In this week’s column: City chef takes a tree-change in the Adelaide Hills, a new winery restaurant for the Barossa, Indian food matriarch spices up Waymouth Street, truffle pizza, poutine and what to do with turnips.

Lunch at Lenswood

A simple lunch at Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard at Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills last summer led to a change of direction for both the cellar door and ex-Playford chef Matt Fitton.

A conversation Fitton started with owners Sharon Pearson and Garry Sweeney about how they could improve their menu to make their cellar door a destination was the catalyst for the change, and now Mt Lofty Vineyard is set to become a major player in the Adelaide Hills food scene

“Funnily enough, my wife Victoria and I were at the Stirling Market one weekend and we thought, ‘Where can we get a platter and a glass of wine?’ and Mt Lofty Vineyards popped up on Google,” explains Fitton. “We really loved the location and the winery, so we went back again in January for Victoria’s birthday.

“While we were there, I started talking to Sharon and Garry about their menu and about how I felt it really didn’t do justice to the stunning vineyard views, the dining room or their fantastic wine.

“Nothing came of it until I emailed them again a few months later … I stared cooking at Mt Lofty Vineyard a few weeks ago on the Winter Reds weekend.”

Fitton’s debut was a nine-course degustation matched to Mt Lofty Vineyard Pinot Noirs from 2006 to 2014. And the standout, says Pearson, was a “smoke in the jar” dish of slow-cooked duck egg, potato, truffle and chicken skin.

Mt Lofty Ranges Vineyard cellar door interior. Photo: supplied

Mt Lofty Vineyard has since launched its new menu and extended dining options offering more local produce presented with more sophistication.

“We wanted to introduce flavours and ingredients that are local to South Australia and Lenswood – it’s all about sourcing them and speaking to the right people,” says Fitton.

“The braised lamb shoulder and backstrap cooked medium-rare was the most popular dish by a mile last weekend. The lamb is sourced from a producer located just two kilometres from the Balhannah butcher. It’s what people really want to eat.

“The Fleurieu squid is served with dried shaved scallop, smoked pork fat from Ninos Smallgoods and baked white onion. But my favourite dish is the poached chicken with macadamia cream, sautéed field mushrooms and tarragon jus.”

Before his new head chef role at Mt Lofty Vineyard, Fitton had spent the past three-and-a-half years as sous chef at The Playford Restaurant. He was also a recent finalist in the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Young Chef award.

“We are also planning to offer a tasting menu that matches with the Mt Lofty Vineyard range of wines,” he adds. “That should happen within the next month.

“The most exciting thing is to get people over to this side of the hills.

“Our aim is to create a place where people want to come for the food and where the food will enhance the wine. We’d love to get to the level of The Lane and then surpass it.”

Kaesler Kitchen

Panfried fillet of Atlantic salmon on pea crushed new potato with mussels. Photo: supplied

Another winery making a fresh foray into food is Kaesler Wines at Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley. Kaesler Kitchen is a new restaurant which is open for lunch (Wednesday to Sunday) and breakfast (weekends only) and special events.

The lunch menu is casual and features share boards with locally produced cured meats, pickles and cheeses, plus dishes such as char-grilled pork loin with pickled apples, and a porterhouse steak sandwich served in a pretzel baguette with melted blue cheese and sautéed field mushrooms.

Upcoming events at Kaesler Kitchen include a 10-course degustation matched to rare back-vintage wines (September 18, $180pp) and a long lunch to celebrate the release of their 2013 Old Bastard Shiraz (October 10, $140pp).

Spicing up the city

Sticky sesame chicken tacos and tandoori beef sliders. Photo: Nat Rogers/InDaily

After the sale of Indian food institution Dhaba @ The Spice Kitchen last month, Ragini Dey is now heading up her son Chirag’s new Waymouth Street restaurant and bar Naya.

“We were in California last year and found lots and lots of cooking with spice,” says Dey. “The Mexican food there has a lot of Indian and Portuguese influence, so we decided we wanted to do something in a more global way.”

The Deys have decked out the long, narrow space with a takeaway counter at the front with bench seating and tables and a bar to the rear.

“We have built a new kitchen with a tandoor but I have been given strict instructions not to make it another Spice Kitchen,” says Dey.

The result is a menu featuring tandoori beef sliders, sticky sesame chicken tacos and butter chicken pies.

“We are also serving three different curries every single day which are very popular at lunchtime, but at night it’s about in-house cocktails and a distinct food and wine culture. It’s a new generation.”

Dey says her favourite dish at the moment is the sesame and cashew chips. “It’s a proper Indian dish made with homemade French fries, broken cashews, fried sesame seeds and dried mango powder.”

Celebrating truffle season

Goodlife’s ‘Lux’ truffle pizza. Photo: supplied

Goodlife Pizza is celebrating seasonal Australian truffles this month with the creation of ‘Lux’, a pizza with a topping of fresh baked pear, Udder Delights truffle-infused brie, rocket, and the Mushroom Man truffle oil and salt.

