Favourite Meat
This recipe was first developed by Polyvios Nicolarakis when he was on dinner duty (which was often because Nicole would be working in the shop until closing time) as a straightforward, reliable staple meal, always enjoyed by the whole family, including the fussy eaters… hence it’s name!
Ingredients (for 4 servings)
- 2 x ~250g Lamb backstraps (or equivalent beef) cut into 1cm wide strips
- whole champignon/mushrooms (2 x 440g tins, not fresh mushrooms)
- passata (1 large 700g jar)
- whole peeled tomatoes (1 x 440g tin)
- garlic (4 cloves)
- fresh or dry rosemary (1 tbsp/3 sprigs)
- cumin (1 tspn, optional)
- soy sauce (~4 tbsp to taste)
- vegemite (~2 tsp to taste)
- red (cab sav) wine (1 glass, optional)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- light extra virgin olive oil
- served with tagliatelle or rice
Method
- Heat olive oil in a heavy, iron pot or deep fry pan
- Season with 2 crushed cloves of garlic
- Add and brown the champignon in the olive oil, stirring to prevent garlic burning
- Remove champignion from pot
- Add more olive oil, 1 clove of garlic and salt and pepper
- Carefully place lamb strips in pot and brown on both sides, making sure each strip has space around it – this helps the strips to brown, and prevents broiling. This step may require repeating in batches with extra oil, garlic, salt and pepper for each batch, until all lamb is browned, then removed and placed with the champignon.
- Add soy sauce, cumin, wine (optional) and vegemite to the empty but still hot pot and reduce down to a thick sauce
- Return the meat and champignons to the sauce and stir so the champignons soak up the sauce
- Add the tin of whole peeled tomatoes and passata to the pot
- Keep stirring then let sit with no heat for 10-30 minutes
- Season with salt, pepper to taste.
- Serve on pasta or rice.
