Pulled Brisket with Pan BBQ Sauce

This is almost too easy for the insane result. All things told, about an hour in prep, five hours slow cook, twenty minutes shredding, days drooling.
First time I cooked this we did brioche rolls with a little mayo and some basic slaw. I'm quite certain that is how it will continue into the future.
The meat costs about $30 for 3kg but there is easily 20 servings in it and the sauce that comes from the pan juices is killer. Pay the fine, do the time.

N.B. You will need a really big pan.

I needed a bigger pan...

1 piece brisket about 3kg
Paprika
Cumin seeds
Fennel seeds
Salt and pepper
Oil and butter

Brine:
4 liters water
1 cup salt
125g brown sugar
1 stick celery roughly chopped
1 onion roughly chopped
1/2 handful pepper corns
6 bay leaves
Handful of thyme/parsley/rosemary
1/2 a lemon

Got a bigger pan 2nd time around

1 chilli split

Rough chopped:
2 onions
3 stalks celery
2 carrots
6 garlic cloves
1 thumb ginger
6 mushrooms
3 slices bacon
Stems and roots from 1 bunch coriander
Handful parsley
Fist of thyme
Some sage leaves
10cm of rosemary

6 bay leaves
1 satchell tomato paste
500ml chicken stock
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 tbs chilli flakes
3 tbs tomato sauce
3 tbs barbecue sauce

To finish:
2 spring onions chopped
1 bunch coriander tops topped
Lime juice

Dissolve the sugar and salt in 1 litre of water on the stove top. Combine with the rest of the water and ingredients, bashing the garlic and squeezing the lemon (include the lemon in the brine too). Place brisket in the brine, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Prep all of the veg/bacon/herbs/sauce and have ready to go. Remove the brisket from the brine and pat dry with kitchen towel. Sprinkle a generous amount of paprika, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, salt and pepper with some oil all over the brisket and rub in. Heat a large and deep (at least 30cm in diameter) frying pan or roasting dish to medium high and when to temperature throw in some butter and some oil to stop it from burning. Place the brisket in, fatty side down first and fry until you get some decent colour. Turn the brisket over and repeat. Remove from the pan to a clean plate.
Pour in the chopped veg, garlic, ginger, bacon, herbs, chilli into the frying pan and saute. If necessary add some more oil to prevent it from burning. As you are cooking the veg, scrape all the colour off of the bottom of the pan as you go. After 4 or 5 minutes squeeze in the tomato paste and cook off, stirring through. Add the tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and chicken stock.

Return the brisket to the pan or roasting dish, baste it and cover with a lid or foil. Place in a preheated 140C oven for 5 hours. Remove the foil and place back in the oven raising the temperature to 170C for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and check if it is 'fork tender'. Remove the brisket to a large bowl. Remove as much fat un-rendered fat from the meat and set aside as you can, allowing to cool slightly.

Pour the contents of the pan into a medium sized saucepan and blot away the fat with paper toweling until all removed. Remove the bay leaves, add some salt and pepper then blend the sauce with a hand blender until it is a thick and smooth consistency. Set aside.

Return 3tbs of the fat to the bowl with the meat. Shred the fat and meat with two forks until it is all quite stringy. Mix a few tablespoons of the sauce to the shredded meat adding more if required. To finish, stir through chopped the spring onion, coriander and a decent squeeze of lime.

Spaghetti Bolognaise with Mushroom and Kale

I think I have an addiction to kale. This is one of my go to recipes, I love, the kids smash it, its mostly veg. Win - win. One of the most beautiful things about this dish is, you can make it on the go. Once the onion and celery are minced and have begun sauteing, you can bgein chopping the next bit. If you have never used pork and veal mince for spag bol, you should. Two tips, 1) generally it is how you finish a dish that makes it rule - some great parmesan and great extra virgin can lift any dish from good to wow; 2) learn to love chilli - it is the business.

