Using some beautiful heirloom tomatoes & Bellbird’s amazing bread, I made a more classic and simple panzanella. This is *quite* different from the first recipe I posted… all it involves is tossing together chunks of really good tomato, parsley or basil, and bread. Then just scurry together a bit of balsamic, salt and olive oil, and drizzle over. If you like you can also sizzle some garlic slices in oil until fragrant and toss that in the mix too. If you want to make the salad more of a meal, omit the salt and mix in some feta or dollops of chevre, or toasted pine nuts. EDIT: Both the tomatoes and Bellbird’s bread are from Christchurch Farmers’ Market :)

After all the salads I’ve been eating, I craved a dessert that was a bit richer, but still used some of the lovely tart early apples on the trees in the garden…

Caramelised apple crumble tart was born, an even more decadent version of this super flaky apple almond crumble tart. The apples were cut into chunks and tossed into still-molten toffee (the butter and sugar amounts from this post). I got panicky as the toffee just kind of clung to the apples at first, but then once the apples started getting hot and releasing their juices, this amazing smelling apple toffee started forming. Use a large saucepan so the apples aren’t all bunched up in the pan. The apple caramel was strained out once the apples were mostly cooked. The caramelised apples went in the pie, whilst the caramel went into breakfast oatmeal for a decadent start to the day (note that the apple caramel separates once cooled, but combines again once melted).

I made these green collage fritters again, but used some smashed cooked broad beans instead of the kelp. The broad beans really made these more meaty and substantial. Note: I only ended up using the 1/3c buckwheat flour, but even then the batter was fairly dry, so if you do attempt these start with a Tablespoon of flour first, unless your batter is quite wet already. It all depends on the courgettes/zucchinni you use and how juicy they are and your grater. The recipe also works with wakame, which you only need to soak in boiled water for a few minutes rather than cooking and chopping like you’d need to with kelp. That said, wakame is a bit pricier. Peas also work yummily in place of broad beans – just pour over boiled water to defrost them and they’ll finish cooking in the pan.

Currently Clickalicious

Sesame-crusted tofu @ An Edible Mosaic

Scallop crudo with shiso and yuzu oils and pink peppercorn @ Zen Can Cook

Italian potato salad @ Green Kitchen Stories

Cumin chipotle lime chips @ Good Life Eats

It barely looks like a spread (and ok, it’s about as easy to spread as cold butter), but it is delicious. I use it so thick it’s kind of like a car ran over a truffle on my toast. However I can feel a bit more virtuous from using honey and peanut butter made with the skins on (which is freakin’ delicious btw, if you’ve never tried it before…I used Chantal Organics). The flavour of J Friend & Co.’s kamahi honey is really nice for this, but clover or pohutukawa would be lovely too.

Granted it looks nothing like the gorgeous silky creation Lucy whipped up, but oh, does it warm my lazy, chocolate-loving bones. If using more solid/creamed honey (like I did), the mixture ends up staying together pretty well, so you could easily make them into little truffles (especially also coated in melted chocolate!). Am kind of contemplating making cookies out of this mixture too. Feel free to experiment with other nut butters too – chocolate almond & honey spread would be pretty delicious for example.

Chocolate peanut (or insert-your-favourite-nut-here) butter & honey spread

Mix equal parts salted peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, up to you, I used crunchy) and honey (or less if you want it barely-sweet), and cocoa to taste, until uniform. Use a liquid honey if you want it more spreadable, or add a little neutral (or peanut) oil.

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Chipotle rhubarb salsa @ Naturally Ella

The most delicious marinated capsicum salad @ With Love, Mags

Roast capsicum with roast tomato and fried cauliflower @ Hungry & Frozen

Spicy Italian focaccia @ Baked By Rachel

Just in case turning on the oven is on your thumbs down list though, we also made some raw vegan brownies (okay, so I bastardised them a little with the ganache). I like to think we’ve covered 99% of the world’s food allergy problems with these two offerings. While the zuc brownies were baking, we whizzed up the raw brownies (ok, so more of a walnut chocolate slice), with a few alterations (which are expressed in the recipe below). They were quite surprising, because although the mixture looked dry and crumbly, they were actually chewy and moist. Since the crumbliness made things a little difficult to eat though, we changed the date-to-nut ratio and drizzled in some honey to keep it together a bit more. I would encourage you to further taste and tweak to adjust the mixture to your heart’s desire – if you think the mixture is too sweet, add a bit more cocoa. If you want to try different nuts, go for it (harder/drier nuts like hazelnuts or almonds should probably be whizzed to a fine grind before proceeding though, and may need more honey to stick things together). If you’re not eating these as part of a raw food diet, roasting the nuts a little will really bring out their flavour as well.

