Simple things are sometimes the best

It is often the small things I observe that can make me happy. Yesterday was a particularly nice day in the Capital and as I was delivering something to Petone I decided to take a moment to walk along the waterfront with our dog. Everyone was out - why? Because there was no howling southerly coming up the harbour, that's why!!
Mums pushing prams, Dads pushing prams, young women (wearing their trendy sunglasses) striding out, happily nattering and the odd bloke clearly on a mission too. The Active Mums class 'hard at it' - with babes in prams watching on while their Mums did their stretches! There were even mums and toddlers on the sandy/stony beach - sharing a bucket and spade - dodging the nesting black and white sea birds, everyone clearly grabbing the last of the calm, balmy autumn days. (At this point I was really wishing I had my camera).
Having lived in the Capital for about 7 years, I am ashamed to say this walk was a first but I just loved it. Watching the antics of the human race, who like me, were enjoying a simple day by the sea, alone in our thoughts, enjoying the sun on our face.
Driving home I saw a blonde woman running along the footpath by a park yelling like a banshee and waving her arms about (like a bird flying), I thought, gosh I hope she is alright? Then I saw her little blonde son running alongside her with his arms flapping - flying too - laughing and having a heap of fun, I thought what a lovely show of 'let's pretend we are birds?' - simple but special fun together.
I came home to a parcel waiting for me. Inside was a Mothers Day gift wrapped in home made paper, so cutely made by my 'Maisie moo'. Inside the paper were two (handmade) mini wheat bags - "to put in my pockets to keep your hands warm on Winter dog walks". Something so simple but thoughtful from my daughter -  for her Mum.
It was an interesting morning of reflection - simple things can really make you think about life and what it really means to slow down and live the moments.
I'm off now to put the slow cooker on. I am trying a new recipe tonight - Vegetarian Pearl Barley Risotto - quite simple, might post it if I have time!

Mushroom Parcels for my Vegan friend

I met a friend for coffee a couple of weeks and while chatting and catching up I discovered she had converted to a Vegan. We shared  a few ideas for Vegan food, a way of eating I am very unfamiliar with. My first thought was how limiting it was but I took on a challenge to come up with a recipe for her that was Vegan, different, fun and easy to prepare. While I really admire the motives of Vegans, I think sticking to a diet free of any animals and by products of animals could be extremely challenging. I love my vegetables so no problems there, actually I was a demi-vege for about 5 years in the 1990's and would be ok giving up meat. But I would be hard pushed to deny myself the joy of a perfectly poached egg on toast, or a slab of cheese with a dollop of pickle on a cracker or a fillet of pan fried fish drizzled with fresh lemon juice!
After our meeting I found myself (one Sunday) with a gift of six fresh lovely flat 'meaty' mushrooms. I love mushrooms and I thought they would be perfect as a base for a Vegan recipe. I had a lot of fun scouring my vegetarian books, and interestingly most mushroom recipes included dairy. This dish was no exception, however I left out the 8 tbsp cream listed in the recipe, but for non-Vegans you could certainly add it in.
I loved the 'drama' of serving the dish in a 'parcel' and this recipe does not disappoint.
It was adapted from a recipe in Ottolenghi's vegetarian 'Plenty' cook book, a fabulous 2012 gift I have used often. Once the 'parcel' was unwrapped I served its contents on a bed of cooked brown rice and it was so delicious. The 'parcels' can be prepared ahead of time and popped into the oven when you get home from work. While waiting for them to cook, you would have time to enjoy a matching wine.
Can a Vegan still enjoy most wines as I know many may include animal products during the fining process? You would just have to check the label I suppose. Luckily, the more modern techniques use plant based products. We enjoyed this dish with a glass of lovely Pinot Noir. (In my haste to eat, sorry - I forgot to photo the final product!).
Wild Mushroom Parcels (from ‘Plenty’ – Yotam Ottolenghi, Pub 2010)

Serves 4

300g mixed wild or exotic mushrooms (I used the flat ones chopped into large chunks)

300g baby button mushrooms

200g cooked baby potatoes (I used Argia, chopped into chunks)

4 garlic cloves, crushed

8 tbsp chopped Chervil

4 tbsp chopped Tarragon

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Ricard or Pernod

Salt and black pepper

(plus 8 tbsp cream - leave out for Vegans)

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut four squares of baking paper, 35cm long and wide.

Wipe the mushrooms clean using a wet cloth or little brush.

Leave them whole of cut them into large chunks depending on the size.

Cut the potatoes into 1cm slices.

In a large bowl, gently toss together all of the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Divide the mixture between the paper sheets. Lift the edges to scrunch them together into tight bundles and secure with string. Lift the parcels onto a baking sheet ( I put them into a large roasting dish.

