9 minute read
FOOD
by Times Media
HELLO NEW ZEALAND
Life might be a box of chocolates for some but, in this sweet industry, not everyone gets a fair go at the goodies.
Dutch company, Tony’s Chocolonely, has just launched six sensational chocolate bars in New Zealand with mouthwatering flavours – milk chocolate, extra dark chocolate, milk chocolate caramel sea salt, dark chocolate almond sea salt, milk chocolate hazelnut and white chocolate raspberry popping candy all packaged in colourful wrappers.
But what makes this chocolate extra appealing (other than its taste) is that the company was founded after three journalists discovered some of the world’s largest chocolate manufacturers were buying cocoa from plantations which used illegal child labour and modern slavery.
The trio wanted to make 100% slave-free the norm in chocolate making so it set about producing chocolate in a fair manner and to inspire other chocolate companies to join their mission.
Dedicating its efforts to raise awareness about the inequality in the industry, the company has built direct long-term relationships with cocoa farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast, paying them a higher price and working together to solve the underlying causes of modern slavery and illegal child labour. Furthermore, 1% of Tony’s Chocolonely net revenue is donated to the Chocolonely Foundation, supporting projects to eradicate modern slavery in the cocoa chain.
Now that this new range has landed on our shores, many Kiwis will be keen to tastre but do note – each bar is formed with chunky, unequally divided chocolate portions to reflect the social inequality of the chocolate industry but, of course, that doesn’t reflect on its overall size or its moreishness!
Tony’s Chocolonely can be found in New World supermarkets and independent retailers nationwide (RRP $7.99 180g bar).
RIFLEMANS TAKES AIM, THIEF CAPTURES ATTENTION
Billed as a superhero duo, Sacred Hill expects its 2019 Riflemans and Wine Thief chardonnays to subdue their critics.
“These single origin Chardonnays are the culmination of more than 25 years of winemaking from the Riflemans Vineyard,” Sacred Hill founder, David Mason, says. “They are our way of sharing our passion for this grape variety with wine lovers around the world.”
Offering intense fruit flavours and delicate oak treatment, both wines pack quite the punch; Wine Thief is layered with vanilla and stone fruit flavours and is richer and toastier than the more refined Riflemans.
Both of these chardonnays (RRP $34.99 for Wine Thief and $69.99, Riflemans) are available from fine wine retailers and via www.sacredhill.com.
Taste
Try our latest flavours of the month and experience a range of new products with a real taste difference. EastLife is always on the lookout for new products to tantalise the tastebuds of our readers.
MILK – WITH NO MOO-VING PARTS!
Moo-ve over bovines, there’s a new dairy queen on the block! Formulated by Sweden’s Plant Projects, Oatly oat milk is free from sugar, nuts, soy and gluten. Available in four flavours (Original, Organic, Barista and Chocolate), this range – which quickly sold out when first released in New York – can now be purchased for delivery in New Zealand (RRP $5.49 per carton) via www.plantprojects.co.nz/collections/all. DRINK FOR THOUGHT It’s a no-brainer as to why a tasty beverage that’s also intended to boost brain and immune system function is becoming popular worldwide. Plant-based, low calorie and low in sugar, Arepa relies on a formula designed by neuroscientists to help us make the most of our top two inches. Lite and Sparkling (as well as Original) varieties of Arepa are now available (from RRP $5.99 per bottle) from supermarkets, cafes and health food shops
CHOCOL ATE FOR MY HONEY...
Made with Midlands Apiaries honey and fine Dutch cocoa, Mount Somers chocolate honeys offer a touch of decadence without refined sugars or artificial ingredients. Featuring: chocolate, chocolate and orange, chocolate and peppermint, chocolate and vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut, and chocolate and caramel, this range includes flavours suited to many a sweet tooth. Mount Somers Chocolate Honey is available from www.mountsomershoney. com/collections/all – RRP $10.99 per
350g jar. 36 | eastlife | october 2020 nationwide.
