Seasons recipes

It's not yet summer - but someone forgot to tell the sun. The heat that has descended upon us over the past few weeks has made even the most dedicated cook run from the kitchen. So, what do we want to eat and what makes sense at this time of year?
Seafood and salads spring to my mind and so, a few combinations for you to try.
Or, incorporate them into the menu for your seafood Christmas feast, another day to minimise time in the kitchen if you can, while still entertaining in a very Australian way.

CUMIN SPICED SCALLOPS WITH CHARRED TOMATO, EGGPLANT AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

8 cherry tomatoes
1 large eggplant
Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and ground cumin

DRESSING

2 cloves garlic
25ml olive oil
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp whole roasted cumin
1 tsp sea salt
50ml malt vinegar
50ml olive oil
20 scallops, muscle removed

Serves 4

Cut the tomatoes in half and slice the eggplant into discs about 1cm thick.

Season with salt, pepper and cumin and sear in a little oil, on a barbecue flat plate or a large frypan, until charred and soft.

Place into a mixing bowl with the asparagus and onion, and set aside.

To make the dressing, peel and finely dice the garlic. Heat the olive oil and saute the garlic for 4-5 minutes. Add both whole and ground cumin and salt.

Continue to saute until garlic is crisp.

Allow to cool then add the vinegar and oil.

Season the scallops with salt and ground cumin.

Sear on both sides in olive oil on a barbecue flat grill or hot frypan.

Add to the mixing bowl and ladle over some dressing.

To serve, toss to combine then divide between serving plates.

FRESH OYSTERS WITH SPRING ONION AND CRISP PROSCIUTTO

24 South Australian Pacific oysters
4 spring onions
25ml olive oil
25ml vincotto
2 slices prosciutto

Serves 4

Shuck the oysters, turn and check for any shell fragments.

Finely slice the onions and lightly saute over a low heat in the olive oil until soft and a little caramelised. Take off the heat and add the vincotto. Place the prosciutto on to a baking tray and place in a moderate oven for 3-4 minutes, until crisp.

To serve, place oysters on a platter with a spoonful of onion mix and top with a shard of crisp prosciutto.

JAPANESE STYLE OYSTERS (from Michael Angelakis)

Or, try this Asian take by SA's seafood master. A fresh taste of the sea, quick and easy to make.

1 dozen natural oysters
2 tbsp mirin
4 tbsp sake
2 tbsp sweet chilli
2 tsp sesame oil
Wakame seaweed

Combine mirin, sake, sweet chilli and sesame oil in a saucepan. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Flambe.

Place the wakame seaweed on a serving plate or on the oyster shells, arrange the oysters on top, and place a small amount of the sauce on top of each natural oyster.

LOBSTER, FENNEL AND CELERY SALAD WITH ORANGE MAYONNAISE

1 bulb fennel
1 red onion
4 sticks celery

ORANGE DRESSING

50ml orange juice
50ml olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp orange zest, finely diced

ORANGE AND CELERY SEED MAYONNAISE

2 egg yolks
75ml orange juice
1/2 tsp celery seeds
175ml olive and vegetable oil mix
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 cooked Southern Rock lobster tail, about 700g, cut into medallions
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
Chervil or fennel leaves for garnish

Serves 4

Finely slice the fennel and red onion.

Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin slice the celery lengthways so that you get long thin strips and place them all into a bowl.

Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.

Allow to marinate for at least an hour.

Place the egg yolks, juice and celery seeds into the bowl of a food processor. Whisk to combine then slowly drizzle in the oil to create a mayonnaise.

Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, add the lobster medallions and orange segments to the bowl with the other salad ingredients.

Gently toss and arrange on serving plates.

Drizzle over the mayonnaise and dress with the chervil.

BARBECUE PRAWNS WITH POTATO, PEA AND MINT SALAD

20 large western king prawns
50ml olive oil
25ml lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
400g kipfler potatoes
150g fresh or frozen peas
50ml white balsamic vinegar
75ml olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch mint

Serves 4

Clean prawns and marinate in the olive oil, lemon juice and zest.

Steam the potatoes until soft. When they are cool enough to handle, peel, then slice into discs and place into a mixing bowl. Blanch the peas and add to the potatoes.

Place the vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and mint leaves into a food processor and mix until mint is chopped. Pour over the warm potatoes and peas and toss to combine.

Place the prawns on to a hot barbecue plate or large frypan and cook until brightly coloured on each side.

To serve, layer the prawns with the potato and pea salad on to serving plates.