Well another week has flown by and I have been consumed with getting everything organised for the takeover of my café (Delicacy).  I have been asked if I am staying on at the market and the answer is YES of course I am.  The café is just another way I can offer you all fresh market food throughout the week. 

Anyway the menu today is about simple ingredients with big flavours. Yams are so good in so many ways and this warm salad is a great platform which you could add other root veges, toss through spinach leaves when still warm so that they wilt a little and dress. Once again I am making this classic Portuguese soup it consist of so few ingredients but the final product is homely, satisfying and economical!  I am using Basecamp venison salami in the soup and then I will be combing similar ingredients into a salad.

Island Stream Hazels have some delicious new season hazels available and some cold pressed hazelnut oil which is amazing! I lightly toasted and crushed hazelnuts, folded them through meringue and shaped into round disc.  I will then generously cover with whipped cream and some lightly smashed poached pears! The combination of hazelnut meringue and poached pears works so well.

I will be located by the stairs at the moment which is working so well as I don't have so many issues with wind!

WARM YAM AND ONION SALAD

I love roasted yams and when combined with sweet onions and a sprinkling of cheese this will lift any meal in winter!

Serves 4-6

1 kg yams,

2 red onions, cut into wedges

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 sprig rosemary or thyme

Dressing

1 tsp grain mustard

3 tsp red wine, cider or balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100g feta cheese

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C

Place a roasting tray in to heat up. This will get the yams and onions cooking immediately!

Toss the yams and onions with 2 tablespoons of oil, honey and sprig of herbs.  Season with salt and pepper and mix.  Carefully remove the hot roasting dish and tip the yams and all juices onto the tray.  Bake for 20 minutes or until tender and caramelised, you may need to turn them throughout cooking to evenly cook.

Meanwhile mix together the mustard, vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, season lightly and pour over the hot yams.  Combine lightly, crumble over the cheese and serve on a platter in the middle of the table.

 

CALDO VERDE – Portuguese soup

this is a classic peasant soup made with simple humble ingredients!

Serves 4

2 fat onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

60ml olive oil

1 chorizo sausage or chilli salami (basecamp)

6 large potatoes

1.5 litres good vegetable or chicken stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 bay leaves

large bunch of greens or cabbage

Method

Gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened and translucent.

Chop the chorizo or chilli salami into small chunks and add to the pan with the onion.

Fry the onions and sausage for a few more minutes and then add the diced potatoes. They will absorb all the flavour from the sausage.

Add the stock, seasoning and bay leaves, and cook until the potatoes are soft.

Meanwhile, very finely chop the cabbage

When the potatoes are ready, mash them into the broth to make a thick base, add the greens/ cabbage to the simmering broth.

Add as much cabbage as the broth will support - if you want heavy soup add loads of greens, if lighter, add less.

Simmer for a few minutes. The soup will go the colour of jade.

Serve drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

 

 

BASECAMP SALAMI AND CABBAGE SALAD

Serves 4-6

½ (500g) new season cabbage 2-4 slices venison salami Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 3 Tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar Extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon 150g Danseys pass cheese from Whitestone or Parmesan

Method Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the firm pale hear of the cabbage in half. Shave the cabbage as finely as you can. Place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Shake over the balsamic vinegar and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Lightly flatten the slices of salami with the palm of your hand and cut the venison into 1cm shreds and add to the cabbage. The proportion of salami should almost be equal to the cabbage. Squeeze over the lemon juice, shave on the cheese and mix with the salad.

 

POACHED PEARS

1 litre water 1 1/3 cup (265 g) sugar 4 pears, peeled, cored, and quartered

Additions: One cinnamon stick, 2 teaspoons whole cloves, black peppercorns or allspice berries, one lemon half, one split vanilla bean, 2-3 star anise, 6-8 fresh ginger slices

Method

In a large saucepan, heat the water and sugar until warm and the sugar is dissolved. Add any of the additions that you wish.

Slide in the pears and cover with a round of greaseproof paper, with a small hole cut in the center.

Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer the pears until cooked through, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the pears.

 

HAZELNUT MERINGUE TORTE WITH POACHED PEARS

Serves 6-8

For the meringue

6 eggs, whites

375 g caster sugar

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp cornflour

175 g hazelnuts, lightly crushed, with skin if possible

For the filling

4 poached pears, all juice drained and roughly mashed

300 ml cream

 

Method

Preheat the oven to 150C.

Draw two circles with a 25cm diameter, on separate sheets of greaseproof/baking paper.

To make the meringues, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. Gradually whisk in the sugar, a teaspoon at a time.

Mix the vinegar and corn flour to a smooth paste, then fold the mixture into the meringue with 150g of the hazelnuts.

Divide the mixture in half and spread it onto the two silicone paper circles, each on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts over the top of the sm circles.

Bake the meringues for an hour, turn the oven off and leave the meringues to rest in the oven for another hour. Remove and cool.

Whisk the cream until soft peaks form, then fold in the pears. Spread the filling on one meringue and put the other meringue, right side up, on top. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

 

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

ISLAND STREAM HAZELS – hazelnuts and hazelnut products

GODDARDS – yams

ROSEDALE ORCHARDS – pears

BASECAMP SALAMI – venison salami

KAKANUI PRODUCE – cabbage

MCARTHUR BERRY FARM – potatoes

GILBERTS FINE FOODS/LIEVITO – fresh baked goods