Instructions
RISI E BISI
Serves 4
125g pancetta, very finely diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ bunch thyme, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1½ cups white wine
2 cups hot chicken stock
1 cup Parmesan, finely grated
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup mixed micro herbs
lemon wedges, to serve
1 Fry the pancetta in 1 Tbsp olive oil for 3 minutes, until lightly-browned. Add the leek, celery, garlic and thyme and cook for 3 more minutes, until aromatic. Set aside.
2 Add the rice to the saucepan and fry in 1 Tbsp olive oil fro 2 minutes, until translucent, then return the vegetable mixture and pour in the wine. Boil until absorbed, then add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring only occasionally, until evaporated. Beat in the Parmesan and butter.
3 Blanch the peas until just tender, then fold in. Serve topped with the micro herbs and emailing olive oil, then garnish with lemon wedges.
TONNO SAVONESE: SEARED TUNA WITH BOTTARGA, CHILLI AND LEEKS
Serves 4
8 anchovy fillets, chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
100g double cream
4 x 100g tuna steaks
cooking oil spray
50g bottarga, shaved
2 long red chillies, seeded and finely diced
1 baby fennel, finely shaved
1 cup green beans, finely sliced
½ bunch basil leaves, torn
1 orange, peeled, segmented and diced
2 Tbsp pumpkinseed oil
1 Sauté the anchovy fillets in olive oil in a saucepan over a moderate heat for 3 minutes, until softened, then add the leeks and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes, until the leeks are just softened. Add the cream, remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, then purée until smooth.
2 Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with cooking oil spray. Cook on a hot ribbed grill for 2 minutes each side, until medium-rare, then set aside. Toss the bottarga, chillies, fennel, beans, basil and orange together.
3 Spread the leek sauce on plates, then top with a piece of tuna and the salad. Garnish with pumpkinseed oil.
RATAFIA PANNA COTTA WITH RED WINE PEAR BALLS AND BISCOTTI
Serves 4
200ml milk
6 fresh bay leaves, torn
seeds of 1 vanilla bean
280g caster sugar
1¾ gold strength gelatine sheets
375ml cream, ice cold
2 cup red wine
2 firm pears, balled
4 almond biscotti, crumbled
1 Combine the milk, bay leaves and vanilla in a small saucepan and set over a moderate heat. Bring to a simmer, then mix in 80g caster sugar. Cook gently for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water until soften then whisk in, until dissolved.
2 Remove the bay leaves and pour onto the cream. Pour into dariole moulds, then refrigerate for 5 hours, until set.
3 Put the remaining sugar in a medium saucepan and cook until caramelised, then pour in the red wine and simmer until the caramel dissolves, then add the pear balls and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
4 Unmould the panna cottas, then surround with the pear balls, crumbled biscotti and syrup.
PAN-BRAISED LAMB CHUMP CHOPS WITH OLIVES AND WHITE WINE
Serves: 4
8 thick-cut lamb chump chops
salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
½ cup plain flour
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 bay leaves
1 cup mixed olives, halved
500ml dry white wine
1 bunch sage leaves
crusty bread, to serve
1 Season the lamb chops with salt and a generous amount of pepper, then toss in flour. Shake off the excess flour, then fry in half the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat for 6 minutes, until well-browned. Set aside.
2 Pour the remaining olive oil into the skillet, then fry the onion, garlic and bay leaves for 3 minutes, until softened. Add the olives and cook for 3 more minutes. Return the lamb to the skillet and pour in the wine. Reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 20 minutes, until the lamb is cooked and tender.
3 Mix in the sage leaves, then serve with crusty bread.
QUICK CHICKPEA CURRY WITH GARLIC AND KALE
Serves 4
400ml coconut cream
2 brown onions, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
5cm piece ginger, cut into fine batons
4 kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced
2 Tbsp Massaman curry paste
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, rained and rinsed
150g firm tofu, diced
½ bunch coriander leaves
½ bunch Vietnamese mint leaves
2 cups baby kale leaves
1 Pour half the coconut cream into a wok set over a high heat and cook rapidly, until the cream splits. Add the onion, celery, garlic, ginger, lime leaves and curry paste then cook for 5 minutes, until very aromatic.
2 Pour in the chicken stock, fish sauce and chickpeas, then cook for 5 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for a further 5 minutes. Mix in the herbs and kale, then serve.
