Open House Food Service July 2014 Issue by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd

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JULY 2014

Focus on food waste Emu eggs on the menu The growth of kitchen gardens

Flavour saviour Maggi Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix

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CONTENTS

ON THE COVER

32 14

Features

Gluten free options have become a standard inclusion on most menus, and with Maggi’s new Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix added to its range of mixes and sauces there is now no need to compromise on quality, flavour or texture.

10 Cover story Maggi’s Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix Print Post Approved PP231335/00017

Regulars 04 Editor’s note 06 News 12 Q&A Uwe Stiefel, Carnival Australia 14 In season 17 Origins Pepper 32 Regional snapshot Yarra Valley 34 Cooking the books

16 Sustainability The fairest Fairtrader revealed 18 Herbs, spices & seasonings Kitchen gardens on the rise 22 Food waste Think.Eat.Save 24 Beef Dry ageing makes a comeback 26 Avocado masterclass An all round performer 28 Ingredient watch Emu eggs 30 Nestlé Golden Chefs Hat Where the winners are now

36 Products 38 Profile Nick Whitehouse, Trippas White Group

JULY 2014

Focus on food waste Emu eggs on the menu The growth of kitchen gardens OH0714.indd 1

Flavour saviour Maggi Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix 21/07/2014 4:14 pm

To ensure you never miss out there are now more ways to enjoy Open House. As well as the monthly magazine, Open House is also available as a free iPad app, which is packed with exclusive extras. The Open House app is available at the iTunes app store.

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38 Australian Culinary Federation news www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 3

EDITOR’S WORD

Strike a pose I

’m the last person to criticise anyone for being passionate about food, but what is it with some people’s obsession with taking happy snaps of every single thing that passes their lips and posting them online? Chicken liver parfait with brioche? Snap. Seared scallops with pea puree and pancetta? Snap. Spag bol? Snap. Slice of Wonder White with vegemite? Snap.

I, like many people with a smart phone, have been known to take the odd “food porn” photo of a particularly spectacular dish, but when the photo session before each course lasts longer than it takes to eat the now cold dish, you have to ask what people get out of it. The enjoyment of food may start with the eyes, but the larger part of it is in the eating of it, surely? Dining with a friend a while ago I saw first-hand how intrusive these “food paparazzi” can be when each of the five people at another table took at least one photo of each of the eight-courses of their degustation meal (plus amuse bouche, bread basket and petit fours). With flash. In a predominantly glass walled room. Needless to say it was a less than enjoyable experience for those of us not actually looking though a view finder, including I dare say, the wait staff. Should management have stepped in and asked them to desist? Possibly. Or at least asked them to move to another table where they’d be less likely to disturb other diners. It was reported earlier this year that a group of chefs in France have pledged to ban cameras in their restaurants, saying that it is not only rude but an infringement of their intellectual property. Concerns have also been raised that food photos taken on the average smart phone, in poor light, aren’t necessarily the ones you want out there advertising your business. While banning cameras altogether seems a bit harsh, not to mention difficult when just about everyone has one on hand, a quiet word in a diner’s ear may be the way to go when they get too snap happy. As chef Alexandre Gauthier, from Grenouillere restaurant in La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, was quoted as saying in Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, “I would like people to be living in the present. Tweet about the meal beforehand, tweet about it afterwards, but in between stop and eat”.

Published in Australia by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd Suite 202, 80-84 Chandos Street, St Leonards 2065 P.O. Box 189, St Leonards 1590 Website: www.openhousemagazine.net ACN 147 436 280 ISSN 0312-5998

PUBLISHER Alexandra Yeomans MANAGING EDITOR Ylla Watkins JOURNALIST Sheridan Randall SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Jo Robinson ACCOUNT MANAGER Leah Jensen DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER Bin Zhou PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Anne Esteban ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT Kate Wilcox

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Ylla Watkins Managing editor

THIS MONTH’S TOP STORY With food waste a massive problem around the world, food rescue organisation OzHarvest, the United Nations and a group of Australian chefs have banded together to help raise awareness of the issues. Find out more on page 22.

4 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

Official publication for the Australian Culinary Federation

AMAA, CAB Total Distribution Audit 20,553 March 2014

INDUSTRY NEWS

Call to join CafeSmart 2014 StreetSmart chief executive Adam Robinson is inviting Australian cafes and coffee roasters to take part in the fourth annual CafeSmart initiative, which takes place nationally on August 8, 2014, with the aim of helping to combat homelessness in local communities. The initiative sees a dollar from every coffee sold on the day go towards funding local grassroots projects in communities around Australia. Last year, 275 cafes helped raise $83,950 that went towards funding 77 community grants; up from $74,477 in 2012. This year CafeSmart aims to raise over $100,000.

Victoria backs smoking ban V

Victorians said they had avoided an outdoor dining area due to smoking in the previous year.

The study, which surveyed more than 4000 Victorians, found 21.5 per cent of respondents said they would visit cafes and restaurants more often if a ban was introduced.

“What this research shows is that the arguments that we often hear from industry groups and restaurant owners that smokefree outdoor dining areas will harm business is not backed up by any evidence,” said Quit Victoria manager of tobacco control policy, Kylie Lindorff.

ictorians would visit cafes and restaurants more often if a ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas was introduced, according to new research released by the Cancer Council Victoria.

Another 72.8 per cent of Victorians said a ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas would make no difference to how often they visited cafes and restaurants. This compared to just 4.5 per cent of Victorians who would visit less often. The report also found the majority of smokers (74 per cent) said a smoking ban would not change how often they frequented dining establishments. Conversely, almost half (49 per cent) of

“When a review was conducted of a year-long smokefree outdoor dining and drinking trial in Baw Baw Shire, 84 per cent of businesses said there had been a positive effect or no effect on their businesses and traders in the City of Melbourne’s smokefree Causeway trial have also been very supportive.” Victoria is the only state that has not either already introduced smoke-free outdoor dining areas or announced a date for implementation.

6 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

“I strongly urge cafes to get behind this unique cause to support their local communities,” Robinson said. “This year we will be encouraging the public to match the cafes’ dollar at the point of purchase in order to fund even more projects. On the day, we will be encouraging patrons to ‘Drink Coffee Do Good’ – and help from the ground up.” StreetSmart will be teaming up with coffee roasters around Australia again this year, which will support cafes by supplying discounted coffee beans on the day. Participating roasters include St Ali Roasters, The Grounds of Alexandria, Single Origin Roasters, CamposBay Coffee, Sensory Lab, Di Bella Coffee and Veneziano.

NEWS BRIEFS

Gerard’s Bistro Brisbane’s best “Gerard’s is quite difficult to pigeonhole, with a Moroccan, textured yet relaxed theme throughout the restaurant and dishes constructed using Levantine flavours and European techniques, the restaurant has quickly attracted die-hard regulars,” she said. “The Moubaraks have put a lot of thought into the design of the space; it’s inviting and warm, and exudes effortless cool.”

Gerard’s Bistro in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley has been named Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year in the Brisbane Times Good Food Guide Awards 2014/15, at a ceremony in Brisbane. Gerard’s Bistro, represented by owners Elie and Johnny Moubarak and head chef Ben Williamson, took out the top award thanks to their comprehensive offering, approachable and knowledgeable service, and relaxed, textured fitout, appealing drinks list and on-trend menu. Natascha Mirosch, editor of Brisbane Times Good Food Guide 2014/15, said Gerard’s Bistro is the total package, setting the benchmark for others to follow.

The Fish House, Burleigh Heads won La Maison Du Thé Regional Restaurant of the Year, while Ryan Squires, executive chef at Esquire, was named the Citi Chef of the Year. “[Ryan] has a natural curiosity which sees him continue to push the boundaries, leading his team and the industry with a passion and enthusiasm for food which reflects the incredibly high quality menu delivered in Esquire,” said Mirosch. “With a wealth of international experience, Ryan is one of the most talented, diverse chefs this state has seen, and we will only see him continue to rise and invent.” The Brisbane Times Queensland Good Food Guide 2014/15 is now available as a hard copy or as an app for download.

Restaurant fined after paying employees with food The operators of two Melbourne restaurants have been fined a total of $334,818 for paying teenage employees with pizza and soft drink instead of their correct wages.

O’Sullivan also ordered the two companies to back-pay more than $79,000 in outstanding entitlements to those employees not yet fully reimbursed.

“Such a practice belongs in the dark ages,” said Judge John O’Sullivan in the Federal Circuit Court following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).

The investigation also found that employees were being paid flat hourly rates that were below the minimum they were entitled to, apprentices and trainees were not being paid for the minimum number of hours they were employed to work and leave entitlements were underpayed.

The FWO found that 111 mostly teenage employees had been underpaid a total of $258,000 between 2009 and 2012 when they worked at La Porchetta franchise outlets at Pakenham and Berwick. The companies which operate the restaurants, Bound for Glory Enterprises Pty Ltd and Zillion Zenith International Pty Ltd, have each been fined $139,507.50. Ruby Chand, the owner of both franchises, has been penalised a further $55,803.

“One of the principal objects of the Fair Work Act is the maintenance of an effective safety net of employer obligations, and effective enforcement mechanisms,” O’Sullivan said. “The failure to keep records by the respondents, which is admitted, arguably undermines and frustrates the attainment of that objective.”

Single diners on the increase Bookings for one are on the increase, with New South Wales leading the trend, thanks to the rise of the iPad and other mobile devices, according to online booking site dimmi.com.au. The national average remains 3.5 people per booking.

Help at hand for disadvantaged youth Food rescue organisation OzHarvest has raised more than $82,000 for its new Nourish Program, which aims to provide hospitality training and mentorship for disadvantaged youth, via crowdfunding. The money raised will be spent on a new kitchen space.

Thierry Marx award winners announced Victorian apprentice chefs Kylie Spratling (pictured right) from Mercers Restaurant – Eltham and Shane Thornton (pictured left) from Crown Melbourne have won this year’s Thierry Marx Career Development Award. The pair will travel to France in September to work with Michelin Star chef Thierry Marx at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Paris.

Restaurants top online searches Data by business listings website TrueLocal has revealed restaurants top the list of the most commonly searched services nationally. Restaurants were the number one search in six states, excluding Victoria and NT. Hairdressers, mechanics, plumbers and takeaway shops rounded out the top five.

Auckland to host the world Auckland will stage the 2017 World Food Travel Summit in May 2017, following a successful bid led by Elle Armon-Jones, CEO of Feast NZ. Culinary tourism is the fastest growing sector in global tourism, according to Armon-Jones. “Food tourism is all about seeking the authentic, the memorable and the braggable culinary experience,” she said.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 7

Canberra’s finest showcased Canberra’s best have been named in The Savour Australia Restaurant and Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence 2014, at a ceremony held at Hotel Realm in Barton.

& Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence, which will be announced at Peninsula Docklands in Melbourne on Monday October 27, 2014.

Major award winners included Pulp Kitchen in Ainslie, which took out Restaurant of the Year; Kitchen Witchery Catering in Fyshwick, which was named Caterer of the Year; and Ricardo’s Café in Macquarie, which won the Consumer Vote Award.

According to Restaurant & Catering chief executive John Hart the national event will see a new and exciting focus on training, development and social media, in addition to the traditional categories.

Kitchen Witchery Catering also won the Small Caterer category, while Ricardo’s Café also took home the Breakfast Restaurant and Café Restaurant awards. The winning businesses will now compete at the National Savour Australia Restaurant

“Whilst the George Mure Memorial Professional Development Award is designed to encourage and recognise excellence in training in the workplace – the Innovative Workplace Training Award will reward innovative approaches to the skills development of staff,” he said.

Call for consumer education campaign A recent survey commissioned by the Heart Foundation and Cancer Council SA has shown that consumers are still unsure of what kilojoule information displayed on fast food menu boards actually means and how to best apply the information to their daily lives. Findings from the 2013 Health Omnibus Survey show that despite nutritional information being readily displayed in fast food restaurants, more work needs to be done to help consumers better understand what the information means for them.

was. Only 113 participants were accurate in estimating their personal daily kilojoule allowance when compared to health guidelines. Heart Foundation SA chief executive, Dr Amanda Rischbieth, has called on the South Australian government to “help all South Australians learn more to understand the usefulness of the nutritional information available to them to help make healthier choices”.

The survey indicated that 58.6 per cent of the 2900 participants noticed the menu board nutritional information but only 23 per cent thought that they knew what their personal daily kilojoule allowance

8 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

Cancer Council SA general manager of cancer control, Dr Marion Eckert, agrees that more consumer education campaigns, similar to the recent, successful NSW campaign, would help “South Australians make better informed decisions”.

Don’t cook when you’re crook The NSW Food Authority has warned that the incidence of viral gastro contamination rises with the colder temperatures, with chief scientist Dr Lisa Szabo saying the best way to prevent the spread of infection is to avoid food preparation when unwell. "This warning applies particularly to food industry professionals who come into contact with the preparation and service of food for hundreds, if not thousands, of people,” she said. "Under the Food Standards Code it is illegal for food handlers to handle food when they have a gastric illness. It is also illegal for food businesses to allow staff to work if they are aware they have a gastric illness.” Szabo said the first rule of food safety is to thoroughly wash and dry hands before beginning to prepare or eat any meal, and to wash your hands after touching raw meat or poultry. "Good and thorough hand washing removes dirt, leftover food, grease and harmful bacteria and viruses from your hands preventing them from spreading to food, work surfaces and equipment," she said. "Outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis tend to increase during winter and I urge everyone to practice good food safety in the kitchen at all times but especially during the peak viral gastro season." Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis commonly include vomiting and diarrhoea and sometimes headaches and muscle aches. It is recommended that people who’ve had gastro don’t prepare food for 48 hours after their symptoms finish. For more information, visit www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au OH

125

ANNIVERSARY

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Be the first to use the Flavour Forecast blends in your menu! For your free sample call McCormick For Chefs Customer Service on 1800 100 750 or for more information visit www.mccormick.com.au/foodservice

ARMORY0612 OH

COVER STORY

Flavour saviour Gluten free options have become a standard inclusion on most menus, and with Maggi’s new Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix added to its range of mixes and sauces there is now no need to compromise on quality, flavour or texture.

For a free sample visit www.maggi-professional.com.au

ith increasing numbers of Australian diners concerned about their health, many are turning to gluten free options when dining out. However, including gluten free options on a menu should not mean sacrificing flavour. For over 40 years, generations of Australians have enjoyed the delicious range of Maggi gravies and sauces. Today, this winning range is found in professional kitchens everywhere. It’s loved by chefs for the variety and versatility the range offers. From classic roasts to fillet steak and lamb loin, whatever is being plated up, Maggi has the gravy or sauce to add that perfect finishing touch. Nestlé Professional has now expanded its range of Maggi gravies and sauces, to include a new Maggi Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix. With no compromise on quality, flavour or texture, new Maggi Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix offers a one sauce solution. It also contains real chicken, to add an authentic depth of flavour to all chicken and white

10 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

meat dishes, making it the perfect substitute for Maggi’s regular varieties. Nestlé Professional offers diners peaceof-mind, particularly people with coeliac disease, as its gluten free products are manufactured according to stringent processes, and it only partners with suppliers who can deliver premium quality gluten free ingredients. Maggi is renowned for making things easy in a professional kitchen, and the new Gluten Free Chicken Gravy Mix builds on that tradition, offering the same depth of flavour with the ease of preparation. Cutting out the need to make sauces from scratch, Maggi’s range of sauces and gravies free up more time for chefs and minimise labour needs for operators. Simply heat on the stove and stir to create a flavour packed gravy that enhances the natural flavour of cooked chicken and other roast meats. It can also be added to a range of recipes to add a depth of flavour. OH

EVeryDAY ®

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Q&A

Gone cruisin’ More than any other nationality, Australians love to cruise. Open House spoke with Uwe Stiefel, corporate executive chef for Carnival Australia, with particular responsibility for P&O Cruises, about the challenges of catering for thousands of holidaymakers afloat.

Q: Where does Carnival fit into the cruise market? A: Cruising is booming in Australia and has been growing 20 per cent on average each year for the past 11 years. In 2013, nearly 834,000 Australians took a cruise holiday. More than 70 per cent sailed on Carnival Australia ships from our seven cruise brands. Four Carnival Australia brands – P&O Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line – have ships based here year round or on a seasonal basis. Ships from three other Carnival Australia brands – Cunard, P&O Cruises World Cruising and Seabourn – visit Australian ports on their world voyages. Q: What are some of the dining options available to passengers? A: Australian cruise travellers are spoiled for choice in the dining options available on cruise ships. There are very large dining rooms as well as specialty restaurants such as, in P&O Cruises' case, Salt Grill by the line's celebrity chef Luke Mangan. There are also buffets offering a wide range of quality food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Quick snacks from top deck barbecues are also available along with room service. Q: How many food and beverage staff does an average sized ship require to run? A: Food and beverage team members are part of Hotel Operations, the biggest department on a cruise ship. On a typical ship with around 2000 passengers and 700 crew, more than 300 of the crew are involved in the provision of food and beverage services. This includes more than 80 chefs, more than 130 staff in the main dining room and 70 bar staff. Q: Where do you source your produce from? A: Most of the food and beverage for our locally based ships and for those that are here for seasonal cruising is sourced in Australia, which is really a great demonstration of the long value chain of cruising. In 2012-2013, cruising generated nearly $3 billion in economic activity in Australia and a significant portion of that involved meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit from local suppliers. P&O Cruises sources 97 per cent of its food and beverage from local suppliers. Other Carnival 12 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

Australia brands which have locally based ships also purchase big quantities of supplies locally. Q: How long do supplies have to last? A: Cruise ships are resupplied on what we refer to as “turnarounds”, usually at their home port. Up to 200 pallets of supplies can be loaded during a typical turnaround. As cruises are not generally of long duration, and have some short breaks of three to four days, replenishing during a cruise is generally not needed. We are also very particular to ensure that when produce arrives at the ship that it is the freshest and highest quality possible. International ships visiting Australia on world voyages that are at sea for more than 100 days replenish supplies during their cruises including here in Australia. Q: What sort of volumes does an average ship get through in a typical year? A: The volumes of food are huge and P&O Cruises’ experience with its current fleet of three provides an excellent case study. In a typical year, P&O Cruises purchases 420,000kg of flour, 9000kg of coffee, 1.7 million kilograms of fresh vegetables, 1.2 million kilograms of fresh fruit, 340,000kg of beans and peas, 320,000 dozen fresh eggs, 100,000kg of butter, 200,000kg of ice cream, 800,000 individual yoghurts, 500,000 litres of milk, 380,000kg of fresh seafood, 500,000kg of beef, 70,000kg of lamb, 200,000kg of pork and 600,000kg of poultry. Q: Does the fact that you’re onboard a ship influence the design of your kitchens? A: When designing a ship's galley you have to take into account that a ship is subject to the movement of the sea, and the sheer volume of meals that need to be prepared each day. Many thousands of meals are prepared each day. Galleys are designed in a way to make the process from table to galley and back to the table as efficient and smooth as possible. From a physical standpoint cooktops have raised sides to keeps cooking pots and pans firmly in place and everything is locked down to prevent movement due to the action of the sea. OH

IN SEASON

Pears W

hile pears are available all year round, winter is peak season for many varieties of the fruit, with Corella available until August, and Packham’s Triumph, Beurre Bosc, Winter Nelis, Josephine and Red Anjou available until November.

“[There are] some areas of sunburn but mostly higher sugar content within the fruit. It’s definitely a better eating experience for consumers.” Crisera’s pick of the pear varieties this season are Packhams and Corella pears, which he says are “holding up very well with high sugar content”.

With a rich, sweet flavour and juicy flesh, pears are a welcome addition to any number of sweet or savoury dishes when poached, baked or sliced fresh into salads.

“To check if a pear is ripe, simply check the neck,” he says. “When ready to eat, the flesh around the neck will give when pressed gently.

Warmer than usual weather conditions have meant that this year’s crop can be expected to be extra sweet, according to Michael Crisera, technical manager at Victorian pear producer Kalafatis Fresh Produce.

If pears are not quite ready to use, try placing them in a brown paper bag with a banana – the natural gases the banana emits will hasten the ripening of the pear. Once pears are ripe, store in the fridge to keep them fresh. OH

“The warm, dry summer conditions definitely affected the crop,” he says.

July

August

• Apples

• Leeks

• Potatoes

• Apples

• Lemons

• Rhubarb

• Avocados

• Lemons

• Pumpkin

• Banana

• Mandarins

• Silverbeet

• Banana

• Mandarins

• Quince

• Beetroot

• Okra

• Spinach

• Beetroot

• Nashi

• Rhubarb

• Broccoli

• Onions

• Strawberries

• Broccoli

• Navel oranges

• Silverbeet

• Brussels sprouts

• Swede

• Brussels sprouts

• Olives

• Spinach

• Cabbage

• Oranges – Blood, Navel

• Cabbage • Carrots • Cauliflower

• Onions • Parsnips

• Sweet potato • Turnips

• Passionfruit

• Carrots • Cauliflower • Celeriac

• Celeriac

• Pears

• Celery

• Pomelo

• Cumquat

• Custard apples

• Fennel

• Grapefruit

• Jerusalem artichokes

• Kiwifruit

• Kohlrabi

• Leeks

14 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

• Parsnips • Pomelo • Potatoes • Pumpkin

• Sweet potato • Tangelos • Turnips • Witlof

SUSTAINABILITY

1-2 Cola farmers in Sierra Leone. 3 The All Good Organics range of ethical soft drinks.

