Author Archives: ben

May Dishes

Rainbow trout: baked en papillote with a little white wine, a treatment most suitable to trout IMO. Roast garlic cream: fish stock, roast garlic, cream. A simple but delicious combination, and paired well with the Tapanappa Tiers Chardonnay 2005. It … Continue reading

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Easter Menu 2012

Salad of greens, fresh beetroot, green beans, walnuts, goat cheese Discussions with others following the prep for this dish led me to realise just how time consuming the preparation of a properly exectured salad can be. And how typically underrated … Continue reading

Posted in Beans, Beetroot, Cauliflower, Cheese, Chocolate, Dessert, Fruit, Greens, Lamb, Lettuce, Menu, Nuts, Pork, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

March Menu 2012

Oyster risotto I was trying to think of a starter that was reasonably filling and could accompany Chablis… Arborio rice (naturally) stirred endlessly while vegetable and shellfish stocks and white wine are continually added and reduced. Then, for the last … Continue reading

Posted in Cheese, Chocolate, Dessert, Fig, Lettuce, Menu, Mushroom, Nuts, Rice, Shellfish, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lamb and more lamb, herbal sorbet

Salad of lamb’s liver, rocket, quince, onion, rocket, crutons, walnuts Lamb’s liver: flash fried. Quince: poached in red wine and cinnamon. Onion: slow fried with Sherry. Crutons: fried with mustard and cider vinegar. Plus rocket, sage leaves, roasted walnuts, and … Continue reading

Posted in Lamb, Lentils, Lettuce, Nuts, Onion, Quince, Rhubarb, Sorbet, Strawberry, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Classic chocolate

It’s been five years since this rendition, but the theme remains the same because the classic combination of chocolate, nuts, caramel/fudge just works so well. I hold rich desserts (in moderation) under my belt (pun intended ). A chocolate semifreddo … Continue reading

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Coffee: Sumatran comparative

The Sumatran Kuda Mas Mandheling against the Sumatran Blue Batak Mandheling (both roasted some seconds into second crack). Each prepared as a double espresso latte. Kuda Mas: a smooth, bold, dark, toffeed animal with some subtropical rainforestfloor. A denser and … Continue reading

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Christmas menu

Pheasant and Quail Terrine, beetroot salad, raisin purée Terrine: pheasant leg and breast, quail breast, chicken livers, prosciutto, seasoning, white wine. Beetroot salad: grated fresh beetroot, dressing of red wine vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce and honey. Raisin purée: plumped … Continue reading

Posted in Beans, Beetroot, Cheese, Chicken, Chinese, Dessert, Eggplant, Lamb, Menu, Mushroom, Pheasant, Pumpkin, Scallops, Strawberry, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Early Spring Menu

Starter The Tapanappa Pinot Noir 2010 from Parawa, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia, had a nice nose of very dark cherry, some dry brown leaves, a touch spice (cinnamon-like). I’d like to see more texture on the palate (which was also … Continue reading

Posted in Brocolli, Canapé/Hors d'œuvre, Cheese, Coffee, Dessert, Eggplant, Fruit, Grapefruit, Ingredient, Kiwifruit, Lamb, Menu, Nuts, Pea, Sorbet, Uncategorized, Zucchini | Leave a comment

Seafood and root veg purées

Just playing around with some seafood and root veg. Scallops: pan fried Tasmanian. Purée: Cauliflower florets poached in milk and cream, then puréed and seasoned (white pepper, sea salt). Sherry-butter foam: PX and Manzanilla Sherries, chicken stock, butter, a little … Continue reading

Posted in Cauliflower, Fish, Leek, Parsnip, Scallops, Shellfish, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Aussie BBQing

Perhaps it’s just a result of my childhood, but the smell of burning native Australian woods (like eucalyptus) is transporting. Cherry, oak, mesquite, hickory… they’re all great, but Australian native woods offer something else, unique and distinctive. I find that … Continue reading

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