of rose veal, frozen for 90 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice, thinly sliced (see here)
Put the oil in a screw-top jar with the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal with the lid and shake well.
When ready to serve, lay the meat out on a large plate and splash the dressing over it all. It is traditional to do this 15 minutes before serving, to ‘cook’ or denature the meat in the lemon juice, but if you prefer your meat au naturel, add the dressing just before serving. Serve straight away.
VARIATIONS: Omit the lemon juice and add shaved white truffle. If you want to add porcini or ovoli mushrooms, keep one-third of the dressing back to marinate the thinly sliced mushrooms separately, then arrange them sparingly on top of the meat before serving.
◁ Fillet (tenderloin) steak rags with horseradish-blackberry dipping sauce
The combination of raw meat and acidic fruit is delicious. Keep the dish seasonal by varying the fruit as the year progresses, trying loganberries or mulberries in summer. I have added horseradish to this dipping sauce, but experiment with mustard and other spicy condiments instead. Make the dipping sauce in advance; it will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.
Serves 8 small or 4 regular portions
For the dipping sauce
300g (101/2oz/2 cups) blackberries, plus 100g (31/2oz/2/3 cup) more to serve
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1–2 tablespoons finely grated horseradish, to taste
1 tablespoon wine vinegar, or to taste
2–3 teaspoons brandy, to taste
For the steak
400g (14oz) fillet (tenderloin) steak
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely grated horseradish, or to taste, plus more to serve
handful of small edible flowers, petals, leaves or a few sprigs of herbs, according to season
Crush and sieve the blackberries in a mouli-légumes (food mill), or push them through a sieve with the back of a spoon. Put the purée into a pan with the sugar and horseradish, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce by one-third. Push through a sieve once more. Add the vinegar and brandy and leave to cool.
When ready to serve, slice the steak thinly and divide among individual plates.
Finely chop any meat trimmings to create a tartare, season with salt, pepper and a dab of horseradish and mix lightly with 1 tablespoon of the dipping sauce. Place a small pile of these trimmings on each serving of carpaccio and garnish with a whole blackberry and a couple of edible flowers, or a sprig of herbs.
Pour the dipping sauce into shot glasses or small bowls and put on the side of each plate. Sprinkle the meat with sea salt flakes and serve straight away.
VARIATIONS: Use Worcestershire, Tabasco or other spicy sauce instead of finely grated horseradish. If you don’t have fresh horseradish, use ready-made. Use raspberries, tayberries and so on according to what is in season. Experiment with venison, rabbit, lamb and kid fillets.
◁ Wagyu with burdock and lotus root
The inspiration for this dish was my favourite breakfast salad at the Ginza, Mitsui Garden Hotel, in Tokyo. Both lotus and burdock root were new to me as ingredients, so imagine my delight at finding them back home at a Japanese supplier. Wagyu can be bought pre-sliced, a blessing given its high price ticket. If lotus roots and burdock elude you, substitute 1–2 sweet potatoes and 1 bunch of thick local asparagus spears respectively.
Serves 4 as a starter (appetizer)
For the beef and salad
1–2 lotus roots
salt
2 burdock roots
3 tablespoons rapeseed (canola) oil
1 teaspoon sake
1 teaspoon mirin
1 teaspoon soy sauce
150g (51/2oz) paper-thin ready-sliced chilled wagyu
For the dressing
100ml (31/2fl oz/scant 1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon anchovy sauce, or mashed anchovy, or French mustard
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Scrub the lotus roots carefully, so as not to bruise or damage them. Immerse in a pan of cold salted water over a medium-high heat and boil until tender, say 20–30 minutes, depending on size. Test for doneness with the point of a sharp knife; they should be tender all the way through. Drain, cool, then slice thinly.
Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar, seal and shake well. Set aside.
Scrub the burdock roots, immerse in cold water and cut into 3cm (11/4in) lengths. Place a wok over a high heat, adding the rapeseed oil and the burdock root pieces and stir-fry, adding a good pinch of salt. Turn once, then add the sake, mirin and soy sauce. Fry for about 5 more minutes, then transfer the burdock to a plate and leave to cool. Deglaze the wok with 50ml (13/4fl oz/scant 1/4 cup) water and pour over the lotus root slices.
When both the lotus and burdock roots have cooled, cut the wagyu into 12 × 5 × 3cm (41/2 × 2 × 11/4in) rectangles and roll each piece of burdock root in a rectangle of meat. Chill.
Arrange 3 slices of lotus root on each serving plate, or serve on a large platter and let everyone help themselves. Put a burdock and wagyu roll in the middle of each piece of lotus root and serve with the dressing, shaking it first, to emulsify once again.
