Australian Beef Carpaccio, Burrata, Tomato Jam, Porcini Purée, and Watercress

Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 8 to 10 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

Tomato Jam
10 vine ripe tomatoes
salt
½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon crushed chili flakes
½ teaspoon chopped thyme
¼ cup Sherry vinegar
Porcini Purée
2 cups dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups water
1 clove garlic
thyme
1 cup heavy cream
salt
Beef Carpaccio
1½ pounds Australian prime beef tenderloin
Basil Seeds
2 tablespoons basil seeds
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
11½ teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Burrata
1 pound imported burrata cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Assemble and Serve
salt
1 bunch picked watercress
Juice of 2 lemons

METHOD:

For the Tomato Jam:
Score tomatoes and place them in salted boiling water for 30 seconds. Shock in ice water, peel off the skin, de-seed and small dice. Add the tomatoes and olive oil to a pot and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar, salt, chili, and thyme. Cook for another 4 minutes. Deglaze with the Sherry vinegar, lower the heat, and simmer for 1½ hours. Set aside and cool.

For the Porcini Purée:
Rinse dried porcinis in cold water to remove any dirt or grit. Put the water, garlic, thyme, porcinis, and cream in a large pot over a medium heat. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt. Blend, pass through a chinois, set aside and cool.

For the Beef Carpaccio:
Trim any fat from the beef, trimming the sides to make it as circular as possible. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, forming a log. Put in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

For the Basil Seeds:
Add enough cold water to the basil seeds to cover, and let them bloom for approximately 1 hour. Once bloomed, strain the remaining water out. Add the Sherry vinegar and olive oil.

For the Burrata:
Add the burrata to a mixing bowl, along with the olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Break up and mix thoroughly. Put in the refrigerator.

To Assemble and Serve:
Slice the frozen Beef Carpaccio into thin rounds on a meat slicer, fanning it gently onto a piece of plastic wrap. Repeat the process until the beef is finished. Add a heap of Burrata to the center of each fan of Beef Carpaccio, making sure not to over-fill the fans. Carefully lift all 4 corners of the plastic wrap and wrap the beef around the cheese. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour to set.

Cut the plastic wrap from around the balls of Beef Carpaccio and Burrata. Glaze with Basil Seeds and season with salt. Smear 1 teaspoon of Porcini Purée on the bottom of the plate, put the beef on top and plate a quenelle of Tomato Jam on top of the beef. Lightly dress the watercress with lemon juice and put on top of Tomato Jam.

*Beef provided by Meat & Livestock Australia