Since I love walnuts, these were a perfect marriage of convenience (since you don’t have to roast them) and flavour. They were also a bit aerated yet also fudgy, sticky, and moreishly nutty throughout. We shared a few pieces and everyone was pleasantly surprised that these had dates and no butter in. These brownies really don’t need it – this is still pretty full on and rich without tasting just of cocoa and baking soda (hate to generalise, but a lot of chocolate vegan baking suffers from this). Plus, they’re ridiculously easy, and have a very short ingredients list. You don’t need to have the pantry of a vegan or a raw foodist to make these.

Raw brownies, or walnut chocolate slice

makes one 9x4x3″ loaf tin 

• 1c freshly shelled walnuts*, see notes above about using other nuts
• 1 1/3c pitted dates (have more on hand)
• optional: 1-2 tsp honey (use an extra date or two if you don’t have honey)
• 1/3 c good quality cocoa** (because you’ll really taste the difference here)

Whizz in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine crumbs (see Shannalee’s photos here for reference). Press into loaf tin lined with baking paper or foil to make a smoothish top. Place in freezer while you make the topping (Shannalee uses an amazing looking avocado, honey and cocoa icing, but we didn’t have any soft avos, so I bastardised this slightly for the raw foodists with our chocolate honey ganache).

Chocolate ganache

• about 200g good quality chopped dark chocolate (if your brownies are almost too sweet, use a higher cocoa content). Make sure you like eating it as it is! We used 50% Fair Trade stuff.
• honey to taste, or 50-100ml cream if you’re not vegan and want to keep these less sweet (you could also use nut milks instead of cream, or coconut cream, but only use a few Tablespoons)

Melt chocolate on low heat in a saucepan (never so hot you can’t leave your hand on the pot). Stir through the honey/cream/milk until everything is blissfully incorporated. Spread over the slice and let set (in the fridge if you’re in a hurry). Serve at room temperature.

EDIT: A light sprinkling of sea salt or cacao nibs over the ganache before it sets would be super yum. Just sayin.

—————

*As with all my recipes which call for walnuts, I strongly urge you to crack them fresh before using. Walnuts go rancid incredibly quickly, and the shelled versions at many supermarkets are often pretty off-tasting well before their best before date. Alternatively, get the shelled version from a place you already know sells really fresh walnuts. You can sometimes tell if the walnuts are off since the white flesh (where the kernels are broken apart) will have gone translucent and yellow. They also have a fairly unpleasant smell. **My favourite cocoa that is not super expensive is the stuff from Piko in the paper bags, but get whatever brand you trust. Good cocoa tends to be a really beautiful reddy purple brown, not necessarily almost-black but not so pale it starts to resemble cheap milk chocolate!

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Fig & olive tapenade @ Food 52

Polenta truffles @ Zestuous

Chickpea cardamom rice with carrots and Za’atar oil @ Kitchen Lab

While Canterbury is not particularly publicised as a foodie destination, I like to think this is due to our fairly shy, no-nonsense approach to life. No one really talks about how amazing our raw fresh produce is, and you don’t really find very many advertisements for our butter – the flavour speaks for itself. Almost everyone who visits Canterbury (and I guess the entire South Island) is generally pretty impressed with the kind of lifestyle we get away with, while also being incredibly willing to work hard (including our students!). On top of all this, we’re actually pretty spoilt for choice if we want something international. We can boast one of the friendliest and most awesome cheesemongers this side of the equator, macarons that I reckon rival those abroad, and foodie hotspots…just without the annoying queues and tourists.

