Freelance food, drink + travel journalist
I spent a day with my Pop (AKA the Curry Maestro) and learnt the secret to his famous Beef Vindaloo. He has generously offered to share his treasured recipe to you all.
Pop says he’d love to make it HOT but has to tone his curry to medium spice so my Nan can enjoy it to. He also tells me that the vindaloo curry originated from Goa in India. Vindaloo is from 2 Portuguese words, ‘Vinho’ meaning wine (in this case apple cider vinegar) and ‘alhos’ meaning garlic. Anyway, here is the recipe.
It was our turn to host a big dinner party for 4 of my parent’s foodie friends. In total we served 7 people (excluding The Princess).
Here is the menu for the night:
The two starters. They were a great way to start the night. Maybe a creamy dipping sauce would have been nice with the olives, like an aioli.
The first course was a Phillip Johnson recipe and has been on the menu at his bistro, ecco, ever since they opened more than 16 years ago! You can find this recipe in his first cookbook titled ‘ecco.’ It was a combo of great flavours but lacked some moisture from the amount of truffle oil and balsamic we used.
The risotto was again a Philip Johnson recipe in his book titled ‘Bistro’, but we converted it to suit cooking it in a Thermomix. It was a little more thick than we wanted it but was still very tasty.
The pork belly was brined overnight, cooked in the sous vide for 12 hours and then crisped before serving. Served alongside was a parsnip puree and chips, wine poached apples and sous vide baby beets and carrots. On the night I still didn’t really know how I was going to plate it and as a result it looked quite sloppy. Nevertheless, it still tasted great but could have been less uncomplicated with fewer elements.
Two days after, I decided to re-plate the pork dish with the leftover elements. I decided to serve it on a white plate with only the pork, puree, beets, apples and a few nasturtiums. Not only the plating was much better but the flavours were less complicated and tasted much better.
The lemon meringue was deconstructed to lemon curd, torched marshmallow meringue, meringue crumb, ANZAC biscuit crumb, vanilla ice-cream and lemon sorbet. Again like the pork dish, we were not 100% sure what it should look like. It was also a warm night so the ice-cream and sorbet melted really quickly. As a result it didn’t look great but I did love the look of the blow torched marshmallow meringue. It still tasted amazing and all the guests said it was their favourite of the night.
Knowing the dessert tasted great, I planned out how I could plate it look more modern and appealing. So the next day I re-plated the dish using all the elements, except the sorbet as I thought there was too much lemon in the dish as it was. It looked so much better but I would have loved to use a few edible flowers to make it look even nicer.
Overall, the dinner went pretty good but with more planning on the main and dessert it could have been spectacular.
Okay, I have to admit that as a young gourmet my knowledge of Greek food is very limited. In fact, when Dad told me that at some Greek feasts, they allow the diners to smash their plates, I couldn’t believe it. But what I do know is that traditional Greek food is about three things: family, hearty food and having a good time. Hellenika is the epitome of the true essence of traditional Greek dining.
When Dad told me that we were going to holiday at Nobby Beach, Hellenika was the first place that popped in my mind. I begged and fortunately Dad agreed to go on a Wednesday night.
It was only 6:30 when we arrived and yet the restaurant was nearly full. We took our seats and quickly placed an order for their signature slow cooked lamb, which I’m aware can sell out on some nights. We received the menus and instantly, we were enticed by the banquet, which I thought was very reasonably priced at $55 per head.
First up, two dips with some crusty, fresh bread. The taramasalata was creamy and thick with a pronounced taste from the fish roe. The red capsicum and feta dip was moreish and light.
Next up, the grilled sheep’s milk cheese, served simply with a cheek of lemon. It is amazing how particular flavours are accentuated through a simple slice of grilled cheese with squeeze of lemon; salty, tangy, sharp. I could eat a plateful any day of the week.
The Princess’ favourite food in the world was next, Tasmanian calamari, char grilled and hit with a squeeze of lemon. It was great to show the picky eater how equally enjoyable calamari can be without a deep fried crunch. It was ridiculously tender while still holding its body. I couldn’t resist trying to scoop every last bit of the cooking marinade from the bottom of the plate.
