FOOD WITH MIGUEL MAESTRE GEORGE CALOMBARIS’ SALAD SECRETS This week the spicy Spanish chef Miguel Maestre meets up with Masterchef George Calombaris for challenge of another sort. Both soccer fanatics, they go head to head in a penalty goal kick off to decide who cooks lunch. George takes Miguel down and heads into the kitchen to whip up a mouth-watering celebration. The recently trim and taught Calombaris shares a simple and delicious salad recipe that’s a slimmer’s secret. GEORGE CALOMBARIS George Calombaris has been awarded more accolades for his work than most receive in a lifetime, and this exuberant chef is still just 33 years of age. Alongside old boss and fellow chef Gary Mehigan and food critic Matt Preston, Calombaris brings passion and fire to theMasterChef judging panel. Before joining the MasterChef team, Calombaris had been voted as one of the 'Top 40 Chefs of Influence in the World' by the Global Food and Wine Magazine. An internationally successful restaurateur, George owns four restaurants in Melbourne and one in Mykonos, Greece. His flagship Melbourne restaurant, The Press Club, was awarded The Age Good Food Guide ‘Best New Restaurant 2008’ with George named ‘Chef of the Year 2008’. It was also in 2008 that The Age Melbourne Magazine placed George in the 'Top 100 Most Influential People'. Along with his many restaurants, Calombaris has found time to write a number of cook books including Greek Cookery from the Hellenic Heart, and Your Place or Mine with fellow MC judge Gary Mehigan. Although Calombaris is currently flat out in the MasterChef kitchen, he also manages to find time to inspire his team and create new restaurant concepts such as the recently opened St. Katherine’s in Kew. MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA 2013 Served from its brand new home in Australia’s culinary capital of Melbourne, MasterChef 2013 promises a delicious new chapter in the life of the world’s most loved cooking show. For the first time in MasterChef Australia history, the competition jumps straight into the Top 22 stage, with some of the best amateur cooks from across the country mixing it up in a high-pressure test of know-how and nerve. A girls versus boys challenge at the iconic MCG kicks off a thrilling new year of challenges, with a Barossa valley boot camp and Italian week among the themed events on the table. And in another show first, this year’s weekly MasterClass is filmed before a live audience, giving the public a first-hand insight into the culinary handywork of returning judges Gary, George and Matt. MasterChef’s veteran trio will be joined by a host of cooking luminaries, with guests such as Antonio Carluccio, Stephanie Alexander, Curtis Stone, Shannon Bennett, Maggie Beer and Guillaume Brahimi pushing the contestants to elevate their game and hit food heights they never imagined. It was great of George to give us so much time with the MasterChef finale just around the corner. It’s going to be hot in that kitchen from 7.30 Sunday night on TEN with the Top Three about to named. MAdE ESTABLISHMENT George is one of four directors that heads the MAdE Establishment, a collection of the best resturants in Melbourne. THE PRESS CLUB: George's flagship restaurant. Modern Greek Cookery with a twist. (The Press club is taking a break until late 2013 and will reopen in the former Little Press venue – a past restaurant by George) 72 Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000 Australia P +61 3 9677 9677 E [email protected] W www.thepressclub.com.au TRADING HOURS: Restaurant (Reservations are essential) LUNCH MON-SAT: 12pm–3pm LUNCH SUN: 11:30am–3pm DINNER MON-SUN: 6pm–10pm HELLENIC REPUBLIC: Hellenic Republic is an authentic Greek Taverna. 434 Lygon Street, Brunswick East 3057 Australia P +61 3 9381 1222 E [email protected] W www.hellenicrepublic.com.au TRADING HOURS: LUNCH: Friday 12noon-4pm Sat–Sun 11am-4pm DINNER: Mon–Sun 5.30pm til Late MAMA BABA: Mama Baba is bustling hip Roman Greco pasta eatery located in Melbourne's fashion precinct South Yarra. 21 Daly Street, South Yarra 3141 Australia p +61 3 9207 7421 E [email protected] E www.mamababa.com.au TRADING HOURS: LUNCH: Friday & Sunday from 12noon DINNER: Mon-Thurs from 6pm, Fri-Sun from 5pm ST KATHERINE'S: St Katherine's embraces a contemporary sharing style menu of a combination of modern Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern cultures and food. 26 Cotham Road, Kew 3101 Australia P +61 3 9207 7477 E [email protected] W www.stkatherines.com.au TRADING HOURS: LUNCH: Mon-Fri 12noon-4pm DINNER: Mon-Fri 5.30pm-11pm WEEKENDS: 11.30am till late PM24: PM24 is a modern French bistro and rotisserie. 24 Russell Street, Melbourne 3000 Australia P +61 3 9207 7424 E [email protected] W www.pm24.com.au TRADING HOURS: LUNCH: Sun-Fri - 12pm-3pm DINNER: 7 days - 5pm til late GAZI: Gazi is George Calombaris’ new Greek restaurant, taking over the space formerly occupied (until very recently) by The Press Club. 2 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 P +61 (3) 9207 7444 W www.gazirestaurant.com.au TRADING HOURS: LUNCH: 12noon-4pm, 7 Days DINNER: 5:30- 10:00pm, 7 Days RECIPE GEORGE’S CYPRIOT GRAIN SALAD WITH YOGHURT AND TUNA Ingredients 1 bunch coriander, chopped 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped 1/2 red onion, finely diced 1 cup freekah (Cracked wheat, quinoa or cous cous can be used as an alternative) 1/2 cup Puy lentils 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds 2 tbsp toasted slivered almonds 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts 2 tbsp baby capers 1/2 cup currants Juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Dash of red wine vinegar Sea salt to taste 1 pomegranate, deseeded 1 cup thick Greek yoghurt Cumin seeds, toasted and ground 1 tbsp honey Tuna steaks Method Blanch freekah and lentils separately in boiling water until both just cooked. Drain well and allow to cool. Moisten tuna steaks by rubbing a small circle of amount of olive oil on the top. Cover with the cumin seeds and season with sea salt. Set aside. Make a vingareet by mixing olive oil, red wine vinegar and honey. In a medium bowl, place the coriander, parsley, red onion, freekah, lentils, toasted nuts, capers, currants, pomegranate seeds. Add vinegarette, mix well and season to taste. To serve layer a few spoonfuls of yoghurt, then a tuna steak and heap salad on top. WEBLINKS http://www.masterchef.com.au/ https://madeestablishment.com.au/ .