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In the Kitchen with Andrea

For your information, Andrea's monthly column in the local papers are reprinted here. Please email Andrea with any questions, comments or suggestions for future articles. 

Eating in made easy:

November 2009

The best part of my job is the interesting people I get to meet who are involved in many different ways with food. In our area we have many “food heroes”; producers, growers, talented chefs and writers. This month one such local resident has released a fantastic book and she has allowed me free reign to reprint one of her recipes. The hardest part was deciding which one.

Niki Bezzant from Matakana has been a food writer for over ten years. She was web editor for Cuisine, helping to create their web site which has won many local and international awards, being a regular contributor to that magazine until becoming the award winning editor of NZ Healthy Food Guide. Niki often appears on both radio and TV and right now is helping Matakana School with their fundraising book.

Her recipes are simple but packed with flavour and don’t take hours of work to make. Eating In contains delicious, simple, healthy and achievable food perfect for summer entertaining and I endorse her philosophy that cooking for friends and family should be fun for everyone, including the cook.


Lentil Salad
4-6 serves

1 ½ cups French green lentils
4 cups chicken stock
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
olive oil for frying
1tblsp lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
1 tblsp pate (optional)
2 cups rocket leaves

Bring the lentils and stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are cooked and tender. Drain and let cool a little.

While the lentils are cooking, gently fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil. Add to the drained lentils, along with the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste. Lastly, add the pate and stir through. The salad can be prepared to this stage and stored in the fridge for several hours. Add the rocket leaves and toss through just before serving.

This salad is delicious on its own but is also a great accompaniment to any barbecued meat such as a whole beef fillet or lamb steaks.

An abundance of lemons

October 2009

Firstly a correction for last month’s recipe, it should have read 60gm of butter not 60oz, that is what happens when you are converting old recipes and apologies for those who had to ring up to clarify.
Lemons have been an essential part of all cultures from the earliest of times, both for medicinal and culinary uses. We planted two trees on our property when we moved here 10 years ago and as our landscaping has developed both of them have had to be moved several times. It doesn’t seem to have affected them at all and they are producing so prolifically at the moment that I am almost running out of ideas on how to use the fruit. It really isn’t that difficult, everyone loves lemon curd, preserved lemons, lemon chicken, homemade lemonade, the list is almost endless.
Recently I turned an old family favourite into a dinner party dessert simply by making it in individual custard cups instead of a baking dish. Dressed with a tiny spoonful of lightly whipped cream and some extra curls of lemon zest it was declared scrumptious by the family guinea pigs. The left over ones were also nice cold the next day.

Lemon Declicious Pudding
60g butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 lemons, zest and juice
2 cups milk
2 tblsp flour

Cream butter and sugar in food processor until light in colour. Separate eggs and add the yolks then the flour into food processor. Mix to combine. Add the lemon zest and strained juice. Mix briefly until just combined. Add the milk and mix again.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until firm then fold them gently into lemon mixture. Pour into a 30cm ovenproof dish and set in a pan of hot water. Bake 30 to 40 minutes at 160C until the top is golden and firm to touch. Use 8 custard cups and bake about 30 minutes to make individual servings.

Gorgeous Gateau:

September 2009

Cakes are associated with all rites of passage, and from ancient times when bread first appeared in our diets, all cultures had have traditional cakes to celebrate important occasions during the year. From christening to funeral, birthday to wedding, communion to graduation, cakes are an integral part of the rituals of life. As a society becomes more sophisticated so do the rituals, and of course the cakes. Many pastry cooks today can create architectural masterpieces from basic ingredients.

With the huge resurgence in home baking that is occurring at the moment the simple homemade birthday cake is regaining its rightful place at the family table and of course makes an easy-to-prepare-ahead dessert. While looking slightly more rustic than a store bought gateaux the following recipe has been a regular favourite in our house over the years, created by my mum and her grandson Glenn.


Celebration Chocolate Cherry Gateaux
60gm butter
4 tblsp golden syrup
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tblsp good quality cocoa
1 ½ cups milk
2 tsp baking soda

Melt butter, golden syrup and sugar together. When cool, beat in the eggs. Add in alternately the sifted dry ingredients with the milk and baking soda. Pour into two 20cm cake tins and bake in a moderate oven for 30 to 40 minutes. This cake can be made either in an electric whiz or with a beater.

For the filling:
250 ml cream, whipped
1 jar prenzel liqueur soaked cherries

For the icing:
125g unsalted butter
1 ½ cup icing sugar
2 tblsp milk
2 tblsp sifted cocoa

Have butter and milk at room temperature. Beat butter until as white as possible, gradually add in about ½ the icing sugar beating constantly. Add milk then gradually beat in remaining icing sugar. Mixture should be smooth and easy to spread with a spatula. When cool slice each cake in half horizontally and sandwich each layer with cream and sliced cherries. Ice the top and decorate according to the occasion.

High pressure cooking

August 2009

A great benefit of my job is that I get to try out a large variety of cooking utensils and cooking methods. I am old enough to remember how scary pressure cookers were and had never used one until recently. But pressure cookers are back, and in these times of energy saving I have been discovering how safe and easy the modern versions are to use.

Pressure cookers look like any other heavy based pot except their lids are a bit more elaborate. They completely seal the pot and when the liquid inside boils it is trapped and, having nowhere to go, steam builds up pressure. This results in higher cooking temperature and shorter cooking times, up to 70 percent faster. Due to the shorter cooking time and less liquid being boiled away, more vitamins and minerals are retained in the food.

While my favourite pan will always be a Dutch oven, there is certainly a place in busy lives for this quick and efficient method of cooking. Homemade stocks and soups are certainly the best, and when it only takes one hour for stock and 20 minutes for soup, there is no excuse not to always have some on hand.

Beef Stock
This recipe will make about 6 to 8 cups and needs 8 hours with conventional simmering or 1 hour in a pressure cooker.

2 kilos good beef bone
2 litres water 1 med onion,
coarsely chopped 1 large carrot,
chopped 1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
1 celery stalk, chopped
small bunch parsley
sprig fresh thyme
salt to taste

Brown the bones well in roasting tray in hot oven. Put in large stockpot or pressure cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook according to type of pot for the required time. Strain well, extracting as much liquid as possible. If you wish to make a more concentrated sauce it can be further reduced at this stage.

Refrigerate overnight, remove fat from surface and either use immediately or freeze in appropriate size containers for future use.

Hearty winter stew

July 2009

Even though winter is fully upon us, there are times when there is no other practical way of providing a meal for a large number than using the barbecue. I had the challenge a couple of weeks ago of entertaining over 60 national AGM delegates of the New Zealand Highland Cattle Society when they visited our fold of Highlands. What to feed that many hungry farmers on a freezing cold and wet winter’s afternoon? Obviously we cooked barbecued highland beef sausages with fresh bread from a local bakery, but what to accompany it with?

