5 FROM THE EDITOR
13 BITE SIZE
Where the dish team is eating and drinking, the low-down on nutmeg, cooking with parsnips, and more.
16 HAVE YOU BEEN TO...?
dish Editor Sarah Tuck reviews Auckland restaurant Cassia.
23 INTERVIEW
We chat with the co-founder of plant-based brand, Grater Goods.
40 PASTA AND GNOCCHI
These dishes are the definition of ‘comfort in a bowl’.
50 ROASTS AND STEWS
Simmer down and gather around for a warming feast.
59 SOUPS
These soups and tasty sides are perfect for chilly evenings.
70 SARAH’S FAVOURITES
dish Editor Sarah Tuck shares some of the recipes frequenting her kitchen this season.
84 FOOD FAST
Serve up a hearty weeknight dinner quick-smart.
94 MELIE MAKES CURRIES
Regular columnist Melie Ferrier serves up some delicious curries.
100 SWEET TREATS
You’ll fall in love with these saucy, scrumptious puddings and desserts.
By crikey, it feels like it’s been winter for aaaages, but we still have plenty more to come. To combat the seasonal gloom, we reckon it’s time to get a little bit SAUCY!
Talk about action-packed – this issue is brimming with content, but before we even get to the recipes, I recap our recent Dine with Dish event at Kol, in association with Marisco Vineyards’ The Kings Series, then head to Waiheke and the stunning Allpress Olive Groves, before taking a seat for dinner at Auckland’s newly relocated Cassia restaurant. Next, Claire whips up a sensational 15th birthday cake for sister publication Good, and I recreate Toni Street’s favourite ice cream delight – Hula Pie.
Then it’s on to the main event with a decadent selection of gnocchi and pasta designed for maximum carbohydrate comfort – the Roasted Pumpkin and Amaretti Gnocchi on page 43 are not to be missed! Next stop, we’re pulling up a chair to dive into rich and hearty stews and slow-cooks perfect for sharing with friends and family. Winter is traditionally the time for colds and lurgies to spread, and often-times all we feel like is a soothing soup. Olivia takes your favourites to a whole new level – from Tomato and Gnocchi Soup with Chorizo Crumb on
page 62 to Harissa and Lentil Soup with Crispy Onions and Herbs on page 66.
I’ve loved cooking up a storm lately, and share some of my favourites from page 70, including Beef Ragù with White Beans and Burrata, and Roast Chicken and Leek Mac ’n Cheese on page 76. We know what it’s like driving to and from work in the dark at this time of year, so for fantastically fast midweek dinners head straight to page 86 and check out Claire’s sure-fire winner of Fragrant Red Curry Salmon plus many more speedy options. Continue the curry action with contributor Melie and her tantalising flavour-bombs on page 94, then undo your belt a little and squeeze in a bit more room for our spectacularly saucy desserts to finish off.
Yes indeed, this issue, like every dish, has kept us very busy in the kitchen – and now it’s your turn. But first, put your feet up, snuggle in and read on!
Sarah Tuck, Editor
“This issue, like every dish , has kept us busy in the kitchen – and now it’s your turn. But first, put your feet up, snuggle in and read on!”
EDITOR Sarah Tuck sarah.tuck@scg.net.nz
FOOD EDITOR Claire Aldous claire.aldous@scg.net.nz
DIGITAL EDITOR Caitlin Whiteman caitlin.whiteman@scg.net.nz
DEPUTY EDITOR Cassie Birrer cassie.birrer@scg.net.nz
ART DIRECTOR Chrisanne Terblanche
DRINKS EDITOR Yvonne Lorkin yvonne@yvonnelorkin.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Amelia Ferrier, Olivia Galletly, Josh Griggs, Carolyn Haslett, Alexia Santamaria, Yuki Sato
ADVERTISING
Business development manager Karrin MacLeod
Telephone +64 216 06886 Email karrin.macleod@scg.net.nz
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dish is a bimonthly publication. The contents of dish are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in dish are not necessarily those of the publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the authors’ suggestions or conclusions or for any errors or omissions. dish is audited under the Audit Bureau of Circulation with latest circulation figures available at abc.org.nz
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When experienced renovators Sarah and Jared Davey bought their 1930s house in Queensland, the kitchen, along with much of the house, was crumbling
As part of a full renovation of the former worker’s cottage, the couple added 170sqm that became an open-plan kitchen and dining space connected to an alfresco area.
With cabinetry painted in bold Resene Double Foundry against walls in Resene Wan White and a ceiling in Resene Half Wan White, the new kitchen is a bold and sophisticated-looking space. But top of the wish list for Sarah when it came to designing the space, was function rather than form.
“The kitchen needed to be large to manage our bustling, ever-growing family of five. That includes three boys who are always in the pantry, in the fridge, or in the cupboards rummaging for food.
“We needed space for all of us to move around fluidly without feeling cramped,” says Sarah.
Key to that was the island bench which has become not just a focal point for the kitchen, but an important gathering point for the family.
“We wanted an island bench which had ample seating for the three boys to sit at, so we could all communicate together while I was cooking dinner or making breakfast.”
Ample storage was also essential, so the spacious kitchen includes a butler’s pantry and plenty of functional cupboard and drawer space.
When it came to choosing a kitchen colour scheme, Sarah and Jared opted for the bold Resene charcoal they’d used in other areas of the house, including the garage and exterior weatherboards, as part of the renovation.
“We committed to bringing the colour into the house as well. It is a powerful, rich colour and we wanted to really make an impact in the kitchen.
“The deep charcoal really makes the other colours sing.”
TOP TIP: If you’re painting cabinetry, use Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or Resene Enamacryl gloss for a hardwearing, durable finish. Or ask your kitchen supplier to use Environmental Choice approved Resene AquaLAQ, a fast-drying lacquer system for cabinetry, so you get the authentic Resene colour and quality finish.
Describe your cooking style.
Sarah: It varies on the time of the week and how I am feeling about cooking. Sometimes I am uber-inspired by food and want to be creative in the kitchen. With three fussy boys though, I am often trying to make something that actually pleases the whole family.
What is your favourite part of this kitchen?
Sarah: The island bench. It’s such a huge focal point for our space. There’s so much room for prepping food and it’s the hub for where we all gather in a more casual manner.
What recipe from this issue of dish would you like to cook and why?
Sarah: Fragrant Red Curry Salmon because I absolutely love salmon and red curry is one of my favourites too. So put these together and you have the ultimate dish for me.
For more decorating inspiration visit your Resene ColorShop, resene.com/colorshops
Resene Half Wan White Resene Wan White
Q Where have you eaten out recently and enjoyed?
A We loved finding all of the local hot-spots on a recent trip across the ditch. In Coffs Harbour’s beachside suburb of Sawtell, The Hilltop Store was a regular pit-stop on our morning walk to the beach. Further north in Brisbane, Sens caf é was perfectly located next to our hotel with Campos coffee at the ready – an old favourite! Next time we will also be sure to stop by at Brisbane’s Yo-Chi, which came highly recommended for frozen yoghurt.
Q Tell us about something you’ve cooked this month.
A We love it in our home when we find a new dish that becomes a new weekly favourite. Lately, that’s been gnocchi tossed through with tomatoes, greens from the garden, and a sprinkling of feta.
Q What recipe are you most excited about in this issue?
A Claire’s Sticky Pork Bao Buns (page 90) look incredible!
Claire Aldous Food Editor @clairealdous
Q Where have you eaten out recently and enjoyed?
A We had a fabulous brunch at Duo café in Birkenhead. It’s a menu that’s hard to choose from as we just wanted to try everything. My pick was Chorizo with romesco, crispy potatoes, poached egg, herbs and bacon. Its great vibe, excellent staff and rustic, but modern food means a trip over the bridge will become a regular.
Q Tell us about something you’ve cooked this month.
A My neighbours are keen fishers and they kindly gave me some of their catch. I made a delicious Thai Red Curry with beautiful, thick slices of kingfish and topped it with wilted spinach, cumin, roasted baby carrots, cashew nuts and coconut cream.
Q What recipe are you most excited about in this issue?
A It’s hard to choose one recipe and these two are high on my list to cook for friends: Sarah’s Pork and Fennel Lasagne (page 75) and Melie’s Coconut, Fenugreek and Tamarind Prawn Curry with Pickled Onions (page 98).
Caitlin Whiteman Digital Editor @caitlin.whitemanQ Where have you eaten out recently and enjoyed?
A Being a newcomer to Auckland has to be the most exciting thing for a foodie – I am refusing to go to the same place twice simply because there is so much to explore and try. I recently hit Ponsonby for The Blue Breeze Inn and everything from the delicious Pacific-Chinese food to the amazing service was chef’s kiss!
Q Tell us about something you’ve cooked this month.
A Cosy blankets and creamy pasta are my matches made in heaven at the moment. I particularly love seafood pasta and have recently been making a creamy salmon recipe with tomato and spinach which is simple to make and oh so dreamy!
Q What recipe are you most excited about in this issue? Even the name ‘Chocolate Gingerbread Pudding with Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce’ (page 126) has my mouth watering. I left the photo shoot just before it was plated up and it’s still my biggest regret.
Chrisanne Terblanche Art Director @chrisanne_kie
Q Where have you eaten out recently and enjoyed?
A While visiting Tauranga a few weeks ago, some locals invited us to Great Spice for some Indian food. This is off the beaten track and not sure we would have come across it without some insider knowledge. I absolutely loved it. We shared a few curries between the five of us – all phenomenal and I particularly loved the Chicken Biryani.
Q Tell us about something you’ve cooked this month.
A I’m a bit late to the trend but am loving extra large pasta shells. I am close to perfecting my stuffed ricotta and spinach shells – my ‘secret’ is plenty of lemon zest.
Q What recipe are you most excited about in this issue?
A I tried the Texas-style Braised Pork ’n Beans (page 56) at the photo shoot and cannot wait to make it myself. Absolutly delicious, the pork is pull-apart soft with fantastic smoky flavours with just a hint of sweetness.
We’re proud to plate up another great issue of dish, and here are some of the lovely people behind it!
Reflecting on our recent Dine with dish celebration dinner, featuring top restaurant KOL and Marisco Vineyards’ The Kings Series wines!
Dine with dish events have become synonymous with having a great time, and our recent evening at Auckland’s Kol, with wines from the Marisco Vineyards’ The Kings Series, was no exception.
On Tuesday 16th May guests arriving at the latest hospitality venture from renowned chef Sid Sahrawat were swiftly seated and presented with a glass of Marisco’s Diamond Heart Blanc de Blancs 2018 to enjoy with Oyster with Tomato and Cucumber Mignonette and delectable bite-sized venison sausage rolls. This luscious sparkling wine is a particularly special part of the Marisco Vineyards’ offering. “Diamond Heart epitomises sparkling beauty and is a tribute to Rosemary Marris, co-owner of Marisco Vineyards, wife of Brent Marris and mother to their four daughters,” say Marisco. “She is the vibrant heart of their family but also very much the esteemed matriarch of ours. Much like a diamond, often adding a touch of
panache and glamour, she helps us drive the company forward, always with a sparkle and a smile.”
And so, the evening began in great style. During dinner we heard from dish Editor Sarah Tuck, Marisco Vineyards’ General Manager Sales and Marketing Siobhan Wilson who entertained with tales of the Marris family relatives of yore, and Kol Head Chef Vicky Shah who explained the flavourpacked, predominantly fire-based menu. Particular standouts from the stunning food and wine pairings were the Oyster Mushrooms with Ghost Chilli and Macadamia with The King’s Bastard Chardonnay 2021 and the Spiced Lamb Ribs with Date and Gunpowder teamed with The King’s Wrath Pinot Noir 2021.
By the time the Quark ‘mishti doi’ with Rhubarb and Buckwheat had been served with a glass of The Kings Series ‘A Sticky End’ Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2021, the room was
buzzing with conversation punctuated with laughter. Dine with dish events are so much more than just a night out to enjoy worldclass food and drinks – they are a gathering of the like-minded community that makes up the dish audience. Inevitably, guests mingle, chat, share the experience and by evening’s end, the room is full of new and old friends.
While it’s well known that the terroir on this beloved island is ideal for growing wine, it is less recognised that the mineral-rich soils also provide the ideal growing conditions for olives. Waiheke’s microclimate makes it warmer and drier than the mainland, and the salty sea breezes also help to pollinate the olive trees and reduce pests and leaf moulds.
Recently established on the island by ex-coffee visionary Mike Allpress, Allpress Olive Groves is on a mission to share the experience of its awardwinning collection with New Zealanders and the world by establishing Waiheke as an appellation for top-notch extra virgin olive oil.
With a growing team of farmers, growers and craft blenders living and working on the island, Mike is committed to investing in the land, people, and the community of Waiheke.
The Allpress Olive Groves line-up features a range of award-winning extra virgin olive oils – the latest of which is the Allpress selection, featuring refreshing, clean flavours that evoke the unique nature of the environment. The already well-known number29 blend is beloved for bringing flavours to life in restaurant and home kitchens alike, while Rangihoua Estate features extra virgin olive oil from the very first trees planted on the estate. With opportunities to visit and taste the range, and product available to buy onsite at the Tasting Room and online, it is easy to join the growing community of devotees.
In addition to plans to extend the offering with an Allpress Olive Groves Bistro, there are already four boutique accommodation options available where guests can stay and immerse themselves in the island experience. The largest, Rangihoua Villa, is a stunning characterful home,
complete with a fully-equipped chef’s kitchen with spacious walk-in pantry, indoor dining for eight and a generous lounge with a wood burning fire. Outside, the in-ground swimming pool is surrounded by tropical gardens while the outdoor dining space features a gas grill and views out to Rangitoto Island.
Whether as part of a day trip, a relaxing week away, or by heading online to allpressolivegroves.co.nz, you too can enjoy the outstanding liquid gold that is Allpress extra virgin olive oil.
For more information about Allpress Olive Groves visit: Web allpressolivegroves.co.nz
@allpressolivegroves
Facebook: allpressolivegroves
“The Allpress Olive Groves line-up features a range of award-winning, health-promoting, extra virgin olive oils”
food news, reviews and inspiration
from a caf é or restaurant because I love experiencing new foods, but the chokehold that the Orange Bulle at this market stand have on me is something else. If you live nearby and are free on a Saturday morning, have a wholesome moment at the market and pick up a sweet treat! I’m already excited about the weekend just thinking about it. @lillabageri
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There’s no rest for the food-obsessed... when the dish team isn’t bringing you delicious recipes, we’re out there trawling far and wide in search of tasty fare. Below, we share our latest favourite haunts.
1
Sarah Tuck, Editor
Lilian, Grey Lynn : It had been a while since my last visit, but PD and I managed a night out a few weeks ago and were quick to settle in with the obligatory negroni and a rumbased ‘Spiced Hurricane’. Dinner was sorted in quick order, starting with their famous puffy, golden woodfired bread with a luscious dollop of chicken liver parfait. Next up, the wood-fired eggplant with macadamia and agrodolce was charred and gorgeous and the lamb ribs with black garlic and pistachio a must-order –smallish but stunning.
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I love it when the flavours and textures are so satisfying, massive amounts of food aren’t required to feel fully satiated! lilian.co.nz
Scandinavian Micro Bakery, Howick: This is a rather niche food experience but it has become so ingrained in my Saturday morning routine that I felt I had to share –the Howick Village Market, but in particular Lilla’s Scandinavian Micro Bakery. I have never been the person to order the same thing twice
Cassie
Marinara, Hawthorne : On a recent trip to Australia, the Fettuccine Carbonara with bacon, mushroom and onion in a creamy sauce with shredded fresh parmesan at Marinara Ristorante Caf é in Hawthorne, Brisbane, was something special. Plus, the atmosphere is electric as soon as you make your way to the entrance, with the Italian-inspired design. The staff were incredible – full of energy to start your dining experience off with some fun! marinara.com.au
Shaolin Kung Fu Noodle, Mt Eden : This one has been on my faves list for many many years. It’s great when you need a big bowl of comfort food that only added spice can fix. Like many faves, you stick to what you love. For me, it’s dumplings – fennel and egg, pan-fried of course. Then there’s the Dan Dan noodles with added chilli oil – the spice you need to clear the head. There is also the added theatre of the chefs making hand-pulled noodles… masters at work. kungfunoodle.co.nz
Everyday, Sandringham: I recently discovered a brand new gem of a coffee shop in a close-by neighbourhood, and it has quickly become my favourite spot to start my Saturday! The cosy atmosphere is inviting, with warm decor and comfortable seating. Their coffee is simply divine and never disappoints. They also offer a delightful selection of bagels and treats that pair perfectly with my morning cup. This charming coffee shop has truly made my mornings brighter! @everyday.coffee.nz
from the team
We need you! At dish we are constantly checking in to make sure that our content is hitting the spot with our audience. One way to be sure, is through our evergrowing success at retail (thank you!), and another is by asking. We would love
you to use the QR code on the right, to be directed to a 5-minute survey, designed to help us give you more of what you love… and less of what you don’t! And once you’re done you will be in to win + a $200 Prezzy Card to spend as you wish.
Pani Puri with potato, chickpea, mint and spiced Pani Puri water
Goat Cheese and Corn Fritter
Prawn and Crab Cones
Tandoori Chicken Taco
Mushroom, Green Chilli and Truffle
Beef Short-rib Vindaloo
Chocolate, Coffee Miso
Cassia’s new location feels elegant, new and exciting, yet familiar with the same heart and spectacular flavours
Sid Sahrawat’s name is synonymous with fine dining and elevated Indian flavours, and the relocation of his renowned restaurant Cassia, from Fort Lane to SkyCity in Federal Street, has provided an opportunity to continue his quest to review, refine and excel. I chatted to Sid about the relocation and how it came together, with the catalyst being Auckland’s recent unprecedented rainfall levels.
“We realised we needed to move the evening the rain began pouring down the steps, into the restaurant, for the second time in just 10 months. While we were able to quickly adapt and bring Cassia back as a pop-up, we knew we needed to find a new home or face more uncertainty.
“We were lucky to meet David Allott, the GM of hospitality at SkyCity, in February. David showed us through the site which had formerly been occupied by The Grill and from the moment Chand and I walked through the doors, we knew it had the bones we needed to transform it into Cassia’s new home.”
Sid is joined at the helm of his thriving restaurant business by talented co-founder and wife, Chand. Both were thrilled that they were able to take their long-standing staff with them for the move.
“Our team is like family to us, and it was really important for us to remain together. We lost a lot of our routine with the floodings, and while the pop-ups kept
the team motivated, we missed having one main place to connect.”
