All posts tagged: Recipes

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder Adobo

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Today marks 6 years since we visited the Philippines and I wanted to share this adobo recipe with you. Adobe is a chicken or pork stew with vinegar and black peppercorns from the Philippines. So beloved, it is served for daily meals, at parties and feasts. Traditionally made on the stove top, I adapted this for the slow cooker. This recipe makes a generous amount and adobo leftovers are a gift that keeps on giving. Serve with fluffy white rice, fresh cucumber slices and spring onion garnish. Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder Adobo 15 mins prep | 8 hours cookDifficulty: Easy | Serves 6 š—œš—”š—šš—„š—˜š——š—œš—˜š—”š—§š—¦2kg pork shoulder (or 1.5kg diced pork pieces)1 Tbsp cooking oil2 onions, chopped1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns1 cup white vinegarĀ½ cup light soy sauce1 Tbsp dark soy sauce3 Tbsp soft brown sugar8 cloves garlic, sliced5 dried bay leavesTo serve: spring onion, cucumber slices and rice š—£š—„š—˜š—£š—”š—„š—”š—§š—œš—¢š—” This recipe was created for NZ Pork

Miso Glazed Salmon Tray Bake

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If you know me, youā€™ll know that Iā€™m a bit obsessed with salmon. This beautiful Miso Glazed Salmon Tray Bake is an easy salmon recipe for spring. My recipe serves 4 but is easy to adapt to 1 or 6 portions if needed. Miso Glazed Salmon Tray Bake 15 mins prep | 45 mins cookDifficulty: Easy | Serves 4 INGREDIENTS2 Tbsp white miso paste2 Tbsp sake1 Tbsp brown sugar1 Tbsp soy sauce4 salmon fillets (120g to 180g each)500 grams new potatoes, halved2 red onions, cut into wedges1 large capsicum, deseeded and cut into thick strips1 Tbsp dried thyme3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oilSalt and pepper3 courgettes, cut into thick rounds1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed1 Tbsp sesame seeds1 spring onion, thinly slicedĀ PREPARATION This recipe was created for Borges.

Crispy Prawn and Mango Bao with Chilli Mayo

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These crispy prawn and mango bao with chilli mayo are light and bright. This recipe makes 8 stuffed bao which could feed 4 hungry people or 8 people if serving with sides. Use large peeled prawn cutlets. Frozen bao are steamed to fluffy perfection. Find these in the frozen aisle at your local supermarket. Crispy Prawn and Mango Bao with Chilli Mayo 15 mins prep | 15 mins cookDifficulty: Easy | Makes 8 INGREDIENTS1/2 cup mayonnaise2 Tbsp chilli sauce1 cup plain flour1 Tbsp paprika1 Tbsp celery seeds1 Tbsp mixed herbs1 tsp salt2 egg whites16 prawn cutlets, tails removed1L vegetable oil for frying8 frozen bao1 mango, sliced1 cup cucumber slices1/4 red onion, thinly sliced1 spring onion, thinly sliced2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds1 red chilli, thinly sliced PREPARATION1. In a small bowl or jar, mix together the mayonnaise and chilli sauce. Reserve.2. In a large bowl, add flour, paprika, celery seeds, mixed herbs, and salt. Stir in 2 tablespoons of water into the flour for extra crunchy bits. Reserve.3. In a medium bowl, separate 2 egg whites, …

Five Spice Honey Sriracha Ribs

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Iā€™ve been perfecting my oven-baked rib recipe over the years. Itā€™s pretty simple and best served with a bunch of sides. My favourites are slaw, buttery mash with loads of gravy, cauliflower mac and cheese. This is a mild heat level. If you want something with a bit more oomph, double the sriracha. Five Spice Honey Sriracha Ribs 30 mins prep | 2 hours cookDifficulty: Medium | Serves 4 INGREDIENTS2 Tbsp soft brown sugar2 Tbsp ground paprika1 Tbsp ground cumin1 tsp saltĀ½ tsp ground Chinese five spice1.2 kg pork rib rack2 Tbsp sriracha2 Tbsp honey2 Tbsp barbecue sauce1 Tbsp light soy sauce Garnish: spring onion and sesame seeds PREPARATION 1. To make the rub, combine soft brown sugar, ground paprika, ground cumin, salt and ground Chinese five spice in a small bowl. Reserve. 2. Place the ribs on a chopping board so the bone side is facing up. Using a sharp knife, separate a corner of the membrane from the bone. Pinch the membrane and slowly peel it off. The membrane can be difficult to …

Duck Fat Potatoes with Truffle Mayo

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Crispy roasted duck fat potatoes served with truffle mayo. A little fancy. A lot delicious. Use Agria potatoes for perfect fluffy crunch. Enjoy as a side or all on their own. Duck Fat Potatoes with Truffle Mayo 10 mins prep | 1 hour cookDifficulty: Easy | Serves 4 INGREDIENTSĀ½ cup Best Foods Mayonnaise2 tbs black truffle sauce or black truffle paste1kg Agria potatoes (medium size)Ā¼ cup duck fat2 sprigs rosemary, de-stemmed and leaves pickedSalt and pepper PREPARATION This recipe was created for Best Foods.

