Table of contents for Issue 75 December/January 2017 in Dish

Who doesn’t love a festive wreath at Christmas? Make that a deliciously edible meringue, topped with berries and cream and a smattering of flowers, freshly foraged from the garden, and voila! Decadent dessert sorted. But it doesn’t stop there. Our final, and utterly fabulous, issue for 2017 is jam-packed with celebratory ideas – be it a casual gathering or a full glitter and sequin affair that requires planning and polishing and a special occasion to bust out the top-shelf tableware. On the pages that follow, many of the included recipes have certainly inspired the team at Dish. Food editor Claire Aldous aims to be found, late afternoon on December 25th, lying in the sunshine with friends and dogs, enjoying the Roasted Hazelnut and Rosemary Cake with Muscatels in Marsala Syrup…

NOVEMBER Saturday 25th HOROWHENUA TASTE TRAIL A one-day culinary celebration will treat visitors to a unique experience, showcasing 10 of the district’s favourite food producers on a self-drive tour. The Taste Trail provides a unique paddock-toplate experience, enabling guests to see first-hand how food is farmed, fished and produced. For more, see tastetrail.co.nz. Every week from Thursday 24th DINNER IN THE DOMAIN Occupying the Papamoa Domain every Thursday throughout summer, celebrate the warmer weather with an array of fresh food and beer offerings, live cooking demonstrations from top local chefs and exciting entertainment from a variety of musicians and local DJs. Visit littlebigevents.co.nz to find out more. DECEMBER Saturday 2nd SOUTH ISLAND WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL Dozens of wineries from across the South Island will be pouring their best drops…

What is your background and how did it lead you to Fisher & Paykel? I really enjoyed art and design at school, and my dad is an engineer so I was exposed to engineering and industrial design from a young age. It was something I knew I would enjoy as a job. I like being able to create something from an idea into reality – I’ve been an industrial designer at Fisher & Paykel for coming up to 10 years now. How have you been involved with the Fisher & Paykel Our Kitchen blog – fisherpaykel.com/ourkitchen? I was involved with Our Kitchen a lot from the start of the blog for the first few years, photographing all of the recipes created from our Dunedin office and writing a few myself.…

Cauliflower Cheese and Thyme Arancini I have been making different variations of arancini for many years now and this flavour combination is one of my favourites. No-one can resist the oozing cheesy centre and when served with aioli on fresh thyme they look pretty as a picture. 41/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock ½ cup cream 1 head cauliflower, chopped into very small florets sea salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 25 grams butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup risotto rice ¼ cup white wine 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme ½ cup grated parmesan 225 grams brie or taleggio, chilled in the freezer for a ½ hour, then chopped into 1cm cubes 4 cups breadcrumbs 3…

Xmas Cake with Spelt Flour and Molasses I love the richness that the hint of molasses brings. The wholemeal spelt flour adds a nice weight to the finished cake. My version skips nuts inside the cake itself and you can decide for yourself if you’d like to garnish the top with almonds. Bake your cake at least a few weeks before Christmas to give the flavour time to mature and deepen. 200 grams dried apricots, cut into small pieces 250 grams dried figs, cut into small pieces 250 grams prunes, cut into small pieces 400 grams sultanas 375ml brandy (plus more for feeding) 300 grams roomtemperature butter 1 cup light muscovado sugar 5 medium free-range eggs 2 tablespoon molasses zest of 2 lemons 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground…

Pull-Apart Ham Rolls These soft and golden rolls are a great way to feed a crowd. The rolls can be made a day in advance, just keep them in an airtight container until you are ready to use. Buns 1½ cups milk, at room temperature 1½ teaspoons dried yeast 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon melted butter 1 egg, beaten 4 cups plain flour 1 tablespoon sea salt 1 egg, for egg-wash Filling 50 grams butter 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard 150 grams champagne ham, thinly sliced 150 grams swiss cheese, grated 12 sprigs of fresh thyme salt and ground black pepper Buns: Place the milk, yeast and sugar in a bowl and mix. Leave to dissolve for 5–10 minutes. Add melted butter and egg and stir…

1 Steak Tacos with Mexican Green Salsa Grab a bottle of Pedro Pasión Navarra Tempranillo Merlot 2015 ($18.99) to sip with these tacos. Navarra is one of Spain’s northernmost and oldest wine regions. Truckloads of cherry, blackberry and cocoa and a sniff of coffee give this warmly textured blend a sexy edge. Buy from stvincentscave.com. 2 Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs with Mediterranean Salsa The tanginess of this salsa, slathered liberally on to sizzling chicken thighs, makes me want to reach for a crunchyfresh, lemony, plucky pilsner. The Kaiser Brothers Pilsner 500ml ($5.99) has clean bitterness and bite – so it’s the perfect partner. Buy from finewinedelivery.co.nz. 3 Asian Brown Rice and Prawn Omelette I’m a sucker for sparkles with Asian-inspired, omelette-based dishes because the nutty, yeasty, biscuity aromas and soft citrus…

