Pan-seared kangaroo with Silesia-style cabbage

LOCATION: Barossa

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 (about 135 g each) kangaroo fillets, at room temperature
• ½ cup (125 ml) port or sweet red wine (from Barossa)
• 2 strips orange peel
• ½ cup (125 ml) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp red currant jelly or jellied cranberry sauce
• 10 g butter
• Red currants, for serving

Silesian red cabbage

• 20 g butter, chopped
• 1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 green apple, peeled and cored, coarsely chopped
• ½ (about 650 g) red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Potato skin mash

• 4 large Dutch cream or royal blue potatoes, washed
• 2 cups (500 ml) milk
• 25 g cold butter, chopped
• Melted butter, for serving

Instructions

1. Start with making your cabbage, heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and apple. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the cabbage, bay leaves, sugar, allspice, vinegar and 3/4 cup (185ml) water. Stir to combine. Season with salt. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce heat to very low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until soft but still a little crunch, the liquid has almost evaporated and the cabbage has turned a dark rich purple colour.
2. While the cabbage cooks, peel the potatoes and reserve the skins. Place the skins and milk into a small saucepan over very low heat until the milk is warmed through. Slice the potatoes and place in a saucepan of salted water. Bring to the boil. Cook potatoes for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain well, then return to the pan and mash well. Gradually pour the milk mixture through a fine sieve into the mash stirring as you add to the potato until you get the consistency you like. Discard the skins. Add the butter and stir to combine. Season well. Cover to keep warm.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the kangaroo fillets with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes each side for medium (or 2 minutes each side for rare). Transfer the kangaroo to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm and rest.
4. Add the wine or pot and orange rind to the frying pan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 2-3 minutes or until reduced and deglaze the pan. Add the stock and jelly. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until reduced and thickens. Stir in the butter until melted and glossy.
5. Slice the kangaroo fillet. Divide the Silesian red cabbage among serving plates and top with the kangaroo slices. Drizzle the wine sauce and sprinkle with red currants. Serve with mash on the side drizzled with melted butter to serve.