Food Wine Sleep

Antipasto or Antipasti literally translates to before the meal and is served as an appetiser/first course. It is such a social way to eat; a group of family or friends standing or sitting near this communal platter and everybody sampling everything together as they chat and catch up. Italian's have eaten like this for centuries and although there are no real rules as to what you put on your antipasto platter, I prefer to stick to the things that have most likely been served on antipasto platters just as long. Think of this not so much as a recipe but rather a list of ideas that you can stick to or stray from.

This is one of my favourite classic recipes. The name originates from and was made famous by the Tatin Sisters of France in the early part of the last century, I believe they had a Restaurant/Hotel in Paris but don't quote me on that. In fact, feel free to quote me if you wish, what should it matter if I have the geography wrong, the important thing is that I have the recipe right. What I find most appealing about this dish is its simplicity of ingredients and the ease of preparation. Try it out and I'm sure it will become one of the main stays of your dessert repertoire.

Ah! Don't you love winter, the season of indulgent deserts. The one time of year no one really feels too guilty about too many sweets, must be the fact that beach season is well behind us.....or in front (depends whether you are a "glass half full" or "glass half empty" kind of person). The nice thing about this recipe is that even if you only have 4 dinner guests you can still enjoy the 6 puddings this recipe makes (they make a wonderful decadent muffin in the morning).

Bearnaise and Hollandaise are, I believe, a couple of the major reasons many people dine out. I suppose they feel that these beautiful rich sauces are too difficult to make at home, what with all that clarifying, whisking, reducing and incorporating, but don't let these words or the actions they represent, scare you. Like all things cooking, it's all about practice and once you've done it a few times you'll wonder why you never tried it earlier. So go on get to it, it's easy!

Carpaccio is a traditional Italian dish and lends itself incredibly well to modern healthy eating. Although Carpaccio traditionally refers to a first course of thinly sliced raw beef, named in honour of the Italian renaissance painter, Vittore Carpaccio, you can now find many modern interpretations using raw seafood and uncooked vegetables, (see tuna Carpaccio). In this dish however we are going with the original; beef. Carpaccio is a perfect option to serve your guests if you want an impressive first course that will take only seconds to prepare on the day. You can prepare all the parts for beef Carpaccio the day before, allowing you to use the time on the day to mingle...

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles used to like to drink in a bar in Venice Italy, called Harry's Bar. However, this establishment is not known for it's past famous clientele but rather it's owner, Giuseppe Cipriani. In fact it is probably more accurate to say that his bar is really actually famous for his drink invention, The Bellini, rather than him or his clientele. After creating the famous drink using white peach puree, Italian sparkling Prosecco wine and raspberry or cherry juice, Giuseppe felt the colour resembled the colour of the toga worn by a saint in a painting by one of his favourite Venetian artists, Giovanni Bellini. Whatever the tru...

I know some people who say "any idiot can cook; it's the sauces that make the meal!" Of course most of these people are Saucier Chefs and I've only heard them speak with this blasphemous tongue at 4:30 am on a Sunday morning in the last pub that will still serve us after a busy Saturday nights service in the restaurant. Just in case there is some truth in what they say though, you would do well to learn a few classic sauce recipes and what better place to start than Beurre Blanc. This sauce can be used on any number of dishes and is very adaptable to new ideas and styles of cuisine, infuse it with some unique spices, add some citrus or virtually any herb you can...

I used to fancy myself as somewhat of a runner, although now I tend to get winded running to catch the telephone before message bank picks up. "Hello..pant..pant..pant...Paul speaking." When I was running I used to eat pasta at least 4 times a week and I found myself having to get rather creative if I didn't want to live off a perpetual cycle of Bolognese, Arrabiata, and Boscaiola. That time in my life was when I created this dish. Even though I no longer run, I do still eat this dish as though I were training for a marathon.

When I was 18, a few friends and I were backpacking around Australia and during that time we held all sorts of odd jobs. One of which was fruit picking, pears in particular. From those weeks on the ladders and in the trees we all learnt many things, namely not to take for granted the amount of work that goes into getting produce into our supermarkets, but also 1001 ways to eat pears. To be totally honest with you for 5 years afterwards I couldn't look at another pear. Anyhow long story short, after my 5 years of a pearless diet since, I was ready to gradually start eating them again. I am now back to loving them again as I'm no longer a backpacking teenager eating the...

