Koko at Crown

I am utterly blown away by Ko Ko. I admit I am not one who ventures to Crown Casino at all unless I have to. Parking, the crowd, the thought of people losing their life savings is not exactly my kind of scene. But Crown has done something right, and that is with Ko Ko. We were invited for dinner by a colleague of my husband, who is married to a Japanese man from Osaka. He picked the restaurant and all he said was that Ko Ko was "comparable to real Japanese cuisine."


We were seated at a table next to a shallow pond, which was central to the restaurant. Immediately, our Japanese friend started conversing with the hostess and our meals were ordered. During that time, I absorbed in the surroundings. If you ever want to plan a romantic evening, request for one of the only two couples table which are situated on the other side of the pond. You would have full view of the Yarra river, and what seems like a private viewing of the fire exhibition at Crown that runs every hour of every day after 9pm. The restaurant deco was modern but maintained Japanese aesthetics, very posh and sophisticated, but yet I felt very relaxed and at home.



The restaurant was full by the time we had our entrees. Despite the crowd, we did not have to raise our voices to have a conversation. Service was excellent, very prompt and efficient. My meal was preceded by having the smoothest Choya (plum) wine I have ever tasted. It was served in a martini glass, and an ume (sour plum) sat at the bottom of of the glass, intensifying further the taste.



And then the food arrived. Conversation halted, at least on our part, because we were too busy gawking at the art served on a plate and tasting the best Japanese food we have ever had. Apparently, the flow of the dishes was preconstructed by our Japanese friend. After a palate cleanser of seaweed salad, a bowl of steaming hot agedashi tofu arrived on the table.




What followed were individual plates containing four different mini morsels of food. Thinly sliced beef, prawn dumpling, chicken terrine and tuna maki topped with wasabi mayo. The next dish was four grilled hotate (scallop) topped with a cheesy champagne sauce (???) and as you got to the bottom of the shell, there were wilted baby spinach leaves that went really well with the sauce. I thought I was in a very good dream.... until all the other dishes arrived. I thought I'd died and gone to food heaven.





A large plate of sashimi (which included clams -Akigai and Hokigai, fish served were salmon, tuna, king fish, mackerel and snapper- all top grade quality) was polished off in no time. Can you believe all that were entrees???!!! And the mains arrived all at once with hot steaming rice. There were prawn and vegetable tempura, beef ishiyaki (grilled) and buri (fish) teriyaki with asparagus. What can I say, the photos are pretty self explanatory.



To top of an already fabulous dinner, we had dessert. Oh yes, a true foodie should always have a seperate space in their tummy for dessert. We had two orders of Yuzu creme brulee with plum sorbet, a white sesame mousse with mint sorbet and three scoops of ice-cream (black sesame, green tea and rice flavoured). It had to be the best black sesame ice-cream ever!


Ko Ko was beyond my expectation. It is the best Japanese restaurant I have ever been to. Close to a perfect ten, marred only by the fact that I was unable to step out of the restaurant into the streets of Japan.

To top this magical night off, we were given a box of Japanese rice crackers as a gift. My hubby and I have been spoilt to bits tonight. Domo arigato gozaimasu to our friends!

Salmon and Avocado Sushi

Apparently in Japan, sushi and sashimi are served only during special occasions and celebrations. But in Australia, every corner seems to have a takeaway sushi place. I guess it is quick and easy, also relatively healthy. I made some salmon and avocado sushi as a starter. I picked up some sashimi grade salmon from Suzuran along with the wagyu beef for my hot pot (see related recipe- Sukiyaki).



Recipe:

300g sashimi grade salmon, cut into strips
1/2 avocado, cut into strips
1 small cucumber , cut into strips
Japanese mayo
3 nori sheets
1 cup sushi rice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar


Prepare the rice. Wash until water is clear. Drain, and rest for 1/2 hr. I normally cook my rice in the microwave. For that amount of rice, I use 2 cups water (double the quantity of rice) and place in a ceramic pot, uncovered. Microwave, 20 minutes on high.
Add the salt, sugar and vinegar into cooked rice. Stir to combine, leave till cool.
Place one nori sheet on sushi mat. Place 1/3 of the rice on the nori.Drizzle some mayo on rice. Top with some salmon, cucumber and avocado. Roll into a tight cylinder. Repeat process to have 3 rolls. Slice horizontally. Serve with soy and wasabi.