1 onion in small dice
1 stick celery in small dice
2 tsp minced rosemary
2 tsp minced thyme
1 handful minced parsley
1 handful basil leaves
3 cloves garlic minced
2 rashers bacon in small dice
2 handfuls mushroom minced
A few porcini mushrooms ripped (optional)
500 gms pork and veal mince
3 leaves kale, finely chopped
1 bottle of passata
1 packet of pasta
1 or 2 tbs sugar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Chilli - fresh or dried

Get your pasta water hot. Sauté the onion and celery over a medium high temperature in some extra virgin with the 1/2 of the garlic, rosemary and thyme. When soft throw in the bacon and fry for a few minutes. When fragrant add in the mushrooms - you may need more extra virgin. When the mushrooms are cooked add in the minced pork and veal. Cook the concoction until the moisture has mostly evaporated then mix through the kale, salt and pepper. When fragrant and beginning to soften, stir through 3/4 of the tomato passata. Add in the sugar, balsamic and remaining garlic and 1/2 of the parsley. Start cooking the pasta in salted water. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce until the pasta cooks. If your sauce is too dry add some of the pasta cooking water into the sauce. Chop the basil and stir through, check for seasoning, adding more salt/pepper/sugar/balsamic as necessary. Combine the sauce and pasta. Spoon into bowls. Top with a sprinkling of parsley, salt, a grind of pepper, parmesan and chilli. Some crispy prosciutto is wicked too.

Beef Tarts with Pesto and Cummin

Simple and another opportunity to make pesto. Could easily be done on a smaller scale as a tapa or canapé.

500 g mince
2 cloves garlic minced
1 slice bacon diced
1 onion, 1/2 sliced 1/2 diced
1 tsp cumin
4 tbs pesto
2 tbs sour cream
1/2 hanful coriander leaves
3 sheets puff pastry
Salt and pepper
1/2 a capsicum sliced
1 handful mushroom sliced
1 - 2 cups grated cheese
1 tbs milk
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Preheat an oven to 180C. Sauté the diced onion and garlic in 1/2 of the oil with the bacon and cumin until soft and fragrant. Add in the mince and brown with some salt and pepper. Add in the sour cream and reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes until almost dry. Stir through the coriander and remove from the heat to cool. Spread about 1 tbs of pesto over each puff pastry sheet leaving a 1cm border. Evenly divide the flavoured mince between the pastry sheets and spread to a thin layer. Scatter about the capsicum, onion and mushrooms and top with a little cheese. Brush the sides with some milk. Drizzle over the remaining oil and some salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until golden, turning if necessary.

Cashew and Macadamia Nut Satay

I watched a TV chef recently smash together a satay sauce in about 2 minutes and I thought well I want to do that too. My recipe differs quite a bit from his but as my research after the fact discovered, it don't matter. I think satay is one of those 'satays are like opinions' scenarios. They can be simple or complicated. In any case, what I have done here is very very good and I can thoroughly recommend trying it. My bother in law who doesn't like satay had two helpings and was kind with his review. There is enough satay to marinade 1 - 2 kg of the meat of your choice, have enough left for being a sauce and, an additional purpose like making satay and coconut milk rice for the kids.


2 handfuls salted cashew/macadamia nuts
2 heaped tbs crunchy peanut butter
Rind of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes (maybe more)
2 cloves garlic
1 thumb ginger roughly chopped
1/2 bunch coriander, roots and all
200 ml of coconut milk (or to taste)
1 long red chilli
1 tbs palm sugar (or brown)
2 tbs light olive oil or peanut oil
1/2 cup water


Leaving out the water, blitz the lot until it is in a smooth paste. Check for flavours and add more lime juice, coconut milk or sugar until you reach a tasty result (there should be enough salt from the nuts). Aim for a good balance of nut, sweet and importantly, lime. Pour in half of the water, blitz, check the consistency and add the remaining and more if required.

