Quail terrine

A terrine is a fine French “smallgoods” product (some people will disagree with this definition). However, it can be so much more…the quails are de-boned and filled with quail meat, cream, parsnip, pistachios and fortified shiraz farce, then gently baked and set to chill. The fine butter brioche is layered with porcini mushroom parfait, to form a fine savoury “petite four” .The rhubarb chutney and celeriac salad bring this entree together nicely.

The traditional German cheese cake is modified for McLaren Vale standards with zesty lemon and Lloyd Brothers Sauvignon Blanc reduction. The sweetness is offset further by an extra layer of caramelised butter & lavender icing.

...a little insight in the chef’s mind

                                                 

Interpretation and guidelines from Horst the chef to the menu

-Spring 2012-

This is , a bit of food history and modern interpretation, some facts and thoughts about the menu development. However, most importantly, a serious approach to support the enjoyment of hospitality and food in McLaren Vale.

Entree

Winefood BREADzel and Lloyd Brothers olive butter                                                                                           

Bavarian pretzels are made with butter for beer. Our BREADzels are made with olive oil & wine for the sophisticated food of the McLaren Vale region.

Smoked trout pâté with olives & BREADzel                                                                                                

Something old, new again: salmon trout enhanced with dill, roasted aniseed and fennel, a little sharpness of seeded mustard & horseradish and a tangy hit of lemon zest, the sauv-blanc and dill jelly on top rounds up the tasty experience of this pâté.

Venison pâté with olives & BREADzel                                                                                                                      

Shiraz-marinated venison liver and caramelised leek, orange zest, roasted almonds & apples are the secrets of this fine pâté. The jelly is made with Lloyd Brothers Shiraz, juniper and venison- beetroot-aroma tea.

Goat curd pâté with olives & BREADzel                                                                                          

Here it comes, the goat curd in its mildest form. Garlic can be brutal but here it is, blended in nicely with spinach coriander and whipped olive oil butter, topped with a well-balanced roasted almond dukkah.

Vineyard platter…smoked trout, venison & goat curd pâtés,                           Serves 2-4                        

 olives and olive oil, almond dukkah & BREADzels

               

Designed for the elegant and stylish wine of McLaren Vale, all three pâtés are well balanced and supportive of your wine tasting experience. Lloyd Brothers olives and olive oil along with gently-roasted almond dukkah are on this tasting plate. To complete the dish, you have four winefood BREADzels on a side plate.

Cheese platter…two local cheeses and goat curd pâté, olives and BREADzel                                          

There are so many cheeses on the Fleurieu, it’s hard to choose. We look for a wine matching duo with characteristics and richness to go with the balanced goat curd pâté. Please ask your waiter about this week’s cheese selection.

Scallops & lemon dill crêpes, Noilly Prat vermouth & tomato concassé, daikon citrus salad                       

Scallops have the most delicate texture of all seafood. Crêpes have the most delicate texture of all pancakes. Here you have the best of both worlds, packed with flavours of dill, vermouth and pungent citrus salad.

Quail terrine & cassis pepper brioche, porcini parfait, fortified shiraz rhubarb & celeriac salad                

A terrine is a fine French “smallgoods” product (some people will disagree with this definition). However, it can be so much more…the quails are de-boned and filled with quail meat, cream, parsnip, pistachios and fortified shiraz farce, then gently baked and set to chill. The fine butter brioche is layered with porcini mushroom parfait, to form a fine savoury “petite four” .The rhubarb chutney and celeriac salad bring this entree together nicely.

Mains                                                                                                                                                           

Rabbit in pancetta & buttermilk pie, pumpkin fondant & spinach tartello,

warm  Shiraz vinaigrette                                                                                                                                            

Rabbit delivers the most clean and healthy meat…marinated in red wine reduction and olive oil, it becomes even more interesting. While front legs are braised in buttermilk and baked on a crunchy mini pie in preserved lemon pastry, tender pieces of rabbit are wrapped in smoked pancetta. The spinach tartello rests on a layer of pumpkin fondant, wrapped in roasted sesame seeds.

Ballotine of spring chicken, carrot, almond & date tartello, snow pea coulis

A ballotine is simply a part of poultry, stuffed and poached or roasted. Here we have really small young chickens, the legs are partly deboned and the breast is herb-flavoured and stuffed under the skin. Caramelised carrots and dates in verjuice are baked on a thin layer of almond meal bread. Snow pea coulis is here to bring another texture and fresh colour to this dish.

Fillet of beef, spring onion & mustard mousse,  Shiraz-glazed heirloom carrots, potato gratin           

On the positive side: fillet is the most tender piece of beef. On the down side: some argue the taste of scotch or sirloin outperforms the fillet. Here the solution: cooked medium rare first, then covered in taste and flavour boosting onion & mustard mousse and set on low heat ‘to rest’ until medium rare to medium.

Rich black paper, rosemary and shiraz-glazed heirloom carrots deliver more and the final work is done by French potato gratin dauphinoise baked on light herb & garlic bread. Judge the taste of beef fillet now.

Quail, parsnip & pistachio farce, roasted apple, leek & macadamia tartello, saffron emulsion                    

Quails are deboned and then filled with quail meat, cream, parsnip, pistachios and fortified shiraz farce.

So far the same technique as the quail we have for entree. Difference is the entree terrine is finished in a special baking form and set to chill. For your main, each bird is cooked individually and served with leek quiche lorraine, roasted apple and macadamia tartello. Saffron emulsion is the prosperous friend of the well known garlic aioli. OK before I get hit by a celebrity chef I better explain: not garlic as in aioli, but saffron infused  olive oil emulsified with egg yolk and verjuice to a fine but tasty sauce.