Sukiyaki (Beef Hot Pot)

We are still in Melbourne, eating our way through this waiting game. We have done all we can, fill all necessary paperwork, proved that we can speak English etc etc. The weather took a turn this weekend. This is Melbourne for you. Warm, sunny and a top of 30 degrees one day, and cool, windy with rain (a max of 20 degrees) the next day.

I normally make Sukiyaki in winter, but since it's a little bit chilly for a summer day, nothing like a bowl of soup to warm the soul. Just use a pot on top of a camp stove, and all your guest can do a little bit of cooking at the table.

  You can purchase good quality, thinly sliced Wagyu Beef from Suzuran, Camberwell. The ingredients that go into the hot pot is really up to you. I used spinach leaves. chinese cabbage, spring onions, tofu and mix mushrooms (oyster, shiitake and enoki). I also premade a few soft poached eggs (see related recipe- poached eggs) and blanched some udon noodles.





Sukiyaki Recipe

3 cup dashi/ beef stock (I use dashi granules mix in hot water- available at Suzuran, or any Asian gorcery store)
9 tbsp sake
9 tbsp mirin
9 tbsp light soy
6 tbsp sugar

1 onion thinly sliced

Make the sauce by mixing above ingredient (minus the onions) in a saucepan and warm until sugar dissolves.
Place onions at the bottom of the hot pot. Layer with vegetables, tofu and beef. Pour sauce into hot pot and bring to boil.
Serve in bowls and top with poached eggs (optional).
Continue to top up the hot pot with ingredients and sauce.

Mango Puddings

Mango pudding is mostly served as a dessert during Yum Cha. It's a good recipe for a hot summer day or especially if you have a few ripe mangoes hanging around. Make sure you melt the gelatine and mix it into the mixture evenly.

Mango Pudding Recipe (makes 6-8)

1 1/2 tbsp powdered gelatine
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup hot water
600g pureed fresh mango
3/4 cup evaporated milk
6 ice cubes
mango slices for garnish
extra evaporated milk, to serve

Add gelatine and sugar to hot water and mix until dissolved. In large bowl, mix mango puree, evaporated milk and ice cubes. Pour gelatine mixture and stir until ice cubes are melted.Pour mixture into jelly mould and chill until set (at least 3 hours. To serve, dip jelly mould briefly in hot water then turn pudding out onto a plate. Serve with slices of mango and top with extra evaporated milk (optional).

Tori No Kara Age (Japanese Style Fried Chicken)

OOOOoooOooOOOoo.... fried chicken! This was a very popular dish especially with children at a Japanese restaurant called Yokoyama in Doncaster. I would know because I worked part time at this restaurant during my uni days. It was more like a dress up party going to work, wearing a stiff white wrap underneath my peachy pink kimono, fancy white socks with a wedge between the big two and second toe, so I could put on my wooden clogs with red straps. Hair up in a bun with chopstick through it, I really felt like a wannabe Geisha.

Yokoyama is a real Japanese rstaurant. When I said 'real', I meant that it actually has a Japanese chef, unlike a lot of Japanese places in the city that are actually run by the Chinese. No offense to the Chinese (I am Chinese myself) but it is just not the same.

It is at Yokoyama that I fully understood why Japanese cuisine is what it is. Tak San, the head chef, is very pedantic when it comes to the flavour of the food (he even makes his own soy sauce!). Equally important is the way it is presented. I have been told that everytime I bring out a dish, it needs to be placed in a way that it would look the best on the table and also need to consider how each guest at the table would view the dish.

Tak San, the head chef, spends most days in the kitchen preparing the dishes and during service times, he is behind his sushi and sashimi counter, which is in full view of dining guests. It is through my interactions with Tak San that I picked up a few Japanese phrases. What I miss most about this job were the suppers that I get to bring home! My favourites were Teriyaki Chicken on Rice and Chirashi Sushi (assorted sashimi on rice).

