Mother Nature turned on her charm last Thursday night – a stunning sunset and beautiful evening. When better then to roll out the kitchens on the promenade at Rose Bay and raise money for those affected by the floods in Queensland, Victoria and NSW.

The brainchild of Michael and Judy McMahon of Catalina, 5 restaurants were set up along the Rose Bay foreshore – Rockpool, Catalina, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Guillaume at Bennelong and Aria.  More than 700 guests were served a 3 course meal – produce, wine, staff, equipment – you name it, all donated; entertainment was provided by Jessica Mauboy… and once again, Sydney’s philanthropic spirit rose above and beyond.  At last count, more than $850,000 was raised. All money raised will be placed in the safe hands of the Salvation Army.

Thanks to all those that gave on the night, whether your skill, your time, your energy, your produce, manpower or money - it was certainly a night to remember!

Got a little leftover chicken from that beautiful Valentine’s dinner last night? Let’s face it…Tuesday’s should be easy.

Chicken salad with my ranch dressing  
Serves 4-6

This is very easy and quick to make. Roast a chook yourself, or if you’re feeling really lazy just buy one and bingo, a yum salad in a flash. Classic ranch dressing is usually made with dried herbs; I prefer to use fresh ones. You can make and use this dressing immediately, but it does improve with a day in the fridge. This salad is great for lunch, or perfect shared in the middle of the picnic rug. 

1.6 kg  chicken, roasted
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced into 5 mm  thick rounds
1 avocado, stone removed and flesh sliced
1 cos (romaine) lettuce, washed and finely shredded
1 radicchio, leaves washed and finely shredded
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper 

Ranch dressing
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 bunch chives, about 15 g, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
2 garlic cloves, crushed
125 ml buttermilk
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
125 g good-quality mayonnaise

To make the dressing, place all the ingredients except the mayonnaise in a blender and purée, then whisk the purée into the mayonnaise. Check the seasoning.

Remove the flesh from the chicken and cut into slices. You can remove the skin if you wish; however, I think that spoils the flavour of the dish. Place the tomato slices on large serving plates, place some avocado slices on top of the tomato, add the shredded lettuce and radicchio leaves that have been dressed with a little oil and make a mound in the middle of each plate. Place some chicken on the lettuce, drizzle generously with the dressing and give a good grind of fresh pepper.

Enjoy.

10 February 2011: More than $400,000 was raised at last night’s exclusive charity dinner at Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth, benefiting Starlight Children’s Foundation and celebrating the launch of Neil Perry’s seventh restaurant in Australia. 

Attended by many of Perth’s leading business people, guests enjoyed a six course menu prepared by Perry and his team of chefs.  On the menu was Perry’s signature seafood and beef dishes, complemented by some of Western Australia’s best wines. 

Perry said that this event was the first of a series of fundraising dinners to be held at Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth and encouraged everyone in the room to take time to reflect on their healthy families, and to donate to the children needing light relief from their pain. 

“With three healthy kids of my own, I have been a passionate and active supporter of the Starlight Children’s Foundation for 22 years.  Anything I can do to alleviate the pain and stress that these kids go through by using my name is a fair trade,” he said. 

During the dinner, the evening’s MC, Channel 7’ s Natalia Cooper handled her debut as an auctioneer perfectly getting the room to bid enthusiastically on three auction items.  

The first, a weekend in Melbourne with airfares donated by Qantas, accommodation at Crown Towers and dinner at Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne and Spice Temple Melbourne, got guests in the mood, but $300,000 was raised on the second two items, which was to have Neil Perry cook for you, in your kitchen, for you and nine friends.  These unique experiences were eagerly contested and Perry donated a third experience to satisfy the audience. 

After the dinner, an elated Perry said, “What an amazing result for the Starlight Children’s Foundation…Perth should be proud of its generosity tonight.” 

Since its opening at Burswood Entertainment Complex on Monday 24 January, Rockpool Bar & Grill has already firmly established itself in Perth’s dining scene.

MELBOURNE

To celebrate Chinese New Year and the Year of the Rabbit, Spice Temple Melbourne will be presenting a special banquet menu from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 February.

Head Chef, Ben Pollard has created a special menu of Spice Temple signature dishes, incorporating ingredients that promote health, wealth and fertility during New Year festivities. 

