22 *
Melt 30g butter in a small frypan over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped garlic, chilli, shallots and bacon. Cook for 2 minutes.
Place 1/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese into a small bowl. Gently spoon 1 tsp of the melted butter from the garlic/chilli/shallots/bacon frypan into the bowl with the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Mix well, then set aside.
Place the frypan back on medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of chopped baby spinach and 2 tbs of white wine. Cook for 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted and wine is reduced by half. Set aside.
Now is the time to prepare the main course.
* 23 *
Once the main is prepped (and the potatoes have been in oven for 10 minutes), complete the oysters.
Spoon a little of the garlic/bacon/spinach/wine mix over each oyster. Generously top each with the parmesan breadcrumbs.
Place the oysters in oven (on the higher shelf) and bake at 230ºC for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Remove the oysters from oven, leaving the potatoes on the lower shelf. Place the baking tray with the salmon topped tomato slices and beans onto the higher shelf of the oven. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
Carefully transfer the oysters in their shells to your prepared rocksalt serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
* 24 *
* 25 *
450g potatoes (peeled & cubed)
25g butter
2 tbs olive oil
2 small salmon fillets, skin on, approx 400g total
1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup mint leaves
10 anchovy fillets
1 chilli (roughly chopped)
2 vine ripened tomatoes
100g green beans (trimmed)
* * *
Preheat oven to 230ºC (210ºC fan-forced). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Place a medium saucepan of water on the stove-top and bring to the boil. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes roughly 1cm in size. Place the potatoes in the saucepan and cook on a medium-high simmer for 12 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through.
Whilst the potatoes are cooking, prepare the salsa. Place 1 cup of parsley leaves, 1/2 cup of mint leaves, 10 anchovy fillets and 1 small chilli into a food processor. Blitz until the mixture resembles a coarse herb paste.
Salmon Salsa Verde
* 26 *
Slice each tomato horizontally into 3 even slices per tomato roughly 1cm thick. Lay the tomato slices into two lines onto a lined baking tray. Spoon the herb paste evenly onto the lines of tomato slices. Toss the trimmed green beans in 1 tbs of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the beans (in a single layer) into a corner of the same baking tray as the tomato slices. Set the tray aside.
Once the potatoes are cooked through drain all the water. Place the hot potatoes back into the saucepan with 25g butter and 1 tbs of olive oil. Toss to melt the butter and coat in oil. Spread the potatoes out onto the second lined baking tray and place on the lower shelf of your oven. Set the oven timer and cook for 10 minutes.
To prepare the salmon, remove any bones, and dab dry with paper towel. Rub the salmon all over with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle the skin side of the salmon with sea salt.
Heat a small frypan over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Place the salmon skin side down in the frypan, lightly holding the salmon down with tongs or your fingers to ensure the skin fries evenly. Fry the skin side only for 2 minutes or until the skin starts to crisp. Remove the salmon pieces from the frypan and place, this time skin side up, onto the lines of the tomatoes and salsa. Set aside.
* 27 *
At this stage your oven timer should indicate potatoes have been cooking for 10 minutes. Now is the time to place your oyster entrée into the oven.
Finish the final preparation of the oysters then place them onto the top shelf of your oven (leaving the potatoes on the lower shelf to continue cooking). Cook the oysters at 230ºC for 9-10 minutes.
Remove the oysters from oven, leaving the potatoes on the lower shelf. Place the baking tray with the salmon topped tomato slices and beans onto the higher shelf of the oven. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
Serve the oysters while the salmon and potatoes finish cooking.
After 10 minutes, as your oven timer goes off, you should have finished your entrée and the salmon will be perfectly cooked, with the beans tender, and the potatoes crisp and golden. To serve, carefully slide the salmon topped tomato slices onto a plate. Spoon some green beans and golden potatoes onto the side.
After you finish the main course, clear away the plates, relax with a drink, and read the questions to one another.
* 28 *
2 x 10cm heart shaped tins (or any shape tin with a loose base that holds approx 1/2 cup liquid)
butter for greasing tin
1 sheet of frozen sweet shortcrust pastry (thawed)
1 cup raw rice or ceramic baking balls (for blind baking)
3 eggs
2 tbs lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 cup thickened cream
1/4 cup caster sugar
3 tbs caster sugar (extra)
pinch cream of tartar
* * *
Lemon Meringue Pie
Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan-forced).
Grease two heart shaped tins with butter. Cut the thawed shortcrust pastry sheet into two pieces (one for each tin). Press one piece of pastry into each tin, tucking into the edges and sides. Trim any excess pastry (allowing a small amount to overhang the outside edges as the pastry will shrink during cooking). Place the pastry tins in the freezer for 10 minutes (until re-frozen).
* 29 *
* 30 *
After 10 minutes remove from the freezer and line each pastry case with baking paper, scrunching the paper
