Neil talks to Jamie Drummond from Good Food Revolution Canada, about what inspired him to become a chef, sustainability, industry trends and what Australian Cuisine means to him.

Jamie Drummond on Food and Wine #81 Chef Neil Perry from GoodFoodRevolution on Vimeo.

“Whosoever says truffle, utters a grand word, which awakens erotic and gastronomic ideas….” Jean Antheleme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste

Most chefs will tell you that there is no more highly prized ingredient in the kitchen than truffles (ok, so caviar and foie gras are right up there as well).. We’re not talking about the chocolate variety that you have at with your coffee at the end of the meal here – we’re talking about the kind that grow underground which have the most alluring, pervasive aroma that you will ever encounter. We received our first batch of truffles here at Rockpool last week from Perigord Truffles of Tasmania – and they smell incredible! Currently at $1800 per kilo they certainly come at a premium, but are well worth every cent.

Truffles are a kind of subterranean fungus (sounds delicious, right?!) that grow at the base of certain trees – oak, chestnut, hazel, and others. Native to Europe, these little gems have recently been successfully grown in Australia in WA, Tasmania, Victoria and parts of NSW. Which is great news for everyone!

How do they harvest truffles? For centuries pigs were used to sniff out truffles from around the bases of these trees… the only drawback being that the pigs are inclined to eat the truffles when they find them, which I can’t really blame them for trying. Nowadays dogs are more commonly used to sniff out the truffles – they have to be trained but they are easier to handle than a 100kg+ pig.

Truffles really lend themselves to dishes such as omelettes, risotto, polenta… when the truffles are stored in airtight containers with these ingredients the aroma permeates into them. They also are great in pasta (which we’re doing right now here at Rockpool Syd) with loads of cream and butter, or even more decadent – shaved and layered between a whole triple cream cheese… To prepare a truffle, you gently peel back the outer layer with a paring knife (which can then be chopped to make truffle butter, or used in soups, or to infuse – basically anything but throw it out!) and using a very sharp slicer or mandoline, you shave the truffle over whatever you’re serving it with.

Just as a side note – there is no comparison between the flavour and aroma of a fresh truffle and that of truffle oil – personally I can’t stand the flavour and aroma of truffle oil! Most truffle oils are synthetically made, and are a poor substitute.

My fondest truffle memory is of the truffle omelette we used to do here at Rockpool – a simple omelette made from truffled eggs, salted french butter and parmesan cheese; a truffle butter emulsion sauce, and shaved truffles over the top… incredible. Let us know in the comments if you have a an amazing truffle memory.. and enjoy them while they’re in season.

Following on from our post about the hand made butter here at Rockpool Sydney, we thought it would only be natural to write about the sourdough bread we’re also making in house.

Making your own bread is definitely a labour of love, and worth every effort. Is there anything more satisfying than tearing open a hot bread roll that you just made yourself? I guess smothering it with the butter you also made yourself could the satisfaction level up a notch..

Currently there are 4 types of bread on offer here at Rockpool – 3 of our own; a spelt and honey, a rye, and a buckwheat; with the other superbly baked by Iggy’s Bread of the World in Bronte.

First of all – what is sourdough? Sourdough breads are naturally leavened, meaning that no commercial yeast is added to the dough. Sourdough relies on wild yeasts to make the bread rise, and bacteria (lactobacillus) for the characteristic sour flavour. These wild yeasts live everywhere, especially in flour and grapes – which were used to make our sourdough starter. When you mix flour (unbleached organic preferably) with water and leave it at room temperature for a period of time, tiny microorganisms take up residence in this mix. If these microorganisms are given food (flour, water, and grapes in our case) on a regular basis and kept at steady temperature, over time they will gain strength – enough to provide the rise and flavour for bread.

The starter for a sourdough is perpetual – every bread you make contains a proportion of the original starter…. for our Rockpool sourdough, a small amount of the starter set aside each day and fed new flour and water; the remaining starter goes into the breads that we are about to make. Regular feeding of the sourdough is crucial to keeping it strong and active.  

The process starts first thing in the morning, before all the other chef’s have arrived. Matt begins by weighing out the sourdough starter, which is affectionately known as downstairs as Mavis…

Unbleached organic flour is added… full of nutrients that are lost when flour is bleached.

Buttermilk (strained off from our own Rockpool Butter for a bit of a lactobacillus boost) is added, as well as Murray River sea salt…

When everything has been added, the mixing starts…

The first stage of mixing is essentially to ensure that all the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the dough…

The second stage of mixing is a bit more complex. During this stage the gluten is formed and developed – the aim is to end up with a dough that has both elasticity (resists stretching) and extensibility (able to be stretched without tearing). Achieving the correct balance between these two opposing characteristics is crucial to the structure of the finished bread. The physical mixing also incorporates oxygen into the dough, which helps with the gluten development.

