Hey Sis, it’s Christmas!!

Holy spirit come and shake me! I feel like I’ve blinked and been teleported through November and December, winding up here on the 17th suddenly writing to you all my FINAL newsletter of 2025. My head always feels a little like a shaken up snow globe at this time of year, as I imagine it is for many of you, and I’m hoping that the Christmas reset will have the snow settling for us all shortly.

The other day someone asked me if I felt like I was winding up or winding down at this part of the year, and my reply was that “I feel I’m winding sideways”. It can be a bit discombobulating. But all the more reason to lean into the things that are important, the things that bring you joy and ground you, the things that lift your spirit, at this furiously festive time of year.

It’s a little cliché, I know, but given I’ve barely dipped my toes into anything else Christmassy this December (unless you count going to see Wicked at the movies not once, but twice, mildly festive) I figured throwing out a Christmas-esque newsletter to finish the year is a necessary good. Because let’s be honest, as much as it’s about whānau coming together, reflection, laughter, spirituality… all that jazz… it’s REALLY ALL ABOUT THE KAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what I’ve done, is I’ve decided to trawl through ALL the newsletter recipes I’ve shared on this platform over the past few years, plus flicked through my cookbook Good Vibes, and my website and other recipe archives, to create the ultimate list of Christmas-friendly recipes to inspire your own Christmas Day menu.

Before we get into it, I thought I’d share a couple of my top tips for successful Christmas Day cooking:

Cook what ever the f&!% you want!

• I feel there’s a lot of expectation placed on us that we need to make certain things for Christmas, and that it needs to be some enormous, time intensive feast. At the end of the day, I say cook and eat whatever the f&!% you feel like! And if someone is demanding you make something that you really don’t enjoy or don’t want to cook, suggest that if they need it so desperately and will fall apart if it’s not part of their Christmas, then they can make it themselves.

• So with that being said, feel free to completely ignore any other advice I throw at you below this bullet point.

Prep, prep, prep.

• I mean, on the one hand, because the kitchen is my absolute happy place, being stuck in the kitchen all day on Christmas I’m totally okay with, but equally it’s nice to be able to actually enjoy time with others, get outside in the (fingers crossed) sunshine, do something active together etc. without needing to be chained to the stove or oven. So in an ideal world, I think trying to limit kitchen time on Christmas Day to what is absolutely necessary is the way to go… which means preparing as much as you can beforehand is the key to successful Christmas kai.

• This doesn’t just mean whipping up a trifle or tiramisu the night before, this can extend to all sorts of parts of the Christmas menu ~ any sauces, dressings, dips, dessert toppings etc. can often be made a week in advance and either refrigerated or frozen, so you literally just defrost and go on the day.

Try to make cooking together a Christmas tradition.

• I totally appreciate that if you have five children under the age of 10 crashing about the place with their new Nerf gun that Santa is now regretting gifting them, then it might be tricky to get everyone involved in the Christmas cooking. But making the preparation of kai a shared experience, rather than one person slaving away, really is the way to go. Everyone will be able to taste the love they’ve each put into their kai as well.

• Having different stations set up, like a couple of people on the barbecue, a couple of people on a table prepping salads, sides etc., and then a couple in the main kitchen if needed, can be the way to go. Or think of Christmas food ideas that involve an assembly line where everyone can help along the length of the table (my Summer fruit & custard linzers, recipe below, is a great one for this). You can even make a game of it ~ get all the kids to make stick figures out of toothpicks and roast vegetables, to place on each person’s plate!

Pace yourself.

• if people are in desperate need of some morning sustenance, keep it light and bright. Something like crepes with fresh fruit (you can even make crepes the night before, to save time) is a great option. You don’t want people to be so full from their full English breakfast that the don’t even taste Grandma’s Christmas mousse cake that you’ve been slaving over for the past 3 days. Also if you’re going for the big sit down meal, then perhaps trying to keep Christmas snacking to a minimum (especially bread!).

Make extra or bigger desserts. Always.

• I think one of the great joys of Christmas food is the leftovers carrying you through the next few days, and for me, it’s the Christmas desserts. I think last year Alex and I went slightly overboard and made like 7 different desserts for 8 people to finish, but boy were we reaping the rewards from the fridge the next week! If you’re making a tiramisu, for example, think about doubling the recipe ~ as for the same time/effort, you’ll have enough deliciousness to last the whole week through. I am still yet to regret making too much dessert on Christmas.

Christmas Recipes (from the vault)

• one might argue I’ve gone overboard with how many recipes I’m suggesting have the potential to fit the ‘Christmas’ brief, but given I have absolutely no idea in hell what Christmas food looks like for you, I’ve thrown down a whole host of recipes I think eat well at this time of year. Whether you make any of these on Christmas Day or not, view this as my essential index for December/January eating.

• I’ve broken the recipes into categories, and divided further into those from the newsletter/website vs those from Good Vibes. Note some of the Good Vibes recipes are available on other sources online, so I’ve included links for those if you don’t have a copy of the book ~ although this is where if you haven’t got yourself a copy of Good Vibes yet, I remind you that it is the perfect Christmas present for EVERYONE!!

Breakfast + Starters

From the newsletter/website:

Leftover kumara pancakes ~ vegan ~ these pancakes are perfect for when you need to use up those leftover roast vegetables (think Boxing Day breakfast following that Christmas feast).

Apricot, fennel & macadamia overnight bircher ~ vegan ~ this bircher is an absolute taste of summer, bursting with ripe apricots, sweet citrusy fennel and creamy crunchy macadamias.

Whipped feta + strawberry wreath with basil + cherry toms ~ gf ~ who doesn’t love Christmas-shaped food at this time of year?! This super easy starter sees tangy whipped feta topped with tomatoes, strawberries, basil & balsamic, arranged in a decorative wreath shape, perfect for seasonal Christmas Day eating.

From Good Vibes:

A-little-luxe overnight bircher (pg 20) ~ vegan ~ easy make ahead breakfast option, chuck in the fridge a day or two before, finish with topping on the day and voila!

