Episode 1. Recipes from Wairarapa

Entree: Groper (Hapuka) Fillet and Sautéed Paua with Preserved Lemon & Tarragon Butter and fresh Pea Crush

Step 1. Tarragon and Preserved Lemon Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 Preserved Lemons (Skin only, finely chopped)
• 3 Tbl Fresh Tarragon (finely chopped
• 2 Tbl Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 to 2 Tbl Fresh Red Chilli (deseeded and finely chopped)
• 2 Lemons (finely grated zest and juice)

Method:

In a small bowl add all the ingredients, and with your clean hands work together until completely combined.

Cut a piece of plastic wrap and lay on the bench.

Now form the flavoured butter into a sausage shape and lay at one end of the plastic wrap. Roll up and twist the ends like a Christmas cracker. Place the tarragon and preserved lemon butter in the fridge until required.

Step 2. Pea Crush

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl Butter
• 1/2 cup Shallot (finely diced)
• 1 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
• 3 Cups Fresh or Frozen Peas (blanched and shocked)
• 1 cup Spinach Leaves (washed and thinly sliced)
• 1/4 cup Cream
• Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Method:

Place a suitable sized saucepan on a medium heat. Sweat the butter and shallot for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add chicken stock and let this reduce to about ½ cup of liquid. Now stir through the peas and spinach and cook for a minute, or until the spinach wilts. Remove from the heat and stir through the cream. Pour pea mixture into a food processer and pulse gently to thicken but not puree. Season with salt and pepper, refrigerate until required.

Step 3. Prepping Paua

Ingredients:

• 3 Whole Paua

Method:

Using a tenderizing mallet, pound the paua streaks until you feel the muscle loosen up. Using a sharp knife, slice the paua into 5mm thin strips. Refrigerate until required.

Step 4. Cooking and Serving

Ingredients:

• Pea Crush
• 6 x 100gm Groper (Hapuka) Fillet Portions
• Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• Canola Oil
• Sliced Paua
• Preserved Lemon and Tarragon Butter
• 2 Lemons

Method:

Heat up the pea crush in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until hot.

Keep warm.

Season groper (hapuka) with sea salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet to high temperature and pour in a little canola oil. Sear the fish on both sides until golden and cooked through.

Hold.

Season the paua with sea salt and pepper. In a hot skillet quickly cook the paua on both sides until caramelized. Remove the paua from pan, and then add about half of preserved lemon and tarragon butter to melt with the residual heat. Freeze the remaining butter to use in the future.

To serve divide up a little pea crush in the centre of each plate and top with a portion of groper (hapuka). Then add the paua and spoon over the melted preserved lemon and tarragon butter. Finish with a wedge of fresh lemon and serve.

Back to top

Main: Wairarapa Texel Lamb and Sautéed Sweetbreads with Roasted Portabella Mushroom, Blue Cheese and Pinot Noir Syrup

Step 1. Pinot Noir Syrup

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Pinot Noir
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 6 Whole Cloves
• 2 Whole Star Anise
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 Bay Leaf

Method:

Place all the ingredients in small saucepan and put on a medium heat. Reduce until the liquid takes on a slight syrupy appearance.

Remove and strain off the spices. Store in a airtight container until required.

Step 2. Preparing Sweetbreads

Ingredients:

• 500 gm Lamb Sweetbreads
• 1 L Water
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 12 Peppercorns
• 1 Lemon
• 1 cup Onion (small dice)
• 1 cup Carrot (large dice)
• 1 cup Celery (large dice)
• Sea Salt

Method:

Soak sweetbreads in a cold water, refrigerated for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water periodically.

To prepare, place the litre of water, spices, sliced squeezed lemon and vegetables in a medium sized saucepan. Bring up to a boil for 5 minutes. Add the sweetbreads into the boiling water and cook for a further 5 minutes until firm. Strain the sweetbreads from the hot liquid and cool. Peel and remove as much of the membrane from the sweetbreads as possible. Refrigerate until required.