Back to the chicken, this is a quick and easy recipe, great as a starter or snack.

Recipe

400g chicken thigh cutllets, cut into bite-size pieces
2-3 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp finely grated ginger
2 garlic cloves crushed

katakuriko or potato starch, for coating
veg oil for deep-frying
Japanese mayo to serve

Marinate chicken pieces in soy, sake, mirin, ginger and garlic. Leave in fridge for 2-3 hrs.
Coat chicken pieces lightly in potato starch and fry in hot oil. Drain on absorbent paper and serve warm with Japanese mayo on the side.

The Deanery

A Friend is like a good bra. Hard to find, supportive, comfortable, always lifts you up, never lets you down or leaves you hanging, and is always close to your heart !That is sooo true....and funny! But I don't think my hubby will relate to that somehow...

You must think that I have lost my mind (I probably have) but there is a story behind this. I was surfing the net to find a description of a good friend and I chance upon the above. You see, my hubby met a guy at work years ago, and they clicked straight away. There are just people in life that will pass you by, and those that will be great friends. He is the latter. This friendship (or bromance) blossomed, and was sealed after a first double date when we realised we had many things in common. His wife and I are of similar background, and the two men both love wines and have an interesting sense of humour.



The restaurant we went to on our double date was Interlude (a two hat restaurant which has now closed) and had so much fun over a superb ten course meal. Needless to say, we missed them when they lived abroad for a couple of years. They are finally back, but only for us to be going on our own journey soon! But I hope strong bonds will prevail despite the distance.



So tonight, the same two couples went to the Deanery, whose head chef, Robin Wickens, had been the genius behind Interlude. Looking at the website, it looks like Wickens hasn't strayed from his foams, crumbs and micro serves (nothing that I will EVER bother making at home!). I was concerned because the degustation is now only a six course.Would we be full? Surprisingly, we were all satisfied (boys were sloshed after the matched wines). The highlights for me were the rabbit loin and terrine dish and the first dessert of pineapple and coconut with a consomme of pineapple. Also, the proscuitto bread rolls were amazing, kind of like a cross between a croissant and a gougere (hard to explain, you'll just have to go and try it).



However, I felt that the Deanery had a few shortcomings. There were only two serving the entire floor (which had about 40 guests) and it always took awhile before we could get some attention. To get to the restaurant itself, you have to walk to the end of an alley (Bligh Place), passing a sushi and bar place spilling with after-work people onto the sidewalks, having a few drinks and cigarettes. Not a great scene before you enter (what I thought was) a fine-dining establishment.



As you enter the the front door, you are immediately greeted by a bar area filling up with people. The deco was modern, with a common area of couches immediate to our right. On the left, there were more couches which were surrounded by thin curtains and large modern lanterns above each partitioned area. The restaurant itself is situated on the top level which was visible and open to the bar area, and it felt like it was an afterthought. The deco was nothing like the attention given to the bar area. The only thing nice was an entire grill-style wall that displays their crates of wine. The acoustic of the room was poor, the noise mainly coming from the bar just below. To make matters worse, as the night wore on, the couple seated behind us started swearing loudly (seemingly just part of normal conversation, but obviously not tolerating their alcohol well, or just had a bad daY!). If we were given a dollar for everytime we heard a swear word, our entire meal for four PLUS drinks would be paid for. The Deanery seemed to attract a crowd very different to its previous counterpart.


Overall, the food was good if not better than Interlude. However, the ambience and service have a long way to go. It is a shame that the focus is the bar, because the restaurant has potential, especially with a such a brillaint chef.

Scallops with Cauliflower Puree, Olive Tapenade and Apple Reduction

If you feel like making something fancy that looks like restaurant quality, then this is the recipe. The combo of succulent scallops, with the sweetness of the apple reduction is balanced off by the slight bitterness and tartness of the olives. The cauliflower's smoothness and light taste adds another dimension.

I saw this recipe in Country Style Magazine by a chef named Dietmar Sawyere. I halved the cauliflower puree recipe and I still had some leftover.

