FOOD & WINE

During a stay in Sydney the ‘Boys’ found some time to visit one of Sydney’s most iconic eating places, The Woollahra Hotel.  David & Nick discovered just why Bistro Moncur has gained such institutional recognition.  The wine list is a dedication to wines of interest and quality and the food an array of taste sensations, testimony to the innovative qualities of Chef Damien Pignolet.

Damien has generously provided two recipes from his recently released book FRENCH by DAMIEN PIGNOLET.  The Salad of Grilled Scallops is a perfect food to serve with a Chardonnay, Riesling or a glass of the zippyBlue Cutting Road Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.  The Marinated Roast Lamb Rump with Soft White or Yellow Polenta would be perfectly matched with the Blue Cutting Road Cabernet Merlot, the ever versatile Pinot Noir or if you love something a little more robust, either the Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz.

We pay special thanks to Damien and his publisher Lantern, for allowing us to print these recipes.

Bon Appetit

Salad of Grilled Scallops with Witloof, Blue Cheese & a Hazelnut Vinaigrette
50g hazelnuts

120g blue cheese, such as Roquefort, St Agur or Rochecave
3-4 heads witloof
a little peanut or grapeseed oil
500-600g scallops, with roe attached
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vinaigrette
80ml grapeseed or peanut oil
80ml hazelnut oil
20-30ml cider vinegar
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 

Serves 6
One autumn afternoon while on holiday in Paris I was walking back to my friend's apartment after a long and wonderful lunch at Guy Savoy's restaurant when I came across a tiny restaurant housed in what was once a cremerie [dairy produce shop]. Its interior was still clothed with its original tiles, but traditional cafe chairs, marble-topped tables and mirrored walls had transformed it into everyone's fantasy of an authentic French neighbourhood bistro. So to the menu, which spoke of a comfortable clientele of regulars, with one exception: grilled scallops with witloof and Roquefort, dressed with a hazelnut vinaigrette. I needed no further encouragement to make a booking for dinner at 11 p.m. - the only vacancy!

Back at home, I developed my own recipe for this delightful salad. I find that St Agur or Rochecave make fair substitutes but they do lack the unique palate of Roquefort, the king of blue cheeses.
 

1. Toast the hazelnuts on a baking tray in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes, or until the skins split. Transfer the nuts to a clean tea towel and rub off the skins  while they are still hot. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely and toast them again until lightly coloured. Set aside.

• Break the cheese into pieces about half the size of a hazelnut and put aside. Discard the outer leaves of the witloof and, as Australian witloof tends to be very large, I also usually trim off the base. Allow about 5-6 leaves per serve.
   
• Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the oils and vinegar, salt and pepper - it should not be too acidic.
   
• Heat a frying pan until it is very hot, add a smear of oil and seal the scallops very quickly on both sides, seasoning with salt and pepper - the scallops should gain some colour but should still be almost raw in the centre. Transfer to a bowl, moisten with some of the vinaigrette and toss quickly. 
   
• Assemble the witloof, scallops and cheese on individual plates, dress each salad with a little more vinaigrette and scatter with toasted hazelnuts.

Roast Marinated Lamb Rump with Soft White Polenta, Tomatoes, Red Peppers & Olives

6 x 250g Iamb rumps, trimmed of all excess fat
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large Roma tomatoes, peeled and deseeded, then cut into quarters
3 red peppers, grilled and peeled, then cut into 1cm strips
2-3 tablespoons Ligurian olives
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, washed, dried and pan-roasted until aromatic
1/2 quantity Soft White Polenta

Marinade
100 ml olive oil
1/2 clove varlic
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
12 green peppercorns (in brine) rinsed and lightly crushed
1 large sprig of rosemary

The lamb rump is an ideal portion size and lends itself to roasting or the barbeque. Several hours' marination beforehand keeps the meat moist and juicy, as does the essential resting time.
 

• Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a small ovenproof pan and heat to blood temperature, then transfer to  the oven for 20 minutes. Strain, discard the solids and allow to cool completely.
   
• Place the lamb rumps in a non-reactive bowl, pour over the cooled marinade and rub into the meat. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, turning several times.
   
• When ready to cook the lamb, preheat the oven to 180°C. Select a heavy-based ovenproof frying pan that will accommodate the rumps, pour in the  2  tablespoons of olive oil and heat until it begins to smoke. Reduce the heat and seal the meat all over then transfer to the oven for about 8-10 minutes ,  turning halfway through the cooking time. As ovens vary, keep checking for doneness - the meat should feel slightly springy to the touch. Remove, cover loosely with foil, and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
   
• Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, peppers, olives, olive oil and vinegar in a small saucepan. Season lightly and warm through over low heat. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves.
   
• To serve, place a generous spoonful of polenta on each plate. Carve the lamb rumps into km-thick slices across their widths and place on top. Finish with the tomato, pepper and olive mixture.

Soft White or Yellow Polenta
2.6 litres cold water
1 teaspoon salt
250g polenta
100-150ml creme fraiche or cream [35% fat]
a few tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

freshly ground pepper - white for white polenta, black for yellow polenta

Serves 6-8

• In a heavy-based 6-litre saucepan or stockpot, bring the salted water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, put the polenta into a small bowl. Remove the  water from the heat and rain in the polenta in a continuous stream, stirring continuously.
   
• Return to a very low heat and stir constantly for 20 minutes. The texture will be quite wet to start but will thicken after 10 minutes of cooking. Once fully cooked, stir in enough cream to produce a creamy wet texture.
   
• Remove from the heat, stir in the parmesan then taste for seasoning. Serve immediately or cover the surface with a circle of buttered greaseproof paper and keep warm in a bain-marie until required.

Recipes from the book French by Damien Pignolet

Lantern  rrp  $69.95 ©  Damien Pignolet   2005
Photographs by Earl Carter.
For those of you not residents of the Harbour city, The Woollahra Hotel, Cellars and fabulous Bistro Moncur are a must to visit on your next Sydney sojourn!
The Woollahra Hotel
116 Queen Street
Woollahra  Sydney
For Bookings at Bistro Moncur: phone 02 9363 2519
If you want more information on either the Woollahra Hotel or Bistro Moncur look up their website as follow: 
www.woollahrahotel.com.au
Copies of Damian's Book french available at all good bookstores.