I've used Chambord in desserts for many years, but it wasn't until recently that I discovered it as a drink. Since discovering it in a glass it often takes the place of dessert for me, as it is on the rich and sweet side of things. On the nose Chambord smells of plum and vanilla, on the tongue it tastes like a mouthful of raspberries washed down with a glass of good cognac. In this recipe the champagne adds another level (pardon the pun) yet takes nothing away from the Chambord either.

Having left Switzerland some 20 + year ago, Fondue and Raclette are still one of the things I do miss and usually have as soon as I return for holidays. I am not too sure if it is just the food that I miss at times, as Fondue dinner, at least in our family, always was a great family affair. Everybody it had to be at the table ahead of mother bringing out the fondue from the kitchen, as it needed to be stirred at all time as soon as it got on the table to avoid it getting burnt. The cheese used in the Fondue is of vital importance. Every cheese store or Formagerie in the French part of Switzerland has it's own 'house' mixture, but you will be most welcome and order your ow...

I know it's not overly creative of me, but hey can I help it if throwing mascarpone at any fresh fruit makes a wonderful dessert all on its own. Thank god for the Italians; they've created perfection in so many simple ingredients that lazy Chefs like me can impress with very little effort. With that said, I did stew the fruit and toast the almonds.

I don't know why people don't use spatchcock more often. You know how people always fight over the best part of the chicken, for some it's the breast others the thigh or wing. Well hey, if you use spatchcock everyone can have a whole or half a bird, so there's no more feeling ripped off. On top of that a spatchcock has a lot more flavour and moistness, ok it may not be the most easy eating meat but a little knife and fork work is definitely worth the extra taste, especially when the alternative these days is hormone fed boneless, skinless, flavourless cardboard chicken breast. This dish is great in summer with a nice crisp white wine and a leafy green salad as a first cou...

This is one of my favourite desserts to prepare when having guests over for dinner as it can be completed entirely on the day before and leaves time to focus on other parts of the dinner on the night. On top of this early preparation ease, the quality chocolate, the creamy texture, and the accompaniment of chocolate's perfect match; raspberries, ensures it is always a big winner with guests and never fails to impress. It is quite an adaptable dessert as well; if you are not a fan of Cointreau, feel free to substitute with any other liqueur you may like or simply some vanilla extract. However if using vanilla use only about 1/2 tsp as it is much stronger in flavour than an...

If you love Chocolate (yeah right who doesn't?) and Creme Brulee, then you'll love this recipe. The option is yours as to whether you want to caramelise sugar on top of the finished product as it is equally delicious without it. Keep in mind however that then it would technically not be a creme brulee, as the words literally translated mean cream burnt. Anyhow enough useless facts, on with the recipe.

Indian cuisine is a very versatile cuisine and can be incorporated into modern cuisine very easily. Also, thanks to its plethora of spices and flavours it is the ultimate cuisine for inspiration, you can virtually take it in any direction you wish and still end up with something that reflects that Indian origin. In this recipe I have used the Indian technique of marinating in yoghurt for the fish. Slowly cooked the lentils in popular Indian spices and topped the whole dish off with a refreshing salsa to contrast the strong flavours of the fish and lentils.

If you want to truly wow you guests with an impressive dish while at the same time amazing yourself with a recipes simplicity, then look no further than this great little recipe. It is a dish that is truly perfect for a summer dinner party and a perfect example of the less you mess with food the better it can be. The fresh crab meat is delicate and slightly decadent, the ginger a zesty but subtle complement, the in season avocado a light yet substantial foundation and the freshly cut baby herbs the perfectly simple and understated bit of sophistication. As with most good recipes, the key to this dish is the sum of its parts and you will be rewarded if you take the time to...

This is a great little recipe to pull out as a simple yet impressive canape next time you want to make an impression. All the ingredients are pretty easy to find although the trip to your local fish market for the fresh cooked crab meat is the key. Do not use crab that has ever been frozen, or canned. At a stretch, the pasteurised stuff in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket or deli can be used, but really the only choice for me is fresh cooked.

What Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is to a beginning guitar player, the Creme Brulee is to the apprentice Chef. It is the first real Restaurant dessert that they learn, and like playing "Stairway" they can now impress their friends. Over the years in restaurant kitchens I have found there to be as many recipes for Creme Brulee as there are Chefs. This is the recipe I have perfected over those years. Some recipes you will find need to be in the oven for half a day before they set, others set like a rock, and some curdle as soon as they see the oven. If you stick to this recipe, you will consistently produce a perfectly balanced beautiful creme bru...

