I'm doing it for you.........

I read somewhere that most of us cook the same 12 recipes. Now this is obviously a massive generalisation...........but one look at a bunch of my shopping receipts, which never seem to make it out of the bottom of my reusable shopping bags, would indicate I'm a fully paid up member of the most, churning the same puppies out, week in week out.....at least the ingredients bear a remarkable similarity, leak and bacon anyone?

So, in the interests of variety, and cleaning out my recipe tin, which I am presently unable to close due the volume of paper wodged within, I shall endeavour to cook my way through my box, using at least one new ingredient every week. I haven't got a new tin-recipe as such tonight, my lightening bolt only occurred to me this morning scrabbling around trying to find a Feijoa Chutney recipe (at the bottom, naturally), but I have a new ingredient, Wagyu Beef.

Now I have eaten plenty of beef in my time, but Wagyu is a specific variety , favoured for its flavour, and predisposition to a high unsaturated fat content, supposedly containing Omega 3 & 6, which gives the meat a marbled appearance (nigh on impossible to discern in my picture sorry, will try to get a clue about taking photos I promise....), and a higher degree of flavour & succulence than ordinary beef. It is most revered in Japan, where there are five major breeds: Tottori, Tajima, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto (in case you ever get asked at Pub Quiz). Our dinner is from Fresh Meats, purchased vacume packed at Farro. I usually prefer the butcher, but this is pretty specialised stuff. The animals spend the last 300-500 days on a feed lot, eating grain, which increases the fat content, and supposedly the flavour. Of course all this comes at a price, which is high! We are eating half a steak each, although it is a very thick piece of beef, and I imagine quite rich, so I think that will be ample.

I didn't want to drown out the flavour with a sauce, so I will simple give my pampered bovine a good coating of cracked pepper & salt, and griddle till bloody.....even Mr D has promised not to put ketchup on his piece.....alongside a lovely creamy dish of potato & leak baked with stock, cream & a touch of nutmeg, yummo.

I will report back on whether all the fuss & feedlot is worth it in terms of texture and flavour, in the meantime if all this makes you a tad envious remember for every new ingredient like Wagyu there is Tripe......and Liver.