I lived in Germany once, Bavaria to be exact, the home of the most outstanding cheesecakes in the world. I learnt to make them with quark, a soft, fresh curd that is lower in fat than a cream cheese and has a lovely fine texture. Luckily I can source quark from local German chef – Roland from Waitete Orchard Restaurant. This cheesecake is also one of my son’s favourites and today is his birthday Happy Birthday Rhys xx

Fresh quark, nom nom, looks like freshly made vanilla ice cream!

Make your biscuit base first… then set it in the fridge while you make the filling…

A beautiful, creamy, velvety mixture.

RECIPE

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees celsius. Line a springform tin with baking paper.

BISCUIT BASE
250g digestive biscuits, crushed
120g butter, melted
3 tablespoons of caster sugar (optional)

Combine all the above ingredients. Spread the crumbed mixture over the bottom of your springform tin and press firmly. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

CHEESECAKE FILLING
1kg fresh quark  (you could exchange for half cream cheese and half ricotta)
250g caster sugar
3 tablespoons of plain flour
4 fresh organic eggs
120g butter, melted
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
zest of one lemon

Combine the quark, sugar and flour in a large bowl and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, butter, vanilla and lemon zest and beat until smoothly blended. Pour the filling over the biscuit base in the springform tin. Place the tin on a baking tray as there may be some leakage from the base. Bake for 1 – 1 1/4 hours until the filling is set and the top is golden brown. Cool in tin and serve.

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It’s been awhile between blog posts. April was a month where ‘life happened’, it was tough. A good friend lost her beautiful daughter in a tragic accident, bearing witness to this has been heartbreaking. Then a nasty flu virus hit me and it was hard to overcome. Now it’s May and my youngest son and I have been staying in a remote part of New Zealand (by the sea) for ten days of R&R. It’s been very peaceful and we are ready to head home again in a couple of days.

This morning I felt like eggs with a difference for breakfast so decided to try eggs en cocette with spinach and mushrooms. This was so delicate and beautiful to eat – undoubtedly the best eggy breakfast!

INGREDIENTS (for two servings)
2 organic eggs
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 large mushrooms, chopped
120g of baby spinach leaves
4 tablespoons of cream
2 tablespoons of parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons of parsley, finely chopped
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper

RECIPE
Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Grease 2 ramekins with butter. Gently pan fry the onion, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil and butter until the onion is soft. Add the spinach leaves and stir through til wilted (about a minute). Remove from the heat add the nutmeg and cool. Once cool, drain off any excess liquid and chop. Add half of the spinach mixture to each ramekin. With a spoon press the spinach to make a well in the middle and spread up the sides of the ramekin. Break an egg into each one. Add two tablespoons of cream to each ramekin, sprinkle each with one tablespoon of parmesan. Sprinkle each with half the parsley then season with salt and pepper.

Place the egg ramekins in a larger oven proof dish, pour boiling water into the dish till the level is half way up the sides of the ramekin. Place carefully in the oven and bake for 15 minutes for soft eggs. Remove carefully, garnish with parsley and serve. So tasty.

Beautiful bougainvillea in flower where we are staying.

Waihau Bay, East Cape, New Zealand.

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This time of year in New Zealand (late summer), tomatoes are plentiful and cheap. Tomatoes and basil are an old match made in heaven. I brought a bag of mixed heirloom tomatoes from my local, Waihi Beach farmgate deli and came up with this little treat for an entree on a hot, late summer’s day…

INGREDIENTS
A handful of tomatoes per person (the smaller varieties), cut in half
100g goat feta, chopped
1 tablespoon of chives, chopped

FOR THE DRESSING
3 large basil leaves, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 small clove of garlic, minced

Place all the dressing ingredients in a screw top jar and shake.

ASSEMBLE
Place the tomatoes and feta into serving dishes, spoon over dressing, garnish with chives.