Do you like drinks with cream, drinks with fruit, and drinks with layers? So do we, that's why we came up with this one. The other night a couple of friends and I were after something new. After a bit of collective input we came up with this one straight out of the hatch. However, trust me when I say that this was the only successful drink we made all night. I think we probably celebrated our success a little too much. Hope it becomes part of your celebrations as well.

Although we all know spring to be the time of year when some of our favourite fruit and vegetables such as juicy apricots, crisp green beans, first season berries, sweet green peas, crunchy snow peas, juicy cucumbers and tomatoes return to our local market we can often forget about some of the less obvious spring vegetables returning to market. Eggplant is one of those less famous vegetables that comes back into its element at this time of year. Or possibly you didn't even know it had left, or thanks to our ever shrinking planet maybe it never did leave. If that is the case, you may ask why should I celebrate this vegetable at this time of year? Well trust me, everything...

Pasta; the ultimate comfort food. Prawns; grill, them saute; them, marinate them, poach them, there's not many ways a prawn doesn't taste good. Fennel; raw in a salad, braised in a stew, diced in a soup, unique and delicious no matter how you cook it. Pernod and cream; need I say more? Although ingredients can be good on their own, combining them with other good ingredients does not always work. In this case however the combined dish is equal to and greater than the sum of its delicious parts. The pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, the prawns are sauted until just tender, the fennel is cooked and loses its raw power and becomes mild and soft, and finally the entire dish...

Salmon and dill is another one of those unbeatable combinations that has stood the test of time. In this recipe I have included a few ingredients that are very complimentary to both the salmon and dill but still allow them to be the dominant flavours in the dish. This recipe can be made using either smoked salmon (as I've done here) or fresh.

You will feel guilty after eating some of this chocolate cake. 'Chocoholics' and chocolate fanatics love the rich, smooth and creamy texture and the full flavor of bitter sweet chocolate. I prefer to use Valrhona chocolate for this recipe, but if it's not available use a good quality high cocoa butter content dark chocolate.

Snails/escargots are the sort of delicacy people either love, crave for and adore or simply do not like and are quite appalled by it. In any case, the snails one usually buys come in a tin or jar and are already washed, purged and ready for the final cooking. I like to sautee the snails and flavor them with a little Pastis or Riccard before baking them with the butter. The recipe for the 'Escargots butter', just as the 'Cafe de Paris' butter is the sort of recipe that makes the 'house specialty' the very sort of thing. I guess the whole secrecy stems from the fact, that especially with escargots, the butter is the most important ingredient, as the snails itself are rather...

When most people think brussel sprouts, they think of childhood dinners. Dinners where you were still at the table at 9 pm because you couldn't get up until you had cleaned your plate. Or maybe that was just at my house. In any case I recall them being very hard to eat; they made me want to gag to be totally honest with you. To me they tasted like a handful of newspapaer boiled to buggery in cabbage stock, they were that bad. And no offence to my mother, she is a wonderful cook and has taught me plenty about food and cooking, but in the 70's, 'boil it till its grey' was how you prepared vegetables. Which is such a shame really because brussel sprouts, when prepared correc...

This recipe comes from Adam, an old friend and colleague of mine. I worked with Adam as a Sous Chef to his Head Chef in the early to mid 90's. As I'm sure you'll recall that was a time when "fusion cooking" was all the rage. A time when simply mixing wasabi through anything and everything made it French-Japanese fusion. A time when adding grilled vegetables to any dish made it modern Mediterranean. Now I know cooking is like fashion and the envelope needs to be constantly pushed in order to be tested, but I fear that what some chefs were passing off as "fusion" back then is the fashion equivalent of "fusing" Mr T's jewellery and hair cut to S...

This is one of my favourite summer desserts. I must admit, one of the reasons I probably like it so much is because no matter how many summer cocktails I've had on the balcony I can always roll back into the kitchen for the last course and manage to pull this one off and still impress every time. Considering that all stone fruits are in such abundance in summer feel free to experiment with other fruit variations.

Sardines are abundant in spring and summer and are also at their most flavoursome during these months. In this dish the beautiful flavour of this fish is paired with the natural sweetness of freshly roasted red pepper. A perfect dish for the seasons first alfresco dinner and since you can make the sauce ahead of time, quite a simple dish to prepare on the day. Serve it as a first course or add a couple more sardines and some fresh sliced baguette and serve it as a main course at lunch. The combination of flavours in this recipe allows it to stand up to a substantial white wine and I would recommend it with an unoaked chardonnay.

