Treat me: Berry Buttermilk Scones

I think the frozen pea is one of modern life's best inventions. Nothing else in the frozen goods section comes close, except perhaps for icecream. And frozen berries. Because as great as frozen peas are, they're not so hot in smoothies, or these juicy scones.

Berry buttermilk scones
I threw these together in minutes last Sunday and they disappeared even faster. Using frozen berries means the fruit explodes in your mouth, not in the scones. Using buttermilk guarantees a light texture and using this baking paper method means less time cleaning up.

1 3/4 cups plain flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
100g cold butter
1 cup frozen berries - blueberries, raspberries, blackberries - anything but strawberries
3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk

Heat the oven to 220C and put a baking tray in it to heat up.
Sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Grate in the cold butter, then rub it in with your fingertips until it is evenly dispersed in oat-sized pieces. Toss the frozen berries through, then pour in the buttermilk. Fold together with a large metal spoon to form a soft dough.
Lightly flour a large piece of baking paper and tip the dough on top of it. Pat out to a rectangle (about 2.5cm high) then slice into fingers, leaving about a 2cm gap between each one.
Take the hot baking tray out of the oven and carefully transfer the baking paper and scones to it. Return it to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the scones are well-risen and golden.

Have a great weekend, everyone x

Lucy's magic mushrooms

According to a recent press release mushrooms are one of New Zealanders' most-loved vegetables, along with potatoes and tomatoes. Potatoes and tomatoes I can understand, but mushrooms? I suspect the dark arts of PR at work here (not even vegetables are safe) - the findings were based on a Household Economic Survey that probably measures expenditure. Ergo, potatoes would be up there due to volume, but I suspect the price of mushrooms and tomatoes has something to do with their elevated status.
That's not to detract from the magic of mushrooms though. I like them as much as the next person, especially if that next person happens to be my neighbour (also called Lucy) who brought over an amazing bowl of mushrooms a while ago. This - more or less - is what she did to them.

Lucy's magic mushrooms
When I came to make these myself I couldn't quite remember Lucy's exact instructions, but a bit of creative licence goes a long way. We ate them as tapas when she came over, but when I made them myself I served them over a bit of pearl barley tossed in tahini and mushroom juices. It made a very good take-to-work lunch.

250g portobello mushrooms
2Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Wipe the mushrooms clean and slice into halves or quarters. Heat the olive oil in a small pan, then toss the mushrooms in. Saute gently until they are juicy, then pour in the vinegar. Turn off the heat and remove the mushrooms to a bowl. Season to taste. Eat immediately with crusty bread and a glass of wine, or enjoy later (with another glass of wine, naturally).

What's your favourite thing to do with mushrooms?

Living below the line

Yesterday, while sorting through a pile of receipts and unpaid bills on the kitchen bench, I found this:

It's a receipt from a quick post-work, pre-pick-up trip to the supermarket made by the Boy Wonder last week. There are five items listed - bacon, a baguette, some beans, a green capsicum and a bag of salad leaves - because he felt like a bacon salad for dinner and "I didn't think we had anything to eat". Five items for $25 (that's about US$20, GBP12 or AU$19) is not exorbitant, unless you compare it with what millions of people have to spend on food.

This week VSA is challenging people like me and you, the lucky ones who don't have to worry too much about what they spend at the supermarket, to think about those who Live Below The Line. That means spending NZ$2.25 per person on food - about $50 for a family of four - for five days. As this story shows, it's  not easy (even when you know there's an end in sight). There's a great comment on this blog post, which sums it up: "I could keep that up for a while but then I'd have to go and get a latte".

When I was a child we heard about the poor children in Africa who didn't have anything to eat. Now those 'poor children' are much closer to home, with food poverty a very real problem for thousands of New Zealand families. It's probably much the same where you are. So what do we do about it?

