Mains
Seafood Chowder
Serves 6200g smoked speck1 celery heart, finely chopped1 brown onion, finely diced1 leek, finely diced3 bay leaves3 cloves garlic, crushed1 bouquet garni (thyme, parsley stalks) tied in string300ml white wine1½ litres chicken stock or fish stock3 potatoes, cut into cm dice350g cockles500g white flesh fish, cut into dice200g peas½ bunch parsley, chopped½ bunch dill, chopped1 lemonRemove the rind from the speck and set aside. Dice the speck. Heat a large saucepan with a little oil and add the speck and the rind and sauté for a few minutes. Add the celery, onion, garlic and leek, and cook until soft. Add the bouquet garni, bay leaves and the wine. Cook until most of the wine has reduced. Add the stock and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are soft but still slightly firm. Add the fish and cook for a few minutes. Add the cockles and peas. Cook for a few minutes and season to taste with salt pepper and lemon juice. Add the herbs and serve in bowls with toasted bread and a good lashing of butter and herbs.
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Laksa
Serves 6 3 tblspns vegetable oil 300g fresh Australian prawn meat 3 chicken thighs, bone out, diced 1L chicken or fish stock 2 garlic cloves 2cm piece fresh turmeric, chopped 5 cm galangal roughly, chopped 4 candle nuts or 10 raw cashew nuts 1 tblspn shrimp paste (optional) 4cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped 2 shallots, roughly chopped 3 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped 6 long red chillies, roughly chopped 1 can coconut milk 400ml fish sauce, to taste 200g fresh rice vermicelli noodles 200g Hokkien noodles 100g bean sprouts 150g pkt fried tofu, cut into chunks Fresh coriander, to garnish 1 lime, cut into wedges Finely sliced red chilli, to garnish Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and place in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. To make the paste, combine the garlic, turmeric, chilli, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, shallot, candlenut, shrimp paste with a good pinch of salt and pound in a mortar and pestle or blend in a food processor until a paste. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the Laksa paste, cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes until the oils split and the mix is soft and has darkened a little in colour. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, 1 tsp fish sauce and the diced chicken and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the prawn meat and cook for a few minutes, add the tofu. Adjust seasoning to taste with lime juice, a little sugar and fish sauce. Pour boiling water onto the noodles and leave for a few minutes. Drain and place into serving bowls. Alternatively place into soup base and simmer for a few extra minutes. Spoon over the laksa and garnish with beansprouts coriander and fresh chilli. Serve with extra lime on the side.
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Spaghetti with Eggplant balls
1 large eggplant diced into 1cm pieces120g fresh breadcrumbs2 cloves garlic finely chopped2 chillies finely chopped1 onion finely diced1 egg2 tablespoons fresh thyme1 can white beans or chickpeas, washed and drained 80g grated parmesan80g grated provolone picante3 Tblspns parsley chopped375g spaghetti cooked and drained600g fresh tomato sauce (passata)Panko bread crumbs to coatPlace a little oil in a frypan and sauté the garlic, chilli and onion for a few minutes. Add the eggplant and thyme and cook until soft. Add the drained beans and season to taste. Puree in a blender then add the breadcrumbs, grated cheeses, egg and parsley. Allow to cool and roll into balls and roll into panko crumbs.Heat a pan with oil and lightly fry the balls on each side until golden. Heat the tomato sauce in a pan and add the balls to coat and serve with spaghetti and sprinkle with extra grated cheese and garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
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Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells
Makes 2 large baking dishesServes 10-12 750g frozen leaf spinach defrosted and chopped 400g ricotta 1 onion finely chopped 1 chilli finely sliced Freshly grated nutmeg 2 garlic cloves finely chopped 80g grated parmesan 80g grated provolone picante Salt and pepper to taste 200g bococcini balls 600ml tomato passata (fresh tomato sauce) 500g large pasta shells – cooked in salted water until tender. drain Sauté the onion, chilli and garlic in a little olive oil until soft. In a bowl combine the spinach, ricotta, grated cheeses and add the onion mix and season well with salt pepper and fresh nutmeg. Grease 2 baking dishes and then stuff the pasta shells with spinach filling. Repeat and place in baking dishes. Drizzle over the tomato sauce and sprinkle over a little extra grated cheese and dot over torn bococcini. Bake in a hot oven until golden on top. Serve hot with a crisp green salad
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Braised Cabbage & Pork Belly
