S2E9 Ekland Safari

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S2E9 recipes

Rustic Panzanella with Chili and Garlic Chips

Crunchy olive-oil fried croutons tossed with juicy heirloom tomatoes, basil, balsamic and a kick of green chili.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 4–6
Prep / Cook / Total: 15 min / 10–12 min / 25–27 min
Skill level: Easy
Equipment: large skillet, mixing bowl, paper towels, mandoline (optional)
Ingredients
  • Olive oil, for frying and dressing (about 1/2 cup/120 ml total)
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (for chips), plus 1 crushed clove for oil
  • 6–8 oz (170–225 g) leftover rustic bread, torn into rough chunks
  • Fine salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 pint (300 g) heirloom cherry or mixed tomatoes, cut into wedges/chunks
  • 10 basil leaves, chopped or torn
  • 1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
Method
  1. Garlic oil & chips: Film a skillet with 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat; add thyme and the crushed garlic clove to infuse 1–2 minutes. Add sliced garlic; fry to pale gold, 45–60 seconds. Scoop chips to paper towels; reserve the infused oil (discard thyme and crushed clove).
  2. Croutons: Add half the bread to the skillet, more oil if needed. Fry, tossing, until deeply golden and crisp, 4–6 minutes. Season with salt.
  3. Bowl mix: In a large bowl, toss remaining untoasted bread with 3–4 tbsp olive oil, 1–2 tbsp balsamic, salt and pepper.
  4. Combine: Add the fried croutons, tomatoes, basil and red onion. Toss gently.
  5. Finish: Top with chopped green chili and the garlic chips. Add a final drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to taste.
Tips & substitutions
Day-old sourdough works best. Add a few torn mozzarella pieces if desired.
Dietary tags: vegetarian, dairy-free
Allergens: gluten
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Best within 30 minutes; croutons can be fried 1 day ahead and kept airtight.
Chef’s note: Don’t overdress; panzanella wants glisten, not puddles.
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Creamy Polenta with Rocket Pesto, Tomato–Vanilla Caramel, and Crispy Pancetta

Luxurious, cheese-finished polenta with peppery arugula pesto, jammy tomato–vanilla caramel, and shatter-crisp pancetta.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 6–8
Prep / Cook / Total: 25 min active / 45–60 min / ~1 hr 10–25 min
Skill level: Intermediate
Equipment: medium saucepan with lid, sieve, blender/processor, sheet rack over tray
Ingredients

Crispy pancetta

  • 9 oz (250 g) pancetta/local ham/bacon, thin slices

Polenta

  • 3 1/3 cups (800 ml) milk
  • 2 garlic heads, halved
  • 1 thyme bunch
  • Fine salt, to taste
  • 1 cup (200 g) polenta (medium grind)
  • 10 1/2 tbsp (150 g) cold butter, cubed
  • 12 oz (350 g) pecorino, finely grated (about 3 1/2 cups)

Tomato & vanilla caramel

  • 1 cup (200 g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
  • Pinch fine salt
  • 20 ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, diced (concassé; about 6–7 cups/900 g)

Rocket pesto

  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1.1 lb (500 g) rocket/arugula
  • 10 1/2 oz (300 g) pecorino, finely grated (about 3 cups)
  • Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup/60 ml)
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) olive oil
Method
  1. Pancetta: Heat oven to 285°F (140°C). Lay slices on a rack over a tray; bake 40–45 minutes until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
  2. Milk infusion: Heat milk with garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt just below a simmer for 15 minutes. Cover and steep 30 minutes; strain and return to medium heat.
  3. Polenta: Whisk in polenta. Lower heat, cover and cook gently, stirring every few minutes, until smooth and spoonable, 25–35 minutes. Adjust with hot milk to mashed-potato consistency. Off heat, mix in butter and pecorino. Season. Hold warm.
  4. Tomato–vanilla caramel: In a wide pan, dry-melt sugar with vanilla seeds and pod to a deep amber; add a pinch of salt. Stir in half the tomatoes; coat and cook 8–9 minutes, keeping pieces intact. Tip into a colander to shed excess syrup; discard pod. Fold in remaining fresh concassé.
  5. Rocket pesto: Blitz garlic and salt. Add arugula, pecorino and lemon; process, streaming in oil to a thick pesto. Season.
  6. Plate: Spoon polenta in bowls. Top with tomato–vanilla concassé, dollops of pesto and shards of crispy pancetta.
Tips & substitutions
For looser polenta, swap in some stock. If tomatoes lack sweetness, finish caramel with a tiny splash of balsamic.
Dietary tags: gluten-free (without bread sides)
Allergens: dairy, tree nuts if pesto facility cross-contact (pecorino is dairy; no nuts used here)
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Pesto keeps 3 days chilled. Rewarm polenta with milk and a knob of butter.
Chef’s note: Keep that caramel dark; vanilla sings in the bass notes.
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Double-Smoked Lamb Shoulder with Spiced Sweet Potatoes, Gremolata & Chili Yogurt

