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KITCHEN
To understand Australian cuisine, you must first acknowledge the multicultural influences, from Aboriginal hunter-gatherers, to European and Asian. These have transformed the traditional Sunday dinner of roasted lamb and mint sauce to casual barbecues with local meats such as kangaroo and emu. Contemporary Australian cuisine has strayed from its British roots; its eclectic array of ingredients and influences make it both distinct and unique.
Chef Joel Lamoureux flavours his Australian lamb with a melting pot of spices used in contemporary Australian cooking. The lamb is grilled( of course), and accompanied by the beet that is so ubiquitous in Australian fare. Licorice joins the Shiraz in a velvety red wine sauce that brings this dish together for a truly Australian experience.
We were joined on our Test Kitchen shoot by the crew from TVA’ s show Viens Voir Ici! View the episode at: www. banvilleandjones. com / cellarext. aspx.
THE MEAL Grilled Loin of Lamb with Roasted Beets and Macadamia Nuts in a Red Wine Licorice Sauce( Serves 4) 4 racks of Australian lamb, bone in(~ 1 lbs. each) ¼ c. olive oil Salt
Spice Rub 10g long pepper 10g star anise 15g dried lemon 20g sumac( a. k. a. summack) 10g fresh thyme, chopped
Photo by Ian McCausland
Grind all dry spices into a fine powder. Sieve spices to remove any larger pieces. Mix in the chopped thyme.
Using a thin blade, remove the ribs from the loin by slicing down the bone. Reserve the bones for your sauce, and trim away any excess fat on the meat. Liberally rub spice blend all over the loin of lamb. Add olive oil to moisten the meat and marinate overnight. When you are ready to grill, season with salt and grill on medium-high heat for 10 – 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 63 ° C( 145 ° F). Remove from the grill and let stand 5 – 10 minutes before slicing.
Red Wine Licorice Sauce Reserved lamb rib bones ½ c. tomatoes, diced and peeled
3 ⁄ 4 bottle of Australian Shiraz ½ c. veal or lamb stock ½ c. onions, sliced 4 cloves garlic, cut in half 10g star anise 10g licorice root 5 sprigs of thyme 1 tsp canola oil 1 tbsp chilled butter, diced Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Roast rib bones, turning them until evenly browned. Once brown, add onions, garlic, star anise, and licorice root. Continue roasting until onions start to brown. Add tomatoes and continue cooking until most of the liquid evaporates and a paste forms. Add thyme, stock, and Shiraz. Turn heat to low and simmer slowly for approximately 1 – 3 hours. The longer you simmer, the richer the flavours. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and continue reducing by one third until thickened. Finish the sauce away from the heat by whisking in chilled butter and adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Roasted Beets with Beet Tops and Macadamia Nuts 2 lbs assorted baby beets: red, golden, Chioggia, etc., tops removed and washed 3 c. coarse salt ½ c. macadamia nuts 2 tbs. olive oil 1 tbs. butter Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 ° F. Cover the bottom of a baking sheet with salt. Place beets, skin on, resting on the salt. Roast the beats for about one hour. Beets are done when the point of a knife is met with little resistance. Allow to cool for a few minutes before peeling the skins. Roasting on salt helps draw out more moisture, intensifying the flavour of the beets. When you peel the beets, you take away any extra salt that may be present. Do not discard the salt; you can reuse it again and again.
Cut beets into halves or quarters. Place in a bowl with butter and keep warm. Place macadamia nuts on a baking sheet and roast gently until golden brown, about 6 – 7 minutes. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and quickly sauté the beet tops. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the beets and season with salt and pepper.
Join Chef Joel Lamoureux in the Burgundy Test Kitchen on October 14( see page 46 for more details). b
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