Rockmelon with pink pom yoghurt & herb sugar (pg 18) ~ vegan, gf ~ great as a light, fruity/creamy breakfast option to start the day.

Toasted coconut & chocolate porridge with balsamic cherries (pg 34) ~ vegan ~ great way of optimising the brief cherry season, if it’s a cooler day

Cilbir eggs with curry leaves & saffron yoghurt (pg 28) ~ gf ~ for the people who demand eggs for breakfast, the yoghurt can be made in advance and very simple to assemble quickly in the morning.

Zucchini fritters with avocado feta whip & herb salad (pg 23) ~ fritters can be made in advance, then quickly warm in microwave before serving, feta whip can also be made the day ahead, super easy, light and delicious!

Herb ricotta pancakes with charred greens & chilli-lime syrup (pg 25) ~ again, the pancakes can be made in advance if desired, just simply warm in the microwave on the morning of. The chilli-lime syrup is also an excellent make-ahead topping.

Sweetcorn & kumara fritters with beetroot borani (pg 98) ~ vegan, gf ~ a greater starter/snacking option before the main event. Make double the beetroot borani recipe, as it’s the perfect summer dip to have on hand in the fridge for the season.

Sides/Salads/Sharing Plates ~ no oven cooking req.

From the newsletter/website:

Glorious greens with spiced hazelnut brown butter ~ gf ~ I truly think that the words spiced hazelnut brown butter need to be a part of everyone’s Christmas menu. This recipe is all brought together in 20 minutes, and for the little bit of extra effort, it really does turn the humble silverbeet into something special.

Sweet + sour soba salad with peach, peanuts + tamarind ~ vegan ~ this noodle salad smacks with all the fresh tang and flavours of a ripper Summer. Sweet and sour tamarind forms the base of a zingy dressing, with crunchy peanuts, cucumber, radishes and grilled peaches to turn up the texture.

YOUR NEXT FAVOURITE SALAD. ~ vegan, gf ~ this ready-in-15-minutes salad is going to be absolute gold in my kitchen over the summer. Think cos lettuce, sliced zucchini ribbons, sliced fennel, sweetness from nectarine, pickles and fresh mint. Crunchy toasted buckwheat and sunflower seeds and a delicious plant-based ranch-style dill & yoghurt dressing.

Grapefruit + saffron ceviche with fennel, ginger + mint ~ fresh tarakihi marinated in grapefruit, tossed with fennel, ginger and mint, then finished with a saffron coconut cream. It's quick, simple and insanely delicious ~ perfect for when a quick entrée is needed that's a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Goes well throughout the summer ~ sub the grapefruit for other citrus if needed.

Bright tofu with crisp greens and golden grapefruit-soy dressing ~ vegan ~ an incredibly delicious plant-based side dish, full of bright flavours, and because it’s a cold dish, all components can be made in advance. Grapefruit can be subbed for any citrus.

Toasted coconut, cashew, carrot & kale salad with malt-miso-grapefruit dressing ~ vegan ~ if you’re looking for an easy, seasonal carrot salad that also feels a little bit fancy (but really isn’t), this is the recipe for you. Again, grapefruit can be subbed for any citrus.

One Salad. Five Dressings. ~ vegan, gf ~ great option for summer eating, a quick throw together salad, and perfect to have on the table if going for a lighter salad/bbq focused spread. The dijon cider vinegar dressing option is a cracker.

Green bean noodle salad with blistered tomatoes & tamarind dressing ~ a great throw together option if wanting a heartier noodle salad, and you could easily add some poached chicken, fried tofu or tempeh for extra protein to serve this as a main over the summer.

Ezme smashed cucumber with garlic coconut labneh ~ vegan, gf ~ a great option for your next barbecue spread, the crisp cucumber with thick yoghurt and Turkish-inspired ezme is a cooling compliment to summer eating.

From Good Vibes:

Cucumbers & tomatoes with pomegranate, tahini & za’atar (pg 61) ~ vegan, gf ~ the secret to this salad/sharing plates deliciousness is the juices of the vegetables then being used in the smooth flavour-packed pomegranate and tahini sauce. Essential summer eating and easy to add some colour, freshness and sparkle to the Christmas table.

Killer beans with lemongrass, cashews & kaffir lime (pg 66) ~ vegan, gf ~ 15 minutes and you’re in green bean ecstasy. If your Christmas spread is open to different flavour influences, this is an essential addition to the table. I will be making this recipe, this year. **recipe also available via link on NZ Herald website**

Zhug prawn salad with watermelon & feta (pg 73) ~ if you can nab any early watermelons in time for Christmas, this is a must-make!

Pearl couscous salad with preserved lemon, cherries & pistachios (pg 76) ~ the cherries and pistachios in this salad bring a real festive vibe ~ a great option for all summer long.

Grilled sweetcorn & nectarine salad with miso dressing (pg 82) ~ vegan, gf ~ This fresh and vibrant salad will light up your outdoor summer spread. It's best cooked on the hot barbecue grill. **recipe also available via link on RNZ website**

Sides/Salads/Sharing Plates ~ oven cooking required

From the newsletter/website:

Gochujang, sesame, beet & potato gratin (for a crowd) ~ vegan, gf ~ can’t think of a more flavour-packed way to eat potatoes. This is a great option if cooking for a crowd, it’s creamy, umami, and utilises seasonal summer beetroot.

Patatas bravas deluxe with spicy smoky corn, chickpeas & mustard mayo ~ vegan, gf ~ great way to jazz up boring old Christmas potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce and seasonal corn.

Miso + mustard potato gratin with TLC oil ~ vegan, gf ~ another gratin recipe that’s one of my favourite recipes, a go-to side dish for all occasions, including Christmas.

Citrus-roasted asparagus with herb labneh + Dijon chilli-caper dressing ~ vegan, gf ~ make the most of the end of the asparagus season with this quick and easy side dish, perfect for a Christmas spread.

Best-ever leeks with maple walnuts + chilli-garlic butter ~ vegan option, gf ~ while it isn’t technically leek season, they’re still only $2.50 at the super, and if you’re going for the oven-cooked Christmas meal option, this is an absolute home run. I think I might make this on my Christmas.