Fair’s fair When Fairtrade International asked who’s the fairest of them all, the answer was New Zealand’s All Good Organics.

New Zealand drinks company has been named the world’s “fairest trader” by Fairtrade International.

The global not-for-profit organisation, which oversees 27,000 products that carry the Fairtrade mark in 120 countries, awarded All Good Organics, the company behind ethical soft drink Karma Cola, the international Fairtrade Trader award. The award was announced at the inaugural International Fairtrade Awards, which took place at the annual Fairtrade International General Assembly in Bonn, Germany, last month. The new Fairtrade Trader award recognises outstanding and special efforts from traders worldwide, especially those involved in innovative projects and programmes. According to the awards’ judges, the company deserved the win for having “demonstrated a strong commitment to Fairtrade and engagement with Fairtrade producers” and “having created an innovative Fairtrade product and for their significant contributions to the growth of Fairtrade sales and awareness”. “Karma Cola is an incredibly creative and innovative product that is giving cola nut farmers in Sierra Leone an international profile and market for a crop that traditionally has only been locally traded. Karma Cola is not just about cola. It’s a collaborative Fairtrade product that incorporates ingredients from a number of Fairtrade producers.” The soft drink was created to address the injustice in the fact that more than 1.7 billion cola drinks are consumed every day, yet very few contain real cola and the people who grow the name ingredient don’t get a cent, according to All Good founder and director Simon Coley. Proceeds from the sale of every bottle are returned to Boma village in Sierra Leone to help local cola farmers rebuild their lives in the 16 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

aftermath of the civil war that devastated the West African nation. “Karma Cola’s aim is to give a face and a voice, for the first time in the history of cola, to the people who grow its name ingredient in Sierra Leone,” Coley says. “There is little demand internationally for cola nut as the big corporate soft drink companies have long since substituted it with an artificial alternative and countries such as Sierra Leone, where it grows, have faced significant political turmoil and a 10-year civil war. “It took us about two years to connect with producers, perfect the Karma Cola recipe and get the project off the ground. It has been on sale in Australia for the last 18 months and has struck a cord with consumers. The design, taste and story of Karma Cola appears to be capturing people’s imaginations and sense of justice. “We believe Karma Cola really raises the bar for Fairtrade traders in both the creative brand development and the absolute integrity of our connection with producers, across a range of ingredients. “Once we have their attention, we have the opportunity to tell the story of real cola, its provenance and how a humble soft drink is helping to empower producers in the developing world through fairer trade.” Along with Fairtrade cola, Karma Cola's recipe features Fairtrade organic vanilla from Papua New Guinea, organic sugar cane from Paraguay and natural spices. The All Good Organics range of soft drinks also includes Gingerella Ginger Ale, made from organic ginger from Sri Lanka, organic vanilla and organic cane sugar, and Lemmy Lemonade, made from organic lemons and organic cane sugar. The range is available in selected venues in New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and London. OH

ORIGINS

imagined. As direct trade between the Roman Empire and India developed, the Arab monopoly came to an end. Pepper became the core of the European spice trade. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance pepper was highly valued and often presented as a gift, as payment for rent, dowries and bribes, and as a way to pay taxes. Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, writing in Peppercorn and Pepper History, states that, “pepper was considered so valuable that unscrupulous suppliers often mixed in mustard husks, juniper berries, and even floor sweepings and ground charcoal to stretch its value”. In 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached India and opened the trade route for pepper, along with many other spices. Once more trade routes were established, pepper’s popularity quickly spread throughout the world, where it became an invaluable ingredient in many cuisines. According to Stephanie Butler’s Off the Spice Rack: The History of Pepper, “at one time it accounted for a whopping 70 percent of the international spice trade. As it became more readily available, the prices dropped, and ordinary people were able to enjoy it”.

Pepper The most widely traded spice in the world, pepper has a rich history, discovers Anne Esteban.

staple item in today’s pantry, pepper was once a valuable commodity and a prized trade good, worth more than silver and gold. The Ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese prized it for its medicinal qualities, while the ancient Egyptians are said to have used it as part of the mummification process of pharaohs such as King Ramases II, who was found with black peppercorns inserted into his nasal cavities. Pepper is said to have been found more than 4000 years ago and cultivated as early as 1000 BC. Pepper is indigenous to the Malabar Coast of India, but grows well in all hot and humid tropical climates, and has been moving westward since its discovery. In the beginning the spice trade was largely carried out by camel caravans over land routes. But during the mid-7th century the rise of Islam saw these routes closed off with Arabic merchants enjoying a huge monopoly over an increasingly lucrative business. In order to protect the routes and

whereabouts of the valued spices, traders fabricated tales of the hardships they endured during their journey. Pepper remained largely unknown in Western Europe until the 15th century, during the period of the European “Age of Discovery”. By this time, navigational equipment had improved and long trips across the ocean became possible. The development of maritime trade routes resulted in enormous growth of the spice trade throughout the Indian Ocean, from India to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, and then to Europe. It wasn’t until the 1st century BC that a Greek merchant, Hippalus, discovered a secret the Arabic traders managed to keep hidden for almost a millennium. It turns out that the monsoons that help nourish India’s pepper vines actually change direction mid-year. Thus trips from the Red Sea coast of Egypt to India and back were far shorter and safer than previously

Often referred to as the “King of Spices”, pepper is the most widely traded spice in the world today. Vietnam is currently the largest producer of pepper, accounting for one-third of export globally, followed by Indonesia, Brazil and India. OH

Fast facts: • Peppercorns are fruit. The vine of the plant produces white flowers, which in turn produce peppercorns. • Ancient botanists believed that black and white peppercorns came from different plants, a misconception that lasted for centuries. However, black, white and green peppercorns all come from the same vine. Differences in colour and degree of flavour and aroma are the direct result of the different stages of maturity and processing methods. • Pink peppercorns are the dried berries of the Baies rose plant, mostly grown on Reunion and Madagascar. • Pepper contains an alkaloid called piperine, which irritates the nasal nerve endings and causes people to sneeze.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 17

HERBS, SPICES AND SEASONING

Home grown With fresh, locally sourced produce high on everyone’s menu radar, it is no wonder kitchen gardens are springing up everywhere, from a tiny patch of paved yard in the CBD to hectares of lush fields in the country, discovers Sheridan Randall.

iven the high cost of land in Sydney it is no wonder Sydneysiders make good use of every square metre they have at their disposal. Foodservice operators are no different, with many Sydney venues finding a way to grow their own herbs and veggies, whether it is in a milk crate or, if they are lucky enough, their own garden. Matt Moran’s Woollahra-based restaurant Chiswick is one of those fortunate enough to have a kitchen garden onsite big enough to justify having its own

dedicated gardener to tend to it and work with the restaurant’s chefs to decide how the fresh seasonal produce grown there can be incorporated into the menu. At the moment lavender, thyme, lemon thyme, marjoram, rosemary, flat leaf parsley, curly parsley and oregano are all being grown. “It does make a lot of difference having the herbs at arm’s reach,” says Chiswick’s head chef, Richie Dolan. “As long as they are picked properly we can have an

18 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

abundance of particular ones. “We have a fish dish on the menu that is wrapped only in garden herbs so it is quite simple but also quite special. During summer we have lots of purple basil which we use in a tomato salad which is quite attractive and appealing, as well as also using shiso in cocktails and salads.” Dolan works very closely with the gardener, generally planning up to three months in advance. “We are already talking about

spring options,” he adds. “I don’t feel as though we are overly liberal with the application of herbs; you still have to respect and think ahead. If you use too much one day, obviously you’re going to be short the rest of the week, especially in winter when the garden grows a little bit slower than summer.” There’s barely room to swing a cat in Sydney’s inner west but that hasn’t stopped Stanmore restaurant Sixpenny growing its own herbs and veggies.

Taking the best of both worlds, the restaurant has a small kitchen garden at the back of the restaurant, as well as access to a farm in the Southern Highlands of NSW. For head chef James Parry the kitchen garden wasn’t driven

so much by a desire for fresh produce as a love of gardening. “Also a couple of places I worked overseas had their own sort of gardens and seeing what you could grow was pretty incredible with the variety out there compared to what you

1-4 Stefano Manfredi making use of the kitchen garden at his retaurant at Bells at Killcare.

could purchase,” he says. “In the back garden we have two beds and some pots. It goes through phases. The last [few] summers we have grown edible flowers. We have taken those out and now we have a few types of lettuce, some red veined spinach

and some silverbeet. Outside of that we have purple mustard leaves, while on the farm we grow some brassica [mustard]. We also grow yacon which is a South American tuber, yellow raspberries, different varieties of potatoes, different types of

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 19

onion, and puntarelle, which is a different variety of chicory that you don’t see very often.” Another motivating factor for having a kitchen garden was the opportunity to cut down on the kitchen’s waste. “We probably have 100kg of peelings and that sort of stuff going into the bin [a week] and that always frustrated me,” he says. “Having a composting system down at the farm and making sure that gets utilised was very important. It was the next step in the role of a restaurant owner I guess. A lot of people consider their personal footprint and if they can control some of these things themselves that that is part of the sustainable process.” Growing your own is one way to get closer to nature, but the natural world can be fickle, with the weather and predators throwing curve balls from time to time. “We planted out the whole garden and I went away for a week and [on returning] everything had gone,” Parry says. “A possum had come in and eaten everything. I had to put up a fence and that set me back a bit but it is growing again now.

a horticultural encyclopedia – begonia, chia, winter basil, mustard, giant white mustard, Osaka purple mustard, komatsuna, olive plants, sorrel, mushroom plant, choko plant, pansy, wild celery, lovage, lemon thyme, garlic, pineapple sage, wormwood, gyraniums, nutmeg gyraniums, apple cider gyraniums, bergamot, lemon bergamot, winter purslane, chervil, chives, carrots, Chantenay carrots, beetroot, sugar beet – not to mention the 180 varieties of apple available at a nearby orchard. All of this comes without the help of dedicated gardener. The green thumbs all belong to the kitchen team. “Myself and Ben [Shewry] make sure there is no vacant space in the garden,” says Gunn. “We direct the kitchen team on how it needs to be maintained. All in all the whole kitchen team is responsible for the garden. Every

day the kitchen [team] goes over to the garden and picks for the evening service. Once a week we spend half a day in the garden doing a massive working bee to keep it in check.” The restaurant offers tours of the raised beds at the back of the restaurant for those diners that want to see exactly what they are eating. “Last summer we had 14 varieties of basil and did a dish with them and people came out to look and taste and touch it,” he says. “You can’t get that sort of stuff from suppliers. Liquorice, lime, clove flavoured basil – it’s crazy.” Given the choice available, the kitchen still makes sure that whatever is grown will supply the restaurant for at least a week. “If we grow something for the restaurant we need to have a vast amount of it,” he says. “One customer is as good as another,

The horticultural journey hasn’t just expanded what is available for diners, it has expanded the knowledge of everyone in the kitchen. “We started with a complete blank canvas,” he says. “We went from ordering carrots and beetroot to ordering mushroom compost and cow manure, and making out a recipe for a nice soil mix rather than a cake mix. “It’s all fully organic, we compost everything, as we have a closed loop organic composting machine which uses every piece of food waste, as well as paper. We started it over two years ago and have become a better restaurant because of it

1 Chiswick Restaurant. 2 Dandeloin is in season in the wild. 3 Mustard leaves at Attica. 4 Parsley. 5 Manfredi at Bells Restaurant.