Want to cook something spicy for your guests? Do some of your guests like a little more kick than others? Then this is perfect dish to cook. For the spice monger amongst your guests, lay the harissa on nice and thick. For the somewhat less chilli-adventurous, a slightly gentler approach. Regardless of your guests spice tolerance, I'm sure they will find the delicateness of the Corn and Coriander Fritter the ideal foundation and the slight sweetness of the Pineapple and Mint Salsa to offer the perfect balance.

This is a well liked dessert in one of our schools restaurants. As with all ice parfaits or ice soufflés, the trick of getting the ice cream really smooth, light and frothy is in the correct beating of the sabayon. Once the sabayon is well done, the rest is a piece of cake.

There's nothing really seasonal about chocolate, but I thought the endorphin lift it gives could better be utilized in the gloomier months and as such have decided to put it on the winter menu. Some would say there's enough chocolate in this recipe to make a Nordic Laplander trapped in 6 months of darkness forget about the "gloomy" weather. So if the words chocolate, indulgence and excess aren't words you like to describe winter desserts, please move on. Just Kidding!! You can always cut the chocolate by 1/3rd, also you'll find that the refreshing cinnamon cream really does help to cut some of that richness.

Lobster bisque, a name many of us haven't heard in restaurants for quite some years. I suppose it may be because too many of us who do remember it being in restaurants, remember many attempts at being sold a bastardized fish stock and we just stopped ordering it all together. With this recipe in hand, you needn't fret that it's hard to find or even if you do, whether it is the genuine thing or not. I hope you enjoy revisiting this classic as much and as often as I do.

The boneless skinless chicken breast, sounds exciting doesn't it? What if we add the words grilled or poached? Unfortunately this is the way most people eat this cut of chicken, dried out and without sauce, usually in the name of health. I've said it before and I'll say it again health is intertwined with happiness and I don't know about you but something dry grilled and without sauce doesn't bring me happiness. The chicken breast is a very versatile cut and prepared correctly it can be anything but dry and bland. This recipe is designed to be ENJOYED, as all food should be. I have given the chicken breast a rich golden nutty coating, topped it with a lush reduced port sa...

These individual chocolate marbled cheesecakes are easy to do, simple to assemble and very versatile.

I'm not sure if it's because of its place in popular culture but for a lot of people the Martini is a drink reserved for a night on the town and special occasions. For me it is a drink that I like to make at home, (I know I sound like a lush) but there is something strangely rewarding and enjoyable about all that stirring, straining and garnishing. Plus I like any excuse that allows me to walk around my own house drinking from a Martini glass, domestic extravagance.

This drink has it's origins in warmer climes, where the lime is not an expensive imported citrus and rum is a plenty. So you'll find that this drink lends itself well to hot summer days by the pool. When I drink Mojito's (pronounced mo-hee-to) I always feel good about it, well to be honest with you I feel pretty good about drinking any drink, but with this drink I almost feel like I'm doing my body a favour. I mean drinking soda water, fresh citrus, fresh citrus juice and fresh mint must be good for me right? Well apparently not, judging by the Mo-hangovers, but it is too tasty a drink to resist and the day after is still much less an ordeal than when drinking preservati...

Swordfish, some will claim is a very boring fish, and in all honesty it is a bit simple on its own. However it is that simple flavour that I find so appealing about swordfish, it can be turned into virtually any style of recipe you want. Some fish, salmon for instance, is a beautiful fish but due to its rich distinct prominent flavour it is not as versatile as our humble sword. Imagine either fish with a nice herbed pilaf and a classic beurre blanc, but don't try putting both into a salty sweet Chinese stir fry. In this recipe I have used a tender piece of sword as a platform to get across some very distinct Moroccan flavours, served it on some soft polenta, topped it...

Although this dish is quintessentially French it is probably more of a consistent feature on the dinner tables of the northeastern region of the country. The beauty of a mussel dish like this is that the mussels (or 'moules') are served absolutely fresh. Mussels are harvested all over the coast of France and then shipped live to the local fishmongers. There they are bought, (still alive), taken home, cleaned and prepared in this simple yet stunning recipe and enjoyed by anyone lucky enough to be present. So the key for you to enjoy this dish is to do the same, and by that I mean: buy only the freshest best live mussels from your local trusted fishmonger. And then simply p...

