A relaxed long lunch featuring freshly cooked seafood is the order of the day for this New Year’s celebration. Shell decorations and a light and neutral colour palette for the table setting add to the seaside ambience

 

Menu
Parmesan and Pecan Biscuits & Herbed Semi-dried Tomatoes (served with marinated feta)
Fisherman’s Basket with Wasabi Aioli
Ginger and Lemon Oysters with Lemon and Strawberry Cream
Iced Tea

 

Fisherman’s Basket with Wasabi Aioli
If you don’t have a small processor to make the aioli, crush the garlic and use an electric beater for mixing.

2 eggs 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup flour 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves18 scallops 18 green prawns, peeled and de-veined, tails on 24 squid rings (uncooked) 3 fish fillets (about 600g; snapper and tarakihi  work well), cut into large bite-size pieces 2 tablespoons butter ¹/³ cup cooking oil ¼ teaspoon sesame oil Coriander leaves to garnish

Prepare the crumb coating by beating eggs with sweet chilli sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Place flour in a bowl and combine panko and coriander in another bowl. Dip each piece of seafood into flour, then egg mix, then breadcrumbs. Chill for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat butter and oils in a frying pan and gently fry seafood in batches until browned and just cooked through. Add more oil and butter if necessary. Serve immediately, garnished with coriander, with the wasabi aioli on the side.  Serves 6

 

Aioli:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 egg yolks, at room temperature
½ teaspoon wasabi paste
¼ cup cooking oil
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
Aioli: Mix garlic, egg yolks and wasabi in a small processor. With motor running, very slowly add the oils and lime juice. Pulse until combined. Season to taste.  Makes about 1 cup

 

When tomatoes are in abundant supply, this recipe can be adjusted to accommodate the baking of large quantities.

6 vine-ripened tomatoes 1 tablespoon sea salt 1 cup mixed fresh herb leaves, eg basil, rosemary parsley, sage, marjoram 1 large clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 225°C. Halve tomatoes horizontally. Scatter sea salt in the base of a non-reactive ovenproof dish. Bruise herbs by rubbing them briefly in your hands then scatter half the herbs over salt. Place tomatoes on top, cut side up, then sprinkle with garlic and brown sugar. Drizzle oil and vinegar over. Sprinkle with extra sea salt and pepper to taste. Scatter remaining herbs on top.
Bake 10 minutes then lower heat to 150°C and bake a further 1½ hours. Cool to room temperature before serving.
Tomatoes may be stored in the fridge in a covered container, drizzled with any cooking juices from the pan or a little extra olive oil. Use within 4 days.  Serves 6

 

Parmesan and Pecan Biscuits(pictured above)
150g butter
50g parmesan, grated
25g tasty cheddar
1½ cups flour
Pinch each of salt and cayenne pepper
1-2 tablespoons ice-cold water
35g pecan nuts, finely chopped
Process all ingredients except water and nuts until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add water until mixture forms a ball. Divide in half and roll into 2 logs about 4cm in diameter. Roll in nuts to coat. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with oven paper. Cut logs into 5mm slices and place on oven tray. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden. Cool on a rack.  Makes about 40

Ginger and Lemon Oysters with Lemon and Strawberry Cream

Cinnamon oysters are an old favorite from the Edmond’s Cookery Book. This recipe using ginger has been adapted to serve with a luscious cream and berry filling.

2 eggs 75g sugar 1 tablespoon golden syrup 50g flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 200°C. Beat eggs and sugar until very thick, 3-5 minutes. Add golden syrup and beat again then fold in sifted dry ingredients and zest. Place spoonfuls in greased, round-bottomed patty pans or in a scalloped madeleine tray. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack (don’t worry if they sink a little). When oysters are cold, split with a sharp knife and fill. Dust with icing sugar and serve with more strawberries and any remaining filling.  Makes 12-16

Filling:
300ml cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
¼ cup lemon curd
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1 dozen strawberries, crushed with a fork

Beat cream and icing sugar until thick. Fold in lemon curd, lemon zest and crushed strawberries. 

 

 

Iced Tea
This drink makes a refreshing start to a summer lunch.

2 Assam or Darjeeling tea bags 2 Earl Grey tea bags 1 strip orange peel 1 strip lemon peel 1-2 tablespoons mild honey Ice and lemon and orange slices to serve

Warm a large china teapot (about 900ml capacity). Place tea bags in pot and pour over enough boiling water to come to the top of the pot. Allow to infuse 4-5 minutes. 
Meanwhile, place orange and lemon peel and honey in a jug large enough to hold the tea. Pour in tea and stir to dissolve honey. Allow tea to cool then remove peel and place in fridge to chill. Serve over plenty of ice, garnished with thin slices of lemon and orange.  Serves 6

 

Glasses of iced tea are adorned with shell swizzle sticks made by gluing small shells to the top of satay sticks.

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