B&B Luncheon, January 2006

Parmesan-Crumbed Asparagus Spears with Roast Garlic Mayo

Ingredients:

• 24 spears asparagus
• 1 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• Sunflower or vegetable oil, good quality for frying

Roasted garlic mayo:

• 1 cup good-quality mayonnaise
• 1 head garlic, broken into cloves, skin intact
• Olive oil
• ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

To make the roasted mayo, place garlic cloves on a sheet of aluminium foil, drizzle liberally with olive oil and fold up loosely. Place on a tray and bake at 160°C for 30 - 40 minutes until cloves are tender. Once cool, squeeze cooked garlic from cloves. Roughly chop on a board and fold through mayonnaise then fold in parsley.

Mix grated parmesan with breadcrumbs. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Trim ends of asparagus and peel approximately one-third from the base of each spear. Roll asparagus spears (leaving the tips clean) in flour and one by one dip into the beaten egg. Gently lift the spears into the parmesan/crumbs mix. Repeat the process so that each spear has been double crumbed - this will ensure asparagus has a good coating. Once completed, place on kitchen paper and refrigerate.

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or deep fryer to 160°C. Fry asparagus in batches until crisp and golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Arrange on plates with garlic mayo on the side as a dipping sauce.

Rib of Beef with Béarnaise Sauce served with Seasonal Greens and Baby Boiled Potatoes Tossed in Butter & Parsley

Ingredients:

• 6 x 300 gm beef ribs
• 18 scallions

Bearnaise reduction:

• 500ml tarragon vinegar
• 100 gm shallots, sliced
• 250ml white wine, unwooded
• 2 dessertspoons black pepper, ground
• ¼ bunch tarragon, chopped
• 1 bay leaf

Bring all reduction ingredients to the boil in a stainless pot and reduce by half.
Cool and store in refrigerator.

Sauce:

• 2 dessertspoons Bearnaise reduction
• 4 egg yolks
• 300ml unsalted butter, clarified
• 1 dessertspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 pinches salt
• 2 dessertspoons water, warm
• 1 tablespoon mixed herbs, chopped tarragon, parsley, chervil
• ¼ lemon, juice only

Place cooled reduction, egg yolks, vinegar, salt cayenne and water in a stainless steel bowl.
Whisk constantly in a hot bain-marie until thick enough to leave a trail on the side of the bowl for three seconds (takes about 5 minutes).
Remove bowl from heat and slowly whisk in clarified butter.
Strain sauce then add chopped herbs.

Remove excess fat and sinew from beef. Remove outside leaves from scallions and cut to 10cm lengths.

Pre-heat oven and roasting dish to 220°C.
Seal ribs in a very hot pan on stove until well coloured.
Remove to oven in roasting dish. Turn ribs after 5 minutes and add scallions to dish.
Cook for a further 5 minutes and remove ribs.
Allow to rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.

To Serve:

Apple and Passionfruit Shortcake served with Custard

Ingredients:

• 125g butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup self-raising flour
• ¾ cup plain flour
• 425g can dessert apples
• 1 passionfruit
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• Extra sugar

Method:

Cream butter and sugar, add egg and beat well. Stir in sifted flours in two batches. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth then divide in half and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll each piece into a 20cm round between two sheets of plastic food wrap or greaseproof paper.

Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm sandwich tin with greaseproof paper. Press one circle of dough into the tin.

Combine apple, passionfruit pulp and lemon rind. Spread over dough leaving a small border around edge. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon extra sugar. Place second round of dough over apple mixture, press edges together.

Brush with water and sprinkle lightly with extra sugar. Bake in moderate oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Stand for 15 minutes before removing from tin. Slice and serve with custard.

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