If you’re going to eat meat, offal and unusual cuts should not be overlooked.
Photo Elizabeth Clarkson/styling Kate Arbuthnot
Jennifer McLagan, an Australian friend who lives in Toronto, has just sent a copy of her new book, Odd Bits (Random House, $77, on request), with the subtitle “How to Cook the Rest of the Animal”. It follows her other fascinating cookbooks: Bones and Fat. She tackles her subjects fearlessly and with wit, researching extensively and providing stunning recipes. But I suspect none of her books will ever reach No 1 on any bestseller list, because the subjects are out of the comfort zone for many, who feel squeamish about eating bones, fat and now offal and unusual cuts.
Another writer, chef Fergus Henderson, who has the popular St John Bar & Restaurant in London, is quoted on the Odd Bits cover: “Let Jennifer McLagan take you by the trotter and lead you through the odd bits. Hang on, surely some mistake; the good bits!” That’s exactly how I feel about offal. I have tackled a pig’s head and munched on crispy deep-fried pigs’ ears and crumbed pig’s tails – “Gnaw them like an ear of corn,” the chef entreated. I love the livers of duck, chicken, lamb and calves, and am partial to marinated grilled kidneys. I had a memorable meal of brains in Melbourne restaurant France-Soir about 30 years ago, and I believe they still serve it there.
Sweetbreads are delicious, any animal’s neck has the sweetest meat of all, and at Antoine’s restaurant in Parnell, chef Tony Astle has regulars who for 35 years have come for his rendition of tender tripe. I am perplexed by meat lovers who shy away from these delicacies. They don’t know what they’re missing.
Talking about sustainability has become rather fashionable in food circles. But, like the term “organics”, no one can really put their finger on exactly what it means. Many households from necessity base their food purchases on price alone, but I like to think that where people have choices they will find food that has been grown with regard to the continued fertility of the land and, in the case of animals, the healthy and kind manner in which they’ve been raised. So, like others around the planet who care, I subscribe to the belief that if you’re going to eat an animal, you should consider eating all of it. With this mantra in mind, I have two meaty recipes here that use uncommon cuts. Both the spicy, almost Chinese-style, flank steak and the pressed tongue are superb for summer eating, as they’re served cold with a healthy salad.
STAR-ANISE-MARINATED BEEF
- 1kg flank or skirt steak (trimmed of fat
- and sinew)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 whole star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- strip of orange rind
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 1 small onion, sliced
Cut the meat into 2 strips lengthwise. Heat the oil in a frying pan until very hot, then brown the strips on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Put the remaining ingredients into a wide saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the beef strips and simmer very slowly over a low heat for 90 minutes or until the beef is tender. Cool in the liquid. Refrigerate until needed. To serve, take the meat from the broth, and cut across the grain into neat slices. Arrange the meat on a serving platter with the salad (recipe below) and pour salad dressing over to keep the meat moist. Serves 6. Wine match: a summer rosé.
FENNEL, BEAN AND SNOWPEA SALAD
- 2 small fennel bulbs
- 1 cup light vegetable stock
- 200g small green beans, trimmed
- 200g snowpeas, trimmed
- DRESSING
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 small piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 orange, grated rind and juice
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Trim and slice the fennel bulbs thinly. Bring the stock to a simmer and add the fennel. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the beans and snowpeas and continue to simmer for 2 minutes, ensuring they remain a little crisp. Drain well. Whisk the dressing ingredients together. To serve, pile the vegetables onto a serving plate, and sprinkle over half the dressing. Serves 8.
TASTY PRESSED BEEF TONGUE WITH TOMATO SALAD
- 1 pickled or corned-beef tongue
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot
- small bunch of fresh herbs (thyme,
- parsley)
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
Place the tongue in a large saucepan and cover with water. Peel and chop the onion, garlic and carrot and add to the pan with the herbs, peppercorns and vinegar. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave to simmer for 3-4 hours. Check frequently to ensure the tongue is covered with water throughout the cooking. Turn off the heat, and let the tongue cool for a few minutes in the liquid. When it is still hot but cool enough to handle (rubber gloves help), remove the tongue to a chopping board and carefully peel off the tough skin. Take special care around the tip, as the meat can tear easily. Curl the skinned tongue into a round and press down into a small stainless-steel bowl. Push a small saucer or plate onto the surface of the meat to compress it, then top with something heavy like a large jar (I use the solid bowl of my mortar and pestle) to weight it down. Leave to cool completely. It will keep refrigerated for several days. Refrigerate the pressed tongue until ready to serve. Cut into thin slices horizontally across the tongue and serve with steamed new potatoes, a tomato and basil salad dressed with a mustardy vinaigrette, and a spicy chutney. Serves 6-8.
Beef courtesy of Ruby’s List (www.rubyslist.co.nz).