Kutjera, Beef and Onion Pastries

Since we've been living in the United States, the kids have missed the Aussie bakery - where meat and vegie pies are aplenty, and make for an easy (and economical!) treat lunch. Happily, we have discovered piroshky, Russian pastries available from a nearby shopping center. I love the ones made with puff pastry, and was inspired to make my own native-Australian-flavoured puff-pastry pies at home.

These are somewhere between a pie and a pasty in form, and unlike typical Aussie pies are completely surrounded in puff pastry, rather than shortcrust. Much like my various sausage roll variations, using puff pastry sheets is both for simplicity and flavour - I adore the flakiness!

The beef mince here uses ground kutjera - or, bush tomato - as well as native pepper seasoning for a uniquely Australian twist. The thing I love about my native Australian pantry is that jars of herbs and spices are easy to take overseas, and last quite awhile in the cupboard. I brought the whole range of sealed jars over here with me, and have been enjoying using them in my home cooking.

Ingredients

500gm beef mince
2 medium onions
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp Outback Pride Ground Kutjera
1/2 tbsp Outback Pride Native Pepper Seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt + more to taste, as necessary
2 tbsp olive oil
4 sheets puff pastry
2 eggs, beaten

Method

1. Mince the onion and garlic in a food processor or similar. Put the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion mixture to the pan. Stir, cooking gently, for about 5 minutes or until onion is soft.

2. Add the cumin, kutjera, native pepper seasoning and paprika to the pan. Stir for 1 minute. Add the beef mince, and break up the meat thoroughly as it cooks. Reduce heat to low.

3. Season with salt, stir to combine and continue to cook the meat down. Taste the mixture and continue to season to taste. Simmer the meat mixture for about 10 minutes, and then remove from heat. Allow to cool.

4. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4 pieces. One at a time, brush the square of pastry with egg and place 1/4 cup beef mixture carefully in the centre. Fold opposite corners of the pastry in to overlap in the middle, and press together. Fold the remaining two corners in, overlap the points of the corners in the centre, and press together the pastry edges to seal.

5. Place them on a baking tray with baking paper / parchment paper and brush each pie with the egg mixture to glaze. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Serve with your favourite sauce or relish!

Makes 16 pastries

Breakfast muffin with herbed egg, bacon and Kutjera Relish

This one is bit of a special take on the breakfast muffin, with native flavour and juicy flavours! The delicious smells as you prepare it are enough to make your mouth water, I just love it.

Wholemeal muffin aside, this recipe is on the indulgent side - you could also add some baby spinach leaves to your dish, if you like to add some greens to soak up the tasty egg yolk. Or perhaps just make sure some veg makes it to your lunch and dinner ;) LOL

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 wholemeal English muffin
1 free range egg
2 rashers free range bacon
1/2 teaspoon dried saltbush flakes, or sea parsley (either work well, depending on your taste preference!)
2 teaspoons Kutjera Relish
3 thin slices colby cheese (or your preferred cheese), enough for 1 layer across the muffin

Method

Heat up a non stick frying pan over high heat. Cut the muffin in half. Slice the cheese.

Place the bacon rashers in the pan and cook for a couple of minutes until crispy and cooked on one side. Rotate the frying pan to spread the fat around the surface.

Put the muffin in the toaster to cook.

Flip the bacon to the other side, and reduce the heat to low. Crack the egg into the frying pan. Slowly cook sunny side up, sprinkling with the dried native herb of your choice as it cooks.

Remove muffin halves from toaster and spread one side with the kutjera relish. On the other side, place the cheese slices.

Using an egg flip or spatula, carefully lift the fried egg from the and place it on the muffin with the cheese. Add the bacon rashers and then turn over the other half of the muffin and sandwich the lot together. Enjoy!

Lamb Chop and Bush Tomato Curry

Everyone in the family from the age of 3 to 35 finished their bowl of this new and tasty curry tonight, so I figure that's a recommendation :) With the scent of cinnamon and subtle smokiness of bush tomato, it is a mild curry in layers of flavour. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

Olive oil spray
6 lamb chops (I use free range bbq chops)
1 tbsp ghee
2 onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp Outback Pride Bush Tomato Seasoning
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Outback Pride Tanami Fire (more for additional spice)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
Natural yogurt, to serve (optional)
Fresh coriander, to serve (optional)


Method:

Spray a large non-stick frying pan lightly with olive oil spray. Heat over high heat and brown the chops on each side, in batches. Put the browned chops in the base of a casserole dish.

