NAVI RECIPES

Whether you are an aspiring chef or simply love to cook at home, Chef Julian Hills shares some of his go-to recipes to replicate in your kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

Macadamia  & whisky tart

125g whole wheat flour

55g caster sugar

2g table salt

630g cold butter

35g water

115g honey

25g butter

10g caster sugar

50g cream

30 ml whisky

1x egg

1ts table salt

75g macadamia 

35g pecan

Pear and salted plum jam

1kg pakham pears

500ml red wine

250ml port

300g sugar

2 shallots

4 umeboshi

3 cloves

2 star anise

10 black pepper corns

METHOD

Macadamia and Whisky Tart

Peel, core and roughly chop pears, finely slice shallots and take the stones out of the umeboshi (keep the stones). 

Add wine, port and sugar together with above in a heavy based pot and bring to the boil.

Wrap spices and umeboshi stones In some mousseline cloth, tie up and add to the pot.

Cook until it looks sticky and jam like, blitz (careful as mix is very hot), pass through a sieve. Allow to cool before putting in a piping bag.

This will make much more than you need but lasts for very long time and is delicious with so many other things. 

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

Once the tart has cooled to room temperature, pipe some pear jam on and then grate generous amount of cheese on top.   

An elevated take on classic mushrooms on toast, Chef Julian Hills shares a recipe that impresses and delights everyone at a casual Sunday brunch. Sauteeing a combination of lionsmane, pine and oyster mushrooms with Jerusalem artichokes in homemade dashi and a la grecque, he then places the mixture on toasted sourdough and tops it with a drop of balsamic and fresh parsley.

Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

Dashi

70g Kombu (You can buy this from Asian grocery stores or Woolworths)
2L Water

A La Grecque

4 Shallots
1 Garlic clove
1 Celery stalk
2 Jerusalem artichokes
5 Sprigs of thyme
2 Lemon peels
1 Tsp black peppercorn
100ml Blended oil
750ml White wine
Salt, to taste

Sauteed Mushrooms

1 Lionsmane mushroom
200g Pine mushrooms
200g Oyster mushrooms
Parsley
1 Shallot
1 Garlic clove
2 Jerusalem artichokes

METHOD

Dashi

Place water and kombu in a resealable sandwich bag and seal
Steam at 75 degrees for 45mins

A La Grecque

Brunoise (finely cube) shallot, carrot, celery and garlic and two Jerusalem artichokes
Sauté in blended oil, without colour until translucent taking care not to overcook.
Make a bouquet of thyme, pepper & lemon peel and place in the pot
Add white wine and reduce rapidly until there is not much liquid left.
Season, remove the bouquet and store.

Sauteed Mushrooms & Artichokes

Quarter 2 artichokes and shallow fry in oil until golden, remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
Poach lionsmane mushrooms in the dashi with a tablespoon of butter at a simmer for 15 minutes, flip the mushrooms and poach for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the dashi and allow to cool slightly, then tear apart loinsmane mushroom. Set aside.  
Roughly chop other mushrooms and set aside.
Slice shallot and garlic and set aside.
Chop parsley and set aside.

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

In an almost smoking pan, add a splash of olive oil then the uncooked pine and oyster mushrooms, followed by a tbsp of butter. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the loinsmane, roasted artichoke and a la grecque, and continue sauteing.
Add dashi from poaching the loinsmane, then cook until the liquid is all gone. Remove from heat.
Add a drop of balsamic and fresh parsley, check the seasoning and serve on toasted sourdough.