Not only does Chand look after much of the operational side of the business, it turns out she also has a secret talent for interior design – so who better to orchestrate the refurbishment of the SkyCity location?
“It feels like a whirlwind! We first met with SkyCity in late February, and after a short negotiation period decided to join the SkyCity precinct in early March. Cassia opened on May 12 so the refurbishment itself was a record-breaking six weeks from start to finish.” Chand was a bit nervous being tasked with the design as she had just recently done the fitout for sister restaurant Kol and knew how big a task it was, but SkyCity reassured her. “They equipped us with an excellent project manager and great contractors. It helped that we didn’t need to make too many changes to the existing space, and we brought some familiar elements from our Fort Lane location with us.”
When asked about the dining experience, Sid felt confident that both established customers and new ones would enjoy the difference and become accustomed to the new restaurant configuration.
“The obvious difference is the space. Cassia on Fort Lane had an underground, industrial vibe; Cassia at SkyCity is more plush and feels more elegant.
Mushroom, Green Chilli and Truffle.
“We realised we needed to move the evening the rain began pouring down the steps, into the restaurant”
Prawn and Crab Cones. The familiar striking art from Fort Lane is replicated here.
“We wanted Cassia to feel cosy and familiar, yet modern and refined. Chand has pulled elements from the old Cassia into the design so that guests find familiarity.”
Sid has weathered many challenges throughout his hospitality career, and through that has learned lessons and gained insights he is happy to share: “Just when you have everything going great and feel like you have figured it out, the unexpected comes your way and you have to respond in the best way possible with no blueprint – just your instincts. Also, build a network of support people who will be there for you both personally and professionally.”
“I am grateful to my amazing wife Chand who has been my partner and biggest cheerleader. Together we have battled through the pandemic and two horrible
weather events, and I’m so proud that we have come through the other end. I am also grateful for our hospo community who are there for each other in hard times.”
Having had the opportunity to dine at Cassia in its original location, it was with great enthusiasm we booked in for dinner on a recent chilly evening. On arrival, although the surrounds looked a little more formal than in Fort Lane, the modern, buzzy music immediately made it feel more relaxing. The emerald-turquoise banquette seating has a glowing, ‘touch me’ warmth and at 6pm there were already several packed tables and laughter in the air. We started with my standard, a Cassia Negroni – this one appropriately featuring cassia, a variety of cinnamon, and a carrot garnish. PD went for a rum-forward Amore Speziato. Both pleased with our choices, we quickly made our way through a selection of nibbles.
We couldn’t go past the Pani Puri, with potato, chickpea and mint and a very healthy dose of spiced Pani Puri water – these are definitely one-bite wonders! Next, the delectable Goat Cheese and Corn Fritter with ghost chilli, and – my favourite – the Prawn and Crab Cones. With a lightly crunchy spring roll-like exterior, the filling combines crab and prawn with coconut milk and flavour-bursting finger lime, topped with salmon roe. The Tandoori Chicken ‘taco’,
with sausage-shaped cylindrical chicken, has a sneaky subtle heat and a crisp slaw on a soft taco.
Eschewing any more of the smaller dishes, we then headed straight to the sharing part of the menu with Mushroom, Green Chilli and Truffle. Sid’s menu reads deceptively simply – this surprising combination, with a melding of truffle mushrooms and coconut milk, black garlic and chilli, makes you stop and assess what is happening on your palate with a pleasing recalibration. Vindaloos are often thought to be fiercely hot and not a choice for the spice-shy. We found the Beef Short-rib Vindaloo the opposite – with its rich tomato sauce, the flavours were complex but certainly not over-bearingly hot.
Just when I thought I couldn’t manage another bite, a morsel of a newly developed dessert appeared – deliciously nubbly carrot cake with a contrasting smooth cardamom cream. An absolute delight. And the final bite was of Sid’s new signature dessert. Humbly listed as Chocolate, Coffee Miso on the menu, it is in fact an artfully-constructed chocolate sphere shell which cracks to reveal honeycomb miso, raspberry sorbet, and hazelnut sponge on a base of coffee mousse.
Cassia may have changed its site, but the heart is very much still on show in the new home.
“This surprising combination... makes you stop and assess what is happening on your palate with a pleasing recalibration”
Farro is the dish team’s go-to food store –our one-stop shop for preparing each issue. We highlight some dish essentials at Auckland’s leading food store
BIANCO DINAPOLI
ORGANIC TOMATOES
Deliciously bright, organic, vine-ripened tomatoes. Choose from whole peeled or classic crushed, perfect for all your warming winter cooks.
$9.99/each
A NOTE BEFORE YOU START: This recipe makes 1 cake so you will need to make 2 cakes if you want the layered version as shown here.
¼ cup raw white quinoa
1/3 cup ground almonds
150 grams butter, very soft but not melted
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
4 large eggs
11/3 cups muscovado sugar
1 cup good-quality cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake and put the oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
Cook the quinoa in plenty of boiling water for 25 minutes then drain well. I spread it out on a clean tea towel to absorb excess moisture.
Put the quinoa, almonds, butter, milk, orange zest and the vanilla in a food processor and blitz together for 1 minute until smooth. Add all the remaining ingredients and process until it’s thick and smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times.
BONE MARROW
An absolute delicacy, full of buttery umami flavour. Perfect roasted and smeared on crusty bread with a bright herby salsa.
$21.99/kg
FARRO X FATIMAS BUTTERFLIED LAMB LEG
Succulent New Zealand Lamb marinated in the signature Fatima’s flavours. Wonderful for winter entertaining.
$35.99/kg
LE TRIBUTE MIXERS
These sensational Spanish mixers elevate even the simplest of drinks, with classic Tonic, a spicy Ginger
Beer and stunning Olive Lemonade.
$20.99 4 pack farro.co.nz
TO SERVE
Whipped Chocolate Ganache, see recipe below edible flowers, for garnish
EQUIPMENT: Grease a 20cm springform cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Transfer the batter to the tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin before removing and topping with the Whipped Chocolate Ganache. SERVES 8-10
Makes enough ganache for the layered cake. (Halve the amount if you are only making one cake).
400 grams dark chocolate (72% cocoa), chopped and melted
2 cups cream
Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just simmering. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and leave to sit for 3 minutes then whisk until smooth.
Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until slightly thickened.
Whisk until smooth and silky. Spread half on top of
one of the cakes, add the second cake and swirl over the remaining ganache. Decorate with edible fresh flowers.
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We chat with Flip Grater, co-founder of plant-based Grater Goods, to learn more about the brand’s gourmet deli products
How did Grater Goods come about?
Flip: I had been working as a musician, touring around. And then when my daughter Anaïs was born, I felt like I needed to be doing more every day for the planet – so I pivoted into my other passion, which has always been food, and decided to start a food business. The name Grater Goods is a reference to my grandfather, whose family business was a butchery in England – Grater and Sons. It was a fun idea to have some family history and create a vegan butchery, which has now moved into a delicatessen.
What is your approach to sustainability when it comes to packaging?
Flip: We’re mindful in everything we do. We have gone backwards and forwards about all the different types of packaging options currently available and made conscious choices at every step. We also really lean into the ability to have quite a circular business model because of the various arms of the business: the café kitchen, the retail space, the factory space. We can rotate some products through those different outlets to reduce waste.
Tell us about the Grater Goods bistro?
Flip: It’s modelled on the French restaurant style – a café in the day and restaurant at night, not open early in the morning and not open too late at night. We do table service and really care about hosting people beautifully –having a space that is not pretentious, but every aspect of it is done with care, with excellent food and excellent service.
Where are Grater Goods’ products made, and how are they made?
Flip: We have a kitchen space in Woolston that we set up last year, and we have a team out there that create our products by hand – we like to lean into traditional techniques with a modern flavour palette and with modern planetary priorities in mind.
We lean on that European heritage to look at how food has been preserved over the years, looking at culturing and curing and creating things like seitan – an ancient technique that started in China centuries ago that is a form of washing wheat flour. So, we are using very ancient techniques to meet modern needs!
What are some of your favourite Grater Goods products?
Flip: It’s important to make things that are natural, but also super delicious and a real alternative as opposed to a dry, unpleasant option. We really believe that everybody wants to make better choices every day, but nobody is going to do so if those choices feel like a sacrifice.
I’ve got lots of favourites! Our delicious Pastrami is the most popular product that we make, and that’s been a gamechanger for us because for a really long time the plant-based market was dominated by female consumers. There’s been a big shift and widening of that consumer range over the past five years. We’ve seen it even within the time that we’ve been involved in plant-based. So things that dudes love, like pastrami, is a really great thing!
What’s your favourite thing about running Grater Goods?
Flip: It’s a massive highlight every time somebody comes in and says, ‘Oh, I can’t believe how many options you have available’. I love getting on the floor, especially at Christmas time, and being in the retail space to greet people and get face-to-face because it’s satisfying when people come in and they’re like, ‘I’ve got three plant-based people coming for Christmas and I don’t know what to serve them’, and I can help. It is a tricky transition if you don’t know how to make plantbased food or what’s available, and that’s where I love to help
gratergoods.co.nz
@grater_goods @flipgrater
local producer Flip Grater, co-founder of Grater Goods.A flavourful spice available in ground and whole form, nutmeg is a seed from the inner portion of its fruit
A seed from the Myristica plant, nutmeg was worn in the Middle Ages as an amulet to fend off disease, injury and evil forces. While this belief is understandably no longer in play, the spice does have a list of health benefits such as its antiinflammatory properties and powerful antioxidants.
Just like adding a sprinkling to finish off a dish, Resene Parsley is the perfect final flourish!
Equally indulgent and decadent, one ‘slice’ won’t be enough.
Bring a nutty warmth with this rich brown hue.
Pasta: A wonderful spice for bringing dimension to creamy dishes and a common béchamel sauce ingredient, nutmeg is often found in recipes such as Baked Pasta with Pumpkin and Amaretti (from issue #29 or at dish.co.nz ), and Three-cheese and Pumpkin Baked Pasta (from issue #102 or at dish.co.nz ).
Desserts: A versatile flavour, this ingredient is also common in desserts. Along with nutmeg, the combo of a thick layer of custard, chewy dates and a hit of orange transform the humble scone in Claire’s My Best Date, Orange and Custard Scones (issue #109).
Hailing from the French Alps, tartiflette is traditionally made with potatoes but we’ve used pumpkin and nutmeg to give it a delicious twist.
2 tablespoons butter
250 grams streaky bacon, cut into 2cm pieces
2 large brown onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and ground pepper
½ cup white wine
1½ cups cream
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1½ kilograms butternut pumpkin, peeled and seeds removed
250 grams brie or camembert cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, optional
Bring out the best in your home with delicious Resene colours.
EQUIPMENT: 6-cup capacity ovenproof baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the bacon,
onion and garlic with a good pinch of salt, until the onion is tender and the bacon is lightly caramelised, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and let it bubble up, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any sticky bits. Stir in the cream, sour cream, mustard, nutmeg and chilli and season with salt and pepper.
Cut the pumpkin into rough chunks and place in a large bowl. Tip over the contents of the frying pan and turn to combine then tip into the baking dish and spread evenly.
Cover loosely with foil and cook for about 35-40 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
Cooking time depends on the size of the pumpkin. Cut the cheese into slices and arrange over the top then bake uncovered for a further 8 minutes or until melted and gooey. Top with thyme if using and serve while piping hot.
SERVES 8
Resene Cumin Resene Dark Chocolate Resene Parsley food sleuth
Popular in hearty winter dishes, parsnip is closely related to carrots and parsley and is from the Apiaceae family
Found in many vegetable gardens across the country ready to be harvested, parsnips can be described as having an earthy nuttiness and toasted caramel-like flavour.
Perfect for this time of the year, Claire’s Roasted Beetroot, Parsnip and Apple Soup (from issue #31 or at dish.co.nz) brings the wow-factor to the dining table served in roasted butternut pumpkins. In the Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Soup (from issue #30 or at dish.co.nz), the parsnips are roasted – caramelising the natural sugars in the parsnips, developing a lovely nutty flavour.
Served as a side to Crisp Roasted Pork Hocks with Caramelised Onion Gravy, Claire’s Parsnip and Pear Mash (from issue #31 or at dish.co.nz) will be a new favourite around your dinner table, and even the most reluctant parsnip eater will enjoy the Swiss Chard, Bacon and Parsnip Tarts (from issue #36 or at dish.co.nz).
Roasting parsnips caramelises the sugars and brings out their sweet, earthy flavour. When combined with the pears and maple syrup, it makes a rich, aromatic soup.
800 grams medium parsnips, peeled and sliced 1cm rounds
2 ripe pears, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large brown onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup sea salt and ground pepper
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/3 cup cream
TO SERVE
cream, sour cream or thick plain yoghurt
Parsnip Chips, see recipe right
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
Place the parsnips, pears and onion in a baking dish and toss with the olive oil and maple syrup to coat.
Season well with salt and pepper then cover with foil to seal tightly.
Roast for about 40 minutes until tender, turning once during cooking. Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes to lightly caramelise.
Tip into a large saucepan and using a hand blender, blitz until smooth.
Stir in the stock and cream and bring to the boil then simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
TO SERVE: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a spoonful of cream, sour cream or yoghurt and swirl through. Add a grind of pepper and serve with parsnips chips if making.
SERVES 6
COOK’S NOTE: If you prefer a thinner soup, stir in extra hot stock.
PARSNIP AND BITE SIZE
1 large parsnip, peeled vegetable oil, for frying sea salt
Shave long, thin strips off the parsnip. A mandoline is best for this but you can use a vegetable peeler or a very sharp knife.
ROASTED GF V dish.co.nz | DISH 27
We asked one of our favourite Kiwis to share her food loves so we could create a dish especially for her
Television and radio presenter
A co-host each weekday for Coast breakfast radio, a television presenter, author, and coach for her children’s netball and footy teams, Toni Street is also a self-confessed ‘foodie’. From growing up on a farm in Taranaki, to experiencing her palate change as she moved to the city, I chat with Toni about all things food – including her love for a particular Hawaiian dessert she ordered on a recent family trip.
What kind of food did you eat growing up?
Toni: I grew up on a dairy farm, so we were very much a meat and three veg type of household. We had meat from the farm and as a girl I remember having a lot of mince, steak, schnitzel and sausages. Chicken was a rarity for us. It was a treat to go to the fish and chips store, a Chinese smorgasbord, or McDonald’s.
Is meat and three veg still a regular today?
Toni: My culinary tastes have changed quite a bit as our lifestyle has – I moved from New Plymouth up to Auckland, and went to Christchurch for university in between. I remember I’ve asked Mum several times before about why she never gave us spaghetti bolognese. I never tried it until I was about 20! Then I had my first spaghetti bolognese and I loved it –I couldn’t believe I hadn’t had it before! On the farm we just didn’t have much pasta at all, and when I think about it, we did have lots of mince so it would have been perfect. I made a lot of it in my university days and now that I’ve got children, it’s one of our family’s favourite meals to cook. We probably have it once a week – we’re all massive fans of it.
What other foods or cuisines do you gravitate to?
Toni: I’m quite a big fan of Asian cooking. Japanese is probably my favourite type of cuisine. I also really like making poké bowls for the kids. I find that they eat it easier because it’s colourful and it’s all bitsy and that’s how they like to graze. So we have a lot of that and karaage chicken on rice. I’m also really big on seafood. We didn’t have a lot growing up because we were on a farm, but now as an adult we have a lot. I love prawns.
Can you share a favourite childhood food memory?
Toni: I feel like so many of our favourite celebrations were always around food and we were always allowed to pick what we would have on our birthday.
There was a restaurant in New Plymouth that I used to ask to go to all the time. It’s not there anymore but it was bistrostyle and I would always order steak and chips. I’ve got really good memories of that. And we had a Cobb & Co., so I’ve memories of ordering the Pink Panther drink with those little crunchy nuggets. I also have memories of having big roasts all the time on the farm with lots and lots of people around so it was usually a roast beef with Mum’s crispy baked potatoes –you can’t beat crispy potatoes. I still have them now, but I don’t do the whole nine yards with the roast… but I haven’t let the potatoes go, that’s for sure.
What do celebrations and entertaining at your place look like today?
Toni: We do most of our entertaining over the summer months because we live close to the beach – during summer we have an open-door, open-house policy. There are kids here all the time and we’ll have the parents over for barbecues where I always try to make new and exciting, elaborate salads. My favourite one from the summer just passed is a Caesar salad and it’s reignited my love of the salad again. I make my own homemade crispy croutons with little bits of crispy bacon, then there’s the grated Parmesan and the boiled egg. I make my own dressing, as well. It’s become my signature for barbecues! But it needs to involve some form of delicious meat on the side, and I love a ribeye steak. For the kids, I love doing mini sliders – it’s so easy and feeds lots and lots of people. Then I always like to make a dessert as well, usually something chocolatey.
What’s a favourite dessert of yours?
Toni: I really like cold desserts. My husband is really into sticky date pudding and apple crumbles – the warmer things. But I’m all about cold desserts and that’s why I’m obsessed with Hula Pie from Hula Grill in Waikiki. I loved it so much, I tried to recreate it and it just wasn’t the same as when I first had it on a work trip last year, and again on holidays recently.
I do love a challenge, so on Googling the famous Hula Pie I was determined to replicate it faithfully for Toni – I’m hoping she loves it!
Recipe by Sarah Tuck
2 cups unroasted macadamia nuts
2 cups cream
395 grams sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract, optional
BASE
200 grams Oreo biscuits (11/3 packets)
40 grams melted butter
FUDGE SAUCE
1 cup cream
250 grams chocolate (50% cocoa), chopped
2 tablespoons dark cocoa
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
TO SERVE whipped cream reserved roasted macadamia nuts
EQUIPMENT: 1.75-litre capacity pudding basin or bowl.
For the ice cream, preheat the oven to 140°C fan bake and line the pudding basin with plastic wrap, leaving overhang on the sides. Whizz 1 cup of the macadamia nuts into a crumbly paste in a food processor. Put the rest of the nuts on an oven tray and roast for 7 minutes then cool and roughly chop.
Whip the cream to firm peaks. In a
Tips and tricks for the school lunchbox?
Toni: I’m lucky because in the mornings I go to radio, so my husband’s in charge of school lunchboxes. But I have to try and come up with some of the creativity and inspiration. I am really trying to get into flasks more this year – that way you can have leftovers because I find my kids, and a lot of my kids’ friends, are a little anti-sandwiches. They’d rather have a
separate bowl, beat the macadamia paste into the condensed milk with the vanilla and coconut extracts. Beat into the cream until fully incorporated, then fold in ¾ of the remaining chopped nuts. (Store the rest of the chopped nuts in a small airtight container). Pour the ice cream into the prepared bowl and freeze for at least 4 hours.