Step 3. Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 6 large Portabella Mushrooms (peeled and stemmed)
• 150 gm Butter (melted)
• 1 Tbl Garlic (minced)
• 1 Tbl Thyme (minced)
• 2 Tbl Italian Parsley (rough chopped)
• Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Place the mushrooms gill side up on a roasting dish. Mix together the melted butter, garlic, thyme and parsley in a small mixing bowl, and brush liberally over the mushrooms. Season with sea salt, cracked black pepper and roast for 20 minutes or so until tender. Keep warm or refrigerate until required.

Step 4. Cooking and Serving

Ingredients:

• Canola Oil
• 500 gm Lamb Loin (room temperature)
• Sweetbreads (prepped)
• Plain Flour
• 6 Roasted Mushrooms
• 3 cups Broad Beans (blanched and peeled)
• 60 gm Tinui Blue Cheese
• Pinot Noir Syrup
• 1/2 cup Beef demi glaze
• Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Heat a large skillet to medium/high. Season the lamb loins with sea salt and pepper. Add a little canola oil, sear the loins until evenly caramelized all over. Place in the oven and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest.

Season the sweetbreads with sea salt and fresh black pepper, then lightly flour coat in flour. Using the same hot skillet, and a little more canola oil if necessary, sauté sweetbreads quickly, until golden all over. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Return the mush to the oven for a few minutes to heat through.

Blanch the broad beans in boiling seasoned water for 3 minutes, strain and hold. In a small saucepan heat up the demi glaze over low heat. Keep warm.

On warm plates, add a roasted mushroom to each. Slice the lamb loins and fan around one side of the mushrooms. Top with 4 or 5 sweetbreads and a spoonful of hot broad beans. Finish the dish by crumbling some blue cheese over the mushroom, drizzling a little pinot syrup around the dish, and finish by pouring a little demi glaze over the hot lamb. Season to taste and serve.

Back to top

Dessert: Citrus Apple Pie with Lemon Curd Cream

Step 1. Pastry

Ingredients:

• 340g Flour
• 225g Butter (cut into 1cm cubes)
• Pinch Salt
• 1/2 Cup Cold Water
• 1 Egg Yolk

Method:

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, and add the butter cubes and salt. With clean cold hands rub the butter into the flour until it resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Do not over work. (There should be plenty of visible pieces of butter.)

Add the cold water and the egg yolk to a small bowl and whisk lightly, until combined. Add the yolk liquid to the flour and mix through until a dough forms. Again, do not overwork the pastry, just enough that it comes together.

Cut the pastry in half, cover with cling wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 2. Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 kg Cooking Apples (peeled, quartered and seeded)
• 3/4 Cup Caster Sugar
• 1 Tbl Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbl Flour
• 25g Butter (small cubes)
• Pastry
• Flour (for dusting bench)
• Milk (for constructing the pie)
• Castor Sugar (to sprinkle)

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees

Slice each apple quarter into 4 -5 slices, place in a large saucepan with castor sugar, lemon juice, flour and butter. Heat through for 5 to 10 minutes until the fruit begins to soften slightly. Remove from the heat, cool and hold.

For the pastry dust your bench liberally with flour. Roll out both pieces of pastry until they are about 5 mm thick. Cut out the pastry for the base making sure you leave a couple of centre metres overhang for crimping with the pie top. Push the pastry into the edges so it sits snugly.

Pour the cooled apple mix into the pastry lined dish.

Take a brush or similar and coat the edge of the pastry base with a little milk. Cut the second piece of pastry slightly larger than the diameter of the pie shell. Place on top of the apples and carefully crimp the two edges together.

Make 4 small cuts in the centre of the pastry lid for steam vents. Brush the pie with milk and sprinkle with castor sugar.

Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Place pie on a cooling rack (or windowsill) and allow to cool slightly.

Step 3. Plating and Serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Lemon Curd
• 1 cup Whipped Cream
• Apple Pie

Method:

Fold the lemon curd and soft whipped cream together in a large mixing bowl.

Slice warm apple pie into thick wedges and serve in pudding bowls with a dollop of the lemon curd cream. Serve now.

Back to top

Back to Episode 1
Promo
Get Fresh Home Page

Back to top