woa food talk
Now is the Season, by Laura
Faire
Photography by Kieran Scott
Previously, seasonal cooking meant spending hours in the garden, needing
plenty of space to grow masses of fresh produce for the kitchen table. Laura
Faire’s new book, Now is the Season, brings back rustic without the retro (and
the hard work), with simple tips on small things you can do in the garden (in
whatever space you have available) to make sure your ingredients are super fresh
and in season.
To Laura, seasonal cooking is using fresh, local ingredients for the kitchen
table – be it a startlingly fresh salad, juicy fruit for baking, or earthy root
veggies for warming winter stews – and about bringing back some of that old
school integrity and simplicity. Where crispy iceberg lettuce looks like
lettuce, rather than wilted mesclun in a grab-a-bag, brown after a day – and you
know exactly what went on your fruit (and it has the nobbles and bumps that it
should) rather than looking like the plastic version of its former days.
Divided into seasonal chapters, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, Now is the
Season shows you when to plant, when to harvest and the right time to tend to
your precious gardening gems. Then with your prized crop, Laura showcases how to
use use this fresh produce with her most irrestible temptations, such as Warm
Duck & Black Grape Salad, Broad Bean & Prawn Pasta with Sorrel, Grilled
Nectarines & Vanilla Mascapone & Almonds and Pea & Parsley Soup with Scallops.
Crucially, Laura doesn’t live on a lifestyle block. Whether renting a place and
still harvesting in Auckland – or growing herbs on a scrap of dirt outside her
London home – Laura is proof that you don’t have to own your own house or have a
huge garden to keep chooks and grow herbs and veggies for the kitchen table.
Now is the Season reminds us of the time when preparing and consuming the best
of the season was an essential part of every day life.
The
Cookbook Tour: Europe
By Flip Grater
When celebrated New Zealand indie musician Flip Grater took her guitar to
Europe, she slept on couches, took in the sights and must-sees of Europe,
performed her music in seven countries – and ate some great food. Now she
captures her journey in a fascinating new book, describing the places, people
and experience of touring.
Flip Grater sang and ate her way around the continent, mixing performances with
cooking lessons in Paris, truffle hunting in Italy, glögg in Sweden…and a fox
called Fletcher. Along the way, audience members and friends were asked to
provide recipes for the book. The result is a side-of-stage view of the
adventures of a touring musician, with a foodie twist.
The Cookbook Tour Europe contains 34 recipes that Flip either cooked herself or
was cooked by the people she stayed with – including delectable dishes such as
Globe Artichoke Pie from Italy, Potatoes Provençale in France and Pepperkakor
(‘Pepper’ cookies) in Sweden. The book is also accompanied by a sampler CD of
five songs from Flip Grater's last two albums
The
Twelve Cakes of Christmas
Helen Leach, Mary Browne, Raelene Inglis
Includes 12 historic Christmas cake recipes adapted for today’s cooks! Many
popular recipes come from lineages that can be traced back for decades, even
centuries. Festive cakes have been made in December for at least two thousand
years. Using archaeological evidence and ancient books, the authors identify the
key ingredients of the cakes that would eventually be served on Twelfth Night,
at the end of the Christmas season. In 17th century English cookbooks, they find
recipes that would have been made as twelfth cakes, full of expensive
ingredients like raisins, almonds, sweet wine and candied peel, but made like
fruit-breads, with yeast. In the 18th century, a revolution in mixing occurred.
Ingredient proportions followed the new pound cake principle, and for the first
time butter and sugar were creamed together. The Victorian age saw Twelfth Night
customs give way to those associated with Christmas Day. The first English
recipe to be called ‘Christmas Cake’ was Mrs Beeton’s. In the colonies, a
growing demand for rich Christmas cakes resulted in the renaming of a range of
recipes: plum cakes, rich fruit cakes and wedding cakes were all co-opted as
Christmas cakes.
The Christmas cakes of the 20th century are a special focus of this book. Nine
cake recipes feature here, four derived from pound cakes, and five highlighting
new methods of mixing or new ingredients. Their family histories are tracked,
but the authors also show how New Zealand cooks went on to modify each recipe
and develop new variations.
