EMERGING STRONGER
WHILE HOSPITALITY WAS IN ENFORCED HIBERNATION, AN AWARD-WINNING WINERY RESTAURANT AT KARRIDALE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, REIMAGINED ITS MENU.
WHEN THE OWNERS OF
Glenarty Road learned in April that they’d been named Margaret River’s Cellar Door with Best Food by Gourmet Traveller Wine, they were thrilled, and crestfallen. Usually, the phone would ring off the hook after such an award, but the tables in the machinery shed-turned-restaurant were empty due to COVID-19.
Glenarty Road has since been able to reopen, and in the meantime generated an income with its winemaking business and sales of their grass-fed Glenarty Lamb, reared on the picturesque 100-hectare property at Karridale, 90 kilometres south of Busselton in WA. Located on loamy, undulating hills around the Blackwood River, the vineyard was planted by Ben Mcdonald by hand when he was just 19.
“To be honest I was pretty rubbish at making wine,” Ben, now 41, says of his early attempts. But when Sasha — an eager young winemaker from Perth — turned up on his doorstep looking to buy grapes, both his viticulture and romantic prospects improved. Today, the couple have two wine labels: an entry-level brand called Kerfuffle and Glenarty Road, produced from the vineyard’s premium blocks.
Argentinian chef Joaquin Diz, who worked at the acclaimed Brae in Birregurra, Victoria, has been kept busy in the kitchen, too. “We used [lockdown] for ideation and creating an even more sustainable menu and overall kitchen philosophy,” explains 31-year-old Sasha. In some ways, the flexible food philosophy they adopted for the restaurant — which opened in July 2017 and bases its menu on what is in season in the garden or growing on over 100 varieties of fruit and nut trees — helped them negotiate the recent situation. “The menu was always a reflection of what we grow and what’s available,” says Sasha.
The owners are committed to sustainability, with biocontrols to combat pests and four-legged lawnmowers (sheep) to control weeds. During summer, diners can even feast on the ‘carpark corn’ that has been planted as a windbreak. “Everything we plant has to have equal parts form and function,” Ben says. “We grow coffee, rosemary, bay leaves, green tea and thyme that make good hedges and are usable.”
“This downtime has allowed us a moment to reflect and push reset on the farm with plans to rework gardens and build an even more sustainable system,” explains Sasha. “Watch this space!” >
Glenarty Road, 70 Glenarty Road, Karridale, WA, 0475 085 305.
For more information, visit glenartyroad.com.au
BBQ BUSSELTON OCTOPUS WITH ROMESCO
Serves 4
1–1.5kg octopus
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 brown onions, finely diced
4 carrots, peeled, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
3 cups (750ml) dry white wine
4 baby cos lettuce, quartered lengthways ROMESCO
4 red capsicums
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1⁄3 cup blanched almonds
Wash octopus well. Heat oil in a large, deep (5-litre capacity) saucepan over a medium heat. Cook onion, carrot and garlic, stirring, for 8 minutes or until softened. Add peppercorns, coriander seeds and bay leaves, and stir until combined. Add wine and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until wine is reduced by half. Add 3.5 litres of water and season well with salt. Bring mixture to boil and slowly submerge octopus into water. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and set aside for 15 minutes until octopus is just tender. Using tongs, transfer octopus to a tray. When cool enough, rub off skin. Heat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan over a high heat. Cook octopus for 3 minutes each side or until charred. Set aside.
To make romesco, char capsicums over a flame for 10 minutes or until all sides are charred and blistered. Place into a plastic bag and set aside to cool (this makes it easier to remove skins). Peel skins from capsicums and cut into strips, discarding seeds and pulp.
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook tomatoes, onion and garlic, stirring, for 8 minutes or until softened. Add vinegar and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add capsicum and stir until combined. Cook for 10 minutes over a low heat. Stir in almonds and remove from heat. Cool. Transfer mixture to a food processor and process until a smooth sauce forms. Season.
