Recipes

Taste of Australia – Mumbai Edition at Food Hall Cookery Studio

A Masterclass featuring some of Australia’s iconic ingredients such as Mulwarra Lamb, Aussie Honey , Macadamia nuts , Almonds, Walnuts and pepperberries from Tasmania

TO BEGIN

Roasted beetroot, Australian candied walnuts, whipped feta cheese mousse, sorrel  and herbs

Recipe

INGREDIENTS ( Serves 2)

  • 3 medium beets (beetroot) (about 300 grams)

  • 3 baby dutch carrots ( sourced from Food Hall)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons EV olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate mollasses

  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked Lavasalt

  • 1 tablespoon Australian honey ( I used capilano)

  • 100gm cubed feta cheese ( Australian brand -Lemnos)

  • 50ml cream ( Amul )

  • 50gm Walnuts ( candied ) see sub recipe

  • 20gm castor sugar

  • 5gm micro herbs ( Medley of sunflower , radish and mint )

  • 30gm Pomegranate pearls

  • 3gm nigella seeds

  • 5 leaves sorrel

  • 10gm Mardanggic Spice ( local bush spice from Australia)

  • 1 large red chilli

Method :

For Roasted Beets

Preheat oven to 220°C . For easier clean up, line a small oven proof dish with aluminium foil.

  • For the beets, wash and leave whole. Add olive oil and sea salt flakes .

  • Place the beets in foil and place over rock salt and bake for 70 mins in 160°C

  • In a small bowl, combine EV olive oil, pomegranate molasses and smoked Lavasalt salt.

  • Remove when the beets are easily poked by a fork.

  • Slowly pour the marinade over the beets and keep warm

For whipped Feta Mousse

Mix cream and feta with zest of 1 lemon and juice . Add 10gm Mardanggic Spice and whip until smooth . Season with sea salt and place in piping bag. Leave in fridge to set.

For Candied Walnuts

  • 20gm sugar

  • 50gm raw walnut halves ( Australian)

  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked Lavasalt

    Toast the walnuts: Preheat oven to 180°C. Use middle rack in oven. Lay walnuts out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes, until slightly darker and toasted.  Caramelize the sugar: Pour sugar into a medium saucepan with a thick bottom and place over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon as the sugar begins to melt. Keep stirring until all the sugar has melted and the color is a medium amber, 5 to 10 minutes

    Coat the walnuts in caramelised sugar: As soon as sugar has melted and the color is a medium amber, add the walnuts to the pan. Stir quickly and make sure each piece is coated with the sugar mixture.

    As soon as the walnuts are coated with the sugar mixture, spread them out on the rimmed baking sheet. Use two forks to separate the walnuts from each other, working very quickly. Sprinkle the nuts with my smoked lavasalt.

    For the baby carrots

  • 3 trimmed dutch carrots (various flavours)

  • 1 orange (zest and juice )

    (You get about 80ml )

  • 7gm smoked lavasalt

Poach carrots in juice until tender and coat with nigella seeds. Reserve for final plating.

To Assemble

Warm Beets , place with spoon on plate . I tend to scatter on plate. Add pomegranate , place sliced red chilli on the beetroot on a slight angle. Pipe three medium sized portions of the whipped feta on three sections of the plate. Add Sorrel ( note picture ) , look for realestate on the plate for a nice ascetic look. Add walnuts and a few micro herbs .

Complete with EV olive oil and the remaining pomegranate and beetroot reduction and serve

Spotlight on Australian Lamb , cooked two ways – Mulwarra Lamb Rack and Lamb Shoulder

Smoked macadamia crusted Lamb cutlet, honey scented eggplant, with mint , feta and pea pesto

1 rack of lamb = 8 cutlets ( frenched and portioned into individual cutlets)

Frenching a Lamb Rack – A French connection

A “rack” of lamb is a section of ribs, usually 7, sometimes 8 lamb chops in one piece.

A classic way to prepare rack of lamb is with the bones “frenched” or exposed.

  • Make cutting guideline: Stand the lamb rack up on one end so that you can see the “eye” of the lamb chop. Score the fat side at the edge about an inch and a half or so up the rib from the eye to use as a cutting guideline. Do the same on the other end of the rack.