Melt the ghee in the frying pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook the onion gently for ten minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, Bush Tomato Seasoning, turmeric and Tanami Fire and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the cinnamon to the tin of tomatoes and pour into the pan. Bring to a simmer and then pour it over the chops in the casserole dish. Pour in the chicken stock and lightly stir.

Bake at 160 degrees for 1.5 hours for the best, soft lamb that falls off the bones. Use tongs to remove the bones and pull away any fatty strips. Serve with rice, and garnish with natural yogurt and fresh coriander. Serve!

Simon Bryant's Roo with Macadamia Satay Sauce

In December last year, Mike Quarmby's eldest son got married and brilliant South Australian chef Simon Bryant designed an exclusive menu for the reception using Outback Pride produce and a range of native Australian foods. Simon has been friends with the Quarmbys since meeting them when Outback Pride featured on Simon Bryant and Maggie Beer's ABC tv show The Cook and the Chef a couple of times.

Staff preparing platters at the reception

The food at this wedding reception was, in short, incredible. So so good. I didn't even get to try (or photograph) everything as some of the food disappeared so quickly into the mouths of guests - including these satays! Simon kindly agreed to share some of his recipes with us, and this is the first.

Roo with Macadamia satay sauce

Makes 10 satay by 40 g satay

2 large dried red chillies, finely chopped, seeds and all
20 ml white vinegar
20 ml rice bran, grapeseed oil [rice bran, grapeseed, soybean?]
2 clove crushed garlic
80g macadamia nut
20 ml light soy sauce
20 ml  kecap manis
20  g palm sugar
250  ml tinned coconut CREAM
1 g lemon myrtle ground (plus a little for satay meat)
2 g ground kutjera( plus a little for satay meat)
Salt flakes
500 g of roo saddle . trimmed and large dice ,skewered

Roast macadamia in oven for 10 mins at mod heat.
Place the chilli in bowl, splash over the vinegar and leave it to soak for 15 minutes. Preheat a small heavy-based saute or frying  pan over medium heat. Add the oil and when it is hot, add the garlic and saute it until softened, then add the chilli and vinegar mix and fry for a few seconds, stirring. Add all other ingredients, reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10–15 minutes until the nuts suck up the coconut cream and the sauce becomes thick. Set aside.

Meanwhile bbq  the roo with a pinch of salt flakes and myrtle/ kutjera (whatever takes your fancy)  when just seared drown in the above sauce.

WA's best BBQ featuring kutjera

Tongmaster challenge: Meet WA's best BBQ chef Stephan who won the title with a mouth-watering Kutjera Spiced BBQ Beef Steak. Stephen plans on featuring more of Outback Pride's native bush food products when he heads to the U.S. to compete in the BBQ Cookoff!

Kutjera and Native Pepper Lamb Shanks

This is a new, improved variation on an old fave. Perfect for the cooler weather. Cannellini beans add some extra bulk and a lovely creamy texture.

 Ingredients

300gm butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped roughly
2 cups beef stock
4 lamb shanks, french trimmed if you prefer (this is mostly about presentation, though, so I don't worry about it)
1/2 cup plain flour
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup dry red wine
400ml tin diced tomatoes
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp Outback Pride Whole Kutjera
1 tsp Outback Pride Native Pepper Seasoning
1 tin cannellini beans
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to serve
Parsley, to garnish

Step One

Coat the lamb shanks in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, or a casserole dish suitable for stovetop cooking, over medium-high heat. Add the lamb shanks and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, or until well browned all over. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.

Step Two

Add the onion and garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion has softened. Return the lamb shanks to the pan along with the beef stock, red wine, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, kutjera and native pepper seasoning. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes, turning the shanks occasionally. Alternatively, place the casserole dish, covered, in a moderate oven for 1 hour.

Alternatively, transfer all the ingredients, including the pumpkin, to a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Step Three

Add the pumpkin to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Stir in the cannellini beans, salt and pepper (to taste) and simmer until the beans are warmed through. Top with chopped parsley and serve with mash, rice or accompanied by crusty bread.

Serves 4

Kutjera Lamb Shanks with Pumpkin

A warm and wintery meal, serve with mashed potato or try couscous for a Moroccan feel. Inspired by an old Good Taste magazine recipe (one of my old mag clippings) - check out taste.com.au for other ideas.

