This week’s recipes are inspired by the rain that fell on my office window for weeks and weeks at the start of the year, day in, day out (hopefully easing off at last now). No, they have nothing to do with seasonal produce, the hydration of the soil or even the abnormal amount of time I’ve been forced to spend inside; these dishes are about escapism.
One of the great joys cooking is its ability to transport us from the plate to different periods, people and places. In the same way, I find social media is great for keeping in touch with the faces who painted different periods of my life. As a chef who has worked all over the world, it’s important to stay connected with former colleagues from over the years.
So, as the rain cascaded down the windows, I was drawn to the posts and photos featuring the summer sunshine in Melbourne, where we spent a year living and working almost a decade ago. The city is a vibrant blend of immigrant cultures, alongside traditional and modern values, on the bottom tip of the world. While you can pause in Tasmania en route, it’s essentially next stop Antarctica.
What we loved about living there, apart from the lifestyle, was the authentic cooking you could taste from all corners of the world. Various neighbourhoods became synonymous with different cultures: the Greeks along Lonsdale Street, Turks situated in Coberg, the Jewish bakeries of Caulfield, the Irish (of course) in St Kilda and the Indian hub of Dandenong. Working in kitchens, you stood shoulder to shoulder with people of all backgrounds.
In my workplace alone, the flags of Australia, Korea, Ireland, Peru, Canada, Guatemala and Scotland flew proudly. I learned as much from staff meals as I did from the menu. A favoured late night snack was lahmacun, a Turkish style flatbread with various toppings that landed somewhere between pizza and a Greek souvlaki. Most of the time, the base was charred and crisp with a mince caramelised and various, delicious toppings scattered on top.
Every time I see them, I think of that Melbourne sun. While we were a long way from home in a painful time zone warp … the vitamin D, beautiful food and “can do” culture made it all worthwhile.
Back to the rain on the window, I’m reminded that while we don’t have the weather, we still have some beautiful produce to showcase on this island. In honour of it, I’ve picked some favourites to take shelter on our flatbreads this week. St Tola Greek-style cheese and gubbeen chorizo do much of the heavy lifting here, alongside some sprouting broccoli, which is coming into season. Thus, I’m inspired by multicultural Melbourne with Turkish soul and Irish heart. The flatbread dough can be difficult to work with, but the more on the edge it is to manage, the better the finished product will be. Now all we need is a glass of beer and more of that mystical sunshine.
Recipe: Flatbread with lamb, spring greens and St Tola cheeseRecipe: Flatbread with tomato, gubbeen chorizo and cheese
Dining and Cooking