JANET GREY, THE FAT FARMER & KYLE STREET, CULPRIT (AUCKLAND)

PLATE OF ORIGIN DISH: Angus Pure Beef with Curious Croppers green tomatoes, flat iron steak, braised beef cheek, tomato marmalade, coffee-grind rub and salt, and a touch of smoked sour cream.

HERO INGREDIENTS: Angus Pure Beef sourced and produced from the following four Angus Studs in the Manawatu region: Atahua Angus, Ngaputahi Angus, Pine Park Angus and Merchiston Angus with green tomatoes sourced and grown at Curious Croppers, Clevedon, Auckland.

Watching Janet and Kyle work together in The Fat Farmer kitchen was like watching two big kids conducting a very serious experiment. Janet chose Angus Pure Beef because of the traceability within her region, sourced from four local Angus Stud breeding farms who contribute to the Angus Pure supply. The flat iron cut and beef cheek are secondary cuts that are regularly used at Culprit with the beef following the rustic farm concept that is essential to The Fat Farmer.

Enter Culprit’s ‘Green Tomato Man’ Kyle Street with his spectacular green tomatoes grown by Curious Croppers in Clevedon, Auckland and you have a dish that knocked the judges’ socks off. Juicy, tender beef steak with the beef cheek presented in a super-crispy croquette styled cube (so very Culprit). A vibrant green salad dressed with a punchy herb oil screamed of summer and teamed perfectly with the tart, fresh, green tomatoes. The green-tomato marmalade and the smoky tones of the sour cream had the judges fighting for the last bits of beef so that they could swoop up every last drizzle. Freeze-dried green tomatoes (a special collaboration with Auckland freeze-drying company Fresh As) provided an unexpected and exciting sweet/sour crunch. Zing Zap - Pow! Did we mention flavour? thefatfarmer.co.nz culprit.co.nz