As Easter approaches, we’re busy preparing our newest store in NSW’s Byron Bay – just days away now. It’s our first regional location so we thought we’d take the opportunity to introduce one of our new neighbours, Harvest Newrybar.
Set within the historic village of Newrybar in the Northern Rivers hinterland, you’ll find locally owned Harvest – a thriving food and hospitality precinct with community at its heart. This contemporary restaurant, led by a team of Australia’s most talented and forward-thinking chefs, shifts with the local seasons. Their 120-year-old wood-fired oven uses native and local grains, baking sourdough for the community each day and an artisan delicatessen with an adjacent edible garden and village green provides a place for community to gather.
Showcasing the diversity of local produce and supporting the farmers, growers and artisans behind everything it serves, Harvest is not only one of the Northern Rivers region’s most exciting dining experiences but has engaged community at every corner.
Our brief to the team at Harvest was very simple – create Easter recipes that make it a holiday. Whether you’re looking for the perfect Hot Cross Bun, savoury mains and sides for lunch or dinner or a new take on fish, they’ve got your long weekend recipe needs covered!
Fresh and pickled remoulade
Ingredients
2 heads of fennel
1 bunch of sorrel, finely shredded
2 shallots, diced finely
1 stick of fresh horseradish (about a thumb size)
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Pickling liquid
Vinegar (white wine or rice)
Sugar
Peppercorns
Bay leaves
Coriander seeds
Method
First, make your pickling liquid (2 parts vinegar, 1 part water, 1 part sugar), and bring to the boil, drop in your aromatics (peppercorns, bay leaves, coriander seeds). Turn off the heat once sugar has dissolved and leave to cool.
Shred both heads of fennel, and soak in ice water. Lift out half the fennel and place it in the pickle liquid (now cooled) to steep (ideally for 2 hours – overnight).
Combine the other half of the fresh fennel with finely diced shallots and leave in ice water in the fridge to keep fresh until you’re ready to prepare the salad.
Once you’re ready to prepare, drain both bowls of fennel. It’s important to do this really well to ensure you’re left with a crunchy salad.
Combine fresh and pickled fennel in a large bowl and add approx. 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and shredded sorrel, and lightly toss together.
Grate fresh radish over the top.
This recipe uses
Shark Bay clams with XO and snake beans
Ingredients
5 fl oz Shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons XO sauce
18 oz clams
Lots of fresh basil – mixed varieties (Sweet, Purple, Holy, Thai and Lemon basil all work really well)
A couple of handfuls of snake beans
Olive oil
*Note, this recipe moves quite quickly so make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go
Method
Warm a large pan or wok until scalding hot, add oil.
Add snake beans, and clams to hot oil, toss a few times, then add the Shaoxing wine, cover to allow clams to steam and open.
After a few minutes, take the lid off and start to pick the clams out and into a bowl as they open.
Once opened, add all clams and snake beans to a large bowl, and toss lots of basil through. The more variety in the basil, the better.
Grouper with fried nori and shiso
Ingredients
Whole grouper, approx 5.5 pounds
12.3 ounces Butter
3.5 ounces nori sheets
1.7 fluid ounces sesame oil
2.4 fluid ounces fish sauce + extra to dress fish
Juice of 1 lime
3.5 ounces shiso, shredded finely
Method
Gut and scale the fish, score it and sprinkle with fish sauce.
Place in an oven tray, and bake at 375f for 25 mins. *We bake ours in the woodfired oven, which gives it a beautiful char.
Remove the fish from the oven and while it’s resting, prepare your sauce.
Shred nori sheets finely, and fry them in butter until the butter has browned. The nori will be crispy. Turn off the heat and lift the nori out of the pan gently with a fork.
Deglaze the hot pan with fish sauce, add sesame oil and then once cooled, add lime juice.
Place the fish on a large share plate to serve from, and top with the shredded nori, then pour the sauce over and dress with shredded shiso.