Posts Tagged ‘Rockpool Sydney’

Dark & Stormy

Monday, March 8th, 2010

The recipe for Rockpool Bar & Grill’s sultry dark and stormy with house-made ginger beer as featured in our March newsletter.

Dark and Stormy 
50ml aged dark rum
10ml fresh lime juice
60ml house ginger beer 

Build the ingredients in a high ball without ice. Be aware, the carbonated ginger beer has a lot of fizz when mixed with ice. Add ice and garnish with a lime cheek and mint sprig. The kick of the fresh ginger combined with the honey and rum is one of the great beverage pairings.

 Ginger beer
600g peeled baby ginger root
4 litres water
600g honey
100g sugar 

Add the finely sliced ginger to the water in a  pot and bring to the boil. Blend the ginger water with a hand blender and return to the heat. Shut off the heat. Add the honey and sugar. Stir well and cover for 1 hour. Strain through a fine chinois or cheesecloth and allow to cool. Transfer into bottles and refrigerate.

Dark & Stormy with house made ginger beer

Happy Birthday to Us – Rockpool is 21.

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

It’s our birthday this week!!!!

 On Sunday February 28th, Rockpool will officially come of age.

 Turning 21 has made Trish and I reflect on what the future holds for our flagship restaurant. 

When we turned 20 last year, we were immensely proud of how far we had come, and to still be standing strong over two decades later feels like quite the achievement. Rockpool certainly seems to be standing the test of time. 

Moving forward, the future direction of the restaurant will be largely in the hands of our executive chef, Phil Wood. We have had the pleasure of working with Phil for the past 12 months and with his experience in our kitchens as well as The French Laundry and Tetsuya’s, he is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best young chefs this country has to offer. 

Since joining us in March last year, Phil has taken over the reins of the kitchen and thrived on the responsibility. He was recently promoted from Head Chef to Executive Chef and constantly amazes us with his skill and creativity. We have complete confidence in Phil’s ability and while I will continue to be very involved in the menu and as a mentor to him and the team, Phil now has complete creative control of the food side of things. 

Phil Wood (1st left)

Phil Wood (1st left) in the kitchen after a recent function in NZ

We continue to offer a choice of two menus at Rockpool – the four course a la carte menu and the eight course Grand Tasting menu – and we have recently launched our exclusive ‘Chef’s Table’.  Situated in front of the kitchen, it offers private groups a bird’s eye view of all the action and our guests are loving it! 

To celebrate our 21st Birthday, Rockpool will be offering all customers who dine at the restaurant during the week following our birthday, Tuesday March 2nd to Saturday March 6th, a glass of Champagne on us! 

Happy birthday from us,

Neil, Trish and the crew at Rockpool

Steamed Shredded Chicken with Ginger and Spring Onion Oil

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Our Chinese New Year feature recipe from Spice Temple - Rockpool’s January 2010 Newsletter

 Steamed shredded chicken with ginger and spring onion oil
 
100g skinless white cut chicken breast
10g peeled ginger, roughly chopped
Large pinch salt
2 spring onions, cut in find rounds
50ml spring onion oil
 
Shred the chicken breast roughly.
Pound the ginger, salt and spring onions to a paste in a mortar. Add the shallot oil and chicken to the pounded mixture, mix well and serve.
 
This will serve 4 people as part of a shared banquet.
 
Spring onion oil
 
200ml spring onion greens, roughly chopped
250ml vegetable oil
 
Heat the siring onions and oil slowly to 60 degrees Celsius.
Blend for 5 minutes and hang in a piece of muslin overnight tin the fridge.
Do not squeeze the muslin the next day. Discards the muslin and puree the spring onions. Keep the oil in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 2 days.
 
White cut chicken
1 x 1.6kg to 1.8kg Corn Fed Chicken
3 Litres Water
Lots of Ice
 
Rinse the chicken in cold water, remove any fat from the cavity and pat dry with a paper towel. Bring the water to the boil in a heavy based pot in which the chicken will fit snuggly. Place chicken in the pot and bring back to the boil. Skim for 5 minutes and turn down to a strong simmer. Place a lid on the pot and simmer for 15 minutes more. Remove the pot from the heat and steep the chicken for 20 minutes. Don’t lift the lid or the heat will dissipate faster. Remove the lid and take out the chicken. Drain the cavity and plunge the chicken into iced water. Leave it there to cool for 15 minutes. Drain the chicken and chill in the refrigerator to completely set the juices.
 

Jing Teas – Melbourne Selection

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

We have a beautiful new range of teas at Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne, Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney, Rockpool in The Rocks and Spice Temple – each restaurant with their own selections.  Following is the selection on offer at Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne.

