About this recipe
Kangaroo fillet is such a wonderful game meat to cook with and I developed this recipe for an Australian Gala Dinner onboard the Regent Seven Seas Mariner cruise ship. During the cruise I showed the mostly American guests just how easy it was to cook and many thoroughly enjoyed the dish. Guests were amazed how similar it tastes to venison or caribou.
When cooking kangaroo fillet, be sure to serve it rare to medium rare, no more. Kangaroo fillet is a very lean meat and with less than 2% fat. This basically means that if it’s overcooked, not rested or improperly carved, the meat is more likely to be dry and tough. I always recommend medium rare as the preferred doneness so if you like your meat well done, I’d suggest you avoid kangaroo and stick to high fat meats.
Ingredients
4 × 120g (4 ounces) kangaroo fillet
30ml (2 tablespoons) mountain pepper sauce
8 quandong confit halves
1 punnet shitake mushrooms
1 punnet oyster mushrooms
1 punnet enoki mushrooms
60ml (2 fl oz.) chicken jus
pinch forest anise
pinch of salt
80g (2½ oz.) corn flour
15g (1 tablespoon) butter
For Yakajirri rosti
5g (1 teaspoon) Yakajirri
750g (1.6 pounds) Idaho potatoes
1 large egg
50g (2 tablespoons) corn flour / corn starch
2 shallots, finely chopped (or scallions)
pinch of salt
15g (1 tablespoon) butter
Cooking instruction
Begin by marinating the kangaroo fillet in the mountain pepper sauce, cover and refrigerate.
For the yakajirri rosti, start by peeling the potatoes, then grating into a bowl. Squeeze out the grated potato of any liquid and combine with yakajirri, egg, corn flour, shallots and salt. Then on a hotplate or skillet on medium heat melt a little butter. Using egg rings, place a little of the yakajirri potato mixture into the egg ring. Seal both sides, then place on baking tray. When all are sealed off, bake the rosti in the oven at 170°C until well browned.
Season the kangaroo fillet with salt and sear on grill until medium rare. Cook on each side for about 4 minutes a side, then remove and allow to rest in a warm place. Separately, start on the enoki mushrooms by breaking them apart, dust in corn flour and deep fry till golden. Remove and allow to drain on paper towelling.
While the kangaroo fillet is resting, melt a little butter in a sauce pan and sauté the shitake mushrooms and oyster mushrooms. Deglaze with chicken jus then season with forest anise. Allow to simmer.
To serve slice the kangaroo fillet across the grain. To serve, place the rosti on the plate and the kangaroo on top. Garnish with crisp enoki mushrooms and 2 quandong halves, then drizzle the prepared mushroom sauce around the edge of the plate.
