You know a dish is good when you find yourself craving it weeks later. At the Aussie Meat Academy event in Washington DC last month, an #aussome lineup of chefs delivered the goods. Between Casa Teresa host chef Ruben Garcia, DC Chef Tom Wellings of Flora Pizzeria, Aussie Beef Mate Tiffany Sawyer, and Aussie Lambassador Sean Wheaton, the room was packed with tasty bites. Here are a few of the highlights for your immediate inspiration and hunger inducement. Sorry not sorry!
This little number is a BBQ Wagyu brisket bao bun from Chef Sean Wheaton. Using a sous vide pre-cooked brisket, chef hits it with hot smoke and then its back in the bag and refrigeration to prep for service. With acid from bread-and-butter pickled green tomatoes, a little crunch from crushed corn nuts, and sweet heat from peach-bourbon BBQ sauce, there’s balance and contrast to showcase the Wagyu. Put this on any bar menu, and you can bet we’d order one!
Next cab off the rank is from Chef Tom Wellings of Flora Pizzeria and Pluma on the Wharf in DC. He topped his signature sourdough pizza with braised Aussie lamb neck, labneh, roasted grapes, and a scattering of herbs and blossoms. Using lamb in more casual, approachable menu items is very much on trend (more on that here) and this is exactly the way to do it.
Our gracious host Ruben Garcia served up an array of dishes, but this Moorish-style lamb neck skewer connected with the Spanish theme of his restaurant, Casa Teresa. We wouldn’t be surprised to find it popping up on the menu, and the mediterranean spice profile is dynamite with rich, succulent lamb neck.
Last but certainly not least our mate Chef Tiffany Sawyer of First Hospitality paid homage to her trip down under in her dish. Using indigenous spices like Tasmanian pepperberry, bush tomato and wattle seed, she dusted and seared a gorgeous grassfed Aussie striploin. Packing even more flavor into these little bites, she made a Turkish Acili Ezme (google it!) and whipped lemon myrtle bone marrow butter as condiments. Bam!