1.2kg pork belly ¼ large Chinese cabbage Crushed white peppercorns 3 star anise 5 dried chillies 1½ inch piece ginger, finely sliced salt 3 spring onions 4 stalks celery leaf 50g dried shitake mushrooms 2 garlic cloves 3 dried chillies ½ inch piece ginger sliced 2 tblspn oyster sauce 50ml soy sauce. 30ml Shaoxing winecoriander, celery leaf & spring onion, chopped to garnish In a saucepan combine shitakes, 2 garlic cloves, dried chillies, sliced ginger, oyster sauce, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine and then add 500ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for ½ hour. Remove mushrooms reserving the liquid.Slice pork belly into thin strips and layer with cabbage and season with white pepper and a very tiny sprinkle of salt. Place in a shabu shabu pot, and dot in the shitakes mushrooms and sliced ginger. Pour over the mushroom braising liquid and add the dried chillies and coil over the spring onions and celery leaf. Cover with the lid and place on heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and braise for about 1hr 15 mins. Turn off the heat and allow to rest for ½ hour.Sprinkle with chopped herbs , and serve with steamed rice and chill oil.
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Spring Vegetable Lasagna
Ingredients (serves 6) 8 good quality lasagna sheets 500ml good quality napolitana sauce 500g mozzarella or cheddar cheese 300g mushrooms, thinly sliced 5 capsicums (red & yellow), roasted & sliced 3 large carrots, thinly sliced & blanched 1 bunch broccolini, blanched 1 bunch asparagus, blanched 300g baby spinach Olive Oil MethodPreheat the oven 180-190°C. Blanch carrots, broccolini and asparagus in boiling water for 1-2 minutes and set aside. Lightly oil your baking dish & spread a little of the napolitana sauce in the base. Cook the lasagna sheets in salted boiling water to soften, but not cook, and drop straight into cold water. Dry the lasagna sheets with a clean tea towel. Cut the lasagna sheets to fit you baking dish. Lightly oil your baking dish & spread a little of the napolitana sauce in the base, then start to layer with lasagna sheets, napolitana sauce, spring vegetables & a generous sprinkle of cheese.Continue to layer with pasta sheet, sauce, vegetable and cheese until you reach the top of your baking dish – do not overfill! The top layer should be tomato sauce & cheese only. Ensure the edges of your baking dish are clean before placing in the oven. Cook for approximately 45 minutes or until the top layer is crisp and golden brown and the inside soft and cooked through.
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Moroccan Pie
Ingredients * Mograbieh is the Lebanese name for large “pearl” sized couscous which is made with semolina and flour. 250g mograbieh* Extra virgin olive oil Sea salt White pepper, freshly ground 5 cardamom pods ½ teaspoon fennel seed 2 cinnamon sticks 1 leek, cleaned and finely sliced 200g red onion, (1 medium) peeled & chopped 3 eggplant, peeled & cubed (approx 1kg) 4 yellow squash, cut into chunks 2 yellow capsicums, seeded & cut into chunks 2 red capsicums, seeded & cut into chunks 1 medium zucchini, cut into chunks 1 packet fine filo pastry 175g butter, melted 1 pickled lemon, pulp discarded and finely sliced ½ bunch each of parsley, oregano, coriander, dill & mint, stalked and roughly chopped 1 butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded & cut into 2cm cubes MethodCook the mograbieh in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, drain and refresh under cold running water. Pre heat oven to 175°C. Roll the pumpkin through olive oil, season and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until it is softened and caramelised. While the pumpkin is cooking, put a big splash of oil in your pan & add the spices & cook them stirring on high heat until they crackle. Turn the heat down, add the leek and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring until it starts to colour then add the eggplant and a little more oil. Cook stirring for a few minutes, then add the squash, capsicums, zucchini and pickled lemon. Stir over and turn the heat off. When the pumpkin is ready, add half of it, the herbs and the mograbieh to the vegetables. Use a potato press to mash the other half of the pumpkin into the pan. Mix everything together, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary and allow to cool. Butter the tagine and inside of the lid. Buttering a sheet at a time, line the tajine with about two thirds of the filo pastry, draping about ½ of each sheet over the sides. Put the filling into the prepared filo pastry & fold it back over the filling and brush with butter. Buttering each sheet cover with the remaining filo making sure to tuck it in neatly. Refrigerate without covering until you are ready to cook the pie. Pre heat to 175°C. Bring the pie from the fridge two hours before you want to eat it. Wiping the knife between each cut, portion the pie. Cover it with the lid and put it in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes with the lid on and 20 minutes with the lid off. Check the centre with the thermometer it should be at least 80°C. Allow to stand for another 10 minutes and serve.