Large, fresh scallops are hard to find. I use large, snap-frozen Hokkaido scallops available at most seafood retailers.

Recipe

Cauliflower puree:
3 shallots, diced
20g butter
600g cauliflower, trimmed into florets
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 cup milk

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until soft. Add cauliflower and stir to combine. Add stock and milk. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower is soft. Strain, reserve some liquid to put to food processor if necessary. Processed until smooth puree forms. Transfer to a bowl.

Apple reduction:
1 1/4 cup granny smith apple juice
2 tbsp lemon juice

Combine apple juice with lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid reaches a syrupy consistent.

18 large sea scallops, roe removed
black olive tapenade (pre- bought)
chevril sprigs to garnish
lemon juice

Preheat a pan. Brush scallops with some soft butter and place on hot pan. Cook for one minute, turn them and cook for another minute. Remove from pan and drizzle with some lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Place warm cauliflower puree on serving plates, top with scallops and garnish with chevril (I use lamb tongue florets as I could not find any chevril). Drizzle green apple reduction to one side and serve with some tapenade.

Loukomades (Greek Doughnuts)

This month's issue of the Gourmet Traveller is feauturing all things Greek. I have never been to Greece, so it would definitely be in the top ten places to visit on this journey of ours. I'm picturing sun and sand, lazy afternoons and lots of seafood and olives. Ahhhh.... off to dreamland.











Anyways, as you would know, I have a sweet tooth. Other than chocolate, I also love fried doughnuts (or anything fried for that matter... and that reminds me of a restaurant called Hajime, but that is for another blog! Stop digressing Jo Jo). It seems like every culture has its own version of a fried dough. Churros are my favourite but looks a little tricky to make (especially getting the shape and pattern right). Loukomades is the Greek version, and it looks alot more simple, and the name sounds so exotic! My Greek neighbour Giorgia would be so proud of me.....

This recipe is also good for my non-dairy eating readers.

Loukomades Recipe

7g yeast
1 1/2 cup plain flour, sieved
250 ml warm water
1 tsp sugar
a pinch of salt
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine yeast and warm water in a large bowl, stir to combine and the add a few tbsp of flour and sugar. Stir and set aside for 10 mins or until foamy. Then add the rest of the flour and salt, and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and elastic. Cover and set aside until double in size (1-1 1/2 hrs).
Heat veg oil in deep fryer. Spoon tblsp of batter in oil and turn occasionally till golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.
Dust with sugar and cinnamon.

Or like the GT issue, serve drizzled with honey, sprinkle with thyme and accompanied by juicy figs!

Lunch in Paris

'The chocolate centre flows like dark lava onto the whiteness of the plate. The last ounce of stress drains from my body....I have discovered the French version of Death by Chocolate' is an excerpt from a book called Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard. When I read that, I thought I had found a kindred spirit who so eloquently describes how I feel when eating a chocolate fondant (aka as soft centred choc pudding- see related recipe) Any calamity seems bearable or forgotten when chocolate is consumed.



This is a book that I received in the mail yesterday and just started reading it, but I love it already! Why? Because in between chapters there are French recipes! (picture me grinning from ear to ear) It is a story about the writer falling in love with a French man after having lunch in Paris (sounds cliche, but it is based on a true story) Can there be anything better than food and love combined? I'm going to read this delicious looking book and attempt some of the recipes in it. I'll let you know how good (or bad) it is along the way.... :)

Japanese Cheese Cake

I crave cheesecakes occasionally and I prefer baked cheesecakes to the unbaked ones. But most cheesecakes are so rich, and I always find myself bloated if I finish a whole slice!





This is a great recipe from my mum. It is a cross between a sponge cake and a cheese cake. In Malaysia, it is known as a Japanese Cheese Cake.





Japanese Cheese Cake Recipe


250g cream cheese
1 cup milk
6 eggs, seperated
140g caster sugar
90g butter
40g plain flour
20g corn flour
2 tbsp lemon juice
Rind of one lemon, grated (optional)

Preheat oven to 140 degrees. Grease and line a 9 inch square tin.

