Two Under Ten
Back to contentsTurn up the summer heat and hose down those costs by thinking differently about beef this season. With a little cut innovation or a twist on tradition, you can plate up a beefy banger without it costing the big bucks. We throw the challenge out to the head chefs at swanky two-hatted Bert’s and beachside beauty The Collaroy to get you started. They do say imitation is the greatest form of flattery – so what’s your beef this summer?
Grilled Beef Rib
Pickled Sugarloaf Cabbage & Black Bean Gremolata
Sam Kane
Head Chef
Bert’s Bar & Brasserie
Sam’s dish takes on all the delicious flavour of short ribs without the long cooking time by cutting horizontally instead of vertically across the rib. The 1cm thick rib slices are seasoned then cooked above the grill until about 60 degrees, allowing the fats and sinew to gently breakdown. They are then seared over a hot grill to caramelise on the outside while remaining juicy and soft on the inside. Served with a simple pickled sugarloaf cabbage salad to cut through the richness and a black bean gremolata for added umami and complexity.
Ingredients
Short ribs sliced across the bone
Sugarloaf cabbage
Granny Smith
Onion
Green onion
Flat leaf parsley
Fermented black beans
Garlic
Chilli
Chives
Total cost — $9.25
The late Anthony Bourdain declared kibbe nayeh to be the best tartare in the world – a claim Simon fully supports, adding that it would be his death row dish. Kibbe nayeh is his family’s celebration dish and on special occasions, they make up 2-3kgs, hand grinding the meat in huge mortar and pestles made by his grandfather who was a stonemason in the Middle East. Simon uses the traditional technique to delicately grind the beef and adds a little iced water for consistency. The beef is then dressed with oil and served with fermented chillies, spices, fresh vegetables and crispy flatbread. Scoop, eat, repeat.
Ingredients
Topside
Cracked wheat (burghul)
Fermented chilli
Isot pepper
Middle Eastern roast pepper blend
Flat bread
Mint
Shallot
Cucumber
Radish
Onion
Pickles
Parsley