Hot and Sticky Eggplant

Intro

This recipe is divine - from my favourite recipe book of all time called Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour, Sometimes I'll add mushrooms, or re capsicums, or zuchini - and when I can't find rose harissa a Chinese Chilli oil works well too. Its a great condiment on steak, crackers and cheese, toasted sandwhichs etc.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• 2 egg plants - halved lengthways and sliced about 2cm
• 2 heaped tablespoons of rose harissa*
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• Maldon sea salt

Method

Fry the eggplant slices in oil until they are soft and lightly browned. Remove to kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.

Just before being ready to serve, put eggplant back into the frying pan and add rest of the ingredients. Toss through to reheat the egg plant. Adjust the honey, harissa and salt to taste.

Smoked venison leg

Preparation

Remove connective tissue and fat as you can. For bands of silverskin score them but don't cut into the meat.

Brine

For every  4 litres of water add:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tblsps pepper
• 1 tblsp black pepper

Soak the venison, covered, for 12-24 hours

Spice Rub

• 1.5  part salt
• 1 part beef stock
• 3/4 part garlic powder
• 3/4 part onion powder
• 1/2 part black pepper
• 1/2 part paprika
• 1/2 part oregano
• 1/2 part thyme
• 1/4 part cornflour

Smoking

Wood chips - soak 1 pound of wood chips for 1-2 hours before smoking

Smoke - fill up water pan, fill wood chip box with soaked wood chips

Keep temperature at 200°F - 300°F

Smoke meat for 1.5 hrs per pound or until meat reaches internal temperature of 140°F. Remove and rest meat for 20 minutes.

Pork Ribs

Intro

Gilmour's wholesale grocery in NZ is the only place I have found that sells meaty ribs that worth the bother of cooking.  These are good to share with friends with a bit of banter to make the faffing around worth it.

Ingredients

• 3-4 racks of pork ribs
• 1.5 - 2 litres of coca cola
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup worcester suace
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tblsp English mustard
• 3 tblsp smokey paprika

Method

Melt all ingredients except the ribs and cola together in a saucepan for 5 minutes or so.

Cut racks of pork ribs into 2 or 3 rib portions. Stack into a slow cooker and just cover with coca-cola. Cook for 3 - 4 hours on high until tender.

Remove from slow cooker, coat on all sides with glaze and layer in a single layer in oven trays in the oven at 180 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes then glaze on each side and turn over, bake another 20 minutes glazing and turning again. After another 20 minutes remove from oven. (You might want to bbq them or grill them if you want a charred edge to them). 

Pork Belly

Spice Rub

• 2 teaspoons cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 3 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 3 teaspoons coarse salt

Roast spices in a heavy frying pan for 5-6 minutes. Grind together in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.

For the Pork

• Piece of pork belly
• Olive oil
• spice rub above
• veges: eg. approx: 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 sticks of celery, 2 granny smiths

Preheat oven to 220 degrees.

To prepare the pork score pat it dry then score it with a stanley knife or other sharp knife; don't cut too deep. Rub the pork with olive oil, then rub the spice mix generously over the whole piece of meat - all sides and into the score marks if you can. 

Cut the onions in half, carrots into 3 pieces and other veges into large pieces. Place them in a roasting dish along with a cup or 2 of water. Place the pork on the vegetable bed and place in the hot oven.

Roast for 40 mins then drop the oven down to 160 degrees and roast slowly for at least 2 hours. The longer you roast the more fat is rendered out. If the skin is not well crackled well you can turn the oven up high for a while but watch it like a hawk.

Chocolate Angel Pie

Introduction

This is the best dessert recipe I have discovered in about 10 years is this chocolate - coffee - kahlua pie. Very rich, very adult and very decadent. It is not overly sweet if you use dark chocolate as the meringue is perfectly balanced. 

Ingredients

For the meringue crust:

• 4 large eggs, separated, use whites for crust and yolks for filling
• pinch salt
• 1/4 teasp of cream of tartar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 12 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped
• 5 teaspoons good instant coffee eg Medaglio d'oro
• pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons kahlua

 For the topping

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 1 teasp vanilla extract
• 1 pint fresh hulled sliced strawberries, or raspberries
• 1/3 cup shave chocolate

Method

Meringue

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Grease a 9 inch spring form pan, line bottom and sides with baking paper.

Whip whites until foamy, add cream of tartar, beat until stiff, slowly add the sugar then the vanilla. Beat until mixture is very stiff.

Spread the meringue evenly over the base and sides of the prepared pan. Needs to be about 2 inchs up the sides to contain the filling.

Bake for 1.25 hours. Remove from oven and leave to cool.

Filling

Combine the chocolate, coffee, salt and water in a double boiler until just melted together stirring frequently. (You can do this carefully in a microwave).

Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolks, 1 at a time. Let the mixture cool completely.

Whip the cream to soft peaks, add the kahlua, then fold into the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until cold.

Assembly and Topping

Tip the chocolate mixture into  the meringue crust, smooth top and refrigerate at least 4 hours but up to 24 hours. (It is very portable at this point if you are taking it somewhere as it is still in the spring form tin).

When ready to serve, remove the pie from the tin and place on a serving plate, Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together until fairly stiff then spread on top. Decorate with berries and shaved chocolate. and sugar

Besan Ki Chakki

Intro

I've been to India twice now and it is a spectacular place; so vibrant and affects all your senses: noise, colour, smells, business - just so much of everything. It is exhilarating. While in New Delhi I discovered Indian sweets and - omg - what a range! Sweets is a bit of a misnomer becauswe they are not actually that sweet at all. This is one I have managed to recreate at home. 

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups sugar
• 1.75 cups water
• 2.75 cups ghee
• 4 cups chickpea flour 
• 2 cups non fat dry milk powder
• 1.25 teaspoons cardomom
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron
• 2 tablespons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons sliced pistachios

Boil the sugar and water in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat and boil about 8-10 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Melt the ghee in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the chickpea flour and sirring constantly, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and stirring constantly cook for another 10-12 minutes or until the flour turns light brown. Turn off the heat and add the milk powder and spices. Using a whisk mix well.

Pour the sugar syrup slowly into the cooked mixture. Stir constantly until the mixture absorbs the liquid. Press into a greased pan, sprinkle nuts over the top. Place a sheet of paper towel over the top and press own gently absorbing excess oil.

Cool in fridge and cut into small squares.

Intro

I have fallen in love with Indian sweet making and have been trying to recreate the gorgeous delicacies I experienced in Delhi.

I interloaned the "Art of Indian sweets by Krishna Priya Dasi" and every recipe I've tried  has been a winner.This slice is slightly chewy, coconutty, a slight catch from the cardomom and just delicious. The book can be prchased from the Krishna Store.

Recipe

• 1 cup ghee
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup disicatted coconut
• 1 teaspoon cardomom

Texture of fully cooked mixture.

Melt the ghee, add the milk, then all the other ingredients. Stirring constantly cook for 12 -15 minutes on medium then continue for another 5 mins on low. It will initially come together almost like a choux pastry mixture but then it breaks up; eventually it will get to a stage it where the mixture releases the butter oils.

Tip the mixture out into a greased slice tin and press flat. Soak off  the extra oils with paper towels then refrigerate. Cut into squares when cold.