Our guide to Father's Day, 2020

From divine Calvisius Caviar to giant Tomahawk steaks, we have put together our perfect day on a plate menu for Father's Day 2020! 

CALVISIUS CAVIAR PLATTER

Spoil not just Dad, but your entire family, with a platter of Italian caviar served on cream cheese blinis along side smoked salmon.

INGREDIENTS:

30g Caviar (Calvisius caviar)

100g cream cheese

1 200g bag blini

200g smoked salmon

1 tsp chopped chives

Fresh fennel to garnish

METHOD:

• On a serving platter, arrange the smoked salmon with fresh fennel leaves scattered over the top.

• Place the cream cheese in a small bowl with thinly chopped chives over the top on the platter. Along with a pile of blini

• Add the caviar just before serving with a mother of pearl spoon.

Serves: 4-6

CAMP FIRE BAKED CHEESE AND ANTIPASTO

For a twist on a cheese platter, try this baked cheese and antipasto cooked over BBQ coals. If you are BBQ-less, you can make this recipe at home in your oven for a more convenient option.

Serve with fresh slices of baguette to dip into the melted cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 wedge Harris Farm Market Brie

• 1 wedge Harris Farm Market Camembert

• 1 strip of honey comb

• 1/2 cup green Spanish olives

• 4-5 mini capsicums in different colours (roasted red peppers from a bottle can also be used)

• 1-2 tbsp caper berries

• 1 tbs dried oregano (the oregano that has been dried on the steams is best suited for this dish as it has a smokey flavour)

• 1/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped

• 1 baguette stick to serve

METHOD:

• Warm up a coal or gas BBQ, (for those of you doing this in the oven, cook at 180°) 

• Line a heavy base fry pan with an oven proof handle ( cast iron is best suited) with baking paper.

• Score a cross hatch pattern into the top of the cheese and place into the pan.

• Arrange the Spanish green olives, mini colourful capsicums, honey comb and capers around the edges of the cheeses.

• Add over the top of the cheeses the roughly chopped walnuts followed by a drizzle of honey from the honey comb.

• Sprinkle over the top the dried oregano.

N.B:

• To cook on a Coal BBQ place the fry pan on a grill plate over hot coals but not directly over flames. Once the cheese has melted through into the antipasto remove from the heat and serve straight away.

• To cook on a gas BBQ turn the heat down and place the fry pan onto the grill. Cook until the cheeses has melted.

• To cook in an oven place the oven proof fry pan into the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

• Serve straight away while hot with slices of fresh baguette to dip.

Prep / cook time: 25 minutes

CITRUS MARINATED BBQ PRAWNS ALONGSIDE AN ORANGE & FENNEL SALAD 

INGREDIENTS:

• 500g prawns

• 1 lime zested

• 1 orange zested

• 1 lemon zested

• 1/2 bunch parsley finally chopped

• 3-4 cloves garlic minced

• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil

•  Pinch sea salt

Side salad:

• 1 medium fennel bulb finally sliced

• 2 blood oranges or navel oranges

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 tsp sherry vinegar

• 1/2 Orange juiced

• Pinch sea salt

• Bamboo or metal skewers (pre soaked in water if using bamboo)

METHOD:

• Peel the outer shell off the prawns, leaving the heads and tails on. Add them to an airtight container along with all of the marinating ingredients, toss the prawns to coat well. Put the lid on and place in the fridge for a minimum of 3-4 hrs. This process can also be done the night before creating extra flavour.

• To make the salad, add the finally sliced fennel to a salad bowl, pull off the top feathery fronds and add them to the salad as well.

• Peel the oranges and slice into thin slices then add to the salad.

• To make the dressing combine the oil oil, sherry vinegar, orange juice and a pinch of sea salt to a small jar. Shake well and pour over the salad.

• Warm up a BBQ.

• Thread the marinated prawns on to skewers and place on the BBQ for a few minutes (5 minutes), turning through out the cooking process to cook the other side. Remove from the heat and serve straight away along side the fennel salad.

Prep / cook time: 25 minutes plus marinating time

Serves: 2-3

GRILLED FLAT IRON STEAK MEXICAN FEAST

Add Mexican flavour to spice up a BBQ with this juicy flat iron steak, melted spicy semi sun dried tomato butter and charred grilled vegetable salad recipe.  

INGREDIENTS:

Spiced butter:

• 150g unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp Mexican spice mix (spice and co)

• 2 tbsp semi sun dried tomatoes

Steak:

• 600g flat iron steak

• 2 tsp Mexican spice mix (spice and co)

• Kosher salt

• Olive oil for cooking

Grilled vegetable salad:

• 3 Corn cobs with husks left on

• 2-3 Capsicums or bullhorn peppers in different colours

• 1 red onion sliced into wedges

• 1 whole pineapple with leaves on

• 3-4 whole fresh jalapeños

• 1 400g can of black beans drained and rinsed

• 200g snacking tomatoes sliced in half

• 1/4 bunch coriander leaves

• Juice of 1 lime

Avocado salsa:

• 1 1/2 Avocados cubed
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Extra coriander leaves
• Sea salt
• Cracked pepper
• Pinch Mexican spice mix (spice and co) 

METHOD:

• The spiced butter can be made ahead of time. Finally slice the semi sun dried tomatoes. Combine them in a small bowl along with the butter diced into cubes, and the spices. Using a fork, mash up the butter and mix the ingredients together. Using clean hands, form a log shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, twist the ends tightly and place in the freezer overnight.

