Mediterranean oysters, Semolina and polenta and strawberry and dark chocolate filled crepes
Mediterranean breaded oysters
Recipe by Andre Ursini
Tested by Debbie Dalgliesh
2 white bread slices, crusts removed, roughly torn
Olive oil
25g butter
1 anchovy, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
2 tbs finely chopped parsley
1 tomato, blanched and deseeded, small dice
3 oysters, shucked
Rock salt, to serve
Lemon cheek, to serve
1. Pre heat the oven grill until hot.
2. Process the bread in a blender to make fine breadcrumbs.
3. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, drizzle with olive oil and
melt the butter and anchovy. Add the bread crumbs and stir, toast
the crumbs until light golden, stir in the lemon zest, juice,
parsley and tomato.
4. Line a baking tray with foil, place the oysters on the tray and
top with the breadcrumb mixture, place under the grill for 2-3
minutes or until oyster is cooked and breadcrumbs golden.
5. Arrange the clean oyster shells on a serving plate lined with
rock salt, place the oysters in the shells, with lemon cheeks to
serve.
Semolina and polenta with Balmain bug ouzo bisque
Recipe by Andre Ursini
Tested by Debbie Dalgliesh
Olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 fennel, roughly chopped
1 tbs roughly chopped parsley stems
1 tomato, roughly chopped
2 tbs tomato paste
2 Balmain bugs, tails removed, shells reserved, roughly
chopped
1/4 cup ouzo
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup semolina
1/4 cup polenta
1 litre water
30g butter plus 30g extra for semolina
2 tbs milk
1. Heat an oiled frying pan over a med-high heat, cook the onion
and garlic for 1-2 minutes, add the fennel, parsley stalks and cook
for a further few minutes. Add the balmain bug shells and the
chopped tomato and tomato paste. Cook for 3-6 minutes, stirring
occasionally, allow to caramelise. Deglaze with the ouzo and white
wine and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes, add water if needed.
Strain through a sieve.
2. Combine the semolina and polenta together in a bowl with pinch
sugar and pinch salt. Bring a saucepan with the water to the boil,
reduce to a simmer and whisk in the semolina and polenta, continue
to whisk then switch to a wooden spoon, stir then leave to cook
over a low heat, for 40 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Heat an oiled frying pan over a high heat, add the butter, let
it melt then cook the balmain bug tails for 2-4 minutes or until
cooked, baste with the melted butter whilst cooking.
4. To finish the semolina, stir in the remaining butter and
milk.
5. To serve, spoon the semolina onto a serving plate, top with the
balmain bug tails and spoon around the bisque sauce.
Strawberry sweet ricotta and dark chocolate filled
crepe
Recipe by Andre Ursini
Tested by Debbie Dalgliesh
200g ricotta
1/4 cup icing sugar
100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
8 strawberries, diced
1/2 lemon, rind finely grated
115g plain flour
2 tbs caster sugar
2 eggs
300mls milk
25g butter, melted
Icing sugar, to serve
1. Combine the ricotta, icing sugar, dark chocolate,
strawberries and lemon zest in a bowl.
2. Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl, add the eggs, milk and
butter, whisk to make a fine batter.
3. Heat an oiled frying pan over a med- high heat, using a ladle
spoon enough batter to thinly cover the frying pan, cook 1-2
minutes or until lightly golden and cooked then flip over and cook
the remaining side. Repeat with the remaining crepe mixture.
4. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the centre of the crepes and fold
to create a parcel.
5. Plate and dust with icing sugar to serve.
