Inspired by Sean Moran from his lovely book Let It Simmer – a collection recipes of one of my all time favourite restaurants, Sean’s Panaroma in Bondi.

This has to be one of the easiest ways to entertain. All the work is done the day before so you are free to relax and enjoy your guests. No setting the alarm for 6am to stuff the turkey and get it in the oven in time for lunch. The most difficult thing is sourcing a worthy fish and a pot big enough to hold it.

I’ve always been a bit wary of poaching – I hate loosing flavour to the poaching liquid. But by adding some veg and making a brine, this fish has a lovely flavour with that soft delicate texture that only poaching can bring. I hate to admit it but I think I’m becoming a convert.

1 ocean trout or salmon (2.5kg or 5.5 lb)
2 carrots, chopped
2 brown onions, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1C salt
1/3C sugar
1 bunch thyme
6L (6 quarts) water
lemon halves, to serve
potato salad ‘tartare’, to serve [see recipe at www.stonesoup.com.au]
green salad, to serve

Place fish in a large saucepan so it curves and sits upright like it is swimming. My saucepan was 30cm diameter and 18cm deep (that’s 12in by 7in). Add remaining ingredients except the lemon – if your pot is smaller you might want to mix up the water, sugar and salt in a separate bucket and then just add enough to cover the fish.

Place on the stove on a very high heat. When you see the very first signs of a simmer, remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature for a few hours. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
To serve, remove fish from the liquid and allow to drain well. If you’re feeling theatrical place on a serving platter and remove skin, leaving the head and tail in tact, decorate with lemon halves and carve at the table.

Otherwise just remove the flesh in sections and place on a large platter with the lemon halves.” (more…)

The most important part of this dish is sourcing good quality pork sausages. If you can’t see chunks of meat through the sausage skin, keep looking. This makes a fair amount of ragu, if you’re only cooking for a few people I’d still make the full quantity and then freeze what you don’t need for a lovely quick mid week meal.

I like to serve short chunky pasta like rigatoni with this ragu but feel free to use whatever you prefer. Parpadelle would work well as would other short pasta like penne.

2T olive oil
1 large brown onion, peeled & chopped
1 large bulb fennel
1 clove garlic, sliced
6 Italian style pork sausages
1T fennel seeds, optional
3×400g (14oz) can tomatoes
500g rigatoni or other short pasta
extra virgin olive oil, to serve
parmesan cheese, to serve

Heat oil in a large saucepan or flame proof casserole dish over medium heat. Add onion and while the onion starts to cook prepare the fennel. Chop and discard the green stalks from the top of the bulb and then trim the bottom. Cut in half lengthwise and then roughly chop, similar to how you would chop an onion. Add fennel to the pan and cover. Cook stirring occasionally until the veg have softened but not browned. If they start to brown, turn the heat down a little.

Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium high and squeeze the sausages out of their skins into bight sized chunks in the pan. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook until the sausages have browned. Add tomatoes and their juices and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat to very low and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced down and thickened to your liking. Season well.

While the ragu is cooking, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook pasta for the amount of time listed on the packet. Taste and when al dente drain and return to the saucepan. Stir through enough ragu to make the pasta look well sauced but not overwhelmed. You may not need all of the sauce.

Divide between warm pasta bowls and drizzle with your best quality extra virgin olive oil. Serve with parmesan and a cheese grater passed separately.

Accompany with a glass of Sons of Eden Kennedy GSM 2007 (more…)

So simple and quick to prepare. Set and forget while you enjoy a drop of red – we suggest Zema Shiraz 04, the perfect accompaniment to this hearty dish.

[an extract from Jules’ first cookbook ‘and the love is free’ available for purchase at www.thestonesoup.com]

750g (1 1/2lbs) oyster blade, thin flank or hangar steak
1/2 packet French onion soup (20g or 1/2 oz)
4T water
4T red wine
4 sprigs flat leaf parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
zest 1 lemon
mashed potato, to serve

Place tin foil in a shallow casserole or baking dish. Cut steak into 4 or 6 pieces and place on the foil. Sprinkle with soup, water and wine. Seal the foil edges to make a parcel. Mum used to bake at 150C (300F) for 3 - 4 hours or until meat is meltingly tender.

Chop together parsley, garlic and lemon to make a gremolata. Serve steak and juices on a bed of mashed potato topped with a sprinkling of gremolata.

Serve with Zema Shiraz 04 (more…)