Citrus time

I was a busy bee at the Qld Garden Expo, I did garden2kitchen shows with Phil each day, I did BBQ Seafood  classes in the morning and shared recipes for gluts of citrus in the afternoon. The recipes are quick, simple and packed with flavour. Enjoy.

PRESERVED LEMONS

6 lemons, washed (to soften the skin soak in water for 2-3 days, change water each day)

150g salt

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2-3 cloves

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

lemon juice, extra

Place a tablespoon of salt into a large sterilised jar.

Cut lemons into quarters and place into a large bowl. Add the remaining salt and combine well.

Pack the lemons into the jar and add the spices between layers. Press down on the lemons to release any juices. The lemons should be fully covered with juice, if not add extra lemon juice.

Seal jar and allow lemons to mature for 3 months before using but I have been known to be impatient and open the jar after a month.

Note. Store in a cool place for up to 12 months, refrigerate after opening.

Quick and Easy lemon Curd

makes 1 cup

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

80gms butter, cubed

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until combined, careful not to overbeat you don’t want bubbles to form.

Pour the egg mixture into a medium sized saucepan and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and pour into a clean bowl. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until cool. Place into a sterilised jar and keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Smoked Trout, Fennel and Potato Salad with Preserved Lemon Dressing

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 fennel bulb, trimmed & outer skin removed & shaved

1 red onion, peeled & sliced

1 tablespoon capers

500gms baby chats

100gms baby rocket

1 smoked trout, skin & bones removed

1 cup good quality whole egg mayonnaise

50mls lemon juice

1 preserved lemon, washed, flesh removed and finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely sliced

¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

In a screw top jar combine olive oil, vinegar, sugar and mustard and season well. Place vinaigrette in a medium bowl and add fennel, onion & capers.

Put potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. The potatoes are cooked when easily pierced with a skewer. Drain and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Peel & slice potatoes and add to vinaigrette with the rocket. Gently combine.

While potatoes are cooking combine mayonnaise with lemon juice, preserved lemon, chilli, parsley, salt & pepper.

Place potato salad onto individual serving plates and top with the smoked trout. Serve with preserved lemon mayonnaise.

I love travelling to Sydney to teach at Sydney Seafood School each month and I had the pleasure of sharing my passion of seafood with our new buddies from Nambour, cooking up my Vietnamese Mussels and BBQ Snapper. The gardening crowd on the Sunshine Coast are a very sharing and caring bunch. We look forward to next year. Enjoy.

LIME and CHILLI BUTTER MUSSELS

Serves 4

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

50mls lime juice

60g butter

1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek

1kg mussels, cleaned

Combine pepper, salt and lime juice.

Combine the butter and sambal oelek.

Heat a char-grill on high. Cook the mussels on hot plate covered with a saucepan until open and cooked.

Melt the chilli butter and pour over the cooked mussels. Spoon over the lime pepper and serve with a crusty baguette.

WHOLE BBQ FISH ASIAN STYLE

Serves 4

1 x 1.5-2kg whole fish, scaled and gutted

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 5cm lengths

¼ cup coriander leaves

1 small knob of ginger, thinly sliced

1 lime, thinly sliced

1 kaffir lime leaf

Dressing

¼ cup lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 ½ tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar

1 chilli, deseeded and chopped finely

¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped finely

(adjust the dressing to taste e.g. hot, sweet, sour, salty)

Pat fish dry with paper towels. Cut 2 incisions 1cm deep, 10cm long and 4cm apart on each side of the fish. Brush with the peanut oil.

Place fish on a large sheet of non-stick baking paper (large enough to wrap the fish). Fill the cavity of the fish with lemongrass, coriander, ginger, chilli, sliced lime and kaffir lime leaf, making sure you have some ingredients left over to sprinkle on top of the fish.

Wrap the fish tightly with the non-stick paper them wrap in alfoil. Place the fish parcel onto a pre-heated hot BBQ and cook each side for approximately 20 minutes (1kg fish 10 minutes each side, 2kg fish 20 minutes each side)

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients, except the coriander, until the sugar has dissolved.

To check if fish is cooked, eyes should be opaque and the fin should pull out evenly. Place fish onto a serving plate, remove the cooked ingredients, pour the dressing over the warm fish and sprinkle with coriander and serve.