You'll know Ben as the television presenter and cookbook author who has recently opened his first restaurant, the South Bank Surf Club, located, of course, at South Bank Brisbane.
These are a great new range of smart, expert designed BBQ tools that really do make outdoor grilling easier.
Ben’s Precision BBQ Spatula has special grooves to make flipping food easier, a sausage splitter, prongs for piercing and tenderising, a cutting edge which doubles as a scraper and a curved laser edge for superior knife-like cutting and slicing. Plus, the handles hook doubles as a bottle opener, a handy necessity for most BBQ chefs! RRP $12.99.
The barbie isn’t over when the food’s ready, of course. Ben’s Precision BBQ Tong is a lightweight, modern looking take on the traditional tong. It has a superior slide bolt locking device that ensures the tong doesn’t close when in use, and is stylish enough to use at the table, not just at the barbie. RRP $12.99.
Sleekly styled in brushed stainless steel, they are also available in a duo pack at just RRP $22.99
I have a duo pack to give away. Leave a comment below with your worst barbecue story. Aussie residents only. No fibbing now!
And when you get the new tools you can try this recipe.
Ben O’Donoghue’s Aussie steak sandwich
Serves 6.
Ingredients:
1 kg skirt or flank steak, trimmed of sinew but leave the fat
12 pieces of Turkish bread
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced
2 handfuls rocket
NOTE:
Flank steak is often an over-looked option when it comes to barbequing. Cut from the belly, it is substantially tougher than rump or sirloin and benefits from being marinated and tenderised. Ideally, this recipe should marinate for two days. For this reason it has a far better flavour than most grilling steaks. Marinate it really well and then just show it the fire. Cook it quickly and cut it thin, and you will enjoy the best steak sandwich this side of the black stump.
Marinade -
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 long red chillies
250ml olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon canned shopped tomatoes
100ml kecap manis
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
Onion confit -
75g butter
5 large onions, finely sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
Sprig of rosemary
Honey-mustard mayonnaise –
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ tablespoon runny honey
Prepare the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a food processor and blitzing. Rub into the trimmed steak and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, but for the best flavour for 2 days.
Prepare the onion confit by melting the butter over a low heat. Add the sliced onions, sugar and rosemary, and cook slowly until soft, golden and sweet. The confit can be made in advance and will keep for one month in the refrigerator if stored in an airtight container.
To make the honey-mustard mayo, simply combine all ingredients well.
Remove the meat from the marinade, pat it dry and allow to come to room temperature.
Prepare your barbeque for direct grilling over a high heat. I recommend that you cook the steak to medium-rare and no more. Once cooked, allow the steak to rest.
Place the marinade in a small saucepan and reduce.
Toast slices of Turkish bread on the grill on one side only, so you get crunch but not dryness.
To make each steak sandwich, spread the untoasted side of the bread with onion confit, add tomato and rocket, and dress with the mayonnaise. Slice the meat thinly, dress with the reduced marinade, place on top of your salad and top with a slice of toasted bread.