Pintade Three Ways…

Guinea Fowl in English, the Pintade is a delicious meat that has a range of different flavors, depending on the cut. My first experience of Pintade was with a yummy mirabelle sauce, but it works well with many fruity sauces. To take advantage of its range of flavors, I created this three style mix.

Pintade 3 Ways

Ingredients 

• 1 pintade, disjointed and cut into breasts, thighs and drum sticks, leave wings on frame and reserve
• The heart of this dish is the stock made using the pintade frame, 1 bouquet garni, 2 carrots chopped, 1 celery stalk chopped, 1/2 leek  chopped, 1 onion salt+pepper, 2 letters of water
• 1 frizzy green cabbage
• 200 gm of Crozet pasta (a small square pasta originally from the savoy region in France)
• 100 ml of cream
• 2 tablespoons of mango vinegar (note: this is not vinegar with mango, it is actually a vinegar made from mango)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 pear – sliced into two chunks
• 2 slices of fromage d’herve (soft belgian cheese)
• 2 shallots
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• Olive oil for cooking
• Handful of rosemary
• 1/4 glass of dry white wine
• Filo pastry

Method

1. First – make your stock, as this will need to simmer away for around an hour
2. To do this, heat a heavy based pot, add olive oil and the pintade frame and brown, add stock vegetables and sauté until soft  – should smell delicious
3. Add water and bouquet garni, bring to the boil then reduct heat and to a simmer
   

   Pintade preparation

4. Next – prepare the the thighs – remove the bone, place under plastic film and pound gently with the handle of a knife or meat mullet until you achieve a relatively even surface
5. Place the cheese and pear slice in the middle, wrap and tie with kitchen sting – salt and pepper
6. Next – prepare your pintade drums – remove all skin etc from the bottom of the meaty bit until the end (for presentation)
7. Poke holes in the drum meat and stuff with rosemary and garlic, rub with olive oil
8. Preheat oven to 200°C and bake the drums for around 15 minute – or until nearly cooked through (use a meat thermometer to check this)
9. In the mean time begin to prepare the Crozet pasta – in a pot, fill 1/2 with the stock from the pintade and bring to the boil (shouldn’t take long, as stock should already be simmering) add pasta and boil gently
10. Dice asparagus, keeping spears for decoration (I cook the spears in the stock for about 5 minutes until soft and a nice green)
11. By now it should be about time to remove drums
12. Prepare filo pastry by folding with olive oil and wrap around drums
13. Place in oven, together with the pintade thighs and bake for around 20-30 minutes – turn drums to get a nice browning of filo all over
14. Now is the time to prepare the cabbage – remove to nice leaves and place in stock – to cook very slightly until tender
15. Slice the rest of the cabbage vert finely and sauté with olive oil and salt and pepper, add a little stock then a tablespoon of mango vinegar – cover
16. Heat a pan with olive oil, once quite hot, add pintade breasts skin side down, cook 9 minutes until nice and colored, then turn and cook other side for around minuted
17. By this time your pasta should be nearly cooked, add a dash of cream and salt and pepper to taste
18. Prepare the mango sauce for the pintade breasts by sautéing shallots, garlic, white wine, a little stock and asparagus
19. Once 2/3 of the liquid has evaporated, add creme and stir until thickens
20. Remove the filo encased drums, as well as the pear and herve fill thighs from the oven
21. Remove breasts from pan
22. Serve the breast on a bed of cabbage, and top with mango and asparagus sauce
23. Serve thigh on a bed of Corzet pasta
24. Serve drums directly on plate
25. Decorate with sauce and asparagus spears
26. Bonne appetite!

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

A little cake that can bring out the child in anyone…

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Ingredients (makes around 12)

• 110gm butter
• 110gm of fine grain sugar (caster)
• 2 free range eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla extract
• 110 gm of self-rasing flour (can be made easily by combining flour, baking powder and salt ratio = 1 cup flour:11/2 tsp baking powder: pinch of salt)
• 1-2 tbsp of milk
• 12 paper cupcake cases

For the Buttercream Icing

• 140 gm butter, softened
• 280gm icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• drop of vanilla extract
• you can color your icing by adding food coloring

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale
3. Beat in the eggs a little at a time
4. Stir in vanilla extract
5. Fold in flour, using a metal spoon (gently)
6. Add the milk a little at a time, until mixture forms a drop consistency
7. Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases – half full
8. Bake 10-15 minutes until golden brown (as pictured)

Cupcakes out of the oven

For the Icing

1. Beat the butter in a large bowl until pale
2. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth and silky
3. Add remaining icing sugar and milk, using your judgement to see how much milk you need to match desired icing consistency
4. Add vanilla extract and food coloring if using
5. Spoon mixture into an icing bag and decorate cupcakes (by now they should be cool)
   

   Iced Cupcakes

   Cupcakes are all about fun!! Depending on who will be eating them, kids or adults alike, let your creative juices flow and decorate with anything you can find… Below I decorated with chocolate patterns and white coconut chocolate…

   

   Decorated Cupcake

Lamb Cutlets served on a bed of Mushroom and Pine Nut Risotto, accompanied with Bacon Roasted Pumpkin, Green Beans and Roquette

Lamb is an interesting meat, depending on the cut, it can have a range of different flavors – from strong to subtle. Lamb cutlets are great, not too strong, however you must be careful not to over cook, as it is best served pink in the middle.