  • Cut fatty side to the bone: Using a sharp knife, cut through the fatty side of the rib roast, to the bone, from one marked end to the other.Then go back over your cut and holding the knife perpendicular to the roast, jab it in several places to go all the way through the other side, so that the reverse site gets “marked” with scores.

  • Cut around the flesh of the rib bones: Turn the rib rack over, so that it is now bone side up. You should be able to see the markings made from the knife that got inserted from the other side. Those markings will delineate the boundary beyond which you will not cut. Working from the skinny ends of the rib bone, make a cut down along the bone, until you get to the previously scored marking, then cut across to the next rib and cut up to the end of that rib bone. Continue to do this until all of the bones have had the flesh cut around them.

  • Pull the fat and flesh from the bones: Turn the rack over again so that the fat side is on top, and begin to pull off the fat and flesh from the bones. Use your knife to help cut away any flesh that is sticking to the bones.

  • Scrape away any residual flesh on the exposed bones. Use a towel to wipe the bones clean.

For the Macadamia Mint Crust

  • 150g Australian macadamias, (Toasted)
  • 3 rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped
  • 1 tbs honey
  • 1 1/2 cups mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp lemon zest

Blitz in a food processor until it resembles a crust. Then use a portable smoker and smoke the mix until smokey. I used a poly science smoker for this recipe

For Mint, Aussie Feta & Pea Pesto

  • 150gm fresh peas
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 100gm crumbled feta
  • Juice and Zest of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon smoked lava salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Pulse until mixed , then with the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until well blended

For the Aussie Honey scented Eggplant

  • 2 Large eggplant ( sliced lengthwise and thick and salted )
  • 50ml Honey
  • 5 sprigs of thyme
  • 5gm smoked lemon chilli salt ( sourced from www.lavasaltconsulting.com/shop)

Method

  • Grill Eggplant in a little dash of olive oil
  • Use the left over juices and add honey, salt and thyme to it .
  • Now brush on the grilled eggplant and cook in oven for 6 minutes at 170C

To Assemble :

Sear Lamb chop both sides for 20 sec. Cool for 5 mins and crust with smoked macadamia mix. Place in oven for 6 mins at 180 C with a little knob of butter .

Rest for 4 mins and serve .

I used Australian cocktail chorizo as an additional flavour ingredient by searing and serving with lamb . (This is optional )

On a serving plate , smear a large spoon of pesto liberally , add chorizo, honey scented eggplant and the crusted Mulwarra Lamb cutlet . Finish with micro herbs and lemon oil and caramelised scallion roots.

Drizzle with lemon oil and serve

Pulled lamb shoulder , savoy cabbage with fermented black garlic , onion soubise and red wine Jus  

For Lamb Shoulder

 Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2tsp aleppo pepper
  • 5 sprig fresh lemon thyme
  • 2 pod black garlic (optional ) can use fresh garlic
  • 2 lemon quartered; pips removed
  • 1.5 kg boned Lamb shoulder
  • 2 red onions, cut into wedges
  • 500ml Red wine
  • 2 tbsp clear honey
  • small handful mint leaves, chopped

Method

  • Put the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and lemon in a blender with 1 tsp salt and 2 tsp black pepper, black garlic, Aleppo chilli, Blend until smooth.
  • Put the lamb in a large roasting tin and tip the marinade over the top. Massage all over the lamb and leave for 24 hrs in the fridge
  • Remove lamb from the fridge 1 hr before cooking. Heat oven to 160C
  • Scatter the onions around the lamb, tucking some underneath, then pour over the wine. Cover the lamb with baking paper and foil and cook for 6 hrs.
  • Remove the foil, carefully pour the meaty juices from the tin into a large saucepan and add the honey. Increase oven to 220C, re-cover the lamb and continue cooking for 30 mins.
  • Meanwhile, bubble the cooking liquid over a high heat until reduced, thick and syrupy – this may take up to 30 mins.
  • Pour the sticky glaze over the lamb and onions and return to the oven for another 30 mins, uncovered, until the glaze is bubbling and just starting to char, and the lamb is really tender.
  • Pull the lamb with a fork when warm and shape into balls ( 70gm) ready to place in savoy cabbage

Savoy Cabbage Balls

  • 5 baby savoy leaves or Indian Napa cabbage

  • 50g unsalted butter, diced

  • 1 dry bay leaf

  • 1/2 brown onion, finely diced

  • 1 garlic cloves, finely diced

  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced

  • 1.1kg cooked pulled lamb meat( This is because you will lose 400gm in cooking loss)

 To Cook and shape

  • For the Savoy Cabbage Balls, half fill a large saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Very carefully peel the green outer leaves off the cabbage without damaging.

