If you cannot see this email, please CLICK HERE

Southern Rocklobster Limited

number two March 2008

FOOD EDITOR ANN OLIVER

  • We are constantly working to bring better techniques and better profit margins to our customers. With extensive experimentation and intelligent use of the full animal food costs as low as 18% can be delivered. READ MORE
  • GENIUS AT WORK - CHEF PROFILE Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin, New York needs no introduction. Highly respected a culianry genius his passion for seafood and devotion to the best available wild caught product led him to use Australian Southern Rocklobster in his restaurant. Obsessed with technique his recipe using Australian Southern Rocklobster shows the depth of his intelligent cutting edge cooking.
    GO STRAIGHT TO THE RECIPE
    Read more about Eric Ripert

PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Welcome to our second edition of Chef News. The feedback on the first issue was very encouraging and thank you‚ to the Chefs that have chosen to take up using certified Clean Green Australian Southern Rocklobster in response. We are equally excited about our second issue and are confident you will find more useful information about making the most of the product. I am pleased to announce a new market research and development project by the Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre (Seafood CRC) is about to open new pathways in the United States, the Middle East and Europe for premium, Clean Green Southern Rocklobsters. The 3 year project will complement the work already being undertaken by us in the development of an integrated supply chain to deliver product that guarantees consistent supply and quality through organised distribution networks. The whole approach of our Pot to Plate concept is aimed at delivering customer satisfaction. CRC’s are a federal government initiative that brings together leading research groups to provide real business solutions to industry partners. In this project we have partnered with the University of South Australia's School of Marketing Ehrenberg - Bass Institute for Marketing Science. The other major development is that shipments of live lobster to the USA for the 2008 season have recommenced. We now have in excess of 50 customers taking the product as part of the Fisher Direct program and we are looking to build the market significantly this year, underpinned by the research and development project and with direct in-market activities. Our market development manager Matt Muggleton is currently in the USA and he can be contacted at matthew@corvel.com.au In closing thank you for your ongoing support and interest, and by all means do not hesitate to contact me for further information and/or to provide feedback on any issue to do with the product and our programs.

President Southern Rocklobster Limited

Australian Southern Rocklobster with eggplant, pea eggplant curry sauce, coconut milk rice  

Australian Southern Rocklobster tail with organic asparagus, cuttlefish ink pasta and lemon beurre blanc

Click on the image to find the recipe on our web site

Notice anything interesting about these lobster shells? Take a close look at the shells; completely clean and the meat is green. At Southern Rocklobster Limited we understand that any improvement in meat to shell ratio or improvements in meat extraction methods are critical. We are currently perfecting new extraction methods that make significant improvements on the meat to shell ratio, whilst at the same time almost halving the time required to pick the meat; and we are talking green meat - STAY TUNED! 
CLEAN AND GREEN.........................the fundamental philosopy of our member fishermen and management
     

CLEAN AND GREEN

Is the industry commitment to see businesses continue to prosper with sustainable fishing in some of the world’s most pristine waters.

Clean Green Program Update — Certified Sustainable Wild Caught
The majority of the Australian Southern Rocklobster Industry is now officially Clean & Green, with 520 industry members already trained accounting for 53% of active vessels. This level of participation clearly demonstrates how seriously the industry takes its environmental, food quality and workplace safety responsibilities. The Clean Green program has been recognised through a swag of awards, including excellence in environmental best practice and workplace occupational health and safety. We are also receiving a lot of inquiries about the program from other seafood sectors and we are happy to share what we’ve learnt. We have had tremendous support in developing the program over the years. For example, funding provided by Australian Government’s Natural Heritage Trust in 2007–2008 (under the Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture Programme) has allowed us to increase awareness both with industry and the market place. We are aiming to reach a target of 66‰ of the fleet through this program by June 2008 and eventually 100‰ over time.
Did you know?

  • Each certified Clean Green Australian Southern Rocklobster is tagged with a barcode and is fully traceable along the supply chain. It is tracked direct from the fisher to customers guaranteeing quality and authenticity.
  • Lobster tagged with the Australian Southern Rocklobster Clean Green trade mark are guaranteed to meet strict independent Government and industry sustainability and quality standards.
  • Your customers can learn more about the fisherman who caught their lobster by entering the tag number into this website www.cglob.com


Our land. Our Plan. Our Future

  
 
TECHNIQUE
 

Bag cooking, as we all know is nothing new, ’Sous vide’ meaning literally cooked under vacuum has been around for more than 30 years. Perhaps what is new is the degree of accuracy with which it can be achieved and the application it now has for smaller establishments. This advanced technology is mainly due to the inquisitive nature of Ferran Adrià and his ElBulli team. Critics of molecular cuisine should acknowledge the advancements in cooking techniques that have come from their laboratory. Not since Escoffier who was a genius when it came to inventing cooking tools have so many advanced tools been developed or modified. Ferran Adrià and his ElBulli team are driven to find solutions to achieve resolutions for the dishes of their imagination. The Termostato Roner, and similar portable immersion pulsing thermostatically controlled heating apparatus have revolutionized cooking in most restaurants. A worldwide skills shortage, means with bag-cooking a restaurant can deliver a consistent standard for cooking with far fewer skills, but in combination with bag cooking there are many more advantages. READ THE FULL ARTICLE
READ ABOUT OTHER COOKING TECHNIQUES FOR AUSTRALIAN SOUTHERN ROCKLOBSTER