Lamb Cutlets on a Bed of Mushroom and Pine Nut Risotto

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the lamb

• 4 lamb cutlets
• 1 clove of garlic
• A pinch of fresh rosemary
• A small knob of butter
• Salt and pepper

For the Mushroom and Pine Nut Risotto

• 1 cup of Arborio Rice (Italian short grain rice, perfect for risotto)
• 2 cups of chopped mushrooms
• 1 Onion
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 1 cup of good quality chicken stock
• Dash of Cream
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan
• Handful of Pumpkin Seeds
• Handful of Pine Nuts

For the Bacon Roasted Pumpkin

• Pumpkin sliced then cut into circles (use something round to cut our circles)
• Handful of lardons (cubed bacon)
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

For the Green Bean

• 2 handfuls of fresh green bean
• Knob of Butter
• Salt and Pepper

• Roquette – wash and dried
• Mixed with good quality olive oil and grated parmesan

Method

1. Starting with the risotto – heat pan with olive oil, add onion and garlic, sauté until soft
2. Add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until juices are released
3. Add rice, white wine and chicken stock
4. Simmer until rice is soft
5. Stir in Cream and Parmesan
6. Add seeds and Pine Nuts just before serving
7. For the pumpkin – Preheat oven to 200°C and place baking paper on a baking tray
8. In a bowl, mix the pumpkin circles, the bacon, olive oil and salt&pepper until everything is uniformly covered
9. Place of baking tray and roast for 25-30 minutes
10. For the beans, heat a pan with butter
11. Toss in beans, and cook on medium heat until soft, add salt&pepper
12. For the lamb – heat a pan with butter, garlic and rosemary until fragrant
13. When very hot, add lamb and cook on each side for around 5-8 minutes
14. The lamb should be browned on the outside, but still pink and tender in the middle
15. Make a gravy for the meat using the pan juices (I often serve the gravy in a roasted potato, as pictured)
16. Server altogether and bon appetite!

“Kina” aka Sea Urchin with Cauliflower Creme Purée

In New Zealand these little prickly fellahs are everywhere, and a true Maori delicacy. Many people eat them raw, however this is my take on the sea urchin (Maori – kina)

Sea Urchin with Cauliflower Creme Pureé

Ingredients (serves 2 accouski)

• 2 kina (I suggest watching this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZF7F9Yv8k8 to learn how to clean your kina.  You will need sharp scissors, a tea towel and some patience. Cut around the top and remove all the green gooey stuff, don’t eat this, remove simply the orange meet and wash in cold water)
• 1 cup of cauliflower, cooked
• 1 tablespoon of créme fraiche
• 1 teaspoon of butter
• A handful of freshly grated parmesan
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Pureé cauliflower
2. Add parmesan, cream, butter and salt and pepper
3. Stir through raw kina meat and serve
4. Done – easy!!

Crumbed Oyster on a bed of Lemon Mayonnaise and Roquette

I have to be honest… Despite growing up on the beach, with oysters at my disposal, I have never been a fan of raw oysters, or oysters in general. In my challenge to enjoy an oyster, I thought it would be best starting with a much less “gooey,” crumbed oyster…

Crumbed Oyster with Lemon Mayonnaise and Roquette

Ingredients (serves 4 as zaccouski)

• 4 large rock oysters (fresh)
• 1/4 flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs
• Dash of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of good quality egg mayonnaise
• 1 lemon
• Handful of Roquette

Method

1. Open oyster (using a good small knife and a tea towel)
2. Remove, very carefully, the oyster
3. Flour, egg and bread crumb the oyster and place in fridge for about 20 minutes
4. In the meantime, clean the shells (as these will be your presentation plate)
5. Mix mayonnaise with freshly squeezed lemon juice
6. Place Roquette in the shells with a blob of the lemon mayonnaise
7. Heat pan with olive oil and fry crumbed oysters until golden
8. Place on bed of Roquette and serve!

Baby Clams in Black Bean Sauce

In Hong Kong I tried an amazing dish – clams in spicy black bean sauce. It was full of flavor with a great spicy kick. Here is my take on a Hong Kong night market classic dish.

