Beef tataki with watercress, charred spring onions and miso

For this light and zesty Japanese salad recipe, the beef is seared, sliced and then marinated. The smokey spring onion and miso give depth to the dressing, with a hint of warmth coming from the radish.

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g beef eye fillet
• salt and pepper
• 6 small spring onions, trimmed
• 2 tbsp ponzu sauce (see Note)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• ½ tsp miso paste
• ½ tsp horseradish cream
• ¼ tsp sesame oil
• 4 cups picked watercress
• ½ bunch red radishes, thinly sliced into rounds
• ½ bunch chives, snipped

Resting time 20 minutes

Instructions

Tie beef with kitchen twine 3 or 4 times to even out the shape. Season well with salt and pepper. Preheat a barbecue or chargrill plate over medium­-high heat. Add the beef and cook for 8–9 minutes, turning every minute, until evenly browned all over. The beef should still be rare in the centre. Remove and set aside in a shallow bowl for 10 minutes to cool. Cook the spring onions on the barbecue for 3–4 minutes, turning regualry, until softened and slightly charred. Finely chop one-quarter of the green part and chop the remaining spring onions into 2 cm lengths.

Combine the finely chopped spring onion with the ponzu, olive oil, mirin, ginger, miso paste, horseradish cream and sesame oil. Season to taste. Thinly slice the beef, reserving the resting juices, and arrange in a single layer on a large plate. Spoon two-thirds of the dressing over the beef, and set aside for 10 minutes. 

Add the beef resting juices to the remaining dressing and toss with the watercress. Pile onto a serving platter and arrange the beef on top. Randomly place the radish and spring onions around the beef and scatter over chives.

Note
• Ponzu sauce is a citrus-flavoured soy sauce available from Japanese food stores and some Asian grocers. If unavailable, substitute with soy sauce and lemon juice.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd. Blue platter from The Country Trader. Green dish on top of stack from Mud Australia. Blue plate from The Country Trader. Leather swatch from Emily Zizz.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.