Aussie Porterhouse on the BBQ with Summer Tomato Salad
This is a personal favourite of mine. I prepare it whenever I get the chance. It is a filling summer meal, the sort of thing to have on a weekend for a late lunch but certainly great to have on Australia Day. It shows how versatile Australian cuisine can be because it melds the best flavours from many parts of the world into something that is flavoursome and wonderful - truly what Australia is!

BBQ Porterhouse
Get your butcher to cut it a little thicker, about 20-25cm and allow a 350-400gm steak per person. Children will probably share one between two.

Marinade (for four steaks)
Prepare this marinade about an hour before you cook the meat. 
Mix the following ingredients together in a deep bowl.
125ml of good virgin olive oil
250ml of Nardone Baker Shiraz
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
2 medium-sized, hot chilli, chopped into 3 or 4 pieces. Use less if you wish, but you definitely need some chilli in the marinade
Half cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped. This is better than the curly parsley, which is better left for garnishing
White pepper, a good shake

Season each steak separately with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Generously dip each steak into the marinade individually and then place them flat into a sealable container (I recommend a Pyrex or glass dish with a sealable plastic lid).
With the steaks all comfortably laying in the container, add the remaining marinade to the dish, seal, and leave in a refrigerator for about one hour but no more than two hours. (If you leave the steaks longer than two hours, you will lose the natural flavours of the porterhouse).

Preheat the barbecue, making sure it is very hot. About 15 minutes on high should be right. Place a little olive oil on the grill, when hot, and now you are ready to cook the steak. 

I like mine medium rare and allow 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side.

However, if you like steak a little more well done, sear the steak on both sides and then reduce the heat to about a third and cook for a longer time. 
If you take this latter approach, remember to continually brush the steaks with a little of the marinade to avoid them drying out.

Frank Nardone and daughter, Loredana, at the bbq

Summer Tomato Salad
Australia Day is the perfect time of year to enjoy fresh, juicy tomatoes. They are in season and abundant. This recipe was originally made for me by my dear friend, Pasquale. He is so emphatic in his approach to this dish, that he goes so far as to peel the tomatoes. Needless to say, he is the supreme master when it comes to this salad and often begins preparations several hours ahead of meal time. In fact, this salad benefits from being made 1 to 2 hours before serving, to allow the tomatoes to expel their natural juices and add to the dressing. The following quantities are only approximate, which is why this salad always surprises. 

2 - 3 Roma tomatoes PER PERSON, diced into 15mm cubes - this may sound like a lot of tomato, but it avoids family feuds! Note: Roma tomatoes peak around Australia Day, so feel free to use your favourite, seasonal tomato.
1 bunch of Thai basil (leaves only), roughly torn into small strips (do not cut basil with a knife because it will bruise and discolour). Note: Thai basil has more aroma than European basil. Asian societies have been growing basil for more than 5000 years and often recommend it for its ability to aid digestion and its quality as a mild sedative.
2 - 3 fresh salad onions (these are slightly bigger than a golf ball), finely diced
Various herbs - sprigs of thyme, pinch of dried oregano
Generous pinch of salt
Generous amount of the very best olive oil you can afford to buy - this is very important whenever you use olive oil in salads, as important as choosing the right Nardone Baker wine!
Finely chopped chilli if you want some bite

Gently toss ingredients together and let stand for 1 - 2 hours, gently mixing occasionally By the time you eat, the red, green and white colours will look fantastic and the salad will have an unforgettable taste and aroma. 

Serve the salad with Ciabatta roll that has been split in half and lightly toasted on the cooling barbecue. Allow the juices of the salad to soften the bread ... while you eat your steak.

We eat outdoors quite often at this time of year and are quite unconventional when it comes to selecting wine. I generally start with a chilled Nardone Baker Chardonnay, and stay with that for the remainder of the meal. I then enjoy a glass or two of Nardone Baker Sparkling Shiraz with dessert, which nearly always consists of summer fruits, while my wife prefers to finish with Nardone Baker Brut Cuvee. We then, not too long after the meal, hibernate somewhere for an Australia Day afternoon slumber! Happy Australia Day! 
Frank Nardone

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