FLAVOURS
of the Gympie region
Welcome to the region The Gympie region has a diverse food industry which covers everything from seafood and pumpkins to strawberries and camel milk, with so much more in between. Our local farmers, producers and food businesses are passionate about our region’s produce and work really hard to showcase all we have to offer. You can visit our working farms, dine at quality restaurants, and sample fresh produce from our growers markets throughout the region.
So come and enjoy the Gympie region – you’ll be surprised at the hidden gems you’ll find.
Mayor Cr Mick Curran BM Gympie Regional Council
Mick
As the Gympie Region’s official Food Ambassador I’ve had the privilege of discovering some of the region’s best seafood and meats, fruit and vegetables, dairy, nuts and value added products you will ever taste. Whether you’re a home cook, backyard barbecuer or professional chef, I invite you to join me in exploring the incredible array of produce and food events that the Gympie region offers.
Gympie Region Food Ambassador Matt Golinski
Driving through the pristine countryside with the car laden with fresh produce, en-route to a local event or perhaps to enjoy a few nights’ R&R in one of the region’s many accommodation houses, makes me happy and proud to represent the region.
So come and join me for Eat Local Month in May, visit a farm, check out the growers market or go to one of the many food events held throughout the year, but don’t forget to tell them that Matt sent you!
Eat well! Matt
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Celebrate EAT LOCAL MONTH GourMAY
Gympie Regional Council invites you celebrate each May with the finest local food and produce during Eat Local Month in the Gympie region.
GourMAY is your chance to explore, taste and experience the great flavours of the Gympie region at one of the many foodie events showcasing the wonderful diversity of produce grown right here in our region. Chef Matt Golinski, our Food Ambassador, is an inspiring part of GourMAY and encourages you to create your own paddock to plate experience, with cooking demonstrations and tempting foodie events. Make your experience unique by visiting local farms, attending talks and workshops and tasting the range of signature dishes on offer at participating local restaurants and cafes. For more information visit gympieregionalproduce.com.au, phone 1300 307 800 or follow Gympie Gold Regional Produce on Facebook.
Gympie Region
EAT
MONTH
We’re known for our warm hospitality and the welcome mat will be rolled out wherever you go.
local
GourMAY
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Avocado
Seafood & Crustaceans
The best months in the Gympie region for avocados are April to November. Ask for varieties and try Fuerte, Wurtz, Pinkerton and Reed. Hass is the most common variety and has the highest oil content.
The Gympie region is famous for the Tin Can Bay Scallop, whiting, crab, redclaw and delicious wild caught seafood.
Did you know avocado oil has a similar smoke point as canola and vegetable oils, yet is light in taste? The higher an oil’s smoke point, the more cooking methods you can use it for without it burning.
Avocado Choc Mousse
½ cup honey 2 large ripe avocados 1 tsp vanilla paste ½ cup raw cacao (or cocoa) Optional coconut cream/cream/yoghurt Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender adding avocado first, followed by honey, vanilla and cocoa. Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of water or coconut cream to make a lighter mousse. Taste and adjust if needed.
Pancetta Wrapped scallops with Tomato and Avocado Salsa
By Matt Golinksi
400gm Sea Scallops 100gm Flat Pancetta, finely sliced 1 cup tomato, peeled and diced 1 avocado, diced 1 shallot, finely diced 1 clove garlic, crushed Juice of I lemon 2 tbs olive oil Salt and pepper Dry the scallops well on paper towel. Lay the slices of pancetta out flat, and roll a scallop up in each. Gently slide them onto wooden skewers (four per skewer is a good amount). Mix together the tomato, avocado, shallot, garlic, lemon juice olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the scallops quickly in a hot frying pan or on a BBQ. Serve immediately with the salsa.
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A favourite holiday destination for locals and visitors alike, the Cooloola Coast has prawns available all year round with mud crabs running from September through to December. You can always drop in a line and try for some local whiting, flathead and mullet or check out the local markets where trawlers catch a wide range of reef fish daily.
Prawn, Avocado, Ruby Grapefruit and Fennel Salad with Macadamia Dukkah By Matt Golinksi 1 kg whole cooked Tiger prawns, peeled and deveined 2 ruby grapefruit, peeled and segmented 50gm rocket 50gm macadamias, roasted and chopped 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp sweet paprika 30ml lime juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 avocado, diced 1 fennel bulb, finely shaved ½ small red onion, finely sliced 1 tbs sesame seeds, lightly toasted 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp salt flakes 60ml extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper
Mix together the macadamias, sesame seeds, spices and salt. Whisk together the lime juice, mustard and olive oil. Combine the prawns, avocado, grapefruit, fennel, rocket and red onion.
Pour over the salad dressing and gently mix through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange the salad on four plates and sprinkle with the macadamia dukkah.
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Visit the Gympie region The Gympie region is uniquely placed with rich volcanic soils, clean waters and a temperate/sub tropical climate. This allows the region to grow an extraordinary diversity of produce and has given us an enviable reputation as a source of exceptionally high quality fresh and value-added produce. Eat Local Month, GourMAY, is a month long celebration of local produce, producers and food. So come and explore a local farm, enjoy some fresh picked produce or simply relax overnight in a country escape. The Gympie region is blessed with nature based experiences, with an extensive tracks and trails network.
Gympie Gold Regional Produce showcases and supports the food and agricultural industries in the Gympie region. If you love the recipes and flavours of our region and want to find out more about our region’s amazing producers, produce, events and celebrations - visit our website www.gympieregionaproduce.com.au.
With a vast area of different landscapes ranging from white powder beaches to majestic hinterlands just waiting to be explored, its area expands from Rainbow Beach, Tin Can Bay, Gympie and the Mary Valley out to the rural towns of Kilkivan and Goomeri and uniquely sits between two world recognised UNESCO Biospheres. It’s also offers the easiest way to access World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. For places to stay visit www.visitgympieregion.com.au. Gympie Gold Regional Produce showcases and s upports the food and agricultural industries in the Gympie region. You can find a listing of local farms, producers and food events at www.gympieregionalproduce.com.au.
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Macadamias Indigenous to our region, macadamias were an important traditional trade commodity along the eastern seaboard. Macadamias are now a major industry with Gympie supplying 20 per cent of Queensland’s nut crop. New varieties are being developed all the time to meet the needs of farmers. Fresh nuts contain over 75 per cent of their weight as oil. This is a healthy monounsaturated fat that has a high smokepoint and lovely nutty flavour.
Macadamia Pesto ½ cup raw macadamias 2 cups young basil (packed) 2 garlic cloves ¾ cup parmigiana-reggiano cheese., freshly grated ½ lemon, juiced ¼ cup good quality EVOO ¼ teaspoon sea salt In a food processor (pulse action), chop macadamias and garlic until finely minced.
Pulse in the basil, lemon juice, olive oil and add salt to taste. Stir through the cheese.
Free range Our region has a strong agricultural history with businesses developing sustainable export markets by providing high quality product with traceability. A focus on organic, biodynamic and sustainably grown produce is a growing trend with consumers being able to access produce direct from the farmers. Every meal is a vote for quality, freshness and variety in our diet and a chance to support local businesses who are passionate about producing clean, healthy food.
Sticky Pork Hock with Lychees, Snake Beans, Green Mango, Ginger and Chilli By Matt Golinksi 1 x 1.5kg pork hock 500ml coconut water 100ml soy sauce 30gm ginger, sliced 4 kaffir lime leaves 4 cardamom pods 500ml vegetable oil 1 green mango, peeled and shredded 1 tbs ginger, julienned ½ cup coriander leaves 2 eschallots, julienned 30ml rice vinegar
1lt chicken stock 75gm brown sugar 6 cloves garlic 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise 200gm lychees, peeled, halved and seeded 200gm snake beans, finely sliced 1 large red chilli, julienned ½ cup Thai basil 50ml soy sauce 10ml sesame oil
Place the pork hock in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain and rinse and return to the saucepan.