Tartare
I have always loved a steak tartare and go out of my way to eat it when I am in France. But I was delighted to discover recently that it is also popular in Germany, where it is served with rye bread. Try it, they are made for each other! You will find the French and German versions here, along with a couple of my own inventions.
The word ‘tartare’ is often used to describe any raw meat, fish or vegetable dish in which the principal ingredient is chopped up or minced (ground) rather than sliced. The finished tartare is either hand-shaped into a doughnut shape, fashioned into quenelles with two large spoons, or shaped with tian moulds and served on a decorated plate.
The origins of what is generally accepted as a French speciality – steak tartare – are unclear, but we do know that it was a popular dish in Germany as far back as the Middle Ages. German immigrants introduced the dish, along with hamburgers and other iconic dishes, to North America, giving rise to tartare’s other name, biftek à l’Américaine. It is not unreasonable to suppose that the genre was originally German, as raw meat dishes seem to have cropped up wherever the German diaspora landed. In Chile, German immigrants created what they called crudos (Spanish for ‘raw’) around the ranching communities. Some tartare recipes also contain lime or lemon juice and jalapeño chillies, which would indicate some South American or Mexican cross-pollination of the recipe at some stage. What is certain is that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that tartare was originally created by the Tartars! This said, it is of course probable that they, just like other peoples, ate raw meat.
Veal fillet
In France, steak tartare is made by mixing the chopped sirloin (short loin) steak (or horse meat) with raw egg, Worcestershire or Tabasco sauce and seasoning. Optional extras served alongside could include gherkins (dill pickles), capers, mayonnaise, various cheeses, herbs such as parsley, onion and garlic.
In Germany, Tatar is very much a summer dish and has two classifications: Rindstatar, made with beef, and Schweinemett, made with pork or a mixture of pork and beef. The former is a more expensive gourmet treat, the latter more workaday.
The flavourings for the meat vary according to region. Classically it is flavoured with raw egg and some salt and freshly ground white pepper, but garlic, caraway seeds and paprika are also traditional. Given the German love of gherkins (dill pickles), these can be served on the side.
Other global classic raw meat dishes
Thailand has its own raw beef recipe, koi soi, from the North Eastern Isaan area, made of finely chopped raw beef, fish sauce, chilli, lime juice and fresh herbs. Korean yukhoe (see here) is made with beef strips mixed with soy, rice wine, sesame oil and sesame seeds topped with egg yolk, green chilli strips and garlic. Sometimes a salad of leaves, and / or a julienne of onions and carrot are served stirred into the salad. Another Korean dish, gan hoe, is made with raw beef liver in a sauce of sesame oil and salt.
Hand-mincing raw fillet (tenderloin) tail of beef for tartare
◁ Classic steak tartare
This recipe is based on the definition in my copy of Larousse Gastronomique: ‘à la tartare is the name given to minced beef steak seasoned with salt and pepper, re-shaped into a steak and served uncooked with a raw egg on top and on the side, capers, raw onion and parsley.’ Importantly, the word for ‘mince’ in French (hacher) is most accurately translated as ‘finely chopped’. Whatever you do, don’t use a food processor to chop the meat… unless you want a sloppy mess.
Serves 4
400g (14oz) home hand-minced (hand-ground) lean sirloin (short-loin) steak (see recipe introduction), fridge-cold
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
4 fresh free-range egg yolks
Home-made mayonnaise, to serve (optional, see here)
Carefully and judiciously season the finely chopped steak with salt and pepper, taste and then shape into 4 flat rounds. Arrange each to the side of a serving plate. Push the back of a spoon into the centres to create craters for the egg yolks.
Mix the shallot and parsley in a small bowl and divide among the 4 plates, putting a neat heap on each. Divide the chopped capers in the same way.
Put an egg yolk in the hollow on top of each tartare and serve straight away, with Home-made mayonnaise if you like, and brown sourdough bread. A match made in heaven!
◁ Tartare: my way
This is my own tried-and-tested variation on the classic theme. Serve as a main course or a starter (appetizer) or – as shown here– on tasting spoons nestling on a tray of ice, as a surprising and reviving canapé. Try playing with your favourite flavours, adding mustards, horseradish, ketchup and so forth. This recipe can also be adapted to include Japanese, South American or Thai flavourings, so create your very own mash-up tartare. Also try using other meats, such as venison, veal or kid.
Serves 8 as a starter (appetizer), or makes 30 tasting spoons
For the tartare
400g (14oz) home hand-minced (hand-ground) lean sirloin (short loin) steak, fridge-cold (see here)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
11/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
a few drops of Tabasco sauce; you know how spicy you like your food!