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It’s that time of year when the taste buds go mad with anticipation of the very first bluff oysters! For those of you not familiar with New Zealand oysters – Bluff is the southern most tip of New Zealand that grows the fattest, sweetest, juiciest oysters on the planet. So I managed to get my hands on some and decided I would try 3 different dressings. I love my oysters raw, to cook them is absolute sacrilege I think. Anyway as I didn’t have any oyster shells to serve them in I had to be a little more inventive. I love the idea of oyster shooters but didn’t have any decent glassware, however I had some gorgeous solid silver spoons! What better way to indulge in one mouthful of fresh, creamy, Bluff oyster heaven…

Dressing 1 – lime/soy
1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon or 1 cube of palm sugar
1/2 red chilli finely chopped

Heat the above ingredients gently in a small saucepan till the sugar melts – stir frequently.

Add 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves

Allow to cool.

Dressing 2 – wasabi cream
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon of wasabi paste
1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon of finely chopped chives

Blend the sour cream, wasabi and lemon juice together to a creamy sauce.

Dressing 3 – Lemon vinaigrette
2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
1 spring onion finely chopped

Mix all together.

Place your gorgeous plump oysters in spoons and dress with the 3 different dressings. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lime zest, lemon zest, chives, coriander to suit.

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I love rustic, simple food it’s no secret. And living in the western bay of plenty, New Zealand means I am surrounded by avocado trees. They become a staple diet here especially when funds run a little low! They’re a whole meal in one, can’t beat them. When my children were babies I always had a ripe avo in my bag that I could just mash and spoon feed to quickly fill hungry tummies.

Toast a handful of whole pistachio nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Toast 2 slices of lovely wholemeal bread – I’ve used a locally made 5-grain one. Squish 1/4 a ripe avocado on each one, sprinkle with seeds and nuts, drizzle with balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice), avocado oil (or olive oil). Garnish with chopped parsley or coriander, season with freshly ground salt and pepper.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 ripe avocado
Pistachio nuts
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
Avocado oil or olive oil
wholemeal or wholegrain rustic bread
Chopped flat leaf parsley or coriander
Salt and pepper

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Chana Dahl is a split and husked relative of the chickpea, I first tried it in an indian restaurant and loved it so here goes my first attempt. Mine turned out less ‘soupy’ than the other ones I have seen online, probably more like a stew. The flavours are great though.

1 cup Chana Dahl
1/2 onion finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp dry red chilli powder
1 dry red chilli
1 lge garlic clover, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp paprika
small handful chopped coriander leaves
1 tin of tomatoes (400g)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp of ghee or butter
2 whole cloves

Rinse and wash the dahl twice, cover in water and soak for 2 – 3 hours (this will reduce the cooking time). Rinse and strain then add to a saucepan with 4 cups of salted water. Add half of the turmeric and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer until quite soft (takes about 30 – 45mins). You may need to add more water so keep an eye on it. When it’s cooked, strain and set aside.

Meanwhile heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, bay leaves and the dry red chilli. When the seeds start to splutter turn the heat down and add the onion, garlic, red chilli powder, turmeric and coriander. When the onion is soft add the tinned tomatoes, cloves and the Chana Dahl. Add another cup of water, the garam masala and the paprika. Bring to a simmer for another 15 minutes adding more water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste (I found it needed quite a bit of salt but I love salt). Remove the cloves and bay leaves. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with naan bread and salad. I also though some spicy fried lamb pieces with be yummy with it and a dollop of natural yoghurt.

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Here’s one for the vegetarians, so easy and tasty. Mix it up a bit by adding other topping items like sliced mushrooms, red onion, sliced capsicum.

2 aubergines, sliced in half lengthways
2 vine tomatoes thickly sliced
100g feta (goat or cow)
8 sprigs of thyme
Handful of rocket leaves
8 fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
1/2 a lemon
Tablespoon of sesame seeds, toasted
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
Grind himalayan salt all over the cut aubergine and leave to rest for 30 mins. Wipe the collected liquid off the surface of the aubergine with a paper towel – this gets rid of any bitterness. Cut the aubergine flesh in a diamond pattern almost right through but not quite. Drizzle over olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven til the flesh is soft and golden, about 25 mins.