What has made me so gushy all of a sudden? It could be that I’ve moved back to my parents for a few months while I finish off my thesis and start planning my future. Their garden boasts considerably more than the one at my flat, so I thought I’d share one of the yummiest and simplest things I’ve been eating so far. I realise it’d not exactly original, but here’s my super simple way of doing it…

There’s no recipe, it’s just a formula for what is basically:

Herb and yogurt dressing over summery things

Cut up a few summery salad things. In a small bowl or cup, add fresh, finely chopped summer herbs (using at least a few chives, or spring onion, or garlic greens, or onionweed or freshly minced garlic, preferably young – these are all “alliums”). Make sure they’re alive when picking as you want the flavours to be really bright. Add salt and pepper (lemon zest could also be good here!). You can bruise them a little by mushing a little with your fingers. Stir through plain yogurt. Taste – it should be quite salty, almost like feta cheese in dressing form! Drizzle/blob over your salady things. Sprinkle over herb flowers or any other edible garden flowers.

What I used specifically:

Summery salad things: thickly sliced tomatoes and cucumber. Would have loved to use radishes if I had them…

Herbs: flat parsley, mint and chives. If I had basil though that would definitely have featured!

Yogurt: Karikaas (all natural, no thickeners, produced locally, and very tangy). If you’re using a mild yogurt, some lemon juice will help.

Flowers: chive flowers. There are also a few brassicas flowering this time of year, with the little yellow flowers, that would look pretty too.

A few side notes for variation:

If you want to make this into a dip, use a thick, tangy yogurt (like Cyclops).

Try cutting your salad thing a little differently – it does actually sometimes change the way you experience it. For the above salad I sliced my tomatoes and cucumbers and just laid out a bit like a caprese, eating each pair a bit like a cracker. For some reason this was a lot tastier than when I had just chopped into large chunks.

Add some pantry goodies like olives, or roast up some red peppers to drape over the top.

Drizzle over any extra-fancy olive oil you have for a sparkly summery finish (this is rich enough without though).

Serve with crusty bread. Omnom.

Change the herbs depending on what you serve the salad with. If serving with lamb for instance, mint could be a good idea.

EDIT: Jeez, have I been away from the blog too long. Here is…

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Quince frangipane tartlets @ Mushitza

Cucumber mint sorbet @ Millie Mirepoix

Raspberry curd @ Toast

Salted chocolate peanut butter @ The KitchenMaid

Oatmeal walnut cocoa nib cookies @ Joy the Baker (made these with macadamias, minus the dark chocolate…parents swooned. Personally would have included the chocolate, but was too lazy)

Chestnut truffles @ Cucina Libera

If you’re a foodie, you can probably immediately tell if a place is going to be good or not simply looking at the exterior, the menu, and what people are eating (except perhaps for a few Asian places that defy this generalisation). So my advice for Sydney is to explore whatever is nearby, go with your mood, and relax. I found this a lot less stressful, but it also explains why places like Bourke St Bakery are not on my list! If you do happen to come across the following places though, I would strongly suggest you don’t pass them by! Or if you do want a map, here’s the one I put together before leaving.

Delicious stumbles (literally…yeesh we did so much walking):

Toku Toku

If you’re feeling a little adventurous but your dining companions aren’t, Toku Toku will please everyone. From weird but wonderful roast cabbage with shoyu & white truffle oil, to classic crispy pork belly with sumptuous sauces, this place nails it (to see some pictures, check out this awesome Sydney dining blog I found!). The drinks menu has an impressive range since they’re an izakaya, so you’re sorted whether you want cocktails, hard-to-find and really delicious plum wine, or a well known wine. Each item we ordered on their “tapas” menu was really generous (especially for anywhere with Japanese aspirations), making their prices really competitive. Start off with one dish per person if you want to fit in drinks and dessert!

Messina gelato

If you’re looking for the smoothest, creamiest gelato that still falls under the category of “real food,” this is it. Each flavour is true to its name – my coconut and pandan was made with actual coconut and pandan, and each gelato is made from scratch each time to accommodate for each new ingredient. Flavours change regularly too. Despite this meticulous approach, Messina’s gelato costs less than a Ben and Jerry’s, and they don’t charge you extra for a cone!