“We offer little garden tours for those [customers] that are really interested. I grow corn every summer because one of my favourite things is to pick fresh corn. I’d almost serve it raw, and when I have picked it fresh that day I make sure I let our customers know about it.”

Melbourne’s Attica, the best restaurant in Australia according to S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants, is lucky enough to have a huge choice of home grown herbs and veggies thanks to the ample growing plots either in on near the Ripponlea restaurant. Listening to Peter Gunn, Attica’s sous chef, rattle off what’s currently growing in their plots seems more akin to reading

and so we don’t want to give someone something and not the other. It doesn’t sit well with us. There is no point planting asparagus, put it in [the ground] wait two years and then get enough asparagus for 10 people.”

20 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

a small family run organic farm based just north of Sydney in the Hawkesbury. Tim and Liz Johnstone have been farming since 2010 and supply Quay, as well as a number of other high end Sydney restaurants; with more than 30 different varieties of herbs, vegetables and edible flowers, many of which are heirloom or rare. “This time of year it is principally brassicas – rocket, radish and Chinese broccoli are the three main flowers we run with this time of year,” says Tim Johnstone.

[the garden].” For those restaurants outside of the city, the luxury of having a kitchen garden seems a natural fit. Manfredi at Bells Restaurant, on the NSW Central Coast, has ample land on which to grow many of the restaurant’s ingredients such as Romanesque cauliflower, sorrel, beetroot and carrots, lot of varieties of Italian winter lettuces, horseradish, potatoes, garlic, sweet potatoes, snow peas, passion fruit and parsley.

at the end of August, with things like rocket, broad beans, peas, artichokes and fennel. I look after the gardens but we have a gardener as well. We have fruit trees on the property as well.” Cansdell says that having a kitchen garden is “a big advantage” as it means plenty of fresh herbs, veggies and fruit.

“It’s a bit cold for herbs at the moment, just parsley, but in the summer we have enough herbs to supply the restaurant for all varieties,” says head chef Cameron Cansdell.

“The other side of it is we recycle all our green waste as compost which goes back into the garden,” he says. “Also you get to show diners interesting varieties that they don’t get to see in the shops. We do tours all the time and cooking schools and it’s all about what comes from the garden.”

“We start planting [for summer]

Johnstone’s Kitchen Gardens is

“They are quite a hardy plant and can be sourced all year round. Some of the other ones you can do include borage (starflower). Another thing we grow this time of year is pea flowers which are generally quite popular.” Working with Quay’s Peter Gilmore means getting some “pretty random requests”, says Johnstone.

“We do bean flowers for Peter, which is quite a large white flower,” he says. “We tried a purple bean flower, which is quite beautiful, but it fades quite quickly. After 12 hours in cool room it loses a lot of colour. Some of the other ones we do are nasturtiums and fresh camomile flowers. “It’s predominantly for plate appeal, but we also do a lot of garnish lines. One of the most popular is a salty ice plant. It’s an amazing little plant and looks as if it has ice crystals all over it and quite a salty crunchy sort of flavour to it. It took us a long time to develop it properly.” Despite foraging taking off in a big way with many chefs, Johnstone remains cautious, preferring the certainty that comes with either sourcing from a farm or growing your own. “You don’t know what pesticides or insecticides have been sprayed on the plants,” he says. OH

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Sydney-based naturalist and weed hunter Diego Bonetto is a big fan or foraging and shares his tips on what is available in nature’s back yard at this time of year: “Winter is a surprisingly bountiful time of the year in most of Australia, as lots of wild greens thrive in the relatively mild winters. Look for young dandelion (taraxacum) shoots and young dock leaves (rumex). The amazing wild mustard family (brassica) is out with tasty flowers right now and wild fennel, which is already starting to sprout new growth in the warmer places of Australia. As for natives, Warrigal greens are super juicy at this time of the year, a real treat. Finally, look out for the scotch thistles (cirsium) at the moment and for the next couple of months. Harvest the stalk and root before it goes to flower and have it raw on the spot with a little salt or soy sauce.”

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www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 21

FOOD WASTE

Watch the video in the Open House iPad app.

Waste not, want not With food waste a massive problem around the world, food rescue organisation OzHarvest, the United Nations and a group of Australian chefs have banded together to help raise awareness of the issues, writes Ylla Watkins.

he spotlight will be on food waste this month when food rescue organisation OzHarvest partners with the United Nations for a second year to raise awareness of the issues of food and nutrition security and sustainable food systems through a series of Think.Eat.Save events to be held on Monday, July 21. Collaborating with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the UN’s Food Agriculture Organisation’s

Global Initiative on Food Loss and Waste Reduction, OzHarvest’s efforts will see some of the nation’s best-known chefs, politicians and celebrities come together to serve thousands of members of the public a free meal made from surplus produce that would otherwise have ended up as landfill. The aim of Think.Eat.Save 2014 is to bring attention to the amount of food wasted in Australia and around the world, where roughly one third of food produced for

Facing food facts • Roughly one third of the food in the world produced for human consumption, about 1.3 billion tonnes, is wasted every year. • Consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) every year as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes). • When food is wasted, all the resources and inputs used to produce that food are also lost. For example, it takes about 1000 litres of water to produce one litre

22 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

human consumption is wasted, according to founder and chief executive of OzHarvest, Ronni Kahn. “Our modern day challenge is to create a sustainable food culture that can be shared by all, where we waste less at all levels of food production, distribution and consumption,” she says. According to Naysan Sahba, director of communications for UNEP, "In the next few years, food consumption is expected

of milk and about 16,000 litres goes into a cow’s food to make a hamburger. • In Australia, four million tonnes of food, worth around $8-10 billion, ends up in landfill every year. • Australians throw out the equivalent of one in every five bags of groceries. • Australia produces enough food to feed approximately 60 million people, yet two million people rely on food relief every year. • Nearly 90 per cent of food relief agencies in Australia reported not having enough food to meet total demand, with 60 per cent needing at least 25 per cent more food and 30 per cent needing twice as much.

James Vile, Frank Camora and Andrew McConnell, who will help serve the meals and “play a huge role in raising awareness about these issues via social media and through their channels”.

5 1 Kylie Kwong and chefs at last year's Feeding the 5000 lunch. 2 A volunteer helps chef Somer Sivrioglu make curry. 3 People line up for their free lunch. 4 Television presenter Peter Overton helps out. 5 Shaid Shah, Mars Food Australia; Therese Rein, patron of OzHarvest; Julia Dean, United Nations Information Centre; and Gadigal elder Uncle Chicka Madden.

to increase by around 30 per cent due to population growth, while the effects of climate change are expected to reduce agricultural yields by up to 5 per cent in some areas”. Cutting the rate of food loss and waste in half by 2050 would close this gap by 20 per cent. “To bring about the vision of a truly sustainable world, we need to transform the way we produce and consume our food, which effectively means the way we consume our natural resources," Sahba says. The Think.Eat.Save events are a practical way of demonstrating to the public “that surplus food that would otherwise end up in landfill, would be perfectly suitable for consumption”, according to Kahn. All of the meals served on the day will be made from surplus, second grade or misshapen produce “rescued” from local farms in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and food donors such as Brasserie Bread, Herbies Spices and Adelaide Central Markets. Dishes will include vegetable tagine, rice pilaf, soup and fruit crumble. “OzHarvest also delivers surplus food daily to 550 charities nationally, so if we have any surplus food on the day, the meals will be distributed to charities and agencies we service, that can’t attend the events,” adds Kahn. “Any organic food waste unable to be salvaged will be processed by the Closed Loop organic waste processing machine which will produce compost solution for our community garden.” Amongst the supporters of the event are a number of high profile chefs including Neil Perry, Matt Moran, Guillaume Brahimi,

Somer Sivrioglu, chef/owner of Sydney’s Efendy restaurant, has thrown his support behind the Think.Eat.Save initiative. He will join volunteers on the day to make babaganoush from rescued eggplants. “Commercial kitchens and in particular event kitchens are a big part of the problem,” he says. “Not only because of over-ordering but also because of customers turning up with less numbers or late cancellations. “Poor menu engineering where menus are written without planning wastage and use of off-cuts is another [problem].” While there is no one sized fits all solution for restaurants, a nose-to-tail philosophy on food waste sees Sivrioglu buy whole animals to minimise waste whenever possible. “Every time you buy a fillet of lamb, fish or chicken, you don’t only pay more than if you’re buying the whole animal but you miss out on secondary uses, such as stock or off cuts for mincing,” he says. “Living in a trend-driven society we are so focused on the next ‘in’ thing. When most chefs follow the trends it results in inflated costs on certain cuts and sees other discarded. Look at beef cheeks. I used to buy them at $2 a kilo; now they are graded as wagyu beef cheeks at $21 per kilo.”

Ways to cut waste Somer Sivrioglu, chef/owner of Sydney’s Efendy restaurant and OzHarvest ambassador shares his top tips for reducing food waste:

Store better. Vacuum food sealers used to be a very expensive piece of restaurant equipment reserved for molecular gastronomy when I started my restaurant; nowadays you can find great quality commercial models for under $500. They are great for portion control and preserving food for much longer in the fridge.

Use up leftovers. We always think of what you can do with leftovers. Day old bread is perfect for drying then blitzing to make breadcrumbs or for croutons. One of the best mezes of Turkish/Sephardic kitchens is kaskarikas, made with zucchini skins.

Look after your equipment. Properly working fridges are not only essential for food safety but also save you a lot of money in the long-run. Putting your fridges on a preventative maintenance program and changing seals every two years saves you stock, energy and the extremely expensive gas for the fridge.