OUR DELICIOUS DOZEN 1. LINDAUER SPECIAL RESERVE BRUT CUVEE NV ($15.99) Gold Medal It’s probably getting to that stage where this wine should be given “national treasure” status. Its diamante-like appearance in the glass, pretty, meringue-like foam, delicate bead and sophisticated, deliciously dry mouthfeel and lovely acidity make it sexy stuff indeed. “Lovely richness, complexity, balance and length,” agreed Colin, while Andrew noted it’s biscuity characters, fruit saturation and a hint of Campari-like complexity on the finish. It was the standout wine of an outstanding top tier, and it just goes to show that world-class bubbles can be yours for under $20. 2. LINDAUER CLASSIC BRUT CUVEE NV ($12.99) Gold Medal “Quite beautiful to look at in the glass and it absolutely bursts with nougat, lemon and brioche bodaciousness,” urged…

A splash of colour Carolyn Judge is a multi-award-winning New Zealand artist, having recently won one of the country’s most prestigious art awards, the Raye Hannam Trophy. Her highly acclaimed work is bright, colourful and full of life, just what’s needed to brighten up your kitchen or anywhere around the home. If you are after a specific design or colour she can create custom-made orders. Visit Carolyn’s full range of original paintings or prints on her website carolynjudge.com or phone +64 21 241 4200. DYNAMIC DUO A microwave or a steam oven? The clever solution to this kitchen design dilemma, especially if challenged by lack of space, is the innovative Miele DGM 6800 steam oven with microwave. In microwave mode, the Miele DGD 6800 provides fast and effective heating while,…

1 A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE Delight the senses and give the gift of fragrance with Ecoya’s Large French Pear Gift Set. Boasting the iconic Ecoya Madison candle in French Pear, a Reed Diffuser and a Mini Metro candle, this crisp, subtle and subdued set is the epitome of holiday gifting – and the first of our 12 holiday gifts to covet. ecoya.com 2 TURTLE DOVES Dress the tree. Città’s decorative collection of holiday ornaments offer a refined approach to festive detailing. Rendered in dove grey enamel and available in two sizes, style the centrepiece with a pared-back approach for timeless results. cittadesign.com 3 French hens Cook to tender perfection in Le Creuset’s Round Wide Casserole Dish in Marine. Celebrate the season of giving and unite your family and friends over a…

As the sun shone on Christchurch, a group of lucky Dish readers were treated to an evening of delicious food and fine wine at Pescatore restaurant at The George. Executive chef Darren Conole had diners salivating from the start with a selection of outstanding smoked salmon canapés, which paired beautifully with both the sunshine and the strawberry flavours of Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé. As Jeff Fyfe, Yealands’ chief winemaker, talked through the brand’s history, the appetisers arrived– prawn ceviché teamed with a lemon myrtle spiced single oyster, served with Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. A delicious entrée of coffeesmoked venison loin, dressed with baby carrot, mint and violet and drizzled with a liquorice and rosemary jus, followed shortly after, matched to perfection with the luscious dark…

I love to eat cherries alone: just a brown paper bag of cherries and me, on a wooden seat in my garden, where I can tuck into them at pace and flick the stones god knows where. Or curled up in a sunny spot with just a handful of them, to luxuriate in their juicy sweet almondy taste. But I never share. If I buy a bag at the market I will have eaten most of them by the time I get home. Is there a word for a cherry addict? When they are plentiful and at the best price – cherries are never cheap – I buy enough to make a cherry pie, or to add to desserts or savoury dishes. One of my favourite festive salads is roast…

Harissa Roasted Salmon with Walnut Dukkah I love having one fabulous dish in the fridge, cooked and ready to garnish. It can be roasted 2 days ahead and certainly takes the pressure off when entertaining. 1 side of salmon, skin on (ours was about 1.5 kilograms) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1–2 teaspoons harissa, or more if you want a strong chilli flavour sea salt and ground pepper ½ cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped 50 grams purchased dukkah 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander, plus extra sprigs to serve fresh pomegranate seeds Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on a flat baking tray lined with a large, greased piece of baking paper. Combine the oil and harissa and brush over the salmon. Season well with salt…