I decided on a bean and chickpea dish which I often make for the family and found it simple to increase the quantities to fill two large Dutch ovens. It makes a hearty warming stew and both the beans and chickpeas are an excellent source of fibre and protein, low in fat with a low GI and they are also gluten free. It can be made with either all beans or all chick peas but I like the combination of the two textures. Obviously without the sausages it also makes a great meatless meal. Even the dour breeders from the deep south seemed impressed and were asking me for the recipe

Hearty bean and chickpea stew
Serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 400g can Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 200g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
120ml rosé wine
200ml chicken stock
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste  

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan, fry the onion until softened then add the garlic and tomato paste, cook for a minute or two and then add the wine, bring it to a gentle boil and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and thyme leaves, cook stirring for a minute or two, then add the stock and beans, simmer with lid off until it is of a thick stew-like consistency. Add the chickpeas towards the end of the cooking time and season to taste.

Delicious winter repast

June 2009

We all love to entertain friends and family in the summer when it seems relaxing and simple to prepare some salads and grill an assortment of meats on the barbecue. However there is nothing nicer during these colder months than lighting a fire, filling the house with the delicious aromas of home cooking and enjoying the company of good friends. Winter meals can be kept very simple and often require little last minute preparation as the essence of the dish is normally one of slow and gentle cooking. Traditional cast iron Dutch ovens really come into their own at this time of the year as they hold their heat well and can be taken directly from stove top or oven to the table. Mine won’t leave its place on the hob for the next few months.

Pantry staples for winter cooking should include good quality stocks, dried mushrooms, lentils, canned or dried beans of all varieties, tinned Italian tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato passata, a variety of pastas, plus seasonings such as preserved lemons, chilli flakes, etc to add a bit of intensity.

The following recipe is a particular winter favourite which I make often, either when we have guests, or just for ourselves.

Tuscan-Style Country Chicken
Serves 4
30g dried porcini mushrooms
approx 300 ml warm chicken stock
1.5kg chicken pieces, preferably corn fed.
150ml dry white wine
85g unsalted butter
300ml passata
50ml olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tblsp flour  

Wash and pick over the mushrooms. Cover with half the stock and leave to soak for about 15 minutes.

Heat one third of the butter with the oil in a heavy casserole or pan. Add the chicken pieces and brown all over. Season well and add wine to deglaze the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, the rest of the stock and the mushrooms. Cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from the pot, keep warm. Mash the remaining butter with the flour and mix it into the liquid. Cook until the sauce is thick and smooth, then pour it over the chicken and serve. 

Duck recipe a bull’s eye

May 2009

With May comes the last of the autumn weather and for many Kiwi blokes, the start of the duck season.

The annual pilgrimage to the wilds is eagerly anticipated but not everyone appreciates meals of extremely tough roasted duck flavoured with lead pellets. As a child that was my lasting memory of the whole event, and one which I did not particularly enjoy. However a couple of years ago, having not long arrived in New Zealand, our daughter’s Irish boyfriend was initiated into the adventure by her father and uncles. Using a gun for the first time, he only fired one shot all day which resulted in a good bird. He then insisted that it be eaten that night and proceeded to create the following dish for us which was so delicious I am almost looking forward to this year’s season.

Raymond's wild duck fettucini
2-4 large duck breasts, boned and cut into strips
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 rashers bacon, diced
1 cup gamebird stock
½ cup red wine
½ red pepper, diced
150ml cream
2 tblsp chopped parsley
2 tblsps each oil and butter
salt and pepper to taste 

Melt butter and oil in a pan over a moderate heat. When butter is foaming, sauté duck strips for three or four minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.

In the same pan sauté onion, bacon, mushrooms and garlic until soft. Combine stock and wine and bring to a rapid boil. Add meat, cover and simmer until tender. Stir in cream and pepper. Adjust seasoning and simmer uncovered until the sauce reaches a thick, creamy consistency.

Serve in individual dishes on a bed of fettucini garnished with chopped parsley. Ray is also partial to sprinkling the top with dried chillie flakes..

Autumn salads

April 2009

Autumn is my favourite season with cooler nights and usually sunny days to help ripen the last of the summer vegetables and of course the grapes for this year’s vintage.

Usually by this time we are all becoming a little bored with our repertoire of salads but are not yet ready for heavier hot vegetable dishes. The low fat method of cooking the vegetables in the recipe below can be adapted for many different vegetables but, as eggplants and tomatoes are at their most flavoursome right now, it’s perfect for an autumn menu and goes so well with the traditional roast of Easter lamb.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Salad
Serves 6

1-2 medium eggplants (about 600g)
4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Salt
3 cups cherry tomatoes
¼ teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
12 small basil leaves (aprox 2 tblsps)
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella (can use parmesan) 

Preheat oven to 200C. Trim eggplant into equal sized chunks about the same size as the tomatoes. Place on an oven tray lined with a silicone baking mat, and sprinkle with a tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss to distribute the oil, and spread the pieces apart so that they’ll brown more quickly.

Put the tomatoes on another lined tray, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt, rolling them around and spreading them out.

Put both trays in oven and roast until both the eggplant and the tomatoes are soft, shrivelled, and nicely caramelised on the edges - about 30 minutes. Turn several times during cooking.

Let the vegetables cool on the sheets completely, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Toss gently with the remaining olive oil and salt, ground pepper, vinegar, and basil. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Arrange the salad on a serving platter and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. This dish can be served as an antipasto or entrée course. Without the cheese it can be an accompaniment to grilled meats and fish, or just put it between two slices of grilled bread to make a sandwich.

Mutton replaces Easter lamb

March 2009

Sheep have been prized by man since the time of the nomads of central Asia around 10,000 years ago. Domesticated earlier than cattle or pigs, they provided pastoral communities with milk, clothing and meat. Over the ages, lamb has become associated with celebrations and festivals in many different cultures.

In Muslim countries lamb is roasted whole for wedding feasts, family gatherings, religious holidays and to mark the birth of a child. The Jewish spring feast of Passover still features the ceremonial family meal of lamb. At Easter, lamb is the preferred meat in the Mediterranean as it is seen as a symbol of Christ. There is also a practical reason for this, the festival, celebrated according to the lunar calendar on the first Sunday after the full moon that follows the vernal equinox, falls at a time when, on the southern shores of the Mediterranean, the first spring lambs are ready for the spit.

Here in the southern hemisphere, Easter falls in Autumn and our lambs are much older with entirely different characteristics, so it is often difficult to reproduce the seasonal Greek style dish. I have discovered an alternative, using a mutton recipe from Elizabeth David, which makes a flavoursome meal using a much cheaper cut.

