The first season of Kitchen Cabinet has finished on ABC2 and there were some very interesting recipes from the various politicians. They’re all up on the website but I’ve compiled them together here for convenience!  Enjoy..

AMANDA VANSTONE

NICO’S PASTA POMODORI

 

 This dish highlights the absolute essence of tomato

For each person: 2 tomatoes 2 or three cloves of garlic, olive oil , 60 grams penne pepper and salt.

Put about ¼ cup oil in pan and add peeled garlic (cut in half ). Let it steep, not cook, for about 20 minutes over the smallest flame…leave the pan on the side of the heat if need be. Peel seed juice and chop the tomato add it to the oil with pepper and salt to taste and simmer over very low flame until it is mush. Remove garlic if you are picky.

Throw in penne that has been cooked in a rolling boil of water. Serve.

 

Tagliata

This is a classic “alla grigliat a” or bbq steak with a twist. The Italian verb tagliare means to cut. Hence the pasta “tagliata”. The dish highlights simple Italian tastes…bbq beef and arugola . Nothing could be simpler.

For each person: One piece rump or other steak and rocket.

Brush steaks with oil and spice with pepper/ salt or better still mixed Italian bbq spices. Just before you put the meat on the bbq, for each person put enough rocket on the dinner plate. Sprinkle on good vinegar and good oil. Cook steaks medium rare, quickly slice into strips and put on top of rocket. Maybe add some balsamic or lemon juice and a quick splash of good olive oil. Serve.

NIGEL SCULLION

TERRITORY TASTING PLATE RECIPES

 

Magpie Goose Breasts

 Shoot Geese, recommended shot size is No 2’s in 12 gauge, I find this shot has good knock down capacity and does little damage to the meat.

Remove breasts by cutting through the skin on the breast and pulling the skin away from the breast bone simultaneously in opposing directions. The skin will peel away exposing the breast meat.

Cut down vertically on both sides of the breast bone and remove the breasts by running a knife between the rib cage and the meat.

Cut the breasts lengthways, about 5mm thick, marinade in a bowl with a slosh of olive oil garlic and juice of a couple of lemons.

Leave covered in fridge overnight .

Cook for about 2 mins a side on hot pan and serve with sliced crusty bread.

GRILLED CHERABIN

 

Catch Cherabin. Cherabin are best caught using “Opera House” pots, baited with small tins of cat food, with holes punched through the lid.

Peel the Cherabin bodies leaving the last tail segment, and the head on.

Soak wooden skewers in water and push them through the Cherabin length ways.

Coat lightly in olive oil and season with cracked pepper and coarse salt.

Cook on a grill on an open fire for about two mins per side depending on the heat…. Careful not to overcook.

Serve on the skewers with a cold beer.

 

DUKAWA (RED CLAW) PUFFS

 

Catch Red Claw: These can be caught with “Opera House” traps, or using the time honoured method of a piece of string tied to bait of choice and mum’s borrowed strainer. Best baits are magpie goose or Black duck guts.

Peel and head Red Claw.

(This is for about 15 medium Red Claw)

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
  • 1 large Onion
  • 3 cloves Garlic, chopped.
  • Teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon Blachan paste
  • 1 Tablespoon wholegrain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons coconut cream
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons rice flour
  • Frozen puff pastry sheets
  • Salt and cracked pepper to taste.

On medium heat add two cloves of garlic to Tbl. spoon sesame oil just as they come to the sizzle add Red Claw and toss in garlic for about 30 seconds (until outside of flesh starts to turn red) set aside.

Add 1 clove chopped garlic to 1 teaspoon hot sesame oil add diced onion, Blachan, cook until onion is soft.

Add mustard, coconut cream, bring to fast simmer and add red claw flesh, cook for a further 3 mins. (Until cooked if large)

Combine water, fish sauce, rice flour, stir until smooth.

Add rice flour mixture and stir until sauce thickens.

Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Cut puff pastry sheets into squares (as large as you like), place cooled red claw mixture on half of the pastry square, fold over the “lid” press down the edges firmly and place on baking paper in an oven tray.

Bake in oven at apron 180 degrees or until golden brown

Great cold with a beer when fishing for Barra!!

 

BARAMUNDI COOKED IN PANDANUS AND PAPER BARK

 Catch Barra: drive to the Territory… Back up the ute to any billabong… They just jump in!!

Strip thorns from Pandanus leaves, coat Barra fillet with a little olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste, place on pandanus leaves, on a sheet of paperbark, place pandanus leaves on top of Barra sprinkle about half teaspoon water on the top and wrap paperbark in a parcel with the paperbark.

Wrap in alfoil (this is only to hold the parcel together, wire or a rock will do if no foil is available)

Place on hot coals, five mins turn for two mins.

Open parcels carefully…….hot!!

Technical Note: It is an offence in the NT to consume Barra without cold beer!!

 

CHILLI CRAB

 

Catch mud crabs. Mudcrabs can be caught in a number of ways – easiest is when a crabpot baited with fresh fish heads are put in an estuary, creek or on the mudflats in front of the estuary. These are best placed at low tide. The crabs will move up and into the pots as the tide comes in. Crabs are best handled straight into an esky half filled with iced water. The crabs will go to sleep and this is the safest and most humane way to deal with them.