Fish of the day, dill & preserved lemon butter, paella rice & vegetable tartello, daikon citrus salad    

Prawns, snapper, yellowtail, tuna or Atlantic salmon…ask your waiter what’s on the menu today. However the catch of the day gets its background flavour from Spanish influences…preserved lemon and dill. Paella rice is layered on sundried tomato bread and covered with roasted vegetable on this tartello slice. Also from our Spanish friends…citrus herb salad comes along in olive dressing.

Vegetarian: carrot, almond & spinach tartello, leek macadamia tartello, snow pea coulis & vegetables     

Gluten free: all mains can be ordered gluten-free…we replace gluten-containing food items with seasonal steamed & roasted vegetables and potato gratin.

Dessert

Lloyd Brothers Sauv-Blanc cheesecake brûlée, strawberries, lavender honey & verjuice syrup                                      

The traditional German cheese cake is modified for McLaren Vale standards with zesty lemon and  Sauvignon Blanc reduction. The sweetness is offset further by an extra layer of caramelised butter icing.

Dark chocolate & Fortified Shiraz frangipane, drunken pears & almond blossom anglaise                  

Dark chocolate, almond, orange, honey, rosemary, pears & Lloyd Brothers Fortified Shiraz frangipane!

Ok, I’ll try to explain why this dish works: for a start, port/fortified and chocolate is known to spoil our taste buds. Orange and chocolate make it jaffa-like. Pears and red wine are a classic combination in French cuisine. And finally, almonds & honey build the bridge to frangipane, which brings this arrangement together for a potential signature dish.

Strawberry Bavarois                                                                           

This dessert sounds simple and I’d like to keep it that way. However, some fancy European elements make it interesting for me to cook and for you to eat. The Bavarian dessert cream is placed on Scottish short bread and covered with a light French biscuit which is than topped with English trifle jelly. Belgium chocolate genache on top...

...well, I apologise for not covering all European countries but as I said, I try to keep it simple.

Add to your dessert:  verjuice & honey iced parfait                                                  

Parfait refers to a frozen dessert based on intense fruit or other suitable sweet, raw ingredients. I like the Fleurieu sweet honey, offsetting it by a fruity fresh reduction of verjuice, some free range egg yolks and Fleurieu cream, lifting the flavour base to a fluffy, creamy iced dessert, similar to Italian semifreddo.

34 Warner's Road, McLaren Vale SA 5171, Ph 08 8323 8792

Menu 2 2012 

The menu is composed by the season & conducted by Winefood McLaren Vale

Entree

Winefood BREADzel and  olive butter                                                                                            3

Smoked trout pate with olives & BREADzel                                                                                                 10

Venison pate with olives & BREADzel                                                                                                                      10

Goat curd pate with olives & Winefood BREADzel                                                                                      10

Vineyard platter > Smoked trout-, venison- & goat curd pate’,                 - serves 2-4                             25

 LB olives and olive oil, almond dukkah & BREADzel                    

Cheese platter > two local cheeses and goat curd pate, olives and BREADzel                                          17

Scallops & lemon dill crepes, Noilly Prat Vermouth & tomato concassé, daikon citrus salad                        17

Quail terrine & cassis pepper brioche, porchini parfait, Fortified Shiraz rhubarb & celeriac salad                 17

Mains                                                                                                                                                           

Rabbit in pancetta & buttermilk rabbit pie, pumpkin fondant & spinach tartello,

warm LB Shiraz vinaigrette                                                                                                                                         25

Ballotine of spring chicken, carrot -almond & date tartello, snow pea coulis,                                          25

Fillet of beef, spring onion & mustard mousse,verjuice glazed heirloom carrots, potato gratin 28

Quail, parsnip & pistachio farce, roasted apple, leek & macadamia tartello, saffron emulsion                     31

Fish of the day: dill & preserved lemon butter, paella rice & vegetable tartello, daikon citrus salad     27

Vegetarian: carrot –almond & spinach tartello, leek macadamia tartello, snow pea coulis & vegetable    22

Sides

White Shiraz glazed vegetable or                                                                                                                 6

Mixed green salad in verjuice dressing                                                                                                                      6

Kids menu:     Apple & cinnamon pancake               7              pasta with vegetable Bolognese                   10

Dessert

Sav-blanc cheesecake brûlée, strawberries, lavender honey & verjus syrup                                        10

Dark chocolate & LB Fortified Shiraz frangipane, drunken pears & almond blossom anglaise                      10

Strawberry Bavarois                                                                              10

Add to your dessert:  verjuice & honey iced parfait                                                                       5

Cheese dessert > two local cheeses and goat curd pate, olives and BREADzel                                         17

Cooking is not rocket science...

 ...It is more complex than that.

...cooking is not rocket science, cos science based on facts, rules and repeatable processes. Following a recipe is the same.

 But, and here we go: cooking under a la carte conditions needs the drive and skills to deal with hundreds of simple steps at the same time ‘organised chaos management’ is probably the best description for chefs work. And only well trained and fast moving hands, controlled by a focused mind are able to work effectively trough a busy service session.

However Chefs need to learn the simple basics first:

 like, how to crack an egg...very simple one might say

...and fry it, - scramble it,-  soft silky and buttery,- poach it perfectly the yolk oozing nicely over wilted spinach,

- and holy Escoffier make an soft centred filled omelette,- what is about a airy flavourful sabayon or meringue, hollandaise the heavy classic, emulsified modern light sauces and foams. All these beautiful things are never going to change because the egg is not going to change any time soon;

teach, train and understand the principles; e.g. what temperature is doing to this egg and the rest of cooking is a piece of cake.

Just one more thing,-if young chefs understand those principles and guidelines the crossover to multicultural cuisine and dishes from other countries are fairly easy to understand as well cos the kitchen around the world using the same eggs.

... and that is just cracking an egg;

Horst the chef