Tag: Starter

Jennifer Segal’s Slow Roasted Salmon (Ocean Trout) with French Herb Salsa

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 6

I hate to admit it – and rarely do – though there are go-tos I have when the cooking pressure is on and we have guests for lunch. (Generally speaking we don’t cook many dishes twice.)

This is one of them.

It’s a winner on every level.

It is simple.

It looks incredible: looks that betray its simplicity. Think elegant, yet rustic: provincial.

And predictably: it tastes awesome.

As a starter. As a side. With a salad. With baby potatoes. With dressed-up fries.

Really anyway you can serve it, it’s genius.

There is a reason I’ve plated this half a dozen times at least.

(Which is all I am admitting to!)

Ingredients

1kg salmon (I use ocean trout) filet with skin, pin boned
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp sea salt flakes

French Herb Salsa

3 tbsp finely diced shallot
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped chervil
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 tbsp finely chopped basil
1 tsp finely chopped tarragon
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
Freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 105c.
  2. Place the salmon on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the salt evenly over the top. Place in the oven and roast for 40 – 50 minutes, until the fish begins to flake in the thickest part of the filet.
  3. For the salsa, combine the shallot and vinegar for 15 minutes. In a separate bowl combine the herbs, olive oil, salt and a few grinds of pepper.
  4. Flake the salmon into large rustic chunks (on the skin); combine the herb mixture with the shallot mixture, testing the amount of vinegar you need.
  5. Dress over the fish and serve warm.

Damien Pignolet’s Tiny Omelette of Goat’s Cheese & Pine Nuts

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 1

Nat and I had a simple French lunch a Sunday or two ago and I cooked this omelette from Damien Pignolet’s book, ‘french’.

It’s a book I have had for years and it’s just lovely 80s and 90s French from his various restaurants. (If you haven’t, Bistro Moncur in Woollahra is a wonderful long lunch!)

This omelette is predictable delicate and just a lovely way to kick things off; I doubled it so that we had a small omelette each.

Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp crème fraîche
2 tsp pine nuts, toasted until pale golden
1/4 tsp thyme leaves
1 tsp unsalted butter
2 tsp rosemary oil (below)
1 tbsp rindless mature goat’s cheese, broken into small pieces

Method

  1. Place the egg, egg yolk, crème fraîche, and pine nuts in a small bowl for each omelette. Season with a tiny pinch of salt, freshly cracked black pepper and thyme leaves. Using a fork, break the eggs and yolks, lightly mixing the ingredients so that streaks of white and yolk are still visible – this ensures lightness of texture in the omelette.
  2. Heat the butter and rosemary oil in a blini pan, pour in the egg mixture, wait a moment for it to set, then shake the pan and, using a spatula or fork, draw the cooked egg away to allow the raw mixture to flow underneath and cook. While the omelette is still quite moist, add the goat’s cheese, flip half the omelette over and turn out onto a warm plate.

Rosemary oil

To make the rosemary oil, put 4 tbsp of olive oil in a small ovenproof bowl with 2 tbsp rosemary leaves and place in a 150c oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool then strain into a bowl or storage jar; the oil will keep for several days. This quantity is enough for 9 tiny omelettes. Rosemary oil can also be used to sauté potatoes, along with some garlic, or to brush on a small fish such as red mullet before grilling.

Dianne Bibby’s Bobotie Filo Parcels

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Makes: 20

New Years Eve 2024 and we are off to Nat’s parents for Champagne, a swim with the family and counting down the minutes.

My main was this always brilliant Doner Kebab, with the chicken slow cooked and caramelised.

But it was Nat’s starter of these Bobotie filo parcels that won the night.

They’re awesome.

The addition of the Mrs Ball’s chutney means it doesn’t need to be on the side. The sultanas add a sweetness to balance the excellent spice. The addition of the milk-soaked bread keeps the whole thing moist.

The buttery filo pastry and then the egg wash with the black (or white) sesame seeds finishes it off.

Sophisticated? No. And neither expected.

Delicious? Absolutely yes.

I promised my brother-in-law Greg – of South African heritage – I would type these up for his mother – Elaine – who has not only published a cookbook and is a fantastic cook and entertainer, though is also a subscriber of this blog!

Elaine’s specialty is South African. Think Bobotie, Bunny Chow and Cape Malay Curry.

Actually, that’s not fair.

Elaine’s speciality is just great food and sharing the experience of cooking and enjoying it with friends and family.

I’ve had the pleasure.

Catching up with Elaine is always electric. She is as mad about food as I am and we share stories and all sorts of promises.

