BLACK by Ezard at The Star, Sydney

 

As you all know, I love to eat...and truth be told, I love to eat out more than I love to cook. Discovering new restaurants with delicious food would have to be one of my favourite hobbies. This was our first visit to BLACK by Ezard, even though it has been a fixture amongst The Star, Sydney's fine eateries since 2011. What took me so long?

 

Part of Teage Ezard's stable of restaurants, BLACK encapsulates the spirit of Sydney - sophisticated yet comfortable. The plush interior with its 30 chef show kitchen is visually appealing and so is the view from many of its tables. We had an early pre-theatre show booking and were seated next to the large windows overlooking the harbour, making not only for an amazing view (and some interesting people watching), but also great lighting for food photography - a rare treat!

 

We started off our dining experience with a complimentary, delicious, warm mini brioche loaf and butter. Surprisingly, we were brought a second loaf after we downed the first...and we just couldn't refuse!

 

Following is a visual feast of the rest of our food. My husband likened these dishes to those at the 6 star Wolgan Valley Resort in terms of presentation. They were pretty amazing in terms of flavour combinations as well. Not surprising, considering BLACK by Ezard was awarded Three Chef's Hats in the 2014 Gault & Millau Sydney Restaurant Guide ​​​​​​​​and One Chef's Hat in the SMH Good Food Guide 2015.

 

We decided to share a couple of starters. The first was the Tomato Vine Ripened Salad which included a variety of tomatoes, buffalo cheese, green kalamata olives, white balsamic and basil dressing. It sounds deceptively simple yet tasted amazing and looked pretty as well. With added mousse, the saltiness of parmesan and the crunch of pine nuts, it delivered as an entrée to a great menu.

 

We also enjoyed the King Prawns with seaweed butter. I can't say that they slid out of their shells effortlessly but they were worth the cutlery struggle. Again, the presentation looked clean and fresh.

We could have chosen something from the wood burning grill for our mains but we couldn't go past the two following dishes! They sounded too good to pass up - and our deal was that we had to share with each other!

I ordered the handmade Potato Gnocchi, which I must say leave mine for dead! They absolutely melt in the mouth and teamed with crispy zucchini flowers, hazelnut dressing and ricotta cheese, they are undeniably delicious. I would never think to add whole hazelnuts to a gnocchi dish but the nutty flavour worked so well with the ricotta and zucchini flowers. I found myself scraping the bottom of the plate with my fork, trying not to leave any drop of deliciousness behind. I highly recommend this stunning dish.

Anyone who knows me, knows I can't go past a delicious sounding pork dish - which is exactly why I convinced my husband to order it hehe... I must admit that when it first arrived at the table, it wasn't what I was expecting. I wasn't sure how tender the pork would be but one mouthful and I was in heaven. The Spice Crusted Pork Tenderloin was teamed with blood plum, fennel and witlof, cider, mustard emulsion and puffed pork crackle. An almost perfect dish. The pork was extremely tender and the flavour combination was spot on! The puffed pork crackle looked great for presentation but in this respect, I'm a traditional girl - give me a piece of pork crackling any day - I want the real deal! Don't let this put you off this dish though. It's still worth every cent of the asking price.

 

Part of my aim in making an early booking was to ensure we had time for dessert before rushing off to watch the show. This dessert does not disappoint! It's not far off being described as orgasmic! Butterscotch Crème Brulee with green apple and toasted pistachio, a sorbet that lent a touch of bitterness and a smooth mango puree. The crème brulee was silky smooth and melted in the mouth, as a good brulee should. It could stand alone as a dessert and still impress, however set with the other elements on this dish, this dessert is lifted to a whole new level. I'm sitting here salivating as I type - a definite winner and another dish that I highly recommend. It had everything - great taste, great texture and great looks!

 

All in all, we could not fault our first experience at BLACK and will definitely return to taste more from this European and American grill inspired menu.

Mini Potato Bake

I must confess that I love potatoes and will eat them in just about any form! Potato Bakes are one of the more indulgent ways to enjoy them and when you have a whole dish in front of you, it's hard to stop at just one slice. Hence, here are my mini potato bakes - perfect as individual side dishes for a family dinner and great for portion control. There are many different recipes out there for potato bake but this one is really easy to prepare.

 

I haven't included salt and pepper seasoning but you may add it to potatoes if you wish.

 

Mini Potato Bake

Serves 4

2 potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup thickened cream
125g tasty cheese
1 piece rindless shortcut bacon, diced into small pieces
Oil spray

1. Spray ramekins with oil.

2. Mix cream and cheese together and set aside.

3. Line base of ramekins with potatoes. It doesn't matter if whole base isn't covered, but do overlap if need be so that majority of base is covered.