Mulled wine is popular throughout Europe, on chilly nights, as soon as the winter breaks in November and especially during the Christmas season. Even though I have lived in a tropical country for the last 15 years, for me, it wouldn't be Christmas without a glass of "Gluehwein" while sitting around the Christmas tree. There are quite a number of variations of it, from the Swedes which add raisins and nuts to it, to French in the Bordeaux region that add nutmeg and bay leaf to it and use rather heavy Cabernet or Merlot wines. Originating from Germany although it is best to use a light dry red wine or as another variation a dry Riesling type of white wine. This...

Paella (pa-yay-aa) is a traditional Spanish dish that actually takes its name from the pot in which it is cooked, a paellera. Paella originated from the Valencia region but now virtually every part of Spain offers their own version. There is much debate as to what ingredients belong in a Paella, but there is no debate that at the core there should be rice and saffron. This is the recipe I cook when entertaining, but if I'm cooking only for my girlfriend and I, it might be a very simple Paella with a couple of ingredients or an incredibly involved dish teeming with everything under the sun. This usually depends on my mood and the state of my wallet. As always and especiall...

As I've said before, "I love spring!" A time when menus virtually write themselves. How can one not incorporate strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries and blueberries into at least one course of a dinner menu. In this dish I've steeped more than stewed; blueberries, raspberries and boysenberries in a light sugar syrup to accompany the delicate panna cotta. Even if I'm only cooking for four I still tend to make this recipe for six, a little snack for the cook pre dinner...ssshhhh.

Personally I am not a huge dessert eater, I like to taste it but after 1 or 2 bites I've had enough. So what usually happens is that I just have a few bites and give the rest to my girlfriend. When we are at a restaurant it's a win win, she doesn't want the guilt of ordering one for herself, but she does like�sorry LOVES dessert. I order dessert, save her the guilt, I have a couple small bites and she gets 2/3rds of a dessert to herself. Anyway, I digress, as I was saying I'm not big on dessert but whenever I make this dessert, 5 minutes into making it, the smell of the freshly roasting pecans wafting through the kitchen has me salivating and thinking about sneak...

"My brother in law Darren is the best steak cook I know!" I was very young when I first proclaimed that, in fact I may have said "my sister's new boyfriend," it was that long ago. I stick by those words today, as he still cooks one of the best steaks I've had anywhere; however it wasn't until a few years later as I embarked on my cooking career, that I discovered it had just as much to do with Darren's eye for quality and knowledge of beef cuts as it did with his skill. You see Darren knew that I being only young may have found the flavour of a robust sirloin or rib eye a little strong. So he decided to use what is considered to be the tenderest cut of...

I love this salad for summer time, warm weather, picnic's and when friends come over for a swim by the pool. It is very simple, quickly done, and refreshing. It is a meal in itself, perfect for busy people wanting to do something quick and light and for those of us who want to watch the calorie intake. I'll do several variations of it, with Cajun-fried shrimps, grilled salmon, stir-fried squid or a combination of it; whatever I have handy or feel like eating. Medium roasted warm sirloin of beef is also a nice option, although a Balsamic or a red wine vinegar dressing would then suit better than the lemon-olive oil emulsion required in this recipe.

Another one of those dishes that once you make it a few times you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. The delicacy of the flowers and the rich stuffing make them very appropriate on the most formal of occasions. Or leave them un-stuffed au'naturale and serve their golden fried goodness with a simple squeeze of lemon on the most casual of occasions.

This dish, although inspired by the abundant basil of late spring, is a wonderful dish to have any time of year. I find it a great choice for entertaining, as you can crumb the lamb hours before and the caponata can be made as early as a day before. All you'll need to do when your friends arrive is cook the lamb, warm the caponata, let the wine breathe and sit down to dinner.

The recipe for this dip has been with me for a few years now. It combines the best of both worlds, the 'Asiatic' spices of ginger, chili and lemongrass with Mediterranean ingredients like the virgin olive oil and the lime juice. If you prepare the dip ahead of time, you must ensure that the cilantro is chopped and added last minute to the dressing in order to achieve the freshness desired for this dish.

