Autumn is here and so are some hearty, flavoursome ingredients.  Warming soups, comforting pickles and homely pudds will brighten up those cold days.  I shopped around for staple ingredients which also packed a lot of flavour. 

 

MY VERSION OF A BOIL-UP

This type of hearty meal has many variations throughout the world and the options are endless. I put this together hunting out cheap cuts and using up veges I had at hand. Feel free to use ingredients that you and your family enjoy.

Serves 5

Ingredients

1 ham hock

2 oxtail bones

2 bay leaves

5 peppercorns

2 sprigs of thyme

1 lamb neck fillet or mutton chops

3 carrots, peeled

1 leek, remove outer layers and cut the white into 1cm rounds and leave the green tops for later

2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges so they stay together

3 sticks of celery

500g potatoes

½ white cabbage

Freshly ground pepper and salt

Method

Place the hock, oxtail and chops in a large pot or crock-pot and cover with plenty of cold water, add the herbs and peppercorns. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 1 ½ -2 hours. Remove any scum that may rise to the surface.

Whilst the meat is cooking, prepare the vegetables.

Cut all the vegetables into even sized pieces so they will cook evenly. I like to keep them on the larger size so I can cook them longer in the stock.

Add all the vegetables except the potatoes and the green of the leek. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the meat and allow to cool enough so you can pick the meat from around the bones (discard the bones).

Add the potatoes and return the meat and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender (20 minutes), finish by adding the finely sliced green of the leeks.

Check for seasoning you may not need to add any salt, taste before you go crazy. Adjust if necessary and serve in large bowls. It will be great the next day as well.

 

PICKLED RED CABBAGE

Makes 2 350ml jars

Ingredients 

1kg red cabbage, finely sliced

2 apples, peeled and finely sliced

2 cups cider vinegar

¼ cup brown or raw sugar

¼ cup water

1 cinnamon stick

4 juniper berries

3 bay leaves sterilise

2 jars and lids (if wanting to store)

Method

In a large heavy-based pot add the sliced red cabbage, apple, vinegar, sugar, spices and water. Stir to combine.

Cover with a lid and cook gently over a low heat for about 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Store in the sterilised jars and seal or put into a suitable container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

 

QUICK SPINACH

This is my go-to technique which I also use when cooking kale, cavolo nero or silver beet.

Serves 4

2 bunches spinach, stalks removed and washed well.

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

Pinch chili

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Method

Remove the stalks and wash well.  Shake off as much excess moisture as possible.

Heat a good size fry pan up to medium-high heat, add garlic and toast in the oil until it starts to go light golden colour, add a pinch dried chilli flakes and spinach, season with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.

Toss to combine and allow the spinach to lightly wilt (about 1-2 minutes).

Serve immediately.

 

EGGPLANT/AUBERGINE

There are so many wonderful dishes throughout the world that celebrates this versatile vegetable. This is just one of many dishes and techniques that work well with Eggplant.

Serves 2

1 medium eggplant – per person Slice the eggplant into ½ cm thick slices – lenthways 1 clove garlic, sliced into thin slices

1-2 Tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (you may need more)

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves – basil, parsley and marjoram work well

Method

Heat a grill or BBQ up to medium-hot Place the eggplant slices side by side onto the hot grill. Cook until grill mark appears on each side and the flesh feels tender and the slice of eggplant begins to wilt (about 3 minutes each side).

Meanwhile add all the other ingredients into a serving dish and when the eggplant slices are cooked plunge them immediately into the dressing and allow them to soak up the dressing. Continue until all the eggplant is cooked.

It can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

 

QUICK CHILLI SAUCE

Everyone needs a chilli sauce up their sleeve.

Makes ½ cup

½ cup rice vinegar (or substitute white vinegar)

½ cup, plus 2 Tbsp. white sugar

¼ cup water

3Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. sherry (or cooking sherry)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 whole chillies, finely sliced

1 Tbsp cornflour, dissolved in 2Tbsp. cool water

Method

Place all ingredients - except the cornsflour-water mixture - in a sauce pan or pot. Bring to a rolling boil.

Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. (Note that the vinegar will be quite pungent as it burns off. Generally, I find rice vinegar less strong than regular white vinegar).

Reduce heat to low and add the cornflour-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).

 

RHUBARB JAM

Rhubarb is growing in abundance at the moment and if like me I love its unique flavour but can never quite keep up with it. This jam recipe is great as the endless uses will impress you.

Makes 600g

400g Fresh rhubarb

200g jam sugar (pectin added)

200g caster sugar

1 Tbsp boiling water

1 vanilla pod, seeds removed

½ lemon, Juice of half a lemon

Method

Remove the leaves and wash and dry the rhubarb. Cut the stalks into 1cm pieces.

Place the rhubarb, both sugars, one vanilla pod, seeds and the tablespoon of water into a jam pan or thick based saucepan.

Let the sugar dissolve over very low heat, stir to encourage the sugar to dissolve.

Once the sugar has dissolved turn the heat up, cook the jam over high heat. Do not stir the jam too often, just every now and then to prevent it from catching.

I like to wash the sides of the pan down with a clean pastry brush that's dipped in boiling hot water. This will help prevent the jam going cloudy and crystallised.

I use a sugar thermometer now when making jam as it has taken the ‘luck’ out of the setting stage if you know what I mean. Cook the jam till it reaches 105°C. However if you don’t have a thermometer, place a small amount of jam on a small cold plate and spoon a little jam onto the plate and if the jam sets and you can run your finger through it without the jam running it means its ready!

Remember the longer you cook the jam the darker the caramelized colour will become and the flavour more earthy.

Once the jam reaches the correct temperature add the juice of one lemon, stir and remove the jam from the heat.

Let the jam cool slightly before ladling your jam into cleaned sterilized jars.

 

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

INDIGO BAKERY – fresh baked goods

BRYDONE ORGANICS – organic red cabbage and spinach

LECKIES BUTCHERY – lamb forequarter chops, hocks, beef bones

BUTLERS BERRIES – rhubarb

KAKANUI PRODUCE – chillies and aubegine