Recipes and styling Sasha Zambetti, Photography Craig Heath
STARTER
Avocado Ritz
Named after the posh hotel at which it was first served, this is a timeless classic.
Serves: 8
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
4 ripe avocado pears
150ml mayonnaise
150ml tomato sauce
20ml lemon juice
400g shrimp
8 prawns, peeled and boiled
Method:
1 Cut the avocado pears in half and remove the pip.
2 In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, tomato sauce and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and toss to coat in the sauce.
3 Place a generous scoop of shrimp into the hole of each avocado and top with a prawn.
MAIN
Rare roast beef
Cook it a little longer if you prefer your meat more well done.
Serves: 8
Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
2,5kg beef roast
12 cloves garlic, peeled
50ml soy sauce
50ml balsamic vinegar
350ml red wine (100ml + 250ml)
15ml worcester sauce
Handful fresh rosemary
1 onion, chopped
Method:
1 Stab the beef roast all over with a small paring knife. Slot garlic cloves into the holes (halve the cloves if they are too big to fit).
2 In a large glass bowl, mix together the soy, balsamic, 100ml red wine and worcester sauce. Pick the leaves of half the rosemary and add to the bowl. Marinade the beef roast in this mixture for at least an hour, turning to make sure all sides are coated.
3 Heat a large casserole pot to high on the stove and brown the beef roast on all sides. Once browned, add the marinade to the pot, cover and place in the oven at 200ºC for 45 minutes.
4 Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC, uncover the pot, add the onion and the 250ml red wine, and cook for a further 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.
5 Allow the roast to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Make the gravy in this time.
Gravy
When the roast is done, add 250ml water to the pan juices and stir well, getting all the tasty bits unstuck from the bottom of the pan. Mix 20ml stock powder with 50ml water and add it to the pan, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes or until thickened. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a gravy boat and serve hot.
Yorkshire pudding
To mop up all the delicious gravy.
Makes: 12
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 extra large eggs
100ml milk
125ml flour
75ml vegetable oil
Method:
1 Combine the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Sift the flour into the milk/egg mixture and beat until smooth. Let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes in a cool place, but do not refrigerate.
2 Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC. Using a muffin pan, place 5ml oil into each hole. Place muffin pan in the oven and heat oil until it just starts to smoke, but not burn – keep an eye on it while it heats up.
3 Carefully remove the muffin pan from the oven and pour batter into the holes until half full. Return pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until puffed up and golden.
Roast potatoes
The perfect partner to roast beef, roast chicken or roast lamb.
Serves: 8
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
12 medium-sized potatoes
48 fresh bay leaves
75ml oil
Coarse sea salt
Method:
1 Wash the potatoes, cut 4/5 incisions into each widthways, approximately 1cm apart. Slide a bay leaf into each.
2 Arrange the potatoes on a roasting tray. Drizzle each with oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Roast for 50 minutes or until cooked through.
Roast carrot with star anise
Topped with toasted almond slivers.
Serves: 8
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
750g peeled baby carrots
5 star anise
50ml olive oil
100g slivered almonds, lightly toasted
Method:
1 Toss the baby carrots, star anise and olive oil into a roasting dish, and roast for 15 – 20 minutes at 200ºC.
2 Sprinkle over the toasted almond slivers.
Green beans and balsamic roasted red onions
The roasting juices from the onions become the sauce for the beans.
Serves: 8
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 large red onions, peeled and quartered
50ml olive oil
50ml balsamic vinegar
750g green beans, top-and-tailed
Method:
1 Arrange the onion quarters in a small baking tray. Drizzle over the oil and balsamic vinegar, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss and roast in an oven set to 200ºC for 10 – 15 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in salted water until tender, but retaining their bright green colour. Drain and transfer to a serving dish. Top with the roasted onions, ensuring that all the juice pours over the green beans.
DESSERT
Berry bread and butter pudding
This dessert is such comfort food for winter. Serve with custard if desired.
Serves: 10
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 french loaf, sliced
75g butter
150g raspberry jam
1 x 410g tin raspberries
3 eggs
200ml milk
Method:
1 Butter the slices of french loaf, then spread generously with raspberry jam. Arrange the slices stacked in an oven-proof serving dish.
2 Drain the tin of raspberries, reserving the liquid. Spoon the raspberries over the french loaf slices.
3 Mix the reserved raspberry syrup with the eggs and milk, and then pour this over the french loaf slices. Leave for 20 minutes to absorb.
4 Preheat the oven to 170ºC. Bake the pudding for 40 minutes or until puffed up and cooked through.
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