Italian-style mutton

To marinate
Finely chop an onion, a carrot and a stalk of celery and brown slightly in a little warmed olive oil. Add two cloves garlic, a sprig each of rosemary and thyme, about 8 peppercorns and 12 juniper berries, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Over the vegetables and herbs pour half a bottle of red wine and 2 tbsps red wine vinegar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Leave to cool, then pour mixture over a leg of mutton in a deep dish. Trim excess fat from mutton first. Leave to marinate for 3 days, turning the meat over once or twice a day so that it becomes well impregnated with wine.

To roast
Dry the meat carefully, removing any pieces of vegetables which are adhering to it. Put on a rack in a roasting pan and place into an oven preheated to 200C. After 20 minutes turn oven down to a medium/ low heat and slowly roast for 2 to 3 hours, basting occasionally, until well cooked.

To make the sauce
Strain the marinade, put into a small pan and reduce by half; stir in a tablespoon of red current jelly, a tablespoon of marsala, a few strips of orange peel and a handful of pine nuts. Stir over a low heat until thickish. Serve separately.

Ice cream – a summer treat

February 2009

Ice cream is making a real come back as a popular mid afternoon snack or dessert. Ice cream makers and machines are readily available and form part of the well equipped modern kitchen. They enable us to indulge in the sweet treat while knowing exactly what ingredients have been used and to cater for differing allergies and dietary requirements.

While the first recorded serving of a sorbet is attributed to Nero who gave his guests a mixture of fruits crushed with snow and honey, the Chinese may be credited with inventing a device for the making of sorbets and ice creams. Marco Polo observed the practice and took it home to Italy. Catherine de Medici exported the fashion to France where it soon spread from privileged tables to the middle classes via the popular coffee houses of the eighteenth century.

Semifreddo (which means half frozen) is an Italian dessert which can be made with a multitude of ingredients and flavours. For the home cook, semifreddo is a great standby as it has the advantage of not needing any fancy equipment. It will not freeze solid but, like gelato, should be smooth and creamy. The following recipe is a very grown up one which is little more interesting than most of the Affogato style desserts currently popular on restaurant menus.

Espresso Semifreddo:
(6 to 8 servings)

350g ricotta cheese
350g marscapone cheese
1 tblsp dark rum
3 tblsp Tia Maria, kahlua or other coffee liqueur
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 tblsp icing sugar
2 tblsp finely ground espresso coffee

To serve
softly whipped cream
6 to 8 short cups or shot glasses of hot espresso
bitter chocolate wafers or curls

Have the two cheeses at room temperature and beat together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Mix in the rum, liqueur, vanilla and icing sugar. Fold through the finely ground espresso so that the mixture is marbled.

Carefully spoon into small ramekins, piling the mixture high. Freeze for a minimum of two hours.

Transfer to the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving, to soften slightly. The mixture should be only just frozen. Just before serving, dip the dishes quickly in warm water and invert dessert into chilled shallow bowls. Serve immediately with cups of hot espresso for guests to pour over the semifreddo. Can decorate with cream and dark chocolate if desired.

Roadside bounty:

January 2009

Summer is a wonderful time to be cooking – no elaborate meals just simple barbecued meats and easy salads made from sun ripened vegetables. This is the perfect time to forage at the many roadside stands in the district to buy what the local growers have picked that morning. One crop which is now available but not so well known is the ‘Maori Potato’ or taewa which refers to a range of varieties of solanum tuberosum, cultivated by Maori for at least 200 years. Before the primary European settlement of Aotearoa, around 1840, the taewa (riwai) was a staple food crop. Maori acknowledge that some varieties arrived with early explorers, sealers and whalers during the 18th century. They also have traditions that relate the existence of taewa well before this period. Visually incredible and absolutely delicious just boil and eat with rock salt and butter.

I have been making this month’s recipe for years, thanks to Julie Buiso. It is a great salad for making ahead and makes good use of those fantastic small zucchini and copious fresh basil that just says summer. 

Zucchini, Basil and Black Olive Salad
Serves 6

12 small firm zucchini
200g (1cup) small black olives, destoned just before using.
30ml (2 tblsp) white wine vinegar
1 tblsp finely shredded basil
½ tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp Dijon mustard
60ml (4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil)
Extra basil for decoration

Trim the zucchini and slice into even chunks on the diagonal. Put into a bowl with the olives. Make the dressing by blending together the white wine vinegar, basil, salt, black pepper, garlic and mustard, then whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the vegetables and mix well. Marinate for 1 to 24 hours, depending on how crunchy you like the zucchini. Toss again before serving adding fresh basil sprigs for extra looks and flavour.

Christmas entertaining:

December 2008

Food , wine, family and friends. No matter what order you put them in they are the perfect components for an enjoyable Christmas. The most important factor for enjoying the festive season is to make the organising as easy as you can, which will have the effect of ensuring all your guests have a relaxing time. Be comfortable with the menu you are preparing. Cooking for a crowd is not the best time to be experimenting.

Saying that, last year I cooked for the first time a brine soaked turkey with fantastic results. I can thoroughly recommend it as a method which really does keep the turkey moist all through. We are so lucky to have easy access in this area to some fantastic fresh produce, but make sure you order strawberries and the like well in advance if you want to buy direct from the grower the day before Christmas.

When the extended family of four generations gets together on Christmas Day we will set out a table of cold meats and simple salads. Although I may not be too traditional with the type of food we serve, I do try to keep to the theme of green and red Christmas colours from the glazed ham through to the layered strawberry tiramisu and cut jellies dessert.

The recipe below is great for a crowd and certainly looks festive. The quantities are very loose and the ingredients will often change depending on what is available, just make it to suit your own tastes. Orzo or Risone is a small rice shaped pasta made from durum wheat semolina.

Ann’s Orzo Salad
Serves 20 to 30 as part of a buffet

500g Orzo
250g basil pesto
bunch spring onions
2 red peppers
2 to 3 stalks celery
200g feta, crumbled
70g pine nuts, toasted

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet in a large pot of well salted boiling water. Take care not to over cook. Drain into a large serving bowl and break up with a fork to separate the grains. When it has cooled, mix through the pesto. Chop all the vegetables into a small dice about the size of the pasta grains and toss with the orzo. Finally mix through the feta and pine nuts. Check for seasoning if required. Keeps well in the fridge for several hours but let it come back to room temperature before serving.

Entertaining with eggs

November 2008

Christmas is rapidly approaching. Now is the time to organise your festive menus, ensuring ahead of time that you have correct sized baking tins, cookie cutters and other essential equipment. Making and receiving home made goodies is such a pleasure but it does need a little forward planning. Find a simple recipe for children to make and have them package the finished product nicely with a hand written recipe attached. Make madelines or tarts and wrap them with the baking tin. Practical and personal gifts such as these are always much appreciated.