Dad’s pick of the night came next; salty pork belly with braised leeks. I am not entirely sure how they were prepared but it definitely included time on the char grill before serving. The grill added some delicious smoky flavours to the pull-apart meat. Perhaps, a little too much grilling had occurred on my piece of crackling. Although the ubiquitous crunch was there the char itself verged on burnt and overpowered any of the tasty goodness that is usually derived from tasty rendered pork fat. Nevertheless, the sweet, soft leeks complemented the rich, salty meat perfectly. Even the Princess enjoyed that combo!
The funny thing about the fish dish was that a few hours before our dinner, we were watching an episode of The Cook and The Chef, which was based on cooking King George Whiting. By happy coincidence, the daily local fish of the day was, King George Whiting, very simply served with a cheek of lemon, atop a bed of soft eggplant. The fish was impeccable but I thought the eggplant neither added nor detracted from the fish so on balance perhaps it was not necessary. On the side was a village salad with all my favourite things, feta, cucumber, tomato and olives. Instead of one square of feta placed strategically on top I prefer it to be crumbed throughout.
Our last savoury course of the night was their signature lamb shoulder we pre-ordered. It was served alongside some potatoes cooked in lamb stock with dill yogurt and an eggplant dip. The meat was soft and succulent but needed some extra seasoning to enliven the glorious lamb meat.
Before desserts were served I asked whether their halva ice cream, which QLD Good Food Guide editor Natascha Mirosch had tipped me off about, would be part of the trio of desserts. Although it wasn’t they thoughtfully served us a scoop. There was a certain distinctive nutty flavour, hazelnut perhaps? It also had a chewy dough-like texture reminiscent of the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. It was simply marvellous!
We were treated to three desserts served with watermelon and dried figs. The baklava was flaky and syrupy and beats any other I’ve had. The Turkish delight, of which I am not usually a massive fan, was far superior to the commercial version. The third dessert was my favourite, honey and walnut cake. The cake was very moist being infused with honey and remaining very light. The watermelon and figs were a refreshing way to finish.
Hellenika delivered pure flavours simply, and I look forward to my next Greek food adventure, hopefully back here!
P.S Did you know, there is debate about the purpose of plate smashing, some say it relieves your worries while others believe it helps ward off evil spirits!
I was in luck in May this year when I got the opportunity to have dinner with The Australian’s restaurant reviewer, John Lethlean. He and his Partner taught me some of his reviewing techniques and have helped me write better then I had before. A week later, I received a call from John’s editor, asking if I would like to write a feature article in The Weekend Australian. I took it with both hands and wrote an article on my thoughts on the Kids menus in restaurants. Additionally, John wrote about our encounter the week before in that same section.
Here is the article written by John in The Weekend Australian – 1-2 June 2013 on our encounter.
And here is my article that I wrote in The Weekend Australian- 8-9 June 2013
As soon as I heard that Peter Kuruvita was opening a venue in Noosa I wanted in. I heard that it would be a casual restaurant and bar through the day that transformed into a fine diner at night. I was so keen, I emailed the restaurant 3 weeks in advance to try and score a table on their first night of service. I secured a table for four and also scored the best seat for watching the chefs cook in the kitchen.
Of course many of you may already know of Peter from his popular cooking shows, cookbooks or his restaurant empire including Flying Fish in Sydney as well as a Steakhouse and another Flying Fish in Fiji.
First I would like to commend the very nice reply I received after I made an inquiry about the booking. It was formal and polite setting a good mood for the night.
I had spent the day cooking at the Noosa Food & Wine Festival, but not eating, which gave me a great appetite. I had no idea what to expect from the restaurant and hoped it would have some of Peter’s specialty dishes which are known to be hearty and generous. This was exactly what I found on offer.
The restaurant has a beach house feel with stained wood floors and chairs contrasting with the white walls and tablecloths.
On entry we had a chat with the manager who explained that the restaurant staff had been through two services, one for the hotel staff so they had an idea of what they were doing. This showed with the friendly service we were given.
We decided to order two servings of the bread, share the Beach House Seafood Tapas plate and one of the entrees which we were drawn to. On the tapas plate was a Sri Lankan kingfish ceviche, seared scallop, seared prawn and another raw fish dish. I tried a bite of each and loved the creamy kingfish ceviche the most. The sourdough bread was nicely toasted and was well matched with the moreish eggplant dip. The oil and balsamic was pleasant but nothing unusual.
