bouquets of flowers Waikouaiti Gardens

Thanks to our fantastic weather the fishing boats are a sail and delivering us with super fresh fish and queen scallops and with BIG thanks to Edmonds Fresh Fish i will have the delight of cooking them today at the mobile kitchen.  I will be making a delicious Apricot and Raisin chutney which is fantastic as it is one that can be eaten straight away.  I will have beetroot from Brydone Organics, after talking with Nigel (grower) he was saying that customers often ask for the leaves to be removed as they don't realise that they can be eaten! So i will show you a few ways to utilise these super healthy leaves.  The array of tomatoes found at the market is utterly astounding and i will be using Waikouaiti Gardens (located up on the platform above Cardrona Lamb) they have grown 20 varieties! And last but not least is the humble marrow - i love them and i guarantee you will too!

Wairuna Organics

APRICOT-RAISIN CHUTNEY

Make 2 ½ cups

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 kg apricots, peeled, quartered, and pitted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup good-quality honey
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Method
Heat oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add apricots, sugar, honey, raisins, and vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened, about 25 minutes.
Pour chutney into a large bowl. Let cool completely. Serve at room temperature.
Chutney can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

BEETROOT RISOTTO

Serves 4

1.5 lites vegetable or chicken stock (approx.)
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
350 g (12 oz) Arborio (risotto) rice
120 ml white wine
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp roughly torn fresh basil
2 to 3 medium beetroots, peeled and grated
2 to 3 handfuls beetroot tops or ruby chard (silver beet) kale finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
1 handful freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method
Bring the stock to a simmer.

Heat the butter in a separate wide pan over medium heat; add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat well, cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until it’s absorbed, then stir in the parsley, basil, and the beets.

Add 500ml stock, cover, and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Begin adding the remaining stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is tender. Before the last ladle, add the beet greens or spinach. Season with salt and pepper and put a lid on and turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in the lemon peel and juice.
Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan and a small knob of butter.

BRAISED BEETROOT WITH THEIR LEAVES

Never underestimate the tops of beetroot – their leaves can be used as you would silverbeet or kale. The smaller more tender ones are perfect added to your salad or try them wilted through your stir-fry.

Cut the leaves from your beetroot, wash well and chop coarsely. Peel the beetroot (not always necessary)and cut them into wedges 1.5cm thick. Cook 1 chopped onion and a clove of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil, until softened then add the beetroot wedges and enough water to just cover. Season and cook slowly for about 30 minutes, until the beetroot is tender.

Add the chopped leaves and cook for 5 minutes. Season and sprinkle with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar.

Great served with brown or puy lentils and yoghurt.

FOIL BAKED FISH WITH CHILLI
Serves 2

1 Tbsp oil
2 large or four small fillets of fish – cod, gurnard, elephant, moki etc
2 cloves garlic
1 chilli, deseeded and finely sliced (Kakanui Produce cherry chilli is perfect for this)
1 lemon

Method
Preheat the oven to 190C.

Take two pieces of strong kitchen foil, roughly 25cm square, and brush them with the oil. Season the fish fillets generously and place them on the foil – either two small fillets or one large one per parcel.

Divide the garlic and chilli between the fish add a squeeze of little lemon juice and a good grinding of black pepper over each pile, then bring up the sides of the foil and scrunch them together tightly to form well-sealed but baggy parcels.
Place the parcels on a baking tray, transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.


HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD

Sun ripened, soil-grown, sweet tasting tomatoes make for a wonderful salad. However add some rams horn, black cherry, sun gold, Guernsey island and money maker, to name but a few of the impressive array of tomatoes found at the farmers market and you will have a salad to be enthused by!

Serves 4

4 large handfuls of mixed tomatoes – cherry tomatoes –black, red and yellow, rams horn, sweet 100 etc
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp good red wine vinegar

Method

To showcase the tomatoes I like to cut the tomatoes into different shapes – some into thick slices, other in half, some in lengths, little ones whole, it adds texture and variety to your salad.
Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Ideally allow the tomatoes to sit for 10-30 minutes before serving as this will get the juices flowing.
Always serve this at room temperature with a loaf of fresh, crusty bread to soak up the juices.


BAKED MARROW GRATIN
serves 4

500g marrow, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
65 g butter
3 Tbsp cream
1 egg
2 oz (50 g) cheese, grated

Method
Preheat oven to 220C

Put the marrow in a saucepan with salt, pepper and a very little water.
Cook gently until the marrow is tender.
Drain if necessary and turn into a heated ovenproof serving dish.
Mix together 50 g of the butter, the cream and a little of the cheese, season with salt and pepper fold through the marrows. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and dot with the rest of the butter.
Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.


Alison would like to thank the following vendors for their fantastic produce
EDMONDS FRESH FISH – fish
TE MAHENO – marrow, garlic
BRYDONE ORGANICS – beetroot
WAIKOUAITI GARDENS – tomatoes
CAITHNESS ORCHARDS – apricots