Epicurean thrills in the Adelaide Hills (+recipes)

Braised pork belly with squid, chilli and herb slaw.Golden trees and ruby red vineyards welcomed us as we cruised to Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, 30 minutes from the city centre. Hahndorf shares similarities with Arrowtown - it's cute, colourful and rich in history. Established by Prussian settlers in the early 1800s, Hahndorf still reflects its Germanic origins. The neighbouring area is home to numerous wineries, thriving berry and cherry businesses - foodie favourites - and a multimillion-dollar apple industry.
Hahndorf village showcases cheesemakers, chocolatiers, icecream specialists, German small-goods and the impressive Harris Smokehouse. This fourth-generation, family-owned operation cures and smokes local and imported seafood - including New Zealand eel - in the traditional way. Hahndorf is also famous for its arts and crafts.
We stopped at the Udder Delights Cheese Cellar where the enticing aroma of cream of cauliflower soup with Heysen blue cheese was enough to bring on hunger pangs, despite having just had breakfast. I also discovered tayberry jam. This little-known fruit was created by the Scots in the 1960s by crossing American blackberries with red raspberries so they could be grown commercially - blackberries were a noxious weed and therefore illegal. Tayberries thrive in the Adelaide Hills.
Before lunch we visited an innovative new cooking school, Sticky Rice. Surrounded by lush bush, with a welcoming Buddha at the door, the school was a national finalist in the Best Food Experience 2009 in The Australian Travel & Tourism Awards. Owner Claire Fuller is a dedicated foodie and offers a range of classes focusing mainly on Thai and Asian-inspired dishes. She also lures famous chefs such as David Thompson, author of the award-winning Thai Food cookbook, to provide master classes. Sticky Rice (www.stickyrice.com.au) is a hands-on cooking experience not to be missed.
Lunch was enjoyed at the scenic Lane Vineyard, where the Edwards family grow, make and retail exceptional wines. In the bistro, chef James Brinklow and his team have mastered the art of creating simple but innovative dishes matched with The Lane Vineyard's best. The gougeres with blue swimmer crab came with an open can of Italian anchovies on the same platter. The pork belly - slow-roasted and pressed - was served with crisp salt and pepper squid. Dessert offerings included French toast with poached plums and lemon sorbet.
RECIPES
BRAISED PORK BELLY WITH SQUID, CHILLI & HERB SLAW
My version of The Lane Vineyard's mouth-watering pork belly. The Lane chefs cooked the belly overnight at 80C. I cooked mine for 3 hours at a higher temperature.
Pork Belly: 2 bulbs garlic, halved horizontally
4 stalks rosemary
1.5kg boneless pork belly with skin, finely scored
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
Salt & Pepper Squid: 100g baby squid tubes, cut into rings
2-3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon each: freshly ground black pepper, salt
oil for deep frying
Salad: 1 cup rocket
1/2 cup each: coriander leaves and stalks, mint leaves
1 chilli, seeded, cut into rings
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons each: capers, rinsed and drained, white wine vinegar
pinch sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat the oven to 150C. Brush a baking dish with oil.
Place the garlic and rosemary in the baking pan. Place the pork belly on top, skin-side up. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with more olive oil. Add the wine around the outside. Cover the meat with foil.
Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil, baste the pork with the pan juices then continue cooking - uncovered - for 30-60 minutes or until the meat is tender. Baste occasionally.
Transfer the pork to a clean chopping board. Cool slightly. While still warm, place a tray on top of the pork. Weigh it down using a few cans of food. Cool completely. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 230C. Cut the pressed pork into individual portions or squares. Place skin-side up in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Rest the pork for 5 minutes.
To prepare the squid, dust the rings in flour seasoned with the pepper and salt. Deep-fry for no more than 1 minute in hot oil. Drain.
To prepare the salad, place the rocket, coriander, mint and chilli in a bowl. Combine the cashews, capers, vinegar and sugar in another bowl. Whisk in the olive oil. Toss the salad and the dressing. Serve with the pork and squid rings. - Serves 6
RED CURRY OF CHICKEN & KAFFIR LIME
Based on a recipe from the Sticky Rice cooking school.
400g can coconut cream
1 tablespoon canola oil
50g (2 tablespoons) red curry paste
600g skinned and boned chicken thighs, cubed
4 kaffir lime leaves - ribs removed - and torn
2 tablespoons each: fish sauce, grated palm sugar, pickled ginger
1 large red chilli, seeded and julienned
Scoop off the thick cream from the top of the can of coconut cream.
Heat the oil in a wok and stir in the thick coconut cream, until it cracks. Add the red curry paste and fry, until fragrant. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, palm sugar, pickled ginger and remaining coconut cream. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
Serve garnished with the julienned chilli. Great served with steamed rice. - Serves 4

TAYBERRY SAUCE
Equal amounts of raspberry and blackberry jam could substitute for the tayberry jam.
1/2 cup each: tayberry jam, red wine
1 teaspoon grated root ginger
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine the jam and wine in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the jam is melted. Stir in the ginger and black pepper. Great served with roasted or grilled venison or lamb. - Makes 1 cup
POTATO WAFERS WITH SMOKED KINGFISH
Adapted from a recipe from the Harris Smokehouse. The potato wafers are also excellent topped with smoked salmon.
250g mashing potatoes
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
juice 1 lime
1 teaspoon diced or crushed chilli
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
6 chives, snipped
200g smoked kingfish, thinly sliced
extra chives to garnish
Peel and cut the potatoes into quarters. Boil until tender. Drain well. Add the butter and seasonings. Mash until very smooth. Add the egg white and mix until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line one or two baking trays with baking paper.
Place teaspoonfuls of the potato mixture onto the trays then thinly spread with a spatula to make discs about 6cm in diameter. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack. These can be prepared 1-2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Place in the oven to crisp for a few minutes, if preferred.
Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt, lime juice, chilli, parsley and snipped chives.
To serve, place the kingfish on the potato wafers and top with a little of the yoghurt mixture and chives. Serve as nibbles or a starter to dinner. - Makes about 15
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