4. Pour some of the cream and cheese mixture over the potatoes - about a spoonful will suffice.

5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until ramekins are almost full.

6. Sprinkle with bacon.

7. Bake uncovered in 180 degrees celcius fan forced oven for approximately 1 hour. I like to have the ramekins on a baking tray so they can be removed easily. Take care not to burn yourself and remember to let the ramekins cool a little before placing them on a child's plate.

Raspberry Granita

The recent warm weather in Sydney has called for some icy treats - and this raspberry granita is a winner. The great thing about making your own granita is that you can control the amount of sugar you put in it! You can also substitute the raspberry with any fruit you have on hand.

Raspberry Granita

Serves 2

25g raw sugar (or icing sugar if not using a Thermomix)
50g frozen raspberries
100g ice cubes

1. Simply place all three ingredients in Thermomix bowl and blend for 20 seconds/speed 10, gradually increasing speed from 1 to 10.

That's it - very quick and simple!

Crumbed Ling with Potato Salad

Time for a confession: I think my favourite way to eat fish is battered or fried! Defeats the health benefits but very tasty. This is a recipe using ling fillet, which is similar to perch. With soft, white flesh, it is great for fussy children as well. The recipe can be simplified by using store bought breadcrumbs.

 

The accompanying potato salad is delicious ad a new favourite in this household. I wouldn't really recommend using store bought mayonnaise because the secret to its charm is the homemade dressing.

I use my Thermomix to prepare the crumb for the fish, to hard boil the eggs, steam the potatoes and make the dressing. However, you can complete these steps using your stove top and other appliances.

 

Crumbed Ling with Potato Salad

 

Serves 4-6

 

Fish

 

600g Ling fish (or similar)

6 bread slices

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Salt & pepper to taste

1.5 teaspoons of Mixed Italian Herbs

2-3 eggs, beaten

1 cup flour

 

Potato Salad 

 

1kg potatoes

3 hard boiled eggs

3 trimmed and diced bacon rashers

Handful of chopped chives

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Dressing

 

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 garlic clove, crushed

125ml light olive oil

 

1. I always start with the mayonnaise dressing. To make the dressing, place egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and garlic in the Thermomix (or a food processor). Mix 20 seconds/speed 4.

 

2. Then slowly add oil in a steady stream through top of lid over a period of 1 minute/speed 4. Finally mix for a further 2 minutes/speed 4. Your mayonnaise is now ready and can be set aside in fridge until ready to use.

 

3. Hard boil eggs, peel and set aside.

 

4. Cook bacon over medium heat in a non-stick fry pan until cooked to your liking and then set aside to cool.

 

5. Potatoes can be peeled or left unpeeled if preferred. Chop potatoes and boil or steam until just tender. 

 

6. Once potatoes are cooled to room temperature, combine with chopped hard boiled eggs, bacon and mayonnaise. Sprinkle with chives and lightly mix through.

 

7. Ling is usually sold de-boned and in large fillets. Slice it into serving size pieces and set aside whilst you prepare crumb mixture.

 

8. To make bread crumb coating, combine 6 roughly torn up slices of bread, lemon rind, salt and pepper and mixed Italian herbs in Thermomix and grind 10 seconds/speed 6. Pour into a bowl.

 

9. Coat fish pieces in flour, dip in egg and then coat with bread crumbs.

 

10. Shallow fry the fish in a pan and then serve with the potato salad.

 





Green Medley Ricotta Gnocchi

From the moment I got home from Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa, I was pining for the gorgeous food I had eaten there. One of my favourite dishes was the Tarwin Blue Cheese Gnocchi that we had for lunch. This recipe was inspired by those delicious gnocchi. I think this is my new favourite way to eat gnocchi and all that green makes it seem a little healthier too!

If you haven't got the time to make your own ricotta gnocchi, you can always substitute with store bought gnocchi. However, the ricotta really adds a soft, light texture that compliments the green vegetables well.

Green Medley Ricotta Gnocchi

Serves 6

Batch of ricotta gnocchi 
1 bunch of broccolini
1 small bunch of silver beet spinach
2 handfuls of peas (fresh or frozen*)
Dried chilli
Salt to taste
Olive oil

* If using frozen, take them out of freezer and leave in a covered bowl so that they defrost before you are ready to use them.

1. Steam broccolini and set aside. I used my Thermomix Varoma for this.

2. Cook gnocchi as per recipe directions.

3. As gnocchi are cooking, place chopped/shredded spinach and peas in a pan with a dash of oil and saute over medium heat until wilted and cooked through. Add a little salt to taste.