Reducing the food wastage in your kitchen can also save money in another area, garbage disposal, points out Sivrioglu. “One of the most disregarded costs in a restaurant is garbage disposal,” he says. “Even if you are very good at recycling, general waste is where you get hit financially as landfill costs increase around 10 per cent every year. If you add the cost of washing, labour taking out the garbage, cleaning and disposables, it is clear there are far more extra costs in wasting food than the cost of the produce itself.” While there are currently no statistics specifically focusing on the amount of food waste originating in commercial kitchens, Kahn says that “food waste is an enormous issue throughout the supply chain”. “From the farm gate to manufacturers, retailers and consumers, there is still a lot to be done to tackle this huge problem,” she says. Making people aware that there is a problem is just the first step. OH www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 23

BEEF

Aged to perfection With an increasing number of diners looking for a more sophisticated steakhouse experience, Sydney’s Haverick Meats is offering a range of dry-aged cuts that will have customers coming back for more, writes Ylla Watkins.

ntil the 1970s when the advent of vacuum packing technology meant that meat could be “wet aged”, aged in a plastic bag while sealed off from air exposure, dryageing was the standard for ageing beef. While wet ageing is both simpler and less wasteful, not to mention more cost effective, there are many that would argue that it results in a less complex flavour profile than dry ageing. In Sydney, foodservice supplier Haverick Meats has installed a custom-designed temperature and humidity-controlled dryageing room, which the company says is an “industry first”, to provide correctly handled, dry-aged beef at the peak of its flavour. The resulting Haverick Certified Dry-Aged Beef boasts a nutty, buttery flavour that’s quickly earning a following amongst chefs and steak lovers alike. During the ageing process the beef forms a hard external crust and loses up to one third of its mass due to evaporation of moisture. Meanwhile enzymes in the meat break down and tenderise the beef, giving it its unique flavour. “By allowing the product to sit in a

controlled environment with the correct humidity, airflow and temperature, making sure all the bacterial levels are correct, you’re controlling how the product is getting older,” says Peter Andrews, chief executive of Haverick Meats. “The flavour profile is a lot more intense than a vacuum packed product. It’s a stronger, beefier flavour, almost nutty.”

“Different clients request different lengths of ageing,” he says. “We’ll age from four to six weeks, and we have aged cuts for up to eight weeks, however the longer you age the product the more moisture is removed from the beef, so it shrinks more and more. If you push it too long, it might also build up too strong a flavour for people’s palates.

The company favours Angus-Hereford cross beef, selecting from both grass and grain fed varieties, and cuts that are on the bone.

“Some of the steakhouses tend to like it aged a little bit longer, five, because they are really chasing that distinct flavour, but it’s not for everyone.”

“Whatever we put in the dry-ageing room we select very carefully,” he says. “The very best grass fed beef and the very best grain fed beef. The grain fed will be a 150 days grain fed, marble score 2 product; we find that’s a very good combination for dry ageing. The grass fed beef, always has great flavour, but at times it may not have the tenderness you see in the grain fed. “The bone adds protection to the beef during the dry-ageing process.” Havericks dry-ages its beef for up to six weeks, depending on customer requirements, with a more intense flavour developing over time.

24 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

Once aged, the crusty surface is trimmed off the beef, revealing the deep red beef inside. “While the product is inside the ageing room it becomes very firm on the outside, so there is quite a bit of skill and effort required to trim it all back and take all of that blackness away,” he says. “In some cases you’ve lost 20 to 30 per cent of the meat in wastage.” Havericks counts restaurants including The Oaks Neutral Bay, The Meat & Wine Co, Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse, The Cut Bar & Grill, Steersons Steakhouse, and Kingsleys Australian Steakhouse amongst its customers. According to Andrews, T-bone, rib eye on the bone, and sirloin on the bone

longer,” says Andrews. “The product has been sitting in the room, beautifully sealed from the outside, which makes it quite relaxed, but then when you put the high head on it, it tightens up a lot, so the resting period is important for it to relax again.”

but for the people who have developed their palate a little bit more, they’re looking for a bit more complexity.

3 1 A bone-in rib eye before the dry-ageing process. 2 The dry-ageing room at Haverick Meats. 3 Haverick Meats CEO Peter Andrews.

are the most popular cuts. Eric Tan, executive chef at Chophouse in Sydney’s CBD, offers a Riverine Premium dry-aged striploin on the bone to customers. “We classify it as one of our top steaks,” he says. “Being a dry-aged steak it does tend to have its own particular flavour. It’s like comparing a nicely aged cabernet sauvignon to a fairly young merlot. Everyone who likes to drink wine can definitely drink a merlot,

“We look at it as a connoisseur’s steak, something a little bit out of the ordinary, something for the guy who has had it all. We have also had people who aren’t big steak eaters who we’ve recommended it to and they’ve absolutely loved it.”

Andrews says they decided to call the product “certified” because their process was so much more stringent than other dry-aged products on the market.

While the flavour of the dry-aged product is the main difference, Tan also notes a difference in the texture.

“What we found was that while people are selling dry-aged beef, they didn’t have a purpose built room, they didn’t have the temperature control, they didn’t have the humidity control,” he says. “We’ve gone to the trouble of making sure we’ve done it properly, so when you buy it from us you know that the process has been done absolutely thoroughly.”

“Being a dry-aged product it tends to be firmer when you cut it with your knife,” he says. “As a dry-aged product it has had about 30 per cent of the moisture removed during the actual process, but what’s surprising is that when you put it in your mouth it still has that retention of moisture, that nice film that you get and marbling that occurs in these sorts of products.”

The dry-aged product is not for everyone, he adds.

As there is less moisture in the meat, Chophouse’s staff generally recommends that the steak be cooked no more than medium rare.

“It is pricier than your standard wet age product because of the wastage, and a lot of the products are bone-in products, which some restaurants can’t handle.

“Because some of the moisture has been lost the product tends to cook a little bit faster and you also need to rest it a little bit

“I tend to find its the more serious restaurants that are offering a couple of steak alternatives, that will have a go.” OH

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www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 25

AVOCADO ROADSHOW

1 Tasting plate. 2 Mark Jensen at Red Lantern. 3 Red Lantern’s wild boar and pickled avocado. 4 Red Lantern's avocado and coconut shake. 5 Hayden McFarland (left) with Woodland House co-owner Thomas Woods (right).

All round performer Avocados have often been seen as a cold dish staple for salads and guacamole, but a recent series of nationwide masterclass lunches aimed to showcase the versatility of this most fertile ingredient, writes Sheridan Randall.

he heralding of the cooler months signals an abundance of avocados, which given the nature of supply and demand results in cheaper prices. Getting ingredients onto the menu at the cheapest price is always a smart move, and with avocados chefs are set in to get more bang for their buck due to their often under looked versatility. Organised by Australian Avocados, the annual masterclass series invites restaurants across all states to incorporate avocado in a series of dishes, from starter to dessert. This year saw Clarke’s of North Beach in Perth, Melbourne’s Woodland House, Esquire in Brisbane, Sydney’s Red Lantern and Celsius in Adelaide take up the challenge with some inspiring results. Woodland House chef Hayden McFarland got playful with a prawn cocktail to start. “We made a bavarois of avocado to test its ability to emulsify and as a base ingredient,” he says. The next dish – oak smoked avocado, quail and bush pepper – was a variation of a dish on their current menu. “We wanted to try the technique to test the avocado’s acceptance of

26 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

flavours, in particular how porous it would be,” he adds. The main of ocean trout confit, avocado oil, salsify and watercress was followed with white chocolate, avocado and eucalyptus for dessert. “The idea [for dessert] seemed to come naturally due to the similar fattiness and mouth feel,” he says. “We added the eucalyptus for some freshness.” For McFarland, the aim of the lunch was to highlight the versatility of the produce. “The purpose of the class was to educate the industry on the scope of the avocado,” he says. “It wasn’t that long ago that we were eating avocados rock hard because we didn’t know what to do with them. Events like these can illustrate that it’s not all about salads and guacamole.” Mark Jensen, executive chef at Red Lantern, was familiar with avocado as a sweet ingredient but rose to the challenge for his savoury dishes with a menu that included avocado and chicken congee; avocado bahn bao with lobster and Vietnamese salad; wild boar, shrimp paste, lemongrass and chilli with pickled avocado and radish salad; and avocado and coconut shake, mung bean cake, avocado ice cream with

Braised pork jowl with chocolate avocado Serves: 4

Box fresh

Store whole, ripe avocados in the cool room uncut for two to three days. Exposed cut surfaces of avocado will not discolour if the fruit is sprinkled with lime juice, lemon juice or white vinegar but this can change the flavour profile of the fruit. The best method to preserve the natural colour is to wrap cut avocado tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate. 5

condensed milk crumb. With Asian cuisine using avocado in plenty of ice cream and milkshake recipes, Jensen opted to work with the variety of texture avocado offers. “What interested me today is actually working with the rock hard avocado,” he says. “That tends to be the avocado we buy when we go to the market, [as it] is very rare that the avocado is [bought] perfectly ripe and ready to work with. “[For] the congee [we] used a rock hard avocado and shaved it with a cheese grater to create that rice like size. Minimal flavouring, just avocado, fish sauce, shrimp paste and pepper, and the rest was driven the chicken stock.”

600g pork jowl 150ml olive oil or pork fat 1 onion, sliced 1 carrot, sliced 1 head garlic 2 tsp tomato paste 1.5l pork stock Salt and pepper to taste Bouquet garni 250ml red wine 250ml Madeira 250ml fresh orange juice 1 cinnamon stick 150g Michel Cluizel chocolate 78% 30g kaolin edible clay 40g lactose powder 1 avocado Place oil in a roundel. Make very hot then seal the seasoned pork until very dark brown. In a separate pan place more oil and brown the vegetables. Add tomato paste and sweat for 20 minutes. Add the Madeira, red wine, orange juice, cinnamon stick and stock, cook at 58°C for 12 hours. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, sieve the powders together and add slowly to the chocolate until the consistency of dust. Cut avocado in half, remove skin and stone. Cut into 6 wedges and dust with chocolate. Once cooked remove pork from oven and reduce the juices to glaze consistency. Place pork onto a plate and garnish with chocolate avocado. Recipe by Raymond Capaldi – Hare and Grace, Melbourne.

“The avocado in the salad was pickled for two days. After that the flavours get to dominant. Again I used a rock hard avocado and pickled it with sichuan pepper and cloves.” If there is one thing the diversity of dishes on offer at each of the masterclasses highlighted it is that avocado does not have to taste like an avocado. It can also fulfil a number of things – texture and colour – making them truly an ingredient for all menus. OH

Well hung

Originating from South America, avocados first arrived in Australia in 1840 in seed form, and were planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney. Known as the “testicle fruit”, avocados are now grown locally and can be sourced all year round, but are most abundant between March and November.

