WINTER CELEBRATIONS - Boil-Up
WINTER CELEBRATIONS
Winter for me is all about big flavours, comfort ingredients and keeping it interesting and joyful. With the cooler, shorter days and more time inside. I thought we should find an excuse to still enjoy the outdoors by cooking over the fire and celebrating matariki with a large one pot ‘boil-up’ of goodness and then to have some fun indoors with a hot dog feast, churros and the ultimate, indulgent chilli chocolate. Need i say more …?
BOIL - UP FOR MATARIKI
A “boil-up” is just that really. A variety of bones, meat and hearty veggies cooked together in a large pot, until melting tender and full of goodness.
You will find most cultures around the world have their version of a ‘boil-up’ which the locals slurp away on whether it be on the street corners of far-flung countries or to beautiful Aoterora the fundamentals are the same. Using bones and off cuts to create a sharing pot of goodness, full of nourishment, which warms the soul and spreads joy.
Serves 12
Ingredients
2 kg pork bones
1 ham hock or bacon ends (optional)
4 (800g) medium potatoes, scrubbed, cut into large pieces
600g pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, cut into large pieces
4 (800g) kumara, peeled, cut into large pieces
Salt and ground white pepper to taste
300g watercress/puha if unavailable you could use winter greens such as kale, silverbeet
Method
Rinse the bones in cold water. Place into a large ‘stock’ pot along with the hock or bacon ends if using. Cover with plenty of cold water (at least 5 litres). Bring to the boil, remove any scum that floats to the surface. Reduce the temperature and gently simmer. Add half the pumpkin and allow this to cook down with the bones this will help to thicken the consistency of the broth.
Continue to simmer the bones for 1 hour.
Prepare all the vegetables and set aside.
Add the potatoes, remaining pumpkin and kumara and cook until the vegetables are soft (40 minutes).
Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning.
Add the greens and cook for a further 10 minutes if using watercress/puha. You will need longer if using more robust greens.
Serve in bowls with a little of everything and don’t forget the bones are for enjoying too. Rewena (maori bread) is perfect for soaking up the delicious broth.