In New Zealand you can get involved with this organisation, which helps provide meals and clothing for kids who would otherwise go to school without breakfast or lunch, or a raincoat. You can probably also drop something into the Food Bank trolley at your supermarket. When I do this I think of my mum, who always said she liked to put 'something nice' into the trolley instead of a packet of rolled oats.

Doing something tangible, however small, makes the problem seem less insurmountable. But surely, as a collective of people who care about food and the sharing of it, there is something else we can do?

What do you think?

Treat me: Golden Kiwi Cake

If you think you've had a bad week, spare a thought for New Zealand's kiwifruit growers. A bacterial disease is slowly, insidiously, infecting crops across the country like something out of a horror movie. Every week at the supermarket I think about those growers and how devastating it must be to discover your livelihood is at risk. Then I put a lot of kiwifruit into the trolley. It's the least I can do.

Golden Kiwi Cake
I've used golden kiwifruit in this upside down cake because the green variety go a bit khaki when cooked. The mellow flavour of the golden ones are also more suited to cooking, I think, so save the green ones for eating from the shell like a boiled egg.

8 golden kiwifruit, peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp brown sugar
150g soft butter
250g caster sugar
3 eggs
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
100g ground almonds
150g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat the oven to 170C. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin - I used a ring tin, but a round tin is fine. If you're using a springform tin, be sure to have a lined tray underneath it in case anything leaks out.
Pour the melted butter into the prepared tin and sprinkle over the brown sugar, then cover with a single layer of sliced kiwifruit. Set aside.
Beat the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the lemon zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the ground almonds, then sift over the flour and baking powder. Stir to mix. Pour half of the mixture into the tin, then cover with another layer of kiwifruit. Carefully spread the remainder of the mixture on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake springs back when pressed and a skewer comes out cleanly when plunged into the cake. Let cool for five minutes, then carefully turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Have a good weekend, everyone x

Roasted cauliflower cheese

Our fridge is like a reverse Tardis: it looks big from the outside but it actually has very little room in it. I think that's what you call a design flaw. Anyway, it means certain large items, such as cauliflower, or watermelon, or bottles of champagne, have to be consumed as soon as they're bought. It's lucky we very rarely have all three in the fridge together at the same time.

Roasted cauliflower cheese
Here's a little something I whipped up for lunch at home last week when I realised the cauliflower I'd bought that morning wasn't going to fit in the fridge. For extra carbs, toss in some par-boiled waxy potatoes with the cauliflower and spices. For extra greens, toss in some broccoli. This makes enough for two - extend or reduce quantities accordingly. Glass of champagne optional.

half a small head of cauliflower (about 400g), large stem removed and florets cut into 2.5cm pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 good handfuls of grated cheese - choose something tangy and tasty
salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 200C. Line a shallow-sided baking dish with foil. Put the cauliflower florets, olive oil and seeds in a large bowl and mix with your hands until the florets are well-coated. Tip this into the prepared dish and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, stirring until the cauliflower is golden and nutty brown in places. Scatter the cheese over the top and return the dish to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and crisp.

One-pot smoky fish and rice

In my next life I am going to eschew academia and pursue a trade. Specifically, I am going to be a dishwasher repairwoman. You will know me by my extremely high hourly rate, my inability to keep appointments and my total disregard for the chaos my laissez-faire attitude brings to other peoples' lives.
Our dishwasher has been on the blink for two weeks and the strain is beginning to show. The frustrating thing is that it still works, but a tiny catch in the door has broken and so we can't get it open without jamming a screwdriver in one side. This method is having grave repercussions on the structure of the door itself and so I am reluctant to continue with it. However I am also getting very tired of doing the dishes while I wait for Mr Unreliable Dishwasher Fixit Man to come back with the minute part needed to solve the problem.

One-pot smoky fish and rice
This is hardly a recipe, but it is an extremely handy method of cooking dinner without making any dishes. I've only tried it with smoked fish so far, but I daresay you could give it a whirl with very thin fillets of fish as the heat from the rice should be enough to cook it through.

