Kangaroo Salad

About this recipe
What a lot of people don’t know is that kangaroo meat has amazing nutritional benefits. Kangaroo is low in fat (less than 2%), low in cholesterol and very high in protein and iron; therefore very good for you and should be part of everyone’s balanced diet.

Because kangaroo meat is such a lean meat if overcooked it can easily dry out, so be aware that its best to cook kangaroo no more than medium rare. To prevent drying out and to greatly enhance the outside of the kangaroo fillet, its best to marinate kangaroo before cooking.

In the outback, the aboriginal people tend to eat kangaroo with fruits and nuts, so in this kangaroo salad I've included figs, apples and macadamia nuts, together with the fruitiness of the mountain pepper sauce.


Ingredients:

120g (4 oz.) kangaroo fillet
30ml (1 fl oz.) Mountain Pepper Sauce
1 cup English spinach
¼ granny smith apple
½ fresh fig
6 springs of coriander
20g (1½ tablespoons) goats cheese
¼ cup macadamia nuts, roasted and crushed
5ml macadamia nut oil


Cooking instructions:

Ensure that the kangaroo fillet is free of any fat or sinew, then marinate in 15ml of Mountain Pepper Sauce. Make sure that the kangaroo is lightly covered. It’s best to marinate 24 hours ahead of time, but if you’re in a rush, 45 minutes should be fine. Cooking the kangaroo literally takes a few minutes, so prepare the salad first.

Cut the figs and apples into slices and place in mixing bowl. Add the coriander, spinach and chunks of goats cheese. For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the remaining Mountain Pepper Sauce and macadamia nut oil together and set aside.

Now for the kangaroo. Season with a little salt, then on a hot BBQ or frying pan, sear the fillets until medium rare – usually 3-4 minutes on each side. Allow to rest for a few minutes and then thinly slice the fillet across the grain, for maximum tenderness.

Add the dressing to the salad, as well as the sliced kangaroo. Toss well and serve on a large plate or bowl. Garnish with toasted, crushed macadamia nuts.


Cooking Tip:

As kangaroo meat is regarded a very lean meat, if overcooked it can easily dry out and become tough to eat. To prevent this make sure you marinate before cooking, only cook to medium rare and when serving make sure you cut against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Recipe by Benjamin Christie