Eveleigh Markets

One of Sydney’s largest farmers markets does not disappoint. We loved the smoked trout, haloumi-like sheep’s cheese (omg haloumi which doesn’t just taste of salt, but also sheep’s cheese that’s not too much like the back end of a sheep!), our fragrant basil bush, and our chilli jam. I will admit the prices here are a tad higher than the supermarket, but so was the awesomeness of our finds :D

David Jones Food Hall

I almost fainted with glee when we finally found the food hall (if you find yourself amongst cosmetics, you’re in the wrong building!). This is worth making a pilgrimage to, simply because it has everything. Not just a wide range of products, but eateries as well. Multiple bakeries covering all sorts of pastries (ready to eat and reheatable), breads, cakes and cookies (including some very interesting macaron flavours). Cheeses up the wazoo. Fresh meat, seafood (complete with sushi bar), and produce (albeit rather pricey, and not all seasonal). Fancy packaged processed stuff. An oyster bar. A noodle bar with an open kitchen. A dizzying array of antipasto. Fresh pasta (and filled pasta). A juice and smoothie bar using only real fresh fruit or vegetables, yogurt, and honey. Scrupulously selected international, national, and local goodies all in one place. It kind of reflects the Sydney food scene – endless variety, constantly updating itself with new ventures, colourful and international in outlook.

Formaggi Ocello 

While the David Jones’ Food Hall probably has a comparable amount of cheese, Formaggi Ocello is where you go to experience cheese. You can take some home, or enjoy the cheeses there at their cafe, with a glass of wine, or a pastry, or some of the top notch condiments and antipasto they stock. However, they were not as warm and friendly as our local cheesemonger, and half the cheeses were in a huge cabinet as opposed to a dedicated cheese room. This makes the whole cheese-trying experience a little less easygoing, since all the cabinet cheeses are wrapped in plastic. Still, this is a post about Sydney, not Christchurch, and Formaggi Ocello is still a worthy visit if you get the chance.

What I will miss about Sydney is the feeling that most people who start food businesses actually want to be known for making something special, whether you take that to mean unique or done expertly, or at least very well. This is reflected not just in Sydney’s iconic places, but the many international faces setting up shop in the city, whether that shop is a little Italian pizzeria or Momofuku Seibo. Hell, even vegetarians are catered for well, even at the little sushi shop down the road. As I mentioned earlier, you don’t need to limit yourself to lists of recommended places – let the delicious places find you!

PS. Non-travel related posting, with images, will resume after this post :)

The foodie occupying my brain was more than satisfied, and not simply because most things are delicious, but because Chinese food and eating  is in a state of constant and intriguing change. Apologies for the lack of photos – although to be honest, a lot of the food I ate wasn’t particularly pleasing to the eye anyway, just homely deliciousness. It’s a shame because most of the descriptions are really unappetising, but I found this list of favourites seriously yummy.

Dou Pi, and Dou Si

Dou Pi consists of sticky rice, combined with tofu “gan zi” (a type of extra firm tofu), and usually some meat (mostly pork) and shiitake mushroom. It’s encased in a huge crepe (pictured above) made of mung bean flour and egg, and cut into squares. You usually find it in street food courts. If you’re a vegetarian and don’t mind meat touching your food, it’s usually fairly easy to pick out the bits of meat, but only if you’re very experienced (otherwise you’ll waste a lot of mushroom and tofu).

Dou Si is a crepe made with mung bean flour, and is often cut up into thick noodles and stir fried or chucked into soups like a noodle.

Mian Wo

Wiki’s description of this as a “salty doughnut” doesn’t really do this justice. Texturally the centre is like very moist chewy sourdough (since they’re shallow fried), and a special device is used to make them so the holes are crunchy/crispy. Their fragrance comes mostly from spring onions/green onions/scallions, but other spices are sometimes also used. They’re much harder to find these days as everyone is becoming more health-conscious.

