“Mydadis fromHungary.HemigratedtoAustralia
in 1969 andmetmymotherhere– she’sAustralianand
fromSydneyoriginally.Mydadwasa butcherforabout
30 years.Healwaysusedtosayhewassickoflooking
atmeat,sowhenhegothome,allhewantedtodowas
cookwithvegetables.
“Hebuilta crappybarbecuefrombricksandoldbits
ofwireinourbackyard,andwewouldalwayscook
withseasonalvegetablesinthemix.Dadusedtotake
metoFlemingtonMarket,sowewoulddotheEuropean
thingofbuyingheapsoffreshtomatoesandherbs,and
alwayszucchiniinsummer.Mydadtaughtmetofish
aswell,sosomeofmyearliestmemorieswereofgoing
fishingandbringingourcatchbackhometocookon
thebarbecue.Heovercookedtheseafood;medium-
rarewasalwayshammered.
“Wecookedoutsideallyearround.Theseasons
woulddictatewhetherwedidslow-braiseddishes,
andwhichingredientsweused.Hungariansalways
dostuffedcapsicuminthesummertime,servedwith
meat,riceandheapsofvegetables.Zucchinihasalways
beenoneofmyfavouritevegetablesbecausethey’reso
versatile.Therearesomanywaysyoucanfrythem,grill
them;youcanbraisethem,youcanstuffthem.Grilled
zucchiniwithherbsanda reallysimpledressingwas
somethingDadusedtodoprettyoften,soI guessthis
dishis myodetothat.It’sa bitjazzed-upcomparedto
whathewould’vedone.I lovethepinenutsandmint,
andthegoat’scheeseis anincrediblecomplementto
thoseingredients,too.
“AtLeighStreet,weworkwithsomefantasticorganic
andbiodynamicfarmers.Ourstyleofcookingisn’t
revolutionary.It’sclichédtosay,butwelettheseasons
dictate.Whenyou’vegotgreatproduce, you don’t really
need to do too much with it.”NathanSasi
LeighStreetWineRoom,
Adelaide,SA“Welettheseasonsdictate.
Whenyou’vegot great
produce,you don’treally
need to do too much with it.”Grilledzucchiniwithgoat’s cheese,
raisinsandpinenuts
SERVES4 ASA SHAREDDISH// PREPTIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS INFUSING)4 largegreenzucchini,sliced
5mmthicklengthways
ona mandoline
Oliveoil,forbrushing
2 chamomileteabags
50 gm(⅓cup)raisins
1 cupeach(firmlypacked)
mintandflat-leafparsley
1½ cups(looselypacked)
purslane(seenote)
75 gmroastedpinenuts,
finelychopped
100 gmMeredithDairy
marinatedgoat’scheese
SHERRYVINAIGRETTE
¼ smallgarlicclove
50 mlextra-virginoliveoil
2½ tsplemonjuice
2½ tsp sherry vinegar1 Preheata barbecue,
preferablycharcoal,tohigh.
Oncecoalsarewhite,brush
zucchiniwithoilandseasonto
taste.Grillzucchini,inbatches,
untillightlycharred(2minutes
eachside).Transfertoa large
bowlandsetaside.
2 Placeteabagsina small
heatproofbowlandpour
over250mlboilingwater.
Addraisinsandsetasideto
infuse(15minutes).Drain.
3 Forsherryvinaigrette,
poundgarlicanda pinchof
saltwitha mortarandpestle
untilfine.Addoil,lemonjuice
andvinegar,whisktocombine
andseasontotaste.
4 Addherbs,purslane,raisins
andpinenutstothezucchini.
Adddressingandgentlytoss
tocombine.Servewith
marinatedgoat’scheese.
NotePurslaneis available
fromselectgreengrocers.If
unavailable,substitutea green
leaf such as baby spinach.➤INTERVIEW GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY JOSIE WITHERS (PORTRAIT).92 GOURMET TRAVELLER