Crispy skinned barramundi with Lynch’s lime and chive dressing

The comforts of simple beans and potatoes, well seasoned and presented with a beautiful portion of barramundi, makes eating this dish a wonderful experience.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

• 4 x 150g barramundi fillets, with shallow cuts on skin side
• 30ml Jingilli extra virgin olive oil
• cracked pepper and sea salt flakes, to taste
• 400g Kipfler potatoes
• 300g green and butter beans, split longways
• 1 small lemon
• 120ml Lynch’s lime and chive dressing

Season the barramundi fillets well with the salt and pepper and lightly coat with the olive oil. Steam the Kipfler potatoes until tender and set aside to cool slightly.

Place a little olive oil on the hot plate, lined with a piece of baking paper. Add the barramundi, skin side down, and grill until the skin becomes very crisp, then turn over and fully cook the other side.

Steam the split beans for two minutes, remove and place into a bowl. Slice the warm potatoes and add to the beans. Lightly dress with a little olive oil and lemon juice and season well.

Place the beans and potatoes onto a warmed plate. Top with a portion of the barramundi and drizzle Lynch’s lime and chive sauce around the plate.

Readers note: This recipe will be
showcased on the Escape with
ET show on January 31 on Network 10
and Southern Cross 10 from
4:00pm to 5:00pm.

Sherried mushroom medley on sour dough croutons

A combination of our best summer mushrooms, sautéed with a little garlic and sweet brown onions. The mix is flavoured with Spanish sherry vinegar and presented with several slices of tomato, on pan-grilled sour dough.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

• 30ml Jingilli extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 small brown onion, sliced
• 250g mushrooms (mixture of button, Swiss brown, shiitake, chestnut and enoki)
• 20ml De Soto Spanish sherry vinegar
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper to taste
• ½ cup chopped continental parsley
• 1 ripe tomato, sliced
• 4 slices sour dough bread

Heat a heavy-based frying pan to moderate heat and add the olive oil. Quickly add the crushed garlic and cook for 10 seconds without colouring. Add the onions and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the Swiss brown, button, and shiitake mushrooms and cook while continuously tossing gently. After several minutes, add in the chestnut and enoki mushrooms, sherry vinegar and stir well. Season with the salt and pepper and finish with the coarsely-chopped continental parsley.

Present on top of the sour dough croutons with several slices of tomato.

To prepare the croutons:
Cut the sour dough bread into 10mm slices and brush both sides with the Jingilli extra virgin olive oil. Cut into 20mm cubes and grill or pan-fry until just crisp on the surface, but soft on the inside.

BBQ yellowtail kingfish with Singapore fried noodle (or Sing Chow)

The kingfish pieces are flavoured with garlic, ginger and chilli, and then grilled until golden. The wheat noodles are stir-fried with chilli and Malaysian curry powder and mixed with eggs and vegetables.

Thin rice noodles work equally well in this recipe, as do Japanese soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat and wheat flour.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
Serves: 2

• 2 portions yellowtail kingfish, cut into three pieces each
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tblsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp sambal olek
• 2 tblsp Jingilli extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tblsp peanut oil
• ¼ cup carrots, cut into thin strips
• ½ cup red capsicum strips
• ¼ cup sliced brown onions
• ½ cup bean sprouts
• ½ cup spring onions, cut into 30mm lengths
• ½ cup diced omelette (make ahead)
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ tsp Malaysian curry powder
• 2 tblsp dark soy
• 2 x 80g noodle cake, cooked, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tblsp crisp fried shallots
• 1 cup chopped coriander

Coat the fish portions with the garlic, ginger, chilli and olive oil. Grill on a flat BBQ plate until just cooked.

Place a wok on high heat and add the peanut oil. When it just begins to smoke, add the vegetables and stir-fry on high heat for 30 seconds.

Add the stock, soy, seasoning and the curry powder.

Toss well, then top with the noodles and omelette. Toss gently (do not stir as the noodles can break up) and add the chopped coriander and sesame seed oil.