Satay Chicken Burgers

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My husband and I, and our rabbits moved from Auckland to Whanganui into our first home a few days before lockdown. Level 4 lockdown in New Zealand looks quite different than isolation in other countries. For starters, all hospitality was shut down. Yes, that includes restaurants, fast food, bars and cafes. All of them. Even drive-through and delivery. All classed as non-esssential. Level 3 lockdown included takeout and delivery. Level 2 included dining out but with many restrictions in place. Obviously, I haven’t had much of chance to explore where to eat in our new city during lockdown, but so far I’ve been missing Auckland’s large selection of very excellent fried chicken. My favourite fried chicken in Auckland is at Lowbrow and when fried chicken guru, chef Kyle Street recently shared his fried chicken tips on Instagram, I was intrigued. Iā€™ve combined his tips with an ā€œ11 herbs & spicesā€ recipe and the result is banginā€™. I’ve combined this into a burger with a local wonder sauce. Soneā€™s Satay Sauce is a dreamy mix of …

Venison, mushroom and red wine pies

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“I love cooking with wine. Sometimes, I even put it in the food.” Thereā€™s a chill in the air. The days are getting shorter. Winter is coming. Comfort food is calling. This venison pie is great with some green vegetables or mash. Extra gravy too if that is your thing. Venison, mushroom and red wine pies Makes 4 pies INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons cooking oil 500 grams venison mince 1 onion, diced A knob of butter 100 grams thinly sliced button mushrooms 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 cup red wine 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup beef stock 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper Cooking spray (or butter) 4 sheets frozen puff pastry 1 egg yolk, beaten FILLING Place a sautĆ© or non-stick frying pan on medium high heat. Add cooking oil. Once hot, add venison mince and onion, breaking up the venison with a wooden spoon and stirring as you go. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until venison is browned. Add a knob* of butter, mushrooms and flour and cook for 2 minutes …

Pork and prawn wontons

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The wonton.Ā The less glamorous sister to the dumpling. Wontons are my ultimate comfort food but Iā€™ve served these a little different to how we ate them growing up. This recipe makes 50 wontons and freeze well. So enjoy some now and freeze the rest for later. Wonton wrappers often come in packs of 100 so just double the recipe, or freeze half the wrappers. If you want to make the full 100 wontons, you might want to employ an extra pair of hands or put on your favourite podcast and settle in. Pork and prawn wontons Makes 50 INGREDIENTS 500g (1 lb) pork mince 250g (1/2 lb) shelled prawns, chopped 1 cup finely chopped cabbage 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder 50 wonton wrappers PREPARATION Place the filling ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well. Take 1 wonton wrapper and place a heaped teaspoon of filling …

Arroz Caldo for two.

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Itā€™s been a month since we got back from the Philippines and winter has landed heavily on New Zealand. Iā€™ve pulled out my old winter coat and Iā€™m wrapped in my biggest scarf. Iā€™m contemplating new slippers. Is two pairs of slippers really enough? All I want is comfort food. I love comfort food. If I could figure out how to make a living devouring the worldā€™s comfort foods, I would be in heaven. One comfort food that I grew up with is congee. Rice porridge. Placed somewhere between soup and risotto, itā€™s a bowl of steaming goodness. My Cantonese parents made congee when we were sick or just needed comfort. Congee was brought to the Philippines by Chinese migrants, where the locals tweaked it and gave it a Spanish name: Arroz Caldo. ARROZ is ā€œriceā€, CALDO is ā€œhotā€ and this tricked up relative to congee was on my list of dishes to try. Many parts of the Philippines serve a yellow-hued Arroz Caldo (coloured with safflower) however, we visited the Visayas where they serve …

Beer battered oyster sliders

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This post was made possible thanks to the good folks at Stella Artois.Ā  Dear friends, we are living in the future. Right now, I can prod at my phone and summon a dozen cold Stella Artois and a dozen freshly shucked oysters to be delivered to my doorstep. The future is awesome. Beer and oysters are a stunning couple. These oysters come from Te Kouma Bay in the Coromandel and are shucked the morning of delivery. Available in Auckland, only on Fridays until the end of June. Find out how to summon your own tasty dozen by visiting the LK website here. Would also make a great birthday gift or a classy work shout. Inspired by this lovely beer and oyster pairing, I made these epic beer battered oyster sliders with special sauce. Iā€™ve used brioche slider buns here because they are very soft and a little sweet, contrasting beautifully with the crispy battered oyster. The special sauce is a must for any burger lover. I love this sauce and the human guinea pigs that …

One thing I would absolutely eat again and one thing I would not.

