Bloody Mary's go Pacific

Not for the seafood fan, this variation on my Bloody Mary recipe is divine! 

The only real variation to this is to squeeze the lemon over the oyster and let the juice run into the Bloody Mary.

Also upgrade the Worcester sauce it makes a difference! I am using a smokey one at the moment which is knocking my socks off!

Speaking of - I have upgraded my tabasco to Kaitaia Fire Chilli Pepper Sauce, also knocking my socks off!

Enjoy!

Homemade Pizza

Artichoke Pizza

If you're like me, thin and soft pizza bases is your idea of moreish - don't let the dough get in the way of your toppings.

This month I have taken a trip down memory lane, when I used to make pizzas at The Sonic Restaraunt in Kaikoura - turns out I still love kneading dough!

Ingredients

Dough - 3 pizza bases

1 1/2 cups warm water

Pinch of caster sugar

4 cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

Sauce - approx. 2 cups

1 can peeled tomatoes (crushed) 

1 white onion - finely diced and minced
  1 clove garlic - peeled and minced
  4 fresh basil leaves
  1 teaspoon dried oregano
  Pinch salt
  Pinch fresh ground black pepper
  Pinch sugar

  2 tablespoons olive oil to sauté.

Toppings - The world's your oyster 

Button mushrooms - finely sliced
Salami - finely sliced

Artichoke hearts - roughly torn 

Red Pepper - finely sliced 

Black olives - finely sliced 

Mozzarella - grated.

Instructions

preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (bake)

Righto for the dough - Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.

Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

Now for the sauce - Empty the contents of the tomato can in a mixing bowl. In a heavy bottom sauce-pot  add the olive oil, over a medium high flame and heat a little. Add the onions and saute until slightly translucent. Add the garlic and saute about a minute until golden. Quickly add the crushed tomatoes to the mix. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the fresh basil and oregano. You can add a touch of sugar if desired or if tomatoes are tart. Simmer on a low flame, stirring often for at least 15 minutes. If not using right away, cool down and store in airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 1 week.

Now it's party time!!! 
Roll out your bases on a lightly floured surface, place on an oven tray lined with baking paper, generously apply the sauce and mozzarella. Now top away! I always put a little mozzarella on top of the topping as well.
Bake until cheese is bubbling - if the topping needs more heat switch to grill at the end.

Juicey steak

  The trick to a tender piece of steak....

                           Age it.

If you keep your fillet in the fridge for a few days the beef will tenderise itself. When cooking rub the oil onto the meat don't put in the pan.

You should only turn the piece once otherwise it toughens it.

Bruschetta

This is my first time making bruschetta, and probably the most enjoyable kitchen experience I have had yet. A taste explosion, bruschetta provides a platform to get really creative and make some scrumptious beautiful food!

Ingredients (3 people)

6 Ciabatta rolls

200 grams Buffalo mozzarella

8 ripe vine tomatoes

1 handful of purple basil

4 garlic cloves

Chilli oil

Olive oil

dollop of white wine vinegar

1/2 lemon

1 avocado

1/2 a large red pepper

1/2 red onion

1/2 packet of salami

pepper & salt

Instructions

Cut the rolls in half and toast on a girdle pan or on a bbq, douse with chilli oil and rub some bruised garlic cloves over them. Place thick slices of buffalo mozzarella on each one and put in the oven for 1 -2 minutes to bake.

Meanwhile you would have prepared earlier (key is to keep produce at room temperature as it enhances the flavour) the topping. carefully remove the seeds and white parts of the tomatoes and red pepper, tear the tomatoes into small pieces and finely chop the red pepper. Add finely chopped red onion and chunks of avocado, then long strips of salami (a little like spaghetti). Pour over a decent amount of olive oil and the white wine vinegar, add pepper and salt and roughly ripped basil, then let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Once the ciabatta is out of the oven top with generous portions of the fresh mixture and squeeze lemon juice to finish.

Your mouth will water!

Spanish Risotto

So this is my go to recipe. I am quite proud of this wee gem because it was my first recipe I came up with on my own and I've been tinkering with it ever since.

