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CONDIMENTS COMPLEMENT

Can you let a morning go by without a fix of Marmite or Vegemite? No? When travelling, do you need to pack a jar of chilli or hoisin sauce? Or is that a tube of addictive habanero mustard tucked in your handbag? Well you must be a condiment fanatic. Congratulations, you’ve joined my club. A condiment is a spice, sauce or a combo of ingredients that is added to food to impart a specific flavour, enhance flavours or complement a dish. The most common is salt, followed closely by freshly ground b...

Sankaya Fak Thong

A traditional coconut custard cooked in a pumpkin. 1.5kg pumpkin or buttercup4 large eggs100g raw sugar1 cup coconut cream Wash and dry the pumpkin. With the point of a small sharp knife, cut out the stem and a small amount of skin, leaving 4-5cm diameter opening. Retain the stem piece as a lid. Spoon out the fibre and seeds and — if very thick — any excess pumpkin. Place the pumpkin upside down on a paper towel in the microwave and cook for 8-10 minutes on high (100%) powe...

B & B DELIGHTS

Bagels and burgers are hot! They’re quick to prepare, can be highly nutritious with the right combo of protein and veg, and there’s hardly any cleaning up.  An authentic bagel — the chewy bun with a hole in the middle — is made with a flour, yeast and water dough which is shaped into a circle then boiled in water for two to three minutes. After draining, the bagel is baked until golden. Sometimes it is brushed with egg wash before baking, sometimes the egg is added to the do...

PEPPY PRESERVES

It’s time to preserve the tempting tastes of summer. Time to pack a pickle or two. And a jam or three. However, preserving does not improve poor quality produce — the better the quality, the better the appearance and flavour of the preserve.  Piccalilli is my husband’s favourite pickle. I think it’s childhood memories that kindle his obsession. The Oxford Dictionary traces the name back to the mid 1700s when Hannah Glasse — the first ‘kitchen goddess’ — wrote ‘...

CHINESE CHEER

Celebrate Chinese New Year — the longest and most important festival on the Chinese calendar — commencing on February 12 and continuing for 15 days. There are 12 different animal signs in the Chinese zodiac, one for each month of the year. This is the Year of the Ox. According to Chinese belief, those born under the sign of the ox are patient individuals — but when opposed, watch out! Chinese astrologers maintain that the Year of the Ox will bring career advancement, success in...

LUNCH BOX LEADERS

It’s back to school and back to work. And back to finding ways to make the transition from holiday fun easier. Interesting new lunch box creations fit the bill. The sandwich is the lunch box supremo: open to endless interpretations and as simple or as elaborate as you like. Sandwiches are popular around the world — Americans eat more than 300 million a day! — with many countries offering their own unique versions. These include; the crust-free cucumber, salt and pepper summer sandw...

SIMPLY SALMON

Salmon is a perfect summer food. It’s readily available, nourishing and quick and easy to cook. New Zealand’s fresh salmon is farmed in pristine coastal waters and in the chilly canals close to the Southern Alps. Salmon is a naturally rich source of top-quality protein, vitamins and long chain Omega-3s which are linked to the protection against heart disease and certain cancers, alleviation of arthritic pain, and the boosting of the immune system. But best of all its taste and versatility ma...

GOURMET TRAVELS

My hairdresser has travelled extensively overseas but until recently had never visited the South Island. I suspect a lot of Kiwis haven’t explored their own ‘backyard’. So now is the time and I encourage travellers to enjoy some of the food specialties of the regions visited. Who knew that the only cranberry farm in New Zealand is situated close to Westland’s Hokitika where one can purchase fresh berries in season plus frozen fruit, sauces, jellies and relishes? And that pistachios are b...

Potato Salad on Sticks

1kg small waxy (boiling) potatoes Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Topping: 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed 2 tablespoons diced gherkins 1/4 cup each: chopped chives, flat-leaf parsley, fennel fronds flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Ensure the potatoes are about the same size. Halve any large ones. Boil in salted water until just tender. Meanwhile, whisk the ingredients together for the vinaigrette. Combi...

VEGETARIAN PISTACHIO NUT LOAF

Based on a recipe from Jamie Magazine — but easier. Excellent served hot or cold with cranberry sauce. Risotto: 1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms2 tablespoons olive oil2 each: celery stalks, small red onions, garlic cloves, diced1/2 cup each? Arborio rice, white wine2 cups hot vegetable stockNut mixture: 2 tablespoons olive oil200g brown mushrooms, sliced70g each: pistachio nuts, blanched almonds, lightly toasted and finely chopped1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs1 cup lightly packed grated tasty ch...

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

I made this dairy-free, gluten-free cheese sauce with diluted coconut milk.1 medium head cauliflowerCheese Sauce: 1/2 cup Angel Food Cheesey Sauce Mix2 1/2 cups rice, soy or coconut milkTopping: 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained1 tablespoon oregano leaves Preheat the oven to 220°·C Trim the cauli of its major leaves. Cut the base so the cauli sits flat. Place in a large microwave-proof bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and place in a sma...

FUN, FOOD & BEER

Oktoberfest originated in Germany on 12 October 1810, to celebrate the marriage of Ludwig, the Crown Prince of Bavaria, to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. He later became King Louis I. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. Today, the two-week festival attracts over six million visitors from all over the world. In addition to eating, drinking and dancing, visitors enjoy colourful parades...

WHOLE IN ONE

Who needs the hassle of multiple cooking methods for a weekday meal? Who needs four pots to clean after dinner? Who needs 25 ingredients in Monday’s meatless dish? Well, not many of us.  Granted the four-pot scenario may have its place for those entertainment dinners where you want to dress (up your meals) to impress.  But talking to my friends it seems we all want ‘simple’ during the week. We also want variety in our meals — not mince five nights in a row even if it is pre...

