MADE IN HEAVEN
Seasonal ingredients and beautifully balanced flavours make this menu simply irresistible.
GNOCCHI WITH GORGONZOLA & SILVERBEET CREAM
Serves 8 as a starter/4 as a main Gnocchi 500g rock salt
1kg sebago or King Edward potatoes,
scrubbed
Scant 11/2 cups (220g) ‘00’ flour
75g parmesan, finely grated
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg plus 1 yolk extra
Pinch ground nutmeg Gorgonzola & silverbeet cream 150ml white wine
2 golden shallots, peeled and sliced
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
1 cup (250ml) chicken or vegetable stock 2 cups (500ml) cream
150g good-quality gorgonzola, crumbled Juice of 1/2 lemon
50ml olive oil
1 bunch silverbeet, washed and dried
1 To make gnocchi, preheat oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan). Spread rock salt thickly on a baking tray and place potatoes on top.
Bake for 1-1½ hrs, until very tender when pierced with a knife.
2 Cut potatoes in half lengthways, scoop out flesh and pass through a mouli or ricer into a large mixing bowl. While still warm, add flour, parmesan, oil, egg and extra yolk. Season with nutmeg and pinch sea salt. Gently mix until mixture comes together, then turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll into logs 2cm wide, then cut each log into 2cm pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
3 Meanwhile, make gorgonzola and silverbeet cream. Place wine, shallot, bay leaf and peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook until reduced by two-thirds. Add stock and boil until again reduced by two-thirds. Stir in cream and cook until reduced by half. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Add gorgonzola and whisk over low heat until combined. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
4 Separate silverbeet leaves from stalks.
Slice stalks finely on an angle (4-5cm long); finely chop leaves. Place oil in a large deep frypan over high heat and sauté stalks until just tender. Reduce heat to medium. Add gorgonzola cream and leaves. Cook until heated through and leaves are tender.
5 Cook gnocchi in boiling water, in batches, for 2-3 mins or until they float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to gorgonzola mixture.
6 Check seasoning and consistency of sauce (thin with a little cream if too thick). Divide between serving plates or bowls and serve immediately.
Tip Using the correct type of potato is essential for successful gnocchi – ‘floury’ types are best. Choose potatoes of a similar size so they take the same time to cook. Spinach, beet leaves, rocket or rainbow chard may be substituted for silverbeet.
250g butter, melted, kept warm
1 bunch mint, leaves picked, finely chopped
1 Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan). Use kitchen string to tie leg tightly so it holds its shape when cooking. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat a large frypan over medium-high heat, sear lamb on all sides until golden, then place on a rack in a roasting pan.
2 In a small jug, combine oil, lemon zest, rosemary, thyme, mustard and garlic. Brush over lamb; reserve remainder for basting.
3 Roast lamb for 1 hr, brushing occasionally with reserved oil mixture. Test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into thickest part of meat (but not touching the bone); temperature should be about 55˚C when cooked. Remove from oven; rest 20 mins.
4 Separate chard leaves from stems. Keep leaves whole and trim stem ends. Heat oil and butter in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat until foamy. Add garlic and cook until golden and fragrant. Add chard stems, cook 1 min, then add leaves and cook until wilted and nearly tender; add a splash of water to create steam if needed. Add zest and juice, grate nutmeg over; season to taste.
5 To make sauce, bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer. Place egg yolks, vinegar, 50ml warm water and half of the lemon juice in a large heatproof bowl and place over saucepan (ensure base of bowl doesn’t touch water); whisk until mixture is thick and forms a ribbon when drizzled back over itself. Remove from heat. Add warm melted butter in a steady stream, whisking constantly until incorporated. (Add a touch of warm water to thin, if needed.) Stir in mint and remaining lemon juice; season well.
6 Serve sliced lamb drizzled with sauce paloise and chard on the side.
GLAZED PARSNIPS WITH GOLDEN RAISINS & PEPITAS
Serves 6 100g pepitas
1kg small parsnips, peeled, cut in half lengthways
50g butter
Freshly ground sichuan pepper, to taste 850ml chicken stock
5 juniper berries
5 star anise, coarsely crushed
3 bay leaves 3 tbsp (50ml) honey Lemon juice, to taste
2 tbsp chopped tarragon ¼ cup (40g) golden raisins 1
Preheat oven to 180˚C (160˚C fan). Mix pepitas with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking tray in a single layer. Toast in oven 10 mins.
2 Meanwhile, melt butter in a frypan over medium heat. Add parsnips, season with salt and sichuan pepper; toss to coat. Add stock, juniper berries, star anise and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Cook until liquid has almost completely evaporated. Add honey and cook until liquid is thick and parsnips are glazed. Check seasoning, adjust with salt and lemon juice, then add tarragon and raisins. Transfer to a plate and garnish with toasted pepitas. APPLE TARTE TATIN WITH STAR ANISE ICE-CREAM Serves 6–8 Ice-cream 8 star anise
360ml milk
31/2 tbsp (35g) skim milk powder 3 cups (750ml) cream
150g egg yolks (about 7)
200g caster sugar Tarte tatin 200g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter, chopped 4 large pink lady apples, peeled,
quartered and cored
375g butter puff pastry, thawed Icing sugar, to dust 1
To make ice-cream, preheat oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan). Place star anise on a baking tray and toast until fragrant, 6 mins. Place star anise and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add milk powder and whisk to dissolve; add cream and bring just to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar together in a heatproof bowl until pale. Add one-third of the milk mixture to the yolk mixture, whisk to combine, then pour back into saucepan with milk mixture. Stir over low heat until thickened. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stand bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and stir to cool. Once cooled, churn in an ice-cream machine. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
2 Preheat oven to 210˚C (190˚C fan). Coat base of 25cm ovenproof frypan with caster sugar (or divide between 6-8 13cm frypans), shaking to create an even layer. Place frypan over medium heat and melt sugar, without stirring, until caramelised to an amber colour. Add butter and mix until well combined. Set aside to cool slightly. Arrange apple in pan, packing pieces in as tightly as possible.
4 Cut pastry round(s) 2cm larger than the diameter of the frypan. Place over apple, tucking excess pastry inside pan. Place pan in oven and bake 25 mins or until pastry is puffed and golden. Stand 5 mins to allow caramel to cool and thicken slightly.
5 To serve, place a serving plate (larger than the pan) on top and quickly invert. Be very careful, as hot caramel may spill out. Lift pan off tartes and stand a further 5 mins before serving. Dust with icing sugar and serve with a generous scoop of ice-cream.