Technical Note: Some crabs when removed from the iced water (although they will appear to be asleep) will liven up quickly and escape to cause general mischief. I like this recipe when served with thick slices of crusty bread and an icy cold beer.

  •  ½ cup tomato sauce
  • ½ cup sweet chilli sauce
  • Sriracha chilli sauce (a few squirts)
  • About 3 tblsp chilli mango sauce (see below)
  • ¾ cup of chicken stock
  • 1 tblsp fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour
  • 2 tblsp vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
  • About 3 chillies
  • A few shallots, thinly sliced
  • About 1 ½ inch of ginger, chopped finely
  • 1 tomato
  • 2 or 3 mud crabs
  • 3 beaten eggs

 

Mix the tomato sauce, sweet chilli sauce; Sriracha and chilli mango sauce, cornflour (blended in a little water), chicken stock and fish sauce.

Add the oil, garlic, chilli, finely chopped shallots and ginger to the wok. Cook until fragrant and brown; add the chopped tomato.

Add and briefly toss the crabs.

 

PENNY WONG

TOBY’S FISH

Ingredients (quantities to taste):

  • Fish (recommend Blue Eye or Red Snapper – can be done with a whole fish or with fillets)
  • Rice Flour
  • Oil
  • Chilli (fresh)
  • Belachan (shrimp paste – block is best)
  • Ginger (lots) – finely chopped or grated
  • 1 Onion – quartered
  • Tomatoes – quartered
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Light Soy
  • Coriander

 

Steps:

  1. Lightly coat fish in rice flour
  2. Fry until crisp and cooked through
  3. Set fish aside
  4. Fry chilli, belachan and ginger
  5. Add onion, then add the tomatoes
  6. Add rice vinegar and soy until “tangy”
  7. Stir through coriander
  8. Pour on top of fish and serve

The measurements can be varied according to taste.

 

 

JULIE BISHOP

PRAWN & CORIANDER RISOTTO

 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Onion
  • 2-3 stalks celery
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • ¾ cup Arborio rice
  • 400 grams green prawns
  • ¼ cup of dry Cinzano
  • Fresh coriander
  • Pine Nuts
  • Black pepper
  • Parmesan Cheese

Steps:

  1. Pour chicken stock into saucepan and place over low heat
  2. Peel onion and chop
  3. Chop celery stalks (the finer the better)
  4. Pour oil into deep frying pan and gently fry onion and celery for about 10 minutes (on medium heat)
  5. Add Arborio rice to pan and stir over high heat (for a few minutes)
  6. Splash Cinzano over hot rice and stir until absorbed (a few seconds)
  7. Turn heat to low and simmer
  8. Add a grind of pepper
  9. Pour one ladle hot chicken stock over rice and gently stir until mostly absorbed
  10. Repeat this process until rice is more than half cooked (about 5 or so ladles)
  11. Add green prawns and at least two ladles of stock, stir and cover with lid
  12. Check every couple of minutes to ensure stock has not been fully absorbed
  13. Add more stock as needed
  14. Cook until rice is soft but a little bit firm in the centre
  15. Adjust stock to desired level for serving (a bit of moisture is good)
  16. Turn off heat
  17. Add handful of fresh roughly chopped coriander and a handful of pine nuts, Stir through
  18. Serve on plate top with a grind of pepper and sprinkle of Parmesan

 

TANYA PLIBERSEK

TONY BURKE’S OCEAN TROUT PASTA

Ingredients:

  • Chilli
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Olive oil
  • Ocean Trout (About 100g of fish per person)
  • Two lemons
  • Parsley
  • Capers
  • Anchovies
  • Green Olives
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Preserved lemon
  • Rind of one lemon

 

Steps:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan.
  2. Chop the chilli, garlic and ginger and add to the pan. Heat until fragrant.
  3. Chop the anchovies, green olives, preserved lemon and rind and add to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat.
  4. Cut the raw ocean trout into cubes and soak in the juice of two lemons.
  5. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water, following packet direction.
  6. Stir the raw ocean trout through the other ingredients.
  7. Add the cooked spaghetti and rocket, the heat of the pasta will cook the trout.
  8. Season with salt and pepper.
  9. Transfer to serving dish.

 

 

DICK ADAMS

GAZPACHO SOUP

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 1 purple onion, finely chopped

• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

• 2 Tbsp fresh basil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

• 6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste

• 4 cups tomato juice

Steps:

Combine all ingredients in a mixer. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and chives.

 

SALMON AND EGG MAYONNAISE

 

Poach salmon in fish kettle (large one) with bouquet garni – about 10 mins per kg.


Egg mayonnaise

Ingredients:

  • 6 egg yolks
  • Juice of a lemon
  • olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

Separate egg yolks and mix, add the lemon and then pour into a mixing bowl and drizzle in olive oil stirring all the time with a slow beater until all combined, quantity rather depends on the consistency wanted. Add salt and pepper to taste at the end.

Served with cold leaks in vinaigrette, pink eye potatoes and butter, green salad.

Vinaigrette:

  • Cup of olive oil
  • Dessert spoon of Balsamic vinegar
  • Teasp. Dijon seeded mustard
  • Teasp raw sugar
  • 2 cloves of fresh garlic (crushed)

Steps:

Blend well – add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in small jug –

(This was also used on the leeks which are steamed and served cold).