• Take the steaks out of the fridge and allow them to come up to room temperature.

• Warm up a gas or charcoal BBQ.

• Slice off the bottom of the pineapple and the outer skin leaving on the top leaves. Using a pairing knife slice out a small wedge in the line of the prickles forming a spiral pattern around the pineapple.
  • If you're using a charcoal BBQ, tie cooking twine around the top of the pineapple and place it to the side of the fire on a pole while the remainder of the meal is cooking. This will give it a smokey flavour.
  • If your cooking on a gas BBQ, slice the pineapple into 1 1/2 cm disks and grill directly on the BBQ for a couple of minutes until nice char marks form. Remove from the heat and set aside.

• Place the whole corn on the grill in their husks, turn every couple of minutes. Don’t worry if the husks burn out the outside. Once nice char makes develop remove from the heat and set a side to cool down before removing the husks and silk threads.

• Slice the capsicums or bullhorn peppers into large pieces. Slice the red onions into chunky wedges, drizzle over with a little olive oil and grill the vegetables on the BBQ until lightly charred. Remove from the heat and set aside.

• Grill the jalapeños whole until lightly charred.

• In a large salad bowl, add the drained and rinsed black beans, sliced snacking tomatoes, grilled capsicums or bull horn peppers and red onion sliced up into thin strips. Slice the corn kernels off the cobs and add to the bowl, as well as some coriander leaves. Drizzle the lime juice over and gently toss the salad. Serve the remainder of the coriander leaves over the top and whole slices of the pineapple to the side of the bowl.

• To make the avocado salsa, combine all the ingredients into a small bowl, sprinkle over the top a little extra Mexican spice mix. Set aside.

• Flat iron steaks need a little tenderizing to make them tender, pat the steaks dry with kitchen paper, then give them a few hits with a meat cleaver. Generously coat the steaks with Kosher salt, the Mexican spice mix and a little olive oil.

• Place on a medium to hot BBQ for 5-7 minutes each side with an internal temperature of 130 degrees for a medium rare result.

• Allow the steaks to rest for 10 minutes covered in tin foil before thinly slicing along the grain.

• Serve the sliced steak on a chopping board with thin slices of the spiced butter over the top to melt and the charred whole jalapeños along the side. Charred vegetable salad and avocado salsa to the side.

 Serves: 3-4 people

REVERSE SEARED TOMAHAWK STEAK WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES

Show off to Dad this fathers day with your superb BBQ technique whilst cooking this impressive cut of meat cooked with a reverse sear style. Served along side grilled green vegetables and a zesty herb sauce spooned over the top.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tomahawk steaks

• 2 tsp Texas BBQ Mix (Spice and co)

• Flaked sea salt

• Cracked pepper

Grilled vegetables:

• 2-3 leeks sliced in half

• 2 zucchinis

• 1 bunch asparagus

• Olive oil for cooking

For the herb sauce:

• 1/2 bunch Parsley finally chopped

• 1 Garlic clove minced

• 1 Lemon zested

• 1/2 lemon juiced

• 1/4 preserved lemon finally diced

• 2 Anchovy fillets rinsed finally diced

• 1 tsp cappers rinsed finally diced

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 1/2 tbs red wine vinegar

METHOD:

• Remove the Tomahawk steak from the packaging, pat dry, cover and allow the meat to come up to room temperature.

• To make the herb sauce, combine all of the ingredients except the red wine vinegar into a small bowl, stir well to combine and set aside. More olive oil can be added if desired.

• Warm up one side of a BBQ with a hood.

• Season the steaks with a good sprinkle of sea salt and the Texas BBQ spice mix and pepper on both sides as well as the outer fat area. Use clean hands to push it into the meat.

• For a reverse sear BBQ method which is suited to thicker cuts of meat, place the steaks on the cooler side of the BBQ not directly above the flames. This style of cooking cooks the steaks slowly and then they can be finished off with a hot sear.

• Flip the steaks end to end and side to side regularly. In-between, place the hood down.

• Once the Steak reaches 50° ( you should use an internal meat thermometer for an accurate reading) remove them from the BBQ and allow to rest for 15mins covered with tin foil.

• Turn up the BBQ and turn on the other sides.

• Slice the zucchinis into 3-4mm thick slices, trim off the ends of the asparagus and slice the leeks lengthways. Brush a little olive oil over the vegetables and place on the hot grill. Once nice char-grill marks develop, turn using tongs to cook the other side. The asparagus and zucchinis will only take a few minutes while the leeks will need a couple more to cook through. Once cooked, remove from the grill and set aside to serve.

• Once the steaks have rested, turn the BBQ up to high heat and place the steaks back on to the grill to sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Rotating them in-between to develop a nice cross hatch sear pattern.

• Hold the end of the bone to sear the outer sides of the steak, rolling it over the grill so all areas make contact with the BBQ. As the meat has already rested, it is ready to be served.

• Just before serving add the red wine vinegar to the herb sauce and stir through.

• To serve, slice the steak along the bone, then slice across the grain. Serve with a good spoonful of Herb sauce over the meat and the grilled vegetables to the side.

Serves: 4-6

Prep/ Cook time: 45-50 plus resting time

Recipes, styling and photography by Bonnie Coumbe. Visit her site here & Instagram here.