Gnou, or lotus root

Slowly boiled with pork bones, ginger, and finished with spring onions is my favourite way to eat lotus root. It’s not something you’d usually eat while out, and is mostly enjoyed at home. It resembles a potato in texture but has distinctive threads (kind of like mozarella, only thinner) that make lotus root impossible to eat in a particularly dignified way. Very much something you eat with family on a regular basis. Many asian supermarkets sell these now as they are often used in Japanese cooking as well, but usually cooked to retain crunchy (in thin slices).

Hong Cai Tai

This is a purple-green winter brassica that is eaten mostly for the stalks, and texturally is like asparagus but tastes like intense and sweeter bok choy. It’ll usually be served as the seasonal vegetable at street food courts with rice in winter.

in Wuhan, but also available in other parts of China:

Lian Gao

A thick glutinous rice stick, thinly sliced, soaked to soften, and stir fried. It’s chewy and doesn’t taste like much but soaks up sauce well and provides a good contrast to crunchy textures in stir fries.

Tang Yuan

Literally “soup rounds,” these are glutinous rice balls filled with sweetness. I tend to grab the black sesame version. You can find them in many supermarkets in the freezer section, but I suggest avoiding buying them on the street unless the stall looks really popular as they’re often very stingy with the filling.

Shan He Tao (“mountain walnuts”)

These walnuts are much smaller and almost impossible to crack by hand without crumbling everything. They’re not cheap (I worked out the packet I bought was about 400 yuan per kilo for the cracked ones), but have a very unique, moreish flavour worth searching for. Like ordinary walnuts they go rancid very quickly so I suggest trying them in small packets. They’ll likely be loaded with a few “numbers” but they’re one of the few things I will make an exception for (and hey, walnuts are good for ya, so you win some and lose some right?).

Bamboo shoots

…in all manner of dishes, with all manner of preparation and sauces. I loved the smoked bamboo I tried in Wuhan the most, but try it any which way.

Mushrooms

China is a mushroom-lover’s best friend, whether you’re looking for fresh or dried mushrooms. My favourite is xin bao gu, which is mostly stalk and HUGE. It’s kind of like a cut of meat for vegetarians – so handy and delicious stir fried with a bit of soy sauce and garlic. Mu Er, or wood ear mushrooms, are almost everywhere and add a weird crunchy-but-not-actually-crunchy texture to lots of meat dishes. Then of course there are shiitake mushrooms, which taste quite different fresh compared to the dried version, which is more meaty and intense in aroma and texture. Shimeji mushrooms are readily available at most supermarkets now too.

Tofu, not like you imagined

The tofu you get at most Western supermarkets is, for the most part, totally unlike the tofu you get in China. This isn’t to say the Western stuff is bad, but I do want any tofu-haters out there to reserve their judgement. Analagously, the cheapo cheese you get at the supermarket is nothing like parmigiano reggiano! Furthermore, just like there is more than one type of cheese, there is more than one type of tofu. There are round rolls, mouldy tofus, smelly tofu, tofu of varying firmness, tofu sheets that are cut into noodles…the list goes on. Keep an open mind and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. They all play with sauces differently.

Bing Tang Hu Lu

These are like the Chinese version of toffee apples, but instead of apples a walnut-sized apple-flavoured fruit called san zha is used (sometimes you can get ones made with strawberries instead, as well as other bite sized fruit). These are threaded onto a long skewer (like fruit kebabs) and sold all over the place in winter when the sugar sets quickly in the cold. San zha are also sliced and dried and used in teas.

Tian jiu

Sweet rice wine is made with glutinous rice, that is then fermented. It’s readily available in plastic pottles above supermarket freezer aisles, and looks like rice soaked in water. The tangy fragrant broth is used in soupy desserts and usually you serve it with glutinous rice balls, sultanas and eggs scrambled and stirred through.

FYI

If you’re a vegan with a sweet tooth, you will be absolutely overwhelmed with choices, but don’t expect desserts to taste anything like Western desserts! Glutinous rice, nuts, seeds and beans are used in lots of Chinese sweet treats, and dairy is rarely used.

