Previously, Out of Africa chef Hassan M’Souli revealed how to prepare the classic Moroccan dishes of chermoula and tomato salsa. Here, they're both used in a quick-and-tasty fish recipe.
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Baked snapper with chermoula
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Autumn abaliniAutumn abalini

Wine match De Bortoli La Bohème Pinot Noir Rosé 2011, Yarra Valley, Vic
Kate suggests a nice dry rosé with this dish and who am I to argue? Once again, the foodie versatility of rosé comes to the fore, with this complex and flavour-packed dish. I think what we’re really looking for is something lighter, onion skin to very pale pink in colour, and deliciously dry with savoury nuances. With the Rosé Revolution events fast approaching, it is also the time of year to really start thinking about this style. Victorian winery De Bortoli have done so much to promote the dry styles, so you’d be hard pressed to beat their La Bohème rosé with this dish.
-Dan Coward
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Baked fish (pesce al forno)Baked fish (pesce al forno)

Wine match Brash Higgins 'NDV' Nero d'Avola Amphora Project 2011, McLaren Vale, SA
This dish is the perfect excuse for you to check out what Australian wine producers are doing with Italian grapes. John’s inspiration is Sicily, so let’s look to indigenous Sicilian varieties for a match and, given the tomato sauce, I think a light red one will be best. Probably the most important variety is Nero d’Avola, which has recently shown itself to have real promise in Australia. New from McLaren Vale is this silky, elegant version from Brad Hickey, under his Brash Higgins label. There’s a real lightness of touch in the winemaking, which means it won’t overpower the fish at all.
-Dan Coward
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Chilli-glazed lamb hamChilli-glazed lamb ham

Wine match Hollick Sparkling Merlot 2009, Coonawarra, SA
There must be something wrong with my parents. I’ve been on this earth 34 years and they never once mentioned that lamb ham even existed. I have found my new purpose in life and it comes glazed in chilli. The mouth-watering combination of the chilli and spices along with the unmistakeably earthy lamb suggests to me a fruity red like a Coonawarra Cabernet or Merlot at the softer end of the tannin spectrum. Those would be good choices, but, hey, it’s a Christmas celebration, so if ever there was a time to enjoy sparkling red wine, this is it. The style is usually full, fruity and with a hint of sweetness to match the spice. Oh, and it goes pretty well with the weather, too.
-Dan Coward
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Rolled Burrawong farm rabbit with smoky bacon, creamed spinach and roasted celeriacRolled Burrawong farm rabbit with smoky bacon, creamed spinach and roasted celeriac

Wine match Dal Zotto Sangiovese 2009, King Valley, Vic
Although there are some quite strong flavours in this dish, they are cooked very sensitively so that the end result is a mixture of characterful highlights that build around the core ingredient — the beautiful Burrawong farm rabbit. With the veal sauce, gamy rabbit and smoky bacon, we need a red wine that won’t overpower these flavours, but will support them and offer some acid to cope with the richness and some tannin to match the protein content. It would be important not to reach for a big, oaky red in this situation as this would crowd out the rabbit. I’d lean towards something medium-bodied, with a light but upright tannin and acid structure; something like Barbera or Sangiovese. Italian varieties planted in Australia have a wonderful food-friendliness to them, so you can experiment in this area to your heart’s content.
-Dan Coward
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Smoky paprika tripeSmoky paprika tripe

Wine match St Hallett Cellar Release Touriga Nacional 2009, Barossa Valley, SA
My most memorable tripe dish came in Oporto in a salt-of-the-earth Portuguese restaurant and the paprika, chorizo and other spices take me back there in an instant. For a match, you cannot beat what the locals do and reach for the best quality local red variety, Touriga Nacional. It’s not a variety you see much in Australia, but it combines amazing violet and rich purple fruit aromas with a sense of rusticity and savouriness. One winery that has been working with the grape for years is St Hallett in the Barossa Valley, and their excellent Touriga hits all the high floral notes, while also having the body to cope with the forthright flavours in this dish.
-Dan Coward
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Pig’s head terrine with brains, yabbies, shallots and parsleyPig’s head terrine with brains, yabbies, shallots and parsley

