INGREDIENT

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• Six 8- to 10-ounce salmon fillets, with skin, if possible
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil, such as canola or safflower
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 3 lemons, halved, for garnish
• 1 1/2 cups beurre blanc (recipe below)

BEURRE BLANC INGREDIENTS

• Makes about 2 cups
• 1 teaspoon clarified butter or olive oil
• 3/4 heavy cream
• 1 large shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground white pepper

DIRECTIONS FOR SALMON

1. Preheat the broiler or prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. The coals or heating element should be medium-hot.
2. Lightly brush both sides of the salmon fillets with oil and then season both sides lightly with seasoned salt. (If using the oven, broil the salmon, skin side down, about 3 inches from the heat source for about 5 minutes.) Slide a spatula between the skin and fish and turn the fish over. Broil the salmon for 3 to 5 minutes longer, or until opaque and beginning to flake. If grilling, place it on the grate, skin side down, for about 5 minutes. Turn and grill for 3 to 5 minutes more.

DIRECTIONS FOR BEURRE BLANC

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the clarified butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it softens without coloring.
2. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the wine reduces and the liquid coats the bottom of the pan. Add the cream and simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until reduced by half.
3. Reduce the heat to low and begin adding the butter, a tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition. Do not allow the cream to boil once the butter is added.

Serve each fillet garnished with a lemon half and the beurre blanc sauce on the side.

Ingredients

• 2 thick fillet steaks, about 200g each
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g butter

Green peppercorn sauce

• 2 tbsp green peppercorns in brine, drained
• 125ml (½ cup) beef stock
• 125ml (½ cup) thickened cream
• 60ml (¼ cup) white wine
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

Method

1. Season the steaks well with salt and black pepper and heat a heavy frypan over high heat. Add the oil and the steaks. Cook the steaks for about 2 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your steaks, then add the butter to the pan. Tilt the pan to collect the butter on one side, and spoon the hot butter over the steaks continuously until cooked to your liking. I prefer fillet steaks to be rare to blue, and that will take just a minute or two for thick steaks. Remove the steaks from the pan and rest them on a warm plate in a draught-free place while you prepare the sauce.
2. Discard any butter remaining in the pan and return it to the heat. To make the sauce, add the green peppercorns, stock, cream, wine, brandy and soy sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 4 duck marylands or duck breasts
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 oranges
• 4 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar                                             
• 4 shallots, finely diced
• 4 tbsp orange marmalade
• 4 tbsp  orange juice
• 400ml chicken stock

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the skin of the duck, then season with salt and pepper. Place on an oven tray and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest. Peel the zest from oranges then cut into matchsticks. Blanch the zest in boiling water for three minutes. Remove any remaining skin and the pith and reserve any juices. Heat honey in a large, heavy-based frying pan over moderate heat. Add vinegar, shallots, reserved orange juice, marmalade, stock and blanched orange zest. Return to low heat and allow to simmer gently to reduce for six to eight minutes. Place the cooked duck, along with any juices, in the pan and heat through, turning to coat both sides. Add the segmented orange pieces to the orange sauce. Serve with steamed asparagus and a green salad.

Ingredient

• 2 1/2 cups (625ml) thin cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 150°C. Place six 2/3- cup (160ml) capacity ovenproof dishes in a large roasting pan.

Step 2

Place cream in a medium saucepan. Use a small, sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream. Add the bean to the cream mixture. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer (do not boil).

Step 3

Use a balloon whisk to whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk the cream into the egg-yolk mixture until well combined. Remove and discard vanilla pod. Pour evenly among the prepared dishes. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the dishes.

Step 4

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until just set. Remove from oven. Transfer the dishes onto an oven tray and set aside for 30 minutes to cool. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4 hours to chill.

Step 5

Preheat a grill on high. Sprinkle the brulees evenly with brown sugar. Cook under the grill for 1-2 minutes or until sugar bubbles and caramelises. Alternatively, you can use a brulee gun to caramelise the sugar. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• cups self-raising flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda, sifted
• 200g butter, softened
• 1 cup milk or unsweetened yoghurt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup boiling hot coffee

To ice:

• 1 recipe Chocolate Ganache
• fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 160°C fanbake. Grease a 30cm-diameter springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Place all ingredients except Chocolate Ganache and raspberries in a large bowl, electric mixer or food processor and mix or blitz until the ingredients are combined and the butter is fully incorporated. Pour into prepared tin and smooth top. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin. If not using at once, the cake will keep for about a week in a sealed container in the fridge. You can also freeze it uniced.

When you are ready to ice the cake, slather chilled Chocolate Ganache over the top. Top with fresh raspberries and serve.

Variation:

To make chocolate cupcakes, preheat oven to 160°C and line 24 muffin pans with paper cases. Prepare cake batter according to the instructions for The Ultimate Chocolate Cake (see above). Spoon mixture into the paper cases, filling about two thirds full. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool before icing. For icing, beat 200g firm cream cheese with 100g softened butter until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 cups icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Add a few drops of food colouring to get the desired colour. Icing can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week. Pipe onto the cakes and top with confectionery sprinkles. Makes 24.

Ingredient

• Olive oil, to grease
• 180ml olive oil
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 lemons, rind finely grated
• 150g caster sugar
• 125g almond meal
• 75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour, plus extra to dust
• 40g flaked almonds
• Fresh rosemary flowers (optional), to decorate 

Lemon & Rosemary Syrup

• 60ml (1/4 cup) strained fresh lemon juice
• 60ml (1/4 cup) water
• 110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Brush a 20cm spring form tin with olive oil and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
2. Combine the flour, sugar and almond meal in a large bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, eggs and lemon rind until well combined. Add to the almond meal mixture and use a balloon whisk or spatular to stir until just evenly combined.
3. Pout into the prepared tin and spread with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle evenly with the flaked almonds. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand the cake in the tin before turning transferring to a wire rack sitting over a tray.
4. Combine the lemon juice, water and sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes or until reduced by about half.
5. Slowly pour the hot syrup over the warm cake, allowing it to soak in as much as possible. Cool to room temperature (this will take about 1 hour). 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 chicken (about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut into eight pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with their juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/3 cup black Kalamata olive, halved and pitted
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste

Directions

Step 1

In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper and put it in the pan. Cook the chicken until browned, turning, about 8 minutes in all. Remove the chicken from the pan. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.

Step 2

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion and the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, olives, anchovy paste, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add the chicken thighs and drumsticks and any accumulated juices. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the breasts and cook until the chicken is just done, about 10 minutes more. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Serve With

roasted chat potatoes boiled green beans or rice would be excellent.

Bon Appetit