'Wagyu' beef on offer at Intercontinental's food festival<\/p>\n
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Beef lovers demand a thick cut of finely marbled, premium grade
\nbeef, ensuring succulence, perfect tenderness and a deep, rich
\nflavor. One beef that fits this description is wagyu.<\/p>\n
Wagyu refers to any breed of cattle native to Japan, which are
\ngenerally black in color. In the Japanese language, the word
\nwagyu is derived from two words: wa means Japanese and gyu means
\nbeef.<\/p>\n
Despite its famous reputation, there is often a
\nmisunderstanding about wagyu beef and Kobe beef. In the past,
\nKobe beef referred to cattle that was specifically bred and
\nraised in Kobe prefecture, Japan. But today most Kobe beef,
\nincluding wagyu beef, is bred in California and Australia where,
\nunlike in Japan, land and feed is relatively inexpensive.<\/p>\n
When the cattle is ready for slaughter, it is shipped to Kobe
\nto be raised and fed based on the strict specifications for Kobe
\nbeef before it is slaughtered.<\/p>\n
Wagyu beef is famous around the world as the smoothest, most
\ndelicious and most marbled beef. Some connoisseurs even liken the
\nrichness and smoothness of wagyu beef to the delicate foie gras.<\/p>\n
And this is not without reason, since with the right technique
\nthe beef can be prepared into an extremely tender, succulent
\nsteak that fork and knife will glide through, and which will
\nrelease delicious juices when chewed.<\/p>\n
Luca Pezzera, chef de cuisine at the Intercontinental Midplaza
\nHotel in Jakarta, said wagyu beef could be easily identified by
\nits high marbling and the intensity of the white streaks in its
\nflesh, which is the fat content.<\/p>\n
\"This marbling contributes not only to tenderness and
\njuiciness, but more importantly to taste,\" Luca said during a
\nfood tasting at the hotel's stylish Scusa restaurant.<\/p>\n
The food tasting was held ahead of the restaurant's Wagyu Beef
\nFestival from Aug. 6 to Aug. 17, jointly sponsored by PT
\nBogacitra Nusapratama and Bir Bintang.<\/p>\n
The hotel is importing specially bred wagyu beef from
\nAustralia for the festival.<\/p>\n
Luca said research at Washington State University in the U.S.
\nindicated that the infra-muscular fat of wagyu cattle contained
\nhigh levels of mono-unsaturated fats with a lower level of
\nsaturated fat.<\/p>\n
\"This makes wagyu beef flavorful and healthier than any other
\nbreed of cattle.\"<\/p>\n
This delicate beef also requires delicate handling, especially
\nduring cooking.<\/p>\n
\"The tender texture of wagyu beef can only be maintained with
\nthe right cooking technique, which is usually done by searing,\"
\nLuca said.<\/p>\n
During the tasting, Luca also performed a cooking
\ndemonstration, preparing two dishes featured in the beef
\npromotion: beef salad with sauteed forest mushrooms and rosemary
\ngarlic croutons, and grilled tenderloin with Parmesan risotto and
\nduck liver mousse.<\/p>\n
For the grilled tenderloin, the chef seasoned a thick cut of
\nwagyu beef and cooked it using a variety of methods, including
\nsearing it on the stove, grilling it and then baking it. But all
\nwere done very briefly, so as not to expose the fragile beef to
\nthe heat for too long. The result was a juicy steak that was
\nbrown on the outside but tender and palatable on the inside.<\/p>\n
Other special dishes on the menu for the festival include warm
\nbeef carpaccio with melted fontina cheese spinach and truffle
\noil, and grilled rib eye with baked eggplant, grilled asparagus
\nand roasted tomato salsa.<\/p>\n
Luca, who specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, is using
\nmostly natural herbs and spices to season the delectable wagyu
\ndishes featured in the festival.<\/p>",
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