300g jasmine rice, well washed in cold running water
500ml cold water
1 lemon, washed and cut into slices
smoked fish of your choice - it's smoked trevally in the photo above, but smoked eel or hot smoked salmon are also good done this way

Put the washed rice and water in a large pot. Cover tightly and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 12 minutes. Turn the heat off, then quickly lift the lid and put the lemon slices on top of the rice, followed by the fish. Put the lid back on as quickly as possible and let the rice stand for 10 minutes.
While you're waiting, blanch some Chinese greens in boiling water and drain. Lift the fish out from the rice and onto a clean board. Fluff the rice up with a fork and divide between four bowls. Put the greens, fish and lemons on top. Dress with soy sauce or rice vinegar as you see fit.

What kitchen gadget would you miss the most if it suddenly went out of action? Do you know any good dishwasher repairers?

Treat Me: Powder Puffs

I have been reading the most heartbreaking book this week about the childhood of writer Noel Streatfeild. In My Vicarage Family she describes growing up in straitened circumstances as the daughter of a vicar who was too busy thinking about godly matters to pay attention to the things that bothered his family, like having nice clothes to wear and decent food to eat.

Doing the right thing by the church and faith was paramount and there is a major fuss in the book when Noel and her sisters get invited to a birthday party during Lent. They are eventually allowed to go, but are not allowed to wear party dresses (not that they have any) or eat any birthday cake. The littlest sister, Louise, ends up eating some cake out of politeness but then dissolves into floods of tears fearing that she has committed a mortal sin.

Noel was considered the difficult one among her four siblings and she acted out accordingly. The one bright spot in her life was her cousin, John, who at the part I am up to is talking about joining the Territorials before he goes to Balliol because his father thinks it will make him more of a man (John secretly wants to become an actor). It is 1914 and I have a feeling things are not going to end well.

I have been thinking about these vicarage children all week, which seems to have crossed over to my Random Recipe choice. This month Belleau Kitchen is joining forces with the Tea Time Treats juggernaut that is Lavender and Lovage and What Kate Baked for a 'Tea Time' edition.
I ended up with Margaret Fulton's My Very Special Cookbook and after casually flipping to page 321, the word 'vicar' leapt out at me.

Powder Puffs
Margaret Fulton (the matriarch of Australian cooking, on Twitter and still churning out books in her 80s) says these were traditionally made when the vicar came to call. I don't know any vicars and I doubt Noel Streatfeild's father would have eaten anything so sinful, but I took a plateful of these to work and the godless hordes declared them delicious.

2 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp cornflour
1 tsp baking powder

Heat the oven to 220C and line two trays with baking paper.
Beat the eggs, then gradually add the sugar (this is easiest with an electric mixer of some kind). Beat until the mixture is light and mousse-like. Sift the dry ingredients over the top and fold in gently.
Using a teaspoon, drop small rounds of the mixture onto the prepared trays. To ensure they are round, not oval, hold the spoon vertical so the mixture runs off the end of it, not the side (as if you were making pikelets).
Bake for six minutes, then gently lift off the trays and leave on a wire rack to cool. When they are cold, put in an airtight tin.
About an hour before the vicar is due to call, sandwich the drops together with a blob of whipped cream. This waiting time is important, because it gives the sponge time to absorb moisture from the cream and puff up. The ones in the photos above are only mid-puff, which is why they look a little floppy. Dust icing sugar over the top and assume a saintly expression.

Speaking of whipped cream, here's a nifty trick I picked up from Dean Brettschneider. Whipped cream tends to separate when it's left to stand overnight, but you can stabilise it with gelatine. I tried this the other day with the powder puffs and it worked a treat. Just dissolve 1 tsp gelatine in 2 Tbsp warm water. Let cool (but not set). Whip a cup (250ml) of cream until soft peaks start to form, then pour in the gelatine and a tablespoon or so of icing sugar. Beat until stiff - but not too stiff, you don't want butter - then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Have a great weekend, everyone. If you're at a loss for things to do, you could always pick up this knitting pattern...