11/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves, plus more for tasting spoons (optional)
4 cocktail gherkins (dill pickles), finely chopped
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
For tasting spoons
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (for home-made, see here)
For a starter (appetizer)
8 fresh quail’s egg yolks
Put the meat in a bowl. Add the shallot, olive oil, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces, the parsley, gherkins (dill pickles) and capers. Mix lightly, taste, then season with salt and pepper (you may not need salt if you have used salted capers). Add the mayonnaise (if using for tasting spoons) and mix the ingredients together well with your hands.
To make tasting spoons, fill each tasting spoon and round off the top neatly, by pressing lightly with an inverted spoon. Arrange on a bowl of crushed ice and serve straight away.
For a starter (appetizer), carefully shape 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture, and turn it out on to the middle of a plate. Repeat twice more, making a trefoil arrangement. Using the back of a teaspoon, make an indentation in the centre and put the quail’s egg yolk in it. Serve straight away.
VARIATION: For a main course, divide the mixture into 4 balls, then flatten the meat with the palm of your hands. Make an indentation on the top of each ball with the back of a spoon. Put a tartare to the side of each plate and serve with small neat individual piles of chopped gherkins (dill pickles), capers and mayonnaise. Top each tartare with a fresh free-range hen’s egg yolk.
◁ Kid fillet with parsley and pomegranate
If you have never eaten kid meat, you have a treat in store. It is delicate and sweet in flavour, tender in texture and delicious. The quality of the kid meat produced by my local supplier, Tregorras Farm, is so good – sweet and tender – that it would be a sin to slow-cook it. It should be seared briefly, or served raw. Kid is highly ethical meat as it comes from unwanted male goats produced by the goat’s dairy industry, that would otherwise be killed at birth. It is low in fat and particularly rich in potassium and iron.
Serves 4 as a starter (appetizer), or makes about 22 tasting spoons
20g (3/4oz/1/3 cup) finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
good pinch of sea salt flakes and ground pink peppercorns
300g (101/2oz) kid fillets, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds, plus more to serve
2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve
Put the parsley in a bowl and add the salt and ground peppercorns, the chopped kid, oil and pomegranate molasses. Stir well, then add the pomegranate seeds and stir again.
Either divide into tasting spoons, or serve as a starter (appetizer) or main course, offering lime wedges on the side, and decorating with more pomegranate seeds.
La carne cruda all’albese
Follow the recipe quantities shown here, home hand-mincing (hand-grinding) the rose veal rather than slicing it. About 30 minutes before serving, mix it with the oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well, then add the lemon juice. Divide between tasting spoons and top each with a shaving of Parmesan, offering extra lemon juice for those who want it. Makes about 25 tasting spoons.
◁ Rindstatar or Schweinemett brochen
Spotting this tartare-on-rye open sandwich on sale at a service station in Germany made me realize just how embedded Rindstatar is in German food culture. Both chopped beef and pork – or a mixture – are used. (It is perfectly safe to eat uncooked pork in the West, now that tape worm has been eliminated.) The flavourings for the meat vary according to region. Classically it is flavoured with raw egg, some salt and white pepper, but garlic, caraway seeds and paprika are also traditional. Given the German love of gherkins, I like to add a few slices to each serving.
Makes 12 slices
400g (14oz) lean, tender steak, possibly sirloin (short loin) steak, or half sirloin (short loin) steak and half pork tenderloin
1 large garlic clove (optional)
2 heaped tablespoons Home-made mayonnaise (see here)
1 tablespoon paprika, or caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground white pepper
softened butter, to serve
12 slices of dark rye bread, or pumpernickel, cut 1cm (1/2in) thick
2 small onions, thinly sliced
a few gherkins (dill pickles), thinly sliced (for home-made, see here)
Trim any fat or sinew from the meat and chop or hand-mince (hand-grind) it finely.
Cut the garlic clove in half and rub it around the inside of a mixing bowl. Add the chopped meat, the mayonnaise, paprika or caraway, salt and white pepper and mix with your hands. Taste and add more seasoning if you want.
Butter the rye bread and spread the chopped meat mixture on top, up to 1cm (1/2in) thick. Top with a couple of onion and / or gherkin (dill pickle) slices and serve.
◁ Korean yukhoe beef strips with soy, sesame and chilli
This recipe is based on a Korean beef tartare; the beef is cut into strips, rather than chopped finely, then mixed with Asian seasonings and topped with an egg yolk. I like to add lime juice, but feel free to omit that if you want your yukhoe to be more authentic. Both are good!