Western vegetarians often get frustrated in China, because vegetarians are incredibly rare unless you’re a Buddhist monk. You can’t just ask for a vegetable dish, you have to state that you are vegetarian, or “I eat vegetarian” (hehe), which in pinyin is “wo chi shu” – although you’ll want to get someone to tell you how to pronounce this in Chinese. You can try “I don’t eat meat” but some people will think this just means you don’t eat certain types of meat. You can always try Buddhist temples for lunch if you want a vegetarian meal, but these are generally pretty pricey.

If you’re a fan of “real food,” I’d strongly advise you to stay with a family in China that you or a friend knows. This way you can browse the markets and avoid the inevitable bliztkrieg of MSG that gets put in almost everything.

Almost all dairy in China has a buttload of additives, and doesn’t taste particularly good either. It’s also fairly pricey relatively speaking. I’d avoid dairy where possible (the imported stuff is still kinda pricey) and embrace the creative ways Chinese people eat and cook with plant protein.

I used to live in Brisbane so most of my time was spent with friends – the biggest treat of all. So for once I wasn’t bothered that there were no epic foodie missions or anything, and this isn’t some comprehensive guide, just a compilation of happy stumbles. Thanks to all the friends who warmly welcomed by Mum and Aunt back to Brisbane and showed us such a fantastic time!

In no particular order:

Bai wei qian jia (glamorous somethingarather in English) for yummy Taiwanese food at Sunnypark, Sunnybank (aka the new Chinatown). An actual Taiwanese friend brought us there too if you’re the kind of person who likes a bit of authenticity. They are on the outside of this Asian “mall” and very colourful. Lots of unique things to keep an adventurous foodie happy without blowing the bank.

Moreton bay bugs (aka slipper or bay or flathead lobster) – a Queensland favourite on a lot of menus which tastes like lobster. Normally lobster dishes are quite pricey but they use the bugs in lots of things. I sampled it with ginger and spring/green onions (which the Aussies call shallots) and in a moreish risotto.

Brizzy breakfasts – oats soaked overnight in fruit juice, topped with Jalna natural pot set greek yogurt and Queensland’s beautiful and deliciously sweet seasonal fruit. Ate soooo many mangoes and melons.

According to my local friends the markets in Brisbane aren’t particularly exciting, but on the bright side almost every supermarket has a fruit and vege store outside and often there is also a deli. Some of my favourites I stumbled across were Fancee Fruit at Carindale Westfield for serrano prosciutto and other meats cut to order (not very expensive either!), and the Fruity Capers deli at Toowong Village for cheese – they sold a yummy Aussie truffled brie that goes nice and gooey in the Brisbane heat.

Macadamia nuts! Delicious even from the supermarket :P For our lovely hosts (our Australian family), I made a nectarine, prosciutto, basil & macadamia salad, drizzled with a simple balsamic reduction (just melted some sugar and salt in balsamic and simmered until a bit thicker, then mixed with olive oil). It’s the dish in the quiche pan :) It was the first salad finished. Can’t wait to do this in Christchurch when my parents’ nectarines and peaches come out! It’s as simple as it sounds and refreshing yet moreish thanks to the prosciutto.

For next time…

Oxford St, Bulimba for shopping! Brisbane is very much a franchise-dominated city. If you’re looking for something a bit more unique, Bulimba is a developing hub of independent stores. We drove past at night on our way to dinner at a lovely little Italian-inspired place.

PS. Apologies for the less-than-stellar photos, I could only fit my point and shoot in to my luggage thanks to some overly zealous advice from an Air New Zealand baggage lady I talked to on the phone :P I think my crappy photography reflects how I feel about not having my dslr/baby :D

I was such a mess that I forgot my memory card and felt incredibly dumb after taking pics for 15 minutes and realising – the one drawback of my DSLR, and brain. So here is my camera phone showcasing their menu today (plus their pizzas and other goodies!).

We then headed over to Canterbury cheesemongers where we all giggled excitedly about cheese in their dedicated cheese room :) Steph shared a wee bit with me with the walnut chutney in her prize bag, courtesy of Kernelz:

Steph picked (from L-R clockwise) some gruyere, gouda and smoked brie. I think my favourite combo was the smoked brie with the chutney, but I do also just liked the smoked brie :P

Anyway, am off to Brisbane, China and then Sydney for six weeks! Those links are to my google maps of places I want to go if you’re super bored and want to add to the list :) China doesn’t have one because good food is everywhere, hehehe. I’m not really one for travel blogging but who knows, I might pop my head in when I can. In the meantime, have a glorious summer (I’m missing out on Canterbury summer, which is super sad). Do yourself a favour and try a gelato from Med Foods, or eat one of their legendary pizzas with some friends.