Add the chicken stock, coconut water, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves and spices, and bring back to the boil (add extra water if necessary to cover the hock). Simmer for approximately 4 hours or until the meat is easily falling off the bone. Remove the hock from the liquid and allow to cool slightly.
Reduce cooking liquid to a thick syrupy glaze (about 300ml), strain and refrigerate.
Gently remove the skin from the hock, trying to keep it as intact as possible. Roughly shred the meat and pack it (about 2.5cm thick), into a tray lined with baking paper. Cover with the skin and another piece of baking paper and press with another tray and some heavy cans or bottles, refrigerated, overnight. The next day, cut into 2.5cm cubes.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok to 180°C, and deepfry the hock in batches until well coloured all over. Transfer to paper towel to drain off any excess oil. Transfer to a serving dish.
Heat the reduced sauce in a small saucepan and pour over the pork.
Mix together the lychees, mango, snake beans, ginger, chilli, herbs and eschallots and dress with the soy, vinegar and sesame oil.
Arrange on top of the pork hock and serve immediately.
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Small crops
Dairy
With rich volcanic soil, rolling hills, clean waters and a temperate/subtropical climate, our region allows us to grow an extraordinary range of produce.
The dairy industry in the Gympie region has a strong history of change. From small beginnings supplying fresh local milk, butter and cheese, by the late 1930s around one in eight Queenslanders were living on dairy farms.
We’re uniquely placed to grow stone fruit alongside citrus. Pineapples alongside figs. Winter beans followed by summer cucurbits. The region’s unique microclimates have created a mosaic of diversity providing farm fresh produce direct to market.
Zucchini and Brie Tart By Matt Golinksi
Ricotta Crepes with Fresh Strawberries By Matt Golinksi
250gm plain flour 50ml cold water 3 eggs 200ml cream 75gm parmesan Salt and pepper
For the crepes: 200ml milk 15gm butter 75gm plain flour 1 eggs
125gm unsalted butter, diced 500gm zucchinis, sliced 2mm thick 3 yolks 2tbs chopped parsley 1 block Kenilworth Brie, sliced into 5mm slices
Put the flour and butter into a food processor and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the cold water and mix until the dough just comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the pastry 5mm thick and line the base of a 22cm flan tin. Prick with a fork and chill.
Line the pastry with baking paper and blind bake until cooked through.
Whisk together the eggs, yolks, cream, parsley and parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Pour ¼ of the egg mixture into the tart shell. Lay the slices of zucchini overlapping in circles to form a single layer. Pour over another ¼ of the egg mixture and repeat with the zucchini, finishing with a layer of the eggs. Lay the brie slices in a pattern on top of the tart and bake for 25-30 minutes at 160 degrees C.
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Currently, dairy production in the Gympie region accounts for 11 per cent of Queensland’s total production.
For the filling: 250gm ricotta Seeds of ½ vanilla bean 1 tbs orange marmalade
To finish: 250gm strawberries, sliced 50gm Honey 15ml Cointreau, brandy or rum Zest of ½ an orange
Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan.
Whisk the eggs into the flour, then whisk in the milk and butter mixture to form a smooth batter. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Using a crepe pan, cook the crepes over a medium heat using approximately 40ml of batter for each. Stack and cover until needed. Mix together the ricotta, vanilla and marmalade.
Whisk together the honey, Cointreau and orange zest and pour over the strawberries. Place two heaped tablespoons of ricotta on each of the crepes and roll up like cigars.
Place side-by-side on a platter and top with the strawberries and the honey sauce. Garnish with fresh mint.
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Flavours of the Gympie region If you love the recipes and flavours of our region and want to find out more about our region’s amazing producers, produce, events and celebrations - visit our website www.gympieregionaproduce.com.au.
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