Place in the oven to cook for about 17 minutes. Take out and leave to settle for 1 minute.

Serve the parcels sealed, allowing the diners to open then up themselves.

Fantastic served with brown rice sprinkled with toasted pecans or pumpkins seeds.

  

A few of my favourite things (lately)

I have been having fun in the kitchen utilising gifts of produce and using the bountiful crop of lemons from our lovely old tree. I made Quince paste last year for the first time (a recipe by Stephanie Alexander). I have since discovered a number of recipe variations but how it turns out really depends on the ripeness and/or age of your fruit.
Making Quince Paste is a dangerous labour of love but I am hooked on the stuff. If you are not careful you can get 'spattered' with hot paste. To prevent burns I wear a tea towel wrapped around my hand and arm when stirring the mix! My 2012 batch lasted for about a year ( kept in an airtight container in the fridge) and still tasted great. Superb with Blue Vein or any strong cheddar.
I have made Lemon Curd again this year too (about five medium size jars), adding a little more juice to the mix to give it more of a 'tang'. Ummmm, I seemed to have developed a naughty habit of digging a spoon into the jar when I need a sugary/sour'y fix, I really must stop it.......
If you have pastry in the freezer, little lemon merinque pies are so quick and easy to make. You could blind bake a few small pastry shells ahead of time, they will keep fresh in an airtight container for a few days. When dessert is required just spoon some Lemon Curd over the pastry base, whisk your merinque, spread over the curd and bake at 200 degrees C for 10-15mins and viola! your dessert is done.
The Amalfi lemons are glorious little cups of tastiness, lovely as a small starter or (as I used them last night) as a garnish along with chicken pate, served with homemade crostini (you could have instant cheese on toast this way!). You can make these ahead of time and they are so easy to do. If you wish to try these recipes they are in previous posts on my blog.
Here is just a glimpse of these recent favs

Take a dozen 'knarly' quinces

to make into a huge tray of quince paste

Lemon merinque pies - using one of my jars of Lemon Curd

Amalfi lemons (sitting on lemon leaves) - divine as a small starter

Just because I felt like them - tomatoes ready for slow roasting - delish!

Cheesy Vegetarian Pie

It is a gloriously sunny day here today but during a recent recent sudden drop in temperature  I had an inkling for comfort food!
For me, pies are a great comfort food and they work well as a food gift cos they can be easily transported from A to B when a delivery is required. Two friends of mine were recently in need of a bit of food love, one was in the middle of shifting (with a little baby and all the work that involves) and the other friend has been very ill with pneumonia while still trying to care for her family and coordinate for a charity. I felt it was time to provide them a bit of comfort through food. (I gather they have been overwhelmed with help from friends and neighbours which reminds me of the very goodness of people in the world).
This recipe morphed into Cheesy Vegetarian Pies from a number of recipes in my files and from the dozens of tins in my pantry! (I had to use some of them.....my husband remarked there was very little room left in our pantry!). While sorting out the recipe I was reminded by said husband that he was not that fond of pastry, only pastry made with wholemeal flour. Mmmmm...
The pastry for this recipe came from an old Christchurch Press cutting, there is no date but the article is attributed to Judith Sutton. It would be at least 10 years old I think.
The addition of yoghurt in the pastry was a little unusual but I gave it a try. The result was a surprisingly light, tasty pastry that had the correct amount of crumbleness - if there such a word, but you will understand what I mean when you take your first bite!
You could let your imagination run wild with the filling, one of my vege pie recipes included silver beet, one had cauliflower and peas. The cauliflower was left out for these pies but I added them into the filling leftovers I had put aside for our dinner that night (absolutely delicious served on brown rice).
The beauty of using tinned Indian tomatoes for the filling is that you have all your spices in the mix but you could add a little more chilli if that is to your liking.
These pies will keep well for a few days in a airtight container in the fridge and can be frozen. Great to whip out and heat up for lunch on a cold winters day - just perfect with a generous blob of homemade tomato sauce on top too. You could also make these into mini vege pies (for lunch boxes) using muffin tins but making them as turnovers is a lot less fiddly.
The tasting feedback from one of my friends was very positive so this pastry has become the standard in my kitchen when making savoury pies.
Pastry for Cheesy Vegetarian Pies
1 c wholemeal flour
1 c plain flour
125g butter - cold from the fridge and diced
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 to 1/3 cup plain yoghurt
Place flours, butter, cheese, salt and baking powder together in a food processor and blend until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Use the pulse button and add a little yoghurt a spoonful at a time to bind the dough together. (This step is important as you need to get the consistency just right - not too wet, not too dry). If necessary add a few teaspoons of cold water. (I needed to do this). Roll pastry into a cylindrical shape. Cover in cling wrap and place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will perfect the pastry.