Harissa portobello steaks with saffron sweetcorn purée and pomegranate ~ vegan, gf ~ this dish is incredibly versatile, excellent as a main for a small group or as a sharing plate as part of a larger feast for a crowd. Ready in 40 minutes, and making the most of seasonal sweetcorn in a fun and creative way.

Umami carrots with gochujang romesco and carrot greens salsa ~ vegan, gf ~ baby carrots are perfectly in season at this time of year, and this is one of my favourite ways to cook them. You’ll never look at carrots the same again once you try these bad boys ~ plus it uses the green carrot tops that so often get binned.

Roasted kumara with curried mint yoghurt and quick onion pickle ~ vegan, gf ~ a great sharing plate, with layered flavours and textures that go well with any main.

From Good Vibes:

Turmeric roast potatoes with crispy kawakawa & brown butter whip (pg 58) ~ gf ~ everyone needs a good roast potato for Christmas (if that’s your jam). This is the one. **recipe also available via link on UNO magazine website**

Citrus-roasted broccolini with hazelnut romesco, rocket & mint (pg 81) ~ vegan, gf ~ one of my all-time favourite recipes. It was on the table last Christmas, and will likely be again this year.

Roasted aubergines with cherry toms, tamarind sauce & sesame labneh (pg 65) ~ vegan, gf ~ a great summer sharing option for the Christmas table or the days after, utilising the best of the season’s produce. Creamy, nutty, tangy delicious.

Mains

From Good Vibes:

Showstopper cauli with speedy satay & hazelnut dukkah (pg 44) ~ vegan, gf ~ this whole cauliflower, drowning in satay and unfurling in the centre of the festive spread is enough to get both the plant and meat-eaters salivating. Guaranteed. **recipe also available via link on RNZ website**

Harissa roast lamb with minted pomegranate gravy (pg 171) ~ can be made gf by using gf flour for the gravy ~ the perfect celebration centrepiece, if you’re wanting the classic Christmas lamb with a twist, this is a great option. The gravy is seriously addictive.

Butternut & aubergine snake with basil & pistachio pesto (pg 148) ~ vegan ~ is you’re needing a vegan centrepiece for the Christmas table, this really is the ultimate. I made this to cater for my brother (who’s vegan) two Christmas’ ago, and the rolling of the filo snake as a team activity was a highlight, let alone the deliciousness of the end result.

Stuffed aubergines with crimson sauce & green caper oil (pg 140) ~ gf ~ this is a great option as a main event for a vegetarian spread. Recipe could be easily doubled to feed a crowd ~ great way to make the most of aubergine and capsicum season.

Herb, onion & hazelnut cheesecake with blistered tomatoes (pg 154) ~ if you want to go slightly outside of the box this Christmas, this savoury cheesecake is a great option for summer eating. It’s perfect for a long lunch in the sun with a glass of riesling.

Dessert

From the newsletter/website:

Roasted nectarines with green labneh, pomegranate and miso-almond crumb ~ vegan, gf ~ if there’s one recipe to make this summer season, this is the one. It’s the perfect dessert to finish off a meal with friends - chuck in the centre of the table for everyone to dig in. Layers of creamy green labneh with basil and mint, miso-maple roasted juicy nectarines, crunchy pomegranate and a vegan/gluten-free almond crumble. It's sure to become your new family favourite.

Cassata cake ~ the ricotta filling with chocolate, cranberries & mixed peel is the absolute taste of Christmas. You could also just make the filling and serve this with some toasted panettone for a quick and easy dessert or sweet breakfast.

Pandan, kaya & kiwi chiffon roll ~ this is an excellent make-ahead dessert, as will keep well overnight in the fridge. The kiwifruit and cream give it pavlova vibes but is far more forgiving and more delicious (in my humble opinion).

Thyme & spice-roasted apricots ~ an absolute must-make over summer. Great alongside greek yoghurt as a quick breakfast or dessert, also a wonderful complement to Christmas white meats such as turkey or chicken (a great alternative to cranberry sauce). Also freezes incredibly well ~ just last week I defrosted some of these apricots to use as a cake filling!

Saffron + lemon cake with lemon curd mascarpone ~ it’s always the season for cake, this is one of my favourites.

Strawberry, mint + kaffir lime meringue roulade ~ gf ~ the meringue here is made similarly to a pavlova, but baked thin and rectangular then rolled up to form a roulade. With summer strawberries, fresh mint and fragrant kaffir lime, it’s hard to resist.

Eton Mess with strawberries, basil & elderflower ~ vegan, gf ~ I love an Eton mess as it pleases the pavlova and trifle camps, borrowing the meringue component of a pavlova and the layered creaminess of a trifle. Plus it’s incredibly easy to make from scratch and throw together on the day before serving. This recipe is particularly impressive as it is both vegan and gluten-free without sacrificing flavour or wow factor. **recipe also available via link on RNZ website**

From Good Vibes:

Christmas meringue roulade with rosé cherries & Chantilly cream (pg 210) ~ gf ~ this dessert was written with Christmas in mind (hence its feature in the title) and is truly wonderful to eat. **recipe also available via link on ODT website**

Roasted thyme peaches with cardamom ginger ice cream & rum caramel (pg 176) ~ gf, for a vegan option, serve with coconut yoghurt instead of ice cream and substitute the cream and butter in the caramel for coconut cream & plant-based butter ~ this recipe was actually created for a Christmas dinner I made way back in 2020, and it’s always a hit. Hard to go wrong with roasted stone fruit!

Chilli, chocolate & orange ‘impossible’ cake (pg 206) ~ one of the desserts of last year’s Christmas, it’s an impressive Christmas dessert with its half custard-half cakeness and wreath-liked shape.

Matcha & pistachio amaretti (pg 208) ~ gf ~ if you’re wanting to do some Christmas cookie baking that last well, these amaretti are incredibly moreish and keep well for a few days to see you through the season ~ would also make a great gift for others.

Be sure to scroll down for my top cookbook recommendations from 2024, and simple-yet-showstopping recipe to add to your repertoire when the call for a gluten-free plant-based festive fancy sweet treat is needed.