Place butter and milk in a saucepan and heat until butter melts. Slowly add cream cheese and incorporate until smooth (If lumpy, push through strainer when slightly cooled). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks. Gradually add sugar until combined (do not beat until stiff).

Add yolks and lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture. Fold both flours into the mixture.

Then, fold a third of the whites into the mixture, followed by the rest of the whites. Pour mixture into prepared tin and place in a water bath (use a bigger oven tray, fill it with some boiling water and place baking tin onto the oven tray). Place in oven and bake for 1 hr 20 mins or test with a skewer, and it comes out clean.

Leave to cool. Remove from baking tin and refrigerate overnight before slicing.

Note: Slice cheesecake with a warm knife to get a clean cut. Also, if you were to invest in a mixer, get a KitchenAid because it is worth every cent!

Har Gow (Prawn Dumpling)

If you haven't had these before, then you have never been to Yum Cha. Yum Cha literally means 'drink tea'. It is a Cantonese way of having brunch, with lots of dishes served in little steamer baskets or small plates. I guess it is similar to having tapas, where you are able to graze and sample many different types of dishes. In Asia, it is called Dim Sum.



Har Gow is a staple at most Yum Cha places, but not every restaurant gets the skin/wrapper right. It needs to be translucent once steamed, but still holds its shape when held in a chopstick. I've always wanted to make it, and I have had this recipe sitting around for a year. How did it turn out? It's only so so. The skin was not as delicate but it was of right thickness. I don't know how the restaurants make the skin 'springy' in texture.



Har Gow Recipe

Dough:
3/4 wheat starch
2 tbsp tapioca starch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup boiling water
2 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Filling:
180g prawn meat, minced
1 egg white
1 tsp chinese rice wine
few drops of sesame oil
some salt and pepper to taste

Veg oil (for greasing)

In a bowl, combine ingredients for the filling and leave to marinate.
In a separate bowl, combine wheat starch, tapioca starch and salt. Slowly stir in the boiling water. Add the oil, and use your hands to shape the dough. Add one to two tbsp hot water if the dough is too dry. Do not overwork the dough. Just mix until smooth and shiny. Cover and rest for 20 mins.

To make the dumpling, grease work surface and cleaver lightly with oil. Break off a small piece of dough, roll into a ball and then flatten by pressing it with the flat surface of the cleaver. You should get a circle with 2 1/2 -3 inches diameter. Add a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle and bring the edges together. Fold pleats on the edges. Repeat process until all dough used (roughly makes 16 pieces). Make sure you cover th dumpling during this time so it would not dry out. Place dumpling on a lightly greased plate. Steam for 15 mins. Serve with soy or chili sauce.

Soft Centred Choc Puddings

For all chocolate lovers, do not go past this recipe. If you are anything like me, then you could not possibly resist anything with chocolate in it. We chocolate lovers are blissfully happy once we consume chocolate and are constantly in denial that too much can be bad for you.



I always say that chocolate has a lot of antioxidants. Also, I have a fridge magnet that confirms this denial (see photo). I feel oblige to share this recipe with all chocolate lovers because I feel that it is my duty as a chocoholic.I assure you that this chocolate pudding will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.



This recipe is from Donna Hay. And if you live in Australia, Donna HaY to Australia is like Martha Stewart to USA (minus the conviction and jail time). I saw it in the Sunday Age, tried it and never looked back. I have served it plenty of times during dinner parties and shared this recipes with family and friends. Make sure you serve it with a good dollop of vanilla ice cream.In summer, top it with lots of berries.


Soft Centred Choc Puddings (by Donna Hay from the Sunday Age)

200g dark chocolate (get a good quality one, more than 60% cocoa mass- expensive but worth it)
120g butter
3 eggs
2 yolks
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
sifted cocoa powder for dusting



Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for 3-4 mins or until fluffy and pale. gently fold through the flour, add chocolate mixture, and spoon into six 1 cup capacity lightly greased muffin tins. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until centre is cooked but still slightly soft. allow to stand for 5 mins. Turn out onto wirwe rack. Place on plates and dust with cocoa powder. Serves 6.

