Smoked fish, eggs and a sprinkle of chives = arnold bennet! This is such a classic British dish and one that we can make so easily with market goodies.  With a little effort this omelette will fit nicely for brunch, light lunch or a perfect dinner served simply with a crisp salad. Bowerbird tea will not only be drunk by the cup but i will be seeping plums in a syrup made with their black chai tea.  Waikouaiti gardens heirloom tomatoes will be simply eaten or perhaps grilled with  smidgen of basil, either way they are quite delicious!

Produce around the market is still in abundance and the even though the lack of rain is starting to effect our precious soil we still have juicy stoned fruit and now crisp apples and pears.  Pumpkins, courgettes, broccoli, greens and of course many varieties of tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers, capsicums, herbs, lettuces and don't forget the potatoes.  We do still have berries as the late cropping has begun.  If you have the time take a stroll around the market and you may be surprised what you'll find. 

Have a lovely weekend and if you have the time come by the and take a minute out of your day to have something to eat and have a chat with us all at the mobile kitchen.

ARNOLD BENNET – smoked fish omelette

This is one of those dishes which reminds me of Britain and one that we can easily do here with freshly smoked fish from The Boat Shed and fresh free-range eggs

Serves 4 – simply halve recipe to make omelette for 2 or 1 greedy person!

200g natural, smoked white fleshed fish, skinned and boned

1 large shallot, or ½ small onion peeled and finely chopped

150ml cream

Good knob of butter

8 large free range or organic eggs, beaten, plus 1 extra egg yolk

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the fish in a pan with the shallots/onion and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered with a lid, for 2 minutes. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and drain on some kitchen paper. Continue to simmer the cooking liquid until it has almost completely reduced, then add the cream, bring back to the boil and continue to simmer until it has reduced by two-thirds and has thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. Flake the flesh into the sauce, add the egg yolk and parsley, stir well and season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Preheat the grill to its maximum temperature. Heat a little butter over a low heat in a large 25cm non-stick fry pan or a favourite frying pan that doesn’t stick. Season the beaten eggs and pour over the egg mix into the pan, or enough to fill two-thirds of the pan. Over a low heat, stir the eggs with a wooden spoon or plastic spatula, until the mixture begins to set but the eggs are still soft. Stop stirring.

Spoon the haddock mixture over the omelette, spreading it evenly with the back of the spoon until covered. Put it under the grill for a minute or two until evenly browned.

Serve immediately with a simple fresh green salad.

 

BOWERBIRD TEAS – organic botantics

Located up on the platform of the train station you will find these truly delectable teas! The variety alone leaves you mesmerised; Black rose, Turkish orange, Man showing his heart to a Peony, Earl grey and that’s just a start.  If possible ask to stick your nose in the bags and inhale deeply, you will be transported.

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT CUP….

After a little research into perfecting the perfect pour I realised it could get quite complex with filtered water brought to the boil and cooled slightly, infused for approximately 4-6 minutes and stirred three times to the right!!!

Actually like anything in life it all depends on the quality of the product and Bowerbird teas are of the highest quality – their instructions are pretty straight forward

Bring water to the boil, and pour over desired amount of tea leaves and leave to brew for 4-5 minutes.  Pour and enjoy!

What is really fantastic with their tea is that you not only get one pot of great tea but many; you can simply add more water and get another and yes another if desired!

GRILLED TOMATOES

With a just a little grilling these tomatoes burst out with their sweet juices and their flavour intensifies.  They add a nice twist to any dish.

Serves 4

6 assorted tomatoes, cut in half

2 Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp sea salt flakes

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

3 Tbsp or handful basil

1 tsp red wine, balsamic or sherry vinegar

2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Cut tomatoes in half and drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle over a little sea salt flakes and cracked pepper

Place onto baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and grill for 6-10 minutes, or until the tomato skins are blistering and the juices are flowing. Do try not to overcook them as they will collaspe!

Whilst they are cooking, add basil to a mortar and pestle (if possible as this will produce a better sauce or you can simply cut by hand).  Add a sprinkle of salt to the basil and pound to form a thick green, fragrant paste, add the vinegar and stir to mix.  Continue to stir whilst drizzling in the extra virgin olive oil.

Arrange the juicy tomatoes on a plate, drizzle over the basil oil and serve with grilled bread, juicy steak, fish or lamb or add to any salad.

 

This is definetly worth a try as the plums mingle deliciously with this amazing Bowerbird Tea

Serves 4

FOR THE POACHED PLUMS

6-10 firm medium-sized plums 3 Tbspn black chai tea 3 cups water 1 vanilla bean, split, optional

Cut the plums in half and remove the seeds. If you would like to remove the skins, lightly score the plum skin to make them easier to remove after poaching. (I'm lazy, so I left my skins on with no ill effect.)

In a pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the tea leaves, vanilla bean, and water and bring to a boil with the lid on. Poach the plums in the tea for 3-5 minutes until fork-tender, then remove from the poaching liquid.

If you want the poaching liquid to be more of a syrup, simply reduce over high heat until you get the desired consistency.

FOR THE PANCAKES

Makes 8

2 cups milk

1 dessertspoon tea 2 eggs 55g butter, melted ½ tsp vanilla 1 cup flour 2 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt

Method

Warm the milk with the tea and bring to the boil, remove immediately from the heat and cool.  Strain the milk and discard the tea.

Combine spice-infused milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix until smooth. Batter should be thick and fluffy, but if it is too thick and difficult to stir, thin it with a tiny dash of milk. Oil lightly a medium hot skillet. Cook the pancakes slowly over medium heat, making sure that your skillet is always well-greased. Serve pancakes with poached plums.

 

BAKED MARROW WITH BUTTER

serves 4

a 1kg marrow

50g butter

1/2 tsp dried oregano, or fresh thyme or rosemary

1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

1Tbsp caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Peel the marrow, halve and scoop out the seeds, then cut into 2.5cm chunks. Use about a third of the butter to grease an ovenproof dish that will take the marrow in a tight single layer.

Spread out the marrow chunks in the dish, sprinkle with oregano, coriander, sugar, salt and pepper and then dot with the remaining butter. Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil, turn the marrow in its own juices and return to the oven for a final 10-15 minutes until just cooked.

 

Alison would like to thank the following vendors for their fantastic products

WAIKOUAITI GARDENS – organic tomatoes, vegetables and plants

THE BOAT SHED – freshly smoked array of fish

BROUGHAM EGGS – fresh eggs

BOWERBIRD TEA – organic loose leaf tea

AQUARIUS GARDENS – fresh herbs, tomatoes and lettuce

SUNRISE BAKERY – fresh baked goods

WAIRUNA ORGANICS – vast array of organic produce and marrow

HARWARDEN ORGANICS – plums and peaches

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