Beefsteak & Burgundy Club, Brisbane

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B&B Luncheon, September 2005

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Entrée

Sweet Capsicum Soup with Toasted Chilli Goat's Cheese Crumbs

A tasty celebration of capsicum combined with a spicy, crunchy topping.
Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 dessertspoon salt
  • 6 large red, orange or yellow capsicums, deseeded and thickly sliced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups chicken stock

Ingredients for crumb topping

  • ½ 2-day-old baguette crust cut off
  • ½ cup coarsely crumbled goat's feta
  • ½ long red chilly, thinly sliced
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons chilli oil

Method:

Gently melt butter in oil in a large saucepan.
Add onions, garlic, salt and stir well. Cover and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent but not browning at all.
Stir in the capsicums then cover again, cooking until the capsicums have softened. Add the liquids and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
Puree the soup in batches using a food processor or blender and pass the soup through a sieve into a bowl, using a spatula to push the soup through.
Dis card all the pieces of capsicum skin caught in the mesh of the sieve.
Adjust salt to taste.
Re-heat before serving.

To make the crumb topping, first tear the baguette into small pieces and toast until dry in a 175C oven.
Line a baking dish with baking paper and arrange a layer of crumbs on it.
Add the crumbled feta and the sliced chilli.
Moisten with a little chilli oil.
Place under an overhead grill for 30 seconds, or until just browning.

Using a fish slice transfer the crumb mixture to the top of a plate of soup and serve immediately.

 
Main

Lamb Shanks with dates & pumpkin

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 600g Jap pumpkin, peeled, deseeded
  • 750ml (3 cups) boiling water
  • 2 large chicken stock cubes crumbed
  • plain flour to coat
  • 8 lamb shanks, French trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 250ml (1 cup) dry red wine
  • 1x400g cab whole peeled, crushed tomatoes
  • 150g (1 cup) whole, pitted dried dates
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Method:

Cut pumpkin lengthwise into four 2cm thick wedges. Cut each wedge in half crossways.
Combine the boiling water and crumbled stock cubes in a heatproof jug.
Stir to combine and set aside.

Place flour on a large plate and coat the lamb shanks all over with flour. Shake off any excess.
Heat the oil in a large heatproof casserole dish over medium-high heat.
Add the lamb and cook, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until well browned.
Remove from dish and set aside.

Add onion to dish and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, or until onion is soft.
Return lamb shanks to dish with reserved chicken stock, red wine, tomatoes, dates and cinnamon stick.
Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer covered, turning lamb shanks occasionally, for 45 minutes.
Add the pumpkin and simmer uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and sauce thickens slightly.

To serve:

Serve on a bed of mashed potato with beans on the side and topped with a sprinkle of parsley.

 
Dessert

Orange and Grand Marnier Torte

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 6 eggs
  • 200g sugar
  • 300g ground almonds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 oranges, boiled whole for 2 hours, seeds removed and oranges pureed.
  • 100ml Grand Marnier
  • 200g orange marmalade
  • Orange sauce (see below)
  • Sieved icing sugar

Method:

Beat eggs until thick and creamy.
Gradually add sugar, almonds and baking powder, continuing to beat until soft peaks form.
Fold in orange puree and Grand Marnier.
Pour into a greased and lined 22cm springform pan and bake at 180C for 1 hour, or until firm to touch.
Allow the cake to stand in pan for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack.
Bring marmalade to the boil in a saucepan and pour over the cake. Set aside to cool.

Method - Orange sauce

Heat 300g sugar with 400ml of water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
Bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, until a light straw colour.
Remove immediately from heat and immerse bottom of the saucepan in iced water.
Stir in the finely grated rind of 1 or 2 oranges.

To serve:

Serve a slice of torte on plates with orange sauce and sprinkled with icing sugar.

 
Wine

Wine List

Course: Wine:
Aperitif: 2002 Taltarni Brut
Entree 1: 2003 Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon
Barossa Valley
Entree 2: 2004 Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Semillon
Main 1: 1999 Chateau Leamon Cabernet Shiraz
Bendigo
Main 2: 1998 Tolley Shiraz
Barossa
Desert: Mt Pleasant Bin 96 Late Harvest
Fortified: Seppelts DP37 Rutherglen Tokay

 

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