INGREDIENTS

1kg Wagyu Mince
4 Doncaster Tomatoes
3 Polish Dill Pickles
300g Swiss Gruyere Cheese
1 Cos Lettuce
Whole Egg Mayo
Good Quality Tomato Sauce
4 Brioche Buns
French Butter
Salt
Pepper

CONSTRUCTION

Step One
Kneed and work the mince with salt and pepper until a paste like consistency is achieved. Make 4 250g patties and cook for 5-8 minutes on both sides. Preferably on a BBQ hot plate

Step Two
While the burgers are cooking slice the cheese, tomatoes and pickles. Wash the lettuce and tear the leaves to a size appropriate for the size of the bun.

Step Three
When the burgers are almost ready put 3 – 4 thin slices of the cheese on the burger and allow to melt.

Step Four
While the cheese is melting, spread some butter on the bottom half of the bun and some mayo on the top half.

Step Five
Once the cheese has melted, place the burger on the bun, spread some tomato sauce on the cheese, layer on some sliced tomato, then the pickle and lettuce. Place on the top of the bun and enjoy.

Ingredients

4 Duck fillets
1 large handful mixed lettuce leaves
Thai Basil
Cherry tomato
Coriander
1 Red onion, halved and finely sliced
Handful of cashews
1 blood orange
1 large clove garlic, minced
Light Soy sauce
Palm Sugar
Fish Sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DUCK
Sear duck fillets skin side down on a hot pan until crispy (give them a drizzle of OJ). Flip and finish cooking.
SALAD
Rip up the lettuce, basil and coriander. Add onion, sliced orange, cherry tomato’s and  toasted cashews.
DRESSING
Add about 3 teaspoons of shaved palm sugar to 100ml of soy. Add chilli, garlic, a splash of OJ and season with salt, pepper and a good dribble of fish sauce.

Combine and consume.

Serves 4

Ingredients

600 g waxy cocktail potatoes
1 teaspoon fine salt
olive oil, for cooking
250 g chorizo, halved lengthways, then cut into thin slices
1/2 cup (75 g) drained sun-dried tomatoes
zest and juice of 1 lemon, zest removed in thin curls using a citrus zester
1 red onion, halved and finely sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large handful rocket leaves
150 g manchego, shaved

For ultimate quickness of cooking, zap potatoes whole in a sealed plastic (microwave safe) container, with a small amount of water at the bottom. Cook on high for 10-12 minutes.

Allow to cool and then slice potato into chunks.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the chorizo and fry for 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove from the pan and then add the potatoes to fry for a few minutes. Then mix both chorizo and potato in a large bowl along with the sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and onion.

Whisk together the minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, then pour over the salad. Toss gently, then turn out onto a serving platter.

Scatter with the rocket and shaved manchego and plate up. If feeding 3 grown men also serve with a crusty french stick of bread.

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g dried macaroni
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
3 rashers good quality smoky bacon, diced
500ml pure cream
125g coarsely grated Cheddar
250g coarsely grated Gruyere
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
100g freshly grated parmesan
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs panfried in butter
truffle oil to serve

Method

1. Cook the macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and refresh in cold water and place in a large bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden. Drain on paper towel.
3. Return the pan to heat, add cream and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, gradually add cheddar and Gruyere, stirring until melted.
4. Combine the garlic, paprika and mustard to form a paste, stir into cream mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cooked macaroni and bacon.  Stir to combine.
5. Place macaroni into serving dishes.  Sprinkle over parmesan and crispy fried breadcrumbs. Drizzle with truffle oil and serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1kg of pork belly with ribs
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup sake
1 cup dashi stock
2 cups of water
1 tbsp fresh ginger
3 stalks of spring onions
4 tbsp brown sugar
3 pcs of star anise
bok choy
brown rice

Method

1. Prepare by cutting the pork belly up into cubes and separate the ribs into individual pieces. Dice up the springs onions and ginger.
2. Then in a heavy pot heat some olive oil and brown the pork on all sides. Once golden add in the spring onion and ginger and stir fry.
3. Move the pork to one side of the pot and add in the brown sugar and caramelise it. Then coat the the pork with the caramelised sugar.
4. Pour in the dashi stock, water, soy sauce, sake and star anise. Bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat while covered for 2 hours.
5. Cook the the bok choy in by placing it in boiling water for 30 seconds and then run it under cold water and set aside.
6. Serve pork in bowl on a bed of brown rice and bok choy. Be sure to stir some of the pot juice through the rice and finish with a garnish of spring onions.

