INGREDIENTS (Serves 4) 3.4 – 3.6 kg rib eye beef olive oil sea salt flakes & cracked black pepper 8 x 12 – 15 cm long rosemary sprigs Kale Pesto 300 g kale, ribs removed & coarsely chopped ½ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted ½ cup extra virgin olive oil juice & zest of a small lemon 2 cloves garlic ½ tsp + extra salt freshly cracked black pepper 1 cup Parmesan, finely grated Smoked Tomatoes 1 kg heirloom tomatoes of varying shapes & colours 2 cups tea leaves 2 cups rice 2 cups soft brown sugar METHOD Rub the beef with a little olive oil and season generously. Tie the rosemary sprigs onto the beef with cotton string or butchers twine. Allow the beef to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 220 c. Place the rib eye on a rack in a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180 c and cook for 1 ½ hours for medium rare. Cover loosely with aluminium foil and leave to rest for 45 minutes. To make the kale pesto, blanch the kale in boiling salted water, cooling under cold running water. Drain well before rolling in a tea towel to dry. Place in a food processor with the pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic and seasoning. Process until a coarse puree. Transfer to a bowl and fold through the grated Parmesan. Check seasoning and adjust if needed. To prepare the smoked tomatoes, preheat a hooded barbecue. Line a deep lidded baking tray with 4 layers of aluminium foil. Combine the tea leaves, rice and soft brown sugar and spoon into the tray in an even layer. Place a wire rack into the tray that sits above the rice mixture. Lightly rub each tomato with a little olive oil and place on the rack. Put the lid on the tray and place directly on the barbecue grill. Put the barbecue hood down to cover. Smoke for 20 – 30 minutes until the tomatoes have partially collapsed and are slightly burnished. Reheat the roast beef in a 200 c oven for 10 minutes before carving and serving with the kale pesto and smoked tomatoes on the side. © Sophie Zalokar. This recipe is an extract from Food of the Southern Forests, a cookbook by Sophie Zalokar celebrating the producers and produce of the Southern Forests region. Secure your copy via our online shop today.