BASE: Line the base of a removablebase tart tin, slightly larger than the circumference of the top of the pudding basin, with baking paper (mine was 19cm). Whizz the Oreo biscuits with the melted butter in a food processor until the texture of damp sand. Press into the prepared tin and freeze for 1/2 an hour.
FUDGE SAUCE: Heat the fudge sauce ingredients together in 30-second bursts in the microwave until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted. Whisk until smooth and set aside for an hour.
Remove the ice cream and Oreo crust from the freezer. Carefully invert the pudding bowl over the crust and tug at the plastic wrap until the ice cream settles onto the crust. Remove the bowl and plastic wrap from the ice cream and freeze for an hour.
If needed, heat the fudge sauce for 15-20 seconds or until it is just spreadable. Remove the dessert from the freezer and spoon 2/3 of the fudge topping over it, spreading evenly to cover. Freeze again for an hour or until the topping becomes firm.
TO SERVE: Remove the Hula Pie from the freezer and cut into wedges. Serve each wedge with whipped cream, extra heated fudge sauce and reserved chopped macadamia nuts. SERVES 8
“The Hula Pie had a big impact on me because I loved it so much that I wanted to recreate it. And for someone that likes cold desserts, it’s just perfect”
flask with leftovers, whether it’s spaghetti bolognese or maybe chicken on rice. It’s easy and it’s filling.
Talk us through a day in the food life of Toni Street.
Toni: Every day I’m pretty formulaic with my breakfast because I have to pack it to leave early for radio. I’m obsessed with extra-thin Vogel’s; they’re so crispy and crunchy. So I’ll have two pieces of that with Pic’s Peanut Butter in the morning. For morning tea, I’ll probably just have a banana and maybe a coffee. And then at lunchtime, it’s whatever’s going. Sometimes it will be a poké bowl or I might make myself an omelette or cream cheese with tomato on toast. Then at dinnertime it’s everything and anything like spaghetti bolognese, or a lasagne that I’ve made or picked up from somewhere. And we do love homemade burgers. We also make homemade pizzas quite a bit.
Favourite drink?
Toni: My drink of choice is actually kombucha – I find it really easy on the gut. I love a raspberry lemon one, and I’ve got the kids all onto it as well – including my four-year-old. He asks me if he can have a ‘bucha’, that’s what he calls it.
What are some of your go-to cafés or restaurants in New Zealand?
Toni: Oh, I have lots. My favourite dayto-day is Scratch Café which is next to where I do radio – they have the most beautiful cabinet food. I find these days
there isn’t as much grab-and-go food that perhaps suits my lifestyle and I’ll always want something where I have to sit down and eat it, but Scratch has a wonderful cabinet selection. We go to the Torpedo Bay Café in Devonport sometimes because it’s got a really good outlook over the harbour and they do a real good, normal breakfast – you know, big breakfast and eggs benedict and things like that. If I want to have an indulgent breakfast – and I’m talking pastries – Chateaubriant in Devonport is a beautiful French café that, in my opinion, is the best French café in New Zealand. The pastries are to die for! If we were going to splurge and go out for a special dinner, undoubtedly we would go to Cibo in Parnell. I haven’t been there in a little while, but I’m turning 40 soon and that will probably be a place I go for dinner.
Tell us about a memorable meal of your life. What was special about it?
Toni: You can’t go past sitting down at our farm in Taranaki on Christmas day. My mum and dad go all out – the meal includes a turkey, a lamb, a ham, rösti, Yorkshire puddings with trifle and all the trimmings afterwards. So the farm Christmas definitely stands out in my mind as one of the best ever. In terms of dining experiences, I’ve spent quite a few wedding anniversaries and birthdays at Cibo and they always make you feel really special. I can just picture us sitting there, all digging into
the caramel pavlova. You’re always so full by dessert but when that comes out, I just have to do it because I just know how spectacular it is. And obviously the Hula Pie had a big impact on me because I loved it so much that I wanted to recreate it. And for someone that likes cold desserts, it’s just perfect. It has the Oreo cookie base with a macadamia caramel ice cream. Then the homemade hot fudge sauce on the top. It’s like an ice cream sundae on steroids.
What would be your last meal?
Toni: I would probably go something savoury, even though I am a sweet tooth. But if it’s my last meal, I want to make sure that I’m satisfied so I would probably go a beautiful piece of eye-fillet steak with some homemade chips. I’d also probably ask to have Hula Pie for dessert to myself, because I had to share with too many people while I was away!
“There are kids here all the time and we'll have the parents over for barbecues where I always try to make new and exciting, elaborate salads”
Make your way to Martinborough on Sunday 19th November to celebrate the 30th year of New Zealand’s most esteemed wine and food festival
Each year on the third weekend of November, Toast welcomes visitors to indulge on a journey across Martinborough’s picturesque festival sites. From vineyard to vineyard, festival-goers are given the opportunity to savour artfully crafted wines, delight in delicious food or discover something truly spectacular.
What’s in store for this year?
As Toast celebrates its 30th year, the 2023 festival promises to be truly memorable.
Twelve local vineyards will feature across eight beautiful sites. From revered favourites like Palliser Estate, Ata Rangi, Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard, Luna Estate, Tirohana Estate, Escarpment Winery and Moy Hall Vineyard, to exciting newcomers such as On Giants’ Shoulders, Huntress Wines, Big Sky Wines and Stad_ko Wines. To complement the exceptional wine selection, Martinborough Brewery will create a special festival beer, adding a unique touch to the beverage
experience. Supported by the region’s finest food, most revelled entertainment and carefully curated VIP offerings, it will undoubtedly be a blissful day amidst the vines.
This year, the festivities will extend beyond the Sunday, with a programme of supporting pop-up events, curated in collaboration with local Martinborough businesses. From Friday 17th November to Monday 20th November, visitors will have the opportunity to discover an array of exciting experiences – from gin garden parties and intimate tasting sessions, to delightful treats amidst olive groves. The weekend will be a showcase of Martinborough’s best.
We’ll be giving festival-goers the opportunity to add a touch of nostalgia and grandeur to their Toast experience this year, with a heritage excursion train making its way over the hill from Wellington and the Northern Explorer train journeying down from Auckland. With carefully curated on-board experiences, passengers will be
able to receive a taste of Toast before even stepping foot into Martinborough.
Mark your calendars
Get ready for an unforgettable experience at Toast 2023!
• The festival programme, including the supporting pop-up events, will be unveiled on the Toast website and mobile app on the 1st of August.
• Toast email subscribers will have exclusive access to discounted Early Bird tickets from the 14th August, with General Admission going on sale from 16th August.
• The festival will be held in Martinborough on Sunday 19th November, 2023.
To learn more and sign up to receive exclusive access to Early Bird tickets, visit toastmartinborough.co.nz
Chef Michael Meredith uses Miele technology to cook souffl é to perfection every time with ingredients from local producers and art isans
The use of sustainable, homegrown produce is important for esteemed chef, restaurateur and long-time Miele brand ambassador Michael Meredith. This is displayed in Miele’s content series, Homegrown with Michael Meredith, where Michael uncovers homegrown talent across Aotearoa – bringing to life the values he and Miele share: sustainability, craftsmanship and quality performance.
Anabelle Cheese is one of the local producers celebrated in the series. “There’s something special about produce that’s been made by hand because when it’s created by an artisan, you know it’s been crafted with passion,” says Michael.
Combining French cheesemaking tradition with quality New Zealand ingredients, it’s no wonder Anabelle’s cheeses are award-winning. Sourcing only the best ingredients from local farmers, Michael says you really can taste the love that is put into the creation of her cheese: “It takes a lot of dedication and care. She knows where to source the best milk from; she knows how each season changes the grass and you can really taste the difference.”
Offering a silky smooth texture and balanced flavour and aroma, Anabelle’s fromage frais is the perfect accompaniment to Michael’s Passionfruit Soufflé with Goat Fromage Frais.
“This dish is inspired by one of Anabelle’s favourite food memories,” he says, as Anabelle loves to pair her creamy goat’s milk fromage frais with the tartness of passionfruit. “The creamy texture, the savouriness of the goat’s cheese balances out the sweetness of the soufflé. It’s subtle, but also complex,” says Michael.
A harmonious balance of the two ingredients, this dish is certainly nothing short of delicious – all made possible with Miele. “When you’re cooking something as delicate as a soufflé, you have to get the temperature precise – and my Miele oven does just that. The Fan Plus function distributes the heat more evenly all around the oven, which means that my soufflé will rise perfectly.
“If you want to try more difficult recipes at home, Miele gives you the confidence to do that. This reminds me of the way Anabelle creates her cheeses: craftsmanship combined with precision.”
Head to mieleexperience.co.nz/homegrown to discover more.
Elevate your homemade sourdough by adding in the whey from your fromage frais to bring a lovely depth of flavour to your loaf. Once you have conquered baking, you can also experiment with using whey from any cheese product in lieu of milk or water in your savoury dishes.
Miele’s Fan Plus function distributes heat evenly. Chef and Miele-ambassador Michael Meredith.To learn more about Homegrown with Michael Meredith, visit mieleexperience.co.nz/ homegrown or scan the QR code.
FROMAGE FRAIS
200 grams goat’s fromage frais
1 tablespoons honey
PASSIONFRUIT SOUFFLÉ
150 grams passionfruit pulp, seeds removed (approx. 20 passionfruit)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons corn flour mixed with 1 teaspoon water
8 egg whites
110 grams (½ cup) caster sugar, to make the meringue
TO SERVE
2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
EQUIPMENT: Brush the inside of 8 x 200ml soufflé ramekins with butter and dust with a little caster sugar.
FROMAGE FRAIS: Drain the fromage frais in a muslin-lined sieve. Drain for 1 hour or until the fromage frais has thickened slightly. Discard the whey.
Place the thickened fromage frais and honey into a small bowl and stir well to combine. Place into the fridge until needed.
PASSIONFRUIT SOUFFLÉ : Place the strained passionfruit pulp and the sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil on high heat, induction setting 8. Boil until the mixture is reduced by half, around ⅓ cup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the corn flour mixture. Return to the cooktop and bring to the boil again. Remove from the heat. Place into the fridge until cool.
Preheat the oven on Fan Plus at 180°C.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a freestanding mixer with a whisk attachment and whisk on a high speed. Add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk until soft peaks form.
Place the passionfruit mixture into a bowl and mix in ⅓ of the egg whites, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
Fill the prepared ramekins with the soufflé mixture, tap the ramekins gently to remove any air bubbles and smooth the top with a palette knife. Place the ramekins on a baking tray.
Place the tray on shelf level 2 in the preheated oven. Cook for 10 minutes or until the soufflés have risen evenly and cooked through.
TO SERVE: Remove the soufflés from the oven and dust the top with the icing sugar. Serve immediately with a spoonful of the fromage frais mixture. SERVES 8
Passionfruit Soufflé with Goat Fromage Frais. Michael Meredith and Anabelle David.
Ever wondered what gatherings look like at dish editor Sarah Tuck’s home, or what dinnertime looks like for food editor Claire Aldous? Get inspired for your winter entertaining!
Story CASSIE BIRRER Photography JOSH GRIGGS
Unlike summertime when we all gather al fresco, winter is the time to cosy up indoors – maybe around a fireplace or with candles adding a touch of hygge and ambience. Picture a roast being brought out to the dining table, music playing in the background, and friends and family deep in conversation.
“For me, winter is a fabulous time to entertain,” says Sarah. “Low lighting and lots of candles bring warmth and energy to a room, while textures like lush cushions and soft throws add to the pre- or post-dinner lounging experience. Food in winter has the added bonus of bringing the high-comfort feels with slow cooks, flaky golden pies, falling-off-the-bone roasts and decadent puds slathered in sweet, saucy deliciousness.”
From small get-togethers on a weekly basis, to larger, more formal dinners held at her Ponsonby villa every six weeks or so, Sarah is no stranger to throwing a fabulous feast for loved ones.
“One of my favourites was many years ago when I created a massive Italian feast, and with The Rat Pack providing the soundtrack it wasn’t long before everyone at the table was raucously singing along to ‘That’s Amore’ and the singing continued well into the night!
“Music is the absolute non-negotiable element of a successful dinner party, I reckon. And it allows you to set a tone just as much as the food. I always match the music to the menu – does it suit chilled-out jazz (at the moment, it mostly does), a bit of 80s nostalgia, Italian classics, or a soundtrack inspired by a favourite movie?
“I very rarely play top of the pops-style stuff for dinner, unless it’s a night that ends with a bit of a boogie!”
As for the food? Both Sarah and Claire like to let guests serve themselves.
“We’ve moved on from dinners where the food is individually plated and served course by course; it’s never been my style or the way I like to engage with friends,” says Claire.
“What I feed people is usually based around what I’m testing for the magazine, so it could be very centric around one topic – say vegetables or seafood, and always a superb loaf of bread and great butter. We could be celebrating a significant occasion for someone, or it’s just a good old catchup. It’s always a casual, fun get-together with delicious food and great wines, usually supplied by friends who have amazing wine cellars.”
In the world of interiors, furniture pieces with dark wood tones are making a comeback – so it’s time to let those antique pieces shine! And Sarah is already one step ahead.
“I really love simple, white linen napkins, matt, earthily-coloured plates and bowls, and simple flowers. I am a massive fan of texture, so my table is rustic antique and wooden –it does a lot of the work for me in terms of setting a mood. Then about once a year, I break out my antique Belgian dinner service which is over 200 years old. It is so pretty and slightly delicate with dinner plates that are about half the size of what we think of as ‘normal’ today.
“For every meal, I use antique bonehandled silverware – I don’t know why exactly, it just feels so utterly pleasing and is something I’ve been doing for years.”
Claire is also a fan of texture and organic materials, with many of her serving dishes made by a friend who is a talented potter.
“Whether it’s a dinner service, cutlery, glasses or linen, everything I own I use every day. I love having them as part of my normal life and the stories of how they came into my home or who made them for me are constant and happy reminders that I feel we should all embrace,” she says.
What pieces would you use the next time you’re entertaining?
With the atmosphere and table set, what other tips do Sarah and Claire have?
“I always encourage friends and family to cook the style of food that they enjoy eating and are confident putting together, which gives them the security of knowing it will be delicious and relaxing – this makes it so much more fun for guests!” says Claire.
“At any time of year, my advice is to plan ahead,” adds Sarah. “Invite people who know each other well or who have similar interests and plan a menu that allows you to do most of the work in preparation, with just the finishing touches during the evening.
“And as a guest, when the host/ess knows me well enough to have my favourite drink (always a negroni) ready on arrival, it’s pretty spectacular!”
Now that’s amore.
Nothing says ‘comfort’ quite like a warm bowl of delicious pasta or gnocchi!
Embrace the comfort with a bowl of this herb and lemon-flecked gnocchi topped with rich, creamy mushrooms – and if you’re feeling very indulgent, a slice or two of truffled brie.
GNOCCHI
400 grams firm ricotta
½ cup grated parmesan
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (I used a mix of basil and parsley)
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup gluten-free flour (I use Sabato)
sea salt and ground pepper
MUSHROOMS
2 tablespoons each olive oil and butter
750 grams mixed mushrooms, large ones sliced, smaller ones left whole, use any combination of Swiss browns, portobello and shiitake
sea salt and ground pepper
½ cup vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
100 grams enoki mushrooms, broken into small bunches
150 grams truffle brie, optional
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
GNOCCHI: Combine the ricotta, parmesan, egg and the egg yolk, herbs, lemon zest, garlic and the nutmeg in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper.
Stir in ½ cup of flour then add enough to make a dough that holds together but is still soft and silky.
Tip onto a lightly floured bench and divide into 4 portions. Roll each one out to a thick log about 20cm long. Cut into 2cm pieces then place on a lightly floured tray.
TO COOK: In batches, add the gnocchi to a large pot of gently boiling salted water. Stir briefly to release any that may be stuck on the base and wait for them to rise to the surface, then simmer gently for 4 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon and place on a lightly oiled plate.
MUSHROOMS: Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and add the all the mushrooms except the enoki. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the stock and cream and bring to the boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce.
Stir in the lemon juice and add the enoki, turning gently to coat. Add the gnocchi and fold together.
Divide the gnocchi and mushrooms between warm plates and top with slices of truffle brie if using and a sprinkle of parsley.
SERVES 4
The classic combo of pumpkin and amaretti works beautifully in these easy gnocchi. It’s a simple but very delicious meal!
800 grams pumpkin, skin removed (I used Crown pumpkin)
2½ teaspoons sea salt
200 grams cottage cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
½ cup finely crushed amaretti biscuits
ground pepper
1¼ cups plain flour
SAUCE
100 grams butter
20 sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup pine nuts
½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
TO SERVE grated parmesan
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
Cut the pumpkin into 1cm-thick slices and place on a lined baking tray. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and roast until very tender and the flesh looks dry, turning once, about 35 minutes. Mash well with a fork then tip into a large bowl and cool. Add the cottage cheese, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, egg yolk, parmesan, amaretti and remaining salt along with a good grind of pepper and stir together. Add the flour a ½ cup at a time, adding enough to make a soft dough that will hold together but isn’t stiff. Tip onto a well-floured bench and bring together, then cut into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out into a thick log about 20cm long and cut into 2cm pieces. Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured tray and chill for at least 1 hour to firm up or up to 24 hours.
TO COOK: In batches, add the gnocchi to a large pot of gently boiling salted water. Stir briefly to release any that may be stuck on the base then wait for them to rise to the surface, then simmer gently for 4 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon and place on a lightly oiled plate.
SAUCE: Melt the butter in a large wide frying pan, add the sage leaves and cook for a couple of minutes until crisp. Lift out and set aside. Add the garlic, pine nuts and the chilli flakes and cook for about 3 minutes until the butter is golden. Take off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Gently tip the gnocchi into the pan and turn to coat in the butter.
Divide the gnocchi between warm plates and spoon over the butter sauce, the sage leaves and finish with a good grating of parmesan. Serve immediately. SERVES 4
COOK’S NOTE: The amount of flour needed depends on how dry your roasted pumpkin flesh is. Pull off a piece of the dough and cook it before shaping to test the flour ratio. If the gnocchi floats to the top and holds together while cooking, then carry on. If it breaks apart or is too loose, then I knead in a little more flour and try again until it holds together.
If you pop meatballs on spaghetti or in a crusty bread roll I’m a happy girl, and this creamy polenta is another fabulous alternative.