This recipe comes from a friend of mine; Maria. She is from the beautiful coastal region of Galicia in the North West of Spain. The area is bountiful in many types of delicious seafood and the local's diet and Maria's repertoire clearly represents this. Her seafood recipes are amazing and the stories she tells of her upbringing eating all the wonderful local specialties always makes my mouth water. One such dish that had me salivating when she first told me about it was this one; Pulpo a'la Gallega. Unfortunately when I make it, I break a cardinal rule and serve it on a normal plate as opposed to the traditional wooden plate. I don't think she has yet forgiven me and I am...

A Chef I used to work with once said, 'A jus prepared correctly and served with a crusty bread roll is a 5 star meal to me.' In fact I've seen many a Chef call that dinner. Usually when the head Chef wasn't looking of course. Jus's are like liquid gold in restaurant kitchens. Most kitchens have one stove and sometimes even entire kitchens designated to the slow process of making these decadent sauces. First the veal bones are roasted golden brown in high temperature ovens, then the vegetables are chopped, herbs are selected and then it's all put in a pot and covered with water and simmered for days on end. The resulting stock is then, strained numerous times, red wine is...

This dish is great to cook if you are vegetarian and just as good if you are not. As a person that is completely content in their carnivore ways, I can happily attest that this is one vegetarian dish that I am more than happy to put in front of me in place of a meat laden dinner plate. The grilled polenta provides a delicious and substantial foundation, the roasted mushroom is a tender and juicy centre piece, the fresh beans offer the crisp spring factor while the roast pepper and port reduction is the perfect naturally sweet and slightly decadent sauce to unite it all. Enjoy this dish, no matter what side of the carnivore/vegetarian fence you are on.

Everyone knows that meats and fresh herbs are a marriage made in heaven, but as in human relationships certain marriages are stronger than others. For example roast chicken with fresh thyme, seafood's with dill or fennel, tender beef with a rich tarragon infused b�arnaise and of course the ultimate paring of roast lamb and fresh rosemary. The latter mentioned combination is, in this recipe taken to a further level by adding garlic and parmesan. This would have to be my favourite way to have lamb.

When making this salad you are likely to find as many variations as ingredients. The important thing to remember is it is made by you for you and your friends, so if you're not a fan of certain ingredients leave them out, likewise if you really love a certain item, add a little more. The recipe we have given here is our collective favourite here at chefs pencil. However if we were true to the salads namesake (ie from Nice in France) there would definitely not be any potatoes in this salad.

This is a shining example of the less complicated a dish is, the better it is. Each ingredient in this recipe is served very near to its natural state and this lack of having been �messed' with results in a simple yet sophisticated combination. The flavours in this dish do all the hard work for you, fresh ocean trout complemented by an effortless sesame crust and seared beautifully rare, the fresh cucumber and the just picked tender baby herbs simply glazed with the distinctive flavours of fresh lime, mirin and fiery chilli. The best thing about this lack of complication is exactly that; uncomplicated cooking for you. Serve this next time you want to impress your...

This is a recipe that I created a few years back while I was on a quick hiatus on my motorcycle. I was running a very high stress level in the restaurant and decided a quick jaunt down the south coast was in order to stay sane. I spent a day in the saddle with no particular destination and pulled into Hyams Beach on Jervis Bay and decided to call it home for a couple of days. That was as soon as I could find a place that would have me. I asked the lady at the town conveience shop/restaurant where I could find some reasonable accomodation. She directed me to a guest house down the road and told me to tell the owner that she had sent me. I liked this place already, I'd been...

Next time you are entertaining and you want your first course to be a definite crowd pleaser, then look no further than this recipe. The beautiful tangy crème fraiche is the perfect accompaniment for the crispy potato rosti and helps to soften the rosti just enough to be gentle on your guests palette while still maintaining the crunchy wafer like rosti characteristics. Add in the peppery watercress, the tender salmon and your guests will experience a beautifully balanced first course with perfect flavour and texture contrasts. Although this is not a difficult recipe per se, it is worth having a trial run on yourself sometime prior to your event, particularly as the ro...

One would think that a dish built around salmon should remind me of my life living on the west coast of Canada, home of arguably some of the best salmon in the world and definitely one of the most abundant sources, but strangely enough this dish reminds me of Sydney more than anything. When I first moved to Sydney in the mid 90's I was blown away to see how many local menus featured salmon. Canadians weren't the only ones with a taste for this beautiful fish and obviously Canada and Scandinavia weren't the only source for it! Some excellent Atlantic salmon was and is being farmed in Tasmania. There are subtle differences between all varieties of salmon and each breed...