Country
Calendar Cookbook
Allyson Gofton
The Country Calendar Cookbook with Allyson Gofton brings together two of New
Zealand’s best-loved icons in a tribute to rural New Zealand. Featuring engaging
stories from the top-rating television show Country Calendar, this stunning
cookbook showcases New Zealand produce at its best. Allyson Gofton travels to
high country farms, fishing towns, sun-kissed orchards and beyond, collecting
treasured recipes handed down through generations of farmers. To these she adds
her own trusted homestead classics and family favourites. Hints and tips
throughout share her years of experience, ensuring the home cook success every
time. Bringing a taste of the country to every kitchen, the Country Calendar
Cookbook with Allyson Gofton is a book for all Kiwis to enjoy.
"I travelled to high country farms, fishing towns, sun-kissed orchards and
beyond, collecting treasured recipes that had been handed down through
generations of farmers. To these I added my own trusted homestead classics and
family favourites. Hints and tips throughout share my years of cooking
experience to ensure success every time. I’m sure you'll enjoy reading and
cooking from this book as much as I enjoyed creating it."
The Free Range Cook
Annabel Langbein
Annabel Langbein The Free Range Cook is the companion
cookbook to the international TV series of the same name. With more than 150
recipes from the TV show, this gorgeous cookbook shares the secrets of Annabel
Langbein's free range cooking style and shows how easy it is to put together
home-cooked food with very little effort. Photographed in the stunning surrounds
of New Zealand's Southern Alps, The Free Range Cook is much more than a recipe
book. Luscious spreads capture Annabel gathering the freshest fruit and
vegetables from her lakeside garden and sourcing the best seasonal ingredients
from local producers. Essays written by Annabel and interspersed throughout the
book provide the reader with an insight into her cooking passions, and menu
spreads offer dishes for every dining occasion. With Annabel Langbein The Free
Range Cook home will soon be your favourite restaurant.
Strawberry Cloud Cake
(right)
Serves 10 -12
150g plain
sweet biscuits
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
100gm butter, melted
to fill
2
egg whites
1 cup sugar
250g
ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tbl
lemon juice
1 tsp
vanilla essence
to garnish
fresh raspberries
berry syrup
Line a 26-28cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
make the base by putting the biscuits in a brown paper bag and crushing them
into crumbs carefully with a rolling pin. Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl and
add coconut, cinnamon and melted butter. stir to combine well. Press firmly into
prepared tin. It doesn't need to be a thick layer - just enough to cover the
bottom of the tin. Refrigerate the base while you prepare the filling.
Place the egg whites, sugar, sliced strawberries, lemon juice and vanilla essence into a clean dry bowl of an electric mixer. beat on high speed for about 6-8 minutes until the mixture is very thick and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved. to test whether it is ready rub a little of the mixture between your fingers. You should not feel any gritty sugar, if you do beat a little longer.
Spoon the filling over the chilled base, smooth the top
cover with a piece of baking paper and freeze for 4 hours.
Salsa Verde
Serves: 2 cups
1 1/2 cups (2 handfuls) parsley leaves, de-stemmed
1 handful (about 40) chives, chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup capers
3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
ground black pepper
1/4 small red onion, chopped
1 small tin (8-10) anchovies, drained
yolk of one hard boiled egg
Method
Purée all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Salsa Verde keeps in
a covered jar in the fridge for about a week or it can be frozen.
AUBERGINE
with TOMATOES & CHICKPEAS
from Pippa Cuthbert
2 aubergines -800-900g- cut in half lengthways, then into 1.5 cm slices
1 tsp sugar
olive oil spray
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
fine salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cider or sherry vinegar
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 400g can chickpeas, drained
1 tsp tomato paste
small handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
Spray both slices of aubergine slices with oil & sprinkle lightly with salt.
Spray pan with oil & cook aubergine for 4-5 mins on each side until golden &
almost cooked. They will be cooked more later.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Gently cook garlic for 2 mins-
just starting to colour. .Stir in tomato paste. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar &
black pepper& stir to combine. Cook 15 mins.
Stir in vinegar, & add aubergines. Bring to boil& reduce the heat & simmer for
20-25 mins until aubergine is very soft. Add chickpeas about 5 mins before the
end of cooking. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top & serve
Serves 4-6
The New
Zealand Cook’s Bible.