With the warmer weather egg production has really increased and good free range eggs should now be readily available. For centuries, eggs have been not only a symbol of fertility used in many sacred festivals but also a staple ingredient in kitchens of all cultures. Such has been the publicity recently of the goodness/ethics, or otherwise, of battery produced eggs and with a resurgence of self sufficiency, the hen house is making a return in many households including ours. We are amazed at the enormous delight visitors take in our new flock of young hens. Everyone, it seems, no matter what age, takes much pleasure at collecting fresh eggs from the nesting boxes.

Is there a culture in the world that does not serve stuffed eggs? Or anyone who can resist them? This recipe is for what we call grown up eggs, perfect for the approaching entertainment season. They go beautifully with champagne. The filled eggs can be prepared ahead and stored (covered) for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Remove 30 minutes before serving.

Mediterranean Style Stuffed Eggs

6 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
¼ cup mayonnaise
6 anchovy fillets (olive oil packed)
2tblsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1tsp capers, rinsed and finely chopped
1tblsp snipped fresh chives

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks into a bowl and mash with a fork. Arrange the whites, hollow side up, on a serving tray. Add the mayonnaise, anchovy fillets, parsley and capers to the mashed yolks and blend with a fork until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the egg halves, mounding attractively or spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe into the egg halves. Garnish with a sprinkle of chives and serve.

New season’s flavours

October 2008

Finally spring has arrived and it’s time to clean up the barbecue and get ready to enjoy meals outdoors. There are some flavours which are only at their best in spring.

The most obvious one is, of course, asparagus. Steamed or boiled and flavoured with extra virgin olive oil, roasted and coated with shaved parmesan, grilled with a wrapping of pancetta or served in risotto, it is a most versatile vegetable and the fact that it has such a relatively short growing season makes fresh asparagus even more of a treat.

Baby spinach also comes into its own at this time of the year. Instead of boiling or steaming it, tip the washed spinach into a large colander, pour over hot water from the kettle to wilt it, run it under the cold tap, then squeeze it out. Dress with lots of olive oil, lemon juice and finely chopped garlic to taste. Great with grilled or pan fried fish.

New potatoes are the particular favourite in our house, especially now we have a resident Irishman. If you don’t grow your own, search out a good local grower to buy from, so they are really fresh on the day you cook them. I am surprised how many people tell me that they are not confident about cooking potatoes. Ensure that they are a similar size for even cooking. New potatoes don’t need peeling, only a good scrub with a potato brush to remove dirt. Always put them into cold, salted water and bring to the boil, cook at a gentle boil with the lid on for about 10 to 15 minutes. To prevent overcooking, I often only boil for five minutes and then leave them in the hot water until I am ready to serve. Olive oil and fresh mint are the only dressings necessary, but try the recipe below for a vegetable dish that is super healthy and a good source of vitamin C.

Warm Potato Salad
Serves 4

850g new potatoes
5 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp Dijon mustard
zest and juice of ½ lemon
3 spring onions, sliced
handful parsley, chopped.

Cook potatoes in large pan of salted water as discussed above. Mix together the olive oil, mustard, lemon zest and juice. Drain the potatoes and tip into serving bowl. Sprinkle over the spring onions and parsley, then toss through the dressing and serve.

Lemons - an aromatic flavour

September 2008

While lemons are the quintessential icon for Mediterranean dishes I feel that it is in winter that we enjoy them even more. It is almost like adding sunshine to the meal. I am writing this in the midst of one of the wettest winters I can recall and, with yet another large band of rain looming, the gorgeous bowl full of waxy yellowness on the dining room table is a reminder of warmer and drier days.

While not always having a vegetable garden we have always had a large herb plot and at least two lemon trees close to the kitchen wherever we have lived, and in this area we are fortunate to have trees which fruit all year.

Originating in the foothills of Kasmir, the lemon travelled via China (about 1900BC) to Persia. From about the tenth century AD, Arab traders introduced it around the Mediterranean, eastwards to Greece, westwards to Spain and then throughout Europe. Seafarers ate them in large quantities to protect against scurvy and society ladies used them to whiten skin, bleach hair and to redden lips.

Lemons must be the most versatile of ingredients. Squeeze them to make lemonade or to add to cold tea. Use them as an antioxidant, preventing discolouration when applied to other fruit and vegetables. The juice is used for dressings and flavourings of all manner of drinks and sauces. Its acidity helps bring out the blander flavours of other foods. Zest makes a wonderful aromatic flavouring for cakes and pastries and quartered lemons are always served with fish and other foods fried in batter. Preserved lemons are simple to do and add so much flavour to savoury dishes.

An ancient way of preserving cream was to cook it with lemon juice. When Annabel Langbein was in the store last year she shared this recipe with me. I have used it over the summer but it is also superb served at the end of a heavier winter meal. I dress it up by serving it in old fashioned heavy Italian wine goblets. Add a small crisp almond biscuit or wafer as an accompaniment.

Chilled Lemon Cream
4 to 6 serves

600ml cream
100ml strained lemon juice
2/3cup sugar
blueberries (optional)

Bring the cream and sugar to the boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce to a simmer and cook three minutes. Take off the heat and stir in lemon juice. Pour into six or eight ramekins or other fancy serving dishes and chill until set (about four hours).

A nice variation is to add a good spoonful of Omaha Blueberries to each dish after they have been chilling about 20 minutes, pushing them down gently to evenly distribute.

FENNEL: A MOST REFRESHING WINTER VEGETABLE:

August 2008

While soups and stews are so enjoyable over these winter months I often miss the crispness of fresh salads at this time of the year. The answer lies in a vegetable which is at its best from autumn to spring - fennel. Originally a medicinal remedy for such disagreeable conditions as flatulence, fennel has long been an important vegetable in Italian cooking. Bulb or Florence Fennel (so-called to distinguish it from the feathery green herb) resembles a fat white celery root and has a delicate but distinctive flavour of aniseed with a very crisp, refreshing texture.

Dried fennel seeds have long been an essential when we cook pork, but recently I discovered fennel bulbs are grown locally at Wynyard Gardens in Woodcocks Road, which means that it is no longer an exotic, hard to find ingredient from my favourite cookbook, but one I can use frequently. Whole fennel bulbs will keep in the fridge for up to a week, but once cut, need to be used immediately or the cut surfaces will discolour and the texture will soften. It can be eaten raw as a salad or served with cheese as a dessert. For all cooked recipes fennel needs to be blanched first in a large saucepan of salted water. It can then be braised, baked or sautéed.

