Barbara Lenhard, co-owner of Opulent Living – the brand for the finer things in life, calls on Neill to dazzle her girl-friends with a dinner at the beautiful Tulip House. Catering for people who are used to only the very best may intimidate most, but for Neill it’s all in a day’s work and he’s certain that even the most discerning of diners will enjoy his menu.
Recipe 1: Saffron Risotto with Baby Squid and Fennel
*Servers 8
INGREDIENTS
RISOTTO:
- 250g Risotto Rice
- 1.5l Hot Chicken Stock + Extra 500ml for finishing
- 100g Butter
- 150g Grated Pecorino
- 20 Staimens Saffron
- 1 Large dessert spoon mascarpone
- Salt
- 2 Bulbs finely sliced Fennel
- Pinch of Maldon Sea Salt
- Juice of ½ lemon
250g Sliced baby squid tubes and tentacles
Pea shoots (garnish)
METHOD
PRE-PREP:Risotto:Melt butter in largest pot possible
Add rice to pot
Stir until toasted over a medium heat
Add Saffron to rice in pot
Add boiling chicken stock to half cooked rice (agitate occasionally)
Remove rice from pot and lay out on a flat tray to cool
Place in fridge until needed
Place sliced fennel into large bowl
Season with maldon salt
Add lemon juice
Stir through
Set aside until ready to serve
FINISHING:
Place squid on dish cloth to draw any excess moisture outHeat up non-stick pan over high heat
Add olive oil and warm
Place squid into hot pan
Cook for 20 seconds
WHEN READY TO SERVE RISOTTO:
Gently warm rice in pot adding 1 ladle of hot chicken stock
Stir through with spatula
Once warm add mascarpone to pot
Stir to combine
Then add grated cheese
Stir to combine
Season to taste if necessary
SERVING:
Place ladle of risotto into serving bowl
Add fennel and pea shoots
Top with hot baby squid
Ready to serve
Recipe 2: Local Lamb Cannon with Potato Rosti, Sauteed Ceps and Chargrilled Broccoli
*serves 8
INGREDIENTS
Potato Rosti:
- 150g butter
- 4 medium sized potato
LAMB:
- 4 Lamb Cannons
- 1 Head Garlic (cut in half)
- 1 Tables spoon Olive Oil
- 1 Large dessert spoon butter
CEPS:
- 15 Medium Ceps (sliced)
- 5ml Olive Oil
BROCCOLLI:
- 500g Tenderstem Broccolli
- Salt (season to taste)
PRE-PREP:
Melt butter in medium size sauce panRemove from heat once melted
Line clean large bowl with dish cloth
Grate potato into bowl
Squeeze dish cloth out to remove all excess water from potato
Place squeezed out potatoes into clean bowl
Add melted butter and mix through
Warm up non-stick pan
Place metal ring into pan
Spoon potato mixture into ring (about 1cm thick)
Cook for 5 minutes each side
Place in oven for 5 minutes at 180 degrees for 7-8 mins
Remove once done and set aside until needed
LAMB:
Place lamb on chopping board
Season with salt
Heat Olive oil in non-stick pan over a high heat
Sear lamb in hot pan
Add garlic and knob of butter to pan
Baste with foaming butter (3 minutes each side)
Remove from pan once roasted and set aside
CEPS:
Place sliced ceps on dish cloth to draw any excess moisture out
Heat up non-stick pan over high heat
Add olive oil and warm
Place ceps into hot pan
Cook for 30 seconds
Add to lamb tray and cover until needed
FINISHING:
Place lamb and rosti in oven to warm through
Bring large pot of salted water up to boil
Add broccoli and cook for 7 minutes
Remove and place onto hot griddle pan
Cook for another 2 minutes
Remove lamb from oven and slice each cannon into 4
SERVING:
Season broccoli and place on plate
Add rosti and ceps
Top with lamb and finish off with sauce from tray
Recipe 3: Spiced Plums with Vanilla Crème and Peanut Honey Comb
INGREDIENTS
PLUMS:
- 10 Pitted and halved Plums
- 1 teaspoon All spice Powder
- 1 Cup dark brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Powder
- 50g Butter
- 1 Large dessert spoon Cultured Cream
HONEYCOMB:
- 350g Caster Sugar
- 80ml Water
- 60g Liquid Honey
- 100g liquid Glucose
- 12g Bicarbonate of Soda
- Sugar thermometer and non-stick mat needed
- 1 Cup salted peanuts
GARNISH:
- 1 Large dessert spoon cultured cream
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
PRE-PREP
PLUMS:
Heat up non-stick pan over a medium heat
Add butter and allow to melt
Pour sugar, all spice and vanilla powder into pan
Stir through
Add plums into hot pan (flat side down)
Cook for 4 minutes or until soft
Place into oven for 5-6 minutes at 180 degrees
Remove once soft and cooked through
Place back onto hob over medium heat
Add spoons of cultured cream to mixtures
Cook through
Set aside and allow to cool
HONEYCOMB:
Heat honey, sugar, glucose, water in a large pot
Bring temperature up to 155 degrees
Add peanuts to pot
Gently stir in bicarb then turn off the heat
When all the bicarb is incorporated into mixture
Slowly pour onto a non-stick mat to cool
FINISHING & SERVING:
Place plums on hob over medium heat to warm through
Take seeds from a vanilla pod and place into a large bowl
Place cultured cream into bowl
Mix together
Set plum in dessert bowl
Add shards of honey comb
Top with vanilla cultured cream
Final flourish of warm plum syrup