4. Add the drained gnocchi and continue to saute as you mix through.

5. Next, add the reserved broccolini and toss until heated through, ensuring you keep them as whole as possible.

6. Finally, add as little or as much chilli as you desire. Stir through and serve.

Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa

I recently had the privilege of staying at Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa as a birthday surprise. Go and check out the site because I really can't add enough photos to convey how beautiful and stunning it is. It's not hard to see why Michael Clarke and Kyly Boldy hired out the place for their private wedding a couple of years ago. Housing a maximum of 90 guests in 40 luxury villas, each with its own heated swimming pool, and allowing no outside visitors apart from guests, this is definitely the place to escape the world. With about 90 staff on hand to cater to every whim, a luxury spa and various activities, it's hard not to yearn for the place once you leave.

Being a food blogger and a foodie at heart, I have to say the food at Wolgan Valley is absolutely amazing! Every mouthful is a revelation of ingredients and flavours and each dish has a complex mix of elements. I can't even begin to describe how good the food was, so I will just have to show you in pictures. I was trying to be discreet and took most of these photos using my phone, some in the dimly lit evening dining room. As such, I don't think they do justice to the food. Hopefully, though, they give you a sense of what a six star resort serves. The Wolgan Valley Resort food philosophy is based on seasonal, regional and where possible, organic produce. This is stunningly obvious in every dish. Following is a small selection of what we ate.

Breakfast:

Freshly squeezed orange juice and passionfruit yoghurt.

Fresh fruit.

Eggs Borrodell - Scrambled 'Canobolas' eggs, Borrodell truffle, king brown mushrooms & garlic sourdough.

Sides of Thyme roast field mushrooms & Trunkey Creek smoked bacon.

The Valley Breakfast - free range eggs, Trunkey Creek bacon, truss tomato, basil, spinach & grilled sourdough.

Capertee Sweet Corn Fritter - Cured ocean trout, poached egg, mild chorizo, saffron and coriander.

Lunch:

The Valley Burger - Shogun Wagyu patty, truss tomato, Princess Pantry relish & Braidwood aioli.
Wolgan Caesar Salad - Quattro Stelle prosciutto, baby cos, sourdough crisp & classic dressing.

Tarwin Blue Cheese Gnocchi with chilli, broccoli, almonds and fine herbs.

Dinner:

For dinner, we had the choice of ordering from the a la carte menu or from the daily changing degustation menu, and dishes could be interchanged from each menu. Theses dishes were difficult to photograph because we ate in the gorgeous fire lit dining room but here is a small selection of what we indulged in.

Each meal began with a delicious taster to activate the palate. I can't quite remember what this one was but I can tell you that it was delicious!

Yellow Fin Tuna - sweet soy, cashew & shallot crumble, nashi pear & parsley.

One of the mid-meal palate cleansers - Orange Mountain Ver jus Sorbet.

Millthorpe Pork - Loin, belly, hock, morel mushroom & garden pea.

Desserts & Snacks:

My birthday dessert: a combination of ice-cream, biscuit and crumble presented in an ice sculpture dome.

 

Bilpin Apple Tart Tatin - Wolgan sorrel, Olsson's salted caramel and Garret quince.

Zokoko Chocolate Fondant - brandy snap tuile, green bean coffee and butter milk ice cream.

I'm salivating just typing out the names of these desserts and dishes. There were other amazing ones that I didn't even get the opportunity to photograph, like the Heston Blumenthol-esque white chocolate dome that collapsed into itself once syrup was poured over it to reveal a hidden treasure chest of candied nuts, chocolate and rhubarb presented in a variety of ways. Oh, heaven!

Compliments to the amazing chefs at Wolgan Valley Resort - I would honestly return just for the food! 

Crumbed Haloumi with Cranberry Sauce

This is a delicious starter to any meal, and makes for a nice snack as well when you are feeling like indulging. Not quite finger food, as the cheese can tend to break when dipping it into the sauce - best to eat it with a fork and knife. Really yummy and definitely a flavour combination I love!

I made the cranberry sauce using my Thermomix but you can do so on the stove top or even cheat and buy some ready made cranberry sauce.

Crumbed Haloumi with Cranberry Sauce

Makes approx. 16 pieces

Cranberry Sauce

100g dried cranberries

10g caster sugar

85g water

Crumbed Haloumi

180g block of Haloumi cheese

1-1.5 cups of breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 eggs

Oil

1. To make the sauce, combine cranberries, sugar and water in Thermomix and cook for 8 minutes/100degrees/speed 2. Scrape down sides.

2. Mix for 10 seconds/speed 6. If you feel it needs more water, you can add some more and cook again for 1 minute/100 degrees/speed 2. When happy with consistency, set aside to cool.

3. Beat eggs in one bowl and set aside.

4. Pour breadcrumbs into another bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper.

5. Slice Haloumi into approximately half centimetre pieces.

6. Dip Haloumi pieces into egg and then into breadcrumbs to coat.

7. On medium heat, shallow fry Haloumi pieces until a light golden brown in colour.