See video and recipes in the Open House iPad app.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 27

INGREDIENT WATCH

1 Emu egg. 2 Jonah’s Restaurant’s Elijah Holland. 3 The bird can reach up to 2 metres in height. 1

Crack on Diners are much more accepting of Indigenous flora and fauna on the menu, but emu is one option that still maintains novelty status, writes Sheridan Randall.

ew York restaurant Louro recently made headlines in the US when head chef David Santos put scrambled emu egg on his dinner and brunch menus. Despite a hefty price tag (the eggs cost him US$90 each) diners couldn’t get enough of it. Given the egg’s dramatic look – they are a teal green and hit the scales at almost a kilogram (the equivalent of 10 to 12 standard 50 gram chicken eggs) – it is no surprise Santos made sure his customers got a good look at one before it was cooked, presenting it to tables on a nest of fresh thyme and bay leaves. Here in Australia, the eggs come a little cheaper, less than $30, but the novelty remains. Jonah’s Restaurant, in Sydney’s Whale Beach, served emu egg ravioli with ricotta, spinach and crispy spiced duck tenderloin as a special on their menu recently, and sold out on the first night.

The recipe came from junior sous chef Elijah Holland, who had been offered the eggs out of the blue.

a duck egg and chicken egg in terms of richness”, he wasn’t sure it was going to sell, so like Santos he threw in a little bit of theatre.

“I wanted to do something where I used up the entire emu egg, so I did an emu egg yolk centre ravioli, with some crispy ‘KFC’ style duck tenderloins, duck jus with a little bit of duck fat, pickled onion and leek ash,” he says.

“I put an egg on display in the restaurant in a little bit of hay, and it actually sold out on the first night,” he says.

“I made the pasta out of the whole emu egg and saved the yolk, which is like three quarters of the actual egg. I whisked that up with a little bit of duck fat and salt, and then froze it into little pearls. Then I made a mixture of silverbeet, ricotta, chilli and nutmeg and formed that into a half sphere and placed the yolk right into the middle of it and froze that, and then made these big raviolo and put one inside each.” Describing the yolk as “between

28 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

“I thought I might have a bit of a problem [with it] being a native Australian animal but it went off like hot cakes. It was really good.” Bojan Grdanovic, sales manager at hospitality equipment supplier Southern Hospitality, was the man who supplied Holland with the eggs. As a former chef, Grdanovic says that he was unsure if there was any market for emu eggs at all. “My curiosity drew me towards it to try something new,” he says. Sourcing the eggs from an emu farm in New South Wales, he gets them packaged and freighted overnight. Then comes the task of

selling them. “All I had to do was walk in and say ‘this is an emu egg, it costs $28, would you like one?’,” he says. “It’s just a matter of showing people [what they look like]. “It’s very dense, and isn’t suitable for frying. If you break the components down, for something like pasta, you get that intense and complex flavour coming through. You can add the yolk through a pasta dish at the end; you end up with a really rich flavour. It’s just a matter of how you treat it.” Despite the hefty price tag, Grdanovic says that when you break it down an emu egg offers as much value as free range chicken eggs, with Jonah’s Restaurant getting 12 covers out of the one egg. “New ingredients always inspire young chefs, they love it,” he says.

Emu photo by Benjamint444.

Emu egg yolk raviolo, crisp spiced duck tenderloins, silverbeet, ricotta, leek ash, pickled onions and duck jus Serves: 12

new

Emu egg pasta 500g plain flour 250g emu egg, whisked Pinch of salt Tspn olive oil Filling 1 emu egg 100g melted duck fat Bunch of silverbeet 500g ricotta, blended in food processor till smooth Nutmeg, finely grated Lemon zest, finely grated Garlic, finely sliced Espellette pepper Pickled onions Onions, finely sliced into rings 500g sugar 500mls white vinegar 250mls of water Sprig of thyme Bay leaves Peppercorns Leek ash 1 leek Chive oil Bunch of chives 150ml grape seed oil Crisp fried duck tenderloins 12 duck tenderloins Spiced flour mix (smoked paprika, corn flour, plain flour, cumin powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper) 200ml buttermilk To make the pasta, place flour into a blender, add emu egg, oil and salt. Once the mixture comes together tip out and work pasta until you push the dough and it springs back. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour. For the filling, separate egg yolk from the white, place into a metal bowl and whisk in melted duck fat. Season with a little salt

and pipe into small half sphere moulds. Place in freezer until frozen. Remove silverbeet leaves from stem and steam for 4 minutes. Remove and refresh. Remove from water and squeeze all excess water from it, then chiffonade. Sauté garlic in a large flat pot until it caramelises slightly. Add silverbeet followed by a little nutmeg, lemon zest and espellette pepper. Sweat for 3-4 minutes. Adjust seasoning and place on flat tray. Allow to cool in fridge. Add half the blended ricotta and place in a larger half sphere mould leaving a little well in the centre. Place the frozen emu egg half spheres in the centre of the silverbeet and ricotta mixture. Cover the yolk with a little more ricotta mixture and place in the freezer to freeze.

to boil. Pour over onion rings then place immediately in fridge to chill. Remove the root from the leek, split down the middle and wash thoroughly. Place in an oven in aluminium foil and cook until completely blackened. Place in food processor to turn to fine ash. Halve chives and place in high speed blender. Bring grape seed oil to 85oC, pour over chives in blender, and blend thoroughly but quickly until mixture turns bright green. Place in a metal bowl over ice and whisk until cooled thoroughly. Strain through an oil filter.

GLUTEN FREE CHICKEN GRAVY MIX The perfect finish for all chicken dishes

Place duck tenderloins in spiced flour mixture, dip in buttermilk and then into the spiced flour again. Deep fry at 180oC until crispy and golden brown.

Using a pasta machine roll out the pasta dough. Lay down one sheet of pasta and place silverbeet half-spheres spaced out evenly on the pasta. Brush around the spheres with a small amount of egg wash, place another layer of pasta on top of the filling encasing them (making sure no air is under them). Cut the raviolo to the desired size and place in a bed of semolina. Refrigerate until needed.

To assemble, place raviolo into a large pot of heavily salted water for 4 minutes. Heat some duck jus and duck fat in a sauce pot. Place some pickled onions in the bottom of a bowl or plate, and spoon a little of the duck jus into the bottom of the plate. Remove the raviolo from the water and place on a flat tray, drizzle with chive oil followed by a dusting of leek ash. Place on top of onions and jus followed by 3 pieces of crispy tenderloins. Garnish with a little frisée and serve.

Place sugar, white vinegar and water in a pot with thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns, and bring

Recipe by Elijah Holland, Jonah’s Restaurant OH

Get a FREE* gravy sample pack

maggi-professional.com.au *Limited to first 500 requests.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 29

NESTLÉ GOLDEN CHEF’S HAT

Launch pad For young chefs starting out on their professional journey competitions such as the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award offer a chance to not only to test their mettle against their peers, but also open up a world of culinary possibilities that can lead to the very top of the global hospitality food chain, writes Sheridan Randall.

t’s almost half a century old and ranks as the longest running culinary competition in Australia, but the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award is more popular than ever. A record number of up and coming young chefs have entered the Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award 2014, up 30 per cent from last year, with the winning team (to be announced in September) heading off to France for the world’s most prestigious cooking competition, the Bocuse d’Or World Finals, to see the best chefs in the world cook

objective is the same now as it was in 1965 – skills development.

for the ultimate title and be mentored and trained by Bocuse d’Or Australian candidate Shannon Kellam.

“Our objective has always been to make more possible for young chefs, by offering them a springboard for their career development and inspiring them to do well in the industry,” he says.

The competition offers young chefs the chance to find out where they are as a chef, by pitting them against their peers and benchmarking their cooking skills, and has over the years been a spring board to some pretty remarkable careers. Mark Clayton, executive chef at Nestlé Professional, who runs the cook-offs in partnership with the Australian Culinary Federation, says the

Richard Ousby, 31 When: er, 2005 National Winn th) ou Queensland (S What else: Overseas 2005 Queensland ship recipient Foundation Scholar g Chef of the Year for Excellence Youn e tit pe Ap x olu ctr 2011 Ele g Chef of the Year & Acqua Panna Youn 2012 S. Pellegrino Where now: slated to head up isbane, Ousby was Br se ou eh ok St at Haandel Group Currently head chef a House before the er Op ey dn Sy the t at ef at Sydney’s Quay the new restauran ar stint as sous ch ye ee thr a . d ha o als ide Inn, in Bray, UK had to pull out. He Roux at The Waters el ch Mi for d rke hen and prior to that wo world out there. W ed my eyes to the en op t] t’s Ha s tha d ef' an Ch ills as a chef “[Nestlé Golden d of expose your sk kin u yo d el an e lev ov s pr thi want to im you compete at nt to do that if you rta po im it’s a lly d ua an eq ground challenging, but t is a solid learning é Golden Chef’s Ha the industry and in s er pe be better. The Nestl judged by your ing Be nt. re. me on vir oster, that’s for su very nurturing en e is a confidence bo tim the at u yo nd d ou an ar ng the best chefs just be humming alo oards you. You could greater ng thi me so o It definitely springb int it launches you d an s thi e lik ng ay from. Winning take on somethi ht yourself years aw ug tho ve ha u’d yo that otherwise ens doors.” t Award definitely op the Golden Chef’s Ha

30 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

“The Golden Chef’s Hat Award is a great foundation experience for young chefs. They step out of their comfort zone to do things they don’t otherwise do and are given great networking opportunities.” OH

Stewart Wesson, 25

When:

2009 National Finali

st, South Australia

What else: 2012 Electrolux Ap petite for Excellenc e Young Chef of the Year Winner 2012 Restaurant and Catering Awar d South Australian Ch ef of the Year 2012 Australian Cu linary Olympics Junior Team, Erfur t, Germany 2013 competed in the San Pellegrino Young Chef of the year for Australia, in Venice, Ita

Where now: Currently head chef and co-owner of Th e Flinders Project, Adelaide. Previously in head chef at Public and prior to that he at Bridgewater Mill, ad chef both in Adelaide. “What I got most ou t of the Golden Chef' s Hat Award experie was the networking nce and the chance to me et people throughou industry that I would t the n’t have met otherw ise. I am still friends chefs today that I co with mpeted against in 2009. The Golden Award helped launc Chef’s Hat h my career in ma ny ways – it helped me recognised for the get Australian Junior Cu linary Team, which me to travel around all ow ed the world competing for Australia,” includ culinary Olympics hig ing the hlight in Germany in 2012.