Cherry, Orange and Ginger Trifle A trifle always says Christmas to me, as it’s usually the only time I ever make one. This is my take, using a lovely rich ginger cake, splashed with a generous amount of alcohol, layered with a cherry compote and clouds of gorgeous custard cream. Orange and ginger cake 1 cup golden syrup 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup water 80 grams butter finely grated zest 1 large orange 2 cups plain flour 1 teaspoon baking soda pinch salt 2 teaspoons ground ginger Cherry compote 680-gram jar pitted cherries and their liquid 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon cornflour 1 tablespoon liqueur of choice (see below) To assemble 250ml purchased custard 300ml cream liqueur of choice for dousing and for compote: you could use an orange…

Baked Feta with Honey, Hazelnuts and Thyme Look for a creamy, rather than a firm, feta for this dish. Other nuts and herbs such as walnuts and almonds and rosemary also work well. 2 blocks creamy feta 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 tablespoons runny honey 1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped 4 sprigs fresh thyme ground black pepper To serve crostini or crackers Dried Fig and Marsala Compote, recipe below Preheat the oven to 200°C. Drain the feta and blot it dry on paper towels. Brush the base of a baking dish with oil and place the feta on top. Drizzle with half the honey, then scatter over the hazelnuts and thyme sprigs. Drizzle over the remaining honey and a grind of black pepper. Bake for about 12 minutes or…

1 Pull Apart Ham Rolls The Family Company ‘Cosmos’ Methode Traditionelle ($25) is made from 100 per cent chardonnay, aged for just over two years before being released, and is scented with lemon, breadcrust and yellow plum. Ham rolls and flash fizz? Why the heck not. Buy from gisbornegourmet.com. 2 Turkey Taquitos I’d be reaching out for the Outlier Cartel Wunderkammer 500ml ($11.99) to serve with these terrific taquitos. It’s deliciously rich, biscuity and malty and yet has just the right amount of refreshing crispness to create a party in your mouth. Buy from craftbeeronline.co.nz. 3 Chilli and Garlic Prawns Grab yourself an ultra-tangy, citrus and apple-riddled riesling to pair with these prawns. I’m loving The Boneline Waipara Riesling 2016 ($24) because it has a delicious apple and limelayered mid-palate…

TEENAGE BREWS The Brew Moon Brewing Company just turned 15! Founded by husband and wife Kieran McCauley and Belinda Gould, it’s one of the longest-lived brew-pubs in New Zealand and now their sons, Toby and Oscar, work alongside them. Kieran and Belinda were originally inspired by the American craft brewing scene, when the family lived in California in the late 1990s. When they returned to Godzone, Belinda continued her day job as a winemaker while Kieran and original brewer Carl Hadler set up the brewery in the old Cider Garden facility just outside Amberley. The doors opened in October 2002. Brew Moon recently moved to a new Amberley site in Markham Street where they have increased capacity. The move has enabled the rest of the family to get involved. Oscar…

NOTES FOR COOKS To ensure successful results in cooking, we recommend you invest in accurate measuring tools – measuring cups and spoons and a measuring jug are essential and electronic scales are particularly useful as they weigh accurately in both imperial and metric. Always follow one set of measures in a recipe. Do not mix them up. Dish uses: A fan-forced oven unless otherwise specified. Large eggs (No.7). Level spoons and cup measurements. Liquids are always measured in a jug and dry ingredients in measuring cups. NB: One tablespoon is 15ml (the Australian tablespoon is 20ml). USEFUL INGREDIENT EQUIVALENTS Breadcrumbs 1 cup fresh = 50 grams 1 cup dried = 115 grams Butter 1 (American) stick = 100 grams 1 cup = 225 grams 2 tablespoons = 30 grams Cheese…

Eat Up New Zealand BY AL BROWN Filled with more than 150 recipes and ripping great yarns about New Zealand food, Al Brown’s latest cookbook is the iconic chef’s reply to the oft-asked question: “So what is Kiwi cuisine?” Is it classics such as roast lamb, whitebait fritters, cheese scones and pikelets or twists on old-favourites like chicken and chorizo pie, porcini and Swiss cheese toasties or tamarillo and pear macadamia nut cobbler? Has our love of travel, epicurious foodie globetrotting, changing attitudes to ingredients and emerging cultural influences fine-tuned and broadened our nation’s taste buds? You can bet it has and this beautifully photographed hardback book proves the answer is all of the above and is a fabulous companion to Al’s widely successful previous cookbooks, Go Fish and Stoked.…