Pastrami

A mate of mine told me about this, it tasted great and I wanted to give it a go but haven't gotten around to it until just now. It is as simple as it is tasty and inexpensive. Whilst this doesn't taste exactly like pastrami I have bought in the past it is very very tasty. The kids and I ate at least 500gms in one afternoon, just by itself.


1 piece corned meat (mine was 1.4 kg)
1 litre pineapple juice (may need more)
Fresh cracked pepper - various kinds
Ground coriander
Salt
Olive oil


Soak the corned meat in the pineapple juice in a seal-able container over night. Pre heat an oven to 180C. Remove the meat from the juice, pat dry, coat with a little oil then cover in as much pepper corn, salt and coriander as you think necessary. Roast for 20 mins per 450gms plus twenty minutes. It is a good idea to place this on some grease proof paper as the juice will get gnarly and be difficult to clean off. Allow to rest then slice thinly and tuck in.

Osso Bucco with Olive, Fennel and Cherry Tomato

Delicious and cheap. I removed the fennel stalks after the cooking process as they were a little fibrous but they had already done their job. If you wanted to keep it in (which I would next time) I would use a more tender portion of the fennel bulb or slice it more thinly.

4 pieces osso bucco
4 tbs flour
Pepper and salt
2 handfuls chopped fennel (approx)
5 or 6 mushrooms torn or chopped
1 stalk celery sliced
1 onion in wedges
1 handful cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic sliced
Olives (as much or as little)
1 cup red wine
Some chicken stock
Gremolata
Natural yoghurt
Olive oil
Some great mash

Season the flour and dust the meat. Heat some oil to medium high and sear the meat, giving it some nice colour. Remove to a clean plate. Throw in the veg, olives and garlic and toss until fragrant. Tip in the remaining flour and toss through, cooking for a couple of minutes. Deglaze with the red wine, mix, add in the meat and pour in enough chicken stock to just come up to the meat. Add a lid, reduce to the lowest setting and simmer for 2 or 3 hours. When ready remove the meat and stir in a couple of tbs of gremolata. Spoon some mash into bowls, add some sauce, top with some meat and a dollop of yoghurt. My mash was potato, parsnip and cauliflower florets.

Rosemary and Horseradish Tapenade for Studding Roast Beef

Easy, cheap, tasty. Would be nice with most meats.

1 handful olives
1 sprig rosemary
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp horseradish cream
Pepper
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Smash up real good with a knife. Make incisions in your roast with a sharp knife then jam your finger in there to widen the hole. Roast as normal. If you have any left over, just smear it over the outside. I ran out but already had the holes so I filled them with sliced onion - it was good also.

Individual Beef, Mushroom and Guinness Pies

So cheap, so easy so good.

500 gms gravy/slowcook/stewing beef diced
2/3 tin Guinness
300 or so gms mushrooms in chunks
2 cloves garlic
3 tbs flour
1 onion in small dice
1 sprig rosemary finely minced
2 tbs tomato paste
1 capsicum roasted, skinned, blitzed
Salt and pepper
Chilli tomato sauce
Olive oil
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
6 ramekins
Butter for greasing
1 egg beaten
Sesame seeds

Season the flour with salt and pepper and rosemary and coat the beef. Heat the oil to medium high then sear the meat in batches until they have nice colour then remove to a clean plate. Sear the mushrooms (more oil may be necessary) then remove to a clean plate. Saute the onion until soft and transparent. Add in the tomato paste and stir, mix through the beef and mushrooms then deglaze with the Guinness. Bring to the boil then reduce to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours. Stir through the roasted capsicum.

Preheat an oven to 200C. 
Grease the top of each ramekin with butter. 3/4 fill each ramekin with beefy goodness then top with pastry, cutting away excess, make a couple of small cuts in the top of each pie for steam. Place the ramekins on a baking paper lined tray and place any un-used strips of pasty on the tray as well. Prick the strips of pastry with a fork so they rise equally. Egg wash all pastry and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Oven bake for about 15 minutes, keeping an eye on it until golden and crispy. Serve with chilli tomato sauce. Rad.