Libby Green, 22 When: 2013 National Winner, Tasmania Where now:

, 24

Shane Middleton When:

r– National Winne Australia

2009 & 2010,

Western

What else: pics Junior n Culinary Olym 2012 Australia rmany Team, Erfurt, Ge Where now: Dinner chef de partie at Currently demi on. He was enthal, in Lond Beach, Perth. by Heston Blum arke's of North Cl at ef ch us so e chance to previously junior t Award I got th Ha ’s ef Ch rs en ld National Winne winning the Go in 2010 (2009 ile “On the back of Ch in en ss th re ss) and S Global Cong al youth congre go to the WAC ralia in the glob st Au in 2011 g o tin ag en ic es otters in Ch Prize Trip, repr ier at Charlie Tr ag r to be a st da a ra do e th to got me on so al got the chance It ). ip Tr portunities l Winners Prize 2012. These op in (2010 Nationa am Te or ni Ju e door for me to pic Culinary ion, opening th ss part of the Olym re og pr er re us chef and then rated my ca nts as junior so definitely accele ra au st re p to it gave me e of Perth’s . The confidence on land a job at on nd Lo in al th industry works ston Blumen everyone in this rd at Dinner by He ha w ho at ng ei pecially se standards – th to the highest was amazing, es is g in uc od pr what you’re and being told eless.” ic feedback is pr

Commis chef at The Tasting Room, Franschhoek in South Africa. “Winning Golden Chef's Hat Award was the stepping stone for the next chapter of my career. The confidence I have gained from it has enabled me to tackle challenges head on that I thought I couldn’t have achieved before winning. It’s also shown me where I do need to improve my ability as a chef and how to go about doing that.”

Richard Pascoe, 24 When: 2011 National Finalist, Queensland (South) What else: 2012 Australian Culinary Olympics Junior Team, Erfurt, Germany 2013 Bocuse d’Or Team Australia commis chef 2014 Roux Scholar National Finalist (UK) Where now: Oulton Hall (De Vere Hotels) and Feversham Arms, both in Yorkshire, UK. Previously chef at The Brisbane Club.

Matthew Wy

nn, 26

When: 2011 Nationa l Winner and 2010 National Fina list, Queensl and (South) What else:

“Having prepared for this competition three times, it has fine-tuned my organisational skills and planning; the ability to work under any level of pressure; and as a result has definitely improved my confidence in and out of the kitchen. The knowledge that is available to take on-board from this and other competitions is phenomenal.”

2012 Culinar y Olympic Ju nior Team Squad, Erfurt , Germany

Where now : Currently nigh t chef on a m obile drilling rig ca mp, Wynn w as previously so us chef at W ilson’s Boath commis chef ouse and prio at The Brisb r to that ane Club. “Winning Nes tlé Golden C hef’s Hat was rewarding an one of the m d gratifying ex ost periences of an array skill m y life. It taug s including w ht me orking togeth communicat er in a team ion and care , clear ful organisati helped push on to execut me into the m ing a plan. It indset that I of the other could achieve young chefs anything. All I got to mee were extrem t through the ely well skilled co m petition and highly m whom I’m st otivated peop ill good friend le – some of s with today. ”

ood, 19

Daniel Garw

When: Tasmania al Winner, n o ti a N 3 1 20 : What else hef finalist hip d to be a C al Scholars 2013 Prou Internation rt a b o H d Slow Foo w: viously an Where no Hobart. tes, and pre is g ra a G tel, both in t o a H f e rt ch A s is e Comm iving me nry Jon career by g f at The He e y m ch p u ce ti t n e appre on and Award s e competiti Chef’s Hat th n g e in in ld n o in G w e efs like Ala w after “Winning th nowned ch Europe. No re in d rl s o ct w n e ta r h n e kitc und fantastic co alk into any Inn to work el I could w Waterside fe e I th ) t ip a tr g in ze be hef’s pri 3 Golden C Roux (201 .” job done and get the

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 31

REGIONAL SNAPSHOT

1 Hot air balloons over Yarra Glen. 2 Chateau Yering. 3 Cheese tasting at De Bortoli Estate. 4 Local produce on display at Yering Station. 5 De Bortoli Estate. 6 A wine tasting platter at Domaine Chandon.

The Yarra Valley Renowned for its cool climate wines, Victoria’s Yarra Valley is also a hot destination for food lovers, writes Ylla Watkins.

ome to Victoria’s first vineyard, Yering Station, established in 1838, the Yarra Valley is one of the state’s best known wine regions, renowned for its cool climate wines, particularly pinot noir and sparkling wines. In addition to the family-run Yering Station, more than 40 cellar doors across the region are open for tastings, including award winners Rochford Wines, Tokar Estate, Domaine Chandon, Coldstream Hills and De Bortoli, offering plenty of choice. Yering Station is also home to the popular Yarra Valley Farmers’ Market, which is

held on the third Sunday of every month. Established more than 12 years ago by the Yarra Valley Regional Food Group, the market is the longest running market in Victoria and a great place to shop for fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, as well as locally made goodies including freshly baked bread, biscuits and pies, unusual jams, preserves and sauces, honey, free-range eggs, homemade pastas and fruit vinegars. Of particular note are the region’s berries and stoned fruit, freshwater trout, salmon and associated products, and artisan dairy products. The Yarra Valley Dairy, which

32 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

uses cows and goats milk from the local area and nearby Gippsland, is renowned for its fresh, soft cheeses made in the Italian and French style, with cheeses such as marinated chevre medallions and Persian fetta popular with local chefs. Mathew Macartney, executive chef of Eleanore’s Restaurant at Chateau Yering, which has one chef’s hat in The Age Good Food Guide, says that access to seasonal local produce is one of the best parts of working in the Yarra Valley. “Our goal is to cook within the seasons,” he says.

DIARY DATES

VIEW FROM THE KITCHEN

The Rocks Aroma Festival July 27, 2014

Wake up and smell the coffee with a monthlong programme of events ahead of this year’s festival. Workshops cover every facet of coffee adoration, from alternative slow brew methods to latte art. Visitors to the festival can sample the wares at more than 65 stalls. www.therocks.com

Fireside Festival August, 2014

Mathew Macartney, executive chef, Eleanore’s Restaurant, Chateau Yering

Favourite local seasonal ingredient: Jerusalem artichokes. We get them from Healesville, and have them growing in our garden as well. We use them for roasting and pureed. They’re just a really nice sweet root vegetable.

Must-have kitchen gadget: Probably the [Vitamix] Vita-Prep high speed blender. We use it for all of our purees, gels, you name it. It creates a really nice fine puree.

Secret food indulgence: When truffles are in season I don’t mind scrambled eggs with grated truffle on them.

Favourite farmers market: It would have to be the one next door at Yering Station. I get over there a bit to see what’s going on and talk to the producers.

Most over-rated ingredient: I’d have to say micro herbs. They get a flogging. Some of the grains. Any ingredient that is over-hyped; where everyone suddenly says “we need to use it”.

Food heros: Raymond Capaldi [Hare & Grace, Melbourne] because he’s a bit of an unsung hero. Mateo Pignatelli [Matteo’s, North Fitzroy] – I like his business acumen; he’s a very smart operator. And I like Alla Wolf Tasker [The Lakehouse, Daylesford] for the same reason. Alla has run a successful business for about 30 years now; she’s very smart about what she does and creates a great culture.

Overall philosophy on food: Make sure it’s tasty first of all. And keep it interesting. You don’t want to be cooking something guests can cook at home for themselves. You want to present them with something new, exciting and interesting that they’re willing to part with their hard earned cash with. 6

Best advice you’ve been given: You’re only as good as your staff. OH

The Fireside Festival, held in Canberra and its neighbouring villages, is winter’s cosiest celebration of food and wine. Sip on cool climate wines, taste regional delicacies, meet passionate local artists, or just relax in front of an open fire. www.visitcanberra.com.au/event/fireside-festival

Barossa Gourmet Weekend August 15-17, 2014

A three-day celebration of the best of the Barossa, this year’s event features more than 35 food and wine events. Events include long lunches and dinners, cooking classes and wine master classes, as well as family friendly events and entertainment. www.barossagourmet.com

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 33

COOKING THE BOOKS

Stuff ’em Finding inspiration in both home-style cooking and authentic street food, Egyptian-born chef Suzanne Zeidy shares her take on modern Middle Eastern food in her new book.

Freekah-stuffed peppers Serves: 4-6

or this recipe, red and yellow peppers are stuffed with a seasoned freekah mixture and put back in the oven. The presentation of this dish is beautiful and it can be served either at room temperature or hot as a kind of “mahshi”. For the filling 500g freekah 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 red onion, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 100g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 litre vegetable stock 80g slivered almonds 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the peppers 8 large yellow and red peppers 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, sliced 1 tomato, sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the dressing

over a medium heat until softened, but not browned. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and drained freekah and stir to combine. Add salt, to taste, and the allspice, cinnamon and stock, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 35 to 40 minutes until the grains are tender.

To make the dressing, combine the buttermilk with the yogurt and add the oil, lemon juice and then the shredded mint and combine well.

Toast the almonds by placing in a dry frying pan and stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn golden brown, then finely chop.

To serve, cover each plate with the yogurt dressing and carefully place a filled pepper on top. Serve hot or at room temperature.

2 teaspoons buttermilk

Remove the filling from the heat and stir in the fresh coriander and chopped almonds.

50ml natural yogurt

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2 teaspoons olive oil

Carefully cut the top off each pepper and set aside, then remove the seeds and core of the peppers. Brush inside and out with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon shredded fresh Mint Soak the freekah for 1 to 2 hours. In a pot, sauté the garlic and onion in the oil

Set the pepper tops on the filled peppers and pour a little water onto the onion and tomato. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Spread the onion rings and sliced tomato over a baking tray and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Stand the peppers in the tray and stuff each pepper full with the freekah mixture.

34 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

Image and recipe from Cairo Kitchen by Suzanne Zeidy (Hardie Grant Books, $49.95).

What’s on shelf this month? My Petite Kitchen

Book of Tripe

Favourites

by Eleanor Ozich Murdoch Books, $39.99

by Stephane Reynaud Murdoch Books, $49.99

by Gary Mehigan Lantern, $49.99

One of New Zealand’s best known foodies, Eleanor Ozich believes in food that nurtures both body and soul without compromising on favour. Containing more than 100 gluten-free, wholefood recipes, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, this is “good for you” cooking at its best. Many of the dishes can also be adapted to suit additional special diets such as dairy-free.

With interest in nose-to-tail enjoying an upsurge in interest in recent years, French chef Stephane Reynaud has put together a collection of recipes to showcase the versatility of offal. Each chapter covers a different ingredient, from brains to sweetbreads and, of course, tripe, and includes clear definitions, cooking instructions and tips for accompaniments. Classic presentations are included along with more contemporary ideas.