Wishing you all the most wonderful holiday season… see you in 2025!

Meri Kirihimete,

Much love,

Alby xx

My favourite cookbooks of 2024:

I’ve become somewhat of an avid cookbook collector (undoubtedly since writing my own, my appreciation for the time and effort that goes into them has certainly affected this), and this year has seen a number of titles added to my collection.

It was tough to choose just a few to recommend to you (yes I’ve added my own cookbook here, because if you don’t toot your own horn then who will??!! ~ plus it is still the cookbook I use the most, by far!), but I’ve wittled in down to these 6…

• A New Way To Bake (Philip Khoury)

  • FOR: the baker in your life who wants to save money on butter AND learn to think outside the baking box

  • Philip Khoury is a renowned Australian pastry chef and celebrated head pastry chef at the iconic Harrods department store in London. This book sees him reimagining classic bakes into plant-based versions, using everyday ingredients.

• Agak Agak (Shu Han Lee)

  • FOR: the friend who goes on about how good the food is in Singapore

  • This is honestly one of the most beautiful cookbooks I’ve seen in recent memory (the design team at Harvey Grant Books knows what’s up!) and as a fangirl of the food in Singapore, where there’s that beautiful collision of Chinese, Malaysian and Indian cooking, this is a great addition to any kitchen.

• Sift (Nicola Lamb)

  • FOR: the amateur baker who wants to level up in the kitchen and know the how’s and why’s of it along the way

  • Nicola Lamb is one of the most famous Substack food writers, a pastry chef who trained in top New York and London bakeries, including Dominique Ansel and Ottolenghi. This book is divided into two parts ~ the first section takes you through all the science and technique of baking, with the second half filled with the most mouth-watering recipes you can possibly imagine. Nicola tests all her recipes to the max before sharing them, so you know that success is guaranteed!

• Love Vegetables (Anna Shepherd)

  • FOR: someone who wants to learn how to cook better with vegetables

  • Unlike the books above, which I sought out, I stumbled upon this delightful vegetarian cookbook on a trip to Melbourne earlier in the year. It’s packed full of vibrant, easy-yet-interesting vegetable recipes. My kind of cooking! I’ve made the Jerusalem artichoke risotto a few times already.

• The Secret of Cooking (Bee Wilson)

  • FOR: the person who loves to read cookbooks in their spare time, perhaps curled up in bed with a cup of tea

  • Bee Wilson is a renowned food writer, who has finally released her first cookbook (as opposed to other food-related non-fiction books she has published) and it’s a doozy. Her writing is real and relatable, and her emphasis on no-fuss delicious cooking makes this a treasure of a book.

• Good Vibes (yours truly)

  • FOR: the person who wants to eat well with feel-good flavours

  • Close to 120 seasonal veg-forward recipes with knockout flavours to help you level ups in the kitchen, from beginners to pros, there’s something for everyone.

Share Eating Who I Want to Be

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Last of the asparagus

Avocados

Beans & peas

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Late hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Beetroot

ALL OF THE BERRIES

Spring onions

Late broad beans

Spinach, Salad Greens

Capsicums

Cucumbers

Aubergines

Early tomatoes

Sweetcorn

Stonefruit

Early melons

Fruit & custard almond sablés

This recipe was conjured up last week when I was asked to cater for a psychiatric end-of-year function. Wanting to create something that was both vegan and gluten-free, felt slightly fancy and mildly festive, the recipe for these fruit & custard almond sablés was born. And I really do think they’re quite the little triumph. A thin crisp almond biscuit, with a touch of cardamom & lemon, topped with a piped plant-based vanilla & rose crème pâtissière, then adorned with seasonal fruits. A perfect treat for Christmas Day and beyond.

Hands-on Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes + overnight chilling time

makes approx. 50

Cost Estimate: $25 - $35 (depending on fruits used for decoration)

Ingredients

Sablés

200g vegan butter block, softened to room temperature

120g caster sugar

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g gluten-free plain flour (eg Edmonds)

50g buckwheat flour

120g ground almonds

2 tsp ground cardamom

⅓ tsp sea salt

Crème pâtissière

1 litre soy milk

1-2 tbsp rose water (to desired taste)

200g caster sugar

100g cornflour

1 tbsp vanilla paste

1 large pinch turmeric

150g vegan butter or spread (e.g. Nuttelex)

To decorate

fresh seasonal fruits (eg thinly sliced strawberries, blackberries, sliced nectarine, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, sliced kiwifruit etc.)

small mint or basil leaves (optional)

edible flowers (optional)

gold leaf (optional)

Method

The sablés and crème pâtissière can be made the day prior to assembly.

For the sablés, in a large bowl using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat together the vegan butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla for 2 minutes until well combined and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, buckwheat flour, ground almonds, cardamom and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, start mixing with a wooden spoon, and mix gently until it comes together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough - I like to use my hands to bring it together at the end. Divide the dough into two portions, shape each into a thick disc and wrap with clingfilm. Refrigerate the two discs of dough for a minimum of 2 hours to chill.

As the sablé dough chills, make the crème pâtissière. Place the soy milk and rose water in a medium saucepan over medium heat and slowly bring to the boil. In a large bowl, whisk together the caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla and turmeric. Once the milk is just starting to bubble, remove from the heat and gradually pour the hot milk into the sugar mixture, one third at a time, whisking together until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan, place over medium heat and cook, whisking regularly, until the mixture boils and thickens to form a smooth, thick custard. Cook for a further minute or two, continuing to whisk, to make sure you cook out the cornflour properly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vegan butter until smooth. Pour the warm custard through a sieve set over a large bowl, using the whisk to press the custard through the sieve to remove any lumps. Place a layer of cling film directly onto the custard, to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate overnight to cool completely.

When the sablé dough is fully chilled, preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. Line three oven trays with baking paper.