INSTANT MOCHA MOUSSE WITH RASPBERRY COMPOTE AND ESPRESSO-HAZELNUT BARK
Serves 4
2 Tbsp rum
2 Tbsp best quality instant coffee
300ml cream
150ml vanilla custard
2 Tbsp hot chocolate powder
2 Tbsp pure icing sugar, sifted
2 punnets raspberries
¼ cup caster sugar
100g dark chocolate melts, melted
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1 Warm the rum, then dissolve half the coffee. Pour into a bowl, then stir in the cream, custard, chocolate powder and icing sugar. When combined, pour into a whipped cream siphon and charge with a gas bulb.
2 Mix half the raspberries and caster sugar in a small saucepan and set over a moderate heat. Once the sugar dissolves, remove from the heat and mix in the remaining raspberries. Set aside to cool.
3 Spread the melted chocolate in a long rectangle on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper, then scatter with the remaining coffee and hazelnuts. Chill until firm, then break into shards. Pipe with mousse into chilled coupes, then top with the raspberry compote and shards of chocolate bark.
VIETNAMESE-STYLE BABY OCTOPUS WITH GARLIC AND SHALLOTS
Serves 4
1kg baby octopus, cleaned
2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, toasted
3 star anise, toasted
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
8 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup canola oil
2 Tbsp Thai soy sauce (Healthy Boy Brand)
1 Tbsp fish sauce
10cm piece daikon, cut into very fine batons
5cm piece ginger, cut into very fine batons
4 eschalots, sliced very finely
6 green shallots, finely sliced
¼ bunch coriander leaves
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Separate the octopus hoods from the tentacles and score lightly, then halve the tentacles. Combine the spices in a coffee grinder and pulse until fine, then mix with the orange zest, garlic and oil. Toss with the octopus.
2 Set a heavy wok over a high heat and fry the octopus for 3 minutes, until just seared, then pour in the soy and fish sauce and transfer to a bowl.
3 Mix with the daikon, ginger, eschalots, shallots and coriander, then serve drizzled with sesame oil.
PORK LARB WITH ANISE RICE AND KECAP MANIS
Serves 4
1 cup Jasmine rice
3 star anise
500g pork mince
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp green curry paste
4 eschalots, sliced finely
3 garlic cloves, sliced
4cm piece ginger, cut into batons
1 long green chilli, sliced
4 lime leaves, sliced finely
1 Lebanese cucumber, de-seeded
1 carrot, peeled
1 cup bean shoots
½ bunch Thai basil leaves
½ bunch mint leaves
50g salted cashews, chopped
¼ cup kecap manis
1 Combine the rice and star anise in a saucepan with 1 ½ cups water and set over a high heat. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, then fit the lid and cook for 8 more minutes. Turn the heat off and set aside for 10 minutes.
2 Fry the pork mince in a wok in the peanut oil, using a whisk to break up any lumps. Once the meat is lightly browned, add the curry paste, eschalots, garlic, ginger, chilli and lime leaves and mix well. Cook for several minutes until aromatic.
3 Slice the cucumber and carrot very finely, then mix in with the bean shoots and herbs. Serve topped with cashews on rice with a drizzle of kecap manis.
SPICE-SOAKED FRITTERS WITH CARDAMOM-STEEPED ORANGES AND CHANTILLY CREAM
Serves 4
100g caster sugar
8 cardamom pods, crushed
juice of 2 limes
4 oranges, zest cut into thin strips, flesh segmented
½ cup unsalted butter
½ tsp fine salt
2 cups plain flour
125g cottage cheese
3 eggs
vegetable oil for frying
½ cup cinnamon sugar
150ml cream
2 Tbsp pure icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla paste
1 Combine the caster sugar and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan set over a high heat and cook until caramelised. Add the lime juice, orange zest and ¼ cup water and simmer until the caramelise dissolves. Set aside to cool then stir in the orange segments.
2 Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan with the butter and salt. Once boiling, beat in the flour and cook until thickened. Remove form the heat and mix in the cottage cheese and eggs.
3 Pipe the batter into hot (180°C) vegetable oil in walnut-sized pieces, then fry for 4 minutes, until deep golden. Drain well, then toss in cinnamon sugar. Whisk the cream, icing sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
4 Serve the fritters with orange sauce and Chantilly cream.