1 large eggplant, sliced 1½cm thick olive oil
sea salt and ground pepper
MEATBALLS
400 grams lamb mince
300 grams raw chorizo sausages, skins removed
4 slices streaky bacon, finely chopped
1/3 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs (I use Fogdog)
¼ cup cream or milk
3 tablespoons 'nduja
3 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons currants
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
finely grated zest 1 lemon
TO ASSEMBLE
2 cups of your favourite purchased pasta sauce
½ cup red wine
Creamy Polenta, see recipe below
parmesan for grating
Crispy Parmesan Crumbs, optional, see recipe right
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
EGGPLANT: Brush the eggplant with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a lined baking tray and cook for about 25 minutes or until just tender but not collapsing. Set aside.
MEATBALLS: Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and season well then mix everything together until well combined. Hands are best for this. Pull off large walnut-sized pieces and form into rough, rustic-looking meatballs.
TO ASSEMBLE: Tip the pasta sauce and wine into a large frying pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the meatballs and spoon over some of the sauce then transfer to the oven and cook for about 25 minutes or until fully cooked. Fold in the roughly chopped eggplant.
Divide the polenta between shallow bowls and top with the meatballs and sauce. Add a generous grating of parmesan and the crispy breadcrumbs if making. SERVES 4
4 cups whole milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 small sourdough loaf, roughly chopped
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
sea salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint or parsley
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Blitz the bread in a food processor until smallish crumbs. Stir the oil, mustard, garlic and parmesan together in a large bowl. Add the crumbs, season with salt and pepper and scrunch together with your hands so all the bread is well-coated. Tip onto a large, lined baking tray and spread out to a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes then give them a stir and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until deeply golden. Cool completely. Just before serving, toss through the mint or parsley. MAKES 2 CUPS
A good pasta bake is all about golden melting cheese, a rich creamy sauce and the lovely crispy edges on the pasta!
350 grams dried rigatoni pasta or other tube pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
600 grams boneless, skin-off chicken thighs
4 slices streaky bacon, roughly chopped
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½-1 teaspoon crushed chilli
1½ cups purchased tomato pasta sauce
100 grams cream cheese, diced, at room temperature
80 grams thinly sliced chorizo salami
1 cup grated mozzarella
sea salt and ground pepper
1 cup instant polenta
good knob of butter
½ cup finely grated parmesan
Put the milk, garlic and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to just below the boil. Rain in the polenta, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. If you want a thinner polenta, stir in a little more milk or boiling water. SERVES 4
Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions. Drain and toss with a little olive oil then set aside. Slice the chicken into 1cm-wide strips and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken on all sides then transfer to a large bowl.
Add the bacon and onion to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan is too dry. Combine the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, sugar, vinegar, smoked paprika and the chilli together in a small bowl until smooth then stir into the bacon mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes then stir in the pasta sauce and cream cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Pour over the chicken and stir together, then fold in the pasta. Tip into a large ovenproof baking dish or pan and nestle in the salami, leaving the edges exposed to get lovely and crispy, then top with the mozzarella.
Bake for 25 minutes until bubbling and golden. SERVES 4-6
I love all types of lasagne and this vegetable version is great to make when you want to load up on veges. It’s comforting and totally delicious.
FILLING
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, grated
2 medium zucchini, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
sea salt and ground pepper
200 grams frozen spinach, thawed
1½ cups frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon lemon zest
CHEESY B É CHAMEL SAUCE
50 grams butter
1/3 cup plain flour
2¼ cups whole milk
¼ cup white wine
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated aged cheddar
200 grams cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
sea salt and ground pepper
TO ASSEMBLE
300 grams fresh lasagne sheets
1 cup grated mozzarella
EQUIPMENT: Ovenproof baking dish approximately 26cm x 20cm.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leek, carrot, zucchini and garlic with a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Put the spinach in a clean tea towel and squeeze out all the water. Add to the pan along with the peas, thyme and lemon zest and cook until all the vegetables are tender. Season well with salt and pepper.
CHEESY B É CHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter in a medium pot then stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes until toasty. Whisk in half the milk until smooth then whisk in the remaining milk and wine and bring to the boil then simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring often. Take off the heat and stir in the nutmeg and cheddar and season well. Leave for 15 minutes then fold in the cottage or ricotta cheese, leaving it with some texture. Season with salt and pepper.
TO ASSEMBLE: Put a thin layer of béchamel in the base of the baking dish and place a layer of lasagne sheets on top. Spoon over half of the vegetable mixture and top with a third of the remaining béchamel. Repeat layering with more lasagne sheets, vegetables and béchamel, finishing with the last of the lasagne sheets and béchamel.
Scatter over the cheese and bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre will easily go through and the top is golden and bubbling. If the pasta is not fully cooked, cover lightly and cook for another 10 minutes. Leave for 15 minutes before serving. SERVES 6
This sublime pairing of walnut pesto – which hails from Liguria in Northwest Italy – with pillows of soft semolina gnocchi baked in a little cream and parmesan is what food dreams are made of!
ROASTED WALNUT PESTO
1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
sea salt and ground pepper
GNOCCHI
1 litre whole milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt and ground pepper
11/3 cups fine semolina
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
50 grams butter
2 large egg yolks
TO ASSEMBLE
1 cup cream
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
½ cup walnut pieces, roasted and roughly chopped
rocket leaves, to serve
EQUIPMENT: Grease a 22cm square cake or slice tin and fully line with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
ROASTED WALNUT PESTO: Blitz all the ingredients in a small food processor or with a stick blender until well chopped but not totally smooth.
GNOCCHI: Place the milk, garlic, nutmeg and a good pinch of salt in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Slowly drizzle in the semolina, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps forming. The mixture will become very thick. Change to a wooden spoon and stir continuously over a low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat in the parmesan, butter and egg yolks until well combined and season with salt and pepper. Tip into the tin and spread evenly. Dollop over half of the pesto and gently swirl into the gnocchi. Cool then cover and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours, or for up to 2 days. Reserve the remaining pesto for serving.
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake.
TO ASSEMBLE: Lift the semolina out of the tin and cut into 4cm squares. Pour half the cream into a medium-shallow ovenproof baking dish or frying pan and top with the gnocchi. Pour the remaining cream over the gnocchi and scatter the parmesan over the top. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until hot and the pesto is lightly golden in places.
Top the hot gnocchi with extra walnuts, a sprinkling of sea salt and some rocket. Serve the remaining walnuts, pesto and rocket separately. SERVES 4
LAMB SHANKS, BERBER SPICE AND CHICKPEAS WITH HERBY ZHOUG (recipe page 58)
This succulent French-style chicken is braised in one of my favourite sauce combinations that’s savoury, sweet, and a little bit spicy.
4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
sea salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon each ground turmeric and chilli flakes
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
long strips orange zest juice
1 orange
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup currants or golden raisins
2 long red chillis
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Dry the chicken with kitchen towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken, skin-side down until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Place in a large baking dish, skin-side up. Don’t wash the pan.
Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and the cinnamon stick with a good pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan is too dry.
Stir in the tomato paste, turmeric and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat and stir in the vinegar, letting it bubble up and reduce by half. Stir in the stock, orange zest and juice, honey, currants and chillis and bring to the boil.
Pour over the chicken and place in the oven and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Taste the sauce and if you want a sweeter version, stir in a little more honey.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and spoon over the sauce.
SERVES 4
I like to do a long and slow roast when using a sticky glaze as it delivers a beautifully coloured, juicy and tender chicken.
1.4-kilogram fresh chicken or about that size
sea salt
4 spring onions, chopped
6cm piece ginger, sliced with skin on
2 large brown onions, sliced
2 large Beauregard kūmara, peeled and sliced 2cm-thick rounds
sea salt
GLAZE
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Preheat the oven to 140ºC regular bake.
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen towels. Season the cavity well with salt then stuff with the spring onions and ginger. Loosely tie the legs together with kitchen string.
GLAZE: Stir all the ingredients together then brush a little glaze all over the chicken. Reserve the remaining glaze.
TO ROAST: Put the onions in the base of a large roasting dish with ¼ cup of water and place the chicken on top. Arrange the kūmara around the chicken and brush with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for about 3 hours, basting the chicken with a little more glaze every 40 minutes and spooning some of the pan juices over the kūmara. The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear from the thigh when pierced with a skewer.
Rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving with the onions and kūmara. SERVES 6
A big batch of rich and smoky bean chilli using many cupboard essentials with a couple of extras like dark cocoa and refried beans that give it a deeply satisfying flavour.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2 sticks celery, thinly sliced
2 red capsicums, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
sea salt
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 whole chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the tin
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 x 400-gram tins chopped tomatoes
440-gram tin refried black beans (I use La Morena)
400-gram tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400-gram tin black beans, drained and rinsed
Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot and add the onions, carrots, celery, capsicums and bay leaves with a good pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Put the garlic, chipotles and the sauce, vinegar, tamari, tomato paste, cocoa, cumin, oregano, paprika and cinnamon in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Tip over the vegetables, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes then rinse each tin out with ½ cup of water and add along with the refried black beans and the red kidney and black beans and bring to the boil.
Place in the oven and cook, uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until reduced and thick. SERVES 10-12
Easy, hearty and oh so delicious pork belly and beans are cooked low and slow. Delicious served with warm tortillas, wedges of cornbread, a creamy mash or over soft polenta.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-kilogram pork belly, rind removed, halved and cut into 2cm-thick slices
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons treacle
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoon hot English mustard
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken or beef stock (I use Gault’s stock concentrate)
400-gram tin crushed tomatoes
400-gram tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
400-gram tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
3 long red chillis
1 tablespoon apple cider or red wine vinegar
sea salt
Preheat the oven to 150°C regular bake.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or casserole dish and brown the pork well. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion, carrot and bay leaves to the pan and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, treacle, sugar, mustard, tomato paste, paprika and the cinnamon then season well and cook for 2 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan is too dry.
Increase the heat and stir in the wine then let it bubble up until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes and the beans and bring to the boil. Nestle in the pork then cover with foil or a lid to seal. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hours or until the pork is very tender, stirring the beans a couple of times during cooking.
Add the chillis and stir in the vinegar and cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes until the pork is completely tender when pierced with a skewer. SERVES 6
COOK’S NOTE: After cooking, you can tip half the chilli beans into a shallow container and cool quickly then cover and either chill for up to 4 days or freeze.
Use as a base for a soup, top with silky mashed orange kūmara and bake like a pie, use as a topping for baked potatoes with sour cream and grated cheese, over cooked rice, in tacos, or wrapped in flatbreads.
COOK’S NOTE: We stirred some of the Herby Zhoug (see recipe page 58) through thick plain Greek yoghurt to serve alongside the pork and beans.
TEXAS-STYLE BRAISED PORK ’N BEANS
These slow-cooked, melt-in-the-mouth lamb shanks have a sweet hit from the dates along with a kick from the vibrant, herby zhoug just before serving – making this the perfect, hearty winter meal.
4 meaty lamb shanks
sea salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 red onions, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons berber spice mix (I use Alexandra’s)
1 tablespoon harissa or more to taste
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
400-gram tin crushed tomatoes
½ cup beef stock (I use Gault’s Beef stock concentrate)
2 x 400-gram tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
8 fresh dates, pitted
TO SERVE Herby Zhoug, see recipe right
Preheat the oven to 160°C regular bake.
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown well on all sides. Transfer to a large casserole dish that will hold them easily in a single layer and tuck in the star anise and cinnamon sticks.
Put the onions, spice mix, harissa, honey, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blitz to
a coarse paste. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and season well with salt and pepper then tip over the shanks.
Cover with a piece of baking paper then foil or a lid to seal tightly. Cook for 2 hours then uncover and stir in the chickpeas and the dates. Cook uncovered for a further 1 hour or until the meat is super tender and is starting to fall off the bone.
TO SERVE: Tilt the pan and scoop off all the excess fat if serving immediately, otherwise leave to cool then chill. Before reheating, carefully lift off all the fat that will have set on the surface and discard. Cover again and reheat in the oven for about 1 hour or until the meat is fully heated through and the sauce is bubbling. Serve with the zhoug. SERVES 4
1 packed cup each coriander and parsley leaves
½ cup dill or fennel fronds, optional
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 long green chilli, roughly chopped, with seeds
1 teaspoon each ground cumin and cardamom
1 teaspoon runny honey
1½ teaspoons sea salt
½ cup olive oil
Put all the ingredients except the oil in a small food processor and blitz until roughly chopped. Drizzle in the oil to make a vibrant bright green sauce. Taste and adjust with more honey or vinegar if needed. MAKES 1 CUP
Soft and pillowy gnocchi adds great texture to this rich tomato soup, while the chorizo gives it a really great salty, smoky crunch.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 x 400-gram tins chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 small bunch fresh basil
2 dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
100ml cream
sea salt and cracked pepper
TO ASSEMBLE
500 grams purchased potato gnocchi
100 grams chorizo sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons basil pesto parmesan cheese, grated
This sweet and creamy carrot soup is topped with a punchy coriander salsa and spicy chaat masala chickpea crumb.
CHAAT CHICKPEA CRUMB
400-gram tin chickpeas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
sea salt and cracked pepper
1½ teaspoons chaat masala
CORIANDER SALSA
40 grams coriander, leaves only
¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
SPICED CARROT SOUP
3 tablespoons olive oil
20 grams butter
1 brown onion, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
5 medium carrots, peeled and grated
750ml vegetable or chicken stock
sea salt and cracked pepper
200ml coconut milk
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and gently fry for 10 minutes to soften, stirring frequently. Add the dried oregano and garlic and briefly fry. Add the tomato paste and fry for a further 3-4 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes, stock, basil, bay leaves and brown sugar, cover loosely and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
Transfer the soup to a food processor or use a stick blender to blitz the soup until it’s smooth. Return to the pot and add the cream, heat through and season to taste.
TO ASSEMBLE: Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted water using packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a food processor, blitz the chorizo to a rough crumb. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry for 5-7 minutes, or until golden and crispy, then drain off the fat.
Ladle the soup into the bowls, top with the gnocchi, a dollop of pesto and chorizo crumbs. Serve with grated parmesan cheese. SERVES 4
EQUIPMENT: Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake.
CHAAT CHICKPEA CRUMB: Drain the chickpeas and place on a couple of paper towels to help dry them. Blitz the chickpeas in a food processor until a rough crumb forms. Place on the lined oven tray, drizzle with olive oil then top with the cumin seeds and kashmiri chilli powder. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper then toss to combine. Spread out evenly then bake for 10 minutes, toss then bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the chaat masala, toss to combine.
CORIANDER SALSA: In a food processor, combine the coriander leaves, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Process until smooth.
SPICED CARROT SOUP: Heat the oil and butter over a low heat in a large saucepan, add the onions and gently fry for 10 minutes until softened. Add the ginger, garlic and spices and fry briefly. Add the grated carrot and fry for 5 minutes to soften the carrots. Add the stock and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Gently simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the coconut milk to the soup then transfer to a food processor or use a stick blender to blitz until smooth.
Serve the carrot soup topped with a spoonful of coriander salsa and a few tablespoons of chickpea crumb. SERVES 4-5
The fabulous grilled cheese has had an upgrade with nutty gruyère, sweet caramelised onions and sage leaves.
TOAST
3 tablespoons olive oil
30 grams butter
3 large brown onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
sea salt and cracked pepper
6 thick slices crusty fresh bread
150 grams gruyère cheese, roughly grated
SAGE LEAVES
12 fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon olive oil
parsley. Blitz using a stick blender or food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
EQUIPMENT: Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Place the almonds in a small ovenproof dish and roast for 8 minutes. Spread the sliced Brussels sprouts out onto the prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, then set aside. Roughly chop the roasted almonds and toss through the Brussels sprouts.
TO SERVE: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the Brussels sprouts and almonds. SERVES 4-5
TOAST: Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the onions, garlic and sage leaves. Fry for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened. Add the sugar and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Cook until the onions become golden and sticky.
Toast the slices of fresh bread then top with half of the gruyère cheese. Top with a heaped spoonful of caramelised onion and the remaining grated cheese.
SAGE LEAVES: Place the sage leaves in a small bowl, drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Place two sage leaves on top of each piece of toast. Grill for a few minutes until melted and golden.
MAKES 6 SLICESThis soup feels like a big hug! Nourishing and filled with greens, fabulous served with bread fried in butter.
CELERY AND PARSNIP SOUP
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 grams butter
6 celery stalks, chopped, leaves set aside
1 brown onion, chopped
6 thyme sprigs, leaves only
3 dried bay leaves
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
sea salt and cracked pepper
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
50 grams whole almonds
200 grams Brussels sprouts, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and cracked pepper
CELERY AND PARSNIP SOUP: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over a low heat. Add the celery and onion and gently fry for 10 minutes until tender. Add the thyme, bay leaves, garlic and parsnips and fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves from the soup and add the celery leaves and
Spicy and warming, this flavour-packed soup has a little kick. Served with Greek yoghurt and crispy onions.
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 grams butter
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
2 tablespoons harissa paste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
400-gram tin sieved and crushed tomatoes
2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 x 400-gram tin lentils, drained and rinsed
3 kale leaves
sea salt and cracked pepper
FRIED ONIONS
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, sliced
TO ASSEMBLE
4-5 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
fresh mint and coriander leaves, chopped
HARISSA AND LENTIL SOUP: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrot and celery and gently fry for 15 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and chilli flakes and fry for a few minutes, then add the harissa and tomato paste and fry for a further few minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock and caster sugar and gently simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the lentils to the soup and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove and discard the kale stem then chop the leafy greens. Add to the soup and cook briefly until the kale is tender but still bright green. Season to taste.
FRIED ONIONS: Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the sliced onion and fry until crispy and golden. Place on a tray lined with paper towels to drain off any excess oil.
TO ASSEMBLE: Ladle the soup into the bowls, top with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt, the fried onions and chopped fresh herbs.
The savoury spiced flavour of za’atar is subtle in these buttery pastry twists and can easily be paired with a range of soups.
500-gram sheet pre-rolled butter puff pastry
1 large egg, whisked
3 tablespoons za’atar
sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
EQUIPMENT: Line 2 oven trays with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 190°C regular bake.
Place the pastry sheet on a clean work bench. Brush the pastry with the whisked egg and evenly sprinkle over the za’atar. Season with salt then use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into 3cm-wide strips. Turn the pieces of pastry over and twist to create coiled strips.
Place on the lined trays and drizzle over the olive oil. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden and puffed up. MAKES 6-9 TWISTS
Bacon hock is a classic soup staple, the smoky and salty flavours work so well in this comforting and nourishing soup.
