With weather this balmy we might very well be eating vegetables and fruit earlier than expected this year.  When I think back to last year and what I was cooking I do recall it being quite unpredictable but not quite this warm.

Well today I am making potato gnocchi and this recipe is fantastic, the gnocchi has great flavour and a light, puffy texture. I like gnocchi a lot and find it therapeutic to make and hugely satisfying to eat. It also fits perfectly in with the season and today I am coating it in sweet buttery leeks and bacon from Waitaki Bacon and Ham!

I am still on my mission of Autumnal/winter salads and today I thought I would make the cabbage salad into a warm one with the addition of a creamy buttermilk dressing to add a little decadence! Spinach from Aquarius gardens is green and tender, so I'm only going to add a little garlic and that is pretty much all it will need.

For dessert today I have made a Danish classic and one that is perfect for using up frozen berries and of course a  little drizzle of cream over top wouldn't go astray!

Do come by the mobile kitchen and have a free sample of todays delicious delights.  Have a fantastic day and keep it local.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH LEEKS AND BACON

Now we are talking my language this combination needs little explaining as this just works!

Serves 4

1kg floury potatoes, agria or desiree

4 egg yolks

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 ½ cups flour

30g butter

4-6 rashers bacon, sliced into strips

2 leeks, washed and finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Freshly grated parmesan to serve

Method

You can either prick your washed potatoes all over and microwave until tender or you can place the whole unpeeled potatoes into a suitable size pot and cover generously with water and cook until tender (about 30-40 minutes).

In a small bowl mix together the parmesan, nutmeg, pepper and egg yolks, set aside.

Meanwhile place a large frypan onto heat, add the butter and bacon and allow to sizzle and lightly colour.  Add the leeks, garlic and thyme and cook gently for 5 minutes or until the leeks are tender and the bacon is golden. Set aside.

Place a large pot of water on to the boil and season generously with salt.

When the potatoes are cooked carefully remove their skins and place into a bowl.  To get the best results push them through a ricer or mouli if you don’t have either push them through a sieve.  Place the potato directly onto your work surface and sprinkle over half teaspoon salt and lightly mix.  Add the egg and cheese mixture and mix through.  At this stage your mixture will quite sticky so don’t worry.  Sprinkle over ½ cup flour and knead through, check the mixture by rolling a little ball in your hands if the mixture is still very sticky add ¼ to ½ cup of flour and knead once again until you get a smooth, moist dough that can easily be handled.

Divide the dough into four and begin with one part. Roll this out into a thick rope shape length about 3cm in diameter.  Now cut this into 2-3 cm lengths all the way to the end.  Sprinkle a little flour on you bench and holding a fork with the prongs resting on the surface and the base is turned upwards, roll each gnocchi down the fork. This gives the gnocchi little indents that will allow the sauce to stick!

 

WARM CABBAGE SALAD

This is just a nice alternative to serve the cabbage as a salad.  Add your favourite spices, fresh herbs and ingredients to get this really interesting.

Serves 4

1 medium sized cabbage finely shredded,

1 tsp olive oil,

2 tsp sesame seeds,

1 capsicum, sliced thinly

1 fresh or dried red chilli, finely chopped

Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Buttermilk dressing

1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk 1 Tbsp maynonaise 2 Tbsp cider vinegar ½ Tbsp sugar

Pinch salt

Method

Add all the ingredients for the dressing together in a small bowl or jug and mix well to combine,

Heat oil in a large wok or fry pan and put 1 tsp sesame seeds in to dry roast for about 15 seconds. Add in capscium, cabbage and salt and cook on high stirring intermittently  for 7-8 mins or till cabbage is just cooked. Sprinkle through some of the coriander and remaining sesame seeds and drizzle over refreshing buttermilk dressing to serve!

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK?

Making a recipe that calls for buttermilk? Use this simple substitute, and you won't need to buy any:

Milk (just under one cup) and 1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

METHOD

Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a bowl

Add one cup milk (full fat or old cream)

Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

 

HOW TO COOK SPINACH SIMPLY

 

This is how I cook most of my greens – simple yet delicious!

2large bunches of spinach,

Olive oil, extra virgin

3 cloves garlic, sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Remove any thick stalks of the spinach and discard. Clean the spinach by filling up your sink with water and soaking the spinach to loosen any sand or dirt. Drain the spinach and then repeat soaking and draining. Put the spinach in a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture or any method that works for you.

Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until the garlic is just beginning to brown.

Add the spinach and be careful as it will spit a little.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss to combine and allow to wilt for a minute or two.

Serve immediately.

 

BERRY PUDDING AND CREAM

This is a traditional Danish pudding and one that would be great with red or black currants as they like it tart.  However I am using frozen Karaka berries today from Butlers and it works beautifully.

500g red berries or fruit (red currants, black currants, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, karaka or a combination)

2 ½  cups water

¾  cup sugar

¼ cup cornflour, arrowroot or potato flour mixed with ¼ cup water

250 ml cream, plain or whipped with 1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar

Method

Add the fruit well into nonreactive saucepan and cover with 3 cups water; simmer over medium low heat until the fruit falls apart. Remove from heat and strain juice through cheesecloth or a fine-meshed sieve; dispose of berry seeds.

Return juice to heat, stir in sugar, and bring to a low boil; reduce heat to medium and add the dissolved cornflour etc  to thicken. Stir the mixture constantly until it begins to gel to the consistency of a heavy syrup. Remove from heat, pour into individual serving bowls, cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days.

Serve chilled with either plain or whipped cream.

 

ALISON WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING VENDORS FOR THE FANTASTIC PRODUCE

GILBERTS FINE FOODS/LIEVITO - freshly baked goods

BRYDONE ORGANICS - potatoes and leeks

GODDARDS LTD - cabbage

JUDGEROCK WINES - central otago wines

BUTLERS BERRIES - fresh and frozen berries

WAITAKI BACON AND HAM - bacon and pork products (farm to plate)

AQUARIUS GARDENS - fresh seasonal greens (spinach)

KAKANUI PRODUCE- chillies, capsicum