96 GOURMET TRAVELLER
GUTTERCREDITN
ick Stanton has been busy. The
chef’s new restaurant in Carlton,
Leonardo’s Pizza Palace, opened
just before Christmas and has been
swamped from day one. He’s also
re-inventing his South Yarra restaurant Ramblr,
heading to the US on a fact-finding mission,
and is getting ready to “push boundaries” at
Leonardo’s with a new Italian-Australian focus.
No wonder he’s so happy Easter is coming.
“It’s a great time of year for chefs,” he says.
“You’ve come out of the hustle of Christmas
and things slow down a bit. It’s always a good
time for me to gather some friends at my house
to catch up and relax over a long lunch.”
The menu in the following pages is based on
some of the dishes Stanton serves at Leonardo’s
combined with a “Sunday-roast vibe with gravy
and all the trimmings”.
“I always associate lamb with Easter,” he says.
“With the butterflied version here it’s important
to get a beautiful crust on it before you put it in
the oven so that it remains really juicy.”
Autumn also plays a part in the meal.
“With the cooler weather, I like a menu
that offers both comfort and freshness,” he says.
“I like to start with seafood, especially when it’s
combined with citrus because it’s a time when
citrus is at its best.”
This is a simple lunch to prepare, but it
requires patience to get right, especially for
the triple-cooked duck-fat potatoes.
“You can’t rush it,” he says. “Start the night
before and don’t have your heat too high. You
want a degree of crispness so they make that
‘ping’ sound when they hit the plate.”
Given that this is a sharing menu, the best way
to serve it is on platters in the centre of the table.
“It’s a rule that never fails,” Stanton says.
“The more food on the table, the better.”
Leonardo’s Pizza Palace, 29 Grattan St, Carlton,
Vic, (03) 9242 0666, leonardospizzapalace.com.auMenu
Scallop crudo
Crab crostini
Fried chicken with garlic butter
2018 Little Reddie Pat Nat
Roast lamb leg
Triple-cooked duck-fat potatoes
Honey-ginger carrots
2016 La Morella Il Monte or
2018 Travis Tausend Agori
Chocolate mousse with white
chocolate and corn flake crumble
Whiskey