Apple and beetroot meatloaf

I never thought I would become the sort of parent that hides vegetables in things. I never thought I'd have to negotiate about the wearing of tutus, deal with the constant need for things to be pink or have arguments about whether Daddy was a king or a princess.
However, I felt quite proud of this little number, which manages to combine quite a lot of vegetables and the colour pink. True, I did have to say it was "just like sausages" before she'd deign to sit on her royal bottom and eat it, but small victories are what parenting is all about. Or am I doing it wrong?

Apple, beetroot and fennel meatloaf
Because I can't resist a cheap pun I've taken to calling this 'beetloaf'. Well, wouldn't you?
If you have a processor with a grating/shredding attachment, this is a good time to use it. Even if you don't, this takes less than 10 minutes to get in the oven.
Like most meatloaves, this is even better cold the second day, even if you're eating a slice of it at your desk.

500g good pork mince - ask for pork shoulder, if you're at the butcher
1 large apple, cored but not peeled
1 large onion, peeled
1 large beetroot
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 cup rolled oats
1 egg
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a large loaf tin with baking paper - enough so there's a decent overhang on the two longest sides so you can lift the loaf out afterwards.
Grate the apple, onion and beetroot. Tip into a large bowl and add all the other ingredients. Mix well with clean hands, then pack the resulting mixture into the prepared loaf tin.
Bake for an hour, by which time the top should be dark golden brown and crusty. Leave in the tin for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with crunchy potatoes and something green. A dollop of apple sauce is good too. Serves four.

Secret cheese and onion bread

Next time I plan to spend the weekend in the garden I'm going to check the weather forecast first. For instead of sitting on the back steps thinking about doing some weeding, I spent both days indoors, worried that either our roof was going to lift off or the windows were going to blow out.
The one good thing about being housebound was that I transformed a few basic ingredients into a magic loaf of bread. Who needs gardening, anyway?

Secret cheese and onion bread
This magic loaf and its secret molten centre is inspired by Lora at CakeDuchess and her TwelveLoaves project with Jamie at Life's A Feast and Barbara at Creative Culinary.
I've also used some of the principles I learned last weekend with Dean in making the dough, which are easy to do but slightly difficult to explain. There's a very short video that shows how easy it is to knead this way.

500g strong or high-grade flour
1 1/2 tsp dried yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
320ml warm water
2 onions, finely sliced
1 tsp brown sugar
olive oil for brushing
120g cheese, sliced into pieces about 2cm x 1cm x 0.25cm thick
4 Tbsp good chutney (I use this recipe, or if you are buying it, this one is amazing)
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper

Put the flour and yeast in a large bowl and stir well, then add the salt and stir again. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and water. Mix well with your hand until a soft, sticky dough forms. Tip this out onto the bench. Pick up one side of the dough, stretch it up, then bring it down again on top of itself. Repeat from the opposite corner.
Do this another three times, then scrape the dough from your hands and walk away. Seriously. Leave the dough to rest for five minutes, then come back and repeat the pick up and stretch process again. Then leave it again for five minutes. Do this process twice more, then scoop the dough into a well-oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for an hour or so, or until doubled.


While the dough is rising, cook the sliced onions in a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat, stirring occasionally. When they are soft, turn the heat up a little and sprinkle over a teaspoon of brown sugar. Let caramelise for another five minutes, then set aside to cool.

When the dough has risen, tip it out onto a lightly floured bench and roll out until it measures about 30cm x 40cm. Cut in half lengthways. Brush one side of each strip with olive oil, then spread the other side with chutney. Layer the cooked onions and cheese on top, then season well with salt and pepper. Fold each strip in half lengthways again to enclose the filling and press down to seal. Pick up the end of the folded strip and concertina it - as if you are folding a piece of ribbon so you end up with a square pile. Repeat with the other strip. Pack both gently into a large, well-greased loaf tin.
Cover the tin loosely with plastic and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200C. Brush the loaf with the beaten egg, then bake for 35 minutes, until well-risen and golden. Carefully tip out of the tin and let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Treat me: Macaroon slice

It's been a long time coming but this week it really has felt like spring.
Our neighbour's magnolia tree is in flower, I've heard rumours of asparagus in the shops and we have bluebells in our garden. At least, we have bluebells in a pile on the back steps after some small hands helpfully picked them.
With any luck the settled weather will return and I'll be able to make it into the garden tomorrow. Then I'm going to sit on the back steps with a cup of tea and a piece of this fragrant macaroon slice and look at where the bluebells were.

