Multi-award-winning chef and Air New Zealand consultant Rex Morgan plans to star fresh regional produce on his Christmas menu at Wellington’s Citron Restaurant.
This menu can easily be adapted to serve from four to 40.

Recipes: Rex Morgan   Photographs: Aaron McLean

• 4 x 10cm pre-cooked sweet pastry tartlet shells

Poached Fruit

• 1 apple
• 1 peach
• 1 nectarine
• 4 apricots
• 50ml water
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 200ml medium white wine
• ½ split vanilla bean or dash vanilla extract

Core and dice fruit; peel if you wish. Dissolve sugar in the water in a small saucepan over medium heat; add wine and vanilla. Pour hot syrup over fruit and leave for at least 1 hour.

Mint Jelly (make at least 4 hours in advance)

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 150ml still mineral water
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint
• ½ teaspoon peppermint essence
• 3 gelatine leaves or 6g powdered gelatine, pre-soaked

Dissolve sugar in the mineral water in a saucepan. Add mint and essence, simmer gently for 2 minutes. Blend for 2 minutes using a stick blender. Add gelatine, strain and set in a small dish in the fridge until firm, about 3 hours.

Basil Ice Cream (make at least 6 hours in advance)

Multi-award-winning chef and Air New Zealand consultant Rex Morgan plans to star fresh regional produce on his Christmas menu at Wellington’s Citron Restaurant.
This menu can easily be adapted to serve from four to 40.

Recipes: Rex Morgan

• 300g blanched baby vegetables (carrots, scallopini, turnips, peas)
• ½ stick lemon grass
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds
• 4 basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 300ml coconut cream
• 2 lamb racks, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano

With a pestle and mortar grind chopped lemon grass, curry powder, turmeric, coriander seeds and basil to a paste. Place fish sauce and coconut cream in a saucepan, add ground mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain, then blitz sauce with a stick blender.

Sear lamb racks on both sides for 2 minutes, sprinkle oregano over the lamb, place in 200ËšC oven for 6 minutes each side, rest for 3 minutes, then slice into cutlets.

Place hot vegetables and cutlets on to each plate and pour sauce around cutlets.

Serves 4

Multi-award-winning chef and Air New Zealand consultant Rex Morgan plans to star fresh regional produce on his Christmas menu at Wellington’s Citron Restaurant.
This menu can easily be adapted to serve from four to 40.

Recipes: Rex Morgan

• ¼ (250g) cauliflower, remove leaves and trim stalks
• 2 cups milk
• salt and ground black pepper
• knob of butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ onion, diced
• 2 green zucchinis, diced
• 1½ cups vegetable stock or water
• 16 fresh scallops (roe can be removed if wished)
• 24 basil leaves
• cooking oil, eg canola or grapeseed

In a saucepan, simmer cauliflower in milk for 20 minutes; season lightly. Strain and purée in a food processor; you may need to add a little of the milk. Taste and season again if necessary.

In a separate pan, gently sweat garlic and onion in butter for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer 15 minutes, then blend and strain. Check seasoning. If mixture is too thick, thin with a little water to a spoonable consistency.

Pan-fry scallops over high heat for about a minute on each side.

Quickly fry clean, dry basil leaves in a shallow pan of hot flavourless oil until crisp but still green. Drain on a paper towel.

To serve: Place warm cauliflower purée on each plate, top with scallops and spoon green sauce around the edge; garnish with basil leaves.

Serves 4

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