The entree of Seared Yellow Fin Tuna, Ruby Grapefruit, Sweet Pork, Crackling ($22) stood out for me. The immaculately presented tower of components were visually appealing and the taste was even better. The tartness of the ruby grapefruit, counterbalanced the sweetness of the pork and black pepper caramel. The lightly seared kingfish adding the soft texture and crackling, the crispy texture. An absolutely flawless dish that provided a great start to the meal ahead.
Next, I just had to try Peter’s signature fish curry. Though, I was surprised by the presentation. I was instructed to construct the dish myself with the portioning of the sauce, rice and raita left to my hands. As you can see in my before and after picture. In full, the dish was a Sri Lankan Snapper Curry, Basmati Rice, Condiments ($38). The condiments included tamarind puree, coconut sambal, oven roasted tomatoes, crispy curry leaves and raita. The sauce was lightly spiced and had a lovely fragrant smell. The snapper was cooked perfectly with a lovely crispy skin but I wished I hadn’t poured the sauce over the fish as it had become less crispy. Nonetheless, it was a nicely executed dish and a generous serving.
Dad opted for the Pan Roasted Local Reef Fish, Confit Garlic, Tamarind Sauce ($34), which on this night was Snapper. He usually goes for the red meat option when we dine out but he really enjoyed this dish.
Mum made a brave move deciding to tackle the 500g (3 full) Steamed Moreton Bay Bugs tossed with Chilli, Ginger and Shallot (MP on the night was around $40). “Brave” as in eating with a pale pink shawl on! On cue the waitress offered her a special bib which Mum was very grateful for. I had a couple of mouthfuls and loved it as it was my first taste of bug, I can’t really tell if it was as would be expected. The sauce complemented the bug superbly with a pronounced spiced flavour.
Even the Princess was over the moon with her kid’s menu steak and onion rings.
After main I was invited by the manager to go and meet Peter in the kitchen. I told him how I had taken his place at last year’s Noosa Festival Delicious Produce Dinner and he laughed. Here is a photo with him.
Before long, the desserts arrived. We ordered two and decided to share. First was the Banana Soufflé, Lemon Semifreddo, Coconut ($16). It was quite a large soufflé, which I had hoped as it was quite an expensive dessert. It was just as a soufflé should be, airy, light, high, and delicate with a distinct banana flavor. The accompanying semifreddo was refreshing with the shredded coconut.
Also ordered was the Salted Peanut Butter Semifreddo ($17). How good does salted peanut butter sound? Imagining how good it would be, doesn’t even come close to reality. In reality it was even better! The creamy half frozen ice-cream with the added crunch of the peanuts was outstanding. The unexpected addition of meringues, banana mousse and a crunchy peanut brittle, that we all fought over, was an enjoyable finish.
Peter Kuruvita’s Noosa Beach House survived first night nerves admirably and dished out simple and hearty fare in a lovely revamped room more than worthy of its setting in iconic Hastings Street. I had questioned how they would cope when Peter is on his lengthy television adventures but be well assured that Katie McKay and Gary Whyte (ex Le Manoir, ENG) as well as Tony Kelly (ex Stokehouse) are more than qualified to take the reins.
So there I was, talking with David Thompson of Nahm fame, whilst standing next to the Pepe from Pepe Saya cultured butter and saying “Hi” to Miss Foodie, who was wandering by. Usually its times like that I can only dream of, but at the Noosa International Food & Wine Festival, it’s a place where dreams come true.
Continue reading “Noosa International Food & Wine Festival 2013” →
Well I have have some exciting news! I will now be conducting cooking classes for children aged 7-11 on a monthly basis at the Annerley soccer club, Brisbane. For my first class we cooked a Pork Wonton Soup. The idea was to get the kids to learn how to make a chicken stock (the ultimate basic key recipe) and then learn how to turn it into an Asian broth. The class worked well thankfully and the kids had a lot of fun wrapping the dumplings and especially eating.
