Welcome to the Members’ Shed best bits, taken from each edition of AgForce’s member magazine, Envoy.

Members’ Shed is where members can have their say and find out about member updates, news, submissions, competitions, and more!

You can engage with us by sharing:

• your thoughts on an article we featured in a previous edition of Envoy
• a topic you think we should cover
• a delicious lamb or beef recipe, one that uses your favourite grain, or perhaps a sweet treat made with cane sugar
• an innovative way you have of doing things
• a great photo capturing life on the land

Send in your feedback, contributions or ideas to [email protected].

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Tips for making fantastic sourdough

From AgForce General President Georgie Somerset

For a few years now we’ve enjoyed sourdough in our house, but not baked it ourselves. It’s been on my list to do, but with the busyness of life, it wasn’t the highest priority!

Enter COVID-19 and a period of time at home, not able to be as active outside due to last year’s accident, and the message to fabulous AgForce member Bec Seiler that I loved the look of her sourdough.

Hey presto, and Bec was here within days with a starter, instructions, her recipe, and helpful hints... as well as a freshly baked loaf for inspiration.

As someone who has in the past baked our bread in the regular fashion, this is remarkably simple, but requires a key ingredient: patience.

I am nowhere near being experienced, but it has been fun, and the results are dangerously delicious!

A beginner’s tips for making sourdough...

• Make sure you get your hands on a healthy starter that will happily keep fermenting
• Find a trusty supplier of baker’s flour. Try your local cafe or rural supplier
• Relax and give yourself time, especially for the first few loaves
• Use scales – thanks Bec – this keeps me on track and allows the magic of the science to work
• Find a recipe that works for you (there are plenty online)
• Use the equipment you have – it doesn’t need any special pans or bowls
• Get into a rhythm – I either let it sit all day or all night. That works for me, and I’m not watching the clock
• Most of all, enjoy it. There’s something magical about each stage of the process

And when you’re done, share it. I bet others will enjoy it at smoko too!

 

Roast beef with horseradish crust

From Cattle Board member Mark Davie

This is my current favourite way to make roast beef, adapted from Taste.com

Ingredients

• 3 brown onions, peeled
• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons green peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons horseradish cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2kg scotch fillet roast
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 40ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil

Method

• Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 200°C
• Step 2 - Cut the onions into thick slices and lay on the base of a large, greased baking dish
• Step 3 - Place the butter, peppercorns, horseradish and thyme in a food processor and process until a smooth paste. Spread the paste over the top of the scotch fillet, then place on top of the onions. Sprinkle the meat with flour, then drizzle the meat and onions with the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 60 minutes. (This is for rare beef, cook a little longer if you prefer.)

Although the original recipe came from taste.com, I use horseradish cream instead of grated horseradish as it is easier to get hold of.

I also cut potatoes, pumpkin, onions, and carrot into consistent pieces say 2.5cm x 2.5cm, and roast in the juices next to the beef. Serve on onions with horseradish cream.

Delicious!