Serves 8 small or 4 regular portions
400g (14oz) beef fillet (tenderloin) tails (see here)
6–8 spring onions (scallions)
1 chilli, deseeded (optional)
good pinch of chilli (red pepper) flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus a few drops more for the egg yolks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 teaspoon sugar
juice of 2 limes (optional)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
pared zest of 1/2 unwaxed lime, cut into julienne, to serve
For a starter (appetizer)
8 fresh quail’s egg yolks
For a main course
4 fresh free-range hen’s egg yolks
Trim any fat or sinew from the meat. Slice the meat thinly and cut into 5mm (1/4in) strips. This can be done up to 2 hours in advance; if so, cover and refrigerate.
Cut the spring onions (scallions) and chilli (if using) into julienne, then put in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, put the chilli (red pepper) flakes in a bowl with the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, sugar and lime juice (if using). Mix with a fork.
Put the quail’s or hen’s egg yolks (depending if using for a starter / appetizer or main course) in individual dipping bowls with a few drops of soy sauce and leave for 5 minutes.
Add the prepared steak to the marinade with half the sesame seeds and mix lightly. Add the spring onion (scallion) mixture and mix lightly again.
Serve in individual bowls, with the egg yolk, sprinkled with the remaining sesame seeds and a few strands of julienned chilli and lime zest. Guests can add and mix in the marinated egg yolk themselves.
VARIATION: Try experimenting with this recipe Thai-style, adding fish sauce, more chilli and herbs.
Seared
Seared meat dishes make great main courses for family meals and supper and lunch parties, especially in summer when lighter dishes are the order of the day. The meats are marinated or coated in advance, then seared on a white-hot griddle or in a super-hot oven, sliced thickly and served artfully decorated, with vegetables or salad.
Fillets are lean and tender and their diminutive girth makes them perfect for rapid cooking. For those dissenters who prefer their meat well-cooked (perish the thought), simply return a few slices to the oven until cooked through. Fillet (tenderloin) of beef and cheaper fillet (tenderloin) tails are perfect (see here). Neck fillet of lamb (see here) is sinewy, but offers a delicious and cheap family meal.
Venison and wild boar fillets are quite small, only around 300g (101/2oz) each, but the meat is solid, there is no waste and a fillet will feed four when served with plenty of vegetables, or after a generous starter (appetizer).
Kid or rabbit loin are exquisite but probably best served as a starter (appetizer), due to their diminutive size. With venison or wild boar, the eye of the loin or the cannon is a bigger piece of meat if you are feeding numbers, or want to create a wow factor for the festive season. Pork tenderloin would also work, but I confess I’m not a fan of pink pig.
Breast meat of game such as pheasant, pigeon, partridge and farmed duck (see here), marinated and seared in a pan, are delicious served pink. Lastly, a rather old-fashioned cut of beef called skirt in England, and bavette in France, can be marinated, rolled up and seared (see here). If you like experimenting, don’t be afraid to mix and match any of the marinades and coatings in this chapter.
Miso oven-seared rolled skirt with marinade (see here)
Game meat can only really be sourced from a local or specialist butcher or farm shop, and it is well worth cultivating your local butcher, not only because they will let you know when they have something special on offer, but also because they will sell top-quality local meat.
It is advisable to order specialist cuts, such as those used in this section, well in advance. There is little more disheartening than planning a menu and then finding that the meat you want is not available.
It is essential to heat a griddle over a high heat for 15–20 minutes before you sear any meat on it. The outside will sear quickly and be easy to roll over to sear on the next side when ready. There is no need to oil the griddle; whatever is cooking will self-release with a light poke from a fish slice. Always heat the oven to its maximum temperature before putting the meat in the hottest part of it, and turn it once it has seared on one side. Don’t attempt to griddle meat with a coating on, as it will burn. Coated meat such as the beef skirt and venison here (see here and here) should be cooked in the hottest part of the oven.
These dishes can be prepared in advance and cooked last minute. However do remember that any accompanying roast vegetables will probably need to be in the oven longer than the meat, and therefore need to be started earlier.
The skirt tied for searing
◁ Tamari soy fillet (tenderloin) tails with julienne of vegetables
This is the simplest and most successful combination of flavours with which to quick-cook any cut of beef, whether for stir-fry, roast, barbecue, griddle or grill (broiler). It also works a treat for tuna loin. If you have a traditional butcher, they are sure to have fillet (tenderloin) tails: the thin, pointed end of the fillet (tenderloin). These are tender and a cheaper alternative to the fillet (tenderloin) ‘proper’ and – because of their narrow girth – are perfect for searing.