Lesley Christensen-Yule & Hamish McRae
This book should be the cornerstone of every good cookbook collection (although,
when you see it, you’ll actually want it on your coffee table). Cookbooks often
assume that you know (or remember) all the techniques required to prepare and
cook a particular recipe. As Lesley and Hamish explain in their introduction,
many children have not learned to cook alongside their parents or grandparents
so even the basics are not being passed down through the generations.
New Zealand is also full of foodies who love to cook and want to increase their knowledge and skill base.This book is written for all these people. The New Zealand Cook’s Bible includes information on setting up a kitchen,selecting the right knife, cookery techniques, how to fillet a fish, the best method for roasting beef, basic preparations, cuts (where applicable), safety and storage, modern ingredients, terms and tools all the way through to meal and menu planning. It is a comprehensive cookbook, covering traditional methods and techniques and more than 500 delicious, easy-to-follow recipes. Literally everything you need to know about cooking.
The New Zealand Cook’s Bible has been written by the chefs who train the chefs
and adapted from the leading textbook for professional cookery training (The New
Zealand Chef) so whether you are a complete culinary novice or an experienced
home cook wanting to develop, improve and hone your skills, this book will be
your ultimate kitchen companion.
And all in a stunning package that you will want your friends to see in your
kitchen.
Ham and Cheese cake from Christelle
Le Ru
Serves 6
This simple savoury cake is delicious either on its own or with a mixed salad.
It is best served warm and can be prepared in advance and frozen. Just place in
hot oven for 10 minutes before serving to reheat.
200g Gouda or Cheddar cheese
240g ham
1 bunch parsley
3 eggs
80g butter
100g flour
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
Freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Grease a 20cm round tin. Dice the ham and
cheese. Wash and finely chop the parsley.
2. Mix the eggs, melted butter and flour until well combined. Add the pepper,
parsley, diced ham and cheese and mix well.
3. Pour this mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter with breadcrumbs and bake
for 30 minutes or until golden. Cut into small pieces and serve warm for a
bite-size appetizer.
Pear and Chocolate cake from
Christelle Le Ru
Serves 8
This cake is extremely quick and easy to make, yet will delight the young and
not so young alike. I first tried making it with apples and the result was also
exquisite. You might like doing the same for a delicious alternative and if you
are in a rush, you can use Chocolate chips and canned pears.
4 eggs
200g white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
170g unsalted butter
275g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 pears
100g dark chocolate
100g milk chocolate
30g sliced almonds
1. Preheat oven to 160ºC (325ºF). Grease a 23 × 12cm loaf tin. Beat the eggs,
sugar and vanilla essence together in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix
until well combined. Sift the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture.
2. Peel and cut the pears into slices. Break the dark and milk chocolate into
small pieces. Add both the pear slices and chocolate pieces to the cake mixture.
3. Pour into the prepared tin and scatter sliced almonds over the top. Bake for
45 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
Yates
Garden Fresh Cookbook
By Kate Fraser
A companion volume to one of this country′s most successful
books, the Yates Garden Guide, to highlight the cooking and preserving of
home-grown produce. Kate Fraser is the author of Cooking Times and food editor
of a major daily newspaper. The food content of the book contains sixty heritage
family recipes provided by the Yates internet garden club as a special feature.
It is anticipated that this book will continue to grow and be added to over the
years as a companion to the main book. It also aims to meet a growing need for
cooking and preserving information for a generation of new gardeners who have
lost this connection between the garden and kitchen.
Hazelnut Cheesecake
'This is a cheat's version of a cheesecake. It has a light creamy taste that
contrasts deliciously with the nutty ginger base. Makes two 9cm cheesecakes.'
Base
3Tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts
6 gingernut biscuits
40 g butter, melted
Top
125 g cream cheese
70 g creme fraiche
2 1/2 Tbsp lemon curd
A few blueberries or raspberries
Line two lightly oiled 9cm ramekins with plastic food wrap.
Chop the hazelnuts and biscuits to crumbs in the food processor. Combine with
the butter and mix well. Press into the bottoms of the ramekins and refrigerate
for 30 minutes to set firm. When ready to fill the bases, use the food wrap
edges to lift them out of the ramekins. Beat the cream cheese and the creme
fraiche to combine well, fold in all but a little of the lemon curd and pile the
mixture onto the hazelnut bases. Smooth the tops with a knife dipped in boiling
water and brush with a thin layer of lemon curd. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to
set the mixture. Top with a few blueberries or raspberries.