Place a portion of the hot noodles on a plate and top with 3 pieces of the yellowtail kingfish. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, crispy fried shallots and coriander sprigs.

Readers note: This recipe will be
showcased on the Escape with
ET show on January 10 on Network 10
and Southern Cross 10 from
4:00pm to 5:00pm.

Chermoula-roasted snapper with pomegranate dressing

Chermoula is a Moroccan spice paste used mostly with fish. Morocco has a long coastline, with the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Mediterranean on the north, so fish recipes are dominant on the coastal areas and often feature saffron, lemon and fennel.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Serves: 6

Chermoula

• 3 heaped tblsp cumin seeds
• 2 heaped tblsp coriander seeds
• 2 small birds eye chillies, seeds and membrane removed
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tblsp ground ginger
• 1 tblsp smoked sweet paprika
• 60ml lemon juice
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Pan dry-roast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds until fragrant, then crush with a mortar and pestle. Place all the Chermoula ingredients into a food processor and turn into a smooth mixture. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

• 6 x 140g snapper portions
• 6 tblsp Chermoula
• 6 cups coral lettuce
• 60ml Jingilli extra virgin olive oil
• 30ml tarragon or white wine vinegar
• 2 tblsp pomegranate molasses
• salt and pepper, to taste

Brush the Chermoula over the top side of the snapper portions, place onto an oiled oven tray, lined with baking paper and roast (with the hood down) for 10 minutes at 185°C, or until just cooked.

Combine the extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, pomegranate molasses and seasoning. Place a portion of the snapper onto a warmed serving plate and present with the lettuce and dressing.

Readers note: This recipe will be
showcased on the Escape with ET
show on December 27 on Network 10
and Southern Cross 10 from
4:00pm to 5:00pm.

Coffee cup flathead fillets

Gentle cooking in the oven produces a recipe that contains the fish, seasoning and finished sauce all together. The cooking time for this one is only 12 minutes, and the results look stunning on the plate.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Serves: 4

• 4 small flathead fillets, sliced long and thin
• 160ml cream
• ½ lemon
• ½ clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp dried tarragon
• 2 tblsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• ½ tsp salt flakes
• 1⁄3 cup dill sprigs
• 4 tsp basil essence (optional)

Pre-heat oven set to 180°C. Lightly oil 4 standard coffee cups. Lay the flathead fillets onto a board and season well, then gently roll up. Place the rolls neatly into the cups and top with the warmed mixture of cream, lemon zest and juice, garlic, tarragon, parsley and seasoning.

Place the cups in an oven tray half-filled with water. Position the tray on the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven. Cook for 12 minutes or until just cooked, and lift the cups out from the tray.

Remove the flathead from the cups and place onto a serving plate. Pour some of the cream sauce over the fish and garnish with dill sprigs and basil essence.

Readers note: This recipe will be
showcased on the Escape with ET
show on December 20 on Network 10
and Southern Cross 10 from
4:00pm to 5:00pm.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a very popular Italian home dessert involving various toppings served on top of liqueur-soaked Savoiardi or ladyfinger biscuits. The word ‘Tiramisu’ literally means ‘pick me up’ in Italian, in reference to the coffee content mixed with the liqueur.

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: N/A
Serves: 9 to 12

• 2 shots espresso coffee
• 2 tblsp boiling water
• 500g mascarpone cheese
• ¾ cup icing sugar mix
• 100ml coffee liqueur (Kahlua or Tia Maria)
• 90g grated dark pure chocolate
• 350ml thickened cream
• 40ml milk
• 24 Savoiardi biscuits

Combine the boiling water and the coffee together, then leave to cool.

Using a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, half the sugar, half the coffee, half the liqueur and two-thirds of the grated chocolate.

Lightly whip the cream with the remaining sugar and carefully fold into the cheese mixture.

In a small bowl combine the remaining coffee, liqueur and the milk.

Dip some of the biscuits into this mixture and place in the sides of the serving bowl.

Spoon the mascarpone mixture over the biscuits and finally top with a little grated dark chocolate, and icing sugar mix.

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.