By Adam Liaw
There are a lot of people all around the world who think their country is the best. And that's fine. There's nothing wrong with national pride. But can anyone really think of a country where the general population enjoys a quality of life as amazing as ours? Consider the ways we celebrate Australia Day. At the beach, or the park, or in our backyards with friends and family. We might take our way of life for granted sometimes, but we are so lucky.
Of course, our national pride should never blind us to our own problems and we should never ignore the fact that there are those among us who can't access the prosperity enjoyed by so many. It's our responsibility as a community to make sure none of us is left behind.Australia is not perfect. Our history is not perfect. But we can celebrate our successes while also acknowledging our shortcomings.
Barbecued prawns and asparagus with lemon pepper mayonnaise.Credit: William Meppem
Barbecued prawns and asparagus with lemon pepper mayonnaise
Serves 4
Despite Paul Hogan's best efforts, few of us actually cook prawns on the barbecue. And more's the pity, because done that way they're delicious.
• 1kg large prawns in shells
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt, to season
• lemon wedges, to serve
Lemon pepper mayonnaise
• juice and grated rind of ½ lemon
• 1 cup thick mayonnaise
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
Heat a barbecue to very hot. Remove the intestinal tract from the prawns if needed by cutting through the back of the shell with a sharp knife and removing the intestine. Toss prawns and asparagus in olive oil. Season with salt.
For the lemon pepper mayonnaise, combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before using.
Put the prawns on the barbecue first and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until cooked through. Add the asparagus and cook for just a minute until charred but still crisp. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with lemon wedges and the lemon pepper mayonnaise.
Milk and honey panna cotta
Serves 4-6
Milk and honey panna cotta.Credit: William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem
A lot of panna cotta recipes are served with fruit sauces or poached fruit, but a ripe peach really doesn't need any tricking about.
• 6 gelatine leaves
• ¾ cup honey, plus extra to drizzle
• 600ml full cream milk
• 150ml thickened cream
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 1 yellow peach, cut into segments
Put the gelatine leaves in cold water until softened, about 5 minutes.
Place the honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes until the honey turns deep amber. Add the milk, cream and scraped vanilla seeds to the pot and carefully bring to a simmer, whisking until the honey is completely dissolved.
Drain and squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine leaves and add to the pan with the honey mixture, whisking until dissolved. Divide the mixture evenly between 4-6 dariole moulds or clear glasses. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
If using moulds, turn out the panna cotta to serve (or leave in mould; see tip). Serve with a segment of peach and a drizzle of extra honey.
Adam's tip:There's really no need to remove a lot of set desserts from their moulds. Serve them in an attractive glass or ramekin. Then, all you need to do is pull them out of the fridge and grab a spoon
This article appears in Sunday Life magazine within the Sun-Herald and the Sunday Age on sale January 26.