Poached wagyu beef short-rib with coriander and horseradish relish

Please feel free to use any good-quality beef you can find for this simple dish. It’s just that in Tasmania we have access to the most amazing wagyu beef from Robbins Island, which I can never resist. This small island off the top of Tasmania is cow heaven, with lots of long green grass to graze, seasoned by salty sea breezes. Brothers John and Keith Hammond and their families raise their cows entirely on grass, so they never see a feedlot. Grass-fed cows are not only healthier animals, but their meat is also better for us, with high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the marbling. Grain-fed animals may get fatter quicker, but raising them in this way is akin to us being locked in a room and fed chocolate bars – and, in my opinion, their meat never has the same depth of flavour.

Serves 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 × 220 g pieces wagyu beef short-rib
• 2 brown onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 bulb garlic, halved crossways
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 star anise
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• sea salt
• fish sauce
• handful coriander leaves
• handful Thai basil leaves

coriander and horseradish relish

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 small golden shallot,
• very finely grated
• 7 cm piece horseradish, peeled and finely grated or 1 tablespoon bottled horseradish
• 100 g coriander stems and leaves, finely chopped

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat, add beef and brown on all sides. Remove beef and drain most of the fat from the pan. Add vegetables, bay leaves and spices and sauté until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Return beef to pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Season with salt, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until meat falls apart, about 2½–3 hours. Carefully remove beef and set aside, then strain broth and season to taste with fish sauce.

For coriander and horseradish relish, whisk together fish sauce, lemon juice and sesame oil, then stir in shallot, horseradish and coriander and set aside.

Serve poached beef in large bowls with a little of its broth. Scatter with herb leaves and top with a spoonful of relish.