Otago Farmers Market Mobile Kitchen Menu 17/08/2013

Balmy weather and fantastic produce is a great combination for creating.  As you know I love to make salads, I love combining textures, seasonal flavours and mixing it up with a punchy dressing.  Todays salad is just that, I have added cauliflower as broccoli is thinning a little to spread it out.  I also love to make rich, comforting stews and when I heard we had wild venison at the market I started to imagine all the dishes we could make.  I will be using Red Tussocks diced stewing venison for my simple stew recipe.  I thought we should start slow and enjoy the benefits of this tasty cut combined with some seasonal veg and allowing plenty of time to really cook this fine cut of meat and to allow the deep flavours and tender texture develop.  Spinach is appearing again and Jane Field Hydroponics spinach is crisp, vibrantly green and simple to use.  I will be doing a light and refreshing little dish to accompany any number of dishes and I will be adding it to salads and lightly wilting it with garlic.

BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWERCHICKPEA AND LEEK SALAD

With regards to this salad it’s all about textures, the smoky, charred broccoli and cauliflower will add an interesting note to this salad. 

Serves 4-6

150g dry chickpeas, soak overnight or 1x 425g tin

300g broccoli and or cauliflower, cut into florets

1 leek, washed well

10g dill, or fennel tops roughly chopped

Handful parsley, roughly chopped

Pinch chilli flakes

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 Tbsp tahini (optional)

Grated zest of 1 lemon and juice

200g natural yoghurt

100ml olive oil

Coarse sea salt and black pepper

Method

Soak the chickpeas in lots of cold water for 24 hours. Next day, drain, cover with cold water and simmer for at least an hour, skim any froth that rises to the surface; they're done when tender but still retaining their shape (40-60 minutes). Drain, add a tablespoon of olive oil and a little salt, and set aside to cool.

Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to the boil.  Cook the leek for 3 minutes first and then add the cauliflower first and cook for 2 minutes, add the broccoli and cook for a further minute, drain, refresh and set aside on a tray with a clean cloth to drain some more.  Heat a fry pan for a few minutes. Toss the broccoli in two tablespoons of oil and some salt and pepper, then grill for three to four minutes, to char all over, this will add a smoky flavour and wonderful texture to the broccoli, remove and allow to cool. Slice the cooked leek into bite sized rounds.

In a bowl, mix the broccoli, leek, chickpeas and herbs. Add two tablespoons of oil, garlic, pinch of chilli the zest, and half the juice, salt and pepper. Toss, taste and adjust seasoning.

In another bowl whisk the yogurt, two more tablespoons of oil, tahini and the rest of the juice, salt and pepper mix to combine and taste.

To serve I like to place the broccoli and chickpeas onto a platter and then add drizzle over the yoghurt dressing.

WARMING OATS

Oats really are a winter staple, not only do they fill you up, they are economical and they take on any flavour you wish to add.  This recipe is a great base for you to make your own.

Se

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼  tsp  salt

3/4  cup rolled oats

1 cup milk and 1 cup water

2/3 cup grated apple

1/3 cup raisins or dried fruit of your choice

2 Tbsp honey, golden or maple syrup

2 Tbsp fresh walnuts or hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Pouring cream for serving (optional)

Method

In a medium saucepan, add the oats and cook over a gentle heat until the oats toast lightly, add 1 cup water and 1 cup milk, cinnamon, and salt; bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and cook 3 minutes.

Stir in the grated apple, raisins and 1 tablespoon honey or syrup, cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Divide oats between 2 serving bowls. Drizzle remaining honey over top and sprinkle with nuts. Serve with a little pouring cream if desired!

OLD-FASHIONED VENISON STEW

With the arrival of RED TUSSOCK, wild venison at the market and the fact that we are in winter I thought I would give you a good old-fashioned venison stew recipe which you can certainly adapt to suit.  Allow time to do the steps well and allow time to cook this incredible venison with the respect it deserves.

Serves 4-8 

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 onions, roughly chopped

3 celery sticks, roughly chopped

oil and butter, for frying

2 garlic clove, crushed

1kg boned leg or shoulder of venison, cut into large chunks

5 Tbsp flour or (gluten-free) seasoned with salt and pepper

2 Tbsp redcurrant, blackcurrant or grape jelly

450ml dry red wine

450ml beef stock

2 thyme and rosemary sprigs

1 bay leaf

Method

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C.

Fry the vegetables in a little oil and butter in a heavy-based casserole for 4-5 mins until golden. Tip in the garlic and fry for a further min, then set aside.

Dust the vension with the seasoned flour and coat well, shake off excess flour. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan, then fry the venison over a high heat, stirring now and then, until well browned. Don’t crowd the pan – cook in batches if necessary. Set aside with the vegetables.

Add the jelly and wine to the pan, and bring to the boil, scraping up all the bits that have stuck to the bottom. Pour in the stock, then add the thyme, bay leaf, meat and vegetables. Season if you like and bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for about 1½ hrs or until tender. Remove from the oven and check the seasoning.

Serve with a creamy mash, wet polenta or mashed carrot and swedes.

SPINACH WITH YOGHURT

Serves 4 as an accompaniment

1 teaspoon mustard seed (black)

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

300g spinach

440ml yoghurt, unsweetened natural

2 cloves garlic

Pinch sumac (optional)

salt and pepper

1 lemon

Method

Dry fry’ mustard and cumin seeds in a frying pan until they pop. Remove from heat.

Wash and de-stem spinach. Blanch quickly in boiling water, refresh, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop spinach finely.

Crush garlic and add along with spinach, salt, pepper and spices to the yoghurt. Zest and juice lemon and add to yoghurt.

This goes well with some warm pitas, or perhaps alongside a succulent steak or a hot curry!

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

JANE FIELD HYDROPONICS – spinach and fresh herbs

GILBERTS FINE FOODS – fresh baked breads and pastries

RED TUSSOCK VENISON – fresh wild vension

BRYDONE ORGANICS – cauliflower and leeks

WILLOWBROOK ORCHARD – apples and pears

JUDGE ROCK WINES – Central Otago Wines