Chef's Recipes

Grilled beef heart with radicchio and orange

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By Ben Devlin
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 15 mins cooking (plus resting)
  • Serves 4
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Grilled beef heart with radicchio and orange
"Beef heart can get a bit of a bad rap sometimes," says Devlin. "While it's considered offal, it should have a texture more similar to a nice tender cut of meat than a liver or kidney. If you can't get hold of it from your butcher, a portion of rump or even eye fillet will work. Blood orange is a great addition to this salad, but if they're out of season, use a regular orange instead."

Ingredients

  • 700 gm beef heart
  • 200 ml red wine
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1 tsp finely grated garlic
  • 200 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 20 gm caster sugar
  • 80 ml chardonnay vinegar (1/3 cup)
  • 100 ml olive oil, plus extra for rubbing
  • 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin, fronds reserved
  • 1 large head of radicchio, leaves separated
  • 1 orange or blood orange, peeled and sliced into rounds
  • 80 gm walnuts

Method

Main
  • 1
    Heat a charcoal grill or gas barbecue to medium-high heat. Trim sinew and silver skin from the heart and halve crossways to create 2 large flat steaks. Combine in a non-reactive container with wine, thyme, garlic, half the orange juice and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, combine sugar, half the vinegar and remaining orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil until reduced to a glaze (5-6 minutes), then remove from heat and whisk in olive oil, season to taste and set aside.
  • 3
    Drain the beef heart, pat dry with paper towels, rub with a little oil, then grill, turning every 2 minutes, until medium-rare and internal temperature reaches 55C on a meat thermometer (8-12 minutes). Rest meat for 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, combine fennel and remaining vinegar in a bowl, season to taste and set aside to lightly pickle. Grill radicchio until lightly browned on the edges (30 seconds) and arrange on a serving plate. Top with beef heart slices, scatter with pickled fennel, fennel fronds, blood orange slices and walnuts, season to taste, drizzle with orange dressing and serve.