Unwrap one disc of dough, place between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Using a 4-5cm round cutter (or whatever desired shape), cut out as many circles as you can. Peel off any scraps of dough away from the edges of the circles and squidge together into a ball for later biscuits. Carefully transfer the biscuit rings onto one lined oven tray  - they won’t spread much during baking. Repeat with the second disc of dough, rolling and cutting out circle shapes. Collect up the scraps of dough and add to the ball of scraps from earlier. Transfer the circles to the second lined oven tray. Place the trays in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill. Flatten the ball of dough scraps into a disc, place between two sheets of baking paper and roll out as before. Cut out as many circles as you can, and transfer the final biscuit circles to the third lined oven tray and also refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill. 

Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes, you can do all three trays at once if your oven has enough racks, until just starting to turn golden at the edges. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature overnight.

When ready to serve, to assemble, take the chilled crème pâtissière, remove the clingfilm, and using an electric hand beater, beat the custard for a minute or two until beautifully smooth. The custard should have thickened overnight to a wipeable consistency. Spoon the custard into a large piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe a generous amount onto each of the sablé biscuits. Decorate the custard delicately with your chosen fresh fruit (the fruit should stick neatly to the custard and hold nicely), as well as a small leaf of fresh mint/basil, edible flowers.petals and a final flourish of gold leaf.

Alby’s Advice:

• The sablé dough will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week, and can also be frozen for up to 3 months, if desired.

• The crème pâtissière will keep well refrigerated for up to 5 days.

how is it almost December??

Am I the only one who feels like the tail end of the year has snuck up on us?

Like how you’d creep cautiously but speedily through the grass on your belly, avoiding getting caught playing go-home-stay-home spotlight in the neighbourhood park. And then BAM, suddenly the spotlight’s on you and it’s 6 days until December and that creeping through the grass was all for nothing, and you thought you’d made progress but realise you’re still 50 metres from getting to home base.

50 metres. 6 days. It’s all the same.

We’re more or less at the end of the year and where has it gone?!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve already found the food-focused portion of my mind (which let it be said most likely takes up 99% of my grey matter) turning towards the bright lights of Christmas. And in fact, in a couple of weeks’ time (ie the next newsletter or two) it’ll be prime time to be sharing with you some recipe inspo for your holiday feasting ~ I’m going to try and come up with some cracker recipes to share with you this season!

So, with that in mind, for this week’s newsletter I’m sharing with you a couple of recipes that I think are perfect to help you get through the next month of inevitable madness as the year wraps up, still eating well and feeling good.

the cake to get you through the Christmas party bring-a-plate season

One of the nice (or for the introverts among you, maybe not-so-nice) things about this time of year, is that after everyone has kept to themselves for the past 6 months, suddenly all your work colleagues, friends and whānau want to invite you to compulsory gatherings to tie a ribbon around the year that’s been.

While the office Christmas party organiser may have been sensible enough to organise some outside catering, it’s almost unavoidable that one of these ‘end-of-year’ events will either encourage or mandate that you whip up something delicious to contribute to the shared kai… RIGHT when you’re barely keeping your head above water trying to get everything done so you can actually enjoy the summer holiday you’ve been looking forward to all year.

And then you’re stuck in that conundrum of wanting to make something that requires minimum time and skill but will also be impressive enough to give a big middle finger to your husband’s sister’s mother-in-law who always feels the need to outdo everyone at the family potluck.

Well, today I am here to save the day.

I’ve had cannoli on the mind for a few months now, ever since I took a German girl I met on a bush walk out to an Italian restaurant and she ordered a cannoli and I didn’t and I was very jealous. Cannoli being the classic Sicilian tube-shaped pastry filled with a sweet ricotta cream. Unfortunately, I do not own cannoli tubes, so my cannoli-making dreams are still to be realised. BUT, in thinking a lot about cannoli, and therefore Sicily, my mind has naturally taken the next step on the path of Sicilian desserts to be ruminating on Cassata, the Sicilian sponge cake, filled with a sweet ricotta cream and candied fruit peel.

Cassata is a cake which I have a lot of feelings about, probably more than your average person. The first time I was introduced to Cassata and all its weird and wonderfulness was in the Great Kiwi Bake Off final, where me and the other finalists blindly fumbled our way through making ricotta, marzipan and then assembling and decorating a cake that none of us had ever heard of, as part of the last technical challenge of the show. It was a goodie from Sue. And while I deservedly came last in that challenge (my piping ‘in the traditional Sicilian style’ looked more like a 5-year-old’s glue gun work), I was blown away when we got to try the cake after the challenge. It really was delicious. Cassata is composed of two sponges, usually doused with liqueur, and filled with a sweet ricotta citrus cream, usually packed with any combination of chopped candied fruit/peel, chocolate, pistachios, dried fruits etc. It’s then covered in a ring of pistachio marzipan, glazed and decorated with detailed pipe work and adorned with candied citrus. It sounds wholly bizarre, but the unique and delicious taste of that cassata cake has really stayed with me since. Fast forward to September 2022 and I found myself in Sicily, where cassata, big and small, are the mainstay of most bakeries, so I was able to satisfy my cassata cravings in their birthplace, no less. I’ve been meaning to make a version of it for quite some time, and so it’s with my recent ruminations on cannoli and then cassata that I’ve finally whipped up my own cassata to share with you all today.

Now you’re probably thinking, Cassata cake, cool, so how is this going to save the day for that upcoming Christmas potluck I need to get cooking for? Well, what I’ve done is I’ve taken the key elements of a cassata and turned it into a simple, approachable recipe that will have you kissing yourself, and more importantly having that husband’s sister’s mother-in-law of yours falling off her chair in no time. The entire cake can be whipped up in less than 2 hours from start to finish, and other than whisking a few ingredients together, it takes minimal effort and really is fail-safe. Be sure to scroll down for the recipe!

make friends with yourself with salad

So now that you’ve got my sure-to-impress easy-as-cake cassata recipe in your backpocket for the event season, you need something simple, seasonal and nutritious to get you through these final weeks of late-November, early-December frenzied freneticness.