Oh…Or enjoy a toasty winter if you’re up in the Northern Hemisphere :)

Happy cooking (and drooling)!

Zo

Image courtesy of Bron Marshall

Gina scooped up first prize with the most votes with her Spring tomato and grilled asparagus pasta, and Bron won third prize with her Clearwater apple & cinnamon yoghurt panna cotta, She chocolat mousse & cinnamon sponge biscuit.

Steph couldn’t make it to the market but picked up her second prize goodie bag from me earlier in the week. She’s going to be busy cooking up her Lamb in pomegranate, garlic & cumin marinade, with cauli mash and roast vegetable salad this week!

I also personally put together a goodie bag for Esther to thank her for submitting her Sage, almond & creamy feta fromage resting on a spiced baby beet compot.

Thanks again to the entrants for putting in the time to enter, and of course to our generous sponsors (below) for providing all the prizes!

Relishes, chutneys, sauces, jams, jellies, and marmalades.	Aberfeldy fruit products	Award winning free range pork
Proper cheeses and baked goods	Walnuts & walnut products, grown and made in NZ	Specialists in Med foods, with a few local products too $100 hamper for 1st prize

Specialist imported and quality local ingredients Goodies and gift voucher

Yesterday it was one of those deceptive sunny days that turned freezing, warranting something a bit richer to go with the brunchy dinner I threw together. When Stephen at Good Food in a Crap Kitchen posted about these thyme and shallot potato stacks, I just sat agape at the screen for a while and got straight to it. Since then I’ve found a smoky sweet potato version too!

I may or may not have eaten the whole stacks in one bite, making rather silly noises as I did so. Crispy crunchy edges, soft and rich centres with a hint of sloooow cooked shallot (these stay in the oven for 40 minutes) and crispy shallot on top. Maximum crispiness (more than hasselback potatoes). Oh, and thyme, the greatest ever herb to pair with potatoes (ok, chives are a close contender, but chives and shallots would be overdoing the allium lust a little). I oversalted mine a little (yes, I did just type that), but they were still amazing, especially with a light asparagus and pan seared pepper salad. Other than that I just topped with kettle boiled eggs (highly underestimated method) and dusted everything with macadamia & karengo nut seasoning. Of course you can use whatever you have on hand. Bash some pistachios (or macadamias, or pine nuts) and fresh thyme with salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle. Spot the salad with your favoruite pesto of the moment. Or just dust with truffle salt if you’re feeling lucky/rich :D

PS. Lynette’s non stick reusable baking sheets were perfect for making these. Check out the giveaway for NZ or Australian residents!

Thyme and shallot potato stacks

Method slightly adapted from Stephen’s

makes as many as you like

Preheat oven to 180C (355F).

Thinly (2-3mm) slice potatoes (peeled or not) so that they are the smallest possible size. Thinly slice shallot, and separate the rings out.

Toss potatoes & shallots with oil, salt and some fresh or dried thyme in a large bowl. On a greased or lined baking tray layer potato slices and 1-2 shallot threads. Top with any thicker pieces of shallot, or some parmesan if you are feeling particularly decadent.

Bake for about 40 minutes until edges are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre slips in easily.

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Lemon balm sorbet gin slushie @ Bron Marshall

Apple torte with cranberries and raisins @ Cooking Melangery

Creamy chocolate hazelnut milk (dairy free) @ Always Order Dessert

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Warm autumn tart @ Green Kitchen Stories

Seasonal pumpkin kibbeh @ Tony Tahhan

Foodie Favourite at the moment

Home made “hummus,” or chickpeas blended with whatever I feel like! Am loving making it with olive oil, tiny bit of tahini, smoked paprika, garlic, lemon, cumin, coriander, roasted red pepper, and kalamata olives. A bit more complicated than I’d normally bother with, but soooooooo delicious.