Designed by Waiuku-based DryNZ to help bolster our immune systems, Pure NZ Drinking Fruit makes the most of what nature provides. In addition to dried apples, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, lemons and peaches, this new range also features New Zealand Manuka honey to serve up an antibacterial, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral drink which tastes great too. Available online via www.drynz.com/purenzdrinkingfruit (RRP $14.95 per box of five sachets) this range is made using fresh, Kiwi-grown ingredients.
www.eastlife.co.nz
BEEF & LENTIL taco soup
Beef + Lamb NZ has delivered a taste of Mexico in a soup! And, we bet you won’t be disappointed. Top with plenty of cheese and maybe a dollop of sour cream; serve with toasted bread or corn chips for dipping. This recipe is all about no fuss prep, and letting the slow cooker take care of the rest. Make extra and freeze the leftovers or have for a quick and easy lunch the following day.
Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 5 hours | Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil 750g beef chuck steak, cut into 5cm pieces 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 capsicum, diced 2 large white onions, diced 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced 1 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed 2 x 400g can crushed tomatoes 4 cups beef stock 1 x 400g can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp onion powder (optional) 1 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat!) 1 tsp salt 1 cup frozen organic corn
For serving:
• cheese • coriander • sourdough
Recipe courtesy of Beef + Lamb New Zealand
Turn your slow cooker to high. Heat olive oil in a medium fry pan over high heat. Brown beef in batches, adding to the slow cooker as you go.
Once all the beef has been browned add garlic, capsicum, onion and jalapeño; cooking for 5 minutes or until onions begin to brown and soften. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Add in the remaining ingredients – lentils, tomatoes, beef stock, black beans and spices (except the corn), to the slow cooker and then cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Add the frozen corn 30 mins before serving.
Serve with a sprinkle of cheese, coriander and toasted sourdough. A dollop of sour cream or corn chips on the side adds that little bit extra to this delicious soup.
Oven method: This dish can also be cooked in a casserole dish in the oven. Be sure to sauté the onion, garlic, capsicum and jalapeño and brown the meat on the stove top before adding the remaining ingredients to the casserole dish and cook on fan bake at 150°C for 5 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.
Tips:
This soup can be frozen and re heated.
Looking for a bit of heat? Add extra chilli flakes when serving. This soup is delicious the next day after the flavours have developed further.
Look for beef with a marbling of fat and connective tissue as this adds flavour and tenderness to the beef.
THEIR POT ‘BUBBLES’ OVER!
New creations have been bubbling away on many a stovetop this year with home cooking becoming an even more common pastime. So, it’s not surprising that the team at Barfoot & Thompson has been cooking away too, as a new book reveals. Featuring more than 115 recipes, Recipes from our Bubbles is designed to help raise funds to support the vital work of Starship, our national children’s hospital.
FLUFFY JAPANESE MILK BREAD
INGREDIENTS
400g high grade flour 80g sugar 4g salt 5g Instant dry yeast 220g milk 50g egg (size 7) 40g butter
Allow butter to soften. Put high grade flour, sugar and salt into the chef machine bowl and mix together.
Add the egg and milk into the bowl, then mix at low speed for about one minute. Put the dry yeast into the dough and keep the low speed for about a minute, then increase the speed to medium for about 10-15 minutes. Put butter into the mixer (make sure the butter is softer than the dough, but not liquid form), mix at a mediumlow speed for about 20-30 minutes until you find the dough is no longer sticky.
Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then leave it in a warm place and let it rise to double the size – it’s ready when there are some bubbles on the surface.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place small amount of highgrade flour on the surface of the benchtop then knock back the dough. Divide into 12 pieces (each piece around 60g). Roll it into a long oval shape; you can spread some jam, Nutella, mayonnaise or dried pork floss if you like. Fold the left side of the dough over to half way, then fold the right side on top. Then roll the top and bottom sides, at the same time, towards the middle of the dough.
Repeat for the other pieces of dough and place them on the pan. Leave enough space for each piece of dough in case they stick together. Put them in a warm place and rise again until they double in size.
Use a knife to gently make a cross cut on each piece of dough, then sift some highgrade flour or milk powder on top. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. You will find that the bread is as soft as a cloud.
“The book is a collection of dishes that reflect the cultural diversity we have across the team. You’ll find Creative design fails a mix of Kiwi favourites and dishes from across the globe, which we hope you enjoy as much as we do,” Barfoot & Thompson managing director, Peter Thompson, says.
To order a copy of Recipes from our Bubbles visit www.barfootthompson.myshopify.com. In the meantime, here’s a taste of recipes to come, thanks to Nicole Yan from Barfoot & Thompson Dannemora.