Braised Beef with Red Wine and Basil

The difference between a good meal and a very tasty one really is only in how you finish it. Always check for seasoning and think about what could be added to lift the dish.



With mash...

500 gms diced stewing beef

Fresh cracked pepper and salt

2 tbs minced rosemary

2 shallots sliced

1 cup red wine

1 cup chicken stock

3 handful mushrooms quartered

1 good slug of brandy

2 handfuls basil leaves

2 cloves sliced garlic

2 cloves minced garlic

Olive oil

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp corn flour

Combine the beef, salt, pepper, rosemary and some olive oil with your hands. Heat 1 tbs or so of olive oil in a heavy based saucepan that has a lid. When browned remove to a clean plate. Brown the mushrooms with the sliced shallots and garlic. Add the beef and its juice and deglaze with the brandy. When the brandy has evaporated, add the wine and bring to the boil, add the chicken stock, stir, reduce the heat to low and add the lid. Simmer for 1.5 hours. Mix about 3 tbs of the cooking liquid into a teacup and mix through the corn flour, squashing any lumps. Mix the corn flour through the braised meat and simmer for 5 minutes. Slice the basil, add to the pot with the minced garlic and extra virgin and mix through the braised awesomeness. Check for seasoning - add some cream or similar if you want and serve with crusty bread.

Beef Cheek Stroganoff with Porcini Sour Cream

Worth the time invested, beef cheeks rule and pearl barley absorbs bucket loads of flavour.

3 beef cheeks

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp porcini salt

1 cup flour

Pepper

Olive oil

6 or 7 mushrooms sliced thickly

1 onion sliced

2 handfuls blended cherry tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup red wine
1 tbs balsamic

1 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup minced parsley

Glazed carrots

2 tbs sour cream

2 tsp small bits of porcini mushrooms

Combine the flour, paprika, porcini salt and pepper. Dust the beef cheeks in the flour. Heat some oil to medium high in the bottom of the pan with a lid you are going to cook with. Sear the beef cheeks on both sides and set aside when they have nice colour. Add in the sliced mushroom and onion and coat in the oil, turning for a few minutes. Add in some of the left over seasoned flour and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the chicken stock and the blended tomatoes, stir to combine. Place the beef cheeks in to the pan, pour a little balsamic over each cheek, cover and place into a preheated 140C oven for 2.5 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove the cheeks with a large spoon. Stir in the pearl barley and parsley and return the beef cheeks, add the lid. Return to the oven for 30 mins or until the pearl barley is tender. Add more stock if necessary.

Combine the sour cream and porcini bits and place in the fridge for 30 mins.

Remove the cheeks from the oven, spoon some mixture into warmed bowls, add meat to the top and finish with some porcini flavoured sour cream. Serve with glazed carrots.

Roast Beef with Sage and Garlic Incisions

The concept here is the same as studding meat with rosemary sprigs and slivers of garlic as is common particularly with roasted lamb legs. I read about it in an excellent Italian cook book of my sister in laws. I actually prefer this method as I find that the garlic is less likely to burn (which tastes like sin) and you can alter it to suit your needs. For example you could just as easily use this concept with a pork loin and instead of using herbs, slap in some pesto. Any combination of herbs would work well, even some citrus. Be creative.
The use of yoghurt to finish the gravy for this was wicked.

2kg rump roast

Sage leaves

3 or 4 garlic cloves

Porcini salt

Pepper

Salt

Olive oil

2 leeks trimmed, halved length ways

2 carrots halved length ways

3 spring onions trimmed

5 or 6 whole garlic cloves

1 field mushroom

1 tbs sugar

Chicken stock (maybe 2 cups?)

