Rose Sangria

I absolutely looooooooove Sangria.  I usually enjoy Sangria with friends in Sydney over a long lunch in the sun.  I team it with Paella and all types of Spanish food.  I always try and keep the food and wine that inspires me very close to my heart so this is a recipe that I bring out every now and then when I feel like celebrating. I love that it is crisp and fresh.  The berry flavours make it sweet and very easy to consume.

What you need.

• 1 bottle of Rose.  I usually use Church Road or if I am watching my money Jacob's Creek (Shock horror to all of the highbrow readers that stumble across my blog.. Jacob's Creek!!!)
•  Ice
• 1/3 of a litre of Lemonade 
• 1 or 2 shots of vodka.
• Frozen mixed berries
• Ice

The reason I choose the above ingrediants is because they work together really well. The frozen berries act as ice cubes while adding flavours to the sangria and vice versa.  Choose a mixed berry range that  incorporates strawberries, raspberries, Mulberries etc.  It actually is what makes this drink delish.

Method

Combine all ingredients in a jug.  Chill for about an hour then serve.

hehehehe

Gaslight Cafe Fail

It really pains me to write this post. I actually had the WORST meal here last Friday for a work lunch.  It bothers me because I have had such a good experience here prior to this meal.  My good word of mouth( I told EVERYONE THAT WOULD LISTEN HOW GOOD IT WAS) has been potentially wasted by a really poorly plated meal.   I am actually biting my tongue on this because I will say something that I will regret. 

What was worse was the waitress gave us really poor service.  She was unfriendly, we had to ask for parmesan in a Italian restaurant. When the parmesan arrived it was only enough for one and 4 people had to share it.  No wine list was offered, we had to ask for it.  My wine was not served on the table well either. It was dumped next to me. I thought waitresses were trained to up sell with wine... even at lunch?

My advise? Please make sure you plate what is on the menu.  Not congealed pasta with a few mushrooms on top with no taste.  No truffle oil.  My pasta was glugged together

This goes for any restaurant that decides to do $10 meals. If you are going to do this, then do it well.  Dunedin is too small for screw ups.

Looks good, but tasteless....

Images by me.

Gaslight!!! Owners and Chef, I have not given up on you.  Please don't disappoint me again.

PS the wine was sensational. Peregrine Sav Blanc.

Alfredo Gnocchi

I decided to make this after my partner had it at a local restaurant here in Dunedin.  He really loved it- I had a go and it wasn't too bad... Quite tasty! I was going to try and make the gnocchi myself but I have had a gnocchi fail in the past so decided to try it with shop bought gnocchi instead.

• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Shop Bought Gnocchi

Method:

Boil water with salt and add Gnocchi.  Once Gnocchi floats wait a minuet or 2 then it is ready 

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

Desk Picnic

Images by me.

Minami desk picnic. Crispy Squid, Tofu fried dumplings.  YUM

I spend around $50 per week at Minami.  Its by far the best Japanese restaurant in Dunedin.  The sushi rolls are made fresh when you order them.  The crispy squid and the tofu dumplings never disappoint me.  The deliver every time.

Carrot Cake Cupecake with Lemon and Cream cheese icing....

Ingredients

 2 cups flour

 2 cups sugar

 3 cups finely shredded carrots 

 1 teaspoon baking powder

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1 cup vegetable oil

 4 large eggs

  

Method

Preheat oven to 170 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add the oil and eggs.  Stir till all contents have combined evenly.

Pour batter into cupcake liners until they are 2/3’s full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes poke one cupcake with a skewer to check if it is cooked.  If it comes out clean they are ready.

Cool 10 minutes in pans then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Icing

2 tablespoons of softened butter

1/4  of a cup of cream cheese

1 cup of icing sugar

1 teaspoon of lemon rind

Method

Mix the butter and cream cheese till smooth.  slowly add the icing sugar and mix till smooth.  Mix in the lemon rind.  The add to the top of the cupcakes.

My week

Images by me

Lotus Root Curry

I had this lotus root curry in Sydney that was like nothing I had ever had before. I teamed them up with an indian curry, Tika Masala to be exact.  You can buy Lotus Roots frozen from Sew Hoi.

  

Images by me.

Chicken and Chardonnay Sausages

Deep Creek Deli in Dunedin produces award winning sausages.  I was out that way recently and bought a handful to try them out.  Naturally I bought the Chicken and Chardonnay (Won Gold) and the Chorizo..  They were unreal. They have many more flavours I am interested in trying try like Irish pork and bacon (YUM), Moroccan Lamb, Pork, apple, sage and rosemary to name a few.  They also specialise in German sausages.

 I love gourmet sausages, I am always scouring New World's deli section looking at all the different things that they are putting into sausage cases.  So when I discovered Deep Creek Deli I was really happy. Just a quick note, they did take really long to cook. as they are chicken..

I do get really excited when I discover quality products in Dunedin.  Especially when they are really different!

Deep Creek Deli's award winning Chicken and Chardonnay Sausages

Spicy Pork Belly with Brown Fried Rice

Ohhhh this is one of my favourites.  I just love it so much.  This is one of my creations I came up with over a year ago when I stopped cooking with white rice.  I just love the nutty flavour of the brown rice when fried.

