All posts filed under: Recipes

Fancy Steak and Chips

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This is a sponsored post. The Koala and I love a good steak, but I don’t order steak when dining out because it’s so easy to cook at home for a fraction of the price. I often go for the fattier steaks because that’s what my tastes buds like, but when I heard there was a leaner steak coming out that still tastes good, I was all for it. The flat-iron steak is a relatively unknown cut to the kiwi palate. A butcher’s secret, this cut is for people in the know. It is called the oyster blade steak in NZ and Australia. It is known in the US as the flat-iron steak and in the UK as the butler’s steak. Affectionately known as the ugly steak, this flat, rectangular cut comes from the shoulder and is trimmed to make it very lean. Because it is so lean, it’s important not to overcook a flat-iron steak. Just 3 minutes on each side in a hot pan and 5 minutes resting time. This month, Silver Fern …

Whitebait fritters fit for kings and queens

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Spring is whitebait season here in New Zealand and as a North Island girl, whitebait has always been a slightly unattainable delicacy. So imagine my delight when The Koala’s parents visited from the South Island with a precious cargo of whitebait for me as an early birthday present. Having never done anything with whitebait before, I thought whitebait fritters was the best dish to cut my whitebait teeth on. Known in New Zealand (particularly the South Island) to be a casual seasonal treat, served with lashings of butter on soft white bread this simple dish is a delicacy us North Island folk can only dream of. Fresh whitebait is best (if you can get it), I froze mine so that I could take some time to think about what to do with it. Thaw whitebait in the fridge overnight and make sure you drain it well before working with it. Fritters served with lemon, asparagus and a pale ale, this is a spring time lunch fit for kings and queens. Dig in with your hands or use …

Balsamic garlic mushrooms

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We are obsessed with mushrooms at our house. I disliked mushrooms as a child but now I don’t go more than a couple of days without eating mushrooms. I love that mushrooms are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner and you can bet that I have eaten them at all times of day. In fact, I have distinctly awesome memories of eating mushrooms from The Burgerie on K Rd late, late at night (or is that early hours of the morning) after a night out. If you haven’t had those mushrooms before, they are dangerous morsels of delicious molten lava. You have been warned. Four mushrooms or a handful is considered a good daily dose to reap all the benefits mushrooms offer. Mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked, raw is healthier, cooked is tastier (in my opinion). It doesn’t take much time to prep mushrooms and even The Koala can rustle up some tasty mushrooms. Thanks to Meadow Mushrooms I have a mushroom prize pack worth $25 to giveaway to one Auckland mushroom lover. …

Asparagus for adults in spring

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It might only be the start of spring but it feels like the tail-end already. We’ve had bright sunny days that suggest that summer is just around the corner. Daylight savings has begun, which means I get to photograph food in natural light in the evenings instead of having to save it for the weekend. This means (potentially) more recipes and more blog posts! Yay!   Last week, The Koala and I went to Cornwall Park to see the spring lambs. They were super cute. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, I would advise seeking out a lamb visit. It’s worth it. After our visit with the lambs, we invited a couple of friends over for the first barbecue of the season. It’s been all of winter since we taught ourselves how to use our charcoal barbecue and we’ve still got the skills we picked up in summer. I don’t remember spring barbecues being a thing, but going by the lovely smells in our neighbourhood, we’re not the only ones barbecuing in spring. Spring also means asparagus season. I …

Pumpkin Soup for Pumpkin Haters

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I know I sound childish and not at all like a sophisticated foodie when I say, “I hate pumpkin”. Maybe hate is too strong a word, but I have a strong dislike for it. Whenever we get roast dinner takeaways (best hangover food) I transfer my pumpkin pieces onto The Koala’s plate. The Koala loves pumpkin so he accepts it happily. I say pumpkin, you say squash Before I go further, I should mention that here in New Zealand, we call all things in the squash and pumpkin family simply, “pumpkin”. So when I say, “I hate pumpkin“, elsewhere, I would say, “I hate squash“. Anyway, I know it’s good for you and when it’s in season, it’s everywhere. Since The Koala loves pumpkin and pumpkin soup, and since pumpkins keep appearing in our Foodbox, I’ve been experimenting with pumpkin soup recipes. This recipe is for the pumpkin haters among us. Spices I’ve used garam masala and cinnamon, feel free to also try turmeric and ground coriander. Spices make pumpkin palatable. A little cream doesn’t hurt either. …

