With all the different cuts of beef, veal, lamb, goat and pork, both fresh and cured, there’s a lot to discover in the world of meat cookery. From a simple steak dressed up with an easy sauce to a complex braise or casserole; in soups, salads and sandwiches; for special occasions, picnics or late night snacks, here are some of my favourite meat recipes.
Potato Salad Potato salad is my go-to dish for picnics, barbecues and any family gathering, it’s delicious with virtually everything, including veal schnitzel. For me, hard boiled eggs are a must; the yolks break up a little and add their creaminess to the dressing. Pancetta is optional, I like its saltiness, but you can make […]
French Onion Soup Soup, bread, cheese: three of my favourite comfort foods. I love French onion soup because it combines all three! Beef stock is considered the traditional base, but I often use chicken stock or just water. Sometimes I use the stock leftover from poaching veal for vitello tonnato and find the vinegar cuts […]
Rare Roast Beef Sandwich Rare roast beef sandwiches are popular in the USA, especially the north east, as a closed sandwich, often with American cheddar-style cheese melted over the beef. I prefer an open version without the cheese, using delicious Sonoma miche bread. The essentials are thinly shaved rare roast beef, a creamy sauce (usually […]
Wagyu Hamburger A discovery of wagyu beef patties at Vic’s Meat Market inspired me to make my own wagyu hamburgers – bringing back wonderful childhood memories of family road trips down the south coast of NSW. Stopping at a milk bar along the way for a hamburger was a rare holiday treat that ended up […]
Rare Roast Beef A simple piece of rare roast beef is a great centrepiece for any table. Two tips ensure success: bring the meat to room temperature before cooking it (about an hour out of the fridge depending on the weather) and rest it for at least as long as you cook it. I use […]
Steak Tartare As a reformed vegetarian, it’s odd that my favourite way to eat meat is raw, but I can rarely resist this dish when I see it on a menu. I love the theatre of it being mixed tableside by an experienced waiter and the traditional crinkly pommes gaufrettes with it, though crisped baguette […]
Salade Lyonnaise This hearty salad is one of my favourite starters, and also makes a great light meal. I became addicted to it on a trip to Lyon where I had an excellent Salade Lyonnaise at the bouchon La Meunière. As with all simple recipes, there’s a trick or two that take it from good […]
‘Nduja Strozzapreti This very versatile recipe is built around Calabria’s fiery, spreadable salami called ‘nduja (see FAQ below); it’s available from most delis and my favourite is from Salumi Australia. I’ve made this dish without the chicory (just eggs) and without the eggs (just chicory), but like it best with both. The name chicory is […]
Fettuccine Bolognese Join my Small Group Food & Wine Tours of Bologna https://youtu.be/MNEYP5H1Ia0 Slow-cooked meat sauces, called ragùs, are made all over Italy, though the best known comes from Bologna in Emilia-Romagna and is the ancestor of Australia’s beloved ‘spag bol’. Not that it would ever be served with dried spaghetti in Emilia-Romagna where fresh […]
Simple Party Sausage Rolls When I was a kid, Mum often had homemade sausage rolls waiting for us as an after school snack. She’d pop them in the oven when she left to pick us up from school and they’d be hot and golden brown ready for us to devour when we arrived home. This […]