Ingredients

Approx 300g Jap pumpkin, peeled and de-seeded
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Stock cubes or powder, crumbled (enough to make 1 1/2 cups stock, read each packet to check)
4 lamb shanks, French trimmed
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
250ml tinned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dried dates, pitted and halved
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons Outback Pride Ground Kutjera
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp Outback Pride Sea Parsley Flakes, or chopped fresh parsley

Step One

Cut the pumpkin into 2cm thick wedges and then in half crossways. Stir the crumbled stock into the jug of boiling water and set aside until needed.

Step Two

Place the flour on a large plate and coat the lamb shanks all over, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or heatproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, or until well browned all over. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.

Step Three
Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until onion is soft. Return the lamb shanks to the pan with the chicken stock, red wine, tomatoes, dates, kutjera and cinnamon stick and bring it to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, turning the shanks occasionally, for 45 minutes.

Step Four

Add the pumpkin to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes or so until the pumpkin is tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Add the Sea Parsley flakes to the sauce just before serving the lamb over mashed potato. Accompany with a full-bodied red wine.

Serves 4

Kangaroo and Kutjera Stroganoff

The meat I use for this recipe is Macro Meats' herb and garlic kangaroo steaks (I slice or dice them), but I imagine you could use beef or veal or whatever if you like. Just keep in mind that the marinade affects the flavour, so I have no idea what it would taste like with an alternative meat! If anyone tries it, please let me know :)

Only taking about 20 minutes to whip up, this is a great weeknight meal.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter / dairy spread
2 small onions (or 1 large), diced
3 teaspoons ground Kutjera
1 teaspoon paprika (mild, I used Hungarian this time, but whatever you have handy)
1/3 cup plain flour
Approx 400gm kangaroo steak in herb & garlic, diced or cut into strips
220gm tin of mushrooms in butter sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Mountain Pepper Flakes or Ground Mountain Pepper
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sour cream

Step 1

Using a large saucepan or medium frypan, saute onion in half the butter until soft and slightly translucent. Scoop the onions out with a slotted spoon, leaving any remaining butter behind. Set aside.

Step 2

Combine the plain flour with the paprika and ground kutjera. Thoroughly coat the pieces of meat with the flour mixture. Melt the remaining butter in the saucepan before adding the floured meat, and brown all over.

Step 3

Add the tin of Mushroom in Butter Sauce and the cup of water. Return the onion to the saucepan, and stir in the tomato paste. Add the Mountain Pepper Flakes, and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

Step 4

Stir the sour cream through the sauce, and remove from heat. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Serve alongside basmati rice and steamed greens, such as broccoli or green beans. Optional extra: sprinkle a bit of Sea Parsley over the stroganoff.

Native Herb Crumbed Chicken

I'm going to introduce this blog with a recipe for an old family fave, reinvented with the addition of native herbs. My mum used to make these crumbed chicken drumsticks, and even though I never got the official recipe, I remembered enough of the general idea to come up with this new version!

Ingredients

Approximately 8 large chicken drumsticks (or 10 smaller ones)
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 1/2 teaspoon saltbush flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon mountain pepper flakes
3 teaspoons native thyme
1 teaspoon kutjera

Step One

Preheat oven to about 200 degrees. Prepare a tray with baking paper. Pull all the skin off the chicken drumsticks and discard. Set chicken aside.

Step Two


Combine breadcrumbs and all herbs on a large plate. Feel free to adjust the quantities and types of herbs used according to what you have, and to your taste. Mix well and then spread out across the plate.

Step Three


Dollop natural yoghurt onto a second large plate. Take each drumstick and coat in the yoghurt before rolling in the herb and breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken pieces on the tray.

Step Four

Use a cooking spray, such as an olive oil spray, to lightly coat all sides of the chicken. The only tricky bit of this recipe is stopping the crumbs from sticking to the tray when the chicken is cooked! Bake the chicken in the oven for about 50-60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the drumsticks, until cooked through and crispy on the outside. Serve hot or cold, with salad. A bit of Quandong and Chilli Sauce would also be tasty on the side :)



OTHER IDEAS
Homemade crumbing is a great way of getting a taste for native herbs and spices. You can use crumbing for your own schnitzels, small pieces of chicken fillet, seafood, steak, etc. I love combining the native herb mix 'Seafood Sprinkle' with breadcrumbs for my calamari rings! If you are a fan of hot and spicy, 'Tanami Fire' would make a great addition to some crumbed steak. You can try out all sorts of herb and breadcrumb combinations, and they are a great way of getting used to the different native herb flavours. Especially in Summer - BBQ season!