OTAGO FARMERS MARKET
Good morning, here we are again 'MARKET DAY'. The produce is still in plentiful supply and variety. Today i am making a large pot of pork broth with watercress and potatoes (boil-up). I am on yet another mission and this one is all about stretching our dollar. Last week i made that wonderful beef and barley soup which went down a treat, so many remarks on how it was just like mum use to make. So this week a similar version - take some good quality bones, add some market fresh veges and low and behold you have made a simple, yet utterly delicious pot of soup!
I also have the ever popular swede on which i will whip into a peppery mash and some spicy cakes. Quinces has been bubbling gently away on my fire top for many hours, resulting in the most wonderful, sticky, perfumed paste which i will be sandwiching together between pastry and walnuts. This is a wonderful slice perfect for this time of the year.
I also have a quick version of the fantastic pasty which i adore and have many, many fond memories of life in Cornwall. Leeks are sweet and firm and perfect combined with a little tasty cheddar from Whitestone. These are a must for the weekend!
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| kutash organics (the garlic and potato man) |
Have a great weekend and go Ollie at rugby (2nd ever game).
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| free range and very happy eggs from speckled hen |
See you at the mobile kitchen to talk, cook, eat and drink....
serves 4-6
1kg (at least) pork bones or hock,
2 onions, cut into thin wedges
1 stick celery, sliced thinly
1 leek, washed well and sliced thinly
1 bay leaf
1kg potatoes, liseta, whites, Nadine – cut into chunks
500g watercress
Extra virgin olive oil for serving (optional)
Lemon, for serving
Method
Wash the bones in cold water and cut smaller if necessary. Place into a large pot and cover with cold water, bring to the boil. Remove any scum and lower the heat, add the bay leaf, celery, onion and leek. Cook gently for 1 hour. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook for a further 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the bones and pick off any meat and add back to the soup. Finally add the roughly chopped watercress to the soup. Simmer for a further 10 minutes, check seasoning.
Serve with a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Enjoy with lots of crusty bread.
Serves 6
300g leeks
40g butter
2 tsp clear honey
1 Tbsp Dijon or grain mustard
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
200g tasty cheddar
1 medium egg, beaten
Spread out the puff pastry on a floured surface and cut out 6 discs, each with a diameter of 12 cm (saucer or side plate works well). Chill these discs while you make the filling.
Trim and wash the leeks and slice thinly. Melt the butter in a pan over moderate heat and fry the leeks till soft but not coloured; about 10 minutes. Stir in the honey, mustard and rosemary, season to taste and leave to cool.
Crumble in the cheese and mix to combine.
Lay 6 discs of pastry on a baking tray and divide the leek mixture evenly between them, placing the mixture to one side (which will enable you to fold them over) spooning it into a neat mound. Leave a rim of about 1cm.
Lightly brush the border with beaten egg and fold over the half of pastry which had no filling. Crimp the edges together to seal either with your fingers or by pressing down with a fork. Cut two little slits on the top of the pastry to allow for steam. Brush lightly with beaten egg and continue with remaining discs until finished. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry has puffed up and golden.
Serve!
1 swede (about 650g), peeled and diced into small chunks
75g plain flour
100ml crème fraîche, sour cream or Greek yoghurt
1 egg, beaten
1 red chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garam marsala
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp crushed coriander seed
small handful coriander , chopped
sunflower oil , for frying
Cook the swede in a pan of boiling water for 15 mins until tender, then drain well. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, crème fraîche and egg to make a smooth, thick batter. Stir in the chilli, onion, spices and coriander, then season generously. Very roughly mash the swede and stir into the mixture.
Heat a splash of the oil in a large non-stick pan and cook small, flattened spoonfuls of the mixture for 2 mins on each side until crisp and browned. Serve hot.
1kg quinces, peeled and cored
500g sugar (approx)
Cut the quinces into chunks cover with water and place into a large sauce pan. Cook until the quince is very tender (50 minutes). Drain and add the sugar, stir to dissolve and cook very gently until thick and pulpy (1-2 hours). Cool and store in a clean container in the fridge.
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| fresh quince |
QUNICE AND WALNUT SLICE
200g,Quince paste
2 Tbsp cold water
Slice tin 16-18cm long
making the sweet pastry - in a large bowl, with a spatula or wooden spoon, mix the soft butter and icing sugar to a cream: then beat in 2 of the egg yolks. Add the flour and with your fingertips rub the butter mixture and flour together to achieve a crumbly texture, add the walnuts and mix to combine. Add the water and press the mixture together to form a ball.
With the palms of your hands, knead the pastry on lightly floured work surface until it is blended (maximum 30 seconds). Wrap in glad wrap/plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes (this helps the dough lose its elasticity).
Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap and roll to double the size of your slice tin and cut in half length ways. Line the tin with a sheet of greaseproof paper and place one half of the pastry snugly into it, pressing into place if necessary.
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| fresh produce and hot organic sausages |
ROSEDALE ORCHARDS – quince
AQUARIUS GARDENS – watercress
GODDARDS – swede
WAITAKI BACON AND HAM – pork bones
BRYDONE ORGANICS – leeks
WHITESTONE CHEESE – Totora tasty cheddar