Tea-rice dry smoke, slow braise, then thyme-torch finish for lamb that shreds like silk, with sweet-spiced potatoes and zippy toppings.
At a glance
At a glance
Yield: Serves 8–10
Prep / Cook / Total: 40 min active + passive / 4 hr braise + roasting / ~5 hr 30 min
Skill level: Advanced (indoor smoking + long braise)
Equipment: heavy roasting tray with rack, foil, Dutch oven, blowtorch (or smoking chips), instant-read thermometer
Ingredients

Dry smoke bed

  • 2 cups (200g) demerara sugar
  • 2 cups (200g) uncooked rice
  • 2 cups (200g) lapsang souchong tea leaves

Lamb & braise

  • 1 bone-in lamb shoulder (about 6–7 lb/2.7–3.2 kg)
  • Olive oil, for seasoning
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 6 1/3 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock
  • 4 large bunches dry thyme
  • 1 garlic head, halved

Sweet potatoes

  • 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp fine salt
  • 1 tbsp chili flakes
  • 2–4 star anise
  • 10 small orange sweet potatoes (yams), scrubbed
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) rendered lamb fat or olive oil
  • 7 tbsp (100 g) butter

Gremolata & yogurt

  • Zest of 4 lemons
  • 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 2 cups/80 g)
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
  • Fine salt, to taste
  • 1 cup (240 g) thick whole-milk yogurt
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
Method
  1. Dry smoke: Line a tray with foil; spread sugar, rice and tea. Set a rack over the bed.
  2. Lamb smoke #1: Rub lamb with oil, salt and pepper. Place on rack. Set tray over a burner on high until smoking. Tent tightly with foil; smoke 15 minutes. Turn off heat; rest in smoke 20 minutes.
  3. Braise: Transfer lamb to a clean roasting tray. Add stock, thyme and halved garlic. Cover tightly with foil and braise at 320°F (160°C) for 4 hours until the shoulder pulls back from the bone and probes like butter. Remove; cool slightly. Lift out bones, keeping shoulder intact. Strain braising liquid and reduce to a glaze; keep for service.
  4. Lamb smoke #2 (thyme torch): Lay fresh dry thyme in a tray, rack on top, lamb on rack. Torch thyme until it smolders; cover with a large bowl to capture the smoke for 2 minutes.
  5. Sweet potatoes: Mix brown sugar, spices, salt, chili flakes and star anise. Rub potatoes with lamb fat/oil; coat in spice mix. Roast at 355°F (180°C) about 1 hour, turning, until tender and glazed. Finish under the broiler to lightly char and syrup. Toss with butter.
  6. Gremolata & yogurt: Mix lemon zest, parsley, garlic, green chili and salt. In a small bowl, stir chili flakes into yogurt.
  7. Serve: Portion lamb; warm with the reduced glaze. Plate with sweet potatoes, spoon over gremolata, and serve chili yogurt on the side.
Tips & substitutions
No indoor smoke? Use a smoker at low temp for 20–30 minutes before braising.
Dietary tags: gluten-free
Allergens: dairy (butter, yogurt)
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Lamb improves overnight in its liquid. Reheat gently, glaze to finish.
Chef’s note: Keep smoke brief; you want perfume, not campfire lamb.
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Cashew Praline “Millefeuille” with Confit Lemon and Frangelico Chantilly

Crisp cashew-caramel discs layered with boozy vanilla cream and jewel-bright confit lemon.
At a glance
Yield: 8–10 individual stacks (size dependent)
Prep / Cook / Total: 35–40 min active / 30–35 min simmer + set / ~1 hr 15 min
Skill level: Intermediate
Equipment: silicone mat, ring molds, food processor, mixer
Ingredients

Praline discs

  • 2 1/2 cups (500 g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups (500 g) cashews

Confit lemon

  • 2 cups (400 g) caster sugar
  • 2 cups (480 ml) water
  • 1 star anise
  • 6 seedless lemons, thinly sliced

Chantilly

  • 2 cups (500 ml) cold heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp (16 g) powdered/icing sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp (25 ml) Frangelico liqueur
Method
  1. Praline sheet: Dry-melt sugar to amber in a wide pan. Stir in cashews; coat evenly. Pour onto a silicone mat and spread thin. Cool hard.
  2. Praline crumb & bake: Blitz to a very fine crumb. Sprinkle a 1/4-inch (6 mm) layer into ring molds on a lined tray; press lightly. Bake at 320°F (160°C) 6–8 minutes to re-set. Cool fully before unmolding.
  3. Confit lemon: Bring sugar, water and star anise to a syrup. Add lemon slices; simmer gently 30 minutes until translucent. Drain, cool, and chop finely.
  4. Chantilly: Whip cream with vanilla and powdered sugar to soft peaks. Fold in Frangelico to firm peaks.
  5. Build: Stack praline discs with swirls of Chantilly and spoonfuls of confit lemon between layers. Top with a final dollop of cream and a little lemon.
Tips & substitutions
Swap cashews for almonds or hazelnuts. If the praline crumbles, your discs are too thin; press a touch firmer before baking.
Dietary tags: vegetarian
Allergens: tree nuts, dairy
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Praline discs and confit lemon keep 1 week airtight; assemble close to service.
Chef’s note: Keep praline dry; humidity is its mortal enemy.
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