1 tsp salt per 500g of beef
6 twists of pepper per 500g of beef
METHOD
Heat oven to 110C on fan bake. Remove sirloin from refrigerator and allow meat to come to room temperature. Turn off your smoke detector and open a window.
Heat a cast-iron, heavy-bottomed pan on high heat until it forms an obvious haze.
Season the meat with salt and pepper, and gently add to the dry pan, fat side first. Do not touch the meat.
Cook on a fierce heat to allow the fat to render from the meat as it cooks; this will take between three and five minutes. The fat that renders from the beef will keep the flesh sides of the beef from drying out as they cook.
Adjust the heat by moving the pan - not moving or poking the meat, as this will interrupt the caramelisation of the sugars and proteins.
Once the sirloin has a nice crust place in the oven for 10 minutes per 100g. I like my beef medium rare. If you like yours less well done, cook it less; if you like it better done, cook it more - unless I'm coming for dinner.
Serve with a selection of mustards, some onions you have pickled earlier in the year and rocket, fennel and chardonnay salad and parsnip, vanilla and pear.
Don't forget to turn your smoke detector back on; it's a good opportunity to check the batteries, too. - Serves 4
ROCKET, FENNEL AND CHARDONNAY SALAD
INGREDIENTS
6 handfuls rocket
1 cup finely sliced fennel bulb
1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
4 twists black pepper
2 tbsp Selaks Reserve chardonnay
6 tablespoons olive oil
METHOD
In a large mixing bowl whisk chardonnay, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add rocket and fennel bulb and toss to coat (but not drown) the salad. Serve immediately.
PARSNIP, VANILLA AND PEAR
INGREDIENTS
2 quartered Beurre Bosc pears
3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup white wine such as Selaks Reserve chardonnay
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod
1 bay leaf
A pinch each of sugar and salt
Extra tbsp of butter to serve
Extra splash chardonnay
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a large non-reactive (non-cast iron) skillet.
Partially cover and boil for approximately 20 minutes, until the liquid evaporates and the pears brown. Stir in an extra splash of white wine and the extra tablespoon of butter and serve hot.
PORK HOCKS
Served with pinot gris caramel, chilli and coriander and pumpkin with chilli and chives.
SUGGESTED WINE MATCH
Selaks Reserve pinot gris
INGREDIENTS
4 pork hocks
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp salt
Water to cover
150ml Selaks Reserve pinot gris
250g white sugar
Finely chopped chilli - as much as you can handle
Coriander
METHOD
Place pork hocks, celery, onion, carrot, star anise, cinnamon, salt and water in a crockpot or low-simmering pot and roast for four hours.
Remove from heat and allow to cool in the cooking liquid, then refrigerate until cold and the stock has jellied.
When the stock has jellied, remove hocks and place aside.
In a separate bowl, combine pinot gris, 200ml of the jellied stock, sugar and finely chopped chilli.
Heat oven to 200C on fan bake.
Roll the hocks through the sugar-stock mix and place in a roasting dish and into the hot oven.
Continue to spoon the sugar mix over the hock as they cook and colour to keep them moist.
Cook until hocks are dark and golden and the meat moves easily on the bone - this will take approximately 30 minutes.
Serve with extra chilli and coriander, and roast pumpkin, chilli and chive salad.
- Serves 4
PUMPKIN, CHILLI AND CHIVES
INGREDIENTS
1 small pumpkin
20ml olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
6 twists of pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp manuka honey
1 medium red chilli, seeded and chopped
6 chive batons, chopped
METHOD
Heat oven to 180C on fan bake.
Cut the pumpkin into small wedges, leaving the skin on. In a large bowl mix olive oil, salt, pepper, honey and cinnamon, then drizzle over the pumpkin so it is well coated.
Place in the hot oven and roast for 45 minutes.
Remove, sprinkle with chilli and chives, and serve immediately.
APPLE COMPRESSION, RUNNY CREAM & BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
SUGGESTED WINE MATCH
Selaks Reserve gewurztraminer riesling.
INGREDIENTS
For the apple compression
8 red-skin apples, finely sliced
50g sugar
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
For the brown sugar meringues
2 egg whites
6 tbsp brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1 scant tsp cider vinegar
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 110C on fan bake. Line a 20x10x5cm baking tray with baking paper. Splash a little olive oil over the baking paper and layer the apples in neat rows.
Sprinkle every second layer of apples with olive oil and sugar. Repeat until all apples are used; slice more apples if necessary to complete the final layer for an even finish.
Finish the top layer with a small drizzle of olive oil and a fine layer of sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for five hours until the apples are soft.
Remove dish from oven and place a weight on top of the dish to compress the layers of apple.
Leave to cool and then refrigerate overnight.
The following day, slice the apple compression into generous wedges and warm in a low oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the brown sugar meringues.
With an electric beater whip egg whites until foamy.
Add first tablespoon of brown sugar and beat whites for a further 60 seconds.
Repeat the process until all the sugar is used.
Add a pinch of salt and the cider vinegar, and beat for a further three minutes.
Remove beaters from the electric beater and coat them with the meringue mix as if filling candyfloss at a fairground.
Hold beaters over a gas burner on the stovetop and colour the meringue until golden brown and delicious; alternatively if you don't have a gas burner hold over a brulee torch or open flame.
Serve immediately with warmed apple compression and runny cream or icecream.
- Serves 4
