BALSAMIC ESCHALOTS
Oil
1/2 brown onion, thinly sliced
4 golden eschalots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
Sea salt and pepper
FONDANT POTATOES
Olive oil
4 large white potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm cylinders (use a round pastry cutter to get a perfect circle)
Pinch of native ground pepperberry (or peppercorns)
Salt
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 tablespoons butter
3 cups beef stock
FILLET
4 x 160g wagyu fillet
2 tablespoons butter
Sprigs thyme to serve
Rocket oil, garnish
Red wine reduction, garnish
200ml beef jus
Baby cress, garnish
1 black truffle, thinly sliced Fresh violets (garnish)
BALSAMIC ESCHALOTS
Heat a little oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Add the onions and eschalots with the garlic and cook over medium heat until caramelised.
Add the balsamic and honey; reduce the heat to low and cook until onions are tender and havea jam-like consistency.
FONDANT POTATO
Heat the oven to 150°C. In a heavy-based roasting tray heat a little olive oil. Sear the potatoes in the oil on both sides. Season with pepperberry and salt. Add the garlic and butter, pour in the beef stock and place the tray in the oven. Cook until the potatoes are tender and can be pricked with a fork.
FILLET
Preheat a barbecue or grill to a high heat. Season the beef and grill both sides on a high heat. Remove the beef from the heat, cover with foil and set aside to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes.
Just before you are about to serve the dish, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the beef and the thyme. Baste the beef with the butter for 1 minute, being careful not to burn the butter.
Circle the plate with the rocket oil and the red wine reduction. Place a fondant potato in the centre of the plate. Sit the beef on the fondant and spoon over the hot buttery beef jus. Spoon some balsamic shallots onto the beef and top with young cress leaves. Arrange the sliced black truffles and violets around the beef.
This is an edited extract from 'Signature Dishes' by Michelle Tchea, published by New Holland, $29.95.