Cabbage and radish pickle

Sichuan pickled cucumber and shiitake mushrooms 

Steamed crab dumplings

Preserved egg with wood fire grilled peppers 

Shredded rabbit and Sichuan black bean salad 

Clams with olive paste

Whole steamed snapper with ginger and shallot 

Pork belly with fresh bamboo shoots and garlic stems 

Wagyu beef steam boat with wild bamboo pith, bamboo shoots, abalone mushroom, noodles and garlic flowers in superior stock 

Mango pudding with condensed milk Chantilly

Cherry jellie and peanut chocolate bar

 The menu is priced at $130 per person and will be available at both lunch and dinner from Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 February.

 For bookings and further information call 03 8679 1888 or visit www.rockpool.com.

 SYDNEY

Up the hill in Sydney, we have our own Chinese New Year banquet menu, courtesy of chef Andy Evans. Make your booking quickly as this one is only running until Friday night and includes a very special “Fortune cocktail” ~ aperol, conitreau, peach and cava. 

Pickled cabbage & radish

Sichuan pickled cucumber & shitake mushroom 

White cut chicken with spring onion oil 

Strange flavour sesame noodles 

Lamb & fennel dumplings 

Tea eggs with salted olive and black bean paste 

Hot & fragrant prawns

Stir fried spanner crab with garlic & baby leeks 

Hot & numbing pork 

Beef braised ‘Hakka style ‘with Chinese five spice & fermented red bean curd 

Steamed abalone mushroom with organic bamboo shoots & pith 

Steamed jasmine rice 

Orange chiffon jelly cake each

Almond pudding with rose granita to share

 $110 per person. Bookings on 02 8078 1888 or visit www.rockpool.com 

And if just a quick bite to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit is more your style, then pop in to either of our Spice Temples, pull up a seat at the bar, order a plate of dumplings and celebrate with our signature cocktail menu, which draws on the 12 years of the Chinese zodiac.

 “The Rabbit” is the perfect stand alone drink or aperitif to any meal ~ crisp green apples with jasmine tea soda, cucumber and Hendrick’s gin.

 We look forward to seeing you!

Last night at Rockpool, we cooked, ran, auctioned and did every little bit we could at Rockpool for the victims of the Queensland floods.

It was an amazing night chockers full of hospitality industry talent and we couldnt be prouder!

The brainchild of Colin Fassnidge from The Four in Hand, it was an exercise in true philanthropy and good spirit…and one that came to be via a simple tweet. Ah the power of social media! Good tweeting Colin. From the barrage of restaurant workers from all over the city (chefs, somms, waiters, managers) to those that donated stunning prizes, food, and wine – and then our brilliant MCs Simons Thomsen and Marnie, Auctioneer Graham Wright, wine man extraordinare James Johnston - and Franz and Alex churning out the feel good cocktails to wash down those great canapes. There are too many to thank, and they know who they are…but they won’t mind, beacuse we did it for the victims of the devastating Queensland Floods and felt good doing so – but just a  big fat enormous thank you! You made a potentially great night totally grand and all should be proud.

An additional little thanks to all those on the edges – Pages Hire for the donation of crockery for the night, Young Alfred for the awesome delivery of box after box of pizzas at 5pm to keep the staff charged and our wonderful cleaners and linen companies – they all did their bit and did it for free. Amazing.

And so to the menu – what a cracking display of the best of this city. Wines were matched to perfection (and lots of them) – and we flogged the rest off at auction time along with vouchers from Victor Churchill, Eveligh Markets and year long prizes from Regal Salmon; piles of books courtesy of Murdoch and boxes of goodies from Cullen Wines and Huon Hooke. The support from the restaurant  industry continued on the auction floor with so many donating awesome vouchers and some even inclusive of flights and accomodation interstate like Vue de Monde and Flower Drum. Big hugs to you.

The Menu

Canapes
Laurent Perrier NV

Sashimi of Regal salmon with vanilla and avocado snow
2010 Bests Riesling

Black seafood ravioli with sweetcorn sauce and salmon roe
2009 Capital Wines “The Senator” Chardonnay

Rabbit and foie gras terrine
Confit pork terrine2004
By Farr Farrside Pinot Noir

Red braised Wagyu brisket, tempura broccolini and hakka nam yee
2004 Domaine A Cabernets

Campari and blood orange sorbet

White chocolate cheesecake with rhubarb champagne jelly
2004 Ch. Bouscasse Pacherac ‘Les Larmes Celestes‘

So a night to be proud of and a great opportunity to meet and work with so many of the names and faces that remain just that for too long. Let’s hope this can be an ongoing commitment to those in need.