PLATES: EASTER EDIT

We asked some friends, who know their way around the kitchen, what they’ll be cooking this Easter. They’ve shared recipes savoury, sweet, and all to be made with love.

Wherever and whoever you’re spending this weekend with, these plates are pleasers indeed.

Tea Time Supper Club // WHITEBAIT CHIPS AND SKORDALIA

Flynn Jacka and Seth Gates, of supper party collective Tea Time Supper Club, share a dish that does well to kick off an Easter meal. It’s one you’ll also find handy year-round however, and one that will impress the masses:

“Whitebait chips and skordalia was a crowd favourite at our event with Carton Deli last November. This is a fairly simple but delicious snack, common in Greek and Italian seaside eateries. It tastes best when shared with friends and eaten with your hands. Very cold beer optional.

// Serves 3-4 //

INGREDIENTS

Skordalia:
5 medium potatoes
7-10 cloves of garlic (according to preference)
2.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup milk 
~2.5 tbsp salt (to taste)

Fish:
500g whitebait
75g plain flour
30g semolina
20g cornflour
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Enough neutral frying oil (vegetable is good) to submerge the fish in, depends on the size of your pan
Flaky salt and white pepper to season

METHOD

Skordalia:

1. Wash, peel, and add potatoes to a large pot of cold water, bring to boil and cook until VERY tender.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, add the milk to a small pan and blanch the peeled cloves of garlic for 3-5 minutes. (This step softens the intensity of the garlic but can be omitted)
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, remove from water and allow to cool slightly. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking water, the garlic, half of the salt, and the vinegar to a food processor (or similar) and blend until smooth.
4. Dice the cooled potatoes and add to the garlic mixture a few cubes at a time, blending until smooth between each addition.
5. Once all of the potato is added and the mixture is smooth, continue blending while slowly streaming in the olive oil to emulsify.
6. Season to taste with remaining salt. The finished mixture should be very smooth, resembling a mayonnaise.

Fish:

1. Rinse the whitebait under cold water, drain and pat dry on a paper towel.
2. In a bowl combine and mix the dry ingredients, add whitebait to the dry mixture and delicately coat well to avoid breaking the fish. Once coated well put everything in a colander and shake of excess flour mix.
3. Add oil to a high walled frying pan on a medium heat. Heat oil to 175 degrees. You can add one fish to check the temp is good, if there’s a slow but consistent sizzle, you’re good to go.
4. Add the fish in batches as not to crowd the pan. Cooking for ~2.5 mins until crisp and golden, moving and flipping gently if required to cook evenly. Once cooked, move the fish to a paper towel lined tray to drain, lightly sprinkling with flaky salt and white pepper while still hot. Repeat this stage in four batches.

Serve with a big slice of lemon and a dollop of the skordalia. Enjoy!

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Sophie Cox // TRADITIONAL HOT CROSS BUNS

Sophie Cox bakes croissants by day and cakes by night. She’s a pastry chef and dessert queen. Sophie’s shared an Easter staple and one that can be enjoyed from morning til nigh:

“Hot cross buns are my absolute favourite! Nothing can compare to a hot cross bun fresh out of the oven smeared generously with butter. This is my recipe for traditional hot cross buns; sometimes, if I’m feeling cheeky, I’ll swap the sultanas with dried apricots coated in toffee and dark chocolate.

// Serves 12 //

INGREDIENTS

Dough:
145g milk
14g dry yeast
230 sultanas
430g strong/bread flour
70g sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp mixed spice
20g orange juice
Zest of one orange
145g lukewarm water
1 egg
50g soft unsalted butter

Cross mixture:
65g corn flour
40g plain flour
80g water

Honey glaze:
40g caster sugar
50g water
Tbsp honey

METHOD

1. Heat the milk in microwave until lukewarm. Stir in the yeast until dissolved and set aside to activate for 15 minutes.
2. Place the sultanas in a bowl, cover in hot water, and set aside to rehydrate.
3. In a stand mixer with dough hook attached, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and mixed spice. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together orange juice, orange zest, lukewarm water, and eggs. The milk and yeast mixture should appear foamy by now. Whisk the milk and yeast mixture into the other wet ingredients until just combined.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly stream in the wets into the dry mix. Add soft butter and continue to mix on low until a shaggy dough has formed. Most of the flour should be mixed into the dough at this point. Turn mixer up to medium speed and mix for 3-5 mins until dough appears smooth and stretchy.
6. Drain sultanas well. Sprinkle an extra two tablespoons of flour over the sultanas and stir to coat. Add floured sultanas to mixer and mix on low until just combined.
7. In a clean bowl sprayed with oil, add the dough. Cover with a damp tea towel or glad wrap and place in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
8. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each portion into a ball. Place buns in a lined lamington tin. Cover with damp tea towel and leave in warm place for another 30-45 minutes or until doubled in size.
9. Pre-heat oven to 170C fan-forced. To make the glaze, combine sugar, water, and honey in small saucepan. Bring to boil and set aside. Meanwhile, to make the cross mixture, mix flour, cornflour, and water until smooth. Place in piping bag or ziplock bag and set aside.
10. Once the hot cross buns are proved, cut a small hole in the piping bag and pipe a cross shape. Bake for 15-20 mins until lightly golden brown. To check if they are cooked, gently knock on the hot cross buns – it should sound hollow. Brush immediately with glaze.

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The Larder // Hot Cross Bun Pudding

Madeleine Pavli is a chef and owner of The Larder, which makes condiments and cakes from local ingredients. She’s shared a dessert that’s very suitable to dish out after Sunday’s lunch or dinner, and can be made using hot cross buns that have had a few days at home already:

“Now, we know there are not usually any hot cross buns to spare during Easter so this recipe might need a run to the shops. Think, bread and butter pudding, but with brandy, orange, chocolate and hazelnuts surrounded by creamy custard.

// Serves 4 //

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp brandy
150gm Whittakers Chocolate Hazelnut block (or whatever you can get that’s similar) roughly chopped
5 eggs
600ml pouring cream
100ml milk
55gm caster sugar
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp of good vanilla bean paste
½ tsp cinnamon powder
6 old hot cross buns
60gm butter melted
2 tbsp The Larders Salted Chocolate Caramel sauce
Pinch of sea salt

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180C. To make the custard mix, combine eggs, cream, milk, brandy, caster sugar, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt to a large jug or bowl. Whisk until everything is combined and smooth, then set aside. * Helpful trick – if you have a stick blender, whip that out and use it!
2. Grease the sides and bottom of a Dutch oven or baking dish. Rip the hot cross buns into bite size pieces and place loosely in the baking dish (do one layer then scatter ½ the amount of chocolate over the top, then continue with the buns).
3. Any leftover butter, drizzle over the top. Pour over the custard mix taking care to cover each piece of bun with custard. Drizzle our salted caramel sauce, and scatter the rest of the chocolate pieces over the top.
4. Place in the oven (covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes) and cook until golden, oozy, and your whole house has filled with the most magnificent smell.
5. Serve straight from the oven or leave until room temperature – either way, it deserves a slight dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of cream or ice cream.