So, with a bit of vigorous kneading, the dough transforms from this shaggy mess…

Into this – a smooth, elastic dough. It is then left to rest and prove for a few hours, during which time the dough is folded a few times. Folding is important for two main reasons –  firstly to expel some of the built-up carbon dioxide (a yeast by-product) which can impede fermentation (proving), and also to increase the strength of the dough.

After 4 hours or so of proving, the dough is divided and weighed into equal sized portions, an important step to ensure that all the rolls are of equal weight and therefore cook evenly.

The rolls are shaped and placed on a floured cloth, covered with cling wrap and left for the final proving.

After a couple of hours, the rolls have risen to almost their fullest and are transferred to oven trays lined with baking paper. Using a stencil the spelt and honey rolls are floured with the Rockpool ‘R’, while the rye and buckwheat rolls are scored before being loaded into the oven. Scoring is basically creating intentional weak spots in the dough, which allows a controlled expansion when they bake.

Dodgy photo of the rolls in the combi oven - trying to sneak into the kitchen at 10 minutes to 6 on a Friday evening doesn’t allow for well set up photography! 

When the rolls are loaded into the oven they are given a good shot of steam (thankfully the combi takes care of that no problem). Steam in the initial stages of baking accomplishes two main things – firstly it contributes to the colour and sheen of the crust by gelatinising the starches on the surface of the bread. Secondly it allows for greater volume of the finished bread – the steam moistens the surface of the dough, preventing the hard crust form forming straight away and therefore allowing greater expansion. After the initial steaming, the bread finishes it’s baking in a dry oven.

Once baked, the rolls are then transferred to racks to cool down before being offered to our guests. Cooling is the final important step in the bread process.. while it’s tempting to tear into a roll straight out of the oven, final flavour and aroma is achieved only when the dough has cooled.. Then you can tear into it!

Jewfish, Mussel and Saffron Stew

Serves 4

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4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ red onion, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1kg mussels in their shells, debearded
1 cup white wine
½ tsp saffron, soaked in ¼ cup hot water
4 x 200g jewfish steaks (you can also use salmon or monkfish tail), cut into thirds
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
60g unsalted butter
3 tbsp finely shredded flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread, to serve

—

In a pot with a tight fitting lid that is large enough to fit the mussels, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.

Add the mussels, wine and saffron with its soaking liquid and cover with the lid. Cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes, then remove the lid; by this time the mussels should be opening.

Remove the pan from the heat. Strain the broth through a sieve and set aside. Shell the mussels and set the flesh aside.

Season the fish with sea salt. In a heavy-based, deep sided frying pan over a medium flame, heat the remaining olive oil until hot. Add the fish pieces and cook for 1 minute to seal. Add the mussel broth and bring to a simmer. Cook the fish for a further 2 minutes, then turn over. Add the mussels and cook for 2 minutes or until the fish is just cooked.

Add the butter and stir through. Sprinkle the stew with the parsley and add a grind of fresh pepper.

To Serve, place the pan on the table with a ladle and bowls for everyone, or divide among 4 bowls. Serve with crusty bread on the side.

This recipe appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend, 25th June 2011

That’s right, team Rockpool have signed up to run this year’s city to surf! Not for our own personal glory, mind you… We’re raising funds for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, one of our favourite charities. We’re currently on top of the team fundraisers list ($17,458.00 at time of posting)  - and we want to stay there damn it! Our target is $60,000 so we have a way to go. Help us raise money for seriously ill children and their families all over Aus… and you can watch Neil and the rest of us suffer through 14km of pain!

“These amazing kids deserve every break during their illness they can get, as well as their families. Sadly many never make it, but every time we help make them smile it is a wonderful moment in their complex lives” - Neil.

You can donate to the cause at our everyday hero page… Every dollar counts. Thanks for supporting this great cause, see you at the finish line!

We’ve been using Chermoula – a Moroccan spice paste – here at Rockpool for as long as the restaurant has been open. It’s so versatile, any left over from the recipe below can be used with just about anything – chicken, beef, vegetables… You’re only limited by your imagination.

Steamed Snapper Fillets with Moroccan Flavours

Serves 4

This following dish is a sort of steamed tagine. It is fragrant and very full of flavour and is wonderful served with either couscous or rice. It is important to have a steamer large enough that it can hold a decent sized bowl, which will contain both the fish and broth, or you can cook this dish in two bowls in two steamer baskets (or one large steamer with two trays; just juggle the steamer baskets or trays about halfway through cooking. If you wish, you could add some vegetables to the broth in advance and just cook them for 30-60 minutes, depending on what type they are. I like to just steam the fish and serve it with rice and Moroccan eggplant salad, which makes for a really easy, clean, flavoursome meal. I use large snapper steaks for this dish, which weigh about 200g each. One reason for this is that it is easier to fir steaks in the steamer, rather than a long thin fillet, and the other reason is that they have a much flakier texture, which I like.

