Caroline: YAY! IT’S SUMMER! And who knows better how to cook for hot weather than my Queenslander husband!
Kris: You have to enjoy the warm days when they are here in Tasmania, Summer can come and go pretty quickly. What better way to enjoy a hot day than with a Prawn, Mango, Asparagus and Avocado Salad with a hopped dressing. I found some amazing fresh King prawns at our local seafood shop and couldn’t resist them. I simply diced some Mango and Avocado, grilled some asparagus in some garlic and olive oil and put it all together with some mixed lettuce leaves, fresh mint and coriander and some thinly sliced red onion.
Caroline : Kris experimented with some galaxy hops by infusing them in some olive oil. The first batch sat overnight and it was way too hoppy (wow I never thought I would write those words…). The second batch sat for a couple hours and had a nice crisp bitterness to it.
*get hops from any home brew shop or if you live in Tassie off the side of the road in bushy park (shh!) but DON’T use pellets they are wayyyy too strong and leave gritty bits in the oil.
Caroline : For the dressing for the seafood salad (after straining out the hop flowers) we added chili flakes, a pinch of sugar, salt, pepper, the juice of half a lime, and a splash of verjuice (or cider vinegar) to the infused oil.
Caroline : And the star? These AMAZING Queensland King Prawns. They were so tender and sweet and HUGE! They are a bit expensive but you really get you moneys worth and don’t need to buy too many.
Kris served the prawns on a bed of salad greens, grilled asparagus, red onion, avocado and chopped mango all tossed in the dressing.
Caroline : How could this summer meal get any better I hear you ask?ADD WINE I say! We sipped cold, crisp Pressing Matters Riesling.
Kris: Pressing Matters Riesling is one of my favourite Tasmanian wines. It’s zippy and crisp with a nice citrus character. A lager, witbier or American style pale ale would also be a great match to this dish.
Kris: A sunny afternoon, some fresh local seafood and a couple of friends dropping by? Time for some riesling and perhaps a beer or two. I was keen to make some sushi and discovered a 6 pack of Sapporo at our local bottle shop that, under further investigation on the packaging, was brewed in Adelaide, South Australia. I have tried the Japanese version, the Canadian version in the 500ml can, so how would the Australian interpretation taste?
I have said it time and time again, I love Riesling! I think it is the hop driven, beer lovers wine. My favourite interpretation of this varietal is aromatic with a distinctive lemon/lime character. Jim Barry 2010 Watervale Riesling is a classic, affordable version of this style. It is also a great match for oysters and tuna sashimi.
Kris: As mentioned previously, I am still learning the fine art of sashimi/sushi. It is one of my favourite ways of eating fresh seafood. I have the upmost respect for sushi chefs; it is truly an art in itself.