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I just spent three and a half weeks in the Philippines. I ate balut on the first day. It was completely unplanned. I promise. Yeah, OK, it was on my list of things to eat. Way, waaay down, at the bottom. Past lechon (pig on a spit), adobo (chicken or pork vinegar soy stew), sisig (sizzling chopped pigs head and chicken liver), arroz caldo (chicken rice soup), kare kare (peanut sauce stew). Even past dinuguan (thatā€™s pork blood stew if you were wondering). Like, if we seriously ran of things to do, I *might* eat a duck fetus for shits and giggles. But that is not what happened.Ā  We arrived in Mactan on a Friday morning and met up with our dear old friend Adam. We started on the local beers fairly early in the day and later enjoyed a jolly dinner with his Mactan crew. There was local BBQ (marinated meat on sticks) tacos and of course, local beer. The subject of balut was brought up I mentioned I was interested in trying itā€¦at …

Coriander Chimichurri

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I am obsessed with polarising flavours and ingredients. “What is your favourite food?” is such a common question but I think, “What is your least favourite food?” is far more interesting. My own list of hated foods have evolved over the years and I imagine yours is ever evolving too. If we were meeting for the first time ā€“ making conversation ā€“ I might ask you, “What food do you hate?” and you might answer, “Coriander” (or cilantro). Known as coriander in most parts of the world but known as cilantro in Spanish (and in the US). Fresh and leafy, the entire plant: leaves, stem, root and seed are used in cooking. The root and seed taste notably different and should not be substituted in place of the green parts. Probably the most polarising herb in the world, those who dislike it call it foul, soapy or grassy. Those who love it describe it as fresh or citrus-y. I don’t taste citrus but it goes beautifully with lemon and lime IMO. Buy coriander in a …

Vietnamese Shaking Beef

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It’s been a minute since The Koala and I visited Vietnam. We visited in January 2011, completely unprepared for the winter. We got off the plane in the early, early hours of the morning, were accosted by motorcycle drivers, dropped our bags off at our hotel and went in search for our first meal on foot. We happened upon a little noodle shop that was packed first thing in the morning.Ā We figured that any place that was packed with locals for breakfast would be a good bet. Once we were seated, we realised the shop only sold eel. Options included fried eel, eel soup, eel noodles or eel porridge. Every item on the menu was under $2NZ. And that’s how we ended up eating eel for our first meal in Vietnam. We couldn’t speak a lick of VietnameseĀ but we got through our trip by pointing and our drawing skills helped us out more than once. Still, we made some incredible food memories and I still think fondly upon the Vietnamese way of cooking and eating. …

ā€œShrimp gritsā€ Congee

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ā€œShrimp gritsā€ congee 15 mins prepĀ  |Ā  45 mins cook Difficulty: EasyĀ  | Serves 4 Ingredients 1 cup long grain rice, washed 3L water or stock 2 tablespoons butter 400g peeled prawns 5 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tomatoes, sliced A thumb size piece of ginger, cut into batons 1 spring onion, thinly sliced Optional: hot sauce Garnish: chopped coriander Preparation Place rice and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Turn down to medium and partially cover with lid so that steam can escape and it doesnā€™t boil over. Cook for 30-45 minutes until the consistency of porridge. Stir every now and again to prevent grains sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add more water if the porridge is looking too thick. The congee is done when you can see that the individual rice grains have broken down into soft flakes. Season with salt to your taste, remove from heat and divide into serving bowls. While the congee is cooking, make the topping. Melt butter in a frying pan. Add the prawns, garlic, …

Prawn sushi bowls

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Avocados are back in season, baby. Itā€™s time to GORGE. This recipe features my current favourite way to eat avocado: Cut in half, flesh scooped out. Topped with a dollop of mayo, a rosette of pickled ginger and a sprinkling of black and white sesame seeds. Measurements below are rough. Tweak to your own taste, appetite and preferences. Iā€™ve made a quick sushi vinegar rice but you can totally use plain rice, brown rice or black rice. Prawn sushi bowls 15 mins prepĀ  |Ā  30 mins cook Difficulty: EasyĀ  | Serves 2 Ingredients 1 cup raw peeled prawns 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups cooked sushi rice 4 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 perfectly ripe avocado 2 tablespoons mayonnaise Pickled ginger* Black and white sesame seeds 2 to 3 cups fresh vegetables, sliced, diced or cut into batons Vegetables: radish, capsicum (bell pepper), carrot, red onion, shelled edamame beans, cucumber, daikon, bean sprouts, tomato, cabbage. Sliced spring onion for garnish. 2 tablespoon sushi/sashimi soy sauce with sliced chilli (optional) Preparation Bring a saucepan of …

