Otago Farmers Market

Menu today shows off the diversity of the market - Waitaki Beef, Brydone Organics sweet tender leeks and potatoes, Wairuna's turnips, Jane Field Hyrdroponics baby pak choy.  Rosedale Orchards juicy pears and fruit juice and a few surprises (no doubt).  See you soon

BEEF STEW, PEPPER AND PUMPKIN STEW

This stew is Italian inspired with a hint of local flavours.  Waitaki's Beef combined with sweet pumpkin and a generous amount of cracked black pepper make a harmonious dish.

Serves 4

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

900-1kg stewing beef, cut into 2cm cubes

2/3cup carrot, diced

2/3cup onion, diced

2/3 cup celery, diced

salt o taste

2 cups red wine, something gutsy

3 cups chicken stock

1 tin tomatoes, crushed

450g (about 3 cups) pumpkin or butternut squash, diced into 2cm cubes

2 Tbsp crushed black peppercorns

Method

In a heavy casserole over high heat, warm half the olive oil.  Add the beef and sear (colour on all sides to sear juices in) about 6 minutes.  Remove the beef and set it aside.
Reduce the heat to low, and add the remaining olive oil to the casserole.  Add the carrots, onion, celery and salt.  Mix the seared beef in the pan with the vegetables and cook together for 2 minutes.  Add the red wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Continue cooking until there is almost no liquid left in the pan, about 4 minutes.  Add the stock and the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add half the pumpkin and all the pepper.  Add water if there is not enough liquid to cover the solids.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.  When the meat is very tender, add the rest of the pumpkin and cook for another 20 minutes, covered until the cubes of pumpkin are tender.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Not only is this soup tasty and comforting it is also fantastic on the pocket. I like to keep it as natural as possible which is why I only use a masher to blend my soup if however you like it smoother then by all means go right ahead.

Serves 4

50g butter

3 fat, firm leeks, sliced thinly and washed well

3 medium floury potatoes, peeled and chopped

Sprig fresh thyme or 1 fresh bay leaf

700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

50ml cream to serve (optional)

Method

For the soup, heat the butter in a medium pot over a moderate heat, add the sliced leeks and herbs and cook without colouring for 3-4 minutes.  Add the chopped potatoes and stir to coat in the butter and leek mixture.  Put the lid on the pot and cook for a further 5 minutes so that all the flavours start to sweat out of the ingredients, this will help improve the overall flavour of the soup.

Add the hot stock, bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasoning and carefully mash with a potato masher to break down any large lumps of potatoes and to help amalgamate the ingredients into a chunky, rustic soup. 

Serve in warm bowls with a swirl of cream and a crack of pepper.

PAK CHOI WITH SESAME

Serves 4 as a side

6 pak choi (small) or 2-3 large
2 Tbs oil

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 large garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped

1 mild green chilli , seeded and finely chopped

1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce (optional)

Method

Cut a thick slice from the pak choi root to separate the leaves. Rinse and drain.

Heat the groundnut oil in a large wok over a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the garlic, chilli, fish sauce (if using) and pak choi. Toss until coated and clamp a pan lid over them. Reduce the heat and cook for 3-6 minutes, tossing occasionally, just until the leaves have wilted (the stalks should be tender-crisp).

Add the rest of the sesame oil and salt. Toss the leaves and serve immediately.

TURNIP AND POTATO GRATIN

ready to bake

550g medium potatoes (Desirée, King Edward, or Maris piper)
550g large turnips or swede
500ml cream or you can do ½ cream and ½ milk
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (if possible)
10g/10 pinches sea salt
1g/2 pinches freshly ground black or white pepper
10g/2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C  

Wash & peel the potatoes and turnips. Pat dry and slice them 2mm thick (a Japanese mandolin is perfect for this job).

On medium heat, in a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the seasoning, thyme leaves and crushed garlic and leave to infuse off the heat

Mix the sliced vegetables in a large gratin dish layer the sliced vegetables halfway up the dish; pour half the warm cream through a strainer over the sliced vegetables add the remaining sliced vegetables making sure you top the gratin with a layer of just potatoes as this will give you a golden crust.

Pour over the remaining sieved cream and discard the garlic. Press gently with the back of a spoon to ensure the cream is evenly distributed

Cover with tin foil and bake in the pre-heated over for 40 minutes

Remove the tin foil and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the vegetables are just cooked in the middle 

Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

A FEW TIPS ON COOKING A GRATIN

Don’t wash the potatoes after we have sliced them as the starch present will bind the the layers together and also give a good caramelisation.

If you leave a layer of turnips on the top they will dry out and curl up.

Cooking - The gratin is cooked when the tip of a sharp knife cuts into the gratin with little resistance (you shouldn’t feel the layers).

Rosedale orchard not only grow exquisite fruit but also produce fantastic fruit juice which I am going to use to poach some of their juicy pears.

serves 6
1 litre juice – pear, blackcurrant or apple

½ - 1 cup of sugar

1 vanilla pod (optional)

Couple strips of orange zest
6 pears, peeled and cored

Method

Place the fruit juice into a deep medium size pot, add the sugar (sweetness is up to you) add the vanilla pod and orange zest.  Bring to the boil then reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer.  Place the pears in the liquid and place a round of greaseproof paper on top to help keep the moisture in and to keep the pears submerged.  Poach gently for 10 – 20 minutes or until the pears are tender all the way through.

Remove the pears carefully onto a platter and return the liquid back to heat and boil vigorously until the liquid has reduced to thick syrup.

Serve the pears whole with the fruit syrup poured over with either vanilla ice cream, cream or perhaps crème fraiche.

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

SUNRISE BAKERY – fresh baked goods

WAITAKI BEEF – beef

BRYDONE ORGANICS – leeks and potatoes

ROSEDALE ORCHARDS – fruit juice and pears

WAIRUNA ORGANICS – turnips

JUDGE ROCK WINES – wine

JANE FIELD HYDROPONICS – baby pak choi

I would also like to say a heart-felt thank you to Simon (husband) for all his help with my wonderful, natural photos!