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Neil Perry's examples of what we eat

  • Apr 30
  • 6 min read

"Whatever is modern Australian food." Neil Perry


I suspect that Neil Perry doesn't do that much restaurant cooking these days. He's more of a businessman I would think. I may be wrong of course, and he certainly keeps on putting out new cookbooks. This one is actually not that new - 2016 - which is doubtless why it turned up on Readings bargain table. I bought it because although I, of course, know of Neil Perry and how much he is admired by the foodie community, I do not have any of his books. Some of which are Australian classics I think.


So what do I think of this one - a beautifully photographed and glossy production from Murdoch Books?


Tellingly perhaps, the first photograph below of the man himself came from a website that had something to do with celebrity speakers - and he's in a suit not chef's gear. The other one - from the book shows him in casual (but I suspect expensive gear) perhaps trying to look like an ordinary bloke, although the doubtlessly expensive artwork behind him might indicate otherwise. He is after all the head of the Rockpool Group - not just the owner of one successful restaurant - there are several across Australia not to mention "creating menus for Qantas since 1997, continually redefining their dining and service."



None of which is intended to mock, as the food - as represented in this book is indeed good and I shall of course come to that. He is obviously good at what he does or he would not be as famous. But first a few words from the man himself in his short introduction:


"If you own any of my cookbooks then you have my permission to glaze over now, as you are going to hear the same story again. I see no reason to change my modus operandi - it has, since the time I started cooking been about one thing, and that is the quality of the produces always driven by seasonality."


"Relax and really love cooking for your family and friends. We have to eat to survive, so best to turn it into a joy, or life can be a real drag. Have fun and most importantly, push yourself along at your own pace."


Same old, same old perhaps but nevertheless worth constantly repeating. When somebody tells you something over and over again, eventually it gets lodged into your brain. I suppose that can be a bad thing - but it is above all else the way to learn. That's how we learn to speak - and read.


Familiarity breeds contempt they say, and I have to say that this book is full of the familiar. In many ways it's a picture of the Australian food scene of the time from the very first recipe in the book - Baked eggs with spicy sausage and labna - Stuff to the very last - Italian apple cake with Grand Marnier mascarpone - SMH Good Food. A quick aside here - the majority of the links to the recipes I shall feature here are from the Fairfax newspapers, and they will only let you look at a couple of recipes at a time - sometimes not even that before you have to register - it's free though - just a pain to register and log in.



And another quick aside. As you know by now I'm a sucker for beauty - and gorgeous food photographs. Those two above are from the book and are photographed by Earl Carter - which was a new name for me, but one I shall remember, mostly because all of the photographs from the Fairfax publications came from William Meppem - a name I am much more familiar with as he pops up all over the place. And indeed his photographs are very good, but to my mind they don't quite have the same dramatic sense as the ones in the book. In his acknowledgements Neil Perry implies that he has worked with Earl Carter for a long time. Here they are - Eric Carter on the left and William Meppem on the right, just to give them a brief time in a dim spotlight. Curious how photographers seem to like being photographed in black and white, and always look deadly serious.



But back to the book. I found it really interesting. At first glance I though there was nothing to interest me here. I have seen recipes for virtually every dish in the book elsewhere. Never mind how gorgeous they look in Eric Carter's photographs, would I buy this book if it wasn't a bargain?


Now that I have really thought about it I think the answer is yes. I certainly won't be putting it in the street library, taking it to an op shop or even gifting it to my daughter-in-law. Although where to put it might be a problem. My bookshelves are full. Although here is the thing - it might be a really good present for a grandchild moving out into the world. Why? Well these are really classy recipes - it's not just the pictures - for all the dishes that we love to eat in Australia today - or as Perry himself puts it:


"I'm a truly multicultural cook, so here you'll find recipes from all around the globe - I love Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican Moroccan, Vietnamese and Thai food just as much as I love Italian, French, Spanish and whatever is Modern Australian food."


If you're looking for a recipe for any well-known dish you will find a version of it here. Like today. I had taken a piece of pork shoulder from the freezer and thought I might have a go at the slow roast pork that you see so much of, and as I knew I was going to be writing this piece today I thought I would look for a sample recipe. The recipe I found was not quite what I was looking for - but almost - this Italian pork and pea ragù. On the next page there is a recipe for Roast pork belly with balsamic-marinated red onions - Australian Good Food Guide - also not quite what I was looking for but nevertheless they are also examples of two genres of dishes, that are pretty close to what I was looking for. And indeed I shall try the ragù on Saturday I think, although maybe not with the suggested polenta - although he also suggests short pasta or rice. But then again, maybe I should be adventurous and try the polenta.



The thing is that although at first glance you may think you have seen all of the recipes in this book before, actually they are all very careful representations of those familiar dishes and often with a subtly personal twist. Like many of my favourite cooks. He is not exciting or original in the sense of an Ixta Belfrage, Yotam Ottolenghi or Heston Blumenthal I suppose. No - Neil Perry is just good at taking something classic and making it enticing enough for you to have a go.


So today I decided I would go through the book, picking a recipe at random every few pages and see what I got. And here they are - a few at a time, in the order in which they appear in the book, and I think you will see from their titles, that they are all examples of something you sort of know: Ceviche seafood salad with avocado, coriander and jalapeño - Australian Good Food Guide; Barbecued baby pork back ribs with smoky barbecue sauce - SMH Good Food; Fragrant broth with king prawns and udon noodles - SMH Good Food; Farfalle with beans, fennel and sausage - SMH Good Food.





To round it all off with some vegetables and dessert Roast brussels sprouts with hazelnuts - Moonology Num Num and Orange and Grand Marnier baked custards - Food and Travel Magazine although perhaps my favourite photograph in the book was Oeufs à la neige SMH Good Food - 'although simple, it is sublime' says Perry, speaking of its taste - heightened in this case with orange zest and vanilla - and the same could be said of the photograph.



In a way this book is like a modern day - and Australian - Great Dishes of the World by Robert Carrier. The world for Robert Carrier at that time, was largely French, European, including Britain, with a tiny, tiny taste of America, Morocco and Asia. Neil Perry gives us the whole world from the classics of Europe to the trendy Middle-East, Mexico and Asia. Well the whole world in the sense of the dishes that Australians love to eat these days. It's like a book of samples - of what's available to try and to enjoy. An introduction for a beginning but enthusiastic cook to discover how to cook all the dishes they enjoy eating in their favourite eating places.


So yes - pork ragù Saturday.


YEARS GONE BY

April 30 - the end of yet another month

2021 - Missing

2020 - Missing

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This is a personal website with absolutely no commercial intent and meant for a small audience of family and friends.  I admit I have 'lifted' some images from the web without seeking permission.  If one of them is yours and you would like me to remove it, just send me an email.

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