Ingredients

4 x 200g pieces snapper steak
125ml chermoula
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons honey
Sea salt
1 preserved lemon, quartered, pith removed and rind finely sliced
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Chermoula

1 red onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 bunch coriander, including stalks, washed and roughly chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, including stalks, washed and roughly chopped
1 heaped teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 ½ tablespoons ground chilli
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 ½ tablespoons ras el hanout
185ml extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon

Method

For the chermoula, put all the ingredients in a food processor, except the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Process for 1 minute, then slowly pour in the oil until a thick paste forms. Stir through the lemon juice. If making ahead of time, refrigerate the chermoula until ready to use. Makes about 500ml.

In a stainless steel bowl, mix the fish with the chermoula and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Transfer the fish to a shallow ceramic bowl for steaming (a large pasta bowl is often a good size for this job). Using the bowl containing any remaining chermoula, add the lemon juice, honey, some sea sale ant 125ml water and mix. Pour the mixture over the fish and top with the preserved lemon rind. Place the bowl in the steamer or on the steamer tray and place over a wok or saucepan of boiling water. Cover tightly and steam about 10-12 minutes. A flat fillet will only take 4-5 minutes. The timing will vary depending on the size of the fish pieces and the depth of the bowl the fish is sitting in. Remove the steamer from the heat.

Carefully remove each portion of fish with a fish lifter and place in white bowls. Spoon the sauce left in the bowl over the fish. Sprinkle with the coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Accompaniments

- Couscous and broccolini with garlic and chilli would be great to serve with this dish, with a teaspoon of preserved lemon salsa dolloped on top of each fish just before serving.
- Saffron or plain rice pilaf is perfect with this dish, as are braised vegetables such as peas, Roman beans and fennel.

From ‘The Food I Love’ by Neil Perry, Murdoch Books.

Congratulations to Jess who has just scored herself a double pass to the Time Out Shakedown with her cocktail creation “The British Reserve” – Earl grey tea bag steeped in Gin, marmalade, Grand Marnier, orange zest, dash of orange/lemon juice, splash of Talisker 10-yr reserve… Josh Cochran, our bar manager here at Rockpool Bar & Grill loved it!

Thanks for everyone who entered, they put up some stiff competition.

Tickets are still available if you want to attend… click here to purchase. Should be a great evening!!!

Time Out Shakedown
Where: The Loft, 3 Lime St, King St Wharf
When: Monday 27th June, 7pm
How Much: $50 pp

Buvette is a great neighbourhood  hang on Grove, near Bleeker. Mario told us about it and joined us for a great lunch, and we are so glad he did.

The bar staff serve the food so it is a little like French tapas I guess. They have a great small wine list and the staff are really fantastic.

The braised artichokes and asparagus were great, as were the octopus, Lyonnaise salad and the Bayonne ham. Just add bread for the most wonderful, quick lunch.

They have a room for ten which you can book; you get the starters we had, the roast chicken, potato dauphines and salad, and finish with an apple tart… what a fab dinner that would be. We also love the Buvette website, you really get a sense of their passion for good food and service, something which is close to my heart as well.

Bayonne Ham ready to go on the slicer.. nothing beats freshly sliced meats.

Beautiful fresh asparagus, tasted as good as it looks

Lyonnaise salad – a classic

Sam, Myself and Mario…

Who can mix the greatest cocktail of all time?

This coming Monday at The Loft Sydney, Time Out Mag will be holding the Time Out Shakedown – the ultimate cocktail contest! Representing Rockpool Bar & Grill will be Ben McFarlane, who qualified with his vodka cocktail ’99 problems’. Tickets for the evening can be purchased here, but we would like to give a lucky blog reader the chance to take one of their pals along for what will surely be a night to remember (depending on how many cocktails you sample..)

Just tell us in the comments below (not on our facebook page!!) what would be in your ultimate cocktail and what catchy name you would give it.. We’ll get B&G’s talented bar staff to choose the winner and announce it on Friday morning. Good luck!

Time Out Shakedown
Where: The Loft, 3 Lime St, King St Wharf
When: Monday 27th June, 7pm
How Much: $50 pp

See the Time Out website for more info…

Italian Style Zucchini and Parmesan Soup

Serves 4

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750g green zucchini, cut into 1cm thick pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch basil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ½ litres chicken stock
125ml pure cream
40g unsalted butter, chopped
40g parmesan, grated, plus extra

—

Heat a little olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, and add the zucchini, garlic, basil and a good pinch of sea salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the zucchini starts to soften.

Add the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 8 minutes.

Pour the soup in to a blender and pulse until well pureed, but not completely smooth, if you want the soup to have a bit of texture. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the cream, butter and 40g parmesan.

Divide the soup among 4 bowls, add a good grind of fresh pepper and sprinkle with extra grated parmesan.

This recipe appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend, 18th June 2011