Sliders Party

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  The Koala and I had friends over for a sliders party last weekend. We love home made burgers and make them all the time. With The Koala as captain and me as his prep chef, we usually create towering cheeseburgers with all the trimmings that require you to unhinge your jaw to feast upon. Having a burger party was on my foodie bucket list. Having never made sliders before, we might have been too ambitious with our five slider menu. Luckily we didn’t have many guests and everything went smoothly (if a little frantic). We made 50 sliders but this was too many as the sliders were more filling than anticipated. Our eyes were much bigger than our stomachs so we sent everyone home with extras and we grazed on leftover sliders all night. It was hard to pick the winning slider, but the top three were: (in no particular order) Crispy Pork Belly Pan-fried Fish Peking Duck All the sliders were good, some were just better. In future, I would just make the top three flavours. Five kinds was too much …

Banh mi in winter

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Early 2000’s, The Koala and I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam at 6am local time during the coldest month of the year. We’d just flown in from balmy Kuala Lumpur and had been awake for at 24 hours. We weren’t prepared for the cold but we dumped our stuff at our hotel and went exploring. The city was wide awake, bright and bustling. Big baskets of bread stacked on the footpath and banh mi sellers bundled up and huddled together like winter birds cozied up on a branch. What is banh mi? For those unfamiliar with banh mi, the word “banh mi” (pronounced BUN-mee) just means “bread” in Vietnamese but has come to mean a single serve baguette sandwich. The French colonials left behind baguettes and pate when they left Vietnam in the 1950s and the locals created this awesome fusion sandwich before fusion was a thing. Stuffed with pork or chicken, pate, mayo, cucumber, coriander (cilantro), pickled vegetables and sometimes chillies, they are made fresh to order so you get to choose (in our case point) the …

Baked butter & maple figs

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  The following post is part of a series of recipes celebrating figs. This is a simple recipe, great for dinner parties as you can get the figs prepped ahead of time and then pop them in the oven for 10 minutes shortly after dinner. I’ve written this recipe for 2 people, but it’s easy to multiply for more, just allow 2-3 figs per person. I was happy with 2 figs but my sweet tooth friends preferred 3. This recipe is gluten free. Most ice creams are gluten free but if serving with ice cream, double check the ingredients list. Greek yogurt is gluten free so that’s a safe option. Baked butter & maple figs (with yogurt or ice cream) Serves 2 for dessert Ingredients 6 figs Maple syrup 2 slivers of butter Greek yogurt or ice cream to serve Preparation Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, cut a cross in the top of each fig, and place on the sheet. Insert a sliver of butter into each fig and …

Honey grilled figs with prosciutto and blue cheese

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The following post is part of a series of recipes celebrating figs which are currently in season.  From my investigations into figs and ways to eat them, a prosciutto (pronounced: pro-SHOO-toh) and blue cheese combo seemed very popular. Most recipes I saw didn’t specify quantities and since I’d never bought prosciutto before, I bought way too much. Prosciutto is expensive and a little goes a long way. About 50 grams (just under 2 oz) will be enough for 10 figs. Similar quantities for the blue cheese. I used Mahoe Blue (pronounced: MA-ho-ee) which is an organic, semi-firm farmhouse blue with a sharp flavour but a creamy texture. I did consider Marin Blue which is a super creamy buffalo cheese, mild with only a hint of blue. These are award winning New Zealand blue cheeses, so use whatever local cheese you can get your hands on. With blue cheese, buy the best quality blue cheese you can afford. I made a version of this without the prosciutto for my vegetarian friend. It was still delicious. Honey grilled …

