Seared skirt steak with horopito and quick pickled beetroot
A simple BBQ skirt steak loaded with local flavour
Serves
4
Prep Time
50 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
This isn’t your average steak-and-three, mate. We're taking a gorgeous cut of New Zealand skirt steak, searing it to smoky perfection with a horopito and paprika crust. piling it high with crisp pickled beetroot and a kawakawa-spiked crème fraîche that’s as wild as it is creamy. A flavour packed nod to our delicious native ingredients, it’s perfect for when you want to flex your culinary muscles.
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ShareIngredients
600 - 700g Quality Mark beef skirt steak
1 Tbsp Horopito
dried and ground1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
to season
2 medium raw beetroot
peeled and thinly sliced½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
1 Tbsp liquid honey
a pinch salt
½ tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 sprig fresh thyme
200g crème fraîche
4 - 5 young kawakawa leavesi
finely choppedgrated zest of ½ lemon
salt
to taste
a handful fresh rocket, watercress or a mix of both
just a few leaves per plate of fresh herbs
parsley, chervil or tarragon
Method
In a small pot, combine apple cider vinegar, water, honey, salt, mustard seeds and thyme. Simmer briefly.
Place the sliced beetroot in a jar or bowl and pour the hot liquid over it.
Press it down so it’s covered and let it cool for at least 30 minutes.
Stir together crème fraîche, chopped kawakawa, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust. Let it chill while you grill.
Pat the steak dry. Mix horopito, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Rub the steak with olive oil and coat generously in the spice mix.
Let it sit while you heat the barbecue.
Preheat your barbecue to high. Grill the steak for about 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Rest it under foil for 5–10 minutes, then slice against the grain.
On a platter layer in a small handful of rocket or watercress.
Layer with slices of steak and dot in the pickled beetroot. Spoon over the kawakawa crème fraîche.
Top with a sprinkle of some fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil or squeeze of lemon is optional, but delicious.
Pro tips:
- Use young kawakawa leaves for milder flavour
Older kawakawa leaves can be quite punchy and peppery. If using fresh, choose smaller leaves. Can’t find kawakawa? A tiny pinch of ground pepper and lemon zest in the crème fraîche works as a solid backup.
- Don’t overcook the beetroot
The pickled beetroot should stay crisp with a bit of bite. Slice it thinly with a mandoline if you have one. Thicker slices take longer to pickle and soften.