 


  
IDEAS AND TRICKS Chef Sam Leong
 
 

We love Singaporean Chef Sam Leong, and especially appreciate his generosity when we asked for a recipe it arrived promptly. Sam is the executive chef for the Tunglok Group who are renowned for their superb properties throughout Singapore, Indonesia, China, Japan and most recently India. That Sam maintains menus throughout their properties that are individual and original makes him one of our favourite chefs. This clever dish uses a very small amount of lobster, but whenever we serve it we find guests following the wait staff, and we promise you Sam, we always mention your name as the inspiration for our Rocklobster and Watermelon Canapés.
Try Sam Leong's Rocklobster with Watermelon they are absolutely delicious and we now serve this fabulous dish in a number of ways including an entree with watermelon jelly and have been working on one with our basil and mint sorbet. Sam Leong has two cook books A WOK THROUGH TIME (2004) and SENSATIONS (2007)

 

 
GENIUS AT WORK Eric Ripert, Chef and Co-Owner Le Bernardin, New York
 

INSPIRATION : The privilege of working with absolutely brilliant people is of course always part of the inspiration, but a childhood in two cultures laid the foundations of my cooking — Eric Ripert

WEB SITE : Le Bernardin EMAIL : reservation, opening and location details
CHEF PROFILE : Eric Ripert, Chef and Co–Owner Le Bernardin, New York

Eric Ripert is grateful for his early exposure to two cuisines, that of Antibes, France, where he was born, and to Andorra, a small country just over the Spanish border where moved as a young child. His family instilled their own passion for food in the young Ripert, and at the age of 15 he left home to attend culinary school in Perpignan. At 17, he moved to Paris and cooked at the legendary La Tour D’Argent before taking a position at the Michelin three– starred Jamin. After fulfilling his military service, Ripert returned to Jamin under Joel Robuchon to serve as chef poissonier.
In 1989, Ripert seized the opportunity to work under Jean–Louis Palladin as sous–chef at Jean Louis at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. Ripert moved to New York in 1991, working briefly as David Bouley’s sous–chef before Maguy and Gilbert Le Coze recruited him as chef for Le Bernardin. Ripert has since firmly established himself as one of New York’s, and the world’s, great chefs.
In 1995, at just 29 years old, Ripert earned a four– star rating from the New York Times. Ten years later and for the fourth consecutive time, Le Bernardin again earned the New York Times’ highest rating of four stars, becoming the only restaurant to maintain this superior status for this length of time, without ever dropping a star.
In 1997, GQ named Le Bernardin the best restaurant in America, and in 2007, the magazine named Le Bernardin one of Seven Food Temples of the World. In 2005, New York magazine declared Le Bernardin the #1 restaurant in the city, awarding it 5 stars in its inaugural restaurant rating issue – a position it holds today. Also in 2005, Bon Appetit declared Ripert’s Butter– Poached Lobster with Tarragon and Champagne its Dish of the Year.
Le Bernardin continues to receive universal critical acclaim for its food and service. The Michelin Guide, which made its New York debut in 2005, honored Chef Ripert and Le Bernardin with its highest rating of 3 stars in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Zagat Guide has recognized the restaurant as the Best Food in New York City for the last seven consecutive years. In 1998, the James Beard Foundation named Le Bernardin Outstanding Restaurant of the Year and Eric Ripert Top Chef in New York City. In 1999, the restaurant received the Outstanding Service award from the Beard Foundation, and in 2003, the Foundation named Ripert Outstanding Chef in the United States.
Ripert has served as guest judge (and fan favorite) on Bravo’s Top Chef for two seasons and has appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Charlie Rose Show, Ellen DeGeneres, TODAY, Regis & Kelly, and Martha Stewart. In fall 2008, Ripert will publish The Le Bernardin Cookbook with Artisan, his second book with the publisher. In 2002, Artisan published A Return to Cooking, a collaboration between Ripert, photographers Shimon and Tammar Rothstein, artist Valentino Cortazar, and writer Michael Ruhlman that was selected by Newsweek as one of its best books of the season.
Ripert is the Chair of City Harvest’s Food Council, working to bring together New York’s top chefs and restaurateurs to raise funds and increase the quality and quantity of food donations to New York’s neediest. When not in the kitchen, Ripert enjoys good tequila and peace and quiet. He lives on the Upper East Side and Sag Harbor with his wife and young son.