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Tajine of Chicken
Ingredients 8 pieces of chicken 2 tsp olive oil 2 tsp butter or margarine Juice ½ lemon ½ cup water ¼ tsp saffron threads, soaked in water ½ tsp turmeric 3 medium preserved lemons Pepper to taste Marinade â…“ cup olive oil 2 medium onions quartered ½ cup parsley â…“ cup (20g) cilantro 2 garlic cloves chopped MethodPlace all marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend. Place chicken and marinade in a large bowl and cover in the refrigerator for 2 hours. In a terracotta tajine, heat olive oil & butter or margarine. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover and cook over low heat until tender (approx. 1½ to 1¾ hours). Check the chicken after 45 minutes, skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Add a little water if necessary. Season to taste with pepper. Dice the rind of 2 preserved lemons, reserving the third lemon for decoration. Add the diced lemons to the chicken and cook for 10 minutes longer. Place the chicken on a platter. Cover with the sauce and garnish with remaining quartered preserved lemon. Serve with warm Moroccan Kesar bread and cous cous.
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Margarita Pizza
IngredientsDough 1 Sachet of Yeast ½ Litre of Warm Water 1kg Plain Flour Salt Topping 60ml Olive Oil 4 Cloves of Garlic Bunch of Fresh Basil 1½ cups of grated Mozzarella 3 large Roma Tomatoes thinly sliced 8 pieces of Bocconcini sliced Cracked Pepper, Salt flakes MethodDoughSalt flour to taste. Mix flour & yeast in large bowl or plastic tub. Slowly add water & mix to form a soft dough. Knead slightly to a smooth consistency. Cover with a warm moist t-towel & leave in a warm place to rise for approximately 2 hours. Pizza ToppingDust the pizza stone with flour. Tear the already prepared dough into 4 balls. Place one lump of dough onto pizza stone and using a rolling pin, roll dough evenly out to the edges of the stone until the base is quite thin. Place the olive oil and crushed garlic cloves into small bowl and mix together. Using a basting brush, paint the pizza base with the olive oil and garlic mix. Lightly sprinkle the base with grated mozzarella, one small handful at the most. Randomly place the sliced Roma Tomatoes over the pizza. Evenly drop the slices of bocconcini over the pizza. Add salt & cracked pepper to taste. Place pizza in The Pizza Maker for five minutes. Remove from the pizza oven and add thinly sliced basil to the topping. Place pizza on wooden paddle board to slice & serve.
