As the winter months fast become a distant memory and the beautiful sunshine entices us all outdoors, our thoughts naturally turn to Christmas – to lazy summer days and sharing wonderful food with our family and friends.

In this edition of In Season I’ll share with you a lovely cured kingfish recipe and my personal restaurant tips to help you get out and make the most of the warmer weather. 

It’s been an exciting time for the company of late.  A fantastic array of boutique opening and season launches has kept us on our toes, not to mention some fabulous charity events and even dinner for a princess.  We’ve had some new additions to our team, and bade a sad farewell to Jules, who’s now on her round the world travels.

  And last, but certainly not least, yours truly was indicted into the Restaurant and Catering Hall of Fame! 

We had some fun creating this Christmas cookie photograph to remind our readers that it's time to book your Christmas catering, so please call us on 02 8338 9393 or email mail@belindafranks.com.au.

Belinda Franks
www.belindafranks.com.au

RECENT EVENTS - Talk of the Town, All For a Good Cause, Appetite for Excellence

BELINDA'S BRIDAL BLOG

BELINDA'S RETAURANT TIPS

SEASONAL MENU - Citrus Cured Kingfish with Beetroot Slaw and Crème Fraiche

NEW VENUE -Penthouse in the City

COMPANY NEWS

Recent Events

TALK OF THE TOWN :

The fashion season officially launched in August with Myer’s lavish spring bash at the beautiful Byron Kennedy Hall.  Those in vogue braved the chilly weather to get a sneak peek of this season’s styles, and to sample some of our haute couture cuisine.  Over 500 fashionistas turned out to witness the extravaganza and Belinda Franks was there to make sure the food more than lived up to the hype.

The last few months have witnessed openings and events for some of the city’s most exclusive fashion and beauty houses.  From Armani to Burberry, Chanel to Cacharel, luxury brands look to Belinda Franks to provide the prefect backdrop of style and sophistication. One evening saw three openings at once across the city – Molton Brown, Marc’s and Paul & Joe’s.  Another evening saw our food at the Anasazi Blueprint store opening in trendy Potts Point described as “exquisite” by the Sunday Telegraph.

ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE :

In early September our very own Princess Mary was in town to officially open the Victor Chang memorial Building – and we ensured the feast that followed was, indeed, fit for royalty.  It was an amazing night, and an honour for Belinda Franks Catering to be part of such a fitting tribute to a remarkable man.

Later in September we continued our charity theme with the Cure Cancer Carnivale Ball.  Over 700 of Sydney’s social butterflies ate up a storm and kicked up their heels to raise money and awareness for a truly worthy cause.

APPETITE FOR EXCELLENCE:

August 11 saw the annual Lexus Appetite for Excellence awards take place at B2 studios in Alexandria.  These prestigious awards recognize excellence through the hospitality industry – namely with the Lexus Young Chef and Young waiter of the year awards.  This year was a lavish affair with Belinda Franks chefs creating special delights amongst the crowds. Vine leaves stuffed with confit of lamb shoulder with spiced red pepper paste were prepared alongside Crepes stuffed with vanilla, cream cheese,ricotta and caramelised rum bananas.  Extensive antipasto and dessert tables were laid out and the guests (among them Tom Aikens – one of the youngest chefs to be awarded a Michelin star) were served lashings of Bollinger to celebrate the occasion.

BRIDAL BLOG:

The recent launch of Percy Marks’s luxury wedding bridal blog has seen the best of the Sydney wedding scene come together to provide up to the minute advice on bridal trends and etiquette.  As Belinda Franks has been recognized as Sydney’s top wedding caterer she has been asked to be a regular contributor to the blog. The blog will discuss hot topics such as off-the-beaten-track venues, hat vs veil, wedding cupcakes and non-matching bridesmaid dresses.   Belinda's first entry is aimed at helping brides to be with the all-important menu choices for their big day.  So log onto to www.luxurywedding.blogspot.com for all the information you need to make your dream wedding come true.

Belinda's Restaurant Tips

I enjoy Ginger and Spice in Neutral Bay for it's authentic mixture of Indonesian and Malaysian hawker style food. It's the perfect spot for a quick meal with friends especially if you are seeing a movie at my favourite movie theater the Cremorne Orpheum.Tel-99082552

Also, Ju-Rin on the Pacific Hwy at Crows Nest serves a delicious mixture of classic and contemporary Japanese food at reasonable prices. Both these restaurants are licensed and BYO.

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Seasonal Menu

Our recipe for citrus cured kingfish with beetroot slaw and creamed fraiche serves 6

1 side sashimi quality kingfish

zest and juice from 1 orange

300g rock salt

300g white sugar

3 heads beetroot

30ml extra virgin olive oil

200ml crème fraiche

salt and pepper

1 punnet baby watercress

Cut kingfish in half lengthways, leaving the skin on but removing all blood line (you could get your fishmonger to do this). Mix together salt and sugar and put one quarter of the mix in a glass or stainless steel tray. Put in the fish, skin side down, sprinkle with the orange zest and cover with the remaining salt/sugar mix. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Once fish is cured, wash it under running water, pat dry and slice thinly on an angle, like smoked salmon.

Slice beetroot paper thin on a Japanese mandolin and then cut into very fine julienne. It must be as fine as hair! Dress with the olive oil, 30ml of orange juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let this sit for an hour before you serve.

Add remaining orange juice to the crème fraiche, and whisk until it just begins to thicken.

Smear a tablespoon of crème fraiche across the plate, and arrange sliced kingfish alongside (80g per person). Place a mound of beetroot next to the kingfish and sprinkle the plate with baby watercress. Serve immediately.

New Venue

The BFC team are constantly on the hunt for new and exciting venues to make your next event even more spectacular.  An exclusive penthouse in Martin Place has recently been discovered and we think you’ll agree that the breathtaking views speak for themselves!

With a cocktail capacity of 120, this stunning location is sure to wow your clients or create the perfect backdrop for a truly memorable celebration.

Please call Jeremy on 02 8338 9393 to discuss this and many other venues available throughout the city.

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