Fergus Henderson and a nose-to-tail barbecue - Sydney International Food Festival

Pigs. On. Spits.

Three words guaranteed to get me out of bed early on a Saturday morning.


The Sydney Morning Herald Growers' Market
celebrating Barbecue Madness for the Sydney International Food Festival

The October Good Living Growers' Market was one of the first big events on the calendar for the inaugural Sydney International Food Festival. It promised to be a event like no other, featuring international guests Fergus and Margot Henderson, freshly roasted pigs on spits and a phenomenal gathering of Sydney's top chefs.

Mother Nature was determined to rain on the parade, but that didn't stop Sydneysiders from flocking to the markets regardless, armed with umbrellas and an appetite for good food.


Rain and umbrellas at 8.00am


Wet and empty chairs and tables


Red artichokes


Cheese from Formaggi Ocello


Radishes


Oranges and lemons


Brie and washed rind cheeses from Binnorie Dairy


Sourdough breads from La Tartine


Cherry crumble from La Tartine


SWEETNESS the Patisserie


SWEETNESS fresh marshmallows


SWEETNESS fresh marshmallow samples


SWEETNESS chocolate-covered peppermint mallows


SWEETNESS macarons


SWEETNESS passionfruit macaron and chocolate macaron


Oyster mushrooms $5.50/100g


Best part about the wet weather?
Raincoats and gumboots!


Raincoat cutie


Waratahs


Prickly pears from Leppington Farm


Panama passionfruits


The cheeky sign at Kinkawooka Mussels

Kinkawooka urged market goers to forget about noses and tails and check out their mussels, but the pigs on spits were always going to be the star attraction. When I caught up with Minh (who found me when Simon Marnie announced my presence during the live broadcast!) we both ended up standing in front the pig for at least five minutes, just watching the pig go around and around over the glowing hot coals. If there had been a chair, I would've sat down and watched a pork tv.


The pig on the spit






Pork ribs


Pork crackling goodness


Pork cheek crackling


Close-up of the head


Fergus Henderson and Simon Marnie

The highlight of the day was the nose-to-tail barbecue, underpinned by the philosophy of appreciating and eating the entire animal--not just the choice cuts--trumpeted by Fergus Henderson, founder of the famed St John restaurant in London.


Simon interviews Margot and Fergus Henderson live on ABC 702 Weekends

The roast pigs on the spit weren't due to be eaten until 11am. In the interim, a powerhouse of Sydney chefs could be found in the makeshift restaurant set-up under shelter. Twelve noted restaurants were each cooking a dish that reflected the nose-to-tail approach, serving tables of ten in half-hour sittings.

The assembly of head chefs was like a who's who of the Sydney retaurant scene: Jared Ingersoll, Justin North, Matthew Kemp, Kylie Kwong, Jeremy Strode, Alex Herbert, Paul McGrath, Martin Boetz, Colin Fassnidge, Warren Turnbull, Lauren Murdoch and Sean Connolly were manning barbecues, stirring pots and plating dishes amidst the constant sizzle of barbecues and the wafting smells of roast pig from the spit next-door.


Simon talks live to Jeremy Strode, Bistrode


Jared Ingersoll, Danks Street Depot, tends to his pigs trotters


Kylie Kwong, Billy Kwong


Warren Turnbull, Assiette


Fergus Henderson with Justin North, Becasse


Beans and bacon from Becasse


The timekeeper ensures everyone stays on schedule


Martin Boetz, Longrain, plates up


Warren Turnbull


Fergus Henderson chats to Kylie Kwong


Sean Connolly, Astral, oversees his green eggs and ham


Jeremy Strode


Table setting


Twice cooked pork hock $15
with a tomato, tamarind and coriander salad
Longrain - Martin Boetz

A mere $15 entitled you to a seat at a freshly laid table and a dish from one the twelve restaurants. I was randomly allocated Longrain with my ticket for the 9.00am session, an exquisite offering of a twice-cooked pork hock ringed by crackling. A side salad of grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and baby coriander leaves was sweet, salty and sour from the drizzle of tamarind dressing.

The egg on top was also a revelation, deep-fried until the outside formed a golden crispy skin.


Salad of crisp lamb belly and tongue $15
with broad beans, artichokes and rocket
Restaurant Balzac - Matthew Kemp

Minh ended up on the table for Restaurant Balzac - the lamb belly had a lovely flavour to it and lamb tongue was amazingly tender.



We stuck around for the next session to try to get photos of all the dishes.


Fergus Henderson


Plating up at Four in Hand


Pig ear schnitzel with pork belly and iceberg salad $15
Four in hand - Colin Fassnidge


Twice cooked pork belly with pate on toast $15
Ash St Cellar - Lauren Murdoch


Martin Boetz


Twice cooked pork hock $15
with a tomato, tamarind and coriander salad
Longrain - Martin Boetz


Carpaccio of stuffed pigs trotter $15
with black pudding and crispy quails egg
Restaurant Assiette - Warren Turnbull


Barbecued, marianted black Berkshire pork ribs $15
with pickled biodynamic beetrot and aioli
Billy Kwong - Kylie Kwong


Duck hearts and lardons at Bistro Ortolan


Plating up at Bistro Ortolan


Confit of duck hearts and cured black pig lardons $15
with soft quail egg on brioche toast
Bistro Ortolan - Paul McGrath

Minh and I both kept sighing as this dish was built before our eyes. Brioche! Hearts! A poached quail egg! And the final swoon - a shard of crispy bacon!


Setting the table for the next session


Twice cooked pork belly with pate on toast $15
Ash St Cellar - Lauren Murdoch

We were about to leave when the lovely folk at Ash St Cellar asked if we wanted the two leftover servings that hadn't sold tickets. Rhetorical question, much?

The lovely Lauren Murdoch personally came over to our table to explain the dish was cooked. The marinated pork belly is placed on a rack and slow-cooked at 120C for four hours. It's then rested and allowed to cool before barbecuing again to render the fat and make it crispy. The result? Melt-in-the-mouth succulence.

Check out the Sydney International Food Festival site for details on all the events on offer throughout October.



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Good Living Growers' Market
7.00am - 11.00am on the first Saturday of every month
Pyrmont Bay Park, Pyrmont (opposite Star City Casino), Sydney

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Good Living Growers' Market 2009: May
Good Living Growers' Market 2008: October ¦ September ¦ August ¦ July¦ February
Good Living Growers' Market 2006: November ¦ October ¦ September ¦ July ¦ June ¦ May ¦ April ¦ March ¦ February
Good Living Growers' Market 2005: November ¦ October ¦ September ¦ August ¦ July ¦ April ¦ March ¦ February