This particular dish is everything I love in the finer side of cooking. The look of the finished dish is simple and sophisticated, there is no overcrowding and there is nothing on the plate that doesn't need to be there. The terrine itself is the star, a deep rich porky flavour with a slight crunch from the gentle frying and a melt in the mouth middle. It's nestled on a roasted shallot puree, with poached West Australian yabby on top, and pig’s brain, poached then fried, to cleanse the palette. I have also added a parsley puree, thinly sliced radish and a nasturtium leaf.
Drink match Nepenthe Pinnacle Ithaca Chardonnay 2010, Adelaide Hills, SA
This dish is pure decadent richness, an homage to the magical animal, the pig. The flavours are bold and the fat content quite high, so the accompanying wine needs to bring both a bit of body and cleansing acidity to the party. The mind immediately goes to Chardonnay. Did I already mention how good Aussie Chardonnay is at the moment? The best ever, in fact. From Mornington to Yarra to Hunter to Adelaide Hills to Margaret River, you’re completely spoiled for choice. This Nepenthe drop has some creamy richness and savoury and stone fruit flavours, as well as really crisp citrus acidity on the finish – perfect to refresh your palate after each luxurious bite.
-Dan Coward
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Autumn abaloneAutumn abalone

Wine match De Bortoli La Bohème Pinot Noir Rosé 2011, Yarra Valley, Vic
Kate suggests a nice dry rosé with this dish and who am I to argue? Once again, the foodie versatility of rosé comes to the fore, with this complex and flavour-packed dish. I think what we’re really looking for is something lighter, onion skin to very pale pink in colour, and deliciously dry with savoury nuances. With the Rosé Revolution events fast approaching, it is also the time of year to really start thinking about this style. Victorian winery De Bortoli have done so much to promote the dry styles, so you’d be hard pressed to beat their La Bohème rosé with this dish.
-Dan Coward
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Homemade filo pastry with cheese and spinach filling (kloropita)Homemade filo pastry with cheese and spinach filling (kloropita)

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Baked meatballs in tomato sauce (souzoukakia)Baked meatballs in tomato sauce (souzoukakia)

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Turkish stuffed eggplants (imam bayldi)Turkish stuffed eggplants (imam bayldi)

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Herbed skordalia croquettesHerbed skordalia croquettes

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Caramel baklava ice-creamCaramel baklava ice-cream

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Bamboo and yanang soup (keng no mai sai yanang)Bamboo and yanang soup (keng no mai sai yanang)

Add mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes or until softened. Serve topped with basil leaves and sliced pickled chillies. Add more lime juice if desired.
* Bamboo shoots are available in cans or vacuum-packed from Asian food shops.
* Yanang leaf extract is available in cans from Asian food shops. It lends a slightly bitter flavour to the dish.
As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg102.
Photography by Peter Georgakopoulos
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Barley and yoghurt soup (tanabour)Barley and yoghurt soup (tanabour)

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Fish soup (moqueca baiana)Fish soup (moqueca baiana)

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for 3 minutes or until softened. Add capsicums, garlic and malagueta peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes or until capsicum has softened. Stir in fish stock, tomatoes, coconut milk and dendê oil. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until reduced by one-quarter.
Add fish and marinade and cook for a further 10 minutes or until fish is just cooked. Stir in remaining juice of 1 lime and season with salt. Scatter with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, if desired.
* Malagueta peppers are very hot chillies, available in jars from Latin food shops and selected delis.
* Dendê (palm) oil is available from South American and African food shops, and delis. It is used for its distinctive flavour, bright orange colour and ability to be heated to high temperatures. Substitute vegetable oil mixed with ½ tsp ground turmeric.
As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg103.
Photography by Peter Georgakopoulos
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Meatball soup (giouvarlakia)Meatball soup (giouvarlakia)

Place 1.5L water, 3 tsp salt and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and gently add meatballs. Cook, covered, for 25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Remove pan from heat.
Whisk remaining 2 eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Add 60ml hot soup and whisk until combined. Stir egg and lemon mixture back into saucepan of remaining soup, return pan over medium heat and cook for a further 3 minutes or until heated through; do not allow soup to boil. Serve scattered with extra parsley.
As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg103.
Photography by Peter Georgakopoulos
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Kale and potato soup with chorizo (caldo verde)Kale and potato soup with chorizo (caldo verde)

Add 1.75L water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
Using a handheld blender, purée soup until roughly blended. Return pan over high heat, stir in chorizo, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Stir in cavolo nero, cover, and stand for 5 minutes or until wilted. Serve with crusty bread.
As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg103.
Photography by Peter Georgakopoulos
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Deep-fried whole fishDeep-fried whole fish

Fry oil and paste in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce and 100ml water. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Lift gill flaps on sides of fish. Pin them open using a skewer inserted through centre of fish. This allows fish to stand upright. Make 3 x 2cm-deep cuts widthwise across top of fish.
Arrange the fish in an S-shape inside a deep-frying basket. Fill deep-fryer with oil and heat to 170°C. Cook fish for 8 minutes or until golden and skin is crisp. Transfer fish to a platter, spoon over the sauce and top with chillies, spring onions and coriander leaves and drizzle over lime juice, to serve.
As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg132.
Photography by Alan Benson
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Portuguese custard tartsPortuguese custard tarts

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