OTAGO FARMERS MARKET KITCHEN

August 31, 2012 Alison Lambert

Happy first day of SPRING!! We made it through another winter and have eaten many wonderful dishes; some using cuts of meat that require long slow cooking, others using robust vegetables to add comfort and nourishment through the colder months. I always get a bit carried away when the sun and days start to stretch out. Soon i will start hounding Rodd (asparagus) as i eagerly await its arrival even though its not for well over a month....! But lets not jump ahead too much as we still a lot to be thankful for and many many more meals to create before the new season produce really appears.

On today's menu cauliflower simply sauteed is delicious as is Wairuna's inspired Jerusalem artichoke lasagna. Ettrick Gardens have plenty of frozen berries and apples which of course will make the most delicious dessert. I'm celebrating that super healthy green - kale and making a wonderfully thick, bowl of goodness otherwise known as soup!!

See you soon at the mobile kitchen.

SIMPLY COOKED CAULIFLOWER

Serves 2-3 as a side.

2 - 3 heads of small cauliflower (or 1/2 head large)
2 Tbsp of olive oil
a couple pinches of sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small bunch of chives, chopped and or 1 handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
zest of one lemon
freshly grated Parmesan
flaky sea salt

Method

To prep the cauliflower, remove any leaves at the base and trim the stem. Now cut it into tiny trees - and by tiny, I mean, florets aren't much larger than a table grape. Make sure the pieces are relatively equal in size, so they cook in the same amount of time. Rinse under running water, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and fine grain salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cauliflower and stir until the florets are coated. Wait until it gets a bit brown on the bottom, then toss the cauliflower with a spatula. Brown a bit more and continue to saute until the pieces are deeply golden - all told about six minutes. In the last 30 seconds stir in the garlic.

Remove from heat and stir in the chives, lemon zest, and dust with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of flaky sea salt (if you have it on hand). Serve immediately.

KALE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Thick, hearty, healthy and delicious; soups like this are a meal in themselves and need little to accompany them.

SERVES 4-6

250g dried cannellini, haricot or 2 tin white beans, drained

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 sticks of celery, diced

2-4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 Tbsp tomato paste

Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1 sprig (2 tsp ) fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Pinch dried chilli flakes

1 bunch (6 stalks) kale, remove stalks and sliced roughly

2 litres stock or water

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil and a little freshly grated parmesan cheese to serve.

Method

If using dried beans, rinse well and soak overnight or for at least eight hours covered in cold water.

Drain and rinse under cold running water. Place the beans in a suitable size pot and cover generously with water, add stalks of parsley and rosemary and 1-2 cloves garlic. Cook over a moderate heat until tender (approx. 40 minutes to 1 hour) remember to add no salt until last 10 minutes of cooking. Set aside!

In a medium to large pot add the oil, onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sweat off (to cook without colour) for at least 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, herbs and kale, cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the cooked beans along with about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. If using tin beans rinse them well and add to soup. Add enough stock or water to just cover ingredients, add a pinch of chilli and season well. Simmer gently until all the ingredients start to come together in taste and the kale has wilted and the beans are on the verge of going a little mushy (about 30 minutes).

Taste and adjust seasoning, I like to use a potato masher and once or twice mash the beans and vegetables lightly together to slightly thicken the soup.

Serve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and a grate or two of cheese!

BOYSENBERRY AND APPLE COBBLER

Serves 8.

Berry Mixture:

4 medium size apples, peeled, cored and roughly cut

1 1/2 Tbsp cornflour

1/3 cup sugar

4 cups boysenberries

1/8 cup water

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Batter topping:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

50g butter

3 Tbsp of milk

Method

Preheat oven to 190C

In a saucepan add the apples a touch of water and cook over a medium heat until tender. Mix cornflour, sugar, and water and add along with the boysenberries and cook on medium to medium high heat until mixture is thickened, about 15 minutes. Add butter and lemon juice. Pour into a16cm baking dish.

Prepare the batter by rubbing the butter into the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt mixture, until you get coarse breadcrumb texture. Add the milk and mix together quickly (i use a bread and butter knife) until the mixture just comes together. Bring the mixture together with your hands and pluck off even sized portions of dough and drop over the berry mixture.

Bake 25-30 minutes at 190C.

Let cool. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE LASAGNA

This recipe is created with a little assistance from Shaun from Wairuna Organics who swears by this method for his delicious artichokes.

SERVES 4

1kg Jerusalem artichokes, washed well

1-2 cloves garlic

2 sprigs of fresh thyme, use only the leaves

300ml cream

50g freshly grated parmesan cheese

400g fresh lasagna sheets

salt and freshly cracked pepper

Method

Preheat oven 190C

Roughly chop the Jerusalem artichokes and put into a food processor along with the garlic, thyme leaves, and cream. Blitz the mixture until the Jerusalem artichokes are coarsely chopped. Season the mixture with salt and freshly cracked pepper and a handful of grated parmesan cheese.

Drizzle a little sauce over the bottom of your oven dish, place lasagna sheets evenly over the sauce to cover. Spoon over Jerusalem cream mixture to generously cover pasta and repeat until all the sauce and pasta is used, always finish with a layer of sauce and sprinkle over parmesan cheese and a few cracks of pepper.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the sauce is bubbling and golden.

Serve with a robust green salad with a good home made dressing!

KOAU FLOWERS - LAMB AND SPROUTS

Koau flowers not only do super healthy living sprouts of all descriptions but they also do lamb wraps which are cooked to order.

YEAR-ROUND VITAMINS - Sprouts are the super food of all super foods as they are living right until you eat them. They are one of the most complete nutritional foods available.

Sprouts are real 'Life Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Enzymes.

What may surprise you is the sheer variety available
• Lentil
• Blue pea sprouts
• Red clover
• Broccoli
• Alfalfa

Great in salads, wraps, sandwiches, tossed through a quick stir fry, on their own as a nutritious snack. I particularly like paring them with quinoa, cracked wheat, or lentil, try them warm with roasted vegetables and sprouts tossed through at the end or scattered over your hot baked potato. Be experimental and enjoy the benefits!

ALISON WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VENDORS FOR THEIR FANTASTIC LOCAL PRODUCE

BRYDONE ORGANICS - cauliflower

SUNRISE BAKERY - freshly baked goods

JUDGE ROCK WINES - wine

ETTRICK GARDENS - kale and frozen boysenberries

WAIRUNA ORGANICS - Jerusalem artichokes

KOAU FLOWERS - living sprouts and lamb wraps