So, the classes are $30 per child and include lunch and dessert. If you are interested you can contact my partner in cooking, Mon, at simone@monsgroupfit.com
The dessert we did was my <a href=”RecipeEtonMess”>Cheats Eton Mess</a>.
Here is the recipe for the Pork Wonton Soup:
Stock (makes 4 Litres)
1 kg Chicken wings (separated in 3 parts – thigh, wing and tip)
1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion (roughly cut)
1 carrot (roughly cut)
4 cloves garlic (bruised and roughly chopped)
1 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
3L water
Pork Filling
4 coriander roots
1 tablespoons ginger root (finely sliced)
1 tablespoons of spring onion (finely sliced)
500g pork mince
1 tablespoons fish sauce
½ tbs Shaoxing wine or sweet sherry
1 tsp whole white pepper
1 tablespoons light soy sauce
48 square wonton wrappers (6-8 per person)
Sprinkle of plain white flour
Soup
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
Dash sesame oil
2 corn cobs (kernels removed)
Garnish
Handful of bean sprouts
Handful of coriander leaves
1 spring onion finely sliced
1. For Stock, heat oil in a large pot on medium heat and brown wings.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1-2 hours.
4. Strain and return liquid to the pot.
5. For wonton filling, grind peppercorns to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
6. Add coriander roots, spring onion and ginger and pound to a paste.
7. Combine with mince, fish sauce, soy sauce and sherry in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
8. To make wontons, layout wonton wrappers and place a marble sized ball of filling in the middle.
9. Dip your finger in water and run down the edges of the square.
10. Fold to make a triangle then join 2 bottom corners together.
11. Sprinkle plain flour on tray and place filled wontons on. So they don’t stick.
12. You can refrigerate them for later or use them straight away if you are eating soon.
13. For broth, add oyster sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. Mix through.
14. Add wontons and kernels and cook for 6-7 minutes trying one first to see if the wontons are cooked.
15. To serve, place 6-8 dumplings with broth in a bowl and garnish with spring onion, coriander leaves and bean sprouts.
16. Enjoy!
Some pictures from the class:
There is a little boutique chocolate and coffee shop I believe that all Brisbane gourmets should know about. Owned and run by Steve, an English born chocolate connoisseur, Monty’s provides me with my afternoon treats once a month on my walk home from school along Edward Street in the CBD. The friendly service, decadent treats and the beautifully decorated room make it my perfect afternoon hangout.
Steve tells me he had always loved chocolate from an early age. He recalls his Dad buying eight special chocolates from an expensive Mayfair chocolate store in London on a rare occasion. A massive treat for Steve as a kid. At Easter he would only ask his parents for a Terry’s Chocolate Orange which most English people all know and many Australians have come to understand, is an orange flavoured chocolate ball which has segments like an actual orange. On a school trip to France, when he was 14, he had an eye opening experience to the world of chocolate when he saw the depth of the chocolate range there.
There are three Monty’s shops spread throughout Brisbane, one in Paddington, one in Spring Hill and the CBD one where Steve spends most of his time. The CBD store features many world renowned and local chocolate producers including my favourite, Francois Pralus (France) as well as Sea Salt, Artison du chocolat and Charbonnel et Walker (both made in the UK), Rococo (Belgravia), Coppeneur (Germany), Menakao (Madagascar), Nick’s Chocolate (grown overseas but supplied in Brisbane), Nina’s (NSW) and QLD’s very own Cravve made in Burleigh Heads and Daintree made in NQ.
I first discovered Monty’s after hearing rave reviews about their signature hot chocolate. It won the Best Hot Chocolate Award in the prestigious 2012 Foodies’ Guide to Brisbane. I was desperate to try it. I wandered into the shop and was treated to a fantastic chocolate tasting plate and the most rich, thick and indulgent hot chocolate I had ever tasted. If you thought you have tried the best hot chocolate in the world then you haven’t visited Monty’s yet, so prepare to be converted. Despite my best efforts Steve won’t divulge the full recipe and technique to me, but he did provide some pointers about how to make it. It’s made fresh every morning, he uses Swiss couverture and chocolate made from beans they import from Madagascar and adds the secret ingredients and places it in the machine below. This machine constantly stirs the chocolate keeping it from going hard.
