HOT ROASTED NUTS:
500 g nuts (unsalted) selection of cashews, hazelnuts, brazils, almonds
Toast until lightly brown, in the oven at 180ēC. Do not use oil
Meanwhile, mix the following to form a paste :
2 tsp butter (only just softened – not melted)
2 tsp maldon sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped rosemary (add more if you like)
Mix the paste through the roasted nuts while they are still warm. Taste – you may need to add salt to your liking. Serve warm before dinner, in front of the fire, and with a glass of your favourite red. At Geordie Hill this is often a Central Otago Pinot Noir.
PESTO RICE SALAD:
This salad is an excellent accompaniment to a barbeque. Serve it warm or cold (Serves 4, so I usually double the recipe)
1 cup aborio rice
½ cup basil pesto (or other herb pesto of your choice)
450 ml boiling vegetable stock
1 lemon – juice of
2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 spring onions – trimmed and finely chopped
Parmesan cheese shavings.
Measure rice into a bowl, and stir through ½ of the pesto, to coat all the grains. Next tip the mixture into a shallow saucepan, or frypan with a lid, and pour the boiling stock over. Bring to the boil, stirring with a wooden spoon. When it begins to boil, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with the lid. Cook for exactly 20 mins.
Once it is done, transfer the rice into a bowl, and pour over oil, lemon juice and remaining pesto. Gently mix these through. Once cool enough, taste, add salt and ground pepper to taste. Spring onions can be added now if serving warm, or I wait until the rice is nearly cold, if serving cold.
Serve garnished with parmesan cheese shavings, and basil leaves. Excellent with a glass of Quartz Reef Pinot Gris, or Peregrine Reisling (both Central Otago, NZ)
ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS:
These are delicious and colourful. Their sweet caramalised flavour will enhance your favourite red meat dish. I like to serve them alongside Venison Back-straps, a good steak, or barbequed Fillet of Beef. So easy and they can be prepared early. Enjoy !
After allowing 1 pepper for two people, and the tomatoes allowed – the quantities of the other ingredients can vary according to taste. So don’t get too hung up on these. Just use whatever combination you have handy - experiment - you really can’t go wrong.
Allow ½ red bell pepper per person.
1 med sized tomatoe per bell pepper.
Cloves of garlic – chop finely.
Olive paste or pesto. Alternately use sliced olives. Or if you like anchovies, try these.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Good soya sauce, or for another flavour, use balsamic vinegar.
Freshly ground pepper.
Slice the peppers in two, being careful to slice down through the green stem so that each half gets half the stem as well. De-seed. Lightly oil a shallow oven proof dish and place peppers in, open side up. Slice tomatoes into bite sized chunks, and arrange these inside the peppers, so they are filled nearly to the brim. (Remove the white stem of the tomatoe, as you do this. Also, if preferred, the skins can be removed by first immersing them in boiling water). Now add your choice of seasonings: my favourite is about ½ clove garlic and ½ tsp olive pesto per portion. Now drizzle olive oil over peppers (approx 1 dsp per ½) and add a shake of soya or balsamic. Grind pepper over all, cover and refridgerate until ready to cook. Salt is optional depending on the saltiness of the other seasonings.
Bake 1 hour at 150 º C. Serve warm.
BARBEQUE-ROASTED LEG of GEORDIE HILL MERINO or LAMB
I like to barbeque this meat, but you will need a barbeque with a lid so the heat is confined and the meat cooks slowly in it’s own juices. Otherwise roast in the oven.
1 leg lamb – shank bone removed.
Cloves of garlic to taste. Peeled, and if large, slice into long slivers.
Fresh Rosemary
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper.
Cut 6 – 10 ‘slots’ into the lamb meat. (The number depends on taste, and the size of the leg.)
Insert a clove or sliver of garlic, plus some rosemary leaves into each slot.
Rub the meat with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Use roasting pan. Place meat in the pan and set onto heated grill in order to sear the meat. Turn allowing all sides to brown. Reduce the heat. (My barbeque has 6 burners and I turn all but the outside two off, and these I turn down low). Lower lid, and leave to cook until just pink in the middle. (Allow 30 mins per 500 g / 1 lb) Turn the meat at least once during cooking.