The recipe this month is a simple, traditional Italian salad which can be made very authentically using only local ingredients. Tangelos may be substituted for oranges if you wish. This is definitely a dish in which only the best and freshest of locally grown oil will do. Perfect as a starter or to accompany any main, especially fish.

Fennel And Orange Salad
Insalata di Finocchio e Arance
Serves 4 to 6

1 medium fennel
2 oranges
Fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Trim off the fennel tops, down to where the stalks rise from the bulb. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise. If the first outside leaf is blemished, discard it. Take off a thin slice from the root end. Slice the fennel crosswise as thin as you can. This is the time when mandoline is most useful to give even and extremely thin slices.

Cut away enough of the top and bottom of the oranges to expose the tip of the orange sections. Use a very sharp paring knife to cut off the peel, all the pulpy white pith beneath it, and the thin membrane covering the orange sections. Loosen and detach the sections one by one.

Put the fennel slices and the orange segments in a deep serving dish. It can be prepared ahead of time to this point and left refrigerated and covered tightly with plastic film for several hours. When ready to serve, toss with salt, pour the olive oil over, and toss once more. Grind pepper over to taste and serve immediately

                            

SUSTAINABLE KITCHENWARE

July 2008


Long used for flooring, furniture, fencing and gardening, bamboo is now widely used as a renewable and sustainable kitchen product. It is the fastest growing woody plant in the world and in the proper climate, certain types of bamboo can grow up to a metre a day. This is because bamboo is a grass not a tree.

When harvested, one-third of the bamboo taken will grow back within a year and it can be harvested every three to five years compared to the 10 to 20 year cycle used for most softwoods. Harder than maple, bamboo is also an ideal alternative for products which traditionally used hardwoods, helping to conserve hard wood forests worldwide.

In the kitchen, bamboo boards are good to look at, gentle on knives and very hygienic as they are easy to clean. Bamboo utensils and tea towels are also becoming available.

Stretching the budget

Making the weekly food budget go further is the task on all our minds at the moment. As a child I can remember my Mum making the Sunday roast last for three meals and the following recipe is one of hers that we still use in winter for left over roast beef or lamb accompanied by our favourite winter vegetables.

Left Over Special
serves 4

2 Tblsp butter
1 Tablsp Worcester sauce
2 Tblsp flour
½ cup sliced mushrooms
½ tsp dry mustard
2 ½ cups diced cold lamb/beef
1 cup chicken stock or ½ cup stock/ ½ cup red wine
½ cup cream or milk
½ cup bread crumbs tossed in 2 tsps melted butter
1 – 2 tsps. chopped parsley

Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour and mustard. Gradually add stock and continue to stir until thickened. Add cream, Worcester sauce, mushrooms and meat, combine well and turn into greased casserole dish or individual pie dishes. Mix buttered crumbs with parsley and sprinkle over meat sauce. Bake at 180 C for about 30 minutes until bubbling and brown on top.

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FOOD TO WARM THE SOUL

 June 2008

At this time of the year, with the shortest day nearly here, I find my enamelled cast iron Dutch oven is in such constant use that it never gets put away. We are all looking for ways to save energy and by using these wonderful dishes that hold and distribute heat so well you can cook an entire one pot meal on a stovetop element set on low. Even though I am now often only cooking for two I still make a large pot-full and freeze a few meals each time. From bean based vegetarian dishes through to chicken or fish stews and on to the hearty beef daube, all tastes and dietary requirements can be accommodated. The beauty of using a good looking casserole is that the meal can be served at the table in the dish it has been cooked in.

Never boil a stew, the gentlest of simmers over a long period of time builds flavour. Use a simmer mat on the element if it is hard to control the heat.

Always use good stock. Try to make your own when you have time and freeze. If using commercial stock, chose a fat free, low sodium variety

For beef good browning is essential to retain flavour. The meat should be thoroughly browned on all sides in several batches, taking about 10 minutes for each batch. As each batch is browned, use tongs to avoid piercing the meat, transfer to a platter and immediately season each batch generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The flavour of most one pot meals improves with age. If making a day or two ahead of time, allow it to cool thoroughly at room temperature, then cover well and refrigerate until serving time. Scrape off and discard any fat that has solidified on the surface and gently reheat until piping hot.

Beef Daube
(Serves 10 to 12)

3 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 to 5 tblsp olive oil
2 kg braising beef, cut into 7 to 8 cm cubes
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
750 ml dry white wine
2 to 3 tblsp Dijon mustard
2 x 480g cans tomatoes in juice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
bouquet garni

Make the bouquet garni by tying fresh parsley, thyme, tarragon and bay leaves in a bundle with cooking string. Heat the oil in a large covered casserole over a moderate heat. Brown the meat in batches as per the note above, carefully regulating the heat. Do not over crowd the pan. Season each batch as it is removed. Only a thin film of fat should remain in the bottom of the casserole. Add the wine, pouring it all over the surface of the pan and scraping up any browned bits. Adjust heat to bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until most of the wine has cooked off, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the mustard and whisk to blend.

Return the beef, and any juices it has released, to the casserole. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, onions, garlic and boquet garni. Cover and simmer over low heat until beef is tender, 2 to 3 hours. Remove and discard the bouqut garni. With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef and vegetables to a bowl. Boil the sauce over a high heat until reduced by about one third. Return the solids to the sauce, reheat gently and serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and your favourite local red wine. It is even better if served a day or two later as suggested above.

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Tasty morsels for mum

May 2008

May is cookware month in store and I have been busy testing and trialling ranges of pots and frypans. Everyone has their favourite frypan and there are now so many different materials available, making choices can be difficult. Copper, aluminium, carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron and a variety of non stick brands add to the confusion. Please call in and talk to us if you have any questions about how to care for your pans or what to look for when investing in new ones.

We are also this month celebrating the New Zealand release of KitchenAid cookware, a combination of the qualities and styling found in both the Circulon and KitchenAid brands. These stylish heavy gauge aluminium pans have a hard based ceramic non stick surface with an easy clean porcelain enamel exterior of classic red. I am looking forward to giving away a stunning five piece cookware set to one lucky customer, so be sure to get your entry in before May 10 for the draw at 2pm.

May not only heralds the start of the winter months, it is also the time when we remember our mums. For me that means baking, which was one of my mother’s great joys.

Last week Tori made the following gingerbread which was perfect for our afternoon tea visitors on a cold Saturday. It is easy to make and perfect to serve for Mothers’ Day. While the recipe called for frosting we opted to sprinkle with icing sugar just before serving.

Grandma’s Gingerbread:
1/3 cup treacle
1/3 cup golden syrup
85 g soft brown sugar
85 g butter
4 tablespoons milk
170g flour
1 level tsp. ground ginger
1 level tsp. cinnamon
½ level tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 egg, beaten

For frosting if required, 120g icing sugar and 1tblsp hot water.