The end product is a lusciously thick serve of Monty’s hot chocolate.
But the hot chocolate is only part of a truly decadent experience. The milkshakes, all made with real flavours, are outstanding. My two favourites are the orange and chilli.
But of course, the chocolate cabinet is the piece de resistance featuring my favourite chocolates: Coppeneur raspberry cream and yoghurt and blackberry flavoured bark, Artisan du chocolate liquid salted caramels, Rococo geranium cream or just let Steve decide by selecting a tasting plate for you in White, Milk or Dark chocolate.
Below is a cool little quote I found on a collage outside the front of Monty’s. I think it really sums up chocolate for everyone.
If you are wandering around town looking for a good coffee, in need of a present for your loved one or just would like some refuge from the busy streets, look no further, Monty’s is my best suggestion. Steve reassures, “Monty’s is a place for anyone, regardless of age or background. No snobs allowed!”
Oh, and in case you are wondering who Monty is, it’s Steve’s little Chihuahua.
Whenever the town Montville pops up in conversation, my mind drifts off to the award winning The Long Apron Restaurant. The Long Apron is situated on 22 acres with lush grand fig trees, jacarandas and a kitchen team devoted to using at least 90% of produce sourced locally. I don’t think you get any more local than your own kitchen garden. I nod and exclaim “I love that place!”
I was doing my routine research on The Long Apron (TLA) when I came across a review of TLA by Not Quite Nigella (scroll down to bottom). Apparently there is a chef’s table and you know me, I’ll do whatever I can to be at it – see my Buffalo Club review HERE.
I gave TLA a call in the afternoon of the day of our booking and luckily no one else had requested it.
The acclaimed chef of the TLA is Cameron Matthews, 6 foot 8, mad hatter and genius-like. With his promise that “I put my heart and soul in every plate”, it’s clear he has a passion for his work. He was the former head chef of Siggi’s in Brisbane and Restaurant Lurleens at Sirromet Winery (which is also amazing by the way).
With the name TLA and Cameron’s height you might expect there to be a link, but no, it is called TLA because of the traditional aprons that were worn from the chest to ankles thus a long apron.
Mum, Dad, The Princess (my sister) and I left for Montville from Maleny (where we were holidaying) late in the afternoon. As we turned into the Spicer’s Clovelly Estate we noticed a person lying down by the pool and thought that it was a bit odd.
We parked underneath the large fig tree at the restaurant. With the light failing, the Princess and I had time to venture in the garden while Mum and Dad enjoyed a glass of bubbly over looking the rolling hills.
First I noticed the large lemon tree and then found the Lychee, Lemon, Jappa Orange and Guava trees.
Then I found that the person beside the pool was in fact a statue lying down by the pool.
The kitchen garden consisted of three raised garden beds, and grew a range of herbs (chives), vegetables (carrot) and edible flowers (nasturtiums).
After going on a photography spree, the Princess and I returned to Mum and Dad where I began to state my case for ordering a degustation (at least 5 courses) and pleaded – you know this place was awarded best regional restaurant and since we’re here we might as well make the most of it. To my surprise I won. Five courses it was and we were seated at our table with a front view of the kitchen.
Two things surprised me, first, there were only 3 chefs in the kitchen and secondly, the normal dining room was away from us providing an exclusive experience given our proximity to the kitchen.
Given we could order our five courses from the a- la-carte menu, we decided our goal was to try everything on the menu. We had 15 choices and there were three dishes in each of the five sections. We all agreed that we would only miss one dish. Our waiter for the night, Martin, greeted us and took our orders and answered our many queries knowledgeably throughout the night.
A late change of the second course from Mum meant we would in fact be missing out on a really intriguing dish. To this day we still don’t forgive her for that. The Princess being her picky self (which Martin said was good because “you can pick what you like”) was only interested in one dish on the menu which was the duck so she would be just having that and if she was good she could have a hot chocolate at the end of the night.
The kitchen team was already in action with taste tests of sauces and making sure all garnishes were on the workbench. We started seeing some really interesting amuse bouches and bread come out of the kitchen. Then we saw ours.
Soft and fresh sourdough made in house with a creamy spreadable butter also made in house made from Maleny Dairy Cream. Served next to it was a pot plant! It consisted of a lemon and eucalyptus mousse, a soil made of olives and a tree branch like bread sticks.