Yoghurt (2 tbs or more)

Minced parsley

Hand made potato wedges

Steamed vegetables

Preheat an oven to 230C. Mince the sage and garlic with a knife until quite fine, then mix in enough porcini salt and some cracked pepper. Using a small sharp paring knife, make an incisions at some point in the roast, pull the knife out and push your pointer finger into the hole to make it wider. Repeat the process as many times as you like. Use a tea spoon and your fingers to fill each hole then kind of seal it back over. Salt and pepper the roast and rub some oil all over. Oil enough of the bottom of your roasting tray to fit the roast. Layer the leek, spring onions, carrots, garlic and field mushroom into the roasting tray, pour over a little more oil then top with the meat.

Place into the preheated oven at 230C for 20 minutes then reduce to 180C. To calculate your cooking time go, 20 mins per 450 gms plus an additional 20 minutes. If you are too lazy to work this out, about 30 mins per 500 gms but check it 10 minutes before the cooking time ends. To check, skewer the roast at its thickest part, if blood gushes out, put it back in for 10 minutes, if it dribbles out and feels firm its medium, remove it to a clean plate, cover and allow to rest.

To make the gravy, remove the trivet (veg underneath), remove the garlic skin and blend the lot until it is a paste. Pour out all of the fat from the roasting tray and place on the stove top on a medium heat. Sprinkle in the sugar over where the element would be and cook until it begins to caramelise. Deglaze the pan with the stock and scrape up any bits. Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan over a medium heat, add in the blended vegetables and reduce until you reach your desired consistency. When the sauce is thick enough, pour in any resting juice from the meat, stir in the yoghurt and chopped parsley. Check for seasoning.

Slice the meat across the grain, arrange on plates along with the vegetables and potato wedges. Spoon over some gravy and eat straight away.

Garlic and Sesame Beef Kebabs

Well easy, well tasty.

400 gms diced rump

3 or 4 cloves garlic chopped

1 tbs sesame oil

2 tbs sesame seeds

1 tbs chopped rosemary

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

10 button mushrooms

2 spring onions in big chunks

4 slices bacon on large dice

Stripped rosemary sprigs (or skewers)

Horseradish sour cream to serve

Place the garlic on the chopping board with some salt and pull the knife over it repeatedly to turn it into a paste. Combine the garlic, sesame oil, pepper, chopped rosemary, sesame seeds and olive oil in a large bowl. Toss the diced rump through the sesame/garlic mixture. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and quarter them.

Feed the ingredients onto the rosemary skewers - beef, mushroom, bacon, spring onion - repeat.
Barbecue, top with a little horseradish sour cream and eat.

Herb and Pimenton Rump, Prawn and Haloumi Kebabs

A touch on the fiddly side but no more fiddly than any other kebab threading experience. The marinade was easy to make and was very tasty and I can see this being worthwhile as a marinade for steak, Portugeezer style. To thread the skewers for this I used rosemary branch as I have a mate who has a brilliant rosemary bush that I could attack. Instead of wasting what I had stripped off to obtain the sticks, I have kept the leaves in a bowl for later use. The herbs I used for this were sage, thyme, oregano and rosemary. I tried adding potato to these skewers but they kept splitting...

2 tbs garlic oil

1 handful fresh mixed herbs, chopped
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp pimenton (smoked paprika)
Salt and pepper
500 gms diced rump

1 packet of haloumi in large dice

500 gms prawn shelled and halved

1 capsicum in large dice
7 pieces prosciutto
1 preserved lemon chopped finely
Olive oil

10 small button mushrooms halved

10 kebab skewers (or rosemary branches)

Lemon wedges for serving

Combine the garlic oil, chopped herbs, salt and pepper, vinegar and pimenton in a mixing bowl. Toss the rump through the marinade and allow to sit for 30 mins, turning occasionally. Prep all of the vegetables and haloumi while you wait. Combine the haloumi and preserved lemon with some olive oil. Tear each piece of prosciutto into quarters then roll each piece. Preheat a barbecue grill to high.

