That was the question that went out to all West Australians this year, as we got ready to celebrate WA Day, and the inaugural WA signature dish competition. In the end it came down to four dishes, one from each region. While I don’t have photos of the dishes (they’re on my Instagram and Twitter feeds) I do have the winning recipe and other photos from the event held outside the WA Museum today.
 |
|
WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room
|
First up for judging was the Perth region entrant Rhiannon Birch, with her Lupin and Za’atar Crumbed Dorper Lamb Cutlets with Moroccan Roast Pumpkin and Lupin Salad.
 |
| WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room |
Next came Clare King from the Great Southern with a Celebration fillet of beef, Thai style.
Which would make Sam Kekovich a very happy man.
 |
|
WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room
|
cont…
 |
| WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room |
 |
| WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room |
 |
| WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room |
-
Aside from the food, which I believe was wonderfully cooked, did you know that 80% of the World’s Lupin production comes from WA? I remember conducting research amongst WA farmers many years ago, and they all talked about planting lupins to help maintain the ecological balance of their farm and restoring nitrogen to the soil. Lupins are one of the highest sources of plant proteins and an excellent source of potassium and magnesium.
-
I can see the Ad now … Sam having finished his spiel out lamb and Rhiannon leaning over to throw in some lupins.
-
Congratulations Rhiannon and all the team behind you.
-
Congratulations to Buy West Eat Best for a great competition, bring on next year.
-
If you want the recipe it’s at the end of this post.
 |
| WA Day Signature Dish © The Ponder Room |
http://www.celebratewa.com.au/
http://www.celebratewa.com.au/was-signature-dish.aspx
http://www.buywesteatbest.org.au
http://www.dorperlamb.com.au/
Recipe
2×8 rib Dorper Lamb cutlets French trimmed
Lupin flakes 500g
Rice Flour 100g
Ras el Hanout 15g
Olive Oil 500ml
Grilled Lemon – 1
Sugar 10g
Eggs – 2
Large Sweet Potato
Golden beetroot – 8 pieces
Medium beetroot – 2
Soft feta cheese 80g
Flat leaf parsley – 1 bunch
Preserved lemon – 1 piece
Macadamia nuts – 100g
Chardonnay vinegar 60ml
Cumin powder – 15g
Cinnamon 10g
Pink river salt
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Peel and cut beetroot into cubes toss with oil, season with salt. Peel and cut sweet potato (1cm cubes) toss with oil, season. Roast beetroot and sweet potato until cooked but crisp. Cut lamb racks into 8×2 ribs. Lightly coat double lamb cutlets in rice flour. Dig into egg wash and coat with lupin crumbs. Heat pan, add oil, check temperature before placing cutlets in pan. Cook until golden, turn over cook for another 2 minutes. Place on a tray and finish cooking in hot oven (4-5 minutes). Remove from oven place on absorbent paper and rest in a warm place uncovered. Sprinkle two half lemons with sugar and grill in pan. Toast lupin flake in the oven then mix with salt, cumin and cinnamon powder, blend or mortar. Roughly crush macadamia nuts and add to roast beetroot. Remove sweet potato and beetroot from the oven when cooked. Add the beetroot, sweet potato, nuts, parsley and crumbed fetta together. Season with lupin salt.
To serve
Place a circular ring on the plate and spoon in the beetroot and sweet potato mix, press down then remove the ring, drizzle with vinegar and EVOO (50/50), sprinkle with lupin salt and parsley. Place lamb alongside the sweet potato and lupin salad, serve with grilled lemon. Service some of the lupin and cumin salt alongside.