The fennel gave it a lovely sweetness. The watermelon had a soft delicate texture, unusual for a cool and crispy fruit. I think it had been marinated until it became soft.
Way better than the packet bought prawn crackers at most Asian takeaways. It had a nice saltiness that didn’t overpower with a creamy mayonnaise. The crackers were everything you expect them to be, crunchy and that great mouth feel where you can suck until it gently crumbles and dissolves.
We were very impressed, what had come so far really intrigued and was uber-creative. We saw some other dishes leave the kitchen, which heightened the anticipation for the first course even more!
The tartare had all the usual seasoning on a regular beef tartare. However what made this one different was that Rump Cap (with a marble score of 7!) was used as opposed to a very plain beef cut. A battered piquillo pepper provided a subtle spiciness and crispiness to the dish. It had a strong onion flavour from the seasoning in the tartare. I would have loved to have more of those delicious quail eggs though.
Nice thinly sliced scallop ceviche with leeks two ways- fried rings and grilled, lovely clams added another texture. Also included pickled samphire, which is the second time I have come across it. The first time being, at The Buffalo Club. In reacquainting ourselves with it, I said I thought it was kind of like asparagus that grows near the sea.
Consisted of artichoke three ways (unfortunately Mum recalls two, fried and pureed) foie gras sauce, burnt hazelnuts, thinly sliced slow cooked celeriac.
So far everything was very artistically presented with many components, though all complementing each other, but never overpowering nor detracting from the star of the dish.
My favourite component was the Buttermilk foam. We both agreed that the buttermilk wasn’t as tasty in the mash as foam. The beet embers were smoked then dehydrated which gave them an intricately good texture. Something was very salty but we couldn’t pick where it came from, possibly the crab. The roe was beautiful and made that perfect pop in my mouth.
Mum thoroughly enjoyed this dish saying best Ploughman’s plate she has ever had. I was quite interested that it was on the menu as it is not a usual fine dining kind of dish.
The kitchen was in full swing with beautiful looking plates going out at a fast rate. Bring on course 3!
Based on an actual garden with leaf like lettuce leaves and a log like roasted leek with Glasshouse Mountain snails and crunchy morcilla (which is a Spanish blood sausage)representing soil. The addition of fennel and apple created a refreshing crispness. The snails were glossy and plump and as expected, an earthy flavor. The long leek was surprisingly easy to cut and wasn’t stringy. A selection of different lettuces gave variations of green.
The duck ham was made in house and was with a tender roasted Gympie duck breast. The honey and mustard seed sauce was just strong enough to come through with all the other ingredients. A seed mix including linseed, caraway, fennel and sunflower seeds was used for crunchiness. Cameron said that it would be the seed mix he would feed ducks if he owned some.
A lovely massive glass bowl was placed on the presentation table, I thought to myself that looks very interesting. It was in fact my next course.
The Snapper was perfectly steamed befitting its delicate nature with a touch of sweetness. The semi-dried carrots were slightly crunchy while the mini steamed beets and radishes were soft to the bite. The smoked prawn butter sauce added some complexity to the fish. A single fish scale its only minute error.
Mum’s beef was very, very tender. The horseradish cream, tea & beer sauce and a flavoursome dust (possibly tea flavored) while lovely by themselves were perfection with the meat. The heirloom vegetables were perfectly cooked and the mash – sublime.
Best dish of the night! The ricotta plating technique reminded me of a dish at The Buffalo Club, both spread around the sides of the plate with quite possibly a paintbrush. The lamb was amazing!! It was topped with crumbs of nuts and with a summergreen risotto, which Martin explained was not a risotto at all because it was rice less. Dad picked out a strange shaped piece of crumbed meat. It was soft inside and we all agreed that it was possibly a crumbed sweetbread.
Wow, what an amazing journey already through the savoury dishes. Onwards and upwards!
Elderflower and raspberry sorbet with a selection of many freeze dried fruits like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. I loved the coldness and crunchiness of the dish. Out of the whole menu the freeze dried fruits are one of the only ingredients that Martin advised were bought elsewhere – though still reasonably local in nearby Brisbane.