Serves 4
For the meat and marinade
600g (1lb 5oz) fillet (tenderloin) tails
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
1–2 teaspoons horseradish
For the vegetables
60g (2oz) sweet potato
60g (2oz) cucumber
30g (11/4oz) spring onion (scallion) tops (the green parts)
For the dressing
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce
2 teaspoons mirin
2 teaspoons lime juice
Trim any surface fat or sinew from the fillet (tenderloin) tails and put them in a large shallow dish.
Mix the oil, tamari, mirin, garlic and horseradish in a mug, whisk with a fork, then pour over the meat and marinate for 1 hour, turning the tails from time to time.
Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato and cut it into julienne. Julienne the cucumber (do not peel) and the spring onion (scallion) tops and immerse them all in ice-cold water until required.
Put the dressing ingredients in a salad bowl and whisk to emulsify them.
When ready to serve, heat a griddle pan over a high heat until white-hot. Put a serving dish and plates in a warm oven. Drain the julienne of vegetables thoroughly and leave to dry in a clean folded tea towel.
Drain off the marinade from the meat and discard. Sear the steak on the griddle, to your liking. Tails are usually quite thin, and the griddle is very hot, so 1 minute on each side should be sufficient if you like rare steak. For medium, leave the meat for 2–3 minutes on each side. For well-done, leave it for 3–5 minutes.
Transfer to a chopping board and cut into 2cm (3/4in) slices. Arrange on the warmed serving plate.
Put the julienne of vegetables in the bowl with the dressing and mix well. Pile the vegetables on top of the meat and serve at once.
◁ Scattered sushi with seared beef, chopped broccoli ‘blossoms’ and shiitake
When we think of ‘sushi’ in the West, we think of nori rolls and nigiri, where raw fish is laid over the top of ovals of rice. However, in Japan, there are less-formal sushi dishes, known as ‘scattered’ sushi, where bite-sized pieces of raw fish or meat are scattered over a bowl of vinegared rice. (Sushi in fact refers to the preparation of the rice, rather than the shaping.)
The rice and vegetables can be prepared in advance (though don’t chill the rice or it will toughen) and the toppings can be added when ready to serve. For the meat, make sure that you buy fillet (tenderloin) tails that will sear quickly (see here), and cut into lots of small, thin slices.
Serves 4
For the rice
300g (101/2oz/12/3 cups) Japanese short-grain sushi rice
4cm (11/2in) square of kombu
40ml (11/4fl oz/1/6 cup) rice vinegar
40g (11/2oz/1/6 cup) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
For the vegetables
1 large bunch of spring onions (scallions)
150g (51/2oz) Tenderstem broccoli
150g (51/2oz) shiitake mushrooms
2–3 tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
3cm (11/4in) piece of root ginger, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
For the meat and marinade
350g (12oz) beef fillet (tenderloin) tail (see here)
11/2 tablespoons sake
11/2 tablespoons soy sauce
11/2 tablespoons mirin
For the dipping sauce per person
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons mirin
To serve
Japanese pickles, for home-made try Rice vinegar pickled samphire (salicornia) (see here)
wasabi
sushi pickled ginger
Start with the rice. Wash it in 2–3 changes of cold water until it runs clean, then leave it to drain in a sieve for 1 hour.
Put the rice in a deep pan, add 400ml (13fl oz/12/3cups) water and the kombu, place over a medium heat, cover and bring gently to the boil. Once boiling, discard the kombu. Cover, increase the heat and boil hard for 1 minute. Shake the pan, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until all the water has been absorbed, say 15 minutes, but check from time to time. Switch off the heat and uncover, then cover the pan with a clean folded cloth and replace the lid, wrapping the cloth over the lid. Leave the rice to stand over the switched-off heat for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pan and bring gently to simmering point, stirring from time to time to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a shallow bowl and leave to cool.
Transfer the rice to a large, shallow non-metallic bowl to cool. It is essential not to squash the rice and to keep the grains separate. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, toss the rice gently, fanning it with your other hand, adding the cooled vinegar mixture a little at a time during this process. You may not need to use it all; you don’t want it to become mushy. The rice should be used the same day, but should not be refrigerated, or it will toughen.
Now for the vegetables. Chop the whites of the spring onions (scallions) very finely and cut the dark green tops into very fine rounds.
Pull the ‘blossoms’ of the broccoli from the stems and divide or chop into tiny florets. Tear or chop the shiitake into tiny pieces.
Heat a wok over a high heat for 60 seconds, add the oil and stir-fry the garlic, ginger and spring onion (scallion) whites until the aromas start to rise, then add the mushrooms and stir-fry for a minute or so. Now add the soy sauce, stir, then add the broccoli blossoms. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then turn once, add the spring onion (scallion) greens, turn once more, then take off the heat. Transfer to a shallow serving dish to cool.
