Sage The Restaurant: Chef Jusman So's Recipes Using Australian Beef and Lamb

I love red meat.

So I was very happy to hear that Chef Jusman So of Sage The Restaurant has teamed up with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) to create new recipes using more unusual cuts of beef and lamb. They showcased these dishes at a media tasting, and shared the recipes as well.

This Roast Beef Carpaccio above makes fantastic use of beef rump, a cut we don't normally associate with tenderness. But this carpaccio is arguably one of the tastiest I've ever had. I think slicing it this thinly does the trick, along with roasting it just to the right level. No, this carpaccio is not raw, not entirely at least, but that's fine for me, because raw beef is not my thing.

The dish is made complete with whole grain mustard mayo, celery root remoulade and Parmigiano Reggiano. Check out the recipe (click on image on the right to see larger version - ignore the title in the image, it's an error).




Chef Jusman So totally deserves all the good raves I've heard. He's completely affable and unpretentious too. It was great to meet him in person, and to finally try his culinary creations at Sage. It's a pity these dishes are not available at part of the regular menu but at least you'll have the recipes to try at home.

Lamb Shoulder - lavender glazed lamb shoulder on lentil cassoulet scented with smoked bacon and oven dried cherry tomatoes.

Lamb shoulder is also a cut that's best suited for slow-cooking and braising. The results can be very pleasing.

You should have seen the oohs and aahs around the table. We were very surprised by how intensely flavourful the lentils were and how well they combined with the well-braised meat. It didn't taste very gamey either.

Beef au Gratin - Gratin of beef rump slow cooked in red wine with potatoes, root vegetables and mushrooms

Many of us liked this from just by looking at it and smelling the wonderful baked aroma. Another delightful concoction with intense flavours. But this little pot was the ultimate in comfort food. It was a rich, densely concentrated stew with sweetness of vegetables and savoury mushrooms, all held together in a creamy base.

(Ignore the title in the recipe image - I think it's swapped wrongly with the first dish)

Leg of Lamb - roasted lamb leg marinated with garlic and rosemary with potato mousseline and ratatouille

The leg of lamb was good, but I really liked the potato and ratatouille. So smooth and so delicious.

It's a nice combination with the lamb, but I think the sides can go well with almost any red meat dish.




Dessert was not of beef or lamb, so no recipe here, sorry! Lavender Pudding - lavender scented bread and butter pudding with pineapple milk foam and coconut sorbet. I'm not a big fan of lavender scented foods - it's a gamble how it turns out sometimes. But this was all right. Kinda like a pina colada pudding, what with the coconut and pineapple flavours.


The MLA also shared with us useful diagrams about different cuts of meat. Here's the one for beef:

And here's the one for lamb:

The MLA works with the livestock industry to ensure the products are safe, healthy and tasty. Australian beef and lamb are vacuum packed to maximise freshness, hygiene, moistness and tenderness. This helps prevent bacterial contamination as well. There are also various government checks and certifications along the supply chain.

Many thanks to Peter Knipp Holdings and the MLA for the tasting session and valuable information shared.