Paillard of Beef with Olive and Tomato Salad

, from Issue #19. September, 2015
Photography by Vanessa Wu.
Paillard of Beef with Olive and Tomato Salad

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

400 gram piece scotch fillet or sirloin
olive oil
2 large kumara peeled, sliced 1 cm thick on the diagonal then cut into triangles

Salad
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon roughly chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 medium vine tomatoes, diced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 red capsicum, roasted, peeled and diced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bunches watercress or baby rocket

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Slice the beef ½ cm thick. Place each slice between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and flatten by pounding with a rolling pin. Brush each slice with olive oil. These can be prepared ahead, covered and refrigerated until needed.

Brush both sides of the kumara with olive oil and season. Place on a baking tray and roast until tender.

Put the olive oil, olives and rosemary in a saucepan and heat until just starting to sizzle. Tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Whisk in the balsamic vinegar and season. Stir in the tomatoes, spring onions and red capsicum.

Heat a ridged grill or sauté pan until hot. Season the beef and sear quickly on both sides. It will only take about 1 minute if thinly sliced.

To serve: Divide the kumara between serving plates and layer up the watercress and beef. Spoon over the olive and tomato salad and serve immediately.