Pre heat oven to 180C and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper. Place treacle, syrup, sugar and butter into large pan and stir over gentle heat until melted. Do not allow to boil. Add the milk and sieved dry ingredients, beating well. Beat in egg and when mixture is smooth pour into prepared tin. Bake 45 minutes approximately. Cool in tin. Cut into squares and serve on your best afternoon tea china.

CELEBRATE THE HARVEST

April 2008

The ritual of harvest time is celebrated by differing communities the world over with feasts and thanksgiving festivals. This crucial time in the agricultural calendar is not observed here as reverently as in other countries, possibly because our autumn falls around Easter, with its emphasis on celebrating spring.

Once the last sheaf had been carried home in triumph, the celebration of harvest festival began with a lavish and well-earned meal. All over the world and through the centuries, every country has had such a festival.

Harvest, despite modern mechanisation, is still an occasion when friends and relations gather for a party, and no harvest festival could be considered complete without its share of nature’s refreshments.

Of these there is none more universally appreciated than the fermented juice of the grape. Wine, to our ancestors, was a sacred liquid transformed from its natural watery state by some mysterious process that could only be explained as divine. Grape pickers’ harvest parties are, by their nature, noisy and happy occasions with the vineyard owner honour-bound to serve the best and the menu, as befitting a thanksgiving table, should be rustic and robust.

Even if you do not partake of grapes in their fermented state, the following recipe from Patricia Wells’ At Home in Provence is a perfect harvest time cake. I hope you will try it, using a mixture of fresh local grape varieties for authenticity.

Winemaker’s Grape Cake
Serves 10 to 122 large eggs

150g sugar
4 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil
60g unsalted butter, melted
5 tblsp whole milk
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
200g plain flour
¾ tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
grated zest 1 lemon
grated zest 1 orange
300g small fresh purple grapes
icing sugar for decoration

Preheat oven to 180C. Generously butter and flour a 23 cm springform cake tin, tapping out any excess flour.

Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and lemon coloured. Add the oil, butter, milk and vanilla extract, and mix to blend.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add the lemon and orange zest and toss to coat the citrus zest with flour. Spoon the mixture into the bowl of batter and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquids.

Stir about three-quarters of the grapes into the batter to blend. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin, smoothing out the top with a spatula.

Place the tin in the centre of the heated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining grapes. Bake until the top is a deep golden brown and the cake feels quite firm when pressed with a fingertip, about 40 minutes more, for a total baking time of about 55 minutes.

Remove to a baking rack to cool. After 10 minutes run a knife along the sides of the tin and release. Sprinkle with icing sugar just before serving. Serve at room temperature in thin wedges with a little cream or marscapone.

 

EAT SIMPLY AND WELL:

March 2008

As those of you who read this column regularly will know, my interest and major food passion is Italian, especially cucina povera, the real food of Italy. There is no adequate translation though the poor cook or country food come close. Although povera sounds like poverty, the point isn’t just the low cost of the ingredients. Certainly they’re affordable, but they achieve spectacular results. The cooking techniques are simple and often slow (“fast food” is almost always expensive). The ingredients are seasonal and therefore at their best in quality and price. And there is usually only a small range of ingredients in each dish (few sausages, for instance, cheaper types of fish or simple cuts of meat). I never enjoyed eating vegetable dishes until I went to Italy and I now will more often than not base the entire meal around the vegetables available. Cucina povera, as you will discover when you try it, means eating plentifully and healthily and I encourage you to seek out traditional recipes to try.

The following recipe for bread and tomato salad has many versions but I enjoy this particular version which is basically just good bread, tomatoes and olive oil. This refreshing salad, served very simply as a starter in this hot weather, is a great way to use up stale bread and a perfect time to use your best oil. With so few ingredients, ensure that they are all of absolute top quality; the tomatoes especially need to be in their prime.

Panzanella alla Toscana
serves 6

8 thick slices days-old ciabatta, crusts off
1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 red onion, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced
1 kg ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place the bread in a bowl and cover completely with water. Stand 10 minutes, then pick up handfuls of the bread and squeeze very gently, but thoroughly, between two cupped hands, until the bread is almost dry, but without crumbling it. Transfer the bread to a large bowl and discard the water.

Tear the basil leaves and add to the bread, together with the onions and tomatoes. Toss gently until well combined. Add vinegar and oil and toss again. The bread will now start to break into smaller pieces. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, but serve on the same day it’s made.

LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER:

February 2008

In our house food preparation is kept to a bare minimum at this hot time of the year.

Food assembling is the order of the day rather than actual cooking with quick salads made from tins of chickpeas a more usual accompaniment to dinner than any elaborate vegetable dish. We have resurrected my Mum’s old style layered sliced lettuce salad with hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, carrots, grated cheese, etc and find it very suited to the climate with the leftovers being great for the lunch box the next day, as the mayonnaise is only added as required. If I do wish to create a dish that requires standing over the stove I make it in the morning while the house is still cool and then it is ready to either re-heat or serve at room temperature when required. Most Mediterranean style cooked vegetable dishes actually taste better when served at room temperature after they have had time for the flavours to amalgamate.

I have been very fortunate this summer to have been product testing a KitchenAid Food processor. Being of the old school where all you need to prepare food well is a solid board and a sharp knife, I have been surprised as to how often I have reached out to use the machine. When we have guests we enjoy sitting out in the cool vineyard of a summer evening sampling the winemaker’s products and this normally entails some sort of snacks or appetisers as a first course. Not a great fan of using a lot of commercially prepared products, I have found the food processor a real help in making up quick spreads and dips, which, while not completely healthy, are at least home made with no additives.

The three recipes this week are all very quick to prepare and can accompany savoury biscuits, pita bread, French sticks and fresh vegetables.

Cheese Spread
In the mini bowl of the processor chop 2tsp garlic chives and 3tsp fresh basil. Then add 6 to 8 sundried tomatoes and pulse them being careful not to over chop. In the main bowl place 150g sour cream, 1tbsp mayonnaise, 100g feta, 100g cream cheese and some freshly ground black pepper and pulse until just combined. Add the herbs and sundried tomato mixture and gently pulse through. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Creamy Avocado Dip
In main bowl of processor blend the following until smooth, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
1 avocado
300g sour cream
½ cup grated tasty cheese
¼ tsp chilli powder
2 tsp lemon juice

Cheese Ball
250g cream cheese
1 cup grated tasty cheese
¼ tsp paprika
6 gherkins
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
chopped parsley as needed
½ cup chopped walnuts approx

Chop gherkins in processor then add cheeses, mix and add sauces and paprika. Process until well mixed. Shape into two balls, cover with glad wrap and chill. When ready to serve sprinkle one with parsley and one with the walnuts as you place them on the serving platter.

A FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO BAKING:

January 2008

Thanks to cosmetic surgery, colourful, flexible bakeware may not be the first thing we think of when we see or hear the word “silicone”. Silicone is not the name of a specific chemical element but rather a whole class of polymers. Unlike elemental silicon (14th placed on the periodic table) and the brittle material from which computer chips are made, silicone is flexible and translucent. Silicones vary in density and texture; some are liquid (sealants), some are gel (surgical implants) and others are more solid (baking products).

First invented by a French chemist, Guy Demonte, in 1982, these products can tolerate a huge range of temperatures - from freezer to about a 330 degree oven - without melting or cracking. The combination of flexibility and light weight makes these products easy to store.

Silicone is used to make everything from egg poachers, funnels, colanders, muffin and cake tins, spoons, whisks and spatulas. I have found the spatulas and whisks exceptionally good to use as they don’t stain, rust, scratch good pots and bowls or carry any odours and flavours.

I love using my silicone pie dish to make this favourite from Lauraine Jacobs’ book The Confident Cook. When cold the silicone just peels away from the pie meaning that I can send it off with the fisherman and not have to worry about whether they remember to bring my dish home. This recipe is also one to remember for the upcoming picnic season.

Lauraine’s Best-ever Bacon and Egg Pie
Serves 6 to 8400g packet puff pastry

50g tasty cheese
6 slices farmhouse style bacon
10 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large firm but ripe tomotaoes, finely sliced
4-5 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh parsley and basil

Place a baking tray in oven and preheat to 210C. The baking tray will heat up and the pie can be placed directly on this, which helps to cook the pastry base.

Divide the pastry into two, with one piece slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger piece and ease into a 24cm fluted pie tin (either silicon or one with a removable base).

Grate the cheese finely and scatter over the base. Discard the rind from the bacon and cut the slices into small strips. Place these pieces in an even layer over the cheese. Take nine of the eggs and break them one at a time, taking care not to break the yolks, directly on top of the bacon. Scatter the herbs evenly over the eggs. Apply salt and pepper liberally, and finish by placing thin slices of tomato on top.

Roll the remaining pastry out into a circle and place this on top of the pie to form a crust. Break the remaining egg into a cup and beat with a fork. Use a little of the beaten egg to seal the pastry by brushing the underside of the top pastry and gently pressing the top to the sides. Decorate, if you’re feeling artistic, with the scraps of left-over trimmed pastry. Use any remaining egg to make a glaze by evenly brushing on the top of the pie.

Place the pie into the oven on the preheated tray and cook for 45 to 50 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp. Remove the pie when cooked and allow it to stand for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or cold

KEEP IT SIMPLE WHILE PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS:

December 2007

Seasons greetings from all of us at Taste and we hope that all of you have a wonderful, relaxed and stress free time in your kitchens over the festive period. Try to keep everything as simple as possible so as to fully enjoy the time spent with loved ones.

I have in my library of cookbooks two small, well thumbed publications which have been well used since the early nineties. They were invaluable reference books when I had a teenage family to cook for and a business to run and I still refer to them when I need inspiration for stylish food that can be prepared quickly. Smart Food for Busy People and More taste than Time were the first of Annabel Langbein’s wonderful cookbooks. Annabel is a remarkable chef and teacher and her books inspire confidence for everyone to get in the kitchen and have fun. Her recipes celebrate a healthy, wholesome New Zealand way of living, all with style and creativity. We are thrilled that she is visiting us at Taste this month with her latest book, Eat Fresh and I am so pleased that she has re-published some of my favourites from her original books in The Best of Annabel Langbein.

Her Beef Nicoise recipe is a family favourite which I serve with a gratin of potato. It is easy to prepare for guests when time is limited and has been an often made, reliable meal option for many years.

Beef Nicoise
serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
400g beef schnitzel, cut in 1cm strips
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tblsp tapenade
1 tsp dried oregano
400g tin tomatoes, in juice, pureed
400g fresh green beans, cut into chunks and blanched
½ cup black olives, preferably pitted just before use
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large frypan. Brown the meat over a high heat in batches and set aside. Add the garlic, tapenade and oregano and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans and simmer for 3 minutes. Return the cooked meat and olives and heat through for about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

	WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THERE'S FLAVOUR: November 2007 All around the world people cook over open fires. It’s how cooking began and it has stood the test of time. Grilling over open flames means no fuss, less fat and more flavour. There is something very primeval about open-fire cooking and even people with the most hard-boiled “I can’t cook” attitudes are unable to resist the excitement of cooking on a barbecue. It seems to be predominantly the domain of men who would often not be seen dead wearing an apron in the indoor kitchen but who turn into culinary geniuses when handed a pair of long tongs and put before a hot grill. Barbecues are used today in a large number of diverse ways and are no longer just used to char grill a sausage or steak. One relatively new method for the home cook is to use smoker boxes on hooded or kettle barbecues to impart delicate smoky flavours to meat, poultry and fish. Flavoured Butters: Making your own flavoured butters in advance and freezing until required is a great way to add instant flavour to grilled meats. Our favourite at home is blue cheese butter on homemade hamburger patties served in toasted sesame buns. Cut a piece of foil approximately 25cm by 20cm. Spread the butter in a block about 15cm long and 5cm thick in the middle of the foil. Roll up and twist the ends tightly to form an evenly shaped cylinder. Keep in refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for up to six months. To keep slices of butter chilled outdoors, float them in a bowl of cold water and ice. The following recipes all make 15 1cm slices, just pulse all ingredients in a processor or blender until well mixed Coriander Chilli Butter: 250g unsalted butter, softened 1 tbsp lime juice handful fresh coriander, chopped 2 tsp salt 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and chopped 1 tsp black pepper Garlic Parsley Butter: Replace fresh coriander with the same amount of flat leaf parsley. Replace lime juice with lemon juice and replace the red chilli with 5 crushed garlic cloves. Blue Cheese Butter: 250g unsalted butter, softened 125g blue cheese 2tsp black pepper Black Olive Butter: 250g unsalted butter, softened 3tbsp thyme leaves, chopped 100g stoned black olives chopped 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper CHRISTMAS CAKES BIG AND SMALL: October 2007 While we are enjoying the start of the summer weather, the cooks among us are thinking about planning for Christmas. Cakes and puddings are so much more flavoursome when made early and while home made goodies make wonderful gifts, they do take a little thought and organisation. It is always a mystery as to where the star cutters disappear to each year and why there is never the correct size tin in the cupboard for that wonderful recipe you are dying to make. At Taste we try to ensure that we are fully stocked with moulds, pans, cupcake cases, baking tins, tart pans etc but they are always in high demand so do shop early to ensure you are able to get the equipment you need. Nigella Lawson’s Time Honoured Christmas Cake recipe is one of the best around, but even if you have your own family favourite her table for differing tin sizes makes a very useful guide to have on hand. She has published it in at least two of her cookbooks and also different magazines so I am sure she wouldn’t mind me sharing it with you.