Reheat barbecue grill or chargrill pan over a high heat and cook lettuce for 1–2 minutes each side. Place onto serving plates. Cut octopus into pieces and place over lettuce. Top with romesco to serve. >
GLENARTY ROAD LAMB RACK
Serves 4
2 x 600g Frenched lamb racks 1 bunch baby beetroots, stalks and
leaves intact
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, rind finely grated
1 bunch cavolo nero
Remove racks from fridge 45 minutes before cooking to bring to room temperature. Wrap beetroot stalks and leaves with foil. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Hang beetroot bulbs in water, keeping stalks and leaves above water level. Cook for 15 minutes or until bulbs are tender. Remove from pan and discard foil. Set aside.
Heat a barbecue hotplate over a medium heat. Cook lamb racks for 5 minutes each side or until golden and crisp. Continue to cook, turning often, until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a tray and season with salt. Cover and set aside to rest.
Cook cavolo nero, turning, for 2 minutes or until just wilted. Cut beetroot bulbs in half (stalks and leaves still attached) and cook for 1–2 minutes or until slightly wilted. Toss bulbs with oil and lemon rind. Season. Cut lamb racks into cutlets and place on serving plates. Serve with beets and cavolo nero.
BEEF & RED PEPPER EMPANADAS
Makes 8–10
4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄3 cup olive oil
2 eggs, lightly whisked chimichurri sauce, to serve FILLING
1 tablespoon olive oil 500g beef mince
6 green shallots, thinly sliced 5 garlic cloves, crushed ¾ cup pitted green olives 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons salt
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine oil and ¾ cup hot water in a jug. Add to flour mixture and stir until combined and a dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Place in a bowl and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make filling, heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook mince, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until browned. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in olives, paprika, cumin and salt and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cool.
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Cut dough in half. Working with 1 half at a time, roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Using a pastry cutter, cut 12cm rounds from dough. Spoon ¼ cup of mince mixture into centre of each pastry round. Fold pastry in half and press edges together with a fork to seal. Brush with egg and place onto prepared baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Serve with chimichurri.
BEETROOT HUMMUS
Serves 4-6
2½ cups dried chickpeas
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lemons, rind finely grated, juiced ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 500g beetroot bulbs, trimmed 100g feta, crumbled fresh herbs, to sprinkle artisan sourdough bread, to serve
Place chickpeas into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soak overnight. Drain. Place chickpeas into a saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Place over a high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until very soft. Drain. Place chickpeas on a clean tea towel and rub to remove skins.
Transfer chickpeas to a food processor. Add garlic, lemon rind and lemon juice. Process until roughly chopped. With processor motor running, slowly add oil in a steady stream until mixture is smooth. Season.
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Wrap each beetroot bulb in foil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes or until soft. Dice beetroot, with skin on, and add to chickpea mixture. Process until combined, adding more oil if required. Season.
Spoon hummus into a serving plate and top with feta and herbs. Serve with sourdough.
WOODFIRED ROMANESCO CAULIFLOWER WITH TAHINI
Serves 4
2 eschalots, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 1 thyme sprig
½ teaspoon black peppercorns 1 whole Romanesco cauliflower*,
trimmed, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil fresh herbs, roughly chopped TAHINI
1½ cups blanched almonds 2 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄3 cup grape seed oil
¼ cup tahini
To make tahini, place almonds into a bowl and cover with 4 cups water. Cover and set aside overnight. Strain liquid and place almonds into a food processor. Add garlic and 1⁄3 cup water. Process until finely chopped. With processor motor running, slowly add oil in a steady stream until a smooth mixture forms. Add tahini and process until combined. Season.
Preheat oven to 200˚C. Place a large sheet of foil on a bench. Place eschalot, garlic, thyme and peppercorns in the centre. Top with cauliflower. Drizzle with oil and season with salt. Wrap cauliflower in foil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until tender. Remove foil.
Heat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan over a high heat. Cook cauliflower, turning, until crispy. Spoon tahini onto a plate. Top with cauliflower and sprinkle with herbs to serve.
* Romanesco cauliflower is a green heirloom cauliflower available at some specialist greengrocers. Substitute regular white cauliflower.