2 tablespoons olive oil
20 grams butter
1 brown onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 thyme sprigs, leaves only
3 dried bay leaves
1 bacon hock
2 litres reduced salt chicken stock
1 litre water
cracked pepper
2 x 390-gram tin butter beans, drained
1 tablespoon caster sugar
5 silverbeet stalks, stems discarded, and green leaves chopped
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over a low heat. Add the onion and celery and gently fry for 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and fry briefly until aromatic. Add the bacon hock, stock, water and a generous amount of cracked pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook with the lid on for 21/2 hours or until the bacon hock is tender and falling off the bone.
Using tongs, remove the bacon hock, cut the meat off the bone and slice into chunks, then return to the soup. Discard the skin and bone. Add the drained butter beans and caster sugar and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the chopped silverbeet and cook for a further few minutes. SERVES 4-5
COOK’S NOTE: The bacon hock makes this soup quite salty. I recommend using reduced salt stock and seasoning to taste at the very end.
This is the type of soup I like to make when I’m feeling under the weather or just need something really comforting. Using a storebought rotisserie chicken makes the process a lot quicker.
2 tablespoons olive oil
25 grams butter
1 large leek, trimmed and finely chopped
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 thyme sprigs, leaves only
6 sage leaves, chopped
3 litres chicken stock
2 dried bay leaves
1 rotisserie or roasted chicken
sea salt and cracked pepper
1 cup dried orzo
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons caster sugar
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the leek, onion and carrot and fry over a low heat for 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme leaves and sage and fry briefly until aromatic, then add the stock and bay leaves.
Remove the meat and skin from the chicken and tear up into smaller pieces. Add to the soup, season with salt and cracked pepper and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the orzo until tender and cooked through. Drain and add to the soup.
Finish the soup off with lemon juice, caster sugar and the fresh parsley. Season again if needed. SERVES 4-5
DOUBLE-BAKED ONION SOUFFLÉS (recipe page 80)
This is most definitely a ‘start this recipe the day before’ situation… but is so very worth it, and leftovers freeze brilliantly!
PORK
1 onion, thicky sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1.5-kilograms pork shoulder
sea salt and black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
fennel stalks from bulb, chopped (reserve bulb, see below)
2 bay leaves
SAUCE
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
sea salt and black pepper
finely grated zest of a lemon
2 x 400-gram cans
chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE
80 grams butter
½ cup plain flour
3 cups whole milk
1/3 cup white wine
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt and ground pepper
11/2 cups grated cheddar
2 bay leaves
TO ASSEMBLE
500 grams fresh lasagne sheets
1½ cups grated mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan
2 tablespoons cream
125 grams buffalo mozzarella, drained
EQUIPMENT: A 35cm x 25cm lasagne dish.
Preheat the oven to 150°C fan bake.
PORK: Put the onion in the base of a small roasting dish and sprinkle over ½ the fennel seeds. Put the pork on top, skin-side up and sprinkle with remaining seeds and salt and pepper. Pour the wine and water into the base, add the fennel stalks and bay leaves and cover tightly with foil. Cook for 6 hours, checking every hour and topping up with more water if needed. Make the sauce while the pork is cooking. After 6 hours, remove the fat from the top and set aside for crackling if desired. Shred the meat into the sauce.
SAUCE: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pot and add the fennel seeds. Cook for 2 minutes then add the onion, celery, fennel, chilli, salt, pepper and lemon zest and cook together over a medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, milk, wine and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Set aside until the pork is cooked.
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter in a large heatproof jug in the microwave. Whisk in the flour and 1/3 of the milk and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining milk, wine, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook in 1-minute bursts in the microwave, whisking in between, until thick and silky. Whisk in the cheese and pop in the bay leaves. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until ready to use. (This can be made the day ahead.)
TO ASSEMBLE: Put 1/2 cup of the béchamel sauce into the base of the dish and use a spatula to spread out. Line with a layer of lasagne sheets then top with ½ of the pork mixture. Spread over 1/3 of the remaining cheese sauce and 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat the pork, sauce and cheese layer, finishing with a layer of lasagne sheets. Whisk the cream into the remaining cheese sauce and smooth over the top of the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and tear the drained buffalo mozzarella into small chunks. Dot over the surface and cook for 35 minutes, then rest for ½ an hour and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes before serving. SERVES 10
I love cooking for my sons, and recently put this together for my eldest for a warming weekend dinner.
3 tablespoons olive oil
120 grams pancetta, chopped
1.2-kilograms Wagyu brisket or stewing steak
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
sea salt and black pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
large sprig of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups beef stock
1½ cups red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons plain flour
400-gram tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
GREMOLATA
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, crushed sea salt and black pepper
TO SERVE
125 grams burrata, drained and patted dry on a paper towel
300 grams pappardelle, cooked according to packet instructions, until al dente
Next level mac ’n cheese thanks to a cheeky little pre-roasted chook.
1 tablespoon olive oil
120 grams pancetta, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, halved, trimmed and sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon or sage
¼ cup white wine
1 small store-bought roast chicken, shredded off the bone
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE
50 grams butter
¼ cup plain flour
2¾ cups whole milk
½ cup cream
Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake.
¼ cup white wine
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
sea salt and black pepper
150 grams grated cheddar, plus 45 grams extra for topping
150 grams grated gruyère cheese, plus 45 grams extra for topping
1 bay leaf
TO ASSEMBLE
320 grams macaroni elbows
250 grams sourdough, sliced, crusts removed
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot or casserole dish and fry the pancetta for 4-5 minutes until it is crispy, then remove and set aside. Chop the beef into 4cm pieces, add to the pan and sear the beef on all sides, in batches, for a few minutes to brown, then set aside. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot, season well with salt and pepper, lower the heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, lemon zest and chilli flakes and cook for 2 more minutes, then add the thyme, bay leaves, beef stock, wine and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then add the beef, reduce to a simmer, (move the lid so it is just slightly ajar) and cook over a gentle heat for 3½ hours. Remove ½ cup of the cooking liquid from the ragù and whisk it with the flour in a small jug, stir back into the ragù and increase the heat, stirring until the sauce thickens. Cook a further 30 minutes, then add the beans and cook a further 5 minutes until the meat is tender and everything is heated through.
GREMOLATA: Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
TO SERVE: Serve the ragù with the pasta, topped with torn burrata and a good dollop of gremolata. SERVES 4-6
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the pancetta for 2 minutes, then add the onion and leek and cook together for 15 minutes. Add the garlic and herb and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the wine, cook for a few minutes to reduce slightly, then add the shredded cooked chicken and set aside.
BÉCHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter in a large heatproof jug in the microwave. Whisk in the flour and 1/3 of the milk and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining milk, cream, wine, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook in 1-minute bursts in the microwave, whisking in between, until thick and silky. Remove from the heat and add the cheddar and gruyère. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth, heating again briefly if necessary. Add the bay leaf and the pancetta mixture and set aside.
TO ASSEMBLE: Cook the macaroni elbows in plenty of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain well and add to the sauce with the chicken mixture.
Lightly butter a large baking dish. Remove the bay leaf and spoon the macaroni mixture into the prepared dish.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Put the sourdough slices in a food processor with the butter and remaining cheeses and whizz to make a chunky crumb. Sprinkle over the macaroni and cook for 30-35 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Serve sprinkled with parsley and with a simple winter green salad on the side. SERVES 8-10
Is it a soup or is it a curry? Who cares – I absolutely love the combination of Thai flavours and lentils with creamy coconut milk and zesty lime!
1/3 cup olive oil
½ head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 large kūmara, peeled and chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons fish sauce
½ cup Thai yellow curry paste
1 cup good-quality vegetable or chicken stock
400ml coconut milk
2 makrut lime leaves
1 cup red split lentils
3 cups spinach leaves
TO SERVE
1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted peanuts limes
flat breads
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Toss the cauliflower and kūmara with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and roast 20-25 minutes or until almost caramelised and golden. Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pot or deep frying pan and add the onion. Cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic, ginger, fish sauce and curry paste and stir to combine. Add the stock, coconut milk and lime leaves, bring to a simmer then add the lentils and cook together for 20 minutes. Add the kūmara, cauliflower and spinach and cook together for a final 5 minutes, then serve immediately with chopped nuts, lime halves for squeezing and flatbreads. SERVES 4
Arancini must be one of the simplest and most popular nibbles to make – I am forever throwing leftover risotto in the freezer to turn into delicious, fried golden party-starters at a later date.
12 grams porcini mushrooms
2¾ cups boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup arborio rice
2 tablespoons white wine
1 good-quality vegetarian or chicken stock cube
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
200 grams finely chopped portobello mushrooms
½ cup freshly grated parmesan
100-gram block mozzarella cut into 1.5cm cubes
4 cups breadcrumbs
3 large eggs, whisked
5 cups high-heat cooking oil
TO SERVE
1 cup good-quality egg mayonnaise mixed with one clove crushed garlic
Pour the boiling water over the dried mushrooms and leave for ½ an hour. Drain, reserving the liquid, and finely chop the rehydrated mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a big heavybottomed saucepan and add the onion, sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes over a medium-gentle heat, then add the garlic, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the rice and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. Add the wine and rehydrated mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk the stock cube into the mushroom-soaking water and microwave for 1 minute.
Once most of the wine is absorbed, add 2/3 cup of the stock mixture. Keep stirring, adding warm stock as it becomes absorbed, ensuring the rice never dries out. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the next lot of olive oil and butter together and cook the portobello mushrooms with plenty of salt and pepper, over a medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes. After 20 minutes of rice cooking time, add the cooked portobello mushrooms to the risotto with the last of the stock and cook a further 4-5 minutes – the rice should be cooked but not mushy Remove from the heat and stir through the grated parmesan. Transfer the risotto to a container and chill until cool. Okay –prepare yourself, this sounds like a real drag, but it’s not too bad! Take tablespoonfuls of cold risotto and poke a cheese cube in the middle. Roll into a ball then roll into breadcrumbs to coat. Do all of them, then starting with the first one again dip into the whisked eggs and roll in breadcrumbs again. You should end up with about 18, depending on how much of the hot risotto you ate before chilling. Store, covered, in the fridge for at least 2 hours before cooking and up to 2 days.
Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan until it has a sheen on the surface and a bread cube dropped in pops up to the surface golden in about 20 seconds. Fry the rice balls in batches of 5-6 at a time for 3-4 minutes until golden and heated through. Serve immediately with aioli or seasoned passata. MAKES 15-18
COOK’S NOTE: Instead of egg mayonnaise mixed with one clove crushed garlic, you can use 1½ cups tomato passata simmered for 10 minutes with 1 clove crushed garlic, finely grated zest of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon of chilli flakes and sea salt and pepper.
I really want you to give these a go – they are an absolute cinch to make, delicious to eat, and ridiculously impressive.
80 grams butter
550 grams (about 3 medium) brown onions, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon beef stock concentrate (I use Simon Gault) (or simmer and reduce 1/2 cup of beef stock by half and use 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons brandy 1/3 cup plain flour
350ml whole milk
¼ teaspoon finely grated nutmeg
200 grams finely grated gruyère cheese
5 large eggs, separated 300ml cream
20 minutes or until the soufflés are lightly puffed, golden and delicious, switch the heat source to grill for the last minute (keeping an eagle eye on them!) to ensure a golden bubbling top.
SERVES 6
A twist on one of my favourite mousse tarts, bringing in a naughty little extra with salty caramel to match with the dark chocolate goodness.
PASTRY
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons plain flour
3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
¼ cup icing sugar
20 grams butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
CHOCOLATE FILLING
200 grams dark chocolate
(70% cocoa), chopped
250ml cream
EQUIPMENT: Grease and line the bases and sides of 6 x 1¼-cup capacity ramekins with baking paper which comes 6cm above the top of the ramekins.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Heat ½ of the butter in a large, deep frying pan and add the onions. Season well with salt and pepper and add the caster sugar. Cook, covered, over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, stir in the balsamic vinegar, stock concentrate and brandy and cook a further 20 minutes until the onions are sweet and soft.
Melt the remaining butter in a large heatproof jug in the microwave. Whisk in the flour and 1/3 of the milk and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook in 1 minute-bursts in the microwave, whisking in between, until thick and silky. Whisk in ½ of the cheese. Use a stick whizz to purée the onions then add to the white sauce. Cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the egg yolks. Refrigerate for ½ an hour. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to medium-firm peaks. Take ½ cup of the egg whites and fold into the onion mixture to loosen. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold together.
Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins and place into a roasting dish. Pour very hot water into the roasting dish, coming ½ way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 25 minutes until soufflés are risen and lightly golden. (Do not panic if they are slightly one-sided or even a bit exploded at the top – they will be fine!) Remove the ramekins from the roasting dish and allow to cool for an hour – they will deflate and settle down. Once cool, run a small knife carefully around the inside of the ramekins to release the soufflés slightly, and tip out into another roasting dish or individual oven-safe dishes and store in the fridge until ready to finish and serve. Soufflés can be prepared to this point the day before serving.
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake. Sprinkle the soufflés with the rest of the cheese and pour over the cream. Bake for
120 grams butter, chopped into cubes
1-2 tablespoons iced water
SALTED CARAMEL
375-gram can caramel
condensed milk
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
EQUIPMENT: Lightly grease a 26cm loose-based tart tin.
PASTRY: Whizz the flour, cocoa, sugar and butter in a food processor to form ‘breadcrumbs’. Add the water and pulse just until clumps form. Tip onto the bench and squash together, then pat into a round. Chill for 15 minutes, then roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper into a circle slightly larger than your tin. Remove the top layer of baking paper and invert into the tin. Press in and trim the edges. Chill for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Line the pastry shell with baking paper, fill with baking beans or rice and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the beans and paper.
SALTED CARAMEL: Microwave the condensed caramel, golden syrup and butter together for 30-60 seconds until the butter is melted. Add the salt, whisk and pour into the tart shell. Bake for a further 8 minutes, until lightly crisp. Cool in the tin.
CHOCOLATE FILLING: Melt the chocolate and 100ml of the cream together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Don’t let the bowl touch the water. Cool for 20 minutes then whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat the egg whites to medium peaks. Whip the remaining cream to soft peaks. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then add the remaining egg whites and whipped cream and whisk together until smooth. Pour over the cooled caramel and chill for at least 3 hours before serving. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. SERVES 8-10
Drinks Editor Yvonne Lorkin suggests matches for these dishes.
Pear tarte Tatin
Super-easy and wickedly delicious.
350 grams ready-rolled, flaky puff pastry
40 grams chilled butter, chopped into cubes
1. BEEF RAGÙ
WITH BURRATA AND WHITE BEANS
Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021 ($24)
A strong silver medal winner in our recent syrah tasting panel, this wine is a rockstar with beefy ragù because it’s fresh, juicy and spice-saturated with fine, earthy tannins and stylish, savoury firmness. trinityhill.com
2. ARANCINI
Main Divide Te Hau Reserve
North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2021 ($30)
Named after Henry Te Hau
Tapu Nui o Tu Donaldson, grandfather of the current Donaldson family, (makers of Main Divide), this pinot is smooth, soothing, saturated with earthy spices and cherry, redcurrant and black tea notes on the nose and palate. Lush, plush and softly peppery, it’s magic with anything mushroomy. maindivide.com
3. DOUBLE-BAKED SOUFFLÉS
Matawhero Barrel
Fermented Gisborne
Chardonnay 2021 ($31)
It ought to be criminal how well this rich, ripe, robustly-
structured chardonnay heaving with roast peach, caramelised toasty oak, creamy, refreshing textures and nutty, nougat notes, pairs with these soufflés. Glorious. matawhero.co.nz
4. YELLOW KŪMARA, CAULIFLOWER AND LENTIL SOUP CURRY Starborough Estate Sons of the Soil Marlborough Pinot Gris 2022 ($22)
Hug the heat in this dish with the soothing, ever-so-slightly sweet baked apple and spiced nashi notes of this plush pinot gris. A ribbon of poached quince and peach, refreshing, cleansing acidity and tonguetingling textures means you’ve hit a home run, honey! advintage.co.nz
5. PEAR TARTE TATIN
Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked North Canterbury Riesling 2020 ($46, 750ml)
Handmade super carefully, the Aria erupts with caramelised citrus intensity, honey and toffee apples, and it bursts with beeswax notes on the finish. Supremely elegant, fresh and firing on all cylinders. It’s perfection with pear tatin. pegasusbay.com
3 medium pears (I used Beurre Bosc)
1/3 cup caster sugar
TO SERVE vanilla bean ice cream
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Cut a circle of pastry 1cm larger in circumference than a 23cm oven-safe frying pan and chill in the fridge.
Peel and core the pears and cut each into 6 wedges. Put the sugar in the 23cm frying pan with 2 teaspoons of water and cook over a medium-high heat until the sugar starts to caramelise. As soon as the sugar is a light golden colour – it will first become white and crystallised, then start to clear and turn golden – take off the heat, add the butter and whisk to combine. (It may look split and horrible at this point but don’t worry, it’s fine.) Arrange the pears in the frying pan, in a concentric circle as tightly packed as possible. My pears were a little on the large side, so I had a few wedges left over. Put the pastry on top of the pears, tucking the edges firmly down around the outside edge of the pears. Make a couple of small slits in the top of the pastry and cook 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp.
Cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving plate and serve with vanilla bean ice cream. SERVES 6
Simple, quick and stylish meals for any night of the week – maximum deliciousness with minimum fuss!
Recipes
Comfort food at its best. The orzo soaks up all the flavours of the chicken and spices, making a wonderfully rich pasta bake.
You can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes with this fast, fragrant curry.
PREP: 5 minutes COOK: 15-18 minutes SCALE: easy
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
4 small dried red chillis
3 double makrut lime leaves
1¼ cups coconut cream
2-3 teaspoons lime juice
3-4 pieces skin-off salmon fillets
sea salt
Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion, ginger and garlic for 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, sugar and fish sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chillis, lime leaves and coconut cream and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes until reduced a little then stir in the lime juice.
Season the salmon with salt and nestle into the sauce, spooning some over the top. Cook for 3 minutes then place under the grill until lightly golden and cooked to your liking. SERVES 2-3
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with hot cooked rice and warm roti or naan bread.
PREP: 30 COOK: 20-25 minutes SCALE: easy
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large boneless chicken thighs
sea salt and ground pepper
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon each ground turmeric, cumin seeds and chilli flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup white or red wine, optional
400-gram tin whole cherry tomatoes
1¼ cups chicken stock
¾ cup orzo pasta
100 grams feta
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then cook until well browned on both sides and almost fully cooked. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the onion, garlic, fennel seeds, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin seeds and chilli flakes with a good pinch of salt for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat and add the wine, letting it bubble up until almost completely reduced.