Inspired to make a list of his all-time favourite dishes, chef, restaurateur and MasterChef judge Gary Mehigan has come up with just over 100 recipes collected over a lifetime of being obsessed with food. Ranging from childhood classics such as his mum’s lamb hot pot and the family-friendly meals he cooks for his wife and daughter to menu selections from his restaurants, this book offers an insight into the chef’s tastes. OH

Get it while it’s hot! Open House is now available as an iPad app, offering even more ways to enjoy industry news, views and feature stories on the key issues and trends affecting the hospitality industry. This exciting free app is packed with bonus extras including recipes, behind-the-scenes videos and interactive features. Updated monthly, the Open House iPad app is available to download free at the iTunes app store or www.openhousemagazine.net.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 35

PRODUCTS

Yum cha solutions

The full Brazilian

The Tasty Bites Series, from the Asian Food Solutions Range by Hanabi, includes five yum cha style products, including pork and chicken potstickers, mini BBQ pork buns, chive and pork dumplings and Korean seafood patties. The products are made in Australia (except for the seafood patties) and free from added preservatives and artificial colours. They come in four 1kg packs per carton for added convenience and ease of portion control. ● www.markwellfoods.com.au

Brazil has long been known for its aromatic, finely flavoured cocoa beans but now Callebaut is elevating South America’s finest to a new level with the launch of its new Brazil Single Origin Chocolate. Sourced from the Atlantic tropical forests of Bahia, the Belgian chocolate maker has crafted an aromatic chocolate couverture that invites chefs to experiment with flavour pairings. Boasting an intense taste and superb tropical fruity flavours, the chocolate pairs perfectly with nutty and spicy ingredients such as almonds, peanuts, cashew, orange zest and honey. ● www.callebaut.com

Wild about crab

Now with crunch

New to the Australian market, Seavory is wild caught and handpicked crab meat that has been pasteurised to protect the delicate aroma, flavour and texture of its 100 per cent blue swimmer crab. The taste is so similar to fresh crab that in blind tastings with professionals they found it difficult to discern any difference. Imported from its HACCP-certified facility in Java, Indonesia, the product is tinned and must be kept refrigerated at all times. ● www.seavory.com.au

Ingham has introduced fully cooked Southern Style Chicken Pieces, which come with a spicy, crunchy crumb. With a similar flavour profile to Ingham’s Devil Wings, Southern Style Chicken Pieces are quick and easy to prepare; just reheat from frozen in the oven or deep fryer and they’re ready to serve. Ingham Southern Style Chicken Pieces are ideal for centre of plate meals, as a salad or as a takeaway option. ● www.inghamsfoodservice.com.au.

36 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

All night long

Fresh from the farm

Black Velvet Coffee Roasters have launched a new seasonal blend, Night Swimming. A quality medium level roast, the blend suits both black and milk based coffees and all brewing techniques. The roast offers clean hazelnut aromas, a hint of spice, subtle acidity and a long clean finish. Black Velvet Coffee Roasters owner and head roaster Darren Silverman said he was inspired by the sweet finish and notes of dark chocolate that are typical of a traditional Melbourne blend. “We want to give all coffee drinkers the delicious coffee experience synonymous to Melbourne cafes,” he said. ● www.blackvelvetcoffee.com.au

Springhill Farm has introduced a new premium range for foodservice. The Springhill Pantry range includes four delicious sharing slices: apricot, apple and hazelnut, raspberry and almond, chocolate brownie with crimson raisin, and date and pecan. The range will be available pre cut in cryo-vacced packs to ensure optimal freshness and with an extended shelf life for ease of handling and minimal waste. ● www.springhillpantry.com.au

Slow and steady

Live reporting

Slow cooking meat, dehydrating vegetables and proving dough are just some of the possible uses of the new SlowTop ovens in the ChefTop range. The XVL595, XVL585 and XVL385 SlowTop ovens are an effective support in the kitchen that can be used as holding cabinets during service with a working temperature of 70°C and the humidity needed to safely hold the food until it will be served. Easy to clean and operate, the ovens are managed electronically through the ChefTouch digital control panel of the ChefTop oven that they are linked to. ● www.unoxaustralia.com.au

OrderMate have developed a live mobile reporting app, Control Centre, enabling foodservice operators to see their live sales for the day, week and month, with comparisons to the previous period available. The app also provides the dollar value of surcharges, discounts, no sales and deletions. Profit and loss queries are easily answered with real time data. The Control Centre App is available exclusively to OrderMate customers on their smart phones. ● www.ordermate.com.au OH

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, July 2014 37

PROFILE

Full circle Trippas White Group’s head chef, Nick Whitehouse, has what can only be described as a an eclectic CV, with stints at Michelin starred restaurants, as personal chef to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, an appearance on MasterChef Professional and a spell as a dive instructor all under his belt. Sheridan Randall spoke to him to find out how that diversity has shaped his culinary philosophy.

he moment Nick Whitehouse opens his mouth you know where he hails from. He might as well have a bulldog tattooed on his arm, given the strong English accent he still speaks with despite his career taking him across the globe and living in Australia for many years. Whitehouse is no shrinking violet, which is possibly why he has found himself in some rather unusual roles – he cooked for the wedding of the head chef from The Fat Duck, was private chef to some of the rowdiest members of California’s rock royalty, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, (describing them as “lovely chaps”) and was one of the contestants on MasterChef Professional. This varied career had its beginning as an apprentice in London, where Whitehouse cut his teeth in a plethora of Michelin starred restaurants, before heading off on a culinary adventure that saw him work in France, Holland and Thailand. “Constantly being placed under a huge amount of pressure by some of the best chefs in London shaped me as a chef by making consistency paramount,” he says.

chefs have no interest in using them so it sorts the men out from the boys! “I tend to look at ingredients, or part of an ingredient, forgotten or overlooked by the masses. As part of my creation process, as well as heavily drawing on seasonal ingredients, I love scouring the shelves in Asian supermarkets for interesting produce to play with, and understand, so I can further evolve my repertoire.” Whitehouse arrived in Sydney in 2009 and worked at Koi restaurant, Wildfire and Flying Fish. He also took a year off from the kitchen to work as dive instructor. “Over that year I missed cooking so much I returned with more passion and drive to continue my quest for the pursuit of deliciousness,” he adds. Now working with Trippas White’s executive chef John McFadden to oversee the menus at the Group’s venues across Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Canberra, as well as the menu development of its numerous catering contracts, Whitehouse says that “no two days are the same”.

“Working in high-end restaurants also contributed [to my culinary education] as the menu changed every day and I was constantly pushed to the edge yet still produced beautiful food.”

“My role is to implement the company’s food philosophy, to design and execute special projects and events, and to reinforce consistency across our venues,” he says.

The rigours of high end dining combined with the expansion of his culinary horizons while travelling have been pivotal in shaping his culinary outlook.

“I am constantly working to be creative and innovative with our chefs, which puts a big smile on my face.”

“Travelling the globe extensively gives you the real life experience of tasting a culture and its food, particularly street food,” he says. “As for shaping a philosophy, using authentic ingredients when creating ethnic dishes is a must.” Whitehouse is a big fan of nose-to-tail eating, utilising many of the less popular cuts in his dishes. “I really enjoy the challenge of secondary cuts from a butchering point of view and the vastly differing cooking techniques,” he says. “Lazy 38 Open House, July 2014 www.openhousemagazine.net

With each venue encouraged to create their own point of difference, Whitehouse and McFadden work closely with each venue’s kitchen team “to produce awesome food”. “We mentor them to become stronger and on top of their game and to encourage them to always think creatively and innovatively so they continue to develop as chefs,” he says. This philosophy sits neatly with Whitehouse’s own journey as a chef, with his sometimes long and winding culinary path seemingly now coming full circle. OH

AUSTRALIAN CULINARY FEDERATION NEWS

Competition frenzy C

ongratulations to the NSW, ACT and Regions Culinary Team for their success in New Zealand at the Pacific Gourmet Challenge. The senior team finished with bronze, however the stars of the show were the junior team (Oliver Ferguson and Tang Hou Chin) winning gold. Success was had in Norway at the WACS Congress with Pacific Rim entrant Jiemin Aw from New Zealand placing third in Global Pastry Chefs Challenge. Shannon Kellam from Queensland competed in the Global Chef Challenge, and is to be congratulated on his efforts in such a high calibre competition. WACS president Gissur Gudmundsson awarded Western Australia president Patrick O’Brien the President’s award for education for his service to the industry. WACS Continental director Glenn Austin completed his final term representing the Pacific Region and has handed the reigns over to Murray Dick from New Zealand. Austin was also honoured with Life Membership of WACS. With half the year gone and the competition season in full swing, the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF) is starting to

focus on the organisation of a new series of master classes and social events across Australia that will be organised by the ACF office and executive board. ACF Victoria has released the criteria for The Australian Culinary Challenge to be held at Fine Food Australia in Melbourne, in September. We will see Fonterra’s Battle of the States once again, which is tipped to be bigger than ever with a Canterbury Regional Team from New Zealand set to compete along with defending champions Queensland. Rare Medium Chef of the Year has been included for the first time at The Australian Culinary Challenge. With a new format and $5000 in cash and prizes to be won the stage has been set for a great week of competitions. Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Regional Finals are winding up and the winning teams are well into preparation for the national final to be held in Melbourne, in September. With a record numbers of entries this year, the competition has been intense and the top eight teams have well deserved their place in the final.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Neil Abrahams Australian Culinary Federation (ACF)

It is also a great pleasure to announce that Rare Medium (Meat & Livestock Australia) has signed a new sponsorship agreement with the ACF once again. OH

ON THE MOVE InterContinental Hotels Group have announced the appointment of Julien Pouteau as executive chef at the InterContinental Double Bay. Pouteau joined IHG and InterContinental Sydney in the position of executive sous chef in August 2010.

Neil Perry and the Rockpool Group have announced they will open a burger restaurant at Sydney’s World Square in late October. Called the “Burger Project”, Perry reportedly hopes to expand the concept into Melbourne, Brisbane and potentially Perth and Dubai.

Chef Warren Turnbull will open a branch of his successful Chur Burger in Brisbane along with a new roof top bar, called Up. Both venues will be located in TRYP Fortitude Valley Hotel, set to open later this month. Chur will offer a range of burgers, snacks and larger plates.

InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort has announced the appointment of Chris McLeay as sous chef for Cove Cafe and the resort’s signature restaurant The Fireplace. McLeay has previously been working as chef de partie alongside executive sous chef Parashuram Pathak.

Head chef Ryan Hong heads up the team of new bistro and bar, Abode. Hong has previously been sous chef at Parkroyal Darling Harbour, Sydney’s Bakers restaurant and brings with him over 10 years experience.

Joey Ingram will head up the kitchen at the newly opened Bistro Mint in The Mint, a joint offering from Sydney Living Museums and Restaurant Associates. Ingram designed the French menu with Sebastien Lutaud, general manager cuisines for Restaurant Associates.