Enter my other recipe (that’s kind of five recipes in one) for this week’s newsletter:

ONE SALAD, FIVE DRESSINGS

Now that things are warming up, it’s time to dive balls first into the late-spring early-summer salad season, and today I’m sharing with you an easy and delicious template to help you whip up a host of different salads without having to overthink it. From the same solid salad foundation of season greens (we’re talking bright herbs, salad greens, grilled asparagus and beans + any special extras you want to throw in), five simple flavour bomb dressings allow you to dress up or dress down your salad to suit the mood; either keeping things classic with one of the citrus or vinegar-based dressings, or shifting more outside the box with a creamy tahini or asian-inspired option. I’ve also included some suggestions to make the salad more hearty or filling if you’re wanting to edit it into a main meal, or it’s equally perfect as a sharing plate or side to take to a backyard barbecue or slap on the table with whatever protein you have on hand.

This is the no-fuss, nutritious vegetable-packed recipe to make your own and whip out at a moment’s notice for that easy fresh delicious we all need right now. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe to this versatile salad, and the five dressings to mix-and-match with it as you see fit :)

Much love,

Alby xx

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Blood oranges

Asparagus

Avocados

Spring beans & peas

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Beetroot

Early strawberries & blueberries

Spring onions

Broad beans

Spinach, Salad Greens

Elderflowers

Capsicums

Cucumbers

Early aubergines

Early tomatoes

Brain food:

• the beginner’s Yum Cha guide I look forward to utilising in the near future

• a promising NZ food education programme for children and teenagers that’s just getting off the ground

• a change to the mental health act in Aotearoa is being proposed, here’s a summary from the ministry of health about the proposed bill

• some cassata history for those interested

• for those who missed my cassata failures on TV, here’s the link to watch

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Cassata cake

The best kind of cakes are those that look like you’ve put in a heap of effort, but are secretly simple. Unlike other layer cakes which require a lot of waiting around for cooling, elaborate buttercreams and such, my take on the famous Sicilian Cassata cake can be made in less than two hours, including cooling and chilling time ~ so it’s the perfect showstopper when you need to make a deliriously delicious cake that looks spectacular, at short notice. Unlike the traditional cassata siciliana, which is typically covered in a layer of pistachio marzipan, I’ve opted to skip the faff by finishing it with a pistachio crumb layer instead, which adds a nice textural counterpoint to the fluffy and creamy textures elsewhere. The real star of the show here is the cassata filling ~ ricotta and mascarpone, studded with citrus peel, pistachios, cranberries and dark chocolate. You’ll have to exercise extreme self-control if you taste it before assembling the cake, as it’s mighty addictive.

Hands-on Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

makes one two-layer 20cm round cake, serves 10-12

Cost Estimate: $35 (ricotta and mascarpone are $$$)

Ingredients

Sponges

200g caster sugar

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

finely grated zest of 1 orange

6 eggs

1 tsp vanilla paste

100g plain flour

50g cornflour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp sea salt

Cassata filling

50g dried cranberries

500g ricotta

150g caster sugar

200g mascarpone

1 tsp vanilla paste

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

finely grated zest of 1 orange

75g candied citrus peel (glacé mixed peel), finely chopped

75g dark chocolate, finely chopped

75g roasted pistachio kernels, finely chopped

Mascarpone cream

300g mascarpone

300ml cream

50g icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla paste

To assemble/decorate

Limoncello or Grand Marnier, for brushing the sponges

125g roasted pistachio kernels, finely blitzed/chopped

candied or dried citrus, to decorate (optional)

fresh flowers, to decorate (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Grease and line two 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.

For the sponges, place the sugar, orange zest and lemon zest in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until deeply fragrant and the sugar takes on the colour of the zest. Add the eggs and using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat on high speed with the whisk attachment for 10 minutes, until creamy, voluminous and the ribbon stage is reached (the ribbon stage is where the mixture, if dropped from the lifted beater, maintains a ribbon form for a few seconds on the surface before dissolving into the mixture below). Add the vanilla paste and whisk through to evenly combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Very gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, in two or three parts, being careful not to deflate the batter, but ensuring any pockets of flour are fully incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins (about 300g of batter in each tin). Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until the sponges are golden and spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

As the sponges cool, make the cassata filling. Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes to hydrate, then strain and place the cranberries on a chopping board. Finely chop, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta and caster sugar until smooth, creamy and the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the mascarpone and vanilla paste, gently whisking into the ricotta until smooth - being careful not to over-mix. Add the chopped cranberries, lemon zest, orange zest, chopped citrus peel, chocolate and pistachios. Gently fold in until evenly mixed through. At this stage I suggest you eat a spoonful of the filling and revel in its deliciousness. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

For the mascarpone cream, place the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using an electric hand mixer (or a hand-held whisk, if you’re wanting a workout!), beat together to form medium-stiff peaks, being careful not to over-mix (as the mascarpone/cream can curdle if taken too far). Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Once your sponges are fully cooled, you are ready to assemble the cake. Brush the top of each of your sponges generously with Limoncello (or your chosen liqueur). Place one sponge on your serving plate or cake stand, top side facing upwards. Spoon the cassata filling on top of the sponge and using a small cranked palette knife (or the back of a spoon), gently spread out the filling to form a thick, even layer. It might seem like a lot of filling, but that’s the point!

Sandwich the second sponge on top of the filling, top side facing downwards, so that the flat side of the sponge is facing upwards. Ensure the top of the sponge is relatively level. Using a palette knife (or a regular knife), smooth out the edge of the filling, so it is in parallel with the sponges, ready for the cake to be covered with the cream.

Cover the entire cake in the mascarpone cream, leaving a little cream in the bowl for decorative piping. Use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to even out the mascarpone cream around the sides and top of the cake - I like to make it even and then create some swooping effects for texture. Using a medium round piping tip, pipe dollops of the remaining cream in a ring around the top edge of the cake, to create a decorative border. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (you can skip the chilling time here if you’re in a rush!).

To finish, take the blitzed pistachios and using your hands, gently press the pistachios around the sides of the cake to form a decorative crumb (if you have a cake decorating turntable it makes this a lot easier!). Sprinkle any remaining pistachios in a ring around the top edge of the cake, where you have done your decorative piping. If desired, finish the cake with halved slices of candied or dried citrus and fresh flowers. Slice with a serrated knife and serve.