Stir in the tomatoes, stock and the orzo and bring to the boil. Tip into an ovenproof baking dish and nestle in the chicken and the resting juices. Spoon a little sauce over the top then place in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the orzo and chicken is fully cooked. Scatter the feta over the top and place back in the oven for a few minutes to warm through. Scatter over the parsley to serve. SERVES 3-4
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with hot cooked broccoli or wilted spinach tossed with a little garlic and lemon juice.
SPICED LAMB PIE WITH CURRANTS AND PINE NUTS (recipe page 92)
Possibly the winner on our photo shoot day, these buns are incredibly moreish and it’s easy to devour at least a couple.
PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 15 minutes SCALE: easy
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
500 grams pork mince
½ cup purchased chilli jam
¼ cup red currant jelly
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-2 tablespoon Sriracha chilli sauce
sea salt
SLAW
¼ cup kewpie mayo
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cups finely sliced white cabbage
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
TO SERVE
12 bao buns, steamed and hot extra peanuts, for sprinkling
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the mince over a high heat for 5 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon so there are no large lumps. Combine all the remaining ingredients and add to the pork. Keeping the heat high, cook for about 8 minutes stirring constantly until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork is very dark and glossy. Season with salt.
SLAW: Stir the mayo, vinegar and sesame oil together in a medium bowl and season with salt. Add the cabbage and peanuts and toss to coat.
TO SERVE: Fill the buns with the slaw and mince then top with peanuts. MAKES 12
Roasting the cauliflower brings out its natural sweetness and adding a flavour bomb topping of tarka takes this to next-level deliciousness.
PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 20-25 minutes SCALE: easy
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 medium cauliflower, cut into 1½cm-thick slices
sea salt and ground pepper
CURRY LEAF TADKA
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup very finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons each yellow mustard seeds and cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes or more to taste
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 stems curry leaves (about 20 leaves)
TO SERVE
1½ cups thick plain yoghurt
½ cup Indian mango chutney
Preheat the oven to 220°C fan bake.
Combine the oil and curry powder together then brush over both sides of the cauliflower. Place on a large, lined baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Put all the smaller bits of cauliflower on the tray as well. Cook until tender but still with a slight bite and the edges are lightly charred, about 20 minutes. If you want more charred bits, turn the oven to grill and cook until the desired colour.
CURRY LEAF TADKA: Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and when hot add all the ingredients and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly until the curry leaves are crisp and it smells wonderful and fragrant. Season well with salt.
TO SERVE: Spread the yoghurt over a large plate and swirl through the mango chutney. Top with the cauliflower and spoon over the tadka. Season with salt and serve immediately.
SERVES 3-4
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with warm roti or naan bread.
COOK’S NOTE: Tadka is an Indian technique that is also called ‘tempering’ or ‘blooming’. Cooking spices in hot oil unlocks the maximum flavour while being easy and super quick.
The dish crew loved the tart-crunchy-herby Brussels sprouts that top the creamy, soft polenta. This is what fast, weeknight cooking is about.
PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 12 minutes SCALE: easy
DRESSING
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon grain mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon runny honey
POLENTA
2¾ cups milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup instant polenta
good knob of butter
½ cup finely grated parmesan
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
600 grams Brussels sprouts, stalk end trimmed off, thinly sliced
½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
sea salt and ground pepper
finely grated zest 1 lemon
3 tablespoons finely chopped mint
3 tablespoons roughly chopped, roasted walnuts
Serve this Middle Eastern spice-flavoured pie with a bowl of thick plain yoghurt swirled with a generous dollop of harissa.
PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 50 minutes plus cooling time
SCALE: moderately easy
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, coarsely grated
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
500 grams lamb mince
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon each smoked
paprika and dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
400-gram tin brown lentils, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon plain flour
sea salt and ground pepper
1 cup tomato passata
1/3 cup currants
1/3 cup pine nuts
TO ASSEMBLE
500-gram sheet pre-rolled puff pastry (I used Paneton)
1 egg, beaten
1½ cups grated mozzarella
cheese
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
EQUIPMENT: Flat baking tray lined with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake.
DRESSING: Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl and season well.
POLENTA: Put the milk, garlic and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to just below the boil. Rain in the polenta, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth then cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and parmesan. Cover to keep warm.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and when melted, add the sprouts and chilli flakes, season well with salt and pepper and cook over a high heat for a few minutes until crisp-tender, tossing frequently. Stir in the lemon zest and half the mint and walnuts.
TO SERVE: Tip the polenta in a shallow bowl and top with the Brussels sprouts. Drizzle over some of the dressing, serving the rest separately, and top with the remaining mint and walnuts.
SERVES 2-3
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with a salad of shaved fennel, spring onions and white cabbage tossed with a mustard dressing with currants.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and carrot over a high heat for 5 minutes. Add the mince and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up any lumps with a spoon.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes then stir in the garlic, spices, lentils, Worcestershire sauce and the soy and cook for 3 minutes over a high heat. Sprinkle over the flour and season well with salt and pepper. Stir in the passata and cook until thick, glossy and well reduced. Add the currants and pine nuts then tip onto a large plate or tray and spread out evenly. Cool for 10 minutes then place in the fridge until cooled completely.
TO ASSEMBLE: Cut the pastry in half and place one half on the baking paper on the tray. Brush the edges with beaten egg. Sprinkle half the cheese over the pastry then spoon on the filling, mounding it into a rectangle and leaving a 2cm border all the way around.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the lamb, then place the second piece of pastry over the top and crimp the edges together with a fork to seal well. Cut a few small slits in the top of the pie then brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake for 30 minutes or until a good golden colour and the pastry is well cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
SERVES 6
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with wilted spinach folded through creamy mashed potatoes.
Melie brings her style to the dinner table with these curry recipes – all bursting with flavour!
Recipes AMELIA FERRIER Photography JOSH GRIGGS Styling SARAH TUCK
Crispy curry leaves and pomegranate arils add a fragrant burst of flavour to each mouthful.
KORMA PASTE
1 teaspoon each cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds
1 teaspoon each ground turmeric and paprika
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ cup roasted unsalted cashews
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 thumb ginger, roughly chopped
½ brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons flaky salt
2 large eggplants
¾ cups unsweetened full-fat Greek yoghurt
¾ cups coconut cream (I use the brand Kara)
1 tablespoon runny honey or brown sugar
sea salt
1 lime, cut into wedges
TO ASSEMBLE
4 sprigs curry leaves, leaves picked
⅓ cup unsweetened full-fat Greek yogurt
⅓ cup pomegranate arils
chilli oil and chilli flakes, to garnish, optional
Mustard Seed and Cashew Rice, optional, see recipe right
EQUIPMENT: A medium-sized roasting dish lined with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
KORMA PASTE: Heat a medium, non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Toast the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds for 1-2 minutes, tossing often, until fragrant (keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn, otherwise they will be bitter). Put the toasted seeds, turmeric, paprika, garam masala, cashews, garlic, ginger, onion, tomato paste and salt in a small bowl and blitz with a stick blender, until smooth. Alternatively, use a food processor. Add 1 tablespoon of water to loosen the paste, if needed. Set aside.
Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and score the cut side of the flesh with the tip of a sharp knife (scores should be about 2cm deep). Rub the eggplants all over, the cut side and the skin,
with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt. Place cut-side down in the prepared roasting dish. Roast for about 30-35 minutes, until very tender and skin is blistered.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of neutral oil in the frying pan on low heat. Add the korma paste and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and it has released its oils. Add the yoghurt, coconut cream and honey, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a further 20-25 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as needed, until thickened and the oil starts to separate out of the sauce. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt.
Once the eggplants have finished roasting, flip them so they are facing cut-side up. Divide the korma sauce evenly between the eggplants and spread out over the top. Return to the oven for a further 10 minutes, until the korma just starts to brown. Add the lime wedges to the dish for the final 5 minutes of cook time (this helps to release the juices from the lime)
TO ASSEMBLE: Meanwhile, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a medium pot on medium-high heat. Add the curry leaves and season with salt. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the curry leaves are crisp and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside to serve.
Dollop the yoghurt over the eggplants and sprinkle with pomegranate arils. Drizzle with some chilli oil if desired, and a pinch of chilli flakes. Spoon over the curry leaves and any oil from the pot. Serve the korma eggplants with Mustard Seed and Cashew Rice. SERVES 4
25 grams butter
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
¼ cup roasted cashews, finely chopped
1½ cups basmati rice
MUSTARD SEED RICE: Bring a half-full kettle to the boil. Add the butter to a medium pot on medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the mustard seeds and cashews and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the seeds start to pop. Add the rice and toss to coat in the butter. Add 2¼ cups of boiling water and a large pinch of salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 16 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and leave to steam, still covered, for a further 5 minutes. To serve, fluff the rice with a fork and season to taste with salt. SERVES 4
This slow-braised beef is aromatic, moreish and rich in flavour.
SHORT RIBS
1.5-kilograms beef short ribs, cut into roughly 5cm bone-in pieces (see Cook’s note)
2 teaspoons sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 brown onions, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick wedges
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 stalks lemongrass, bashed with the side of a knife
1 large thumb ginger, thinly sliced into rounds
3 makrut lime leaves
1/4 cup store-bought panang curry paste
2 cups chicken or beef stock
1¼ cups full-fat coconut milk (I use the brand Kara)
1 tablespoon white sugar
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
2-3 teaspoons fish sauce
CHILLI HERB SAMBAL
1 telegraph cucumber, cut in half lengthways, deseeded and thinly sliced
½ cup roasted and salted peanuts, finely chopped
1 large bunch each coriander and mint, finely chopped
1 green chilli, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
TO SERVE roti bread
cooked jasmine rice
SHORT RIBS: Pat the beef short ribs dry with a paper towel, and season with sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Heat a drizzle of neutral oil in a medium casserole dish on medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the short ribs for about 2 minutes on each side, until browned and seared all over. Transfer the short ribs to a plate and set aside.
Pour off roughly 2/3 of the fat and discard. Add the onions, garlic, lemongrass and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes, tossing often, until softened and browned. Add the lime leaves and panang curry paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. Add the beef short ribs, along with any resting juices. Add the stock, coconut milk and sugar, stir gently and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid (move the lid so it is just slightly ajar) and simmer for 3-3¼ hours, until the beef is very tender and falls off the bone. Adjust the pieces of beef while they cook to ensure they are always submerged in the liquid. Remove the lid for the final 10 minutes of cook time, to help the sauce reduce. Remove the lemongrass and discard. Add the lime juice and fish sauce, to taste.
CHILLI HERB SAMBAL: Put all sambal ingredients into a medium bowl. Toss together and set aside to serve.
TO SERVE: Serve the beef short ribs with the chilli herb sambal. Serve roti and rice on the side. SERVES 4
COOK’S NOTE: Beef short ribs usually come as a whole rack –ask your butcher to cut them into individual pieces for you.
I love using whole, shell-on prawns in a curry – the flavour they impart is hard to beat!
CURRY PASTE
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
4 cloves garlic, peeled
20 grams ginger, roughly chopped
1 large ripe tomato (200 grams), quartered
PRAWN CURRY neutral cooking oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1½ teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons tamarind purée
1½ tablespoons brown sugar
400ml full-fat coconut milk (I use the brand Kara)
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons water
650 grams frozen whole raw banana prawns, defrosted
TO SERVE
Pickled Onions, see recipe right
1 green chilli, thinly sliced coriander leaves, to garnish cooked basmati rice
CURRY PASTE: Heat a small pot on medium heat. Toast the seeds, peppercorns and chilli flakes for 1-2 minutes, tossing often, until fragrant (be careful not to burn the spices, otherwise they will be bitter). Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the garlic, ginger and tomato. Using a stick blender, blitz together for about 2 minutes, until very smooth and the whole spices have broken down (alternatively, use a food processor)
PRAWN CURRY : Heat a drizzle of neutral oil in a large, high-lipped frying pan on medium heat. Add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and cook for 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Add the onion and cinnamon and cook for a further 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and translucent. Add the prepared curry paste, tamarind purée and sugar. Cook for a further 6-8 minutes, stirring often, until reduced and thickened. Add the coconut milk and sea salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened. Add the water and the defrosted prawns, nestling the prawns into the sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes, tossing half-way through, until the prawns are cooked. Season to taste with salt.
TO SERVE: Serve the prawn curry topped with pickled onions, chilli and coriander. Serve the rice on the side. SERVES 4
⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons water
1 red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
Put the vinegar, sugar, salt and water in a small pot. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Put the onion into a medium jar, then pour over the hot pickling liquid. Secure the jar with a lid and place into the fridge to pickle for 1 hour, or overnight (the longer you leave them to pickle, the deeper the colour will be) MAKES 1/3 CUP
COCONUT, FENUGREEK AND TAMARIND PRAWN CURRY WITH PICKLED ONIONS
Nothing short of magic, you’ll be craving these desserts on chilly winter nights!
GF
Don’t be fooled with the ‘cookie’ business – this is strictly a dessert recipe, perfect topped with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
100 grams butter, softened, plus extra to grease frying pan
¼ cup caster sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
125 grams white or ‘blondie’ chocolate, roughly chopped
125 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
¾ cup unroasted macadamias, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
TO SERVE
vanilla bean ice cream
caramel sauce or golden syrup, optional
EQUIPMENT: Lightly grease a 24cm ovenproof frying pan.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
Put the butter and sugars in a bowl and beat together with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix in with ¾ of the chocolates, macadamias and sea salt. Beat briefly to combine, then press into the prepared frying pan and top with the reserved chocolate, nuts and salt. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce or golden syrup, if desired.
SERVES 6
I decided to add another layer of indulgence to this pud and made an Espresso Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce to pour over the top – up to you, the dessert is still perfect without it.
250 grams pitted prunes
½ cup boiling water
½ teaspoon baking soda
⅓ cup rum
100 grams butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Put the prunes in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Stir in the baking soda and leave to sit for 10 minutes then add the rum and leave for another 10 minutes.
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. Add the eggs, adding 1 tablespoon of flour in between each, and beat to combine.
Put the prune mixture along with any liquid in a food processor and blend to a thick, chunky paste. Add this to the egg mixture and beat briefly to combine. Sift in the remaining flour with the baking powder and cocoa powder and blend to combine.
Spoon into the pan or dish and smooth the surface.
SAUCE: Put the sugar, cocoa, butter and rum in a heatproof jug and pour in boiling water and whisk to melt the butter.
Pour the sauce over the back of a tablespoon, all over the pudding.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until the top feels firm. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving with either softly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and the Espresso Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce, if making. SERVES 8
Add this to your dessert sauce repertoire and it will become a firm favourite. Use it to serve over desserts, cakes, tarts and ice cream.
1½ cups caster sugar
1¼ cups cream, warm
80 grams dark chocolate (72% cocoa), roughly chopped
2 teaspoons instant espresso granules
2 tablespoons butter
1½ teaspoons sea salt
1¼ cups plain gluten-free flour (I use Sabato) or regular flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
⅓ cup good-quality cocoa
SAUCE
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons rum
1½ cups boiling water
EQIUIPMENT: Large oven-proof frying pan or 6-cup capacity baking dish, lightly greased.
Put the caster sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium pot over a medium heat and whisk to start dissolving the sugar. Use a small pastry brush to brush down any sugar that gets stuck to the side of the pot to stop it burning. Bring to a simmer, giving the pot a gentle swirl now and again to help it heat evenly.
As soon as the sugar is a good golden colour – it will first become white and crystallised, then start to clear and turn golden – add the cream in four lots, whisking hard after each addition. Take care as the caramel will froth up madly but keep whisking and it will settle down.
Whisk in the chocolate, espresso coffee, butter and salt to make a smooth glossy sauce. Pour into a bowl and store in the fridge until ready to use. Reheat by microwaving briefly or on the stovetop. MAKES ABOUT 1¾ CUPS
Every winter I make a steamed pudding and I especially love this combo of sticky glazed apples with the orange zest in the sponge.
APPLES
4 tablespoons golden syrup
2 tablespoons butter
3 medium apples, peeled, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
SPONGE
100 grams butter, very soft but not melted
½ cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 tablespoons orange juice
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups self-raising flour
TO SERVE Silky Vanilla Bean Custard, optional, see recipe below
Whisk the sugar, egg, egg yolks, cornflour, vanilla and the salt together in a heatproof bowl until smooth.
Whisk a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture then gradually whisk in the remaining milk. Tip the mixture back into the saucepan (along with the lemon peel) and cook over a very gentle heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. A heatproof spatula is best for this. The custard will thicken, but still have a pourable consistency. To check if it is cooked, run your finger down the spatula and a clean line should appear and remain visible for a few seconds.
Strain into a jug if serving warm, otherwise strain into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Cool then refrigerate. MAKES 1 ½ CUPS
The mashed pumpkin adds richness and flavour along with the warm aromatic spices and the little nuggets of walnuts.
EQUIPMENT: Butter a 7-8-cup capacity pudding basin. Cut a small circle of baking paper to fit in the base and cut a second circle to place over the top of the pudding.
APPLES: Melt the golden syrup and butter together in a large frying pan until bubbling. Add the apples and turn to coat in the sauce then cook for about 10-15 minutes or until tender but still holding their shape. Cool until just warm then tip into the base of the lined pudding basin and spread evenly.
SPONGE: Beat the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of flour with each one. Combine the orange juice, milk and the vanilla and fold into the batter, alternating with the remaining flour. Carefully spoon the mixture over the apples then smooth the top and cover with the circle of baking paper. Cover tightly with the lid or foil.
Place a small, folded tea towel in the bottom of a large, deep saucepan and put the basin on top. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the pudding for 1½ hours, adding extra boiling water to replenish if needed.
Remove the basin from the pot, rest for 5 minutes, then turn the pudding out onto a shallow serving dish. Serve with custard, if making, and softly whipped cream or pouring cream. SERVES 8
A simple classic custard that never fails to please.
250ml milk
50ml cream
2 long strips lemon peel
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
pinch sea salt
Heat the milk, cream and lemon peel in a medium saucepan to just below boiling point.
500 grams pumpkin, peeled and chopped into small chunks
125 grams butter, very soft but not melted
1 cup light muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
12/3 cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted, plus extra for garnish
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
1 cup cream
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon sea salt
EQUIPMENT: 4-5-cup capacity baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Put the pumpkin in a roasting dish, cover with foil and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Mash well then measure out 1 cup.
Reduce the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, adding 1 tablespoon of flour with each egg, then beat in the milk and the pumpkin. Add the remaining flour, combined with the baking powder, spices and walnuts, and fold everything together. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean.
