FOOD: Beef tartare, tarragon mayonnaise and fried anchovy. Andrew McConnell
Serves 6
– 50ml sherry vinegar
– 200ml olive oil
– salt and pepper
– 500g beef rump
– 3 tbsp caperberries, finely diced – 3 tbsp spring onions, finely diced – 3 tbsp chives, finely diced
– 1 x 50g tin anchovies
– rice flour
– 1 bunch tarragon, leaves picked – 1 bunch chervil, leaves picked – ½ bunch dill, leaves picked
Tarragon mayonnaise
– 1 large shallot, finely sliced – 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced – 100ml white wine vinegar – ½ bunch tarragon
– 6 egg yolks
– 300ml vegetable oil
Whisk together the sherry vinegar and olive oil and set aside. Cut the beef into half-centimetre dice and place in a bowl with the caperberries, spring onions and chives. Mix thoroughly and dress with half the amount of the sherry vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and a pinch of pepper. Cover with cling film and set aside in the refrigerator. For the tarragon mayonnaise, sweat the shallot and garlic in a little olive oil in a pan over a low heat until completely soft. Be careful not to let it colour. Add vinegar and reduce until dry. Set aside to cool. Blanch the tarragon in boiling water for 10 seconds, then refresh in iced water. Remove all excess water. In a blender, add the tarragon, egg yolks and shallot and garlic reduction. Blend on high speed then reduce and slowly add oil to emulsify and create a mayonnaise. Season with salt. Set aside to cool and store in a piping bag. Drain the tin of anchovies well and toss in rice flour, ensuring a good coating. Dust off excess flour. Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry the anchovies until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Store in an airtight container. To serve, place the tartare on a serving plate and pipe eight to 10 dollops of the mayonnaise on top. Drizzle with the remaining sherry vinegar dressing, lightly crumb the anchovies over the dish and scatter with picked herbs.
Wine pairing:
2016 Fairbank Ancestrale rosé, Bendigo ($30) – Liam O’Brien, head sommelier, Cutler & Co