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice

Olive Oil

2 heaped teaspoons of chili

1 heaped teaspoon on garlic

grated ginger 1 teaspoon

3 pork belly slices around 400grams

soy sauce

Fry the pork belly slices till sealed.

Boil water in a pot and once boiled add the rice.  I should take about 20 minuets to cook the rice but keep trying the rice as you go to see when cooked.

Once the pork is sealed, chop up finely Once all is chopped up put back into the fry pan and fry till cooked, or crispy- that's how I like it.  Once rice is boiled strain and set aside.

once cooked to what you prefer, Ad the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry off for a minuet or 2.  Add the rice and fry for a few minuets and add a good few spashes of soy sauce to taste.  Add salt to taste.

Serve.....

Images by me.

Match with Mudhouse Haymaker Merlot.  My Favourite Merlot right now. 

www.winesale.co.nz

I now buy my wine online.

1) because I am now not happy with the monthly rotations on the specials in Countdown.  Its the same all the time.

2) they deliver to your home for $3 with no limit (YAY)

3) there actually is no limit.  You can order 1 bottle of you want.

4) I can browse the isle (website) without an impatient other half pacing around getting agitated.

As far as I am concerned www.winesale.co.nz offers a service no other I know does.  Im hooked.  I now order every week with absolutely NO hassle.

^^Yep thats my order!

Mmmmm Mudhouse!

www.winesale.co.nz

Squid Ink Pasta with a prawn, cream, tomato and lemon sauce

Images by me.  

This is nothing short of amazing.

Ingredients:

400 grams of Prawns 

1/2 a cup of cream

The rind of/ one lemon

1 tomato diced finely

2 teaspoons of crushed garlic

50 grams of butter

Small handful of Parmesan Cheese

Olive oil

salt

Method:

Add pasta to boiling water and cook till al dente.  Ad a splash of olive oil to a fry pan and add the prawns when hot.  Once the prawns are cook ad butter.  Add garlic and tomatoes.  Add cream and let cook for about 2 mins. Add Lemon zest.  Add Parmesan and cook till melted.  Add salt.

DONE.

Roast pumpkin and ricotta ravioli with a butter walnut sauce

Images by me.

I cant take credit for this one.  Amazing.

http://www.easyfoodandwine.com/Butternut-Squash-Ravioli-Recipe-Wine-Pairing.html

Mushroom Bacon and Chilli pasta

I had something similar to this dish the other night at Gaslight Cafe in Dunedin.  Gaslight has become my favourite restaurant in Dunedin. I had the Gnocchi Fume.  It was nothing short of amazing.  I have submitted a "Ask a Chef" for the recipe.  We'll see if it comes through.

Image by me.

Ingredients:

4 large Portobello mushrooms

3-5 strips of streaky bacon

1 white onion chopped finely

1.5 teaspoons of Chilli

30 grams of Butter

Parmesan Cheese

Salt

Olive oil

Penne Pasta

Method:

Boil the water and ad a splash of oil and salt.  Add the onion to olive oil and cook till transparent. Chop the mushrooms and bacon.  Add the bacon to the onion and stir till bacon is cooked.  Add the mushrooms.  Once mushrooms are cooked add the chilli.  Stir for a minuet or two.  Once the pasta is cooked drain and add the pasta to the pan.  Add the butter and the parmesan cheese at the end and stir all till both melted.

Serve.

Recommend a glass of Chardonnay to match.

Patatas Bravas with baked egg

Images by me.

This is one of my favourite dishes.  Its is soooooo cheap to make!  Also very flavoursome. 

Patatas Bravas 

1 brown onion diced chopped finely

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1.5 teaspoons of smoked paprika

1 small pinch of saffron

1 heaped teaspoon of crushed Chilli

Olive oil

2-4 eggs

4 good sized potatoes about 800grams total

Olive oil

Sea Salt

Method:

Dice the potatoes into 1.5cm cubes and preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Put the cubes of potato into an oven tray with a splash of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt in the oven till roasted (just keep an eye on it as it cooks roughly about 20 mins or so)

Get a fry pan and put it on a medium heat and add olive oil and the diced onion.  Cook till transparent.  Add the garlic, smoked paprika, saffron and chilli and lightly fry to infuse the flavours for about 2 mins.  Add the tinned tomatoes and turn the heat up to high till the tomato sauce reduces.  Add salt to taste.

  Once the potatoes are cooked, add the tomato sauce on top of the potatoes in the oven tray.  Make some holes for the eggs to sit in and add the eggs.  Put back into the oven until the eggs are baked.

Serve.

Paired with Conroy's Central Otago Rose. 

Jamie Olivers Mushroom Risotto

Image by me

Everyone loved it.   We shared "The Crossings" Marlborough Sav. I am not much of a Sav drinker but this was really nice.  It didnt have that lingering sourness that alot of sav's have.  It was really paired well with the risotto. 

The Crossings Winery http://www.thecrossings.co.nz

Risotto by Jamie Oliver http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/risotto/grilled-mushroom-risotto

Jamie Oliver's My Favourite Paella

Quite possibly the best paella recipe I have ever made.  I personally think I have finally nailed this dish!  Pork belly, prawns, Chorizo, Mussels and Cockles. Amaze.  Everyone loved it.

Images by me :)

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/seafood-recipes/my-favourite-paella

Insta life

Images by me.