Coconut macaroon slice
Macarons are all very well, but I'm more of a macaroon girl myself. This is a new and improved take on something my mother used to make a lot. It's chewy, coconutty and you can whip it up in one bowl. I think it's an appropriate entry for this month's Sweet New Zealand.
Base
125g butter
2 tsp golden syrup
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
3/4 cup dried cranberries
finely grated zest of one lemon
finely grated zest of one orange
1 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1 Tbsp hot water

Topping
100g butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups dessicated coconut
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a brownie tin or similar (about 20 x 30 cm or smaller).
Make the base first. Melt the butter and golden syrup together in a small pot. Mix the flour, sugar, coconut, cranberries and zest together in a large bowl. Add the baking soda and water, and the butter mixture, to the dry ingredients. Stir well, then press into the prepared tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the base is cooking, melt the second measure of butter and set aside. Put all the other ingredients in a large bowl (use the one from earlier) and mix, then add the melted butter.
Pour this over the cooked base and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until golden brown and set.
Let the slice cool completely in the tin, then lift out and slice with a serrated knife. Makes about 24 pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Have a good weekend, everyone. If you're looking for something to do after you've made this slice, why don't you cast a vote for The Kitchenmaid in the 2012 NetGuide Web Awards. Just paste the URL (that's this bit: http://kitchen-maid.blogspot.co.nz/) into the 'Best Blog' section. Thanks ever so x

Be My Guest: Foodopera

I am currently caught in a frustrating battle to figure out what exactly has gone wrong with the connection between my camera and computer. I can't imagine anything so basic happening to Vanessa and Ingrid Opera, the sister act behind New Zealand food blog Foodopera.
These two juggle blogging with babies, magazine shoots, day jobs and photography - but Vanessa still found the time to fill in the blanks for this week's Be My Guest.

Vanessa and Ingrid Opera (Image: Gemma Cathcart Neuendorf)

What’s your blog about?
Our blog is about food, recipes we love, recipes we have created and beautiful photography. It also features some behind-the-scenes posts relating to lighting and how to get published, as well as a list of child-friendly cafes.

When did you start it? Why?
Our blog started when we created a few sets of recipe gift cards sold in boutique gift shops. We wanted a place to share our recipes and photographs and, over time, wanted to create a portfolio of work.
We are busy working mums so our food reflects things that are relatively easy, not too heavy on your wallet and of course delicious to eat. We have also added a few posts that feature behind the scenes of our photoshoots and tips on becoming a published food blogger. One of the best things that has come from our blog has been the chance to meet other bloggers and attend the first New Zealand Food Bloggers Conference.

Peach Pastries (Image: Foodopera)

Do you have any culinary training or professional experience?

Nope, neither of us are professionally trained. Our father, who is Italian, probably sparked our interest. I have been really keen on cooking from a young age, while Ingrid has found her feet in the last few years.

Both of us have spent time working in hospitality, ranging from a fish and chip shop, bakery, rib and wedge joint, brasserie-style restaurant, a Pizza Express in Dublin, running a cafe in a golf course in an English village and finally cooking in an upmarket French ski resort.