Thread the ingredients onto skewers in sequence. Barbecue the kebabs turning occasionally, basting with any of the leftover marinade. When cooked, squeeze on some lemon. Serve with lemon slices.

Beef Cheeks Braised with Port and Capsicum

Sounds gross, tastes unreal. I have bought these in different states in the past - as a whole strip that I needed to trim, as a 'fillet' and, this time as medallions. Good gear non the less, its cheap and tasty. You can do a great deal with them, treat them like you would shanks or big cuts of casserole meat if it suits, be simple or be complicated, it doesn't matter. Use whatever herbs you can get your hands on, in this recipe I used thyme, parsley and some basil flower/seeds from a flowering basil plant - the flavour is great and is more robust.

4 beef cheeks

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 handful of chopped herbs

1 capsicum in small dice

2 or 3 cloves of garlic sliced

1 onion in small dice
1 bunch silverbeet washed, deveined and chopped
1 cup port
1/2 cup chicken stock
Minced parsley
Grated Parmesan
1 clove of garlic minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Tomato bread

Preheat an oven to 140C. Heat some oil to medium high in a large heavy based saucepan that has a lid. Oil and season the beef cheeks and sear them in the pan. Remove the cheeks when they have nice colour on both sides, add in the onion, capsicum, garlic, the sliced garlic and chopped herbs then deglaze the pan with the port and stock. Scrape up any sediment while mixing all of the ingredients well. Nestle the beef cheeks into the mixture, add the lid and place in the oven for about 3 hours.

After 3 hours remove the cheeks to a clean plate and cover. Add the silverbeet and minced garlic to the saucepan, mix in and bung back in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour in any resting juice from the meat and check for seasoning, adding more salt/pepper as necessary. Spoon the silverbeet/capsicum mixture into warmed bowls and add a beef cheek to the top of each. Grate on some Parmesan, sprinkle on parsley and drizzle on a little extra virgin. Serve with tomato bread.

Osso Bucco in Dark Beer

I learnt a few things from this recipe. Firstly, as it turns out any almost any liquid is suitable to cook in. Secondly, not to be afraid of braising in beer, it is awesome. I was expecting a really condensed beer flavour but there was not. The flavour was developed but complimented the others and was no stronger in flavour than red wine is in braising. Thirdly, to use more beer next time. I thinned the beer out with a little chicken stock fearing it would be too intense. Finally, to make small incisions in the connective tissue around the outside of the osso bucco, otherwise it curls up. Any cut of stewing meat would be suitable to substitute with and, use any beer you think would be appropriate.

Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 a sprig of rosemary chopped
1 slice of osso bucco per person (1kg diced if using other meat)
3 shallots sliced thinly (or 1 small onion)
2 field mushrooms in big chunks
4 garlic cloves roughly chopped
Bouquet garni (1/2 a handful of different herbs tied together with kitchen string)
3 tbs dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
1.5 stubbies of Tooheys Old
1 capsicum oven roasted, skinned and chopped
7 or 8 silverbeet leaves deveined and chopped
2 tsp garlic oil
Parsley chopped
Mash potato

Preheat an oven to 140C. Oil the osso bucco slices and season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Make a few shallow vertical cuts around the outside of each slice to stop it from curling. Sear the osso bucco over a medium high heat in a large saucepan. When you have good colour, transfer to a clean plate. Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the pan, toss occasionally until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the beer, add the porcini, place the osso bucco on top of the mushroom mixture, add the bouquet garni, put on the lid and transfer to the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the saucepan from the oven, take out the meat and cover it. Remove the bouquet garni, mix in the garlic oil, capsicum and silverbeet and cook over a medium low heat for five minutes. If necessary add a little chicken stock. Mix in the parsley, check for seasoning, spoon into bowls, add some mash, place the meat on top.

