Virginia

Favourite Salmon Dish

Moroccan grilled salmon and cous cous salad recipe. The combination of Moroccan seasoning, garlic, mint and yoghurt offset the cous cous, chickpeas, sweet potato and grilled salmon superbly. Two words to describe this dish: simple and delicious!

Pure inspiration

I don’t really follow celebrity chefs, but I do remember a documentary with Nigella Lawson and in it she referred to food being like the soul ,and that nourishment does not only come by eating but in sharing the experience. I know myself that some of the best entertaining experiences have been those ones where friends have just popped in spontaneously and you haven’t had to worry or stress over food for the last 3 hours. Maybe the art of sharing meals in our homes would see a resurgence, if we viewed food as a soulful experience.

Secret ingredient

I am not sure whether it’s a secret ingredient – but more a flavour I love. Cumin powder or cumin seeds really add a beautiful and distinct flavour to dishes. I have a wonderful dressing I put on a cous cous, currant and carrot salad and people are always impressed with the salad. In reality it is the dressing that adds to the salad.

Dinner party guest list

• My family – as they are all on the other side of the Tasman, it rarely happens that we get together. But it is a tradition I grew up with
• All those people I have meant to invite over for a meal, but haven’t got around to doing so.
• My neighbours
• A group of people from different walks of life, Food can be shared by all and we may learn something deeper than face value whilst eating together
• Nelson Mandela

Desley

Favourite Salmon Dish

Atlantic Salmon Rillette - Serves 4 for entrée, takes 10 minutes plus 2 hours standing

200 g Atlantic salmon fillets skin off, pin-boned, 50 gm unsalted butter, 50 mls olive oil, 20 ml champagne vinegar, ½ bunch chives thinly sliced, 1 tsp lemon, 125 ml clarified butter, melted. Buttered toasted bread, or melba toasts to serve.

Place salmon, butter, oil, vinegar and ½ tsp salt in a zip-lock bag. Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer, add bag of salmon cover with a lid and turn off the heat. Stand for 10 minutes, then remove from bag and stand until fish is cool.

Drain liquid from salmon and finely flake flesh into a bowl, add chives, lemon juice and 50 ml of the clarified butter, season and combine well.

Divide mixture among four moulds and 6cm round rings and pat down lightly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, then pour the remaining clarified butter into each mould and refrigerate for another hour. Serve with toasts and lemon slices.

Pure inspiration

Ainsley Harriot and the team of chefs from Ready Steady Cook – UK. They are fantastic to watch as they are creating meals with limited ingredients and 20 minutes time to the finished product. They have lots of great simple ideas that you can follow and create a dinner party at home.

Secret ingredient

Coriander - Fresh coriander is a great ingredient in all your Asian, Indian & Chinese dishes, stir fry’s, curries and salad as a flavoring and garnish.. You can also use coriander seeds which have a mild, fragrant aroma and aromatic taste and are used to flavor many foods.

Dinner party guest list

• Tony Beach
• Casey Chambers
• Valentino Rossi
• Darren Beadman
• Ainsley Harriot

Dina

Favourite Salmon Dish

Atlantic Salmon with seeded mustard and honey sauce: Pan fry salmon fillet, skin side first for 3 minutes (until crispy and golden). Turn over carefully; allow cooking for a couple of minutes. Salmon should still be pinkish in the middle. Set aside in warm place. Add finely diced shallot to pan with a knob of butter and gently cook, turn up heat and deglaze pan with white wine. Add a couple tablespoons of seeded mustard and a tablespoon of honey and stir through on medium heat till all mixed through. Serve fish on creamy mashed potato and drizzle sauce over.

Pure inspiration

Tetsuya Wakuda: a brilliant Australian chef with Japanese heritage. Tetsuya’s cuisine is unique, based on classic French techniques and using the Japanese philosophy of pure, clean and seasonal flavours. Elegant yet simple, his dishes are like works of art and look almost too good to eat but should be devoured, as they are absolutely delicious. Tetsuya’s, the restaurant, is regularly listed as one of the top ten restaurants in the world.

Secret ingredient

Paprika, I love this spice. In Australia you can buy Sweet Hungarian paprika or my favorite, Smokey Spanish Paprika in either sweet or hot. I use it in marinades; as a dry spice mix; my secret ingredient for ‘piri piri’; to flavour casseroles or sauces and sprinkled over home made dips such as humus. It has a distinctive flavour, a wonderful smokiness and is a spice that can cross many cultural boundaries.

Dinner party guest list

• Paul Newman – Old Hollywood Glam and Philanthropist
• Robin Williams – Incredibly talented
• Susan Sarandon – Beauty, brains and activist
• Dawn French – Really funny
• Prince – created the anthems of my adolescence

Nathan

Favourite Salmon Dish

Crispy skin salmon on pesto mash with a black olive salsa. This is a simple but delicious Mediterranean dish that is a summer menu favourite of mine.

Pure inspiration

Anthony Bourdain. He is the executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles in New York City and specialises in French cooking. He has written fiction and non-fiction stories about his time as a chef and his travels around the world where he discovered different cuisines. I admire him for his New York City attitude, his 20 plus years as a head chef and his culinary knowledge.

Secret ingredient

Pesto is without a doubt my secret ingredient, as it is so versatile and tasty. Pesto can be used as a garnish, tossed through a stir fry or salad, added to a sandwich as a spread or even used as a marinade. The taste of pesto packs a punch and it has an outstanding ability to dress up any dish. It is simple to make, requiring only a few quality ingredients, and nothing beats the taste of freshly made pesto.

Dinner party guest list

• Anthony Bourdain, New York chef
• Irvine Welsh, author
• Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
• Che Guevara, Revolutionist
• My lovely fiancé

Vicki

Favourite Salmon Dish

San Choy Bow – its combination of texture, aromatics and colour makes for a great taste sensation. The chilli, garlic, coriander and a touch of spice and sweetness meet all the criteria for a great meal. The fried noodles, water chestnuts and crisp lettuce add great crunch and texture. Red capsicum, spring onions and the main ingredient of succulent fresh Tassal Atlantic Salmon make for a delicious meal.

Pure inspiration

Jamie Oliver – World known for his art of cooking. He demonstrates such a relaxed, casual, passionate approach and adaptation of cooking and entertaining. I love the way he encourages friends and family to join in the kitchen and help out with the process, teaching others a fun and relaxed way to entertain and enjoy meals together. He is an inspiration for young people, especially with the success of his “Fifteen Restaurants” program.

Secret ingredient

Garlic – I add it to most of my dishes. It will compliments most ingredients, especially when combined with other aromatics it adds a distinct flavour and aroma. It is such a universal ingredient and used by many cultures around the world, and also for medicinal purposes. Roasting gives it a mellow and subtle flavour.

Dinner party guest list

• Family and friends
• Oprah Winfrey
• Denzel Washington
• Phil Collins
• Nate Berkus