Prepare the meat. Trim any fat or sinew from the beef fillet (tenderloin) and arrange the meat in a shallow dish. Pour over the sake, soy sauce and mirin and marinate for 1 hour; turning occasionally.
When ready to serve, heat a ridged griddle pan over a high heat until white-hot (for about 15 minutes).
Drain off the marinade from the meat and discard. Sear the steak on the griddle on each side until stripy. The griddle is very hot, therefore 1 minute on each side should be more than sufficient for rare meat. For medium, reduce the heat once seared and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side. For well-done, cook for 3–5 minutes on each side. Transfer the meat to a chopping board and cut into very thin slices.
Mix together the ingredients for the dipping sauce and place into 4 bowls.
Lightly and evenly mix the rice and vegetables together and spoon into individual bowls. Arrange the sliced meat over the top. Serve with the dipping sauce, Japanese pickles, wasabi and sushi pickled ginger.
VARIATION: Instead of beef (tenderloin) fillet, try wagyu, kid or rabbit fillets, or even tuna loin (again, make sure you buy a long thin piece that will sear quickly).
◁ Seared lamb with fennel seeds and lemon juice
Neck fillet of lamb is not always easy to find. Your butcher may prefer to leave the cut as an integral part of the shoulder joint, rather than cutting it out and ‘spoiling’ the shoulder. It is therefore often easier to find in a supermarket, or from a butcher that sells imported lamb neck fillets. It should be an inexpensive cut. It is fattier than other fillets and has some sinew running through it, but it is delicious nonetheless. Serve as a starter (appetizer), or a light main with a Fennel and orange salad with cocoa nibs (see here), or – for a more substantial meal – with braised Puy lentils and stir-fried cherry tomatoes.
Serves 4
2 × 250g (9oz) neck fillets of lamb
30g (11/4oz) fennel fronds, or flat leaf parsley leaves
5 garlic cloves
1 small red chilli, deseeded
2 heaped tablespoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
2 teaspoons mixed peppercorns
extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Trim the lamb fillets of any fat, sinew or skin, shaping the meat into as even a sausage shape as possible.
Chop the fennel or parsley, garlic and chilli together finely and put in a bowl. Crush the fennel seeds, salt and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, then add to the chopped ingredients.
Lay a piece of cling film (plastic wrap) on a chopping board and tip half of this fennel mixture in the centre, creating a rectangle the length and circumference of the first neck of lamb. Roll a lamb fillet in it, pressing until the meat is well covered, then roll it up in the cling film (plastic wrap) and freeze for 2 hours. Repeat with the other neck fillet and chopped ingredients.
When ready to serve, heat a frying pan (skillet) large enough to contain both neck fillets over a medium-high heat until very hot. Add enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the base of the pan and add the neck fillets. Fry, turning, until golden all over. This should take 5 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium, or 15 for well-done. (Reduce the heat to medium if cooking for longer than 5 minutes.) Try not to over-cook the lamb, whatever your preference; remember that the lemon juice you add upon serving will further ‘cook’ the meat. Meanwhile, put a serving dish and plates in a warm oven.
Transfer the meat to a chopping board and slice. Arrange on plates and squeeze lemon juice over it all, or serve the lemon wedges on the side of the plates for each person to help themselves. Scatter any of the lamb’s crust from the pan, which may have fallen off the meat, over the slices. Serve on warmed plates.
◁ Cebiche of seared duck breast with seasonal vegetables
Cebiche of duck breast is a traditional Peruvian dish but, surprisingly, the authentic recipe is not served raw or even rare. My version is very definitely rare. Duck breast lends itself perfectly to being seared and served pink in the middle. Vary the cooking time according to how rare you like yours, but remember the citrus juice at the end will ‘cook’ it further and render it less pink. To serve as a starter (appetizer), use half the quantity of duck, leave to cool after cooking and slice thinly; serve with leaves instead of vegetables.
Serves 4
2 duck breasts, halved, total weight 500g (1lb 2oz)
2 unwaxed limes
2 small unwaxed oranges
ground cinnamon
cayenne pepper
sea salt flakes
500g (1lb 2oz) violet potatoes, or other waxy potatoes
12 young heritage carrots
100g (31/2oz/3 cups) beetroot tops, or spinach leaves, curly kale, or other greens
extra virgin olive oil
toasted black and white sesame seeds (optional)
Prepare the duck breasts at least 30 minutes before cooking. Dry them thoroughly on kitchen paper (paper towels). Finely zest the limes and oranges and mix them together. Sprinkle the duck breasts lightly with a pinch each of cinnamon, cayenne and salt. Divide the grated citrus zest between the duck breasts and rub this and the spices into the meat, then put on a plate and cover loosely until required.