Spiced duck with honey roasted figs

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  The following post is part of a series of recipes celebrating figs which are currently in season.  I’m in love with Saveur Duck (also sold under Gameford Lodge). I found these duck breasts in the frozen section of my local specialty food store. Pop them in your freezer if you like the idea of having duck breast on hand. They are very easy to work with, just thaw overnight in the fridge and you’re ready to go. Out of the four dishes at our four course fig feast, this dish was The Koala’s favourite. This recipe serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter. Spiced duck with honey roasted figs Serves 2 Ingredients 1 whole duck breast (2 halves) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon 5-spice powder 4 figs, halved, stems removed Honey Preparation Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Pat the duck breast dry with a clean tea towel. If using a whole breast, cut into two halves. Using a sharp knife, score the duck skin diagonally both ways about 2 cm between cuts. Be …

Figs with soft goats cheese and balsamic syrup

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The following post is part of a series of recipes celebrating figs which are currently in season.  I visited Sabato in Mt Eden for advice on cheeses to go with figs. There were a few recommendations but I was sold on the value of the Pico Affinė, a soft goat’s camembert with a yellow rind from France. You could substitute this for chèvre or regular cow’s camembert. This recipe is gluten free, refined sugar free and vegetarian. Out of the four dishes at our four course fig feast, this dish was my favourite. Please check out my tips at the end of the recipe for alternate options.  = Figs with soft goats cheese and balsamic syrup Makes 20 pieces Ingredients 10 figs, halved 2 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 100 grams (3½ oz) soft goats cheese Preparation Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Melt butter in a sauce pan and add balsamic and honey. Bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes until syrup is thickened. Line a baking sheet with parchment …

42 figs

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  Around this time last year, I started noticing fresh figs in my blog feed and on Facebook. Figs might have a rich and colourful history, but I didn’t grow up with figs. I didn’t know much about them so I bought a couple of figs at a crazy $4 each and cooked them up. I was naive and paid way too much for those figs, but I did enjoy them so tucked my fig love away for the day when figs were more affordable. Fast forward a year, I saw that Te Mata Figs in Hawke’s Bay were offering a special deal to their Facebook followers. One tray of figs for $27 delivered. I had no idea what a tray of figs looked like but it sounded like it would be more than 7 figs. I was in for a surprise. A huge tray of 42 figs arrived a couple of days later. Figs are highly perishable so I carefully moved them to a bowl and refrigerated them (the tray wouldn’t fit in our …

Recipes for Easter

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From ages 9 to 18, I attended Catholic schools. I wasn’t a “Catholic school-girl”, but I was a “Catholic-school, girl”. Easter is a big deal for Catholics. Bigger than Christmas. I understand the ins and outs of Easter, I attended Easter mass and observed Lent for all my pre-teen and teenage years. But at the end of the day, for non-religious people like myself, Easter is a couple days off work, a whole lot of chocolate, hot cross buns and some feasting. Have you got any eating or cooking plans this Easter? Here in New Zealand it’s autumn and no doubt there will be many families firing up the barbecue for one final pow wow before winter. Here’s a round up some of my recipes for Easter. I’ve included lamb, hot cross buns, eggs, more eggs and a carrot cake just for the Easter bunny. Most of them teeter on the fence between sweet and savoury. Enjoy! Hot Cross Buns with Custard and Cognac (bread and butter pudding) A decadent version of bread and butter pudding using hot cross buns. Use traditional sultana …

Yakitori-Style Scallops and Bacon

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    Warning: Food in this post may cause incoherant babbling and sighs/moans of agreement. Scallops wrapped in bacon make me weak in the knees. I always order them if I see them in a Japanese restaurant and The Koala is a big fan of them too. The ingredients are a bit expensive, but making them at home is far cheaper than eating them at a restaurant and you’ll probably get much more. Fresh vs. Frozen It’s no longer scallops season here, but not long ago my seafood guy was peddling some fat scallops from Nelson. Although they were frozen, I thought I’d give them a spin. While fresh scallops are always better, frozen scallops are better than none at all. If using frozen scallops, defrost overnight in the fridge and make sure you drain them very well because a lot of liquid will appear on thawing. Never thaw scallops in water as this affects the texture and flavour. I think I was supposed to receive a dozen scallops, but I actually got 14 scallops. I took …