 

Warm Carpaccio of Australian Southern Rocklobster, Young Ginger and Matsutake Mushroom Salad,
Vanilla-Citrus Oil

Citrus -Vanilla Oil
1/2 cup (120ml) lemon oil
1/2 cup (120) extra virgin olive oil
zest of 1 grapefruit
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lime
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
Combine all the ingredients and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes
Lobster
5-pound (2.3kg) Australian Southern Rocklobster
sea salt
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
  • Cook the entire lobster for six minutes and remove from the water
  • Remove the lobster from the boiling water and remove the tail from the body and set aside to cool
  • Return the body to the boiling water and continue to cook for 8 minutes; set aside to cool
  • When cool enough to handle, remove the lobster meat from the shell, keeping the tail intact as much as possible
  • Slice the lobster tail into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet pan
  • Add the meat from the body to the pan in a single layer

    • Lobster glace (glaze)
    8 cups (2L) lobster stock, reduced to 1 1/2 cups (360ml)
    fine sea salt
    Pimentd’ Espelette
    2 tablespoons (60g) butter

  • Transfer reduced lobster stock to small sauce pot, whisk in the butter and season with salt and Espelette

    Matsutake Salad
    1 pound (450g) Matsutake mushrooms, peeled and sliced
    1/2 cup (120ml) pickled ginger, julienned
    cut chives
    1/4 cup (60ml) lemon oil
    juice of 2 lemons
    Salt and black pepper

  • Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl
    		•



    To serve
    Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C
  • Season the slices of lobster with salt and Espelette and lightly brush with lobster glace
  • Gently warm the lobster in the oven for about 4 minutes, just until the lobster is warm but not cooked
  • Arrange the slices of lobster tail in the center of a round plate and spoon some of the body meat in the middle
  • Top with Matsutake salad and drizzle with the Vanilla-Citrus Oil and serve immediately.

    READ AND PRINT THE FULL RECIPE

    • NEXT ISSUE  
     


    Yes, we know that if you are using every possible gram of Australian Southern Rocklobster, finding innovative ways of using the shell and stocks can be daunting. In our next issue we'll be showing you simple ways of turning lobster stocks into salad and soup components, that can significantly bulk lobster dishes, whilst at the same time adding a second layer of flavour and texture.

    We are also going to report on our newly developed method of extracting green meat. With as much as 10‰ improvement in meat to shell ratio whilst almost halving the time it takes to extract the meat — we are very excited!

     
    THIS MONTH'S RECIPE Salad of Australian Southern Rocklobster with Watermelon and Green Mango
     

    Entrée - lobster component per 3 serves, salad per 1

    Author Ann Oliver, Food Editor Southern Rocklobster Limited www.annoliver.com

    INGREDIENTS
    For the lobster portion
    3 x 75g green leg and knuckle lobster portion
    6g fresh strained limejuice
    6g sweet pickled ginger juice
    9 coriander stems chopped
    For the salad
    Serves 1
    15g pickled green ginger, approx 10g julienne and 5g syrup — see end of on-line recipe
    1/2 lime, freshly squeezed and strained juice
    pinch Nigella seeds (onion seeds)
    2 drops of sesame oil
    10g very finely sliced shallot
    80g cubed ripe watermelon
    30g green mango julienne
    mint leaves
    chervil
    garlic chives with flowers
    coriander leaves
    For the caviar
    Sufficient for about 10 salads
    30g Campari
    20g Grenadine or strained fresh pomegranate juice
    10g strained fresh limejuice
    200g water
    2g sodium alginate
    For the bath
    5g calcium chloride
    1L water

    For the lobster portions
    Mix everything together and divide between three moulds that have been lightly oiled. Bag, date and refrigerate. We used China teacups which produce a nice round shape, but they do make the cooking time longer.
    For the caviar
    Mix everything for the caviar together with a stick mixer and allow to stand for one hour. Prepare the bath. Using a small bucket punched with holes or a syringe drop the pearls into the bath and allow them to become spheres. Carefully remove them into cold water that has a couple of pinches of salt and add a splash of EV olive oil and keep refrigerated. The pearls will keep for three to four days.
    To serve
    Cook the lobster portion at around 170°C and allow to stand for 5– 10 minutes. Prepare the salad component and gently toss everything together. Unmould the lobster into the centre of the plate and arrange the salad around the lobster meat, pouring the last of the juices over the lobster meat. Using a slotted spoon add some pearls to the dish and serve.


    CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINT FRIENDLY VERSION FULL RECIPE

     
     
    WINE RECOMMENDATIONS
     
     
    COPYRIGHT © TEXT, IMAGES AND RECIPES Southern Rocklobster Limited 2008



     

    Southern Rocklobster Limited
    Level 1    /16 Unley Road, Unley, South Australia 5061
    T +61 8 8357 7569 | F +61 8 8272 7767
    USA 323 371 6115

    There's plenty more on our web site - visit us at www.southernrocklobster.com