Serves 4

12 hr Lamb Shanks with Truffle Mash

Ingredients

The Shanks
8 lamb shanks
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 leek, chopped
2 shallots
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup Burgundy wine

The Mash
8 potatoes
lump of butter
dollop of cream
truffle oil
shopped chives

The Method

Seal Lamb shanks on a hot pan. Place in a slow cooker. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper, parsley, garlic, oregano and lemon peel. In a small saucepan, saute the onion and carrot in oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Stir in wine and/or stock. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Pour over lamb. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours or until meat is tender.

Boil potatoes until soft. Strain and mash with cream, butter, chives and some drops of truffle oil. Season

Remove lamb from slow cooker and keep warm. Strain cooking juices and skim fat. In a small saucepan, add more booze and bring juices to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half.

Serve.

GNOCCHI

INGREDIENTS

• Potatoes – 1KG
• Double O Flour – 1 cup
• Beaten Egg – 1/4 cup
• Salt – pinch

METHOD

SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 500g fresh Barramundi 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted 
• 3/4 cup green olives, sliced 
• 1/2 cup tomatillos, diced 
• 1/4 cup onion, very finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves 
• taco shells, snapped in half 
• jalapeños, chopped (go easy)

METHOD

Chop the fish into small cubes; place in a bowl. Add salt; toss to coat. Add lime juice; toss to coat. Marinate until the edges of the cubes begin to turn opaque, tossing occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Dice avocados; add to bowl along with green olives, tomatillos, onion, coriander, and jalapeños Add olive oil and season to taste with salt.

Serve with heated taco shells.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 egg yolks
• 300 grams whole bacon
• 1 bunch of parsley
• parmesan cheese
• olive oil
• 400 grams penne lisce
• 6 cloves garlic
• salt
• pepper

METHOD

Halve garlic cloves and simmer in a liberal dousing of olive oil. Add cubed bacon pieces and leave to slowly brown. When the bacon is crispy remove garlic pieces. Boil pasta in lots of salted water. When done combine with the bacon and oil. Let it cool for a minute then add raw egg yolks, chopped parsley and grated parmesan. Season, Drizzle, Consume.

Recipe coming soon….

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion,
• 3 cloves garlic,
• 1 red chilli,
•  1/2 cabbage,
•  1 bunch coriander,
•  1 bunch mint,
•  1 green papaya,
•  4 limes,
• 1 lemon grass,
•  1 carrot,
•  kaffir lime leaves x2,
• 1 bunch viet mint,
• 1 punit Cherry tomatoes.
• 3 chicken breasts.
• fish sauce.brown sugar.
• 1 knob ginger

Method:

Prepare all non chicken ingredients by cutting finely, shredding or slicing.

Bring a pot of water to boil with a shaving of ginger peel and a couple of kaffir lime leaves. Then poach chicken in salted water, on low simmer for 15 minutes – turn heat off and leave to cool. Shred chicken once cool. Serve with steamed white rice.

Dressing:

3 table spoons sugar, 1/4 cup lime juice, chilli ground, ginger ground, garlic ground, coriander roots ground. Fish sauce to taste. Shake it all like a polaroid picture.

Ingredients

• 4 Cans of brown lentils, drained, rinsed
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers halved sliced
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup mint leaves
• 4 tbsp lemon juice 
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 500g haloumi cheese
• 4 tbsp pain flour 
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  
  

Method
Combine lentils, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, lemon juice and oil in a bowl. Season then toss to combine. Cut Haloumi lenthways into slices just under 1cm thick. Pat dry with paper towel. Dust lightly with flour and shake off excess. Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Cook haloumi in batches for two minutes each side or until golden.Serve warm haloumi atop the lentil salad.

Enjoy!

Recipe coming soon……

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (150g) dry Panko breadcrumbs
• Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, plus juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup (150g) plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 400g cleaned squid tubes, sliced into 1cm rings
• 1 cup (300g) whole egg mayonnaise
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 4 cornichons, chopped
• Sunflower oil 

Ingredients:

• 220g Chicken mince- 50% breast/ 50% thigh
• ½ small Onion (chopped fine)
• 1 Garlic Clove (crushed) 
• 2 tbsp Cup Fine Bread Crumbs
• 25g Parmesan Cheese (grated)
• 1/4bunch of Fresh Thyme (finely chopped)
• 1 Egg yolk (to bind)
• Salt and pepper to taste

• 320gm kritharaki
• 1.1L chicken stock

To finish:

• 60g butter
• 30g parmesan cheese
• ¼ bunch Parsley (finely chopped)
• ¼ bunch Chives (finely chopped)
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• GC. By George Calombaris Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sauté the onion and garlic in a fry pan. Transfer to a tray and refridgerate to cool.