SEE THE LIGHT

Spring is here! Time to lighten up with lighter meals. It’s an opportunity to get in shape for summer. I want to be able to wear last year’s slim-fit ‘trou’ and shorts.  Although a recipe may specify a few tablespoons of oil, you can usually get away with using a lot less – think teaspoons rather than tablespoons. For frying, choose a non-stick pan and brush the base with oil. You can also use water in place of oil when frying onions or even for stir-fries. Water helps soften...

GO GEORGIAN

Recently I received a message out of the blue from a client in Georgia (SE Europe) asking me if I could develop suitable recipes for a local (Georgian) product to be sold in Japan. An intriguing request! But it got me thinking. I love Japanese food. But Georgian cuisine? Well, it’s delightfully diverse. Nestling between the subtropical Black Sea shores and the snowy crest line of the Caucasus Mountains, Georgia is gourmet country. Tea, citrus, almonds and olives thrive near the mountains. In m...

WINE DINING

Men are like wine — some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age. Pope John XXIII Most cooks will agree that it’s wise to cook with a wine that you would be happy to drink. But that doesn’t mean you have to select a wine from the top shelf. Just choose a good one that fits the budget. Wine adds a little magic to many a recipe. The complex combination of flavours of the wine provide body and depth to dishes as well tenderising and adding moisture. Wine’s acidity softens the tis...

SIMPLY SUPER GRAINS

Although they have only recently become a foodie favourite around the world, nutritionally-rich super grains have been enjoyed for thousands of years. Quinoa has been used as a cereal for over 5,000 years and was regarded as a sacred food by the South American Incas. It’s gluten-free and an excellent source of protein as well B vitamins.   Kasha (toasted buckwheat), is one of the oldest dishes in Slavic countries — at least 1000 years — and often consumed as a porridge. Kasha ...

KHACHAPURI

Georgian cheese bread. Dough: 1/2 cup warm milk 1/3 cup warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar 2 teaspoons each: active yeast granules, olive oil 2 1/4 cups plain flour 1 1/4 teaspoons saltFilling: 125g mozzarella cheese, grated125g feta cheese, crumbled 2 large eggs 1 tablespoon butter pinch salt Combine the milk, water, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Stand until the yeast begins to foam. Add the olive oil, 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Mix until a sticky dough forms. Turn the d...

COCONUT COOL

Venetian explorer and writer Marco Polo is considered to be the first westerner to pay any attention to the coconut. ‘One of these nuts,’ he wrote, ‘is a meal for a man, both meat and drink’. In the tropics, the backyard coconut palm takes the place of the family cow. Coconut cream and milk play an even more important part in tropical menus than cows’ milk in our cuisine.  The thin, refreshing clear liquid which pours from a young coconut when it is opened is not coconut cream or ...

TRIPLE K TREATS

Kale, kumara and kiwifruit — all nourishing winter nosh.  Kale comes in several varieties including the common curly and the long-leafed cavelo nero. All are great sources of vitamin A, C and K plus copper. They also contain folate, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium plus beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients. Whew! Discard any thick kale stalks and shred or coarsely chop the leaves. Add to smoothies, mashes, stir fries, soups, pasta or pies. Te...

COSY COMFORTS

One of my favourite winter warmers is a casserole. The combination of meat (usually), vegetables, spices and herbs slow cooked in the oven or on the hob to mouth-watering deliciousness is a cosy comfort. And with cosiness in mind Food Writers New Zealand has released an e-cookbook. ‘Cosy’ features 40 family-style recipes for warming mains and desserts created by food writers from across the country. And it is just $10.  All profits go to ‘Meat the Need’, a national charity with the ...

MAD ABOUT MINCE

I’m not going to mince matters. (As they say!) I think mince is a better invention than sliced bread. And we have a German, Karl Drais, to thank for this popular mealmaker. Drais invented the first hand-powdered meat grinder (mincer) in the 19th century. He also invented the hobby horse — the precursor to the bicycle, the typewriter, the stenograph for court shorthand, a wood-saving cooker, the railway handcar (later called the draisine) and two four-wheeled human-powered vehicles. But i...

PIE PERFECT

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a hearty homemade pie for warding off winter blues. And making your own pastry need not be a chore. A food processor is a bonus. However, if you don’t have one when making short pastry, grate the butter into the flour then rub it in lightly with your fingertips. Keep everything as cool as possible during pastry preparation — your hands, bench surfaces, utensils and ingredients.  Pastry should be rolled with short, sharp strokes starting ...

CHEAP AND CHEERFUL

It's dollar-stretching time — but choosing lower-cost foods does not necessarily mean lowering your standards. Add a little imagination to your meal presentation and your dinner can still look a 'million dollars'.  Carbohydrates such as pasta, rice and potatoes help stretch meat dishes. Check out Indian, Chinese and Moroccan recipes — many are light on meat but rounded out with healthy veggies and rice or noodles. If fresh veggies appear a little expensive then use frozen which ...

SLOW AND EASY

Colder days are with us — time to enjoy yummy warming meals from the slow cooker. It’s the busy cook’s best friend. I’m using ours twice a week. I just throw all the ingredients in the cooker, cover it and let it slowly simmer away all day filling the house with mouth-watering aromas. Slow cookers use little electricity; they can be stored in a cupboard or just left on the bench; and can be used in the smallest of kitchens making them ideal for flats and holiday hideaways. To obtain ...