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Meyer Natural Angus Beef Moroccan Salad

Slow Roasted Chuck Tender, Grilled Vegetables, Young Greens,
Marcona Almonds, Dried Plum -Yogurt Dressing
Serves 4

There are a lot more ingredients here than I normally use, but you need them to get an authentic Moroccan flavor. I think you will understand when you taste the final product. This yogurt will work great on fish, lamb and chicken as well. 

Notice the cooking method for the beef. It is the opposite of how most of us were taught to cook meat. Slow roasting at a low temperature, and then quickly searing the outside, helps keep juices inside the meat.

Yogurt Dressing /Marinade

4 Cups Dried Plum (Prune) juice
2 Each Shallots, rough chop
2 Each Garlic cloves, smashed
10 Each Mint sprigs
10 Each Cilantro sprigs
5 Each Parsley sprigs
12 Each Plums, dried, divided use
1 Each Red beet, small, peeled and rough chopped (for color)
2 Ounces Ginger root, sliced thin
1 Each Serrano chili, split
3 Each Cinnamon sticks
2 Each Star anise pods
2 Teaspoons Cumin seed, toasted
2 Teaspoons Coriander seed, toasted
1 Teaspoon, Nutmeg, ground
5 Each Cloves, whole
3 Each Cardamom pods, green
1 Tablespoon Lavender flowers
2 Cups Yogurt, plain
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice
2 Tablespoons Lime juice
Salt to taste

Method

• Place all ingredients except 7 dried plums, the yogurt, lemon and lime juices into a heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Reduce the liquid to one cup. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a blender. Reserve the five dried plums from the reduction and place them into the blender. Blend until smooth. Cool to 40 degrees.
• Place the yogurt in a medium sized bowl. Fold the plum juice reduction into the yogurt. Add the citrus juices and salt. If the mixture is too thick, thin with a little plum juice. The dressing should be a little thicker than Ranch. Reserve one cup of the yogurt dressing to marinate the beef.
• Reserve the remaining yogurt dressing for the salad. You should have ample yogurt for other uses.

Beef

1 Each Chuck  Tender, 16 ounces
1 Cup Plum yogurt dressing
7 Each Dried plums, rough chopped
3 Tablespoons Xvoo, divided use
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Place the yogurt in a zip lock bag. Add the beef and coat well.  Squeeze out extra air. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours, turning once or twice during this time.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• Remove the beef from the yogurt marinade, rinse and pat dry. Discard the marinade.
• Rub the beef with two tablespoons of the xvoo and season with salt and pepper. Allow the meat to come to room temperature, about one hour.
• Rub the center of a roasting pan with the remaining oil and place the chopped plums on the oil to make a bed for the beef.
• Place the beef on top of the dried plums and roast in the oven to an internal temperature 140 degrees for medium rare. Check temperature after 30 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the oven and reserve the plums. Place the roasting pan on a stovetop burner over high heat and sear all over, about one minute.  
• Place the beef on a cutting board, tent with foil, and let it rest for at least 5 minutes

Salad

1 Each Zucchini, cut into 8, 1/4” thick slices on a long bias
2 Each Red bell peppers, top, bottom, ribs and seeds removed. Cut into 6 rectangles total
1 Each Red onion, small, peeled and sliced 1/8” thick
1 Tablespoon Herb mix, equal parts mint, parsley and cilantro
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Head Belgium Endive, separate 8 long leaves, chop remainder
8 Cups Young greens like red oak, green oak, arugula, lola rosso
Reserved chopped plums
1 Cup Marcona almonds
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Prepare a medium hot grill.
• In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, herbs, xvoo and toss to coat.
• Grill vegetables until slightly charred on both sides. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the grill and cool to room temperature.
• Cut each red bell pepper rectangle to make two triangles.
• Combine young greens with the chopped endive in a medium bowl and set aside

Plating

• Cool four dinner plates.
• Fan two zucchini and three red pepper slices in the top right center of a dinner plate. Place 2 endive spears on top of veggies and lay some red onion rings at the base of the endive.
• Dress the greens very lightly with the yogurt dressing.
• Mound ¼ of the greens in the center of the plate so it looks like the veggies are coming out of the greens.
• Slice petite tender across the grain into 20 thin medallions. Shingle five tender slices across the front of the greens starting at the bottom left center.
• Drizzle some dressing all over the plate.
• Sprinkle ¼ of the almonds and the chopped plums on each plate.
• Serve with warm pita bread or pita chips

Enjoy!

Jamie Samford
Corporate Chef
Winn Meat Company