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE: Place all the ingredients in a medium pot and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the cake is cooked and still hot, prick all over with a skewer and pour over ½ cup of the hot butterscotch sauce and leave it for a few minutes to soak in.
Serve the pudding with big scoops of vanilla ice cream, the remaining sauce and scatter over the walnuts. SERVES 6
We all love a good bread and butter pudding, and this version uses sweet scrolls from your local bakery or supermarket.
¾ cup sultanas
¼ cup rum, whisky or alcohol of choice
4 scrolls, halved horizontally, use cinnamon or a fruit scroll
415-gram tin apricot halves, well drained
4 tablespoons apricot jam, plus extra for brushing
CUSTARD
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
finely grated zest 1 orange
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
EQUIPMENT: 5-6-cup capacity baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.
Put the sultanas and alcohol in a bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes.
CUSTARD: Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
TO ASSEMBLE: Put the scroll bases cut-side up in the dish and spoon over the sultanas and any liquid left in the bowl. Top each base with 3 apricot halves. Spread the cut-side of the top halves of the buns with apricot jam and place over the bases. Poke each scroll several times with a skewer then pour over the custard. Set aside for 30 minutes, spooning the custard over the tops every 5 minutes. When well soaked, gently pull the scrolls slightly apart and tuck in the remaining apricots.
Lay out a large sheet of foil and place the baking dish in the centre. Pull the foil up and fold the edges together to seal tightly. Bake for 50 minutes then uncover, leaving the baking dish in the foil to catch any spillage and continue cooking for about 30 minutes or until the custard is fully set in the centre.
Brush the tops of the scrolls with extra warm apricot jam for a glossy finish, if desired. Serve warm with softly whipped cream or ice cream. SERVES 6
These little morsels are totally delicious – light and fluffy on the inside with a crisp golden crust.
¾ cup gluten-free flour (I use Sabato) or regular flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup milk
50 grams butter, chopped
pinch of sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
TO COOK
2-3 cups vegetable oil
TO SERVE
½ cup caster sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or more to taste
Dark Chocolate and Espresso Custard, cooled, see recipe below
EQUIPMENT: Pastry bag with star nozzle.
CHURROS: Whisk the flour, baking powder and cinnamon together. Put the milk, butter and salt in a small pot and slowly bring to the boil. As soon as the butter is melted, take off the heat and tip in the flour mixture and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick, soft dough and cleanly pulls away from the sides of the saucepan. This should happen quickly. Tip the dough into the bowl of a standing mixer and cool for 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat for about 2 minutes until it all comes together into a thickish, smooth dough. The dough will initially look separated and split.
TO COOK: Fit the pastry bag with the star nozzle and fill with half of the dough. Heat the oil in a deep medium-sized pot to 170°C on a sugar thermometer or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden in 30 seconds.
You can either pipe small blobs of the dough directly into the oil and snip them off with scissors or grease a piece of baking paper and pipe small blobs onto the paper, again snipping the dough off with scissors. Carefully dip a small dry palette knife into oil then under the blobs and place in the oil. I can cook about 10 at a time but it depends on the size of your pot. Don’t overcrowd the pot as the churros need room to puff up during cooking.
Cook for about 4 minutes, until deeply golden, turning them over often for even cooking. Lift out with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels then immediately roll in the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with the cooled custard for dipping. MAKES ABOUT 30
This custard isn’t very sweet as the churros are already dipped in cinnamon sugar and they balance one another out. If using the custard for other desserts, add more sugar if desired.
1½ cups milk
1-2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee granules, optional
½ cup cream
150 grams dark chocolate (72% cocoa), roughly chopped
1/3 cup cream
4 teaspoons custard powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar or more to taste
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Put the milk, coffee and the ½ cup cream in a medium saucepan and bring to just below boiling point. Take off the heat, add the chocolate then stir until fully melted.
In a bowl, stir the 1/3 cup of cream and custard powder together until smooth. Stir into the chocolate mixture and place the pot back over a medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring the custard to a simmer then cook over a low heat for 3 minutes until thick and glossy. Stir in the sugar and salt then taste and add more sugar if you want a sweeter custard. Tip into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. MAKES 3 CUPS
As the temperatures drop it’s hard not to start fantasising about white sand beaches, clear waters and warmer climes.
Fiji is always an obvious choice for New Zealanders – three hours from woolly jumpers to palm trees and jandals is pretty magical, and the local spirit of hospitality instant stress-relief for worn-out souls.
If you’re a food-lover there are increasingly more opportunities to experience local cuisine, too. Many resorts will have a lovo (like hāngī) or Fijian buffet night where you can sample local dishes like kokoda, lamb rourou, local curries, mudcrab and desserts like cassava cake and pineapple and banana baked in coconut cream. But if you want to take it one step further, there are a handful of accommodation providers that offer hands-on culinary experiences so you can understand how Fijian people prepare, eat and even shop for food. Even better, the three I visited all have strong ties to their communities so you can have a beautiful stay, learn about local cuisine and contribute to improving local life.
The wonderful Jenny Bourke established The Fiji Orchid 14 years ago (she and her husband Peter also own Nukubati resort). This beautiful property comprises six modern, freestanding bures on five acres of lush tropical gardens, and the main building was once the home of actor Raymond Burr.
Jenny is passionate about showcasing the food of her beloved Fiji and guests can opt to go to the local markets and wharf with chef Sewale to gather produce for lunch. The joy of watching fresh fish come straight off boats at the wharf was immeasurable, and the visit to Lautoka Market was all my culinary dreams come true.
Weaving between mountains of headyscented coriander, perfectly laid out eggplants, neat piles of scarlet bongo chillis, tiny sweet local pineapples and so much more, was my happy place. Chef Sewale was endlessly patient with my questions and agreed to use some of the things I’d asked about in our lunch – including nama (sea grapes). Chatting with the ladies who were selling local mud crabs in between catching up on the week’s gossip added to the fun. Back at the property, I learned to squeeze my own coconut milk, watch the chefs clean local freshwater mussels, chop up local greens, smoke juicy prawns and create a magical lunch for us all. Time stood still as we ate together, enjoying flavours skilfully combined by chef Sewale, a true culinary talent. What makes this place even more special is that Jenny has a policy of only hiring untrained staff: “I want to give people from the local community opportunities to learn career skills when they may not otherwise have had the chance. Running accommodation anywhere is impossible without the people who live around you –the suppliers, the people who recommend us, those who help us when things go wrong. This is just a small way to give back.” fijiorchid.com
If you’re looking for a next-level luxury property you’ll never ever want to leave, Nanuku in Pacific Harbour is it. It’s also a fabulous place to stay if you want to learn how locals gather and prepare their food. This beautiful Fijian resort, set on 500 lush acres, offers a Food Safari where you not only learn how to shop for your food, but also hunt it down. You actually end up in the mangroves catching crabs like a local! It doesn’t get any more real than this, and it’s truckloads of fun. It’s the full Monty experience.
Josh, the cultural ambassador, taught us to weave coconut fronds around fish, meat and veges before they hit the smoke of the lovo, and also how to tightly pack bamboo tubes with juicy local prawns, vibrant greens and fresh coconut cream to cook over an open fire. This was a special opportunity to understand traditional cooking still regularly used in villages all over the island.
A stay at Nanuku also supports locals who may need it. Each room has the option of paying FJD$5 extra a night and that goes towards the Batiwai Project which takes care of community outreach, donations and environmental projects. Plans for this – and next – year include providing people in the community seeds for the produce Nanuku needs, then buying that produce back from them once it’s harvested; and purchasing equipment like sewing machines to help locals create new sources of revenue. nanukuresort.com
Six Senses may be a worldwide luxury accommodation group, but that doesn’t mean cookie-cutter culinary experiences.
The outdoor Fijian cooking class was all kinds of wonderful and chef Kami explained that everything he was teaching me was exactly how his grandfather taught him to cook when growing up in the highlands of Naitasiri Province. Sitting outside in the lush green tropical setting, he showed us how Fijians add hot rocks to their freshly scraped coconut flesh to give it a gutsier, smokier flavour when the cream is squeezed out. We also learned how to wrap firm fresh fish, ota (like New Zealand Pikopiko) and onion in a banana leaf – no need for string, just use the midrib of the leaf to tie up the parcel before cooking in hot stones; and how to cook prawns and moca (a local spinach) in a half coconut shell – doused in fresh coconut cream. It was all delicious.
Six Senses is also very connected to the local community, providing the village water from their desalination plant when they run out in the dry season, doing minor renovations to classrooms, planting native trees, buying water tanks and helping to save a critically endangered endemic iguana species. This year they have many new projects in the pipeline such as looking into helping identify sustainable livelihoods for women in the local village. sixsenses.com
Fiji is definitely a wonderful place to escape and enjoy some luxury in the sun. But it’s also a place for connecting with culture by understanding the cuisine that is so important to local people.
Words and photography ALEXIA SANTAMARIA
The pool at Nanuku Resort.
Alexia learning from chef Kami at Six Senses.
Fish and ota at Six Senses.
New Zealand syrah has been impressing wine-lovers around the world since it was first planted here in 1984. Our expert judges were thrilled with how stylish and sophisticated it’s become almost 40 years on…
Words YVONNE LORKIN
HUGE THANKS MUST GO TO our expert steward Maxime Cavey and the team at Toi Toi Events.
AHH SYRAH. H ere at dish we absolutely love the stuff, so whenever we decide it’s time to find the most magical examples from across the motu, there’s much excitement in the smoko room and much dancing at our desks. While it’s our third most produced red grape at 445ha, it still only sits at six percent of the total red grapes planted. That’s less than half the amount of merlot and there’s twelve times the amount of pinot noir in the ground. Yet over the last twenty years, our top examples have been quietly scooping some heroically high scores from critics around the globe – so it’s a tiny, but mighty grape indeed. It’s also a highly versatile variety that’ll grow successfully in many different climates, but it’ll adopt a different mood depending on that climate, which is why, (even though they’re the same grape), Australian ‘shiraz’ tastes so different to classic Kiwi syrah.
“Pinot noir gets the reputation of ‘the heartbreak grape’, but I feel syrah is no less a challenge in a cool, temperate climate like ours,” says judge and syrah superstar Warren Gibson. “And like pinot, it’s one of the most expressive of its place. It has very strong clonal diversity with the range of clones almost behaving and tasting like completely different grape varieties. Syrah enjoys drier seasons and is at its most perfumed and textural in cooler seasons.”
It’s a very ‘vigorous’ variety, meaning careful site selection and vine management is imperative for producing quality wine. It can also dramatically suffer from water and nutrition stress. It also doesn’t like too much heat or excessive cold snaps of weather, things that can bring ripening to a standstill.
Syrah also needs a long growing season with enough heat to fully ripen and concentrate its flavours and tannins, but also some coolness to encourage floral aromatics and acidity. And if that wasn’t high maintenance enough, syrah also has tight bunches, making it highly vulnerable to disease in times of humidity. One reason why, (despite most of the country’s rockstar styles coming from warmer, more northern climes), it’s possible to produce excellent syrah in Central Otago – where it’s both cool yet boasts next to nil humidity and the soils aren’t vigorous.
An impressive 60 entries were received, proving that syrah is being taken very seriously by winemakers across the country. So what were our judges looking for in the best? “A great example on the nose will have things like florals, lavender with notes of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, crushed fennel seeds, a nuance of pepper, smoky meaty notes, red fruits, raspberry, black cherry into the darker notes and boysenberry,” urges judge Phil Brodie. “This should follow through on the palate and the tannins should be silky and even, with a savoury note and salivating acidity.” Warren agreed: “My personal feeling is the best syrahs are the lighter styles which have much in common with good pinot noir. When syrah is grown in warmer regions and picked later, the style gets darker and more structured. Good syrah should be fruit-driven, pure and aromatic and have a lightness on its feet on the palate.”
Since the first New Zealand syrah vines went into the ground in Hawke’s Bay back in 1984, our winemakers have learned to understand syrah so well that we now have a signature New Zealand expression – an
exciting, stylishly spicy expression which also manages a nod to its spiritual home of the Rhone Valley in France, which, incidentally, is where the first syrahs Warren Gibson ever tasted came from.
Like all great wine, syrah should be delicious on its own, but if you’re thinking about food, what’s spinning the syrahmatching wheels of our judges?
“If you are a carnivore, then I think I’d favour the more gamy options of venison, duck and rare beef,” says Warren. “Syrah is also excellent with piquant cheeses and great with the right type of chocolate.” Phil stared wistfully into the distance and whispered, “Peppered wild venison, shiitake and truffle and parmesan fries…”
Energy, purity, vibrancy and personality are things we know dish readers look for in the best examples so that’s what our judges strived to find. And boy did we find some absolute stunners.
Welcome to our top12.
1 Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021 ($25)
Gold Medal TOP OF THE TASTING
With its intense aromatics, generously juicy mid-palate, savoury tones and supple tannins, this stunning syrah sailed straight into the recalls and roared through the final tasting in rockstar fashion. Bold pepper, cherry, and plummy characters merge with hints of lantana and violets to create an incredibly savoury, stylish and elegantly poised syrah that seriously overdelivers in the drink-for-your-dollar stakes. Gorgeous. squawkingmagpie.co.nz
YVONNE LORKIN dish Drinks Editor PHILIP BRODIE Chief Winemaker Te Mata Estate WARREN GIBSON Chief Winemaker Trinity Hill Wines2
Omata Estate Reserve Bay of Islands Syrah 2019 ($52)
Gold Medal
Densely dark and impenetrably inky, this rich, pepper-edged, spice-stacked syrah bursts with lovely boysenberry, cocoa, and graphite-dusted goodness. Ripe, taut, and terrifically structured, it boasts finely tuned tannins and is already developing delicious maturity and complexity. A total beauty from the Bay of Islands. omata.co.nz
3 Church Road Winery
1 Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 ($120) Gold Medal
Stacked with peppered blackberry and cocoa complexity, this is a big, chewy wine with incredible concentration and complexity and bold, cheek-puckering tannins. A bright, provocative wine with seductively savoury layers and boasting a long, luscious finish. church-road.com
4 Saint Clair Family Estate
Gimblett Gravels Reserve Syrah 2021 ($65)
Gold Medal
An incredibly earthy, complex and savoury wine with a robustly rich structure, a core of coconutty, smoky oak and a soothing, silky finish. It’s a slow-down, tune into your senses experience. Calm, self-assured and showing real finesse and tranquility, it’s a syrah that is a joy to drink now but has real cellar potential. saintclair.co.nz
5
Esk Valley Great Dirt River Gravel Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021 ($70)
Gold Medal
Winemaker Gordon Russell has delivered a true-to-form and fabulous example in the Great Dirt. Highly aromatic, it roars with red rose, violets, ripe red fruits, and ultra-juicy textures, and had our judges
gazing skywards with every sip. Rich, full, attractively spicy and seductively complex, it’s a syrah that’s seriously impressive. eskvalleywines.com
6
Giesen Single Vineyard
Clayvin Marlborough Syrah 2021 ($57)
Gold Medal
A tiny splash of 2.6% pinot noir has boosted the aromatics of this southern syrah beautifully. Sourced from Marlborough’s most famous organic vineyard, this wine sings with savoury, meaty characters stitched together with fruit sweetness and perfectly puckering tannins. Youthful, vibrant, balanced and bursting with character. giesen.co.nz
7
Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2021 ($27)
Silver Medal
Dense ripe fruit washes across a spicy, p eppery palate that’s layered with liquorice and red berries. Classically textural, Gimblett Gravels’ style shows vanilla, smoke and dark cocoa notes wrapped around a core of ripe blueberry and robust tannins. Delicious. wineportfolio.co.nz
8
Villa Maria Cellar Selection
Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021 ($25)
Silver Medal
With its aromas of iodine, blueberry and bright florals, it’s a wine you’ll want to sip super quick. A lick of salinity and hints of smoky, earthy notes give this wine a clean yet earthy character. It has plush tannins that grip in all the good places and a firmness on the finish that speaks to a long life ahead. villamariawines.com
9 Esk Valley Artisanal Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021 ($25)
Silver Medal
A seriously attractive, complex wine heaving
with texture, floral aromatic, exotic spices, and sweetly concentrated fruit at every level. A very stylish wine that’s still super youthful and one that our judges felt had huge cellaring potential. Stylish and showing taut, finely tuned tannins. eskvalleywines.com
10
Mt Difficulty Central Otago Ghost Town Syrah 2019 ($65)
Silver Medal
Whoever said syrah won’t grow so far south has clearly never tasted this beauty from Bendigo. With its bright fruity nose laced with violets and pepper and its palate prickled with exotic spices, blueberry, dried herbs, vanilla, and beautifully balanced textures, it’s a total star. Maturing magically and one to watch. mtdifficulty.nz
11 Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 ($40)
Silver Medal
Crammed with complex dark fruits and very attractive cracked pepper and cocoa powder punchiness, this floral, richly structured syrah is saturated with soothing textures and smoky notes. Elegantly lengthy and lovely to drink. church-road.com
12 Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Waiheke Island Syrah 2020 ($75)
Silver Medal
If lifted red fruits dusted with graphite and pepper sounds like your cup of tea, then get ready to fill your boots. Full, juicy and showing soothing, ripe fruit saturation and chewy tannins, it’s a very bold, savoury style that’ll impress with every sip. mudbrick.co.nz
dish Drinks Editor Yvonne Lorkin chats about local gin brands doing great things, a new urban cellar door and wine bar, creative zero-alc sips and more
Our dish Tasting Panels have been held in Hastings recently and our hard-working judges have been lucky enough to be sustained during their breaks by Kristy Isaacson and her incredible team at Long Island Delicatessen. They are catering ninjas, their cabinet food (made on site) is constantly changing, inventive and eyepoppingly delicious and their coffee has local Hawkesbaliens queuing on the daily.
We’ve become massive fans! longislanddeli.co.nz
New Zealand’s alcohol-free wunderkinds AF Drinks are teaming up with IHC New Zealand to support the annual IHC Art Awards with a Limited Edition 31-pack Art Series collection, each containing a mixed selection of AF’s zero-alc cocktails such as their Classic G&T, Cucumber
On September 16th, the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction celebrates its 31st year with Hawke’s Bay’s most talented winemakers providing amazing lots (many of which are specially blended for the event) with the sole aim of raising funds for Cranford Hospice, the only hospice servicing the entire Hawke’s Bay region. Established in 1991, it’s the oldest charity wine auction in New Zealand, beginning as a casual conversation between local winemakers, Alan Limmer (then Stonecroft Winery), John Buck of Te Mata Estate Winery and Kate Radburnd (then with CJ Pask). To date, over $4m has been donated to Cranford, the sole beneficiary, making it the hospice’s single biggest donation each year. It’s also your chance to own something completely unique, with wines and wine experiences that are simply not possible to purchase outside of this event. Perhaps pool your money with mates to bid? Syndicates are an excellent way to participate in the auction due to the barrel lots comprising of between 75 and 300 bottles. Sharing is caring, right? With a mix of barrel lots, large format bottles and themed offerings, there are over 40 lots which could have your name on them! Visit hawkesbaywineauction.co.nz to get in!
