Preparation time
20 minutes + 1 day brining
Cooking time
20 minutes
Serves
6-8
and truffle mushroom purée and blanched broccolini
To pair with Hugh Allen's wagyu rump, choose a brightly-fruited red like Pinot Noir or Grenache with delicate yet complex flavours. Both pair naturally with the foundational elements of this dish
Ingredients
Pickled cucumber
Baby cucumbers, as needed
700g white balsamic vinegar
250g water
100g sugar
20g salt
Truffle mushroom purée
100g grapeseed oil
20g shallots
300g mushrooms (button, Swiss, according to preference), sliced
100g truffles, cut in even-sized pieces
265g chicken stock
Sherry vinegar, to taste
Salt, to taste
Blanched broccolini
1kg broccolini
4L water
300g dried koji
80g salt
200g parsley stems
100g lemon thyme
Wagyu beef, rib, striploin or sirloin
(150g per person, not including bone)
Heirloom baby carrots, thinly sliced
Baby turnips, sliced into 4
Watermelon radishes, sliced in half
Wild rocket
Nasturtium leaves and flowers
Method
1. For the pickled cucumbers: combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a saucepan and heat while whisking to dissolve sugar and salt. Once boiled, pour over the baby cucumbers and leave to cool. Use after at least 1 day in brine.
2. For the truffle mushroom purée: heat a little oil in a large saucepan over medium-heat, then add shallots and fry until transparent (approximately 5 minutes). Add sliced mushrooms and truffles, sweating until they release their liquid. Continue to cook until liquid has reduced, then deglaze pan with stock and vinegar and allow to reduce slightly (about 10 minutes). Transfer the mushroom mixture to a blender and blitz until a smooth purée. Season to taste and set aside, keeping warm, until needed.
3. For the blanched broccolini: bring water to boil, then add koji and salt. Once aromatic, add herbs and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to steep for 4 minutes then strain. Place half the mixture in freezer to freeze halfway through, and place the other half back on heat and bring back to a boil. Blanch broccolini in blanching liquid until cooked (about 20 seconds). Once cooked, shock them in half-frozen blanching liquid to cool rapidly.
4. Meanwhile, fire up the grill and barbeque wagyu until medium rare (about 6–8 minutes depending on size of cut).
5. While beef is cooking, add prepared broccolini pieces to the grill. Lightly dress herbs and vegetables with lemon juice and salt. On a warm plate, add all vegetables, heat the truffle purée and add a spoon drop. Rest beef and add to plate with a store-bought jus (optional). Serve with hot, crusty sourdough and quality butter.