6 minute read
Make it to the Market this Summer
RECIPES IAN HARRISON FROM SUGO | IMAGES ALEX SPODYNEIKO
Ian Harrison from Sugo loves fresh local ingredients so where better to source these than the Tauranga Farmers Market.
One of the benefits of visiting the market every Saturday Ian says is you find real people growing and making real food with the seasons in mind. "It was refreshing to hear Brad from Six Toed Fox Organics (2021) tell a customer that leeks only had a few weeks left. In the restaurant and supermarket world you find leeks all year round, so it’s easy to forget leeks like everything has a season.” With summer here there is an abundance of fresh produce available at the market, from beautiful ripe flavoursome tomatoes to juicy watermelon. Ian says “the things I look forward to the most in summer are stone fruits, especially cherries (available from Eden Orchard), plus all the beautiful berries and aromatic herbs. Sweetcorn (available at the market from Linehan Farms) is my all-time favourite summertime vegetable because it can be used at any time of the day and match up with nearly everything.” Here are a few delicious recipes Ian has created from fresh summer produce from the Tauranga Farmers Market.
Summertime Gazpacho with Basil Oil
The trick to making this the best is using the best produce you can get. The farmers market must be the best place for these treats. You don’t want a strong olive oil for the basil oil because it will steal from the basil. So, use a normal cooking style olive oil from a supermarket then break out Bert, from Katikati Frantoio’s beautiful extra virgin olive oil when seasoning/ finishing the dish.
6 ripe red tomatoes from Paul's Tomatoes ½ cucumber, peeled, from Rivendel Gardens 3 red capsicums, seeds removed, from Southern Belle Orchard ½ red onion, peeled 1 garlic clove, peeled, from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables 1 celery stick ½ red chilli, cut in half and deseeded, from Riverside Growers 3 tbsp Katikati Frantoio extra virgin olive oil sea salt 50g basil leaves from Liberty Growers ½ cup olive oil salt
1 punnet cherry tomatoes from Rivendel Gardens/Paul’s Tomatoes balsamic vinegar EVOO basil leaves
Dice all vegetables into 1cm dice, mix with the oil and a good pinch of salt. Leave to marinate overnight, covered, at room temperature. For the basil oil, bring 3 litres of water to a boil and season with salt. Boil the basil with a lid on for 30 seconds, drain and refresh into ice water.
Once completely cool, drain the basil again and squeeze out as much water as possible (use a tea towel to help). Roughly chop the basil and place into a blender with the oil. Blend until smooth. Put into a squeezy bottle until needed.
The next day blend marinated ingredients until very smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Chill in the fridge. For the cherry tomatoes, cut in half, season with salt, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Leave at room temperature to marinate for 2 hours. When you need the tomatoes, drain and season with a little fresh olive oil.
To serve, chill the bowls you’re using and scatter the cherry tomatoes mix on the bottom of the bowls. Pour in your soup, garnish with the basil oil and basil leaves.
Serve with some gorgeous bread from Flaveur Bread, Zand Kitchen or The Ginger Beard Man.
Market Shopping List
Paul's Tomatoes 6 ripe red tomatoes 1 punnet Cherry TomatoesRivendel Gardens
1 cucumber 1 punnet Cherry TomatoesSouthern Belle Orchard 3 red capsicums Pirongia Mountain Vegetables garlic Riverside Growers red chilli
Liberty Growers
basil Katikati Frantoio extra virgin olive oil Flaveur Bread, Zand Kitchen or The Ginger Beard Man bread
TIP
Have all the vegetables prepped, herbs cut and other items ready before you start cooking. Once the rice is in the pot you don’t want to ever stop stirring the ingredients until the end. So, make sure you can stay put for the full 20 minutes.
Courgette and Garlic Risotto with Garden Herbs and Lemon
A yummy summer risotto that everyone will love. The courgette flowers you should find at any good farmers market. The better the extra virgin olive oil you use – the better the dish will taste and the less you need to use.
4 cups vegetable stock 2 tbsp Katikati Frantoio olive oil 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1½ cups risotto rice 1 onion or ¾ shallot, peeled and finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped, from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ½ cup white wine 2 green courgettes from Riverside Growers 2 yellow courgettes from Abundant Backyard 6 courgette flowers from Abundant Backyard 3-6 tbsp Katikati Frantoio extra virgin olive oil 8 tbsp Parmesan Reggiano, freshly grated ½ tbsp chives or green spring onion, chopped ½ tbsp mint, chopped, from Liberty Growers 1 lemon
Prep your courgettes by cutting into ¼ length ways. On an angle cut the white flesh from the courgettes (this part is extra watery and will make a mess of the final risotto) and throw away. Finely slice all the courgettes width ways–the finer the better. Remove the bottom of the courgette flowers and cut in half width ways and then half-length ways. Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer in a pot over a low heat.
Put a large flat based pan or pot over a medium to low heat and add the butter and olive oil. When the butter is fully melted and getting hot, add your onions, celery and garlic. Season lightly with sea salt and fresh black pepper and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring every so often until soft and translucent, not browned.
Turn up the heat to medium, add the rice, stir constantly, and cook for 2-4 minutes until you hear the rice almost frying in the pan, again being careful to not get any colour. Add the white wine and stir until fully absorbed.
Add a ladleful of hot stock, stir, and wait until it’s been fully absorbed before adding more. Cook for 13 to 15 minutes, adding more stock every minute or so and stirring regularly, until the rice is al dente. This means it should be soft and a pleasure to eat, have a bite to the rice but not raw and still holding its shape. At this stage add your sliced courgette to the pot and cook. The courgettes will add moisture as they cook, but it might need a little more stock – use your inner chef. When happy the rice and courgettes are ready, remove from the heat, add half the Parmesan, half the EVO oil, chopped herbs, courgette flowers, season with sea salt and black pepper to your taste. Then leave for 2-3 minutes to relax.
To serve, divide between your bowls, drizzle with the left-over EVO and cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
VARIATIONS
You could change the courgette for broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, or any other in season vegetables from the market. Just remember to keep the cut vegetables small so they cook quickly. Change the parmesan for another hard cheese. Ask the Mount Eliza team for their pick. If you want to have it with seafood, add smoked kahawai from Smokey Seafoods when you add the vegetables.
Sugo 19 Wharf Street, Tauranga 3110 www.sugosugo.co.nz
Market Shopping List
Katikati Frantoio olive oil extra virgin olive oil Pirongia Mountain Vegetables garlic
Riverside Growers 2 green courgettes Abundant Backyard 2 yellow courgettes 6 courgette flowersLiberty Growers Mint
SHOP LOCAL
Every Saturday 7.45am to 12noon
Tauranga Primary School, Fifth Ave, Tauranga | www.tgafarmersmarket.org.nz
COMING SOON TO THE COASTAL BAY OF PLENTY