Hints: I use ceramic ramekins and find that I have to bake it for longer (about 15 mins)
The only tricky bit is that if it is undercooked, it will collapse if you tip it out of the ramekin. To avoid this, just serve it in the ramekin.

Giorgia's Moussaka

I miss my Greek neighbours. When we moved away from our first home in Doncaster, we also moved away from warm and gracious neighbours. This Greek couple in their 60s and us shared a back fence. We became acquainted when Giorgia saw my dad on the roof cleaning our gutter. She called out and said hello, and invited us over for tea the next day. Ever since then, we were showered with produce from their garden. I had endless supply of lemons and herbs, and my house smelled so beautiful from the roses given by Giorgia, straight from her garden.



My husband and I were also the lucky few who were invited to their Christmas bbq. It is not just bangers on a hot plate, we're talking bout a whole lamb on a roast pit. The Greeks sure know how to party. Side dishes included spanakopita (filo pastry with feta and spinach) and okra with tomato stew. Needless to say, we always went home stuffed to the brim and she would pack us some takeaway too!

Giorgia taught me how to make Moussaka and I am honoured that she would share her recipe with me. In fact, when I told her I'd like the recipe, she insisted showing me how to make it. Moussaka is sort of like a lasagna but without pasta. Instead, it is layered with vegetables (such as eggplant, zuchini and potatoes) and meat sauce, topped with bechamel (white) sauce. Although my moussaka never quite taste exactly like hers, it is not too shabby, if I may say so myself. So, Efcharisto, Giorgia!

Giorgia's Moussaka

800 g beef mince
500ml tomato passata
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 bay leaves
a handful parsley, and basil (or mint)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggplants thinly sliced
2 large zucchinis thinly sliced
5 large potatoes thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated kefalograviera (hard sheep milk cheese)

Bechamel sauce
4 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp butter
1 litre milk
a pinch of nutmeg
one egg
salt and pepper to taste

First make the meat sauce. Place one to two tbsp olive oil in pan. Add onions and brown. Add garlic and mince and slightly brown mince. Add red wine and bring to boil. Add tomato paste, passata and all the herbs. Bring to boil, simmer until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper.
For the bechamel sauce, melt butter in pan. Add flour and stir until you get a blond roux. Slowly add milk, and use a ballon whisk to incorporate the milk (otherwise, you will have a lumpy sauce). Once all milk is used, add nutmeg and simmer until sauce thickens. Remove from heat, let it cool a little, then add the egg, salt and pepper to salt to taste. Stir to combine.
Grill all the vegetables (eggplants, zuchinis and potatoes- brush with oil and grill in oven).
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Brush large oven casserole with olive oil. Place a layer of potatoes, then eggplant and zuchini. place half the meat sauce on top of the vegetable layers. Repeat this process until all meat sauce and vegetables used. Pour bechamel on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in oven for 50-60 mins or until bechamel sauce turns a little golden. Remove from oven. Leave to cool slightly before serving. Serve with salad on the side.

Note: Great recipe to freeze (make single serves in little disposable aluminium foil containers). Efcharisto means thank you in Greek.

Churchill Cafe and Larder

This is a local cafe which is a frequent haunt for us. It is located on 13 Hamilton Street in Surrey Hills. Also makes decent coffees and has a good display of cakes.
So this is what we had.


Corn fritters with guacamole, bacon and fried egg



French toast with berry compote and a side of bacon with balsamic reduction (it was no longer on the menu but they made it for me anyway!)



And finally, the boys had an open steak sandwich each which came with kipfler potato chips. Mmmmm, love this place. Just a caution, if you come on Saturdays, it is usually very busy and I was turned away twice before or told to come back in half an hour. Sundays are a little better. In summer, the outdoor area is nice too.