G&T, Pink Grapefruit G&T, Apero Spritz, Vodka Spritz, Grapefruit Margarita, Dark & Stormy, Tokyo Highball and Sparkling Sake. The bespoke box designs feature work from artists Jordan Chow and Michael Nathan from Māpura Studios and Cherie Mellsopp from Hamilton. For every Limited Edition Art Series 31-pack sold, AF will donate $20 to support artists through the IHC Art Awards which for the last 20 years has provided artists over the age of 13 with an intellectual disability and/or autism, the opportunity to have their talent recognised, to earn prize money and to sell their work.
“Since the brand launched in 2020, we’ve been fortunate enough to work with a plethora of talented artists, photographers and creatives. To work with and raise awareness of these inspirational artists with IHC is such a fantastic opportunity and one we’re proud to support,” says AF founder Lisa King. “This collaboration is a perfect match for our charity and I’m personally very grateful for [AF’s] forward-thinking in helping the community of talented artists that we work with,” adds Dame Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, WORLD founder, IHC Art Awards Ambassador and IHC Patron. AF’s new Limited Edition Art Series 31-packs are available to purchase online, at The Curious AF Bottle Shop in Auckland, in six WORLD stores across New Zealand, and in-store or online at Farro. $130 from af-drinks.com
SOMM kind of wonderful SOMM (not to be confused with the School of Modern Meditation) is Auckland’s first urban cellar door and wine bar right on the waterfront, featuring a pleasure-trove of iconic wineries alongside a menu designed by executive chef Gavin Doyle (Soul Bar & Bistro) of snacks, pizzas and sharing plates that roars with regional, seasonal produce. Located on Princes Wharf, this cosy, intimate, very tasty space offers guests the chance to explore and appreciate the best of New Zealand’s acclaimed wine regions without ever having to leave the city. Cheers! sommcellardoor.co.nz
The folk at Wine on the Side have a new racking system that’ll turn any wall into a wine gallery visible to anyone curious about your liquid treasures. It’s called Helix and it holds bottles by the neck to create the most secure yet minimalist wine storage available. Every Helix size variation
holds both standard and larger-based Champagne bottles which is no easy feat for a wine rack. The bottles are balanced as if floating on air. Super easy to install, it’s a design that’s become a must for anyone wanting to be able to easily see, touch and access their bottles, but save massive amounts of space in the process. Restaurants and bars are also loving the design and functionality. Get yours from wineracksnz.co.nz
The Bay of Plenty has always had plenty to boast about on the beverage front, and now a new player is in the game. Samuel Richardson and Adrian Hoggard are the founders of Dabblers Gin, a brand devoted to using native botanicals and real fruit to make a range of fantastic flavour infusions such as orange, raspberry and rhubarb gin, lime and mint gin, summer berry gin and lemonade gin which are gorgeous sipped solo or used in creative cocktails. Visit dabblersgin.co.nz to try them out.
Once again, New Zealand proves itself to be world-class on the gin front with Clarity Distilling Company from Tauranga winning a coveted double gold at the globally influential 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for their dry gin. What’s impressive is not only did they win that out of more than 5,500 entries, distillers Stephanie Downer and George White had only just released their first gins to the market a few weeks before winning this huge gong. Not only do the juniper berries, cassia bark, liquorice root, lemon peel, angelica root, cardamom pods, peppercorn, coriander seed, nutmeg and orris root make their London dry style appealing, the pattern that adorns the bottle was inspired by both these earthy botanicals and the dry shifting sands of the local beach dunes.
claritydc.co.nz
A new way to display your wine bottles.
Introducing Auckland’s waterfront cellar door and wine bar, SOMM.
Every Friday in August we'll be showcasing Stone - the shiny new addition to our home espresso machine range. Come down to our Wellington & Auckland cafés for a spin.
After enjoying a successful online following of her website, RecipeTin Eats, Nagi Maehashi has released her first cookbook. From quick and easy dinners for busy weeknights, to Mexican favourites and recipes that are perfect for a cosy night in, there are 150 dinners to choose from – all taste-tested by Nagi’s gorgeous celebrity dog, Dozer. The best part (aside from the Dozer cameos)? There’s a how-to video for every recipe via QR code! Topping my list of must-try dinners is Nagi’s Crispy Korean Pancakes. Add to that the Fried Cabbage with Noodles and Bacon, One-pot Sausage Meatball Pasta, and Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake… yes, this will be a rather long list!
by Céline Chung, Murdoch Books, $50
In this cookbook, Céline Chung challenges the stereotypes surrounding Chinese cooking – paying tribute to its diversity and regionality. Sharing family portraits and stories, Bao Family is a celebration of Chinese food today. Over 80 recipes are found beyond the bold cover, along with a handy ingredients and utensils chapter. Flick through the other chapters and you’ll find recipes for breakfast, starters, bao and dim sum, soups and noodles, mains, rice and noodles, and desserts. I’m certainly keen to try making Pork Baozi! The Stewed Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms is sure to become a favourite in my household, too.
by Sumayya Usmani, Allen & Unwin, $50
The recipes found in this book are special to award-winning food writer Sumayya Usmani. The pages feature stories from Sumayya’s childhood – her journey of growing up in Pakistan and migrating to the UK, navigating a path to self-trust through her family’s food, and how the women in her life inspired her to trust her instincts in the kitchen. Andaza is an evocative and moving food memoir featuring dishes such as Achar with carrot and green chilli, Aubergine Borani, and Saffron Black Cardamom Fudge –it will be a favourite in the kitchen and on the coffee table.
Inspired by the safari looks from Ralph Lauren Collection, this zebra-print porcelain plate is a statement-making addition to your table. A hand-painted bronze-hued rim adds a shimmering finish. trenzseater.com/shop/accessories
Creamy, nutty and spicy. Our signature Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) is a pure expression of our Waiheke Island home. Beautifully balanced and refreshing, this oil is crafted from hand-harvested Frantoio, Verdale, Ascolano and Mission olives. At Allpress Olive Groves, our oils are packed with plant-based nutrients and expertly blended to enhance flavours and transform simple ingredients, helping you to elevate everyday eating. Explore our full range of EVOOs at allpressolivegroves.co.nz
Our Church Road Grand Reserve Syrah 2020 offers a striking balance of elegance and power. Exuding rich dark plum with red and black berry flavours, it is fragrant, supple and fullbodied. Hawke’s Bay syrah is known for floral perfume and exotic warm spice, and this wine is no exception. Darker liquorice, minerality and earthy notes help bring a serious nature to the wine, allowing it to pair with a variety of fullflavoured foods, like game and red meat dishes as well as your favourite savoury pastas. Church Road Grand Reserve Syrah 2020 is the recipient of global accolades – awarded 93 points at the International Wine Challenge and 93 points at the International Wine & Spirits Competition earlier this year. church-road.com
From the acclaimed producers of Pā Road and te Pā Wines, comes the beautiful Montford Estate range. With a nod to the proud farming heritage of owner Haysley MacDonald and his family, Montford Estate celebrates the very best of heartland New Zealand. The wines are a masterclass of pure, expressive flavour and incredible value (you can pick up a bottle for $15 – 20 on special!). Hailing from the world-famous Marlborough wine region, the range features a zesty sauvignon blanc, gently spiced pinot gris, a fruity and crisp rosé, decadent smoky vanilla chardonnay, and a ripe, red fruited pinot noir. There’s a wine for all occasions and taste buds with Montford Estate. Kiwi-owned and operated, vegan-friendly, sustainably grown, and oh-sofood friendly, keep an eye out for the gorgeous Montford Estate range of wines in Countdown, New World and Pak'nSave on your next shop.
The ascendence of neutrals in today’s leading décor and fashion trends has reached dizzying heights. Enter White by Le Creuset: cool, classic and modern, the White collection offers a clean canvas for presentation, making your recipes the star of the show. White epitomises what minimalist cookware is all about. While extremely easy to match with any existing colour palettes, White brings a subtle stream of light into the kitchen. The collection is designed to shine, with the luxurious gold knob adding a touch of gilded glamour. Available from 1 August at Le Creuset Newmarket or lecreuset.co.nz
Escape the winter chill, light the fire, switch off and take a sip! Allow yourself to be transported to that special place, where you are miles from anywhere, but exactly where you want to be. For us, it’s our beloved River Hut in the heart of the Waihopai Valley, cosied up with a glass of The Ned Pinot Noir! The deliciously ripened berry fruit flavours marry beautifully with the brisk air and stars shining brightly overhead. Pair this winter warming classic with a roasted pork belly sitting on a bed of mashed potato and covered in a peppercorn gravy!
From authentic cultural dishes to tropical fresh flavours, Fiji’s emerging food scene is nothing short of exciting. With a variety of high-end dining to local eats in Fiji, you’ll get a taste of both fresh and local, as tradition is at the backbone of many dishes. Take the time to immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of colours, sounds and seafood at one of Fiji’s diverse food markets, where food isn’t just what’s on the plate in front of you, but an experience – in the place where happiness comes naturally.
Finish’s next generation of dishwashing tablet, Finish Ultimate Plus, boasts CYCLESYNC™ technology to release the right ingredient (enzyme) at the right time. The dishwashing tablets’ advanced chemistry is also effective at breaking down all types of food residues, even stubborn 24-hour burnt-on stains. Finish Ultimate Plus (pack of 45 dishwasher tablets) retails for $36 each and is available to purchase from Countdown, New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square supermarkets. For more information, visit finish.co.nz
Enjoying beautiful food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, but when sourcing incredible produce to find your tools spoil the broth, it is so disheartening. It’s a good thing Miele has you covered. Miele’s combi steam has the ability to control the temperature down to a single degree, which means you can trust the results time and time again. Chef Michael Meredith says he can cook one egg or one hundred. See how Michael uses the Miele steam oven at mieleexperience.co.nz/homegrown Model shown Miele DGC 7840 in CleanSteel
From the special event to the spontaneous get-together, any occasion is elevated, made richer and more vibrant when paired with the Villa Maria Sparkling Cuvée Brut. Crafted from the classic duo of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, Villa Maria Sparkling Cuvée Brut is vibrant and aromatically intense while delivering pristine flavours of zesty citrus and ripe stone fruit, with a hint of brioche. Made with 100 percent New Zealand premium fruit from vineyards in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, this blend provides citrus and floral characters to the wine while leaving a lingering dry finish. Available at liquor retailers and villamariawines.com
Selaks Origins wines are crafted to showcase the special character of the regions in which their grapes are grown, creating easy-drinking, classic wines bursting with flavours you’ll love. Selaks Origins
On Sunday the 19th November, indulge on a journey across the picturesque festival sites at New Zealand’s most esteemed wine and food festival. From vineyard to vineyard, festival-goers are given the opportunity to savour artfully crafted wines, delight in delicious food or discover something truly spectacular. Sign up to Toast’s mailing list for exclusive access to discounted Early Bird tickets, on sale from the 14th August. toastmartinborough.co.nz
Shiraz comes from South Australian long hot summers that allow the grapes to really ripen. This is a wine that lingers on the taste buds. With big bold jammy berry and ripe plum flavours that ooze across the palate, this is a wine with a warm velvety finish. selaks.co.nz
Make room for our latest sweet infusion – Westgold Cinnamon Sugar Butter! It's the perfect mix of sweetness and spice, crafted with the same high-quality, natural grass-fed butter that you know and love – just straight-up deliciousness with an extra dose of pizzazz! Slap it on muffins, French toast, bagels, scones, or eat it straight off the block. And for those that really want to ramp up the flavour, try our new recipes that are made better with Cinnamon Sugar Butter. Pick up a block today from Countdown and check out our recipes at westgold.co.nz
Like the Italian cycling legend it’s named after, Giannino is the ultimate combination of performance, elegance and leading-edge tech. This compact little grinder comes in four colourways to suit your at-home coffee set-up. Patented 55mm flat burrs and micrometric grind adjustment let you make beautiful coffee, fast. From $1,610 including GST. Contact sabre@laffare.co.nz or shop online at laffare.co.nz
Do you need to repaint your kitchen but can’t stand the thought of strong solvent odours? New Resene Waterborne Sureseal is designed to help you prep your kitchen ready for painting without nasty solvent odours, so you can get the decorating done and then get back into the cooking. Resene Waterborne Sureseal is easy to apply with excellent adhesion reducing the bleeding of water stains to help your finish look good for longer. And it’s low odour and water-based so you can quickly and easily wash up your brush and roller in water once you’ve finished painting. Available from Resene ColorShops.
A founding member of the Gimblett Gravels, growing grapes since 1981 and producing our first vintage in 1991, Squawking Magpie Wines are considered one of the great Hawke’s Bay producers of bold and delicious reds. Our syrahs have consistently been selected in the Annual Vintage Selection of the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association. From the very first planting, the emphasis for Squawking Magpie hasn’t changed. We are here to create outstanding wines. We believe that all our wines exhibit elegance and finesse worthy of fine food and fun company. squawkingmagpie.co.nz
PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES:
• 2 x night's stay in a premium Club InterContinental guest room, includes a bottle of champagne in room.
• Exclusive access to the award-winning Club InterContinental Lounge, including:
• Buffet style and à la carte breakfast options.
• Afternoon tea of sweet and savoury treats.
• Evening canapés during twilight drinks.
• Barista-crafted coffee in the Club InterContinental Lounge.
• Express check-in and check-out.
• Two complimentary garment pressings per stay plus free local calls.
• $300 food and beverage credit toward dinner in GPO restaurant, Two Grey or The Lobby Lounge.
All eligible existing subscribers are entered in every issue’s subscription prize draw
InterContinental Wellington is a luxurious and timeless oasis. Known for its exceptional service, stunning views, and sophisticated amenities, it has become synonymous with elegance and comfort. The hotel’s location on the picturesque waterfront provides guests with easy access to Wellington’s cultural treasures and natural wonders, immersing them in the city’s charm. The hotel itself exudes grandeur, with a lobby that seamlessly blends contemporary and heritage design. The 236 guest rooms and suites offer a perfect combination of indulgence, style and functionality, featuring plush furnishings with breathtaking harbour or city skyline views. InterContinental Wellington boasts a range of culinary options, from the best in-season seafood and locally sourced produce at the GPO restaurant, to innovative casual meals at Two Grey Café, Bar & Eatery. Perfect for enjoying afternoon tea or cocktails, you can’t beat the ambience of The Lobby Lounge. For relaxation, guests can take advantage of the state-of-the-art fitness centre or the sparkling indoor pool. The hotel also provides versatile event spaces, making it an ideal choice for weddings, conferences, and special occasions. With its prime location and exceptional amenities, InterContinental Wellington offers a sanctuary in New Zealand’s vibrant capital.
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup roughly chopped crystallised ginger
GF V
To ensure successful results, we recommend you invest in accurate measuring tools – measuring cups and spoons and a measuring jug are essential and electronic scales are particularly useful as they weigh accurately in both imperial and metric. Always follow one set of measures in a recipe. Do not mix them up.
DISH USES:
Large eggs (size 7).
Level spoons and cup measurements. Liquids are always measured in a jug and dry ingredients in measuring cups.
NB: One tablespoon is 15ml (the Australian tablespoon is 20ml).
BREADCRUMBS
1 cup fresh 50 gram
1 cup dried 115 grams
BUTTER
1 (American) stick 110 grams
1 cup 225 grams
2 tablespoons 30 grams
CHEESE
1 cup grated tasty 115 grams
1 cup parmesan 150 grams
EGG WHITES
Large (size 7) egg white 30 grams
FLOUR
1 level measuring cup 150 grams
GELATINE
3 teaspoons granulated/3 leaves (gold grade) will set 500ml/2 cups liquid to a light jelly.
1 rounded tablespoon granulated/4–5 leaves (gold grade) will set 500ml/2 cups liquid to a firm jelly. Leaf gelatine comes in varying grades. It is wise to check the setting properties of the leaf gelatine you buy before use.
HONEY, GOLDEN SYRUP
1 cup 350 grams
½ teaspoon ground mixed spice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
TO SERVE
Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce, see recipe below
vanilla bean ice cream
EQUIPMENT: 6-cup capacity ovenproof frying pan or baking dish.
Preheat the oven to 170°C regular bake.
GINGERBREAD: Heat the butter and golden syrup in a small pot until smooth. Don’t let it get too hot.
Cool oven 225°F 110°C Very low oven 300°F 150°C Moderate oven 350°F 180°C Hot oven 400°F 200°C Very hot oven 450°F 230°C
Measurements
VOLUME
Useful techniques
Line a prepared pastry case with baking paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. The beans support the pastry as it cooks. Bake in a preheated 190°C–200°C oven for up to 20 minutes before removing the paper and weights. The shell should now have taken form. Return to the oven for the time specified in the recipe.
126 DISH | dish.co.nz KITCHEN NOTES
ONIONS 115 gram onion 1 cup chopped
RICE
1 cup uncooked rice 200 grams 1 cup cooked 165 grams
SUGAR
1 cup caster and granulated 225 grams
1 cup brown sugar 200 grams
1 cup icing sugar 125 grams
SPINACH
650 grams spinach leaves ¾ cup purée
YEAST
This is a riff on an old favourite sticky ginger pudding, made all the more indulgent with a sensational chocolate, caramel sauce.
120 grams diced butter
at room temperature
1 cup golden syrup
1¼ cups plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
¼ cup good-quality cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
Sift both flours, cocoa, baking soda and spices into a large bowl then stir in the caster sugar and crystallised ginger. Whisk the eggs and milk together, then add to the dry ingredients along with the butter and golden syrup. Fold everything together and pour into the pan or baking dish.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the middle bounces back when lightly pressed. SERVES 6-8
Chocolate Salted Caramel Sauce
1¼ cups cream, warm
80 grams dark
chocolate, 72% cocoa, roughly chopped
2 tablespoon butter
1½ teaspoons sea salt
Put the caster sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium pot over a medium heat and whisk to start dissolving the sugar. Use a small pastry brush to brush down any sugar that gets stuck to the side of the pot to stop it burning. Bring to a simmer, giving the pot a gentle swirl now and again to help it heat evenly.
VEGETABLES
Bacon