SMOKED SALMON AND VANILLA PLUM GELEE ROLLED IN CHOPPED CARROT TOPS Matched with Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 “The wine and food match of the evening was the smoked salmon and vanilla plum gelee canapé paired with our 2017 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé. The wine has lovely acidity and notes of strawberry and cream which balanced perfectly with the silky-smooth gelee.” COFFEE SMOKED VENISON LOIN, BABY CARROTS WITH MINT AND VIOLETS, LIQUORICE AND ROSEMARY JUS Matched with Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016 “I always look forward to venison and pinot noir together and this match was another stunner! Our Single Vineyard Pinot Noir is delicate and subtle with perfumed notes of violets and spice which beautifully complemented the smoked venison.” CURRY CARAMELISED PINEAPPLE ICE…

Tostadas with Silver Fern Farms New York Strip Steaks 1 pack of Silver Fern Farms New York Strip Steaks 2 fresh corn cobs olive oil 8 x 10cm corn tortillas 11/2 cups grated aged cheddar cheese sea salt and ground pepper Toppings Green Herb and Mustard Salsa (see recipe below), sour cream, sliced avocado, crumbled feta, sliced green chillis and coriander Rub the corn cobs with a little oil, season then grill on a preheated grill plate until lightly golden. Cut down the side of the cobs to remove the kernels. Remove the Silver Fern Farms New York Strip Steaks from the fridge and packaging. Season with pepper and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Salt the meat just prior to cooking. Place…

1 Harissa Roasted Salmon with Walnut Dukkah Lordy how incredible is this dish! So buy the best chardonnay you can, pronto. The Kidnapper Cliffs Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 ($54.99) is unbelievably gorgeous. Vibrant and golden in the glass, with ripe and sexy grapefruit, peach and pineapple notes, it also possesses gunflint and quartzy, minerally magic interwoven with creamy macadamia layers. With ballerina-like balance, it’s poised, succulent and so good with salmon – you won’t want the glass to end. Buy from teawacollection.com. 2 Honey Mustard Orange and Ginger Glazed Ham By a mile the best wine to pair with Christmas ham glazed with all this sticky gorgeousness is the Linden Estate Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2014 ($25). The ham is the hero of the table and it deserves the absolute best.…

Steak Tacos with Mexican Green Salsa Arrange everything on a large platter and let everyone help themselves – a perfect family dinner. 600 grams sirloin steak olive oil 1/4 cup each sour cream and mayonnaise 1–2 tablespoons smoked chipotle sauce sea salt and ground pepper To serve 10 warm flour tortillas, sliced avocado, purchased coleslaw, feta cheese, coriander and lime wedges Salsa 1 cup coriander 1/2 cup mint 2 spring onions, roughly chopped 1/4 cup lime juice 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon each ground coriander and cumin 1/2 cup olive oil Salsa: Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season to taste. Add more honey or lime juice to balance the flavours, if needed. Rub the steaks with oil and season…

YVONNE LORKIN Dish drinks writer ANDREW PARKINSON National on premise sales manager, Negociants NZ COLIN FORD CEO WineWork Solutions SACHINDRI (SACHI) RANA Wine Science graduate and cellar hand at Pernod Ricard RATING SYSTEM: GOLD Superb. Strongly recommended. SILVER A cut above the rest in quality. BRONZE A good-quality crowd pleaser. BEST BUY Wines which retail for $20 or less and earned 5 Star and Gold medal status. (NB: All wines are judged blind under competition conditions. The scores of judges for their own wines cannot exceed those of other judges.) Look for the Dish Tasting Panel selection sticker, which can be worn by our top wines. With thanks to Janet Blackman from the Professional Wine Studies Department and the AUT School of Hospitality and Tourism. For more on the programmes in hospitality, food and…

“Moondog host fantastic events-roller disco or hot tub cinema? There’s even a secret bookcase door leading to a newer part of the brewery.” It is an interesting sight watching a room full of people with their noses stuck firmly in tiny glasses of craft beer. I’m concentrating hard on the aromas of Two Birds Brewing’s Taco Ale trying to work out if I favour its bold lime and coriander notes over Mountain Goat’s Organic Steam Ale. It’s a tough call. I’m part of a room full of beer lovers who are helping judge the Australian winner of the Four Points by Sheraton’s Best Brews competition. To connect with Victorian producers, the hotel chain in Docklands has committed to always having a local brew on tap so they’ve pitted three different…

6 eggs, size 7 1½ cups caster sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ teaspoons lemon juice To assemble 1½ cups cream 200 grams mascarpone 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Draw a 26cm circle on a large piece of baking paper, then draw a 10cm circle inside it. Place ink-side down on a large, greased flat baking tray. Preheat the oven to 130°C (not fan bake). Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks then gradually beat in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Keep whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue is thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and beat for 2 minutes. Place 12 large, heaped spoonfuls of the meringue around the inside of the circle, making sure they are touching. Leave the inner circle…