delicious March 2018

SOME THINGS NEVER GO out of style, and one thing we find ourselves always looking for at delicious. , no matter the season, is quick meals prepared well. Anything that saves time has developed a currency of its own in the age of ‘busyness’ – a modern epidemic. Welcome to our annual ‘Fast Food Issue’, and when I say fast food, I refer, of course, to the speed of preparation and not the franchise variety. The challenge with cooking and preparing at speed – an oft-necessary factor for those with hectic lives – is how to develop intense flavour. The food team has risen to the challenge to find shortcuts and hacks (a word that is a modern phenomenon in itself) that deliver results that still taste amazing. ROI (return on…

#MAKEITDELICIOUS PHOTO OF THE MONTH Here’s our spin on @chefbennett23’s amazing baked white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake (Shannon Bennett, November 17, p 103). Delicious! @homeandgrain FEELING PEACHY: Thank you for the new cookbook, delicious. daily, which I received when I renewed my subscription. Needing some inspiration for a family dinner after purchasing a $10 tray of peaches, the peach tart with caramelised passionfruit honey was a huge hit – who would have thought pastry could be so easy? Wendy Hewitt PARTY ON: Hooray to Matt Preston’s liberating nod to having a Christmas party for one (Why Matt Preston doesn’t like parties, delicious.com.au). At one of the most awkward occasions for us singletons, his article was the best Christmas card I read. It’s okay to feel like you want to up the ante and get…

EASY EATING FAST & FRESH Tomato & feta salad with soy-roasted pumpkin seeds, p 107 Rigatoni with chorizo polettini, p 74 Apple crumble cookies, p 67 “These flavours don’t disappoint. And the added bonus? It’s all super easy to whip up during the week, with so much already on hand in the pantry. (Cookies obviously to take as work snacks, too!)” Hayley Incoll, delicious. Creative Director FLAVOURS OF ITALY VIVA VEGETARIAN Truffle, potato & mushroom pizzas with no-knead dough, p 84 Pirate Cru Dante Gabriel Vermentino 2016 Tray-baked ricotta gnocchi with capsicum and tomatoes, p 72 Millbrook Regional Sangiovese 2015 Yoghurt sorbet, roasted plums and rosemary oil, p 116 Innocent Bystander Prosecco NV Menu match brought to you by “This superb vegetarian feast is best matched with Mediterranean wines. A crisp vermentino will add a refreshing lift to the truffle flavours, while the combination of…

YOU’RE INVITED... TO JOIN OUR own chef and butcher, Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich, on the ultimate foodie road trip to The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa, where they’ll team up with the resort’s new executive chef (and fellow Banc alumni), Matt Kemp, to celebrate the relaunch of the revamped resort. You’ll enjoy a shared feast-style menu overlooking the stunning rainforest canopy. The fun kicks off with canapes on the restaurant’s terrace, followed by Anthony’s ‘Charcuterie Selection by Victor Churchill’. Up next is Matt’s sashimi of local cobia with Ballina prawns, then Colin’s famous shoulder of suckling pig – plus a side of ‘banter’ from the Irish chef. Finish with panna cotta of local buttermilk. Don’t miss out – reserve your spot today. WHERE The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa, 77-97…

BORLOTTI & GREEN BEAN SALAD SERVES 6 AS A SIDE 250g fresh shelled borlotti beans (substitute 250g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight, drained) 1/2 onion, peeled, halved 1/2 carrot, halved 1 celery stalk, trimmed, halved 1 bay leaf 100ml extra virgin olive oil 500g green beans, trimmed 16 white anchovy fillets in oil, drained 3/4 cup (60g) shaved parmesan Mint leaves, to serve ESCHALOT & RED WINE VINEGAR DRESSING 1/4 eschalot, finely chopped 1/4 cup (60ml) red wine vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 100ml extra virgin olive oil Place borlotti beans in a saucepan and cover with 4cm cold water. Add onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, oil and 1/2 tbs salt flakes, and place over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes or until beans are tender (cooking time will vary depending on bean type). Remove from heat,…

Supping at Fred’s, the much-admired Merivale restaurant in Sydney’s Paddington, can feel like attending a convivial dinner party. The boundary between the open kitchen and dining room is so enticingly blurred that some unwitting patrons wander into the culinary action. Where some chefs might be enraged, Danielle Alvarez is enchanted. “I wanted the restaurant to feel transparent, and that’s the beauty of what we do,” she says, beaming. “I enjoy it.” Fred’s has been showered with praise since opening in late 2016, including snaring top spot in the latest NSW delicious. 100 list. The restaurant has been applauded for its seamless service, flawless wine list and simple yet sophisticated food. But, ever the perfectionist, the chef is aiming higher. “We need to be on our A game every single day,” she says.…