Bacon Jam

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The Koala and I spent Christmas in Christchurch. Our first meal off the plane was at Terra Viva Cafe with The Koala’s parents. When I saw Hot smoked salmon and bacon jam salad on their menu, I didn’t look any further. I didn’t have to. Nothing could beat that combo for me. The salad was both tasty and light, the perfect meal for a “just got off the plane and I’m going to have an epic dinner later”. You can read my review and photos over here. Since then, I’ve been dreaming about bacon jam. “But Genie, what the hell is bacon jam?” I hear you cry. Well, bacon jam is bacon (of course) cooked down with onion, garlic and sweet gummy goodness until it is caramelised and crazy good. I had to make it. I had a browse at some recipes and decided on this one from Dinner With Julie. I’ve simplified an already simple recipe. Seriously, if you are a fan of bacon, you need this in your life. This recipe will make your house smell …

Mr Fancy Cabbage Pants

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The Koala enjoys cabbage boiled, I prefer it cooked quickly on high heat. We both eat cabbage either way. Sometimes, I tease The Koala about how white people smell like milk and cabbages. It’s not true. I love milk and cabbages just as much as the next girl, maybe even more than the next girl. We don’t smell like milk and cabbages (unless we’re immune to the smell). Kale was fashionable in a big way, then came brussels sprouts. I think cauliflower tried to knuckle in (particularly with cauli rice and cauli crust pizza) but it’s time for the humble cabbage to make a comeback. Of all the brassicas, cabbage is the most affordable by weight. A dependable, good value vegetable. It’s time to get creative with cabbage. Very Pinteresting I kept seeing grilled cabbages on Pinterest. To be more precise, cabbage wedges with a special dressing. I browse Pinterest quite a lot and grilled cabbage food porn kept popping up as different bloggers posted variations of the recipe. It came with glowing reviews like: “I don’t really like cabbage, but I fixed this recipe …

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Ribbons

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This simple recipe makes a light lunch or summery starter. I used the Peri Peri flavoured hot smoked salmon because the yogurt sauce is nice contrast for the chili kick but you can use regular hot smoked salmon if chili flavoured salmon is unavailable. The chili salmon was actually milder than I anticipated. Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Ribbons Serves two Ingredients 150 grams hot smoked salmon (peri peri flavour) Half a cucumber A handful of fresh mint 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 1 clove garlic 1 tablespoon capers 1 tablespoon black olives, sliced Preparation Using a vegetable peeler, peel the cucumber into ribbons. Aim for a small strip of skin on each piece (for aesthetic purposes). Arrange the ribbons on two plates. Finely grate the garlic (I use a Microplane zester), chop the mint and mix into the yogurt. Dot the yogurt sauce on top of the cucumber ribbons. Break up the smoked salmon into smaller pieces and add to the plate followed by capers and black olives. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Enjoy! …

Smoked salmon sushi bowl

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A bowl of yum For those who don’t know what a sushi bowl is, it’s just a bunch of chopped sushi and salad ingredients served on a bowl of rice. You have a mouthful of this, a mouthful of that and in the end, it pretty much tastes like sushi in your mouth. This recipe is great for either lunch and dinner. I should know, I’ve eaten this for lunch and dinner this week. Thanks to Sealord, I’ve got a summer prize pack to give away. The pack includes a Sealord chilly bag, a stainless steel lunch box, a picnic blanket and Sealord’s Manuka Hot Smoked Salmon vouchers. To enter, fill in the form at the bottom of the giveaway post here. Sealord recently won the Supreme Award at the New Zealand Food Awards for their Manuka Hot Smoked Salmon. The flavours in their Manuka Hot Smoked Salmon range: Natural, Peri Peri (bird’s eye chili) and Tuscan. Au Natural I usually buy unflavoured smoked salmon. I find it to be more versatile and I enjoy adding my own flavourings …

Jubilee Rice

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First world problems: Too many cashew nuts. It all started off around National Nut Day when I had heaps of cashew nuts sent to me. I made a delicious Coriander and Cashew Pesto and Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts which were both winners, but I wanted to try something else.