Ingredients

2 tsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tsp mirin

1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce

1 lime, juiced

100ml extra virgin olive oil

2 small white grapefruits

4 Persian cucumbers

8 large raw scallops, side muscle removed

Furikake seasoning for garnish (a savoury mixture of dried, ground fish, seeds and nori seaweed - choose a variation without egg as this sometimes is added too)

Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, mirin, soy sauce and juice of half the lime, plus a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
2. Slice off both ends of the grapefruits to expose the flesh. With one flat end down on the cutting board, cut along the curve of the fruit to remove the pith and peel. Then cut into 1cm rounds and place in the bowl of vinaigrette, tossing to combine.
3. Use a mandolin or sharp knife to carefully cut the cucumbers into very thin rounds and add to the bowl with the vinaigrette and grapefruit.
4. Cut each scallop into thin rounds - depending on the size, each one should yield 4-5 slices. Squeeze over the remaining lime juice and season with sea salt to taste.
5. Arrange all the components on a plate, alternating layers of each and garnish with a scattering of the furikake before serving.

Ingredients

1 apple

120g granulated sugar

120ml water

60ml calvados

30ml sweet vermouth

30ml Campari

Ice

1 lemon

Method

1. To make the garnish, preheat the oven to 180°C. Set a wire rack in a sheet tray and line with parchment paper.
2. Use a mandolin or very sharp knife to cut the apple around its equator into very thin slices, about 10mm thick.
3. Combine the sugar with 120ml cold water in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved then immediately add the cut apple. Cook, swirling the pan often to keep the slices fully submerged until they are translucent and the simple syrup has started to reduce and thicken.
4. Turn off the heat and use tweezers or tongs to carefully remove the sugar-coated slices and transfer to the prepared sheet tray, spreading them out evenly.
5. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until they are golden brown. Set aside and let cool - during this time the sugar glaze will harden and the slices will crisp up nicely.
6. To make the drink, pour the calvaos, sweet vermouth and Campari into a cocktail shaker (or any tall vessel) with ice and stir to mix. Set a thin-mesh sieve over a glass filled with fresh ice and pour in the cocktail mix.
7. Add a few squeezes from the lemon, stir again then top with the apple garnish before enjoying.

Ingredients

1 lemon, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, in their skins and smashed

3 small red chillies

2 fresh bay leaves

1 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds

A few sprigs fresh thyme

100ml olive oil

Red wine vinegar

8 sardines, cleaned, gutted, heads removed and patted dry

1/2 cup AP flour

Olive oil, for frying

Flaky sea salt

Method

1. Heat a grill pan or cast iron over medium-high heat - once hot, spread out the lemon slices. Don't move until they are caramelised and slightly charred (around 5 minutes). Flip the slices to cook the other side for about 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Combine the garlic, chillies, bay leaf, fennel seeds and thyme in a saucepan and cover with the olive oil. Over low heat, bring the oil up slowly to a simmer then maintain that for 30 minutes, or until the garlic has changed to a light golden brown. Don't let the cloves burn.
3. Remove from heat then add the red wine vinegar, caramelised lemon slices and season with salt, gently stirring to combine.
4. Season the flour with a few pinches of salt, whisk to combine, then tip out onto a plate. Cover each sardine on both sides with the flour, tapping off any excess.
5. Drizzle olive oil into a pan set over medium-high heat, then once the oil is hot, quickly fry each sardine so they are just cooked through - about 3 minutes per side or until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Lay these down in a flat-bottomed vessel, such as a small baking dish.
6. Pour the infused olive oil over the fried sardines and cover. Let marinate in the fridge at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.
7. After the sardines have rested in the marinade, enjoy at room temperature or slide them under a grill to crisp up the skin before eating. The oil itself is perfect for dipping bread into as well.
8. These marinated sardines are delicious enjoyed as an open-faced sandwich made with crusty bread and aioli or thick yoghurt with a fresh salad (shaved fennel or tomatoes and feta go well).

Ingredients

Marinade:

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1 bunch corriander (save a few sprigs for garnish)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tsp granulated sugar

1 lime

1 1/2 tbsp whole coriander seeds, toasted and roughly crushed with a mortar and pestle

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

2 green bell pepper, diced

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

425ml chicken stock

Extra virgin olive oil

2 limes for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Make the marinade. Roughly chop the garlic, onion and corriander and drop into blender or food processor together with the olive oil, sugar and a couple large pinches of salt. Grate the lime to add the zest then cut in half to squeeze in the juice. Pour in a splash of water and blend into a smooth purée, adding a little more water if necessary to nudge the blade into movement.
3. Season the chicken pieces liberally on all sides with salt and the coriander seeds then place in a bowl. Pour over the marinade, rubbing into the skin well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
4. To start the braise, heat a large skillet over medium-high flame and a drizzle of olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. A piece at a time, remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking slightly to allow most of the liquid to drip back into the bowl (remember to reserve for later). Sear the chicken skin-side down, undisturbed, until nicely golden (1-2 minutes) then repeat on the opposite side. Set aside on a sheet tray when they are all cooked off.
5. In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and pepper along with a pinch of salt. Stirring often, sauté until the onions are translucent and the pepper is starting to soften. Tip in the rice and stir to toast all of the grains for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze a splash of water, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the caramelised brown bits.
6. Bring back the chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them in the rice mixture in a single layer. Pour in the chicken stock and reserved marinade then increase the heat to high. When the liquid comes to a boil, cover with a lid then transfer the pan into the preheated oven. Braise for approximately 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender.
7. Garnish with the saved corriander sprigs and squeeze fresh lime wedges over to serve.