The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and new produce is going crazy.  I was rummaging around my own garden noticing young, tender broad beans, sweet little carrots, flowers popping up all over my strawberry and potato plants, yes we have almost made it! Summer is fast approaching and fresh, vibrant ingredients start to get introduced back into our daily meals.  This week I get to make overindulgent toasties with fresh tomatoes, basil, rocket and Evansdale Cheese creamy, fresh curds.  The BBQ will be burning away (or in my case a griddle pan) but you get the idea and I will be grilling Origin Beef and also their beef sausages. As you know I am an addict when it comes to freshness and herbs are ripe for the picking, so I will be adding a Chimchurri sauce which I am sure you will adore.  Wairuna Organics array of new season onions are fantastic and almost a little to precious for turning into crispy buttermilk onion rings, but I thought they would a delicious snack or addition to our juicy steak.

McAthurs Berry Farm Rhubarb is outstanding at the moment as are their gooseberries but I thought I would stick to rhubarb for yet another week, so I have teamed it up with two classics and made it into one. Rhubarb with custard and a little crumble topping! If you have the time take a wander around the many various stalls as you will always find something new to try or get you inspired.

See you all at the market, have a great weekend.

CRISPY ONION RINGS

These are great as a snack and work perfectly alongside some grilled steak.

3 onions, cut into 1cm-thick rings

250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

For dusting: seasoned plain flour

Buttermilk batter

150 gm (1 cup) plain flour

125 ml (½ cup) buttermilk

80 ml beer

To serve: Sea salt flakes and malt vinegar for serving

Method

Separate onion into rings, place in a large bowl, add buttermilk, season to taste and mix to combine. Let sit in buttermilk until batter is made and rested.

Meanwhile, for buttermilk batter, place flour in a bowl, season to taste and make a well in center. Add buttermilk and beer to well, then whisk until smooth and combined. Stand for 30 minutes.

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 180C. Drain onion (discard buttermilk), dust in seasoned flour, then dip in buttermilk batter, shaking off excess in between. Deep-fry in batches, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden (2-3 minutes; be careful as hot oil may spit). Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot with malt vinegar and salt.

 

CHIMCHURRI SAUCE

This fresh sauce will compliment this oncoming BBQ season perfectly.

1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems

3-4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

1 Tbsp fresh mint and basil leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Method

Finely chop, or pound in mortar and pestle the fresh herbs and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.

Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.

Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.

FRESH TOMATO, ROCKET AND CURD TOASTIE

This sandwich contains that magic combination of fresh tomato with peppery, fragrant leaves and all brought together with warm, melting creamy curds.

Serves 1-2

75- 100g fresh curds

¼ tsp lemon zest

1 squeeze lemon juice

To taste sea salt and cracked pepper

4 slices day old white bread

20g butter

2 tomatoes, sliced into thin rounds

20g rocket leaves

4-6 basil leaves torn

Method

Put the fresh curds into a bowl and marinate for a few minutes with the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

Flatten the slices of bread using a rolling pin, and then butter each slice thinly. Place two of the slices, butter side down on top of a chopping board and divide the marinated curds between them. Add the torn basil and rocket leaves and 2-3 rounds of tomatoes. Top with the other slice of bread – butter side facing up and gently fry the sandwiches in a heavy based frying pan over a moderate heat until they are golden on both sides.

Remove and cut in half or fingers and serve immediately.

 

RHUBARB AND CUSTARD CRUMBLE

Rhubarb and custard is a match made in heaven and with a little toasted crumble on top it makes it even more memorable.

For the rhubarb

500g rhubarb

Generous sprinkling of brown sugar

1 orange, zest and juice

35g caster sugar

500 ml custard

For the crumble

100g plain flour

80g butter

80g caster sugar

80g ground almonds

Pinch ground ginger

Method

For the roasted rhubarb, preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the rhubarb into 15cmor so lengths (about the length of a wooden spoon-handle) and place in a roasting tin with 2 tablespoons water and juice and zest from orange and the light brown sugar. Roast until just soft enough to take the point of a knife, about 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool, then drain, reserving the cooking juices.

In wine glasses, add a layer of the stewed rhubarb and syrup and a layer of custard. Place in the fridge to set.

For the crumble, preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Rub the flour, butter, sugar, ginger and almonds together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle the mixture onto the lined baking tray and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the crumble is crunchy and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

Once the rhubarb and custard has set, top with baked rhubarb pieces and some almond crumble.

Serve.

FANTASTIC GREEN SALAD

 Everyone should have an easy fresh salad in their repertoire to go with almost anything and this is the season to get these simple yet utterly fantastic into your menus.

Serves 4

1-2 Fresh, crisp lettuce

Extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Handful fresh soft herbs (mint, basil, parsley, fennel) leaves only

Method

To make the salad, get yourself a round lettuce, iceburg, buttercup, gem etc and remove each leaf from the core. Wash them in plenty of cold water. Spin dry or blot with paper towels and pile them into a bowl along with your selection of fresh herbs.

Make a basic dressing by mixing together 3 parts extra-virgin olive oil, 1 part lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the leaves and use the tips of your fingers to gently mix the salad together. Be careful not to overdress it, though, or your leaves will go limp!

Done as easy as that, serve immediately.

Alison would like to thank the following vendors for their fantastic produce.

EVANSDALE CHEESE – fresh curds

JANE FIELD PEONIES AND HYDROPONICS – fresh lettuce and herbs

MCARTHURS BERRY FARM – rhubarb

ORGIN MEATS – marinated steak and beef sausages

WAIRUNA ORGANICS – new season onions

KAKANUI PRODUCE – basil

KAKANUI TASTY TREATS – tomatoes

JUDGE ROCK WINES – central Otago wines

GREEN MAN BEER