Another simple masterpiece inspired by, of course, the Ocean and the Italians. Unfortunately I have been to countless "Italian" restaurants that come nowhere near masterpiece with this dish. I've had it with more sand than the local beach, garlic raw enough to scare a vampire, and God forbid even cream. If you follow this recipe to the letter you will end up with Spaghetti Vongole better than most places in town.

Beurre blanc is a traditional French butter sauce. In this recipe I've tweaked it a little by adding the juice of an orange and infused it with a little ginger. It works very well with the spicy coating on the chicken. Beurre blanc is really quite an easy sauce as long as you take your time. Once you've done it a few times you will find yourself making it over and over and hopefully coming up with new ideas for it as well.

Mussels would have to be one of the most versatile of all seafood's, as long as they are dressed appropriately for the weather they are pretty much heaven year round. In winter there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of them swimming in a steamy Mariniere broth. In summer, as in this dish there is nothing more refreshing, a bowl of freshly steamed mussels, in season Mango salsa, crusty Vienna bread to soak it all up with and a very crisp white wine to wash it all down with. Enjoy.

A real summer specialty. The idea was to recreate the Italian favourite of aged Balsamico vinegar as an accompaniment to marinated strawberries as an mocktail. The thickened, reduced balsamic vinegar can also be replaced by a side order of pure Balsamico, where a guest can flavor their own strawberry honey juice to their liking. Please ensure that you use very ripe and full flavoured strawberries and a good quality honey. If you want to make this an alcoholic drink, replace the water with sparkling alcoholic cider.

Martini's are usually quite a strong drink and technically only Gin Martini's are really Martinis. These days the name is often used on many different cocktails simply served in a Martini/Cocktail glass. In any case who are we to be stubborn sticklers for tradition? This "Strawberry Martini" is similar to the Gin Martini in 2 ways; it is strong and served in a Martini Glass! The strawberries and sugar will however disguise that strength as sweetness, mmmmmmm!

The light texture of the homemade tart shell and the natural sweetness of the strawberries, make this tart a great choice for a lovely Morning Tea or High Tea. It can even be a delicious Dessert after a dinner of heavy meats and rich sauces. If however you are enjoying it for Morning Tea, High Tea or following a not so rich meal it can be made a little more indulgent by adding some whipped or double cream on the side. This recipe uses an incredible amount of strawberries and as such I wouldn't recommend making it outside of berry season as it can get expensive.

Tiramisu is one of those dishes that is widely available as almost every restaurant serves some variation of it. Unfortunately it is this same widespread availability that means it can often disappoint. Fortunately when it is good it is sublime and it is these occasions that keep most of us coming back for more and trying it again and again. This recipe is a result of years of working with numerous other Chefs (Italian and otherwise) creating different Tiramisu's in countless different kitchens using just as many different methods. During this time I watched, learned, tasted and most importantly listened to the customers in those places where the Tiramisu was a house s...

Tuna is the world's most popularly eaten fish. Unfortunately much of this huge consumption is aided by millions of can openers and a lot of cheap mayonnaise. Such a shame really as this beautiful fish deserves to be eaten in the state it comes off the fishmongers knife; raw, or as near to as possible. The more you meddle with it the more beauty it loses. That is why it lends itself to carpaccio so well, cut it raw, a little sprinkle of this, a little drizzle of that and serve it.

I have had venison on 3 different continents and on each occasion it has tasted completely different from the last. Wow!! Does that ever sound pompous; when you write that word "Venison" it can't help but be read that way, just pretend I said chicken and I won't come across as a snob. Anyhow apart from the obvious reasons for these differences such as whether the meat is farmed or wild, there are many other reasons. For example, the climate the animal lives in, the age of the animal and even the geography it lives in. For example a very hilly and sparsely vegetated landscape will produce a very different animal to one that has grown up in a fertile well vege...

The first time I had this dish was a few years back. A gang of us went to a Spanish restaurant for a going away dinner for a few of the group that were off to Europe indefinitely. It was a brilliant night with beautiful food, great friends, kitschy flamenco music, lots of sangria and many embarrassing stories from the past. The details are a little sketchy but a couple of things I remember particularly well are; the Restaurant was about the size of a small sailboat with less than 7 tables in all. Despite this it was a very comfortable place, the seating was on wooden benches that resembled church pews and scattered over them were randomly coloured embroidered cushions. Th...