Ingredients

For four people

1/2 pack Arborio rice 

200grams Chorizo sausage

12 Button mushrooms

1 Red pepper

1/2 C sundried tomatoes

3 Garlic cloves

1 Onion

3 TBsp Olive oil

4 C Chicken Stock

1 1/2 C White wine (whatever you are drinking at the time)

1 handful of basil

Sprinkle Chilli Flakes

1 tsp Smoked paprika

500 grams parmesan cheese

Pepper & salt (as you see fit).

Instructions

Finely chop up your onion and garlic (minced). Get a ginormous pot and heat the olive oil then add the onion and garlic, once clear add the rice and stir vigorously to avoid sticking. Once covered in oil add the wine, the key is to keep stirring, don't take your eye off the ball. Now all you need to do is keep topping up with chicken stock as the rice soaks up the moisture. 

In a frying pan, fry your chorizo in some of the sundried tomato oil. Once your rice is about 2/3 of the way there, to being cooked, add your mushrooms, red pepper, and sundried tomatoes - make sure you don't chop them too finely and keep stirring!

 Once the veges start to look softened add your basil leaves bruised and torn, smoked paprika, pepper and salt. You should have used all your chicken stock by now, but if you need more just use more, there is no hard and fast rule. Once it is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and add the parmesan, and fold it through. 

To serve, top with a basil leaf and chilli flakes and/or a drizzle of chilli oil. I also highly recommend a deep red wine to go with this.

Roast Chicken with mushroom stuffing & pea puree

I made this for the family on Christmas Eve and it went down a treat. I hope you all enjoyed the festivities!

Ingredients 

1 large chicken

Mixed Mushroom Stuffing

Olive oil

2 C bread crumbs

2 C mixed mushrooms

1 Onion

1 handful of fresh thyme

1 egg

4 cloves of garlic

1 lemon

1 hand full of pine nuts

Sea salt  & pepper

Pea Puree

1 bag of frozen peas

2 C chicken stock

1 Tbsp Parmesan

Pepper & salt

Roast Vege medley

1 large kumara

2 large potatoes

1 red onion

2 carrots

1/2 small pumpkin

1 garlic bulb

4 Tbsp sweet thai chilli

Red wine jus

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 240°C. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add onion and garlic (finely chopped) and cook for about 5-10 minutes until soft, not coloured. Add mushrooms with the leaves from your thyme sprigs. Turn the heat up to high and fry for 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms go slightly crispy. Remove from heat, grate in lemon zest and season well.  Tip into a bowl and leave to one side to cool.

Once cooled, mix in the pine nuts and breadcrumbs, then add the egg. Cut a hole in-between the skin of the chicken and the meat and create a pocket for the stuffing. Push a quarter of the stuffing into this pocket and roll the remaining mixture into balls and pop around the chicken in the roasting dish. Cut your zested lemon in half and place in the chicken cavity with the remaining thyme sprigs. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Follow the roast vege medley recipe from this blog and cook in synchronisation with the roast chicken.

Place in the preheated oven and turn the heat down to 200°C. Cook for 40 minutes, then add your mushroom stuffing balls to the tray. Return to the oven and cook for a further 35 minutes until gorgeous and golden.

Whilst this is cooking, 15 minutes before the chicken is ready, boil your peas in the chicken stock, then drain stock into a bowl and drizzle in the stock until you have enough moisture to whizz the peas into a thick puree. Add the parmesan and season with pepper and salt and whizz to blend.

 Prepare your red wine jus (follow previous recipe from this blog)at the same time you prepare the pea puree. This will be used to drizzle over the meal at the end.

To check your chicken is cooked, stick a skewer into the fattest part of the thigh – if the juices run clear, your chicken is done. Leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. This meal should serve 6-8 people, depending on the size of your chicken.

Merry Christmas!

Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary 

My new favourite drink, but only when it is done right...

Ingredients

Spiced Tomato Juice

1 heaped teaspoon of horseradish

1 Tbsp of Worchestire sauce

1 tsp of tobasco sauce

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Pinch of celeriac salt

Ground pepper

Double shot of Vodka

To garnish

2 Green stuffed olives & a tsp of the olive brine

Stick of celery or cucumber

Basil leaf 

Wedge of lemon 

Instructions

There is nothing complicated about this, simply put ice in a jar and the ingredients and shake vigorously. Then to garnish put olives on a tooth pick, put the stick of celery/cucumber in with the lemon wedge and basil leaf and wala!

So delicious!