A fitting ANZAC day feast

The internet is awash with Anzac biscuit recipes this week so I wasn’t going to throw my hat in that busy ring. Instead I thought a few rosemary inspired recipes to be equally fitting. Growing up I was forced along to a few early 5am dawn service starts for Anzac Day. Through school I had to watch, watch again, and then write essays on movie great Gallipoli – you know the one, Mel Gibson was in it, before he got his crazy on. At the time it was painful, as most things done against teenage will are, but now I wish I’d paid more attention and definitely wish I’d paid more respect. Evidently the landing at Gallipoli was awash with wild and abundant rosemary so in recognition of our great diggers - some inspired bites to showcase this herbaceous delight.

Rosemary flat bread

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups plain flour

1 tbsp rosemary, chopped plus extra to serve

1 tsp baking powder

Heavy pinch Maldon sea salt

½ cup water

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing (you can use grape seed oil if you want a lighter flavour)

Method

Preheat oven to 200C.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until a dough forms. Knead gently until smooth. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Place a piece of dough on a sheet of baking paper. Cover with a second sheet of baking paper and roll out to a thin disc. Remove the top sheet, lightly brush the top with additional olive oil and scatter over some extra rosemary leaves. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Slide onto a baking tray and bake until pale golden and crisp – about 8 – 10 minutes. Break into pieces and eat on the day of making.

Lamb cutlets with rosemary white bean puree, parsley, pancetta and tomato salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

16 lamb cutlets, frenched

White bean puree

400g can Cannellini beans

1 tbsp rosemary, chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled

Juice of ½ lemon

Salad

500g medly tomatoes, halved

150g prosciutto

2 tbsp balsamic glaze

1 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ cups flat-leaf parsley, coarsely torn

Method

Preheat oven to 175.

To make the white bean puree, add all ingredients to a food processor and blitz until combined. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Place the tomatoes and pancetta in a roasting tray. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic glaze and toss to combine. Roast in the oven for ten minutes or until the tomatoes start to blister and the prosciutto begins to caramelize and darken. Meanwhile heat a char-grill pan over high heat, add lamb and turn occasionally until seared then transfer to oven and cook until cooked to your liking (about 5 minutes for medium-rare) Cover and rest for 3 minutes.

Just prior to serving, toss the lamb cutlets, tomatoes and flat leaf parsley in a bowl to combine and season to taste. Smear a tablespoon (or to taste) of white bean puree over the base of each plate. Top with the lamb salad mix and serve immediately.

Quick rosemary tea-cake

Ingredients

100g white chocolate, chopped

150g butter, chopped

4 eggs

150g (1 cup) caster sugar

Dash vanilla extract

1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped

150g plain flour, sifted

Method

Preheat the oven to 175.

Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted. Remove and allow to cool.

Beat the eggs and sugar for 3 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add the chocolate and butter mixture, flour and rosemary, stirring until just combined. Pour into a 3.5cm high, 20 x 30cm slab tin lined with baking paper and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until cooked through and light and springy to the touch. Sprinkle over the fresh rosemary and serve warm on its own or with some clotted cream. For more recipes check out www.theothercrumb.blogspot.com