After water, Tea is the most consumed beverage on the planet…clearly an important beverage worth of as much consideration as the finest of fine wines.

It is curious that such ‘staples’ can often be overlooked in restaurants. In searching for a tea that has all the delicate detail and unique expressions of fine wine we have found Jing Tea

Jing sources its exceptional teas from the most prestigious tea growing regions in the world; China, Japan, Taiwan, India and Sri Lanka.

We have selected several teas in the range that we feel offer a broad range of flavours and textures to suit various palates, occasions and dishes.

We have chosen three Black Teas. Assam is the world’s largest tea growing region and is located in the North of India. The Camellia Sinensis Assamica bush yields a robust, malty flavoured, and honey scented tea known as Assam Breakfast

From the Yunnan province in Southern China, comes Yunnan Gold, striking a balance of power and delicacy this tea shows a complex range of brown spices; cinnamon, nutmeg and clove all given elegance by highlights of ginger and liquorice. Earl Grey, Jing source the finest Ceylon tea, season with Bergamot and some Cornflowers to create a richly flavoured, highly fragrant, visually appealing tea that is well suited to the addition of milk.

The Green teas from Jing encapsulate the freshness of the mountains on which they are grown. Dragon Well is one of the most famous teas in China, this one comes from Cedar Hill in the Zhejain Province and is delicate and bright with hints of stone fruit layered with soft floral and earthy tones. Coming from the Jiande area of the same province is Jade Sword, this is as bright and lively as the Dragon Well, but with more earthy, mineral flavours taking centre stage and the delicate floral notes providing a supporting role.

Silver Needle White Tea, is harvested from the first spring buds in the Fuding province. This has gentle honeydew melon sweetness with a delicately astringent cleansing texture, this tea suits a number of our more delicate dishes.

Iron Buddha Oolong Tea is a truly engaging tea that shows the freshness of a Green tea, with the detailed complexity of black tea. This is a journey of a drink with enough volume of flavour and layers of texture to match any Grand Cru glass of wine. 

Much work goes into the production of these teas, we aim to protect this work, preserve and heighten your experience. We use specific tea pots designed to hold the perfect amount of water, and highlight the visual appeal of these infusions. We make sure that your Tea is served at the right temperature, poured and steeped at your table so the extraction can be to your liking (although 3-5 minutes is recommended depending on the Tea). 

It’s true that many of us have been seduced by coffee, but should you crave a warming drink to match you mood, or food during or after a meal; the satisfaction of the ritual of these leaves will be intensely rewarding.

Bouchon Bistro, Beverly Hills

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Last week, Phil Wood, Executive Chef of Rockpool and I were in LA to do a lunch for Qantas and NSW Tourism. We were lucky enough to be helped by Rory Hermann and his amazing team at Bouchon Bistro, but more about that in a later blog. This is all about the beautiful food we ate at Thomas Keller’s brand new Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills, where Rory is Executive Chef. 

This is a stunning, classic looking restaurant that has a wonderful feel about it when sitting there and enjoying a meal. The detail and well crafted finishes make this a special place. Add to that the buzz of lots of people enjoying the ambience, food, wine and service and this really is a great experience. 

The restaurant menu features classic after classic, that Thomas and Rorys’ team have cooked with such passion and craft that it transcends your expectations of a bistro or brassiere. It is opulent and sophisticated, and as usual, everything you would expect from a Thomas Keller restaurant. The guys here are doing approachable food amazingly well. This is the type of food that you could eat every day and keep coming back for more. 

We started with a wonderfully fresh grand platter of seafood, moved on to a generous plate of charcuterie, a blend of house made and best hams in the world, a lush salmon rillette, a light and delicious white bean puree, some gorgeous foie gras, the texture that only Thomas seems to get with pistachio cream, followed by roast figs, sunchokes and blood orange, then a crisp skin snapper cooked to perfection, and to finish, a pave of lam leg with roasted vegetables and panisse. Well we thought we were finished, then Scott the pastry chef spoiled us further with a number of incredibly textured and flavoured sweet treats. Among them, crème caramel, pot a crèmes, chocolate slice, lemon tart, doughnuts and chocolate bouchons. A truly wonderful and indulgent meal – completely looked after by great friends. 

The next day, we returned for a quick lunch before setting off for a function I needed to speak at in Newport…a bowl of mussels with saffron and chips and one of the specialties, Roast chicken. As expected, it was yummy and once again displayed the quality at work in the kitchen.

Dedicated Floor Staff & Passionate Wine Professionals Wanted

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Come and join our team!

Are you passionate about what you do? Are you looking for that perfect job that will offer you a great working environment and the opportunity to learn and grow in your career?

