Otago Farmers Market
This stew is Italian inspired with a hint of local flavours. Waitaki's Beef combined with sweet pumpkin and a generous amount of cracked black pepper make a harmonious dish.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
900-1kg stewing beef, cut into 2cm cubes
2/3cup carrot, diced
2/3cup onion, diced
2/3 cup celery, diced
salt o taste
3 cups chicken stock
1 tin tomatoes, crushed
450g (about 3 cups) pumpkin or butternut squash, diced into 2cm cubes
2 Tbsp crushed black peppercorns
Method
In a heavy casserole over high heat, warm half the olive oil. Add the beef and sear (colour on all sides to sear juices in) about 6 minutes. Remove the beef and set it aside.
Reduce the heat to low, and add the remaining olive oil to the casserole. Add the carrots, onion, celery and salt. Mix the seared beef in the pan with the vegetables and cook together for 2 minutes. Add the red wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until there is almost no liquid left in the pan, about 4 minutes. Add the stock and the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Add half the pumpkin and all the pepper. Add water if there is not enough liquid to cover the solids. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. When the meat is very tender, add the rest of the pumpkin and cook for another 20 minutes, covered until the cubes of pumpkin are tender. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
50g butter
3 fat, firm leeks, sliced thinly and washed well
3 medium floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
Sprig fresh thyme or 1 fresh bay leaf
700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock
50ml cream to serve (optional)
Serve in warm bowls with a swirl of cream and a crack of pepper.
6 pak choi (small) or 2-3 large
2 Tbs oil
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped
1 mild green chilli , seeded and finely chopped
1 Tbsp Thai fish sauce (optional)
Method
Add the rest of the sesame oil and salt. Toss the leaves and serve immediately.
ready to bake |
550g large turnips or swede
500ml cream or you can do ½ cream and ½ milk
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (if possible)
10g/10 pinches sea salt
1g/2 pinches freshly ground black or white pepper
10g/2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C
Wash & peel the potatoes and turnips. Pat dry and slice them 2mm thick (a Japanese mandolin is perfect for this job).
On medium heat, in a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the seasoning, thyme leaves and crushed garlic and leave to infuse off the heat
Mix the sliced vegetables in a large gratin dish layer the sliced vegetables halfway up the dish; pour half the warm cream through a strainer over the sliced vegetables add the remaining sliced vegetables making sure you top the gratin with a layer of just potatoes as this will give you a golden crust.
Pour over the remaining sieved cream and discard the garlic. Press gently with the back of a spoon to ensure the cream is evenly distributed
Cover with tin foil and bake in the pre-heated over for 40 minutes
Remove the tin foil and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the vegetables are just cooked in the middle
Leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Don’t wash the potatoes after we have sliced them as the starch present will bind the the layers together and also give a good caramelisation.
If you leave a layer of turnips on the top they will dry out and curl up.
Cooking - The gratin is cooked when the tip of a sharp knife cuts into the gratin with little resistance (you shouldn’t feel the layers).
serves 6
1 litre juice – pear, blackcurrant or apple
½ - 1 cup of sugar
1 vanilla pod (optional)
Couple strips of orange zest
6 pears, peeled and cored
Place the fruit juice into a deep medium size pot, add the sugar (sweetness is up to you) add the vanilla pod and orange zest. Bring to the boil then reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer. Place the pears in the liquid and place a round of greaseproof paper on top to help keep the moisture in and to keep the pears submerged. Poach gently for 10 – 20 minutes or until the pears are tender all the way through.
Remove the pears carefully onto a platter and return the liquid back to heat and boil vigorously until the liquid has reduced to thick syrup.
Serve the pears whole with the fruit syrup poured over with either vanilla ice cream, cream or perhaps crème fraiche.
SUNRISE BAKERY – fresh baked goods
WAITAKI BEEF – beef
BRYDONE ORGANICS – leeks and potatoes
ROSEDALE ORCHARDS – fruit juice and pears
WAIRUNA ORGANICS – turnips
JUDGE ROCK WINES – wine
JANE FIELD HYDROPONICS – baby pak choi
I would also like to say a heart-felt thank you to Simon (husband) for all his help with my wonderful, natural photos!