Remove from the oven and add the topping of tomato slices, feta and some of the thyme sprigs. Roast for another 15-20 mins.

Serve with fresh basil, rocket, toasted sesame seeds (pine nuts would also be yummy). Drizzle a little more olive oil and squeeze a good anmount of lemon juice over each half.

To eat them I kind of mush the topping and the aubergine flesh together then scoop it out – delicious!

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To start Christmas day off well try this gorgeous gluten free, dairy free recipe from the Bestow Within Journal.

RECIPE
1 large kumara (or sweet potato)
1 dozen cherry tomatoes
2 large handfuls spinach
2 medium red onions
4 eggs
1 tablespoon of apple
cider vinegar
Coconut oil to cook
Olive oil (optional)
Himalayan or sea salt & pepper
Fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, oregano, chopped

Preheat oven to 200°C. Slice kumara into 6mm round discs. Coat with a little oil, place in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Halfway through the roasting time wash and slice the tomatoes in half. Place on a second baking tray with the sliced onion, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes or so, until soft. Keep in the oven until ready to serve.

Once the onions, kumara and tomatoes have all finished cooking, bring two pots of water to the boil, one for the spinach and one for the poached eggs.

Add the vinegar to the pot for the eggs. Wash the spinach and add to the other pot, wilt and strain.

When the poached egg water is boiling, stir with a spoon in a circular motion and drop in each egg, one at a time to poach.

Create your stacks by layering 3– 4 kumara slices, then some wilted spinach, a few roasted tomatoes, the onion rings and top with the poached egg. Add some extra roasted tomatoes around the base of the plate, drizzle with a little olive oil and grind salt and pepper over your stack, sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve.

High in protein, this breakfast will sustain you through the morning. Kumara is also one of the most nutritious of all vegetables. It is a good source of antioxidants, protecting your skin from ageing.

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There’s something about mussel fritters that’s very addictive and very New Zealand. I couldn’t imagine life without New Zealand seafood or life without my mum! I’ve watched her make these countless time and I think the trick really is in the prep (see recipe).

RECIPE
12 fresh mussels
1/2 brown onion
a good handful of parsley, chopped finely (I also add some fresh coriander)
1 egg
1 tablespoon of flour
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of curry powder
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil for frying

You need to place the unopened mussels in a bowl or the kitchen sink and pour hot water over them, this makes them easier to open. Then open the shells, discard the nasty hairy bit (haha), remove the mussel from the shell and place the mussels into a food processor. Add all the other ingredients and pulse to mix. The batter should still be a little on the chunky side. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Heat the olive oil in a fry pan. Fry large tablespoons of mixture gently in the oil until golden brown. Serve with lemon wedges. Because the mussels are not pre-cooked the result is very delicate, fresh tasting fritters!

Other variations may include adding half a grated courgette to the mix and serving with a lemon mayonnaise (see below).

LEMON MAYONNAISE
2 egg yolks (your eggs must be fresh otherwise the mayo won’t thicken)
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup of oil (olive or rice bran or canola)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped

Using a stick blender or whisk, mix together the egg yolks and lemon juice. While the blender is going slowly trickle in the oil, the emulsion will gradually thicken to a smooth mayonnaise consistency. Place into a small bowl, stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Carrying on in the healthy, raw, gluten free theme I decided to give these cardamom truffles a whirl. Cardamom is a favourite spice of mine and has several health benefits such as aiding digestion. It’s also anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. So in other words it’s a fully loaded, power packed little pod! Combined with orange zest and manuka honey in this recipe adds a lovely spicy-sweet taste explosion.

RECIPE
1 1/2 cups of natural almonds
1 cup of pitted dates
1 teaspoon of fresh ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon of melted Manuka honey
Zest of one orange
Pinch of salt

Process the almonds and dates in a blender or processor until well ground and mixed. Add to a bowl with all the other ingredients and mix well. With wet hands (prevents everything sticking) roll tablespoons of mix into balls, roll in coconut if you wish, refrigerate or freeze. Eat with a cup of cardamom tea!

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