  • Trim the thick central vein. Finely shred the inside leaves of the cabbage and place in a colander. Lightly salt the cabbage, toss and set aside over a large bowl at room temperature for 10 minutes to drain the excess water.

  • Meanwhile, blanch the outer cabbage leaves for 1 minute or until softened. Refresh cabbage in iced water, drain and set aside on paper towel. Pat the blanched cabbage leaves dry with more paper towel.

  • In a large saucepan, combine the butter, carrot, onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until translucent.

  • Remove saucepan from the heat and set aside at room temperature until cool enough to handle.

  • One at a time, place a blanched cabbage leaf onto a clean damp towel. Place 2 tablespoons of the pulled lamb filling into the centre of each blanched leaf and twist the gathered edges to tightly seal filling inside.

  • Use a gladwrap , trim twisted end and wrap each cabbage ball tightly in plastic wrap. Reshape to round if needed. Repeat to make 4 pieces in total.

  • Set aside at room temperature.

For Red wine Jus

  • 125 ml dry red wine

  • 125 ml lamb stock

  • 2 tablespoons of butter

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Red Wine Jus Method

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Crush 2 garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife, and drop them into the saucepan with the rosemary sprig until fragrant. Pour in the wine and let it simmer over a medium heat until the volume has reduced by half. This will take about 15 minutes, depending on the temperature. Once reduced, add the beef stock, salt, and pepper. Let the jus simmer for another 15 minutes, and reduce by half over a medium heat. For a more concentrated jus, it can be left on for a lower heat for longer. Remove the sprig and cloves from the jus using a strainer or sieve. This red wine jus will be enough for 4 servings, however the recipe can be easily doubled for larger quantities.

Onion Soubise

  • 100gm sambar onions or baby shallots peeled

  • 20g butter

  • 5g Dijon mustard

  • juice of ½ lemon

  • salt

Method

  • Place the onions and butter into a medium saucepan over low heat.

  • Sauté onions until soft and caramelised, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  • Transfer onions and butter to the canister of a stick blender and remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Season to taste then transfer to a squeeze bottle and set aside

To Serve

Use a medium sized bowl , pour about 120ml of Red wine Jus , serve the braised cabbage and pulled Lamb balls. Sprinkle a touch of smoked lemon chilli salt . Add a squeeze of onion soubise and enjoy.

Native Australian very Berrylicious

Tassie mountain pepper (pepper berry) ice-cream with pepper berry macerated berries

For Ice cream base

Pepper berry ice cream ( you will get 1.6L)

  • Milk 500ml ( full fat)

  • Cream 30% fat -850ml ( I used Amul)

  • 6 egg yolks ( 50gm)

  • 20 gm crushed Pepper berries (an indigenous pepper from Tasmania )

  • Sugar-300g

  • Stab 2000- 30g ( this is an ice-cream stabiliser ) and optional

  • Salt 10g

Method:

Bring milk and cream to 95 C

Mix egg yolks and sugar to ribbon stage

Deglaze it with milk, cream in make anglaise through pasteurising until it reaches 83C and thick

Infuse Pepperberries

Cool on ice bath until it gets to 4 C

Churn in  ice-cream churner  and store in the freezer for later

Babylon cardamom crumb for base in waffle

  • 100g Butter

  • 100g Sugar

  • 120g almond meal

  • 5g cornflour

  • 1g Cardamom or until spiced

  • Pinch of salt

Method:   Mix on stand mixer until just combined, bake in combioven on a tray for 12 mins at 140°C, then rotate tray and bake further until golden

Berry Gel

Ingredients

  • 300gm fresh raspberries

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

  • 1 tablespoon Framboise liqueur

Method

Place raspberries, the granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and Framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

To Serve

Add a table spoon of the raspberry gel to the base of the waffle , followed by the Babylon crumb and topped with a large scoop of the pepper berry ice cream into a waffle cone. Top with freeze dried raspberries and a drizzle of finely crushed pepper berries

Cooking together is more fun when you eat together . That is what creates better gastronomic memories

— Chef Sebastian -Lavasalt , Melbourne

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