I don’t think I have had Elaine’s Bobotie and I am not convinced Greg shouldn’t be cooking these for his mother instead, though this recipe is for Elaine and hopefully her next family gathering.

Delicious? Will most definitely be.

Ingredients

2 sliced white bread, crusts removed and soaked in 200ml milk
2 tbsp golden sultanas
45ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
20gm salted butter
1 large brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, finely grated
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of half
500gm lean beef mince (Nat used turkey mince)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp Mrs Ball’s chutney
1 c chicken stock
2 tbsp almond flour
20 sheets filo pastry
4 tbsp melted butter
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 30ml water)
Sesame seeds, for finishing

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the sultanas in a small bowl, cover with the orange juice and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, carrot and ginger and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  4. Turn up the heat, add the mince and cook until nicely browned and just starting to catch on the bottom of the pan. Season with 1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper; mix in all the spices and cook for a further few minutes.
  5. Stir in the milk-soaked bread along with the milk, drained sultanas, cinnamon, chutney, stock and almond flour. Cover partially with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the carrots are soft, the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has reduced. Set aside to cool.
  6. Lay one sheet of Filo pastry on a bench with the shorter edge facing you and brush with the melted butter.
  7. Lay another sheet on top and brush with butter. Cut the sheet into 3 strips (approximately 15cm each).
  8. Place one heaped tbsp of the filling mixture on the very top of the sheet allowing 2cm from the bottom. Take the bottom right corner of the Filo pastry strip and fold it diagonally towards the opposite side of the strip to form a triangle.
  9. Then take the bottom left corner of the strip and fold diagonally towards the opposite side.
  10. Continue folding in the same way to ensure you keep a triangular shape.
  11. Brush each triangle with the egg wash, scatter with sesame seeds and cook for 18 – 20 minutes or until golden.

Vefa Alexiadou’s Easy Cheese Appetizer (Tiromezes)

.Reading time 1 minute.

Serves: 4

If ever there was a correlation between simplicity and brilliance, this is it.

Cooked by Nat as a starter to a long, Christmas, Greek lunch, we both agreed that this appetizer was just “stunning”.

If you’ve read my blog, you’ll know I am into my superlatives: though hand-on-heart, this dish is stunning.

I followed up with this Arni Pesto accompanied by a wicked mushroom pilaf by Nat and with Champagne, the sun and the holidays starting, this was a lunch to celebrate.

Ingredients

4 square, thick slices feta cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 rounds
1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
Pinch of dried oregano
Pepper
Olive oil, for drizzling

Method

  1. Preheat the broiler (grill).
  2. Put the cheese slices side-by-side in a shallow flameproof dish. Put a tomato slice on top of each feta square and top with the slices of chilli. Sprinkle with oregano and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
  3. Cook under the broiler for 6 – 8 minutes until the chilli and tomato are lightly browned.
  4. Serve immediately: ideally with a delicious ouzo apparently. We had none, though if you do, please tell me. I actually get it. Reminds me of Oysters Charentaise where you have an oyster, a bite of a spicy sausage and a good sip of cold, white wine: heaven.

Beef carpaccio with mustard & parmesan sauce

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 8 as a shared starter

This dish is a real winner.

It’s stylish, it is easy to prepare and it looks the bomb. I served this up as part of a really elegant Easter feast: think porchetta, parmesan polenta, parsnip cream etc etc etc. I served this on thinly sliced and toasted baguette, though you could of course serve this as a more traditional carpaccio or in any number of combinations.

I promise you’ll love this and will be a hero for cooking it.

Ingredients

Beef fillet or whole rump
6-8 tsp Capers
60 ml – Olive oil
2 tbsp  lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Small bunch of chives, thinly sliced
Pinch salt and pepper

Thinly sliced toasts (if serving on toasts)
Small bunch of rocket leaves (if serving traditionally)

Method

  1. Wrap the fillet in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. Remove the beef from the freezer and slice immediately as thinly as possible across the grain of the meat.
  2. Place the slices between sheets of cling film and use a rolling pin to carefully flatten evenly into wafer-thin slices. Cover and chill until required.
  3. If serving traditionally, arrange the beef slices on a plate/platter, slightly overlapping, then place rinsed rocket on top.
  4. If serving on toasts, roughly fold and create a shape of the sliced beef on each taost
  5. For the sauce: place the oil, lemon juice, mustard, parmesan and seasoning in a glass jar, screw lid on and shake until well mixed. Season and drizzle over the beef; place a few chives on top.