To make the filling 
About 3-4 cups of peeled and diced pumpkin, kumara and Agria potatoes
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 - 2 tins of Watties Indian tomatoes (add them one at a time)
1 tin of whole kernal corn
Melted butter and Poppy or Sesame seeds for sprinkling on the top
Dice the pumpkin, kumara and potatoes, spray with a little cooking oil and gently roast in a shallow roasting tray for about 10 - 15 minutes until cooked  (you could boil them but I think it gives nicer flavour doing it this way).
Gently saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add the cooked vegetables and one tin of Indian tomato mix and a tin of drained corn. Gently stir until combined, if you feel a little more liquid is needed add the second tin but you don't want the mixture too sloppy. Simmer for a few minutes then put aside to cool. You shouldn't need to season but best to do a taste check.

To make and assemble pies
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Divide pastry into 6-8 equal pieces, on lightly floured board roll each piece into a circle and lightly brush the edges with a little water. Divide the filling between the circles (don't overfill), fold the pastry over and seal by pleating or forking the edges together. Brush the top with a little melted butter, sprinkle with either sesame or poppy seeds and a few grains of salt.
Bake on an oiled tray for about 15 minutes until both sides are cooked. The smell of pies in the oven - yum!

Chicken baked in pockets

I am always looking for different, innovative ways to serve good healthy food. This Ray McVinnie recipe caught my eye as I had a few zucchinis and lemons to use up (perfect.... our lemon tree is heavy with fruit this year) and the recipe also included Sumac, a spice I knew very little about. I searched on the internet for more information, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac and learnt some very interesting facts about Sumac for this post. The Sumac spice comes from the fruit of a small tree or bush which in itself has quite an ancient history. Over many, many centuries the bush been used in a variety of ways by many different cultures. The things you learn when blogging! Back to the recipe...
As a lemony flavoured spice, Sumac adds quite a nice distinctive taste to a dish. We enjoyed it in the Chicken Pockets and had the mixture leftovers for a light lunch dish the next day. I loved the flavour and I am now on the look out for more recipes that includes Sumac! (This dish would work equally well for vegetarians, you could just leave out the chicken and add diced Agria potatoes or any vegetable that you consider would be enhanced by a lemony flavour).
The chicken part of the recipe can be made ahead of time and everything assembled into the 'pockets' when it is required. I slightly adjusted Ray McVinnie's ingredients as I had some tortilla wraps left over in the fridge but I am sure it would be tasty in Pita breads. It occurred to me it was another way to make a little pie, probably better for you than pastry if you are watching the calories.
When folding the round flat bread, I just folded in two, then folded again and just filled one side of 'pockets' with the chicken mixture and placed them (the thicker side up) in a shallow meat dish lined with baking paper. I secured the pocket with a long toothpick to make sure the top did not turn back with cooking.
It worked well and I really hope you enjoy them...

Chicken Baked in Pita Bread
(Ray McVinnie – SST – Nov 2012)

Ingredients

4tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 small carrot, diced 1cm

Zest of 1 lemon

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp ground sumac

6 free range, skinned boned chicken thighs, diced to 3cm

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and pepper

4 pita breads (or 6 tortilla wraps)

4 tbsp butter melted

2 tbsp sesame seeds

200ml Greek yoghurt

Greek yoghurt, cucumber, lemon wedges, coriander and mint leaves.

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C

Heat a frying pan over a moderate heat and add the onion, zucchini, carrot, zest, garlic, cinnamon, sumac and chicken.

Fry gently for 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the chicken cooked. Taste and add lemon juice to taste and season.

Open the pita breads (or fold the tortilla wraps in half then half again) into pockets and stuff the chicken mixture evenly into them.

Place stuffed pitas ( or wraps) side by side in a roasting dish and brush each with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds.

Place in oven for 10-15 minutes until the bread is crisp and lightly browned and the filling hot.

Remove from the oven and serve with Greek yoghurt, sliced cucumber, lemon wedges, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and coriander and mint leaves.

