Martin Boetz from Sydney and Melbourne's
Longrain restaurants hosted a Rustic Italian cooking class at Freestyle Escape. Although famed for his Thai food, Italian is his other passion and Martin excelled on this occasion.
Menu:
Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
White Bean Parsley, Chilli and Olive Oil Bruschetta
Duck Liver and Pancetta Bruschetta
Kingfish Carpaccio with Caper Mayonnaise
Pork Cooked in Milk
Potato Gnocchi with Butter Butter Prawns Verjuice and Parsley
Heirloom Carrots with White Sauce
Fennel Salad
Beans with Pancetta
Rum Baba with Macerated Pineapple
Bree Boskov reports...
One of the most memorable weekends you will ever spend is a cooking class long lunch at Freestyle Escape. Martin Duncan is so much more than the host with the most.
Saturday 13 November was spent being taught to cook (and indulge in) an Italian long lunch by the uber talented super chef Martin (Marty) Boetz (of Longrain fame) with delicious Italian wines from David Bone of The Wine Tradition & Cuttings Wine Co.
Arriving around 9am Saturday morning the day began with a deliciously warm home-cooked Raspberry muffin, a fabulous welcome from Martin Duncan. When all guests for the day had arrived Martin gave a tour of the property with a tour through the orchard and herb garden where we picked mint, basil, sage and finger limes for the day’s recipes. Martin and friends planted the orchard and herb garden in April 2007 and three years on the plants provide ample provisions for the impending feast. The herb garden and orchard are also a unique luxury for guests staying at the gorgeous Arthouse which sits among the gardens and is the perfect place to find inspiration for a weekend or as long as you are able to indulge. After scoping out the Arthouse’s attributes ie. the huge day bed, gorgeous open kitchen and the crowning glory a massive outdoor bath tub set amongst the native lilypillys, we returned to the outdoor kitchen to begin our Italian cooking lesson.
Finger lime
Marty split the 16 of us into groups. Group 1 prepared the canapés of Tomato and Basil Bruschetta, White Bean Parsley, Chili and Olive Oil Bruschetta, the phenomenal Duck Liver and Pancetta Bruschetta and sublime Kingfish Carpaccio with Caper Mayonnaise, the latter a truly life changing experience especially when imbibed with the divine lemony Italian Prosecco from Ruggeri.
Canapes
In the warmth of the late morning on the Sunshine Coast the Prosecco’s freshness was just what was needed. As we devoured the last pieces of bruschetta, a crisp central Italian 2009 Ponte Pinot Grigio IGT was poured. Its heady aromas of green apple and citrus were perfect to finish off with the White Bean Parsley, Chili and Olive Oil Bruschetta.
I was placed in Group 2 and given the task of preparing the first course, a divine Potato Gnocchi with Burnt Butter Prawns Verjuice & Parsley. Very exciting as I absolutely love gnocchi and only have the chance to enjoy it when I go to a great restaurant. Now I am no longer scared to prepare gnocchi for a dinner party or a lazy Sunday lunch. It is a long process but extremely cathartic. Be warned though, you will need hands of steel to peel the hot potatoes before you put them through the ricer but you know what they say: it’s a fine line between pleasure and pain. We were also given the creative task of preparing sides for the main course. Marty had brought heirloom carrots with him from the markets which we served simply with a white sauce. These carrots are a deep earthy purple colour, taste sweet and earthy and are apparently what original carrots looked like. Green beans were pan-fried with smoky-speck and anchovies and served with a crisp, fresh baby fennel salad tossed with Marty’s cured artichokes. Martin had set the long rustic wooden bench table and poured an Italian white from northern Italy, 2008 Michele Chiarlo Gavi de Marne DOCG. This wine has a deliciously rich mid-palate with flavours of white nectarine, blossoms and minerals, a perfect match to richness of the gnocchi and prawns.
Preparing the gnocchi
Potato Gnocchi with Burnt Butter Prawns Verjuice and Parsley
Heirloom Carrots
Fennel salad
Group 3 prepared a traditional Italian dish of Pork Cooked in Milk. The pork neck simmered for hours in stock of full cream milk, garlic, sage and lemon rinds and the aromas that waft around the open kitchen from the pot during the day certainly worked our appetites into a fury. This dish was served simply with the sides prepared by Group 2 and paired with a rustic but fruity 2007 Col d’Orcia ‘Gineprone’ Chianti DOCG from one of Italy’s oldest wine producers. The violet, cherry and spice flavours from the wine melded beautifully with the rich pork.
Pork Cooked in Milk (divine!!!)
Sitting in our outside dining room with views to Marcoola beach, the table was full of laughter and tales, of things learnt with new friends and also tales of travel from our colourful pasts. The fresh ocean breezes seemed to have lifted and blew a cool salty air across our relaxed afternoon table.
All were satiated when we remembered there was still dessert to come: Rum Baba, a type of vanilla bunt cake that has a deliciously decadent aged rum and vanilla bean sugar syrup spooned over and served with a pineapple and mint salad. With a glass of DeBortoli Noble One this was a heavenly way to end a glorious long lunch.
Bree Boskov is a regular wine blogger.
Want to know more about the wines?
click here.For more photos from the class, check out the Freestyle Escape
Facebook page.
