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Laura Sharrad Shares Six Recipes

Laura Sharrad, celebrity chef, host of Network Ten’s My Market Kitchen and owner of famed Adelaide restaurants Fugazzi Bar & Dining Room and Nido Bar, shares some of her favourite winter warmer recipes. Quick and easy enough for mid-week meals and fancy enough of decadent dinner parties, these meals are made with fresh Norwood Place ingredients.

CHICKEN INVOLTINI WITH POLENTA

Serves 4 / Chicken Made Easy

CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
1 bunch baby spinach, blanched and cooled
2 eggs, whisked and made into an omelette, then thinly sliced
4 x 350g chicken leg quarters, deboned and skin removed, or large thigh fillets
6 rosemary sprigs
6 sage leaves
50g provolone cheese
16 thin slices round mild pancetta
2 garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
1 cup white wine
100g butter
1 tbs plain flour
Salt, pepper and olive oil

POLENTA INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup polenta
60ml warm milk
50g parmigiano cheese
50g butter
Salt, pepper, olive oil

METHOD

  1. Lay the chicken flat over four slices of pancetta and begin to fill in a flat motion. Add a layer of egg , spinach, cheese and season with salt and pepper. Roll up tightly, then secure with truss to ensure it is secure while cooking.
  2. In a fry pan, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and begin to sear the chicken until golden and crispy on each side. Add the garlic cloves and herbs, and then the butter and allow to melt. Next, add the flour, giving it a good mix to allow the flour to cook out. Finally, add the wine, reduce to a low heat, and allow to simmer with a lid on for 35-45 minutes, until cooked and tender. 
  3. In the meantime, get onto making the polenta. Add the polenta and 250ml cold water to a pan and begin to stir until combined. Then add 250ml of boiling water, turn to a low heat and allow to bubble away for about 30 minutes until all the water has absorbed and the polenta is soft. Add the milk, parmiggiano, butter and season with salt.  Set aside. 
  4. Rest the chicken when cooked, then strain the herbs to ensure you have a beautiful sauce to serve on the side. 
  5. To serve, slice the chicken, serve on the polenta and drizzle with some extra sauce. 

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Serves 6 / Metro Fresh Norwood

INGREDIENTS
8 dried porcini mushrooms
1.5L veg or chicken stock
1 brown onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 sprigs thyme
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
250g mixed mushrooms
100g butter, unsalted
100g parmigiano cheese
Olive oil, salt and pepper

METHOD

  1. Add the chicken stock to a small pot with the porcini mushrooms and bring to a gentle simmer. 
  2. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large deep fry pan and begin to fry off the onions, garlic and thyme until soft and translucent. Add a knob of butter and the mixed mushrooms and begin to fry off until the mushrooms have collapsed. 
  3. Add the arborio rice to the fry pan, toasting it for 1-2 minutes before you start adding any liquid. 
  1. Add the wine and reduce by half. 
  1. Turn the heat down to a low-medium heat and begin to add one ladle of stock at a time, constantly stirring. Ensure all the stock has been absorbed before you add the next ladle. This should take around 20 minutes to cook al dente. 
  1. Season with salt and pepper, and once the rice is cooked, add the rest of the butter, turn the heat off, add the cheese, and stir gently to combine. 

MEATBALLS IN SUGO WITH CRUSTY BREAD

Serves 4–6 / Bos Taurus Butchery

INGREDIENTS
1kg pork mince
1 onion, finely diced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bunch sage, chopped
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
3/4 cup parmigiano cheese, grated
2 eggs
1 x 700g bottle tomato passata
1 bunch basil
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Crusty bread, to serve

METHOD

  1. In a fry pan, fry off the onions with the fennel seeds in a little olive oil until soft and lightly coloured. Allow to cool. 
  1. In a mixing bowl, add the pork mince, breadcrumbs, cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and the cooled onions. Mix until fully combined, almost kneading the mixture to ensure the mix has been worked well. 
  1. Roll the mixture into balls, roughly the size of a golf ball.   
  1. In the same fry pan used to cook the onions, fry off the meatballs until golden and caramelised on each side, then add in the pasata and half the basil leaves, season with salt and pepper and allow to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the meatballs are cooked and the sauce is reduced. 
  1. Serve with extra basil and crusty bread. 

PRAWN TAGLIATELLE

Serves 4 / Seafood on Parade

INGREDIENTS
500g tagliatelle pasta
250g king prawns, cleaned and chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 chillies, diced
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
250g cherry tomatoes, chopped
100g butter
1 lemon, zest and juice
Olive oil, salt, pepper

  1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add salt, then cook the pasta to the packet instructions. 
  1. In the meantime, let’s get onto the sauce. In a fry pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil with half the butter, and begin to fry off the garlic and chilli with salt and black pepper. Do this on a low to medium heat to ensure the garlic does not burn. Add the tomatoes and begin to squish them to break down and start creating a fresh sauce. Cook for five minutes, then add a ladle of cooking water and begin to emulsify the sauce. 

3. Add the prawns a minute before the pasta is ready, with the remaining butter, the lemon zest and juice. Add in the pasta and begin to toss, to loosen the sauce you may need to add some more cooking water. Finish with the parsley and serve immediately. 

WHIPPED RICOTTA, HONEY AND PEPPER ON TOAST

Serves 6 / Bakers Delight

INGREDIENTS
250g fresh ricotta
Honey
Olive oil
Black pepper
Salt flakes
Sourdough loaf, sliced thick

METHOD

  1. In a food processor, whip the ricotta until super smooth. Place into piping bags and set aside. 
  1. Toast the bread. 
  1. Begin to pipe each slice with ricotta and in a zigzag formation. 
  1. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper and drizzle with olive oil and lots of honey. 

APPLE TURNOVERS

Makes 6 / Norwood Foodland

INGREDIENTS
3 Granny Smith apples
1 sheet Careme puff pastry
1/2 cup local honey
1 egg, for egg wash
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

  1. Core and cut apples in half, then cut each half into four slices.   
  1. On a tray fitted with baking paper, drizzle one teaspoon of honey about 5cm long, then arrange the apples fanned over the honey.   
  1. Cut the puff pastry into six rectangles, and drape one piece over the apples. Pinch each side in to seal in the apples.   
  1. Brush with egg wash, and bake at 200C for 15 minutes, or until super golden. 
  1. The honey will darken and create a caramel like sauce.   
  1. Cool, and flip over, dust with sugar, eat them on their own or with cream or ice cream.