Biking trip in Hawkes Bay

This week we had a wonderful time pedaling with friends around some of the fabulous bike trails in Napier and staying with said friends in their wonderful B & B, Hawkhill in Poraiti near Taradale. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a peaceful, beautiful stay in a picturesque setting with the best of hosts.
http://www.hawkhill.co.nz/

view from back of cottage

I couldn't get over the quality of the cycle tracks in Napier. The first one we did was along the shoreline, through wetlands, Haumoana, Te Awanga and Clifton with a delicious lunch at Clearview Winery.

wetlands on estuary

The next day we took a lovely ride along the Tuku Tuku River, lunching at the local pub   http://www.thepuketapu.co.nz/ and cycling back on the opposite side of the river, a magic day and a magic ride. Along the way we met so many people (of our vintage) enjoying the same pursuit. The cycle ways have become quite a tourist attraction in Hawkes Bay. We plan to return and do a few more of the rides on offer, they are hoping to have them all a bit more connected which would be great.
As you can imagine if you are exercising in this way you need sustenance each day (which we had in abundance) and as in previous trips each couple made a main dish and a dessert to share for an evening meal, along with matching wines of course. A great time was had by all. And I especially enjoyed the craft circle the women had in the evenings!
For my choice of meal I made a Chicken Pilaf - Ray McVinnie says it serves 6 but I have found it especially useful as it would serve more like 8-10 people.  It is perfect for a large gathering.
For dessert I made Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart which I have posted before on this blog, it never fails.
By the way I noticed Ray McVinnie earlier posted a similar chicken pilaf dish (made with brown rice) in Issue 91.
http://cuisine.co.nz/cuisine.nsf/recipes/brown-rice-chicken-pilaf?Opendocument&HighLight=2,chicken,pilaf
The cooking time is longer due to the brown rice and uses sultanas and spring onions. I am going to try this version as we prefer brown rice.
The following uses long-grain white rice, but once (when I ran low on rice) I used a mixture of basmati, brown and long-grain and it still worked well! I use home made stock but brought stock is fine too.
I forgot to take photos - sorry..... but trust me, it is delicious.
Chicken Pilaf – Cuisine Issue 134 May 2009

Ingredients

4tbsp olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

1 stick of celery finely chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 cinnamon stick

½ cup currants

½ cup toasted pine nuts, plus extra for garnish

Peel of ½ preserved lemon, finely chopped

6 boneless chicken thighs, diced 2cm across the grain

½ tsp ground turmeric

2 cups long-grain white rice, well rinsed in plenty of cold water and well drained

4 cups of well flavoured chicken stock

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Spicy chutney to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 190°C. In a stove-top and ovenproof casserole, heat the oil over a moderate heat and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon stick, lemon peel and chicken. Fry gently, without browning for about 10 mins, until the onion is soft.

Add the turmeric, rice and stock, mix well, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.

Cover tightly and place in an oven for 25 minutes. Do not uncover during this stage for any reason.

Remove from oven and uncover, fluff up with a fork and serve sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and coriander and with your favourite spicy chutney.

Serves 6

Apples, plums, peaches and pioneer women

I can't help myself, I hate to see something nice wasted and if I can make something out of nothing I will give it a go. It is in my DNA and for those of you who knew my Mother well, you would entirely understand what I mean. I love to give gifts from my garden produce and cooking labours and I am always equally happy to receive them in return! This week has been full of funny little incidences that have resulted in such fabulous tasty gifts.
My sister-in-law gave me a jar labelled Free Plum jam, I thought it was a type of plum until it clicked! Silly me. She is a woman clearly in sync with my values and knew we would enjoy such a lovely 'free' tangy spread on our breakfast toast. Fabulous!
Chatting at the gate with my neighbour I noted her lovely little apple tree (once laden with large red apples) was now completely bare of fruit. The previous season I had carte blanche to help myself while minding the chooks and said the apples made a beautiful Tarte Tatin. My neighbour said for such a small tree that must have harvested at least 30 apples. Later in the day a bag full of the same beautiful cooking apples appeared at my door. I made a 'cheats' Tarte Tatin, baked in my small enamel dish. Fabulous!

'cheats' Tarte Tatin

Which leads me to another delight.
It can be said I am a very observant dog walker, mainly on the lookout for wild looking young frisky dogs who can make our dowager one very nervous and unfriendly. It was during one of these walks I noted a tree dropping peaches all over a steep grassy bank near the footpath. Not something you see much nowadays. Looking up, the tree was laden and I assumed someone would soon be picking them. Not so, and on a another daily circuit I could not help myself and quickly filled a bag of the windfalls to take home. Once all the bruised and grubby bits were chopped away and stones removed, a little raw sugar added, they boiled into two cups of delicious stewed peaches. One cup for Peach muffins, one cup drizzled with runny cream for dessert. Fabulous!

And to finish my funny week of tasty gifts, the last bits of harvest from my carrot and beetroot crop (pathetic due to lack of moisture) were roasted with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, tossed with wild rocket and cherry tomatoes. It had to be one of the tastiest lunches I have made for myself in a while.

A few weeks ago during a discussion with a friend with an interest in Numerology, I was told I have had many incarnations - I am sure one of them was a Pioneer woman, always providing a meal for her family the best way she can!