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Lamb Pizza
Ingredients Dough 750g bakers flour 600ml warm water 20g dried yeast 20g salt Lamb Marinade 1 leg of lamb, butterflied Juice of 2 lemons 1 bunch fresh oregano roughly chopped 2 tbsp dried Greek oregano Freshly cracked pepper and sea salt 1 lemon sliced finely 3 cloves garlic chopped Olive oil Pizza Topping Tomato sauce (tomatoes, garlic cooked down until sauce like consistency) Red onion, sliced Fresh mint Tzatziki (grated cucumber, yoghurt, garlic & lemon juice) Mozzarella (fresh) Danish feta Pine nuts, lightly toasted Homemade pickled lemons (as above) 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, roasted Method Dough Mix together in a KitchenAid mixer with a hook attachment for about 10 minutes, until the dough is a sticky ball. Set aside and cover with a tea towel. Lamb Marinade Slice lemon finely and sprinkle with sale and set aside for 1-2 hours. Wipe off excess salt and place under olive oil and keep overnight. Combine remaining marinade ingredients in a bowl and run all over lamb. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then place on the BBQ. Cook for 15-20 mins each side or until cooked (when the juices run clear) remove, cover & set aside to rest. Pizza Topping Roll out pizza dough and smooth over a little tomato sauce, dot with mozzarella. Place onto the pizza stone. Cook for a few minutes until golden & cooked on the base, remove onto a pizza plate & top with sliced lamb, slice onion and sprinkle with fresh mint, lemon slices, cherry tomatoes, Danish feta, pine nuts and a good dollop of tzatziki.
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Mushroom Ravioli
Ingredients(Serves 4-6)Pasta Dough 200g ‘00’ pasta flour 1 egg 1 egg yolk Pinch of salt Water Mushroom Filling 1 onion finely diced 2 cloves garlic crushed 3 fresh bay leaves 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2-3 tbsp chopped parsley 3-4 tbsp quark or ricotta 500g mushrooms (swiss brown & white button) finely diced 30g finely grated parmesan To Assemble 6 slices pancetta 125g soft goats curd 50g butter ½ bunch sage leaves picked 1 lemon Parmesan cheese to garnish 250g mixed mushroom sliced (pine, swiss brown, button) 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped 1 handful baby spinach MethodPasta Dough MethodPlace the flour on your work surface & make a well in the centre. Add the salt, egg & egg yolk & add a little water. Mix together to form a dough & knead for a few minutes until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill for half an hour. Cut the dough into 2 pieces & flatten it with your hands. Dust with flour & using a pasta machine roll out until smooth, beginning on the widest notch progressing down to the finest notch. As the pasta sheets increase in length you will need to cut the lengths to make them more manageable. Use enough flour on the pasta so that it does not stick as you roll it out.Mushroom Filling MethodHeat a little oil in a pan & add the onion, garlic & sauté on low heat until soft. Add bay leaves, mushrooms & fresh thyme & sauté until soft. Allow to cool in the pan, add quark, parmesan, parsley & season to taste. Gently place a sheet of pasta on the ravioli board & place a small spoonful of filling in the holes. Brush between the ravioli and the edges with a little egg wash & then carefully place a sheet of rolled pasta on top. Gently roll over the top to cut the raviolis. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil & add the ravioli. Cook for a few minutes & drain carefully.To AssemblePlace the pancetta on a lined baking tray & bake until crisp. Set aside. Heat a little oil in a pan & sauté the mushrooms. Add the garlic, and cook for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a pan & add the sage. Cook until the sage is crisp and the butter is ragrant & nut brown. Add a squeeze of lemon juice & season with salt & pepper. Arrange the spinach on a plate & top with the cooked mushrooms. Arrange the ravioli & spoon over the butter & sage. Spoon over a small tspn of goats curd, add crisp pancetta & sprinkle with grated parmesan…
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Pot Roast Lamb
4 large sprigs rosemary 8 cloves garlic, cut into thick slices 8-10 anchovies, in oil cut in half 1.5-2kg leg of lamb 4 onions, sliced into chunks 2 swedes, cut into wedges 5 parsnips, cut into chunks 4 fresh bay leaves 300ml white wine Salt and pepper Heat the oven to 180°C. Cut 12-15 incisions into the lamb and stuff with some garlic, half an anchovy and some rosemary. Rub the lamb with anchovy oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the onions and bay leaves and remaining rosemary together and place in the bottom of a large cast iron pot. Top with the lamb and pour in the wine. Cover with a lid, and place in the oven and allow to cook for about 3 hours. Halfway through cooking add the swedes and parsnip. Test the lamb to see if it is falling off the bone, if not place in the oven for another ½-1hr. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
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