Eating from farm to plate might be a touch un-achievable for most of us urban folk, but if you’re in the mood to put in some elbow grease you'll be met with the satisfying reward of a home-cooked meal. Consider it skills-building for when you move to Tasmania to live off the grid.
In keeping with seasonality, here is a three-course winter meal plan a la Matthew Evans to warm your cockles, using his best recipes from across the past five seasons of Gourmet Farmer.
Entrée
Seafood doesn’t have to just be a summer item. Throw in some more robust flavours like toasty paprika and tomato for a starter with a difference. The secret to this baked squid and chorizo dish is that it’s cooked long and slow to guarantee tenderness. With squid, it’s either a flash fry or slow braise, that’s unless you want to be eating big fat rubber bands.
A long bake means tender squid and melting chorizo. Source: Tim Thatcher
PAIR WITH:
Cultured butter
Main
Winter weather calls for slow-cooked meat, a pillow of carbs for it to lay on and some roasted vegetables cooked in fat, for energy. Unbuckle your belt for this jam-packed course of osso buco, soft polenta and caramelised Brussels sprouts. Don’t be scared, most of the prep for sides can be done while your osso buco braises in the oven. #multitasking
Topped with a punchy gremolata of fresh herbs and lemon rind. Source: Tim Thatcher
Dessert
It’s apple season, so Matthew has handed over a recipe that makes two cakes. It also contains six apples so one whole cake is like three servings of fruit, right? Best served slightly warm with a nice thick dollop of cream. A nip of sloe gin on the side doesn’t go astray either.
This cake contains three whole apples. Source: Tim Thatcher
Matthew Evans is back showcasing homemade goodies in his brand-new series of Gourmet Farmer, 8pm Thursday nights from August 1 to October 3 on SBS, with an encore 8.30pm Fridays on SBS Food (Channel 33) and streaming on SBS On Demand. Visit the for recipes, the episode guide and more.
PAIR WITH:
Sloe gin
