Aussies vs Kiwis : Cotton Duck Chef Jared Ingersoll

It might be predictable that my title on Inside Cuisine would state Aussies first. I’m true blue! The Cotton Duck menu however, actually read New Zealand vs. Australia Dinner.

So for any who don’t know him, there are no bonus points for guessing, that Chef Jared Ingersoll originally hails from New Zealand: from windy Wellington in fact.

I’m not much of a rugby fan, but was all up for the dinner. In true Ingersoll style, the blackboard in the entrance announced the dinner with humour – the restaurant was transformed to Cotton Duck Stadium.

There were two courses from each Australia then two courses from New Zealand. Each was matched with a wine from that country. At the end of the dinner we voted.

New Zealand vs Australia Dinner

Damper & surf ‘n turf – AUS
BBQ prawn, seared kangaroo, ‘vege-might’ & butter
Borambola Premium Sparkling Wagga Wagga NSW

Murray Cod in paper bark – AUS
Warrangal greens, macadamia, bush tomato, scallop & lardo cream
2009 Blicking Estate Riesling New England, NSW

Hangi (without the hole in the ground) – NZ
Blue River Dairy milk fed lamb, smoked tomato sauce, hangi potato & beer
2009 Drift Pinor Noir Marlborough, NZ

Pavlolva – NZ
A traditional New Zealand dessert
2009 Spy Valley Chardonnay Marlborough, NZ

I was mighty impressed. Ingersoll’s food is always adventurous, intelligent and thoughtful. Reading the menu I was apprehensive though. That first dish seemed so ‘ocker’. And I’m not a fan of Vegemite (yes, I was born in Australia!) But the dish did impress. The ‘vege-might’ was smooth and meaty and well formed. It was made in the kitchen of Cotton Duck. After service, Chef reminded me that Vegemite is GM. As he stands against that, his vegemite had to be made from ‘pure’ products. To stand by his principles he made it himself. Chef tweeted “don’t know how Kraft do it… But I used shit loads of beef, miso, blackbean, loads onions and garlic, tamarind, sugar, salt.” And there you have it – his recipe.

I heard someone on the table describe it as a cross between branded products Vegemite and Promite, but the Cotton Duck spread got points from me for flavour, texture and effort. What a treat for me to be able to enjoy a ‘vege-might’ roll. What could have too easily been a cliche, really worked under the hands of Jared Ingersoll and his team.

The next Aussie dish was my dish of the night. Even on paper this dish went well. I understood the inspiration, as fish is traditionally cooked by Australian Aborigines in paper bark. It’s a time honoured, traditional technique. The contents of our parcel, were moist and flavoursome, and in harmony. The surprise of the dish was the lardo cream – which was not at all heavy yet carried the lard flavour throughout.

I’m wondering, as an Aussie if I should end the post here – if you want to hear about the New Zealand dishes?

The first of the New Zealand dishes was as the menu states, inspired by the hangi – full of sweetness and smoke, soft and wet. I won’t go on too much, because we need to retain energy for the debate that the next dish incites.

Without describing the flavours (you know what pavlova tastes like) my only comment, the final comment of the post will be to Chef “what’s he’s coming at” – claiming the pavlova as a dish from New Zealand. We all know that the pavlova was invented in Australia! right?

Cotton Duck
50 Holt Street,
Surry Hills NSW 2010
+61 2 8399 0250