  • - CBD location
  • - One of Sydney’s highest profile fine dining restaurants
  • - Opportunity for growth, development and on–the-job training

Rockpool, Neil Perry’s flagship fine dining restaurant, is seeking experienced floor staff and staff with superior wine knowledge to join their exceptional team. We have numerous positions available including Senior Floor Waiters, Wine Waiters, Cashiers and Bar Staff, so if you are looking for the perfect opportunity to provide fantastic service within an amazing environment … apply NOW!

 The General Manager is seeking experienced staff who have:

  • - A minimum of three years experience within busy restaurants of a similar calibre    
  • - Enthusiasm and the ability to utilise their initiative & passion for fantastic service
  • - A proven understanding of, and willingness to learn more about, food, wine and service
  • - Proven experience working as part of a strong and tight knit team.

If you feel that you would be right for one of these positions please apply today. We are looking for Staff who have passion for what they do and who want to be part of a successful team.  Full-time positions available, all applicants must be available Tuesday to Saturday. Only experienced staff will be considered for these roles.  

Please email your application to Penny – penny@rockpool.com or fax us your cover letter and resume to 02 9252 2421.

Only successful applicants will be contacted.

Crabfest!

Monday, January 4th, 2010

A couple of Sundays ago we did a fund raiser for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

It was great fun – Crabfest, a crab eating comp. Right up my alley as I love those little Muddies like no other.

It was one of the most fun ways to raise money and most importantly I won!!!  Which just goes to show you can back an Aussie over 2 Frenchies and old Italian any day. Lots of love Armando, Guillaume, Manuel, and Peter Evans - don’t cry there is always next year!

Thank you to all the people that came along and gave generously.

A Christmas Message from Neil

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

I would like to wish everyone a great Christmas and New Year. 

Rockpool Group employees, thanks heaps for an amazing year, particularly the last few weeks. You slaved away and made the restaurants better.

To all our wonderful customers out there, thanks so much for all your support, I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow.

To all those tuning into the blog have the best time, I know I will be relaxing, so hopefully you will be doing the same.

 Lots of love to everyone this holiday season!!!

~ Neil

Feeding the Masses – Rockpool Staff Dinner

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Here at Rockpool 5pm is an extremely popular time of day for that is when staff dinner is served!

Feeding  about 40 starving staff members is no mean feat and our Chefs take it in turn to whip up something delicious and filling to keep the Crew satiated until the last customer waves goodbye at the end of a busy service.

This recipe for Fragrant lamb tagine with potatoes and olives, served with pine nut and currant couscous and mint yoghurt is a real crowd pleaser. 
Many thanks to Will Cowan-Lunn for the recipe too.

Fragrant Lamb Tagine with Potatoes and Olives
Serves 40

3kg lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons finely ground black pepper
2 ½ teaspoons powdered ginger
2 pinches pulverised saffron
1 ½ teaspoons turmeric
8 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, minced
2.5kg Desiree potatoes
4 preserved lemons, rinsed
400g Gaetas olives
350ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 bunch coriander, chopped
sea salt, to taste

Trim excess fat from lamb.  In a large casserole dish toss the lamb chunks with the garlic, salt, spices, oil, herbs and onion.  Cover with 1 litre water and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer over moderate heat for 2 hours, turning the meat often in the sauce.
Peel and quarter potatoes, when meat is almost perfectly tender add potatoes and continue cooking until both meat and potatoes are done.
Quarter preserved lemons and discard pulp.  Rinse and stone the olives.  Add both to the casserole for the last 10 minutes of cooking.  Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning as necessary using sea salt.

Pine Nut and Currant Couscous
Olive oil
500g couscous
300g pine nuts, toasted
300g currants
1 bunch mint, chopped
1 bunch coriander, chopped
6 eschalots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
150g preserved lemon, minced
500ml chicken stock

Place couscous in a large boil.  Boil chicken stock and pour over couscous to just cover.  Tightly wrap bowl with cling film and let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sweat eschalot and garlic in olive oil until soft.  Add pine nuts, stir for 2 minutes to toast, add currants.  Remove pan from heat and add mint, coriander and preserved lemon.
Run a fork through the couscous to separate the grains.  Add pine nut mixture to couscous and season to taste.

Mint Yoghurt
1kg natural yoghurt
1 bunch mint, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
pinch of ground cumin
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients and season to taste.

Sunday Lunch

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

Lunch with the girls at Sydney Madang just off Pitt Street.

Macy loves the BBQ marinated Short ribs and Indy is  a big fan of the fried Dumplings.

I love it all, but the Squid stir fried with hot Korean bean paste and all the kimchi sides are great. I love anything with Korean bean paste really!