Martin described this as “the simplest dish on the menu” which was funny because he then described Mum’s dish as “the most complex dish on the menu”. Dad hogged this dish as he loved it and I only had one spoonful of it but it had very clean flavours.
So many elements! I swapped with Mum half way through and it was amazing. The mix of many mint components created a rich dish with many textures- my favourite being the ganache like truffle. Mum preferred the refreshing style of my dessert with its array of berries a refreshing and beautiful fruit salad, while I loved the indulgence of her dessert with its silver foil covered ganache.
The Long Apron sets a high standard for not only the Montville/Maleny region but also for Queensland and while Cameron is at its helm using most of the restaurant’s ingredients sourced from the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, I am certain it will stay at the forefront of fine dining restaurants in Queensland.
On the school holidays, I found a MasterChef competition that was based on the mystery box. To win you had to use at least three of the six ingredients. There was chicken, corn, vanilla, scallops, cardamon and coriander. The award was huge and I desperately wanted to win.
I asked Kym Machin (Spring) for inspiration and he gave me some great ideas and offered me time in Spring’s cooking class kitchen to practice the dish. Chef Ben was also a big help when cooking and writing the dish. Unfortunately I didn’t win but I may have a chance for the top 50 dishes that win a MasterChef pack. Even though I wasn’t the winner, it was the experience that counts!
Chicken Wings:
12 chicken wings
Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
1 clove of finely diced garlic
A large handful of rock salt
Enough duck fat or neutral oil like grapeseed oil to cover chicken
Stock
4 cobs of corn (kernels removed and reserved)
1L water
¼ bunch of whole thyme
¼ bunch of coriander stalks
Leftover chicken pieces from step 1
5 cloves of roughly chopped garlic
Velouté
All of previously made stock
Most of the kernels reserved from stock
1 small brown onion diced
2 cloves garlic finely sliced
2 vanilla beans scraped off pods
1tbs oil
120ml cream
Puree
Handful of finely chopped coriander leaves
Unstrained half of corn and vanilla velouté
Serving
12 scallops detached from shell, roe and muscle
Small handful of whole coriander
Chicken Wings:
1. With a sharp knife cut through each chicken wing at the joints, keeping the middle section and putting aside the other two pieces for later on.
2. Mix the garlic and thyme with enough rock salt to cover the chicken.
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Lightly rinse the salt off the chicken with running water.
5. Place into a saucepan and cover with warm duck fat.
6. Cook on a low heat until tender, roughly 1½ hours.
7. Pull out the two bones and any knuckles that might be left in the chicken.
8. Set aside chicken meat.
Stock
1. Place all ingredients except kernels in a pot and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Leave to cool and strain, reserving liquid.
Velouté
1. To blanch the corn kernels, boil enough salted water to cover.
2. Then add the kernels and blanch for a couple of minutes.
3. Strain and rinse in cold running water.
4. Reserve a small handful for garnishing.
5. In a medium pot with oil gently sweat down the onions (about 3 minutes).
6. Add the blanched kernels and garlic.
7. Cook gently for about 2 minutes.
8. Add the cream, stock and vanilla.
9. Simmer until reduced by about 2/3 (allow 30-45 minutes)
10. Season with salt.
11. Blend reduction until as smooth as possible.
12. Strain the velouté mixture, forcing it through with a spoon, reserving the solids for the puree and the liquid for the velouté.
Puree
1. Add coriander to puree and mix.
2. Set aside.
Serving
1. Place the velouté and puree in bowls and place over pots of simmering water to keep warm.
2. Spread the wings out on a baking tray and place them under a grill.
3. Once browned turn them over to crisp the other side.
4. Meanwhile heat a touch of oil in a pan and fry the flatter side of the scallops for 1 minute. This side is the upper serving side.
5. Turn scallops to complete cooking (15 seconds).
6. To plate up, place a dollop of puree on the serving plate and smear.
7. Place 3 chicken wings and 3 scallops on top of the puree in alternating order.
8. Pour the velouté in a small bowl and place to the side of the plate.
9. Place 4 or 5 leaves of coriander and a couple of corn kernels randomly on the plate.
10. Enjoy!
Elliot Baker