Kangaroo Tartare by Ben Ungermann

Ingredients:

320g kangaroo loin, cut into small pieces 1cm cubes

25g shallots, diced

10g parsley, finely chopped

15g capers, finely chopped

15g gherkins, finely chopped

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

1 teaspoon mayonnaise

1⁄2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

few drops of Tabasco

Salt and pepper, to taste

Smoked Quail Eggs:

4 quail eggs (smoked)

Amaranth Sauce:

120g amaranth 

olive oil

pinch of grated garlic

salt and pepper

Pickled Shimeji Mushrooms:

80g Shimeji Musrooms

2 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp. Salt

5 tbsp white wine vinegar

8 tbsp Water

Wafers:

225 g (1½ cups) plain bread or pizza flour

1 tsp sea salt, crushed plus extra to sprinkle 

125 ml (½ cup) water

60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil, plus extra to roll 

2 tbsp poppy seeds

(makes enough for 8-10)

Garnish:

Micro nasturtiums

Baby amarant

Method:

In a bowl, combine the kangaroo, shallots, parsley, capers and cornichons and mix well. Add the mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.

For the Amaranth sauce combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until emulsified. Season to taste. Apply more oil if need to lubricate.

Combine pickling solution and gently heat. Once just boiling turn off heat and trim mushrooms and add to pickling solution until the pickle is completely cool. Drain and set mushrooms aside in a container for service.

For smoked quail eggs, carefully place egg yolks into a shallow metal tray. Cover the tray tightly with cling film. Insert the hose of a smoking gun, then reseal the cling film tightly. Light the smoking gun and allow the tray to fill with smoke then remove the hose and reseal the cling film. Set aside to smoke for 3 minutes, then uncover the cling film to release the smoke. Reseal the tray with cling film and set aside in the fridge until needed.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Line 2 large oven trays with non-stick baking paper.

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Combine the water and olive oil, add to the flour mixture and use a wooden spoon and then your hands to mix to a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute or until smooth, elastic and bounces back when you press your finger into it. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes to rest.

Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll each in a little extra olive oil to coat lightly. Use your hands to flatten a portion into a rough rectangle and then use a rolling pin to roll out thinly and evenly into a large rectangle about 2 mm thick. Place on the lined trays. Repeat with three of the remaining dough portions. Brush the wafers with a little extra olive oil and sprinkle with extra salt and poppy seeds.

Bake the four wafers in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway through baking, or until golden and crisp. Cool on the tray.

Repeat with the remaining four dough portions to make eight large wafers in total. Break into smaller pieces to serve.