Who are your food heroes?
I know Ingrid quite likes Bill Granger, his simplicity and freshness. I used to be really into Nigella Lawson, I just loved her appetite for everything food. Rick Stein is also a bit of an old favourite too. However currently I am into anything Asian, I love Kylie Kwong, her books and TV show.
I own HEAPS of cook books so its actually really difficult to have just one hero. My aunty recently gave me the book Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi that has amazing ways with vegetables and I picked up "Dinner at Matt's" by Matt Moran at the library. It features fancy pants food that you could cook at home. The photography is great too.

Chilli choko chutney (Image: Foodopera)

Masterchef and TV food shows: hot or not?
Ingrid's not too fussed on Masterchef, however I LOVE it. I have a series link booked on MySky and watch it most nights. I actually auditioned for New Zealand’s second series but nerves got the better of me and I told one of the judges (Ross Burden) how to make scrambled eggs instead of custard.
The food channel is one of my favourites too. I will watch anything food-related.

What are your three favourite posts on your blog?
The balsamic mushrooms one, in which we try to recreate the mushrooms at Dizengoff café in Ponsonby, Auckland.
How to love brussel sprouts - they really are delicious done this way.
And for pizza and pie lovers, our sister vs sister cheese food fight.

Brussel sprouts sauteed in wholegrain mustard (Image: Foodopera)

Tell us about another blog you love.
This is a hard one as there are so many awesome food blogs.
A favourite from when we started is Cannelle et Vanille - it's pretty, romantic and it looks like she is living the dream.
We like the simplicity of Spoon Fork Bacon and the great styling and design.
I have also been checking out Sips and Spoonfuls recently - it's lovely.
What's for dinner tonight?
You have me on this one. I don't know what Ingrid is having but it's got to be healthier and more exciting than dinner at our house tonight. It’s oven chips (if you try hard you can imagine they are hand-cut and fried in goose fat!) and pork sausages with a good squirt of tomato sauce and mustard. There is a glass of chardonnay in my hand too.

Crispy fried calamari (Image: Foodopera)

What are your day jobs? What else do you do?
I am a teacher at a North Shore intermediate school, currently teaching graphics/design and English to mostly Korean students.
Ingrid is a graphic designer/art director for a large publishing company. We are both currently on maternity leave having had our second babies nine days apart - how convenient is that?!
We are currently juggling our time looking after our kids, writing our blog and growing Foodopera the brand. We are currently writing our third food fight spread in New World’s REAL magazine and have just finished the Christmas shoot.

Who do you cook for?
We both cook for our boys, both little and big. We get a list emailed at every family gathering saying who's cooking what and Ingrid is stoked to be elevated from the regular ‘green salad’ to more complicated fare. We also cook for our nanny (Nana Val) whenever she is around helping us out (always). She loves her coffee and often specifies exactly what she would like for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
I used to mix dried herbs into our family cat’s jellymeat and would always bring her treats home from a restaurant I worked at. She would hear my car down the drive and come running.

My date with Dean (and Ruth)

Nearly two years ago I confessed my secret crush on Dean Brettschneider, an obsession that cost me quite a lot in library fines and probably made me quite boring to live with for a month or so while I read every word in Global Baker.

Image via here

As proof that dreams sometimes do come true, yesterday I got to have a date with Dean. It was just like a fairytale. There was me, him, a catering kitchen and a lot of pastry. Oh, and about 35 other people. And national treasure Ruth Pretty, who hosted the whole thing at her bucolic Te Horo estate. But those are small details.

They say you should never meet your heroes, but Dean was brilliant. Together we made foccaccia and puff pastry (it was so easy!) and an incredible mille-feuille with feathered pink icing. When we weren't doing that we were eating things from his latest book, which is devoted to my other favourite subject, pies. The sun shone, Dean talked, Ruth made jokes, we ate vast amounts and Ruth's amazing staff did all the tidying up. It was heavenly.

Dean has another new book, solely devoted to bread, coming out next year and he's promised to come back to Ruth's to teach another class. I expect a stampede for tickets along the lines of the queues at his Singapore bakery, Baker & Spice. In the meantime, I am going to perfect my puff pastry techniques so I can pass on the mille-feuille making knowledge. Stay tuned...