Smokey hummus and roast veggie trumpets (and a giveaway)

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This post was made possible thanks to the folks at Lisaā€™s and Farrahā€™s , who know a thing or two about quick and easy meals. Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter the giveaway. I love hummus. My absolute favourite way to consume chickpeas. Whoā€™s with me? I love hummus slathered, spread, dipped or dolloped. I have absolutely eaten hummus with a spoon. Lisaā€™s is a beloved name in dips and their latest creation is the new Lisaā€™s Smokey Hummus. Delicately pair Lisaā€™s Smokey Hummus with the savoury and sweet flavours of roasted vegetables, honey and miso. Iā€™m so pleased with how these turned out. I tested this recipe out on two hungry men who devoured them with glee. Super easy to assemble, hearty and full of flavour, this recipe is sure to be put on rotation at your house. Iā€™ve used Farrahā€™s wraps which are generously portioned. My recipe uses one wrap, cut in half and cone folded to form two cute trumpets. You will need a microwave for this recipe meaning …

An ode to pie

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In my thirty-something years of living in NZ, I have eaten a lot of pies. More than a hundred, less than a thousand. I love pie. In New Zealand, the word pieĀ usually refers to a meat pie, not the fruit pie you might find in the US. My pie of choice is the mince and cheese pie. With golden pastry, beef mince, gravy and a oozy layer of melted cheese, itā€™s a classic. Found in every school tuck shop, dairy, lunch bar, bakery and cafe across the country, this humble meal is portable, cheap and filling. A fond pie memory: my 9th birthday party at the newly opened Rotorua Georgie Pie. Georgie Pie was a pie franchise that was KILLIN’ IT in the early ā€˜90s. Their $1 mince and cheese pie, a hand-held square in a paper sleeve. I thought it was the best thing ever. When we moved to Auckland the following year, we quickly located our closest Georgie Pie on Glenfield Road and made it our local. Loyal. Like any ubiquitous food, the …

Smokey Mezze Bagel (and a giveaway)

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This post was made possible thanks to the folks at Lisaā€™s Ā and Abeā€™s Bagels, who know a thing or two about quick and easy meals. Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter a delicious giveaway featuring both brands.   This post is for everyone who enjoys a good mezze platter. Traditionally served at the beginning of a meal ā€“ according to Wiki, mezze comes from the Persian word mazze meaning taste or snack ā€“ and as much social ritual as a meal. Grazing with friends is one of the more enjoyable ways to spend an afternoon. A great addition to any mezze platter is Lisaā€™s new Smokey Hummus. I love smoke and I love hummus but Iā€™ve never tasted a smokey hummus before now. The smoke is subtle, not overpowering at all. The cream and lemon notes go beautifully with other mezze ingredients. I love the process of picking out the next morsel and combining items together. You curate every mouthful. Pick. Bite. Select. Down the hatch. Flavour, texture and colour go a …

Chorizo kumara hash

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For those outside of New Zealand, kÅ«mara is the Māori word for sweet potato. Feel free to use sweet potato or a combination of sweet potato and potato. I used fresh chorizo sausages made from free range pork. You can substitute this with any well spiced sausage. Do not substitute with dried or cured chorizo. Chorizo kumara hash 10 mins prepĀ  |Ā  20 mins cook Difficulty: EasyĀ  | Serves 2 Ingredients 2 kÅ«mara (sweet potato) 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 fresh chorizo sausages half an onion, diced 1 garlic clove, chopped 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 handfuls baby spinach To serve: fried eggs and buttered toast Preparation Peel kÅ«mara and cut into 2-3cm cubes. Place in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain and reserve. In the meantime, place a heavy skillet or sauce pan on high heat and add olive oil. Make a vertical cut down each chorizo sausage, pulling out the sausage meat and discard the casings. Add to hot pan, breaking up the sausage meat into …

Bluff oysters and Red Red Mignonette

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Bluff oyster season kicked off last week and so far, Iā€™ve scoffed 3 dozen. Oysters can be an acquired taste but I have the taste for oysters in my genes. I canā€™t remember a time I didnā€™t love them, though I didn’t grow up on Bluffies.Ā If youā€™re not an oyster fan, I wouldnā€™t recommend starting with raw oysters and certainly not with Bluffies. They are truely for the oyster connoisseur. The season is March to August and fans go a little crazy for the season. Bluff oysters can be identified by their flat saucer shape and their creamy warm grey colouring. Theyā€™re less ā€œfrillyā€ than their black and white Pacific cousins. My very first bluff oyster was at a design event a few years ago, the oysters were free and shucked to order. Being a design event rather than a food event, there was no one queuing up for oysters. Not one to turn down free oysters, I kept eating as long as they were shucking. This was the first time buying oysters in a …