Michael Coughlin, form Olivers Restaurant, Central Otago shares his lovely Beef Medallions recipe.
“The convenience of using these wonderfully tender and lean beef medallions means that you can cook them quickly over a barbecue or a hot frying pan with very little fuss. I always rub flavourings into the medallions. A subtle hint of fennel seed with black pepper creates a great exotic smoky crust that complements the beef. Remember to rest the medallions in a warm place on a dry tea towel for 5 minutes. I’ve topped the medallions with a crunchy salsa like salad that will be warmed through as it sits on top of the beef, allowing all the flavours to merge. Don’t be shy in making the salad punchy and bold as the beef can handle this. This is a perfect dish to share with friends around the fire or a barbecue in the summer accompanied by a bottle good quality New Zealand red wine!”
Ingredients Serves 4 for shared plate dining Preparation time: 30 to 40 minutes
1 packet Silver Fern Farms Beef Medallions
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kumara Wedges
3 large kumara, peeled, cut into large wedges
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salad
½ cup diced zucchini (small dice)
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
2 tablespoons pitted and diced giant green olives
1 tablespoon roughly chopped Italian parsley leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Lemon aioli to serve (there are plenty of good store bought brands available)
How to make
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a shallow roasting dish with baking paper.Place kumara wedges in a large bowl and add the spices. Toss until all the wedges are completely coated. Place in roasting dish in a single layer. Drizzle over the olive oil and place in the oven to roast for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally to allow them to roast evenly.
Meanwhile, heat a barbecue or frying pan until hot. Season beef medallions with salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub with olive oil. Place on the barbecue or frying pan and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Remove from the barbecue or frying plan, cover loosely and leave the meat to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes while you make the salad.
Mix all salad ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve
Arrange the rested medallions on your sharing platter or board top with generous spoonfuls of the salad allowing some of this salad to fall off to garnish the plate as well drizzle with a few extra drops of olive oil then top each medallion with a kumara wedge. Serve with lemon aioli in a dish on the side.
