Star Anise Marinated Beef

I subscribe to the belief that if you’re going to eat an animal you should consider eating every part of it, not just the choicest cuts. This recipe uses a lesser known cut, flank or skirt steak, which is totally delicious.

1kg flank or skirt steak (trimmed of fat and sinew) 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups water

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine) 2 tablespoons sugar

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1 strip orange rind

2 slices fresh ginger

1 small onion, sliced

2 spring onions and grated orange rind

for garnish

Cut meat into 2 strips lengthwise. Heat oil in a frying pan until very hot and brown the strips on all sides. Place on paper towels to drain.

Place all the remaining ingredients (except garnishes) in a deep, wide saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the browned beef strips and simmer slowly over a low heat for 90 minutes or until beef is very tender. Leave to cool in the liquid. Refrigerate until needed.

To serve, take the cold meat from the broth and slice across the grain into neat slices. Arrange the meat on a serving platter alongside a salad of seasonal greens (such as fennel, beans and sugar snaps). Garnish with chopped spring onion and grated orange rind. Serves 6