Kangaroo, Beetroot, Bocconcini & Grilled Shallots on Carrot Noir

Whilst at a work function the other week, i was flicking through the television in my hotel room when onto the screen came a blast from my culinary past: Gabriel Gate. Alongside Geoff Jansz, Gabriel Gate is probably the first 'celebrity chef' that i can remember seeing, from the good old days of midday television when i was a child. Funnily, i'd never seen anyone actually make their dishes. Well, Gabriel Gate was taking the viewer through, in 3 minutes no less, a beautiful French salad of beetroot and fresh herbs on this intriguing black puree, all of this somehow connected to the Tour De France.

Well a bit of research showed me that the black puree was made from burnt carrots, which i've decided to fancy up a bit and call carrot noir. The sweetness of the carrots is tempered by the smokiness that the burning imparts, but it was much less overpowering than i imagined. I tried to match the flavors in the 'salad' as best as i could, to turn it into a main attraction kind of affair. I think i succeeded!

If you're not in Australia, i would recommend replacing the kangaroo with spring lamb.

Kangaroo, Kipfler & Apple Salad with Pistachio Aioli

I've been meaning to cook something with kipflet potatoes for ages! They are definitely the best potatoes i've ever eaten, full of flavour and not needing the addition of cheese, butter or salt to be tasty. Unfortunately you do pay more for them, so make sure that when you cook with them, you make them a star of the dish where you can actually taste them. For scalloped potatoes, pass on the kipflers.

I really just put this salad together with what i had lying around from other recent recipes. All i knew was that i wanted kangaroo and kipflers. Everything worked out delicious though!