Scrub the potatoes and carrots and immerse the greens in cold water, then shake well and leave to drain. Put serving plates and dishes in a warm oven to heat.
Drop the potatoes into cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender, say 20 minutes. Test with the point of a knife to see if they are tender. Take care not to over-cook violet potatoes, or they will disintegrate in the water. Strain, put in a dish, cover and keep hot.
Tip the carrots into cold salted water in a pan that will fit underneath a steamer. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender, say 6–10 minutes, according to taste. Strain, put in a dish, cover and keep hot.
Put a heavy-based frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the duck breasts, skin side down and cook for 2–4 minutes, then turn and cook on the other side for 2–4 minutes (2 minutes on each side will give rare meat; 4 minutes medium-rare). When it is ready, put it on a plate to keep hot.
Put the greens in a steamer basket and steam for 1–2 minutes over the carrots, or until tender. Tip on to a sheet of kitchen paper (paper towels) to soak up any excess water and then transfer to warmed dishes. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Cover and keep hot.
Once all the vegetables are ready, cut the carrots in half lengthways and splash with a little extra virgin olive oil. Cut the potatoes in half and splash them, too, with oil. Arrange on warmed plates in separate piles.
Cut the duck breasts into 1cm (1/2in) slices and arrange with the vegetables on a serving platter, squeezing over each the juice of 1/2 lime and 1/2 orange. Serve at once, sprinkled with sesame seeds, if you like.
◁ Cambodian seared duck breast with red cabbage slaw
This is a great dish for a party. The dressing and the salad can be made ahead of time and the duck breast cooked at the last minute. The quantity of sugar used in many Far Eastern salad dressings seems huge, but you will need it all. I have experimented with traditional recipes, both omitting and reducing the large amounts of palm sugar, but the flavours in the dressing just do not pull together without the sweetness.
Serves 8 small or 4 regular portions
For the dressing
3 large chillies, halved, deseeded and sliced
10 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons palm sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon fish sauce
11/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
11/2 tablespoons lime juice
250ml (81/2fl oz/1 cup) cold water
For the slaw
100g (31/2fl oz/2/3 cup) shelled peanuts
100g (31/2oz) green beans
1/4 red cabbage, finely sliced
1/4 white cabbage, finely sliced
1 green (bell) pepper, finely sliced
1 shallot, red if possible, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
handful of Thai or regular basil leaves
handful of mint leaves, torn
handful of parsley leaves, finely chopped
1–2 red chillies, deseeded and cut into julienne
pared zest of 1 unwaxed lime, cut into julienne
For the duck
vegetable oil
240g (81/2oz) duck breast
Make the dressing in advance: put all the ingredients into a blender and work until smooth. Transfer to a screw-top jar, seal the lid and store in the fridge until required.
To roast the peanuts, put them in a wok over a medium heat and keep flipping them until they turn golden. Do not be tempted to leave them to their own devices; they will burn for sure. When brown, take the wok outside and toss the peanuts in the air a few times; most of the peanut skins will float away. Leave to cool, then put in a plastic bag and crush evenly with a rolling pin.
Drop the green beans into a pan of boiling water, then return to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and plunge them into a bowl of iced water, then drain.
Prepare all the vegetables and herbs, set aside the julienned chillies and lime zest, and arrange the rest of the vegetables and herbs in a large salad bowl.
When ready to serve, put a frying pan (skillet) over a high heat, add enough vegetable oil to cover the base and add the duck to the pan. Brown quickly all over, then transfer to a chopping board and slice thinly.
Add three-quarters of the dressing to the salad, add the duck slices and toss well. Garnish with the julienned chilli and lime zest. Pour the remaining dressing over the top and scatter with the crushed nuts.
VARIATION: Try this recipe with seared fillet (tenderloin) steak, or even tuna loin.
◁ Miso oven-seared rolled skirt with roasted pumpkin and turnips
Skirt or bavette steak is a rectangular, flat cut of beef from the diaphragm area, used traditionally in Cornish pasties and in Mexican fajitas. It is succulent, full of flavour and responds well to marinades and searing in a very hot oven. Red miso imparts a rich, umami flavour to the meat, making this a perfect summer roast, served hot and thickly sliced with vegetables, or cold and thinly sliced with a salad of rocket (arugula) and strawberries.
