Australian Cuisine: Kangaroo Pepper Steak

To celebrate Australia Day, here's a simple recipe for kangaroo, a very tender and delicious meat!

Ingredients:

4 kangaroo steaks

1/2 cup beef or veal stock (either home made or good quality store-bought stuff)

1 tablespoon freshly crushed black peppercorns

1 tablespoon freshly crushed green peppercorns

1 tablespoon freshly crushed white peppercorns

1 tablespoon sea salt

a shot of brandy (or cognac or cheap whisky)

olive oil

5 tiny knobs of butter, softened

Rub a little olive oil into the surface of each steak, along with the salt and the cracked peppercorns. Retain any excess peppercorns--you can add them to the sauce at the end. Pre-heat the pan to medium high. Place the steaks in the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes a side, depending on their thickness and how long they've been out of the fridge. When you turn them, spoon a knob of butter over each one. Once the steaks are cooked, place them on a plate and leave in a warm place. Immediately add the excess peppercorns and the shot of brandy to the pan. Careful, here. If the pan's hot enough, the alcohol could flame up, setting your curtains and/or you on fire. Stir with a wooden spoon while the alcohol reduces. Once it has reduced, add the stock. Once that's reduced by at least half, add the final knob of butter and cut the heat. Stir the butter in and spoon the sauce over the steaks.

VOCABULARY

stock - bouillon

tablespoon - cuillère à soupe

knob- bouton

to rub - frotter

to retain - garder, conserver

excess - superflu

thickness - épaisseurcut the heat - éteindre la flamme