Slow-roasted lamb ribs with cool Meredith feta salad
11 November 2011

Serves: 6
Cooking Time Prep time 20 mins, cook 2 hrs 10 mins (plus marinating)

Ingredients

  • garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tbsp each dried oregano and dried mint
  • 1 lemon, finely grated rind only
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 125 ml olive oil
  • 2 lamb ribs (about 1.2kg), trimmed
  • 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 butter lettuces, quartered
  • 4 radishes, thinly sliced crossways
  • 1 cucumber, cut into 4cm batons
  • 50g Meredith dairy feta

Instructions

 

 
Pound garlic, dried herbs, rind and chilli in a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste, add oil, stir to combine. Place lamb in a non-reactive dish, pour marinade over, rub to coat, refrigerate overnight to marinate.
 
Preheat oven to 150C. Place ribs on a wire rack placed in a roasting pan, season to taste, cover with foil, cook until tender (1¾-2 hours). Keep warm.
 
Preheat a char-grill over high heat. Whisk extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, thyme and mustard in a bowl, season to taste, set aside.
 
Grill lamb ribs until well-charred, turning once (3-5 minutes each side). Cut into desired portions and season to taste.
Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients (except feta) in a bowl, drizzle dressing over and toss to combine.
 
Scatter feta over and serve with lamb ribs.

 

Soft pavlova with Grand Marnier, mascarpone and berry compote
11 November 2011

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 x 250g ctn mascarpone
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) double cream
  • 1 1/2 tbs icing sugar mixture
  • 1 tbs Grand Marnier liqueur
  • 7 eggwhites
  • 1 3/4 cups (375g) caster sugar
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • Icing sugar mixture, extra, to dust

Berry Compote

  • 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) water
  • 1 x 500g packet frozen raspberries, thawed
  • 2 x 250g punnets strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced
  • 1 x 150g punnet blueberries
  • 1 x 150g punnet raspberries

Instructions

Combine the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar and Grand Marnier in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to firm slightly.
 
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base of a 24 x 30cm Swiss roll pan with baking paper. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggwhites in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar while continuously whisking.
 
Continue whisking until thick and glossy and sugar dissolves. Add cornflour and vinegar and use a metal spoon to gently fold until just combined. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
 
Bake for 20 minutes or until just firm. Remove from oven and set aside for 3 minutes to stand. Lay a clean tea towel on a clean work surface.
 
Top with a large sheet of baking paper and dust with extra icing sugar. Turn pavlova out onto baking paper and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
 
Spread mascarpone mixture along the long side of meringue closest to you. Carefully roll pavlova, using the paper and tea towel as a guide, to enclose filling.
 
Keep pavlova wrapped in baking paper and tea towel.
 
Transfer pavlova roll to a tray and place in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight to set.
 
To make the berry compote, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves.
 
Simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened slightly. Place the syrup, raspberries and their juices in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.
 
Strain though a sieve into a medium bowl. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate to chill.
 
Transfer pavlova roll onto a serving platter. Remove paper and tea towel.
 
Top pavlova roll with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Drizzle with half the raspberry coulis. Cut into slices to serve with remaining raspberry coulis.
 

Barramundi with smokey eggplant salad
04 November 2011

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 small (about 275g) eggplant, cut into 7cm strips
  • 2-3  tomatoes, sliced into quarters, halved
  • 2 zucchini, cut into 1cm thick slices
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
  • Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 1/2 cup (75g) green olives, sliced (stuffed with feta, optional)
  • 4 (200g each) barramundi fillets

Instructions

 

Preheat a barbeque plate over a medium-high heat. In a large bowl combine the eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, paprika and 2 tbs of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
 
Spoon onto the barbeque plate and cook for 10-12 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, basil leaves and sliced olives.
 
Brush the barramundi fillets with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on the barbeque for 4-6 minutes each side or until just cooked through. Serve the barramundi on the eggplant and olive salad.

 

Polenta & garlic crusted barramundi
04 November 2011

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Grated zest of half lemon
  • 2 tbs finely chopped fresh herbs (such as chives and parsley)
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 4 x 180g skinless barramundi fillets (or use other firm white fish)
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
  • Diced fresh tomatoes
  • 180g beans, sliced on an angle
  • Lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

Combine polenta, zest, herbs and half the garlic in a shallow dish, then season. Put eggs in another dish. Dip fish in egg, then polenta, pressing well onto the fish.
 
Heat 1/4 cup (60ml) oil in a large frypan over high heat. When hot, reduce heat to medium and cook fish for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
 
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in another large frypan over medium-high heat. Cook the remaining garlic for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add beans and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until tomatoes have softened and beans are cooked but still crunchy.
 
Season and serve immediately with fish and lemon wedges.

Crispy Skinned Snapper
28 October 2011

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 400g snapper fillets, skin on
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 squares of baking paper
  • 200 ml clarified butter
  • 2 large beetroot, cooked
  • 1 tsp capers, washed
  • olive oil
  • lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

Tip - You can make your lemon look a bit nicer than your local hotel. Take the whole lemon and cut it diagonally in half, then lay the flat side down and half again. Trim the branch end and the lemon will sit up on it’s own.

Get your fishmonger to thoroughly fillet your snapper (skin on), make sure you make a point of it. There are always bones that need to be tweezered out and I’d prefer to drink wine while I cook instead!

(Scoring the skin side will stop it from folding up when the skin shrinks)

Next lightly dust each skin side with the flour. Then heat enough butter in the pan for 2mm deep until hot but not smoking. Gently place the fillets skin side down and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Turn fillets and seal and cook for about a minute. (Depending on thickness it may take slightly more or less time).

Peel the beetroot and dice into 10mm cubes, season well, mix in capers and a good splash of olive oil then heat gently in a separate pan. Spoon beetroot into the centre of the plate and rest snapper onto it. Finish with a squeeze of a lemon.