Middle Eastern Style Salmon

Weekends allow you to indulge a bit more time in the kitchen. And when I do have a bit more time, I like cooking out of my most favourite cook book, which is Matt Moran's self-titled book. He is owner and head chef of Aria in Sydney. He has also recently published a second cookbook entitled When I Get Home. But mind you, I still like taking short cuts :) The true version of this recipe is called Pan Seared Ocean Trout with Hummus, Roasted Peppers, Cumin and Lemon. I used salmon fillets with skin on instead, bought a can of premade hummus from El Bazaar (Doncaster Westfield), and used half a jar of roasted capsicum instead of charring some capsicums over the flame.

Recipe

4x 250g salmon fillets
a handful of Swiss brown mushrooms
3 tbsp olive oil
plain flour for dusting fish

Hummus:
I can hummus
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
(mix above and warm over hot stove before serving)

Roasted peppers with honey:
1/2 jar roasted peppers cut into strips
3 garlic cloves crushed
3 tbsp honey
1 sprig thyme- stem removed
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Place honey and garlic in pan. Bring to simmer, add peppers, thyme and red wine vinegar. Leave aside to cool.

Garnish:
A handful parsley
rind of half a preserved lemon, thinly slice
olive oil
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
(combine all the above before placing on top of fish.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Dust skin side of fish with flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place some olive oil on hot pan, and place fish fillets skin side down and cook for 2 mins. Scatter mushroom around fish. Dot with some butter. Place pan into oven and cook for another 4 mins (depending how you like your fish, it came out still slightly pink although my hubby and friend would like it to be a bit more rare in the middle)

Smear some hummus on a plate. Place a piece of fish (skin side up) and some mushroom on top of the hummus. Scatter some peppers and drizzle juices on plate. Top with parsley and lemon mixture.

Goat Cheese, Onions and Tomatoes Tart with Balsamic Reduction

A couple of weekends ago, my hubby and I escaped to Daylesford for some R&R. Daylesford is about 1 1/2 hrs drive from Melbourne and is a beautiful country retreat known for mineral springs and remedial therapies. It is also home to Alla Wolftasker, owner of Lakehouse Restaurant (a two hat restaurant and accomodation located by Lake Daylesford) and avid supporter of local producers. It so happened that on the same weekend we were there, she hosted a Producer's Day Market at Lake House.


There were cooking classes by the chefs at Lakehouse, stalls selling organic bread, vegetables and homemade goods, a dedicated tent to local wineries (my hubby spent his entire time there) and country music played by a live band. There was even a stall selling puppies that are train to sniff truffles! I got myself a bottle of Meredith's goatcurd which inspired me to make this recipe. Meredith's goat curd is also available at good delicatessens in Melbourne.

Goat Cheese, Onions and Tomatoes Tart with Balsamic Reduction
Makes 4 small tarts

Onion compote:
3 brown onions - thinly sliced
2 tbsp honey
3 sprigs thyme, stalks removed
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp butter

Melt butter in a pan and fry onions until golden. Add honey and thyme, reduce heat and constantly stir for 30 mins. Add the vinegar and salt to taste. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Balsamic reduction:
250mls good quality balsamic vinegar
4-5 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp tomato sauce

Bring vinegar in a saucepan to simmer. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 30-40 mins or until syrupy consistent. Leave to cool.

1 punnet grape tomatoes cut in half
hald a handful of basil leaves
a few pieces of Meredith's goat curd
some rocket dressed with olive oil
1 sheet ready made puff pastry

Make onion compote and balsamic reduction.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Lightly grease 4 10cm fluted tart tins. Cut puff pastry into 4 squares. Ease pastry into tart tins and trim the edges. Prick base with a fork.

Divide onion compote equally into the tart. Place a few basil leaves on top on onions. Top with tomatoes and goat curd. Drizzle with a little olive oil from the cheese jar.
Bake in oven for 30 mins or until pastry has risen and golden. Once ready, remove from tart tins. Place on serving dish. Place some rocket leaves on to of tart and drizzle around plate with balsamic reduction.

Ideas: I think I might crumble the cheese onto the tart after it is out of the oven next time. Also, maybe using semi dried tomatoes next time would be better. Hmmm... also, toasted pine nuts would also go well with it. Tweak it to how you like it I guess, but I love goat's cheese! Meredith's chevre is beautiful as well, especially on a pumpkin pizza!