Clams in Spicy Back Bean Sauce

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 500 gm of baby clams (or normal clams if you wish)
• 2 tablespoons of black bean sauce (available from most asian supermarkets)
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• A dash of good quality fish sauce
• 1 red chili, chopped
• 1 shallot
• A dash of sesame oil for cooking
• Pinch of grated ginger (a gingery taste should not be too dominating in this dish)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup of water

Method

1. Pound garlic, ginger, shallot and chili
2. Head frying pan with sesame oil and fry pounded ingredients
3. Add clams and steam slightly, by putting the lid on
4. Once starting to open, add the black bean and oyster sauces
5. Add a little water if necessary
6. Add so more chopped chili you like a great spice dish
7. Serve and enjoy you little taste of Hong Kong

Langoustine in White Wine, Coconut, Shallot and Curry Sauce

In Europe a Langoustine is similar to a baby crayfish, the meat is delicious and quite different to a prawn.

Langoustine lightly coated in Coconut Curry

Ingredients

• 2 langoustine
• 1 coconut, chopped in half with some coconut scrapped out and reserved
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove of garlic
• Olive oil
• 1/2 glass of white wine
• 1 large teaspoon of Malabar Curry powder
• 1/4 liquid cream

Method

1. In a pan heat olive oil, and sauté shallot, coconut and garlic until soft
2. Add langoustine and fry until lightly charred
3. Lower heat and add the curry powder, cream and wine
4. Simmer until sauce thickens
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve in the coconut
6. Enjoy this funky looking little dish!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

This particular recipe comes from Waiheke Island, a small island off the North Eastern Coast of New Zealand.  Every year, the local community of Waiheke put together a recipe book of their favorite recipes. This one in particular came from the local Waihekian, over 20 years ago…

                                                             Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients  (makes 2 cakes, one VERY large, OR you can try in muffin tins to make mini as pictured)

• 2 cups of flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 11/2 tsps baking soda
• 2 tsps cinnamon
• 11/4 cups oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 440 gtin crushed pineapple
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Method 

1. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl
2.  Add gradually the sugar, oil, eggs and mix well with a wooden spoon
3. Stir in carrot and pineapple
4. Pour mixture into greased tins
5. Bake at 175C (350F) for 35 mins
6.  Frost when cool

 Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 tablespoons of butter softened
• 1/4 cup of cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract OR lemon zest
• 1 cup of icing sugar

Method

1.  Mix butter and cream cheese until creamy
2. Add essence and icing sugar
3. Frost cake
4. Decorate with nuts and dried

Classic Kiwi Pavlova

Being on the other side of the world, you sometimes miss the simplicity of a great kiwi Pav… Accompanied, of course, by fresh strawberries, kiwifruit and whipped cream.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 3 tablespoons of cold water
• 1 cup of caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
• 3 teaspoons of cornflour
• Whipped cream – mixed with a drop of vanilla essence and a tablespoon of icing sugar
• Fresh strawberries, sliced
• Fresh kiwifruit, sliced
• Melted chocolate, to decorate

Pavlova mix, before baking

Decorated Pavlova

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C
2. With an electric mix, beat egg whites until stiff (tip the bowl upside down to test if stiff enough)
3. Add the cold water then beat again
4. Add sugar very gradually while still beat then slow beater and add vinegar, vanilla and cornflour
5. On  a baking tray lined with baking paper tip the mix and form a relatively round shape (shape doesn’t change much, so make it how you want it look once cooked) – smooth surface
6. Bake for 45 minutes, then leave in oven to cool – make sure it does not brown, a good pavlova should remain quite white, even when cooked
7. Once cool, place on serving plate and cover with whipped cream
8. Decorate with strawberries, kiwifruit and chocolate

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sushi with Beetroot Rice…

The colour of this dish is great, and definitely spices up the more traditional smoked salmon and avocado sushi!

Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sushi with Beetroot Rice

Ingredients:

• 250gm Sushi rice (short grain, soaked for 20 min in cold water then cooked in 400ml of cold water)
• 2 tablespoons of Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of sugar (preferably caster)
• I samll betroot, precooked and diced finely
• Nori (seaweed sheet)
• 1 large slice of smoked salmon
• 2 tablespoons of avocado
• 1 tablespoons of sesame seeds
• Wasabi
• Japanese soy sauce
• Sushi mat

Method:

1. Mix rice wine vinegar and sugar into cold rice, stir through diced betroot
2. Spread over nori
3. Place avocado, smoked salmon and sesame seeds in a straight line along sushi
4. Roll and then slice with serrated knife
5. Serve with wasabi and soya sauce