What does your beef eat?

Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam ... and the sheep, cattle and chickens.

Across the country, there is a growing consumer preference for meat from free-roaming animals that, like the buffalo, live on green pastures and a diet of grass. Read more about local grass-fed meat in my newspaper column..

 

Steak Carpaccio

1 big handful of fresh mixed herbs such as oregano, thyme, sage and rosemary

1 clove garlic

½ tsp rock salt

8 peppercorns

1-2 tbsp olive oil (approx.)

2 beef steaks, no bone

1 cup torn arugula leaves

¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Sliced bread such as baguette

In mortar and pestle, smash together the garlic, rock salt and peppercorns. With a knife, chop the herbs very finely and add to the garlic mixture. Drizzle in just enough olive oil to make a paste. Rub the mixture onto both sides of the steak. Wrap in plastic and freeze for one hour.

Coat a cast iron pan thinly with oil. Heat it on high. Add the meat and sear until each side is well done, about 5-7 min. per side. The steak will still feel quite soft when pressed with a finger. Cool the meat, then wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

With a sharp knife, shave the beef across the grain in very thin slices. Arrange on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil. Scatter on arugula leaves and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve with sliced baguette.

I like to serve this with spicy chickpea and fruit salad.