Steak

So rad, so easy to do but, so often killed to death.





Rib on the bone

• The best quality steak you can afford will give you the best result you can afford. I can't afford King Island beef and I can't afford Wagyu. The cuts I buy are rump, rib fillet, t-bone, rib on the bone and eye fillet (I can get it where I live for $18 a kg) and, I prefer meat from the butcher.
• If you can get steak cryovaced, store the meat whole in the fridge for up to three months, it will be more tender, great for when it is on sale.
• Only salt meat just before you cook it. To see why simply get some meat and put some salt on it and watch the blood come out, it only takes a few minutes and you'll see why.
• If you do decide to cook a thick piece (eg rib on the bone or eye fillet), after you have seared it, finish it in a preheated oven (180C) for about 15 minutes. Check it occasionally,
• Resting meat not only makes it more tender by allowing the fibres to relax it also stops the eater from ending up with blood all over the plate and, the resting juice is perfect for adding into sauces or spooning a little back over the top.
• I usually finely chop fresh robust herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme) and rub them on the steak with some olive oil while the meat comes to room temperature.
• Have the cooking surface mingin hot before you start.
• If you are using a barbecue you can achieve the criss-crossed effect by turning the meat anywhere between 45 and 90 degrees after the first minute or so on each side.
• The last 5 points are applicable to any meat suitable for frying.

Steak
Olive oil
Herbs finely chopped (eg rosemary)

Salt and Pepper

Butter (optional)
Porcini salt (optional)

Preheat the barbecue or frying pan to very hot. Take steaks from the fridge and coat lightly in olive oil and chopped herbs and a little fresh cracked pepper. When the meat is close to room temperature add to the cooking surface, turning after a minute or so to 90 degrees. When a few small pools of blood form flip the steak preferably to a fresh hot spot on the barbecue, turning 90 degrees again after a minute or so. When a few small pools of blood come through remove the steak from the barbecue to a plate, cover and put in a warm place to rest for 5 minutes. If you want a medium steak, allow for a few more pools of blood on either side. If you are unsure if it is cooked, poke it with your finger, if it is really soft, its not cooked, if its hard, its way way cooked.

There are three very simple methods of finishing steak without making sauce. One, as soon as it is removed, place a knob of butter on top, the residual heat will melt it. Two, once cooked add some porcini salt. Three, spoon a little of the resting juice back on top again.

Meatballs

Meatballs are brilliant, put in any flavour you want, make it as spicy as you please, coat in semolina, fill with cheese or, use different types of mince.
The only difference here is that I have used a red wine based sauce and a vinegar with the bread when it was toasted. Try pouring the sauce over some cooked pasta and finishing with the meatballs on top for a more substantial meal or, bung toothpicks in them and take them around as canapes with the sauce for dipping.

750g premium beef mince
1 tbs each of chopped parsley and sage
1 handful of copped basil
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 a chopped onion and sauteed
2 tbs crumbled feta
1/2 a chopped onion raw
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2-3 tbs tomato paste
1 cup red wine
1 cup stock
1-2 tsp sugar
Slices of turkish bread/ciabatta
Balsamic or cherry vinegar for drizzling
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
olive oil

Combine meat, sage, parsley, half the garlic, the sauteed onion, egg, feta, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Coat your hands in olive oil and form the mixture into even sized, bite sized balls, coating your hand with olive oil as you go. Shallow fry the meat balls in batches over a medium-high heat until coloured but not cooked. Set aside.
Add remaining raw onion and garlic and saute. When fragrant and translucent add wine to deglaze. When the wine has reduced to about a third add the stock, tomato paste, meatballs and sugar to taste and cook over a medium heat to reduce. Just before serving, add the chopped basil and stir through.
Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil and cherry vinegar over the bread slices and toast until golden.
Serve in warmed bowls with bread in the middle of the table for dipping/mopping.