ASPARAGUS: PRINCE OF SPRING:

September 2007

With spring on the horizon thoughts turn to light and fresh new season vegetables. Roasted with extra virgin olive oil and parmesan, steamed and served with either hollandaise or melted butter, the main ingredient in a risotto or as a crunchy addition to a spring salad, asparagus is the prince of the spring crop and so much more anticipated because of its short season.

From the lily family, asparagus ( asparagus officinalis) is a perennial vegetable which has been enjoyed at least since Greek times. Its name probably derives from the Persian for sprout, asparag, and in England it used to be known as sperage, and sparrow-grass, in the trade it is still referred to as grass. Whereas the Greeks ate wild asparagus, the Romans developed techniques to cultivate it and these spread across Europe.

To keep asparagus as fresh as possible, bunch the stalks and stand them with their butts in a few centimetres of cold water. Store out of the refrigerator, but somewhere cool. The following recipie is a classic Italian dish.

Asparagus and Prosciutto Bundles
(serves 6 for an entrée or light lunch)

18 choice thick spears fresh asparagus
225g Italian fontina cheese cut into thin slices
6 large thin slices of prosciutto or ham
Parmesan cheese as required
25g butter plus extra for smearing and dotting baking dish.
An oven to table baking dish

Trim and boil the asparagus until just cooked but still firm. Preheat the oven to 200C. Set aside 12 slices of fontina or 12 long slivers of parmesan for garnish as preferred. Divide the rest of the cheese into 6 equal mounds.

Spread open a slice of prosciutto and place 3 asparagus spears on it. In between the spears fit all the cheese from one of the equal mounds. Add 1 teaspoon of butter, then wrap the prosciutto tightly around the spears. Make 6 of these bundles.

Choose a baking dish that can contain all the bundles without overlapping. Lightly smear the bottom of the dish with butter and put in the asparagus. Over each sheaf place 2 criss-crossed slices of fontina or parmesan slivers. Dot each one lightly with butter and place in a high shelf in the pre heated oven. Bake about 20 minutes, long enough for the cheese to melt and form a lightly mottled crust.

Allow to settle for a few minutes after removing from the oven and serve with juices from the dish and crusty bread.

COFFEE- ELEVEN CENTURIES OF INTRIGUE AND MYSTERY:

August 2007

From its discovery on a hillside of South Yemen in the eighth century through to today’s coffee culture the story of this little red berry makes the most fascinating reading. Papal blessings, smugglers, slavery, speculators, political intrigue and clandestine smoke-filled cafes are all part of the history of the bean.

In 1475 the world’s first coffee shop, Kiva Han, opened in Constantinople, although the Turks themselves say that the first cup of coffee in history was given by the archangel Gabriel to the prophet Mohammed when he was weary with his pious watching. Coffee soon spread throughout Europe. The “salon de café” was an attractive place, even more attractive than the customer’s own home, where people could enjoy an atmosphere of luxury at a reasonable price, where they could meet to discuss the issues of the day and where they could find a menu of specialities not confined solely to coffee.

Espresso began in the 1800s as an attempt to quickly brew coffee on demand, by the cup. The goal was to serve the freshest, most flavourful coffee possible and to avoid the burned, stale taste of coffee kept warm on a stovetop. In 1822, the French were the first to innovate a crude espresso machine. The Italians perfected this machine and were the first to manufacture it commercially and now espresso is to Italy what champagne is to France.

While we all enjoy going out for a coffee the advent of the domestic espresso machine and grinders mean that we can all have the luxury of great espresso at home. Invest in some good quality Italian machinery, learn to use it correctly and become your own barista.

This month’s recipe is from my mum’s notebook and was one of her specialities. The cake, which she used to make for afternoon teas, makes a great dessert and has the advantage of giving a coffee flavour at the end of a meal without the caffeine shot.

Coffee and Walnut Sponge:
3 eggs
170g sugar
85g flour
pinch salt
30g cornflour
1 tsp cream of tartar fresh
3 tablespoons milk
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp butter
2 to 3 tblsp strong espresso coffee
your favourite soft icing
walnuts for garnish

Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff. Mix in egg yolks. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Add butter and 1 tblsp coffee to heated milk and stir into cake mixture. Divide mixture between two 20cm round sandwich pans and bake at 190C for 15minutes. When cool make up your favourite icing mix, using the rest of the espresso. Layer the two cakes with whipped cream or some of the icing, spread the icing mixture on the top surface and decorate with fresh walnuts. This looks great if covered with finely grated nuts and then place whole nuts on top.

SERIOUS COMFORT FOOD:

July 2007

I am writing this on the shortest day of the year, when planning meals conjures up thoughts of cosy, warming and nuturing dishes. Likes hugs in a bowl, soups and stews are the ulimate in serious comfort food.

Homemade soups are easy to make and are more nutritious and flavoursome than the canned or packaged variety. At this time of the year I try to keep plenty of homemade stocks in the freezer to give my soups more flavour with less additives. As a child I didn’t enjoy my Mother’s soups which we had as a starter for every winter meal. Far too many floating pieces of my least favourite vegetables. But a few years ago, I became a convert when I discovered the diversity, flavour and simplicity available. They can be thick, thin, smooth, hot, cold, light or heavy. Creamy soups are often served as a first course to stimulate the appetite, while heavy, chunky soups can be a main course for lunch, dinner or supper. I find them a great make-ahead meal and most recipes only improve when reheated, with the exception of seafood. Slow cooking builds flavour and this is the time to use good heavy, preferably enamelled cast iron saucepans to ensure that the soup is cooked at the lowest of simmer.

Here is a French favourite. There are many versions of this, but this one is easy and tastes superb. I often add some celery with the vegetables and it can be served hot or cold.

Potato-leek Soup ( Vichyssoise) - Serves 4

2 tblspns butter
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped (about 2 ½ cups)
½ cup chopped yellow onion
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped ( about 800g.)
2 cups chicken stock
1 to 1 ¼ cups milk ( can use cream or a mixture of milk and cream as desired)
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
minced chives for topping

In a large heavy bottomed pot melt butter over a medium heat. Add vegetables and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, do not brown. Add 1 cup of stock. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add more stock if necessary. Puree in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender. Add remaining stock, milk or cream, salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes longer. Blend again for extra creaminess, if desired. Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with chives.