Instructions
MENU
- Smoked trout canapés with pickled apple and long pepper
- Cauliflower Rendang with capsicum and snowpeas
- Modern waldorf salad with apples and raisins
- Grilled lamb with apple glaze, grape and pecan sauce, rocket and radish salad
- Simple chocolate mousse with marinated grapes and heavy cream
SMOKED TROUT CANAPÉS WITH PICKLED APPLE AND LONG PEPPER
Makes 24
1 smoked trout, boned and skinned
4 slices white bread, crusts removed
½ bunch dill, finely chopped
salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
½ cup sunflower seeds, finely chopped
1 apple, finely diced
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp ground Indonesian long pepper
1 Combine the trout, bread and dill in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture becomes sticky. Season with salt and pepper, then form into 24 disc-shaped pieces, then crust with chopped sunflower seeds.
2 Mix the apple, vinegar, sugar and long pepper, then season with salt. Spoon onto the smoked trout canapés and serve.
CAULIFLOWER RENDANG WITH CAPSICUM AND SNOWPEAS
Serves 4
½ cup coconut cream
2 brown onions, sliced
8 cloves garlic, sliced
5cm piece ginger, cut into fine batons
¼ cup Rendang curry paste
¼ cup fish sauce
1L chicken stock
2 lemongrass sticks
8 kaffir lime leaves
½ kg cauliflower, chopped
1 red capsicum, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
1 cup snowpeas, trimmed
½ bunch coriander leaves
½ bunch mint leaves
½ cup coconut milk
1 Pour the coconut cream into a large saucepan and set over a high heat. Add the coconut cream, and cook until the mixture separates into oil and coconut sugars. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, until beginning to brown.
2 Mix in the Rendang paste and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the fish sauce, chicken stock, lemongrass sticks and lime leaves. Once the mixture simmers, add the cauliflower and capsicums and cook fro 20 minutes, topping up with water as necessary.
3 Add the snowpeas, herbs and coconut milk, then serve.
MODERN WALDORF SALAD WITH APPLES AND RAISINS
Serves 4
2 red apples, finely sliced
juice of 1 lemon
salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
½ head cos lettuce, shredded
1 bunch parsley leaves, chopped
1 stick celery, finely sliced
½ cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup raisins, chopped
½ cup green seedless grapes, halved
¼ cup apple mint jelly
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 Toss the apple slices in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in discs on four plates.
2 Mix the lettuce, parsley, celery, walnuts, raisins and grapes in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the apple mint jelly and mayonnaise in a small bowl and pour over the lettuce mixture. Toss well, then arrange on the apple slices and drizzle with olive oil to serve.
GRILLED LAMB WITH APPLE GLAZE, GRAPE AND PECAN SAUCE, ROCKET AND RADISH SALAD
Serves 4
1 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup pecans, chopped
36 black muscat grapes, halved and seeded
¾ cup red wine
1 Tbsp cornflour
salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
4 x 180g lamb backstraps
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup apple glaze
1 bunch round leaf rocket
4 radishes, finely sliced
¼ bunch mint, chopped
¼ bunch basil, chopped
juice of ½ lemon
1 Set a small saucepan over a moderate heat and sauté the onion and garlic in butter for 5 minutes, until well-softened. Mix in the pecans and cook for 3 minutes, until aromatic, then add the muscat grapes. Combine the wine and cornflour, pour in, then simmer until thickened. Set aside.
2 Toss the lamb in half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on a hot barbecue grill for 3 minutes each side, turning several times, until medium-rare, then transfer to a bowl and drizzle with apple syrup. Cover and set aside to rest.
3 Toss the rocket, radish and herbs with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Carve the lamb and serve with a puddle of grape sauce and a pile of the salad.
SIMPLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH MARINATED GRAPES AND HEAVY CREAM
Serves 4
300g dark chocolate
240ml water
2kg ice
1 cup green seedless grapes, chopped
½ cup black muscat grapes, seeded and chopped
¼ cup pure icing sugar
2 Tbsp Cointreau
double cream, to serve
1 Warm the chocolate and water in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and warm to touch. Begin whipping with an electric beater, then set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with iced water and continue whipping for 5 minutes, until thick and creamy. Spoon into glasses and chill until set.
2 Mix the grapes, icing sugar and Cointreau in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Spoon over the mousse and serve with a dollop of double cream.