Serves 4
For the marinade and meat
100ml (31/2fl oz/scant 1/2 cup) red miso
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon finely chopped candied stem (preserved) ginger
1 tablespoon ginger syrup, from the stem (preserved) ginger jar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the roasting tin
whole piece of skirt or bavette steak, 500–750g (1lb 2oz–1lb 10oz)
To serve
1 small butternut squash, or 2 heads of broccoli
500g (1lb 2oz) baby turnips or salad potatoes
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
salt
Put the marinade ingredients in a screw-top jar, seal and shake well.
Lay the steak flat in a large shallow dish, pour the marinade over the top and leave for 1 hour (see here for a photo), turning once during that time. Take the meat out of the marinade, roll it up as tightly as possible and tie it securely with kitchen string. (Be warned, this is a messy, but worthwhile job.) Return it to the marinade and turn to coat the meat evenly.
Preheat the oven to its maximum setting.
You’ll probably have to cook the vegetables first. In winter, cut the squash into thin wedges and put in a roasting tin with the turnips. Add the sesame oil, toss and cook in the hot oven for 30–40 minutes, until golden and tender. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. In spring and summer, put the potatoes in cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender, say 20 minutes (reserve the water). At the same time, cut the broccoli into spears and cook for 4 minutes in lightly salted boiling water. Drain the broccoli and return it to the pan over a low heat, tossing with the sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Meanwhile, when ready to cook the meat, put it into a small oiled roasting tin with 2 tablespoons of water. Discard the excess marinade; do not be tempted to serve it with the meat, it is too rich and heavy. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes for very pink meat; or cook for 30 minutes and rest for medium-rare; or cook for 40 minutes and rest for well-done. Meanwhile, warm serving plates and dishes.
When the cooking time for the meat and vegetables is up, put the meat on a chopping board and deglaze the roasting tin with 2–3 tablespoons boiling water (use the water the vegetables were cooked in, when you have it). Toss the potatoes (if using) in the pan juices.
Cut off and discard the string, then slice the meat into 8–12 thick slices and arrange on the warmed serving plate with the vegetables.
◁ Seared venison with pomegranate jewels
The return of game to the table each autumn (fall) is always a treat, and meats such as wild boar and venison conjure up feasts of yore. But game dishes need not be heavy. Venison makes a beautiful-but-light dish to serve for a special occasion, with pomegranate jewels creating a festive finish; be sure to order it from your butcher in advance. I have only given cooking times for rare or medium-rare meat, as venison becomes very dry and dull when overcooked. Start preparations well ahead, to allow for freezing time.
Serves 8 as a main course with vegetables
800g–1kg (1lb 12oz–21/4lb) cannon of loin of venison, or 2 fillets of venison, each 200–300g (7–101/2oz)
5 generous tablespoons pink peppercorns
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
50g (13/4oz/scant 1 cup) finely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
finely chopped zest of 2 large unwaxed oranges
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, plus more to serve
1 large or 2 small pomegranates
a little vegetable oil, for the baking tray
micro-herbs, petals and leaves, to serve (optional)
Trim the venison, removing any sinew or fat. Fold the skinny tail end of the fillets back on themselves (if using) to create an even shape.
Crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and put in a bowl with the thyme, parsley, orange zest and salt and mix lightly. Lay a long piece of cling film (plastic wrap) (more than long enough to wrap the meat) on a work surface, tip the peppercorn mixture in the middle and spread it out to make a rectangle the same length and circumference as the meat (prepare 2 of these if cooking 2 fillets). Coat the meat in the pomegranate molasses, then roll it in the peppercorn mixture to create a crust all over. Seal it in the cling film (plastic wrap) and twist the ends. Keep in the fridge, then freeze for 2 hours just before cooking.
Meanwhile, scoop out the jewels from half the pomegranate and cut wedges from the rest. Wrap in cling film (plastic wrap) and set aside.
When the meat has been in the freezer for 2 hours, preheat the oven to its hottest setting. When the oven is up to temperature, unwrap the venison and lay it on an oiled baking tray. A cannon will need 20–30 minutes for rare meat, or 40 minutes for medium, turning once during cooking; fillets will need only half this time.
Leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before slicing, while you warm serving plates. Cut the meat into 1–2cm (1/2–3/4in) slices. If, once sliced, you feel the meat is too pink, lay the slices back on the baking tray and return it to the hot oven for another 5 minutes. Arrange the sliced meat on warmed plates, drizzle with pomegranate molasses and sprinkle pomegranate jewels around. Decorate with the micro-herbs, petals and leaves, and top each serving with a thin wedge of pomegranate.
VARIATION: Use fillets of wild boar or kid as a starter (appetizer), or fillet (tenderloin) steak as a main.
