Masu Chef Nic Watt’s Flower-Inspired Recipes To Help You Feel Good

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Inspired by seasonal florals, renowned local chef Nic Watt from Masu has designed a bespoke menu of recipes to make at home. Flowers famously help you feel good, and Nic’s menu is inspired by seasonal florals, and the idea of food and floral matching. Each unique recipe is a reflection of Nic’s flower inspirations and how individual florals can enhance the at-home dining experience. Deliciously easy to create, simply craft your dish, pair it with the appropriate florals and you’re set for a sensory feast with friends and loved ones!

THE MENU

Entree: Salmon gravlax with beetroot fennel and pink peppercorns, horseradish and rye waffle

First things first, Nic’s entrée is inspired by the erica and viburnum flowers, known for their wild textures and appearance. “The combination reminds me of the top of the gravlax, with its pink peppercorns, fennel seeds and the delicious aromas these put out,” says Nic. This is a really easy dish to prepare in advance and serve the table as a family sharing style. It gives you more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen on the day.

Main: Basted Lamb back strap, garden herb and toasted panko crust, agria and sweet potato presse, confit garlic and pan juice.

Inspired by the protea venus, Nic says the floral match is a nod to his childhood in Sydney, paired with one of his favourite meals made by his mum – roast lamb. “And it still it to this day!” he says.

Dessert: Vanilla bean and brown sugar scorched ruby grapefruit custard tart

For the final sweetener, this tart is a sumptuous throwback to Nic’s food memories, inspired by the layers of textures and colours from the cymbidium orchid. “What better way to finish a delicious meal layered with caramels, citrus, vanilla and custard, than with a stunning orchid.”

THE RECIPE: SALMON GRAVLAX WITH BEETROOT FENNEL AND PINK PEPPERCORNS, HORSERADISH AND RYE WAFFLE

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Salmon gravlax
600g salmon fillet, skinned and boned
120g sea salt
80g castor sugar
2 Tbsp pink peppercorns, toasted
2 Tbsp fennel seeds, toasted
100g cooked and peeled beetroot.
1 cup fresh fennel herb, coarsely sliced

Combine the sea salt, castor sugar, pink pepper, fennel seeds and beetroot in a food processor.
Blitz quickly to incorporate and create your pink rub.
Add in sliced fennel herbs
Rub across your salmon fillet, evenly on all sides.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 48hours.

Rye waffle
65g rye flour
75ml milk
50g unsalted butter
1 egg
2g baking powder
1 pinch sea salt

Combine, rye flour, baking powder and salt.
Mix milk and eggs together. Combine and whisk together with rye flour to form batter.
When ready, cook in waffle maker to serve.

Horseradish cream
60g horseradish puree
100g fresh cream lightly whipped

Combine both.

Lemon fennel
1 fennel bulb
1 lemon

Slice fennel thinly into iced lemon water ready to serve.

To serve

Rub off excess salt cure and thinly slice salmon.
Serve with waffle, a side dish of the horseradish cream and side dish of lemon fennel.

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THE RECIPE: BASTED LAMB BACK STRAP, GARDEN HERB AND TOASTED PANKO CRUST, AGRIA AND SWEET POTATO PRESSE, CONFIT GARLIC AND PAN JUICE

Basted lamb back strap
2 lamb back straps
1 cup garden herbs, like flat leaf parsley and mint, coarsely sliced.
½ cup toasted panko bread crumbs
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
Thyme sprig
Knob of butter
Olive oil (to seal and cook)

In a medium pan, sear off the seasoned lamb fillets and brown on both sides.
Add the sprig of thyme and butter, bast in the pan for 3 minutes. Set aside to rest ready for serving.

Agria and sweet potato presse
3 agria potatoes, medium-sized, peeled and sliced thinly
2 golden kumara, medium-sized, peeled and sliced thinly
100ml olive oil
1Tbsp fresh thyme
Sea salt

Line a small baking dish with greaseproof paper.
Layer up the sliced agria and sweet potato, Adding thyme, and sea salt as you layer.
Cover again with greaseproof paper and place a weighted pan on the top.
Back in a pre-heated oven at 180'c for about 30 minutes, until the potato is soft and tender with the tip of a knife.

Confit garlic
8 garlic cloves in their paper
½ cup olive oil

In a small pot warm olive oil and whole garlic cloves together.
Repeat with heating and cooling about 4 times, until garlic resembles and feels like roast garlic.

Pan juice
1 cup beef stock
½ cup red wine

Pour in the red wine to the pan the lamb was seared in and reduce to a sticky syrup
Add in beef stock and reduce by half.

To Serve

In a medium pan, sear off the seasoned lamb fillets and brown on both sides. Add the sprig of thyme and butter, baste in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to rest ready for serving. Pour in the red wine and reduce to a sticky syrup, add in beef stock and reduce by half.
Take out the potato and brown under the oven grill.
Slice the lamb, place on the potato, season with fresh garden herbs and toasted bread crumbs, pour around the pan juices, add two warm garlic confits in the paper and a drizzle of the garlic oil to the plate.

THE RECIPE: VANILLA BEAN AND BROWN SUGAR SCORCHED RUBY GRAPEFRUIT CUSTART TART

Sweet Pastry base
180g unsalted butter softened
80g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
25ml cold water
250g plain flour
1 whole egg for wash

Use a mixer with the paddle attachment. Work butter until smooth.
Add in icing sugar and mix until smooth.
Combine eggs and water in a side bowl. Add to butter to just incorporate.
Add flour and work slowly so it binds and crumbles.
Dust the benchtop and hand knead the dough until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Dust bench and roll out pastry to about 3mm thick.
Spray the tart liner with non-stick and carefully line the tart. Press down the sides and trim.
Egg wash, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans, bake in preheated oven at 160'c for 20 minutes to seal off tart case.
Remove and allow to cool.

Vanilla bean custard
Zest of 3 lemons
150ml lemon juice
160g castor sugar
330ml cream
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways

Combine the lemon juice and sugar, heat to dissolve sugar. Add zest, infuse and pass.
Heat cream with vanilla beans.
Whisk eggs and yolks together, add over lemon sugar and then vanilla cream. Thoroughly mix.

Pour into cooled pastry tart case and bake at 110'c for about 45 minutes. It should be set on the edges but still wobbly in the centre. Allow to cool on the bench. Refrigerate ready to use.

Ruby Grapefruit brown sugar
2 ruby grapefruit
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup water