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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 8 JANUARY 2017 35 69% of the world's protein comes from cattle in the form of beef or milk, however not all steaks were created equal. The variety in quality of beef varies from the cheap and nasty to heaven in a bite. The cut of the beef has always influenced selling prices, with a chateaubriand demanding a much higher price than the mea- gre flank steak. However the breed of the cattle also has some bearing as to the quality of the meat being sold and therefore of the price it demands. Of course it is not only the breed that makes some beef superior over others as many other factors come into play. Feed, maturity, ageing and general happiness of the cow all influence the quality of the beef, however genetics play an important part in the quality of the beef. Chianina The Chianina breed is con- sidered one of the oldest breeds of cattle in existence, coming from the Chiana Valley in Tus- cany. The renowned "Bistecca di Fiorentina" comes from this breed of cattle with its lean, dark red meat, which retains a mar- bling of fat among the muscling making the meat very tender as well as incredibly tasty. Angus Aberdeen This large breed of cattle, origi- nally from Scotland, has a high carcass yield which makes it an appealing breed for farmers. It's highly marbled meat creates great flavours and has been prov- en to be among the tenderest of all beef breeds. The meat has increased in pop- ularity over the last 10 years due to the Certified Angus Beef com- pany that ensures all certified meat comes from Angus-influ- enced cattle and has a minimum amount of marbling. Limousin The history of Limousin cattle may be as old as the European continent itself. Cattle found in cave drawings estimated to be 20,000 years old in the Lascaux Caves near Montignac, France have a striking resemblance to today's Limousin. Originally from South West France, a rather rainy region with harsh climatic conditions and poor granite soil, the breed de- veloped into a sturdy animal with fast adaptability. Though the ani- mal tends not to put on fat, the meat is tender and fine fibred, and considered jucier than other breeds of beef producing cattle. Wagyu and Kobe The word Wagyu technically refers to all Japanese cattle, 'wa' means Japanese and 'gyu' means cattle. Wagyu cattle are renowned for their intense marbling, with almost 10 times more marbled fat than other breeds. It is also praised for having a higher percentage of un- saturated fat than other breeds. To earn the designation Kobe beef, the Wagyu must come from Kobe, Japan and meet rigid pro- duction standards. Due to the high prices of land and grain in Japan, producers are contracting rearing services in Australia and California, sending the carcasses to be butch- ered in Kobe. The cows are said to be fed on a diet of beer and massaged every day. The beer is thought to increase the cow's appetite, especially in the hot summer months when appetite is depressed, while the massage relieves stress and stiffness and makes for a happier cow, which will in turn render better quality meat. Fine food of the week Food Ingredients • 1 kg butter • 60g tomato ketchup • 25g Dijon mustard • 25g capers (in brine) • 125g brown eschalots • 50g fresh curly parsley • 50g fresh chives • 5g dried marjoram • 5g dried dill • 5g fresh thyme, leaves only • 10 leaves fresh French tar- ragon • Pinch ground rosemary • 1 garlic clove, squashed then chopped very finely • 8 anchovy fillets (rinsed) • 1 tbsp good brandy • 1 tbsp Madeira • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce • ½ tsp sweet paprika • ½ tsp curry powder • Pinch cayenne • 8 white peppercorns • juice of 1 lemon • zest of ½ lemon • zest of ¼ orange • 2 tsp salt Method 1. Mix all ingredients with the exception of butter in a glass bowl and leave to marinate for 24 hours in a warm part of the kitchen (a slight fer- mentation occurs). 2. Purée the mixture in a blender and push through a chinois. 3. Foam the butter and mix with the purée. 4. Cover and store in the fridge. 5. At this stage you can form the butter into a log and freeze it and cut slices as you need them. 6. To serve a round of fro- zen butter is placed on the cooked sirloin and put un- der a VERY hot salamander for just long enough to begin to brown the top of the but- ter (while the butter under- neath stays cold). Recipe of the week How to measure the quality of premium beef High-quality premium beef products should feel dry to the touch and should yield to gentle pressure when touched. Premium beef products usually contain a lot of marbled fat that is embedded within the beef, which will affect the flavour of the beef. Premium beef should be very bright red in colour. High quality premium beef products tend to be thicker and denser than lower-grade beef products. This seems to be the case because the cattle that are used to produce premium beef products tend to be bred to produce bigger and denser meat products. Beef by breed Café de Paris butter Kobe beef, coming from Japanese cattle, has almost 10 times the marbled fat of other breeds, giving it an unparalleled buttery flavour Café de Paris butter was created by Freddy Dumont in 1941, specifically to go with sirloin steak at the Restaurant Café de Paris in Geneva. It was such a hit that for years it made getting a table at the restaurant almost impossible. The exact recipe of this sought-after butter is still secret till today with only a few restaurants worldwide having the true recipe, though many have tried to replicate the butter. This is the best recipe I have found.