Serve with roasted vegetables, (potatoes, pumpkin or squash, parsnips and sweet potatoes if you have any), plus seasonal greens.
To Roast Vegetables: Peel and cut into similar size pieces. Roast the vegetables in the meat juices during the last stages of cooking the meat, if the pan is large enough. Or in the meat juices after meat has been removed. (Meat can be kept warm by sitting in a dish and covering with tin foil and towel). Coat vegetables in meat juices and roast on med – low heat, 30 – 40 mins. Turn at least once. Remove and place in heated dish in oven.
Gravy: Pour off any excess fat from roasting dish, but leave brownings in pan. Add vegetable stock and bring to boil, stirring with fish slice to remove brownings from bottom of pan. Add any meat juices which have resulted from resting the meat. Make a smooth paste with some flour and water, and gradually add this to the boiling stock until desired thickness is reached, stirring constantly.
Serve sliced meat and vegetables onto heated plates. Drizzle with gravy and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Aromatic and delicious.
RHUBARB CRUMBLE: (serves 4 – 6)
4 cups washed sliced rhubarb
½ c sugar
½ c water
Cover and par-cook in microwave for 5 - 8 mins on high. Allow to cool.
For the crumble, mix together:
3 handfuls rolled oats
1 handful each: cornflakes or similar,
shredded coconut,
pumpkin seeds,
sunflower seeds,
slivered almonds
softened brown sugar
some whole nuts like almonds are nice
yoghurt covered raisins add interest
75g butter (approx 3 oz) - melted
½ c soya or canola oil
Pile on top of par-cooked rhubarb. Bake 40 mins at 180ºC, or until crisp and bubbling.
Serve warm with whipped cream or plain yogurt.
BRIEF STORY OF THE WINES OF NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand is the most southerly wine-producing country of the southern hemisphere. The maritime climate which governs North and South Island, along with gravelly riverbed soils, make it the ideal spot for the production of wine from premium grape varieties.
Although vines were planted as far back as 1819, New Zealand’s wine industry is a modern success story beginning in the late 1960’s. From this time the culture of wine took hold, and expansion of the industry began. Initial advice to plant the Muller Thurgau grape varieties saw the production of an easy, fruity style of white wine. However, by the 1980’s producers started to realize that New Zealand’s climate was capable of better things. Experimentation began and varieties from marginal climates were planted. This led to New Zealand gaining a reputation for world-class Sauvignon Blanc within the next 20 years. From this recognition, confidence has grown and many more varieties are produced.
The main wine growing regions of the North Island are: Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay where heat and long sunshine hours combine with gravely soils to production some very fine Chardonnay and Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon is grown successfully also. Wines we enjoy from this region include those from the following vineyards: Craggy Range Winery, Te Mata and The Millton Vineyard.
In the South Island, Marlborough has seen huge increase in vineyard plantings since the 80’s. This region is best known for the production of excellent Sauvignon Blanc. And more recently plantings of Riesling and Pinot Gris are popular. Montana Wines is the largest producer in this region. Other well known vineyards include Cloudy Bay and Oyster Bay.
Central Otago is the most recent growth area for vineyard plantings. This area enjoys a continental climate with low rainfalls, free draining soils and a cold climate in the winter. The Region has become known for excellence in Pinot Noir varieties which require these climatic conditions. Very recently dry Riesling and Pinot Gris styles are being produced. Some well known names in this region are Gibbston Valley, Peregrine, Quartz Reef and Felton Road.
VINEYARDS AND FLYINN
For those who wish, our itineraries will often provides the opportunity to visit local vineyards. Many vineyards have wine tasting and tours, and some boast restaurants, which have excellent reputations for having fine café cuisine. A lovely way to spend a day, learn about the local viticulture and enjoy the stunning Central Otago scenery. And, to bring a bottle back to enjoy tasting at the homestead is always a popular exercise!
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