1 August 2010

FOOD SHOW RECIPES 2010

Here are the recipes I cooked at the Food Show. My Luxurious Salmon Tart follows and is pictured below.

Glazed Venison medallions with shaved fennel, radish and pasta salad dressed with mint and pink peppercorns

The salad in this recipe appears in “The New Zealand Vegetable Cook Book” which is due for release this week.

• 4-6 Silver Fern Farms venison medallions
• Salt, pepper and freshly picked thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons Village Press extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 250mls Essential Cuisine Classic Beef Jus
• 1 cup of freshly picked mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons Mustardmakers Dijon-style mustard 8 8 tablespoons Village Press extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup Montebello small farfalle pasta shapes ( little bows or similar, from Sabato )
• 2 med-large fennel bulbs
• 6 radishes
• 1 large avocado, chopped into chunks
• 2 teaspoons pink peppercorns
• 2 limes, juice and zest

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Season the venison medallions with salt and pepper and the thyme leaves. Heat a frying pan and when hot add the oil and butter and allow to heat for 30 seconds. Add the venison medallions and sear quickly to brown on both sides. Remove and place in a small oven dish. Roast for 4-5 minutes immediately before serving. Deglaze the frying pan with the beef jus while the venison is roasting and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, to make the salad, place the pasta shapes in a large pan of well salted water and simmer until tender, but still al dente. Drain well and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil so the pasta does not stick together. Allow to cool. Slice the fennel and radishes with a mandolin so they are paper thin. Pick the remaining mint leaves from their stalks and place in a serving bowl with the sliced radish and fennel, the avocado and the cooked pasta. Make a dressing by mixing the pink peppercorns, lime juice and zest, the remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper and toss this over the salad, folding carefully. To serve, remove the venison from the oven and place on a warmed but not heated plate. Pour the jus over each medallion and add a generous serving of the salad. Recipe by Lauraine Jacobs

Fresh pears and persimmons with vanilla syrup and ice cream

No apologies for the most simple of desserts; high quality ingredients and a totally refreshing end to any meal.

• 3 ripe persimmons
• 2 large ripe pears
• 4 tablespoons Heilala Vanilla Syrup
• ½ litre Omaha Organic Berries vanilla ice cream (or their new Hokey Pokey) 8 Extra vanilla syrup to drizzle

Peel and core the persimmons and pears. Slice thinly and place in a large bowl and toss the syrup through to coat all the fruit. When ready to serve, divide the pears and persimmons between 6 glass dessert dishes. Place a generous scoop of ice cream on the fruit, and drizzle over a little extra vanilla syrup. Recipe by Lauraine Jacobs