60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive
oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp fennel seeds
Pinch of safron threads
¼ tsp chilli powder
300 ml dry white wine
500 ml (2 cups) tomato passata
500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
300 gm risoni, rinsed
1 kg clams (vongole) or pipis,
soaked in salted water for
1 hour, rinsed2 snapper fillets (about 275m
each), pin-bones removed,
cut into 8cm pieces
250 gm calamari, cleaned,
scored, and cut into 8cm
pieces, tentacles halved
6 green prawns, peeled,
deveined, tails intact
Coarsely chopped flat-leaf
parsley and baguette,
to serve1 Heat oil in a large casserole
or wide, deep frying pan over
medium heat. Add onion, celery,garlic, fennel seeds, safron
and chilli and stir until fragrant
(1 minute). Add wine, bring to
the boil and boil until reduced
completely (2-3 minutes).
2 Add passata, stock and
750ml water, bring to the boil,
then add risoni and simmer until
al dente (10-15 minutes). Add
seafood and simmer until just
cooked (4-5 minutes). Season to
taste, top with parsley, drizzle
with oil and serve with baguette.
Wine suggestion pale, dry rosé.Seafood stew with risoni
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 30 MINS (PLUS SOAKING)This dish is built on simple components: a flavoursome base, a selection
of seafood in its prime, and a starch, in this case risoni, to soak it all up.braise in oven until beef is very
tender, adding shallots for the
last 30 minutes of cooking
(3-3½ hours). Transfer beef and
shallots to a plate to cool, then
tear beef into bite-sized pieces.
Simmer braising liquid over high
heat until reduced to 200ml
(25-35 minutes), season to
taste, then stir in beef, shallots,
carrots and parsley. Cool.
2 Meanwhile, for pastry, process
butter and flour in a food
processor to fine crumbs. Add
egg yolk, 2 tbsp cold water and
½ tsp salt and pulse until a
dough forms. Turn out onto a
work surface, bring together
with the heel of your hand, wrap
in plastic wrap and refrigerate
for 1 hour to rest. Roll out on a
lightly floured surface to 6mm
thick and chill until firm (1 hour).
3 Place pastry over pan, trim,
leaving a little overhanging,
then fold and twist edges back
on themselves to fit neatly in
pan and create an edge. Cut
a small hole in centre to allow
steam to escape, then brush
with eggwash and bake until
golden (30 minutes).
Wine suggestion big Barossa
shiraz.Beef and vegetable pot pie
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 4¾ HRS (PLUS RESTING, COOLING)Pie means comfort, but it needn’t take all day. This version
does it all in one pot, skips the pastry base and works if
you make the braise ahead, too. Pictured p119.50 ml vegetable oil
1.1 kg beef oyster blade,
cut into 8cm pieces
Plain flour, for dusting
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 golden shallots
450 ml red wine
500 ml (2 cups) veal or beef stock
3 thyme sprigs
1 bunch Dutch carrots,
scrubbed and trimmed
½ cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf
parsley, coarsely chopped
1 egg yolk, whisked with
1 tsp water
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
185 gm unsalted butter,
coarsely chopped
300 gm (2⅔ cups) plain flour
1 egg yolk1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat
oil in a deep ovenproof frying
pan or shallow casserole over
medium-high heat. Season beef
with salt, dust lightly with flour
and fry, turning occasionally,
until browned (7-8 minutes). Add
garlic and shallots and sauté
until shallots just start to colour
(3-4 minutes). Transfer shallots to
a plate. Deglaze pan with wine,
scraping base of pan, then add
stock and thyme. Cover and120 GOURMET TRAVELLER