Entree: Australia – Australian Indigenous & Bush Foods – Emu fillet

Serving Size: 2

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 6 min

Additional 5 min

Total 20 min

Ingredients

- 2 emu fillets, approx. 8 oz (225 g) each
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground wattleseed
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground lemon myrtle
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) crushed Tasmanian pepperberry (or freshly ground black pepper)
- 1 tsp (5 g) sea salt, divided
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 g) unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) finger lime pulp or fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 g) bush tomato chutney or tomato relish (optional, for serving)
- Native greens or mixed salad greens, for serving (no measurement)

Instructions

1. Bring emu fillets to room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Pat dry and season lightly with 1/2 tsp sea salt.
2. Combine wattleseed, lemon myrtle, pepperberry, and remaining 1/2 tsp sea salt; press this spice mix onto all sides of the fillets.
3. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat until smoking slightly. Add olive oil and sear fillets 2–3 minutes per side for rare, 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness (aim for internal 120–130°F / 49–54°C).
4. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add butter and garlic to the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the fillets to baste and add flavor. Remove fillets to a cutting board.
5. Rest the fillets 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain. Sprinkle with finger lime pulp or lemon juice to brighten the flavour.
6. Serve sliced emu over native greens with a dollop of bush tomato chutney on the side and any pan juices drizzled over the meat.