Alby’s Advice:

• for a non-alcoholic option, you can brush the tops of the sponges in a lemon or orange cordial/syrup. To make you own, heat together equal measure of citrus juice and caster sugar, until the sugar is dissolved, then allow to cool.

• it might feel like a lot of filling, but you want the filling layer to be really thick in between the sponges. There is definitely enough for you to have a couple of spoonfuls from the bowl as you go though.

• I like to blitz the pistachios in a food processor to form a crumb - it’s a lot quicker than chopping by hand.

• Any leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container.

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One Salad, Five Dressings

Salad season has well and truly arrived in the Southern Hemisphere, and this recipe is my perfectly simple and delicious green salad, to have on repeat until the end of the year. Great as a light and bright lunch or dinner, or a side for your next barbecue or sharing spread, what makes this recipe especially excellent are my FIVE dressing options ~ from classic Dijon or citrus dressings to creamy tahini or umami miso & soy, the flavour options are endless with zero extra effort. I’ve also included a host of ideas as optional extras, to make your salad that little bit extra special or hearty. You could honestly eat this every day this week with different variations and not get sick of it. Enjoy :)

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

serves 2 as a stand alone meal, 3-6 as a side, easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled to feed a crowd

Cost Estimate: $10 or more (depending on optional extras, your dressing of choice, and what you have on hand in the garden)

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

250g asparagus, woody ends trimmed, spears cut into thirds

1 large handful of young broad beans, still in their pods (or use green beans, mangetout or similar)

1 celery rib, diced thinly

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

a couple of large handfuls of mizuna leaves (or other salad greens, eg mesclun, rocket, spinach etc.)

1 large handful coriander leaves

1 large handful mint leaves, roughly torn

1 large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves

flesh of 1 avocado, diced

DRESSING OF YOUR CHOICE (see below)

Optional extras:

Crunchy…

• maple-roasted hazelnuts (on a baking paper-lined tray, roast 100g hazelnuts with 2 tbsp maple syrup and a decent sprinkling of sea salt at 160°C fan-forced for 12-15 minutes until golden and caramelised. Leave to cool then roughly chop.)

• dukkah (toast some spices - eg cumin seeds, coriander seeds, sesame seeds etc. - until fragrant. Add to mortar and pestle along with some chopped roasted nuts - e.g. pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts etc. Pound together to form a textured crumb for sprinkling. Season with salt to taste.)

• any toasted nuts, seeds etc. for a crunchy element

Fresh & fruity…

• fresh citrus segments (eg supremed grapefruit or orange segments)

• lightly grilled or fresh stone fruit (eg slices of nectarine or peach)

• fresh pomegranate seeds or sliced mango

Sharpness & creaminess…

• shavings of parmesan or an aged cheese (eg cheddar, tasty etc.)

• grilled paneer or halloumi

• dollops of fresh ricotta, goats cheese or burrata

Pickle & heat…

• fresh green chilli, thinly sliced

• sliced gherkins, chopped

• radish or red onion, thinly sliced

Make it more hearty…

• cooked grain (e.g. freaked, farro, bulgur wheat etc.)

• poached eggs

• shredded poached chicken

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus, broad beans and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing occasionally until starting to soften. Add the sliced garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes, tossing through, until the asparagus and beans are starting to char a little and the garlic is beautifully golden. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add the salad greens, coriander, mint, parsley and avocado. Add your dressing of choice (depending which dressing you choose, you may use all the dressing or only part of it - you be the judge as to how much you want!), then toss through to coat. Transfer to a serving platter/bowl, drizzle with a little extra dressing if desired, and finish with any optional extras of your choosing.

Dressing 1 ~ Dijon cider vinegar dressing

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp maple syrup

½ tsp cracked black pepper

couple of large pinches of sea salt (about ¼ tsp), to taste

Method

Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined.

Dressing 2 ~ Orange, malt & ginger dressing

Ingredients

finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange (about 60ml)

3 tbsp malt vinegar

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

½ tsp cracked black pepper

couple of large pinches of sea salt (about ¼ tsp), to taste

Method

Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined.

Dressing 3 ~ Creamy balsamic & tahini dressing

Ingredients

3 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

juice of ½ large lemon (or 1 small lemon)

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt (or Greek-style coconut yoghurt, if vegan)

¼ tsp ground chilli

¼ tsp sea salt, to taste

about 5-6 tbsp hot water

Method

Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined. Adjust amount of water added to reach desired consistency. Note that as the dressing sits, it will thicken further (due to the tahini).

Dressing 4 ~ Miso, soy & sesame dressing

Ingredients

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp Shiro (white) miso paste

1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

juice of ½ lemon

¼ tsp ground chilli

Method

Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined. Ensure that the miso paste is completely dissolved.

Dressing 5 ~ Pomegranate & tahini dressing

Ingredients

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

juice of ½ lemon

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp sea salt, to taste

about 4-5 tbsp hot water

Method

Place all ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk until well-combined. Adjust amount of water added to reach desired consistency. Note that as the dressing sits, it will thicken further (due to the tahini).

Alby’s Advice:

• The dressings will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week.

• You can easily mix up the salad ingredients for whatever you have on hand - grilled broccolini or kale would go great, chopped cucumber, zucchini ribbons, capsicum, cherry tomatoes etc. The salad world is your oyster.

• Each of the dressings is also incredibly versatile ~ the miso-soy dressing wonderful tossed through noodles, the tahini dressings in wraps or stuffed flatbreads etc.

it’s been a week of good spring things.

I gave you violets;
you gave me your smile.

I gave you elderflower wine;
you gave me wild strawberries.

I gave you a small brown bird
that hid in the white shadows;
you gave me the nightingale
singing to the summer midnight.

you gave me almost-tears
and rainbows;
I gave you my poems.

Exchange of Gifts, by Paul Hansford, 2016

I thought I’d start today’s newsletter with a poem, one I stumbled upon whizzing through the internet, or instagram, or something like that a few weeks ago. Every now and then, when I see a piece of writing or poetry, or I read a phrase or sentence that sparks something within me, good or bad, I jot it down somewhere. With elderflower on the mind, I thought I’d share these lines by Paul (I hope you don’t mind me sharing this wherever you are!) today. Make of it what you will :)

.

