WAGYU RIB FILLET, PUY LENTILS & KALAMATA TAPENADE

Is it wagyu or isn't it wagyu? Like lots of things, there's a bit of deception when it comes to wagyu. In Japan this prized meat comes from the tajima breed of cattle. Like all things that experience rocketing popularity, the few producers of true 100% wagyu beef in Australia couldn't keep up with demand. So a lot of what's sold as wagyu comes from a crossbreed of tajima and black angus. Now black angus can be bloody good. But it isn't capable of the marbling in the tajima breed. So, as with most things, it pays to get to know your butcher well and ask him what he's selling. The other things about (genuine) wagyu is that the level of marbling can vary significantly. Marbling in wagyu is simply monounsaturated fatty acids. Basically the fat in wagyu is better than the fat in other beef breeds. Enough about the fat. Whatever the facts, the result is a meat with an extraordinary depth of flavour and texture. In this case some rib fillet is matched with Puy lentils cooked in stock and a kalamata olive tapenade.

WAGYU RIB FILLET, PUY LENTILS & KALAMATA TAPENADE