Chips, gravy and cheese

While it sounds French and its place of origin is Canada, poutine is basically just chips, gravy and cheese (traditionally curds).

But if it’s a food experience that is on your bucket list, you can now queue up with the masses at the newly opened Quebec Fries in City Cross Shopping Centre.

A basic (“classic”) poutine serving of French fries and gravy can be upsized and spiced up with extras such as sautéed mushrooms, caramelised onions, jalapenos, sour cream, Bolognese sauce and bacon. Or you can go for a more interesting poutine offering such as Smoky Montreal Beef, Double Pork, Maple BBQ Bacon or Veggie Mexican. If that’s all a bit exotic, there is a Superdog, pancakes or a choice of three berry pies. Finally, you can wash it all down with an energy drink or a Dr Pepper. Bon Appetit!

This week at the Adelaide Farmers’ Market – turnips

Bunches of fresh turnips sit alongside a variety of golden beetroot at the Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers’ Market. Photo: Andre Castellucci

A good source of fibre and vitamin C, the turnip is a member of the cabbage family. Usually white, with a tinge of pink, red, purple or green, it is either round or cylindrical in shape.

The leafy tops of turnips are often discarded, but are actually more nutritious than the root. The younger the turnip, the sweeter the taste – with baby or young turnips usually requiring no peeling before eating.

Turnips can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed or roasted and can be added to a variety of stews, curries and soups.

Well-known chef, foodie and Prospect Farmers’ Market patron Rosa Matto suggests cooking turnips in a mash with bacon. Simmer peeled and cut-up turnips in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash them with 1 egg, butter, 2 tbsp shaved parmesan, salt and pepper. Fold in crumbled cooked bacon and chopped chives.

Adelaide Showground Farmers’ Market stallholders Patlins Gardens, W & B Hart, ALNDA Farms and Virgara’s Garden currently have turnips available. Visit their stalls on Sundays from 9am-1pm at the Adelaide Showground, Leader Street, Wayville.

What’s on?

Smelly Cheese Club cheese and beer-matching masterclass – tonight
Ever tried good Cheddar with pale ale? The story of beer and cheese is ancient – they were both made on the farm and were naturally consumed together. The grain grown was not only for making beer but also for feeding dairy herd. They share the flavours from the earth….yeasty, musty, fruity, floral and toasty. Some cheese experts contend that beer is more compatible with cheese than wine. Naturally, beer connoisseurs agree and this two-hour session will help you form your own opinion. Tickets are $80 per person. More information here.

Italy vs Australia masterclass – August 15
Briony Hoare from Beach Road Wines will join La Cantina at Mercato to showcase her Beach Road Greco, Fiano, Pinot Gris, Aglianico and Primitivo wines alongside imported Italian examples. Tickets are $25 per person and cover all wines on tasting plus antipasto platters. More information here.

Long-table lunch and cooking demo – August 15 and 16
Renowned Australian-Italian chef Nino Zoccali joins Saskia Beer at this year’s Barossa Gourmet Weekend to demonstrate how to cook suckling Berkshire pigs, free-range geese, capons and game, followed by a long-table lunch where both chefs will join diners and Rieslingfreak’s John Hughes will showcase his current Riesling vintage. Tickets $120 per person. Visit barossagourmet.com for more information.

Babette’s Feast – August 20
Introduced by Adelaide chef Cath Kerry and screening at the Mercury Cinema at 7pm, this mouth-watering, Oscar-winning film is about self-sacrifice, thwarted ambition and lost love. Having retired in 2012 from running the Art Gallery Restaurant, Kerry is an erudite and passionate advocate for the pleasures of the table and Babette’s Feast is one of her favourite subjects. A fluent French speaker and Francophile, she will talk about the food and wines served in the film (she’ll have a recipe or two for you to take away as well), and identify the glorious dinner services and stemware used. Bookings and information can be found here.

2KW Burgundy Week – August 27-28
Join Mischief and Mayhem founder Michael Ragg for this showcase of his Cote D’Or new releases matched with canapés ($90 per person) at 12pm on Thursday, August 27. Then on Friday, August 28, join Olivier Halley, owner of Chateau de Meursault, for a three-course lunch ($165 per person) as he showcases his iconic wines. Bookings essential. Phone 8212 5511.

Waywood Wines long-table lunch series #2 – August 29
Enjoy a four-course Middle Eastern-inspired feast prepared by Luscious Red matched with current, museum and pre-release vintages of Waywood Shiraz. Tickets are $95 per person. Limited places. Bookings essential. More information can be found here.

Foodies Book Club – September 3
The Adelaide Hills Foodies Book Club is hosting a special author dinner event featuring Beata Zatorska and Simon Target and food from their award-winning book Rose Petal Jam and its sequel Sugared Orange, with the students from Heathfield High School’s hospitality training program (under the guidance of chef Beverley Millott) preparing and serving food made or inspired by the recipes. Tickets are $60 per person. Books will be available for purchase and signing on the night through Matilda Bookshop. For bookings or more information, email Gillian Copping here.

News, tips and information?

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