In a medium size mixing bowl combine (preferably using your clean hands) mince, sauteed onion and garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese, thyme, season with salt and pepper and the egg yolk until it is all mixed through.

Roll into small balls about the diameter of a 10 cent coin.  Place balls into a medium pot and cover with warm chicken stock (reserve 150ml).

Whilst stirring frequently cook over a medium heat for 3-4 mins just to seal the meatballs.

Add kritharaki and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for a further 8- 10 mins. Stir frequently but carefully, whilst ensuring you don’t break the balls. Cook until pasta is al dente.

Remove from the heat and add butter, parmasen, freshly chopped herbs and a nice dash of the GC Extra Virgin Olive Oil to thicken the sauce, add lemon juice, adjust seasoning if required and serve.

NOTE: The consistency of the dish should be moist risotto-like, but not thick and congealed.

A big thank you to Mr George Calombaris for sharing this recipe with us.

OK so this didnt quite turn out how I expected – individually these elements are great, and both the chicken and the salad work well with the dressing.  The chicken and the salad however had a few issues with each other. I dont blame the chicken itself, or the prosciutto.  It was the sage that was the culprit………prefering to spoil the party instead of letting the mango and pomegranate do their wondrous thing.  If I had my time again sage would not be invited to this dish – I urge you to do the same.

CHICKEN BITS

• 800g Chicken Fillet cut into pieces
• 10 slices of prosciutto
• 1 bunch of sage

Slice Chicken. Place a sage leaf on each slice and wrap each piece in prosciutto (secure with a toothpick if need be).

SALAD

• Iceberg lettuce
• 1 mango
• 1 avocado
• 1 pomegranate

Rip up lettuce, Cut up mango and avocado, arrange prettily and drop on some pomegranate bits

DRESSING

• 150g gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• a few turns freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 
60g creme fraiche
• dribble of milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 
a few drops of sherry vinegar

Stir in the chives, sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice or wine vinegar until well mixed.Mash the blue cheese with the salt and pepper with the back of a fork until the pieces of cheese are finely broken up. Add a few drops of red wine vinegar. Taste, and adjust any of the seasonings to your liking and if the dressing too thick, add a bit more milk.Salad first, Chicken second, Dressing third, place in stomach.

Ingredients: 

• Veal Schnitzels
• Eggs
• Flour
• Corn Flake crumbs
• Fresh Parsley 
• Rocket
• Parmesan
• Pear
• Walnuts
• Olive Oil 
• Balsamic Glaze 

Method: 
Flatten Veal and coat with flour. In a separate bowl mix corn flake crumbs, salt & pepper and freshly chopped parsley. Dip the flour coated schnitzels in egg and then coat with the crumb mix. Heat pan with oil when hot place schnitzels in pan to cook. While they are cooking prepare the salad. Wash the rocket, peel the pear and the parmesan into ribbons and mix through the rocket throwing in a few walnuts, drizzle with olive oil.

Place cooked schnitzels on plate with the rocket salad, drizzle balsamic glaze over the top to serve. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Risottto Ingredients:

• 2 cups of arborio rice
• 2 lemons (grated zest and juice)
• 1 cup of parmesan
• I small bunch of chives – chopped
• 2 cups of white wine
• 500ml of chicken stock (warmed in saucepan)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Butter

Prawns

• large raw prawns 
• Bunch of Sage 
• Butter

Method:

Add lemon zest to oil and butter in large pot. Add rice cook for 2 mins. Add wine. When liquid reduces add a ladel of chicken stock. Add chives and salt and pepper. Repeat ladeling and reducing stock until rice is al dente. When rice is cooked add parmasan and stir in.

While rice is cooking put prawns on tin foil in grill. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped sage and grill. Serve up rice. Chuck the Prawns on top and eat.

Brian

Using an idea pinched from the brain of Mr Greg Malouf (hes suggested a stuffed calamari – I pretty much made the rest up) this is a simple easy dish that is nicely messy to make and perfect for summertime.

Ingredients

• 4 Calamari Tubes
• 2 Chorizo
• 50g Pine Nuts
• 100g Goats Cheese
• lemon rind
• Rocket
• Parsley
• Garlic
• Crusty Sourdough
• Salt 
• Pepper

Method

Thinly slice sourdough, rub with garlic, drizzle with oil and lightly sauté until cripsy – set aside
Toast nuts and add finely chopped chorizo and cook until done
mix chorizo mixture with the goats cheese, some chopped rocket, crushed up toasty sourdough and the rind of 1 lemon. season to taste.
stuff mixture inside the calamari tubes (you can seal the fat end with a toothpick or skewer.
Fry until brown.

Slice and serve with a rocket salad