Beef and Crushed Olive Kebabs with Tomato Jam

From issue #2.
Photography by Photography by Nick Tresidder.
Beef and Crushed Olive Kebabs with Tomato Jam

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

1 kg sirloin steak, trimmed of all fat and sinew

Marinade
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon salt
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
zest of a lemon plus juice of 1⁄2 lemon
zest of 1 small orange
1 cup stoned Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground pepper
12-14 skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Tomato Jam
[makes about 3 cups]
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar
1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
2 x 400 gram tins Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 tablespoon liquid honey

METHOD

Place all of the marinade ingredients into a food processor and blend to a coarse paste. Tip into a large dish.

Pound the steak between sheets of plastic wrap, then cut into long strips. Add to the olive mixture and toss to coat. Set aside, covered, at room temperature for 1⁄2 an hour or refrigerated for up to 12 hours.

Tomato jam: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion, salt, ginger, garlic and cinnamon. Cook slowly with the lid on until very soft. Add the vinegar, brown sugar and chilli flakes and stir. Add
the tomatoes and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to medium low and cook, uncovered until reduced and thickened to a jam consistency. Stir occasionally. Mix in the honey.

To finish: Thread the beef onto barbecue skewers. Preheat a ridged grill or barbecue and cook over a medium/high heat until mediumrare or as desired. Serve with the tomato jam. Serves 6

Flat bamboo skewers: available from specialty stores nationwide