Paper Chef #9 Entree

Lemon myrtle sardines with quandong inspired chilli sauce and nasturtium salad dressed with lemon, parmesan infused olive oil and nasturtium capers.

The famous Fremantle Sardines appear a great choice to start off Paper Chef #9. However the local sardines fail to make it to the shelves in local supermarkets. Regrettably, the no-name brand substitute contains inferior mushy fish and does not do any justice to the dish. A lacey macadamia tuile adds an extra touch, while a sprinkle of lemon myrtle disguises the sardines.

Overall, the dish tastes OK ,with the peach and lemon flavours working really well with the nasturtium. The nasturtium and lemon come from the home garden. There is no need for the parmesan infused olive oil as the sardines come with oil. Also, commercial capers replaces the nasturtium ones since the seed pods are yet to form.

To make four servings, use 2 cans of 125 g sardines in oil, 40 young nasturtium leaves, 8 nasturtium flowers, 24 nasturtium flower buds and 24 commercial capers to replace the nasturtium ones. Sprinkle with ground myrtle lemon and camomile from 2 infusion teabags.

For the quandong inspired chilli sauce, mix equal parts of a favourite chilli sauce and the coulis created from the main course. Adjust seasoning, and hotness to taste.

To make parmesan infused olive oil, simply add a 20 g piece of parmesan to 2 tablespoon of good olive oil and heat gently for 10 minutes. Works well for cheddar too.

Transforming the seed pods to nasturtium capers is not hard. Basically, the method involves brining for 2 days, draining, packing into sterile jars, covering with boiling vinegar and sealing. The pickle is ready to use in 3-4 days.

The following are related articles for Paper Chef #9:

Paper Chef #9 Menu
Paper Chef #9 Ingredients
Paper Chef #9 Entree
Paper Chef #9 Mains
Paper Chef #9 Dessert
Paper Chef #9 Coffee
Australian Tea
West Australian Suppliers
Food in the Backyard