.

I’m writing this week’s newsletter on none other than halloween, and I can confirm that the oven is dressed up for the occasion, fittingly baking a pumpkin tart à la Tarts Anon (for a murder mystery event I’m attending tomorrow) from their recently released cookbook that I picked up over the weekend to add to my ever-growing collection. When running Beau Cakes full-time last year, my love for tarts really grew. I baked tarts for my weekly Otago Museum lawn pop-up, and without a doubt they were the first thing to sell-out every time. There’s something a little bit special about a tart, where layers and textures can be created in an all-encompassing shell. I’ve decided that I want to learn how to level up my tart game further, so fingers crossed that Gareth Whitton at Tarts Anon can help me get there.

Sadly, for those that were hoping for a spooky vibe to today’s newsletter, I’ve really gone in the opposite direction, leaning in to bright, fresh and vibrant spring-y recipes to share with you today. Why? Because this week has been a week of good spring things as we head into the final weeks of the season!

Good Spring Things #1 ~ Elderflowers are IN!

Yes, that’s right, those green bushes on the side of the road that now have clumps of white flowers showing are in fact elderflowers, and yes, that means it’s time to get foraging!! I am still yet to find someone who doesn’t like the floral, fruity, citrusy, fresh flavour of elderflower, and it really is the ultimate entry level find for any of the budding foragers amongst you.

This past week, with each day the numbers of flower buds opening up seems to be increasing exponentially, and on Tuesday I managed to get out into my local green spaces with my trusty pair of scissors and tote bag for some elderflower foraging with Beau the greyhound. Honestly, if you’re feeling a little flat, heading out the door into the thick of nature, harvesting some blossoms then heading back to the kitchen to make some elderflower cordial truly is the tonic to boost the spirits.

Around this time last year, I shared an entire newsletter dedicated to elderflower foraging, where I share how to identify and forage for elderflower, as well as some top notch recipes for making your own elderflower cordial and ways to use it in a rice pudding and bundt cake. Be sure to hit the links above to find out more, and I deeply encourage you to make copious amounts of elderflower cordial while the short-lived season is ripe. There truly is nothing more satisfying than a summer glass of elderflower cordial, topped with ice, mint and soda water.

Good Spring Things #2 ~ Asparagus arrival

A very close second to elderflower, when I think of spring plants and produce, would have to be asparagus. As I write this, I’m starting to realise that perhaps I just have a particular fondness for any food that’s season is rather brief, as it makes it feel that little bit extra special whenever it arrives… and asparagus is certainly one of those vegetables that demands your attention, before it’s too late.

Last year I went on a spree of making asparagus salads. I love peeling asparagus lengthways into long thin ribbons to add texture and freshness. Equally, I love grilling asparagus in olive oil or butter in a frying pan until slightly charred, then adding a little water, covering the pan with a lid, and letting the asparagus soften to tenderness while the liquid emulsifies and braises it; chop and toss through bright greens with a punchy Dijon dressing. This past week though, a trip to WOOF bar in Ōtepoti with some pals for the monthly Asian Diner pop-up kitchen takeover saw me eating a whole new take on asparagus that I’d never tried before ~ tempura asparagus served with a lemon herb ranch and pickled peas. The asparagus was presented in its whole form, each stalk coated and fried in a crispy tempura batter that provided a texturally interesting counterpoint to the tender asparagus within. Feeling inspired, this week’s asparagus recipe is an ode to this tempura asparagus… well, at least the whole coating asparagus stalks in a batter and frying it is a parallel. Trying to lean into my Eating Who I Want to Be ‘fearless/brave’ goals this week…

For this week’s recipes, I’m starting with a loosely Mexican inspired take on deep-fried asparagus, that uses chickpea/besan flour for an earthy gluten-free batter. I’ve decided to call it my Crispy crunchy asparagus with green slap sauce, which might sound like an odd name for a sauce, but when I was eating it, my initial thought was ‘this slaps!’ so I decided to roll with it for lack of a better name. In all honesty, while deep-frying asparagus is certainly worth trying, if you can’t be bothered with the faff of heating oil in your home kitchen, you could easily just grill or roast the asparagus in its natural form, and still serve it dolloped with this killer sauce ~ I predict that I’ll be making and eating this green slap sauce for weeks, let me tell you.

Then I’m following this up with an elderflower-minded vegan loaf cake that has bright, fresh, aromatic notes of lemon and thyme to complement the elderflower that hints in the batter and in the drizzle that soaks the warm cake when it comes out of the oven. In all honesty, as great as the cake is, when it comes to a lemon drizzle cake we’re all really there for the lemon icing, and this one is a banger. I’ve detailed it in the recipe for my Lemon, thyme & elderflower drizzle loaf below, but for some reason I couldn’t get this loaf to rise evenly, despite the killer crumb inside and still baking through, so I’ve turned it on its head, so to speak, as my sneaky wee hack for when you cake isn’t quite as level as you’d like it to be :)

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - late lemons, grapefruit, oranges

Asparagus

Avocados

Spring beans & peas

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Beetroot

Early strawberries & blueberries

Spring onions

Last of the onion weed

Early broad beans

Spinach, Salad Greens

Elderflowers

Blood oranges

Early capsicums

Early aubergines

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Brain food:

• tune into Futuresteading ~ a podcast focused on people prominent and humble in food, farming, health and environment, sharing practical advice

• an Australian not-for-profit organisation regenerating food and farming from the ground up.

• fancy sandwiches are #trending in Aotearoa and I’m here for it!

• if you feel like levelling up from elderflower cordial… try elderflower champagne!

• for those looking to give asparagus a go in their own garden, now’s the time to plant

I’m sure by now you’re all well and truly tired of me harping on about spring. Thank goodness that summer is just around the corner… I can’t wait to dive into the edible gifts it has to offer us… and plenty of fresh, flavoursome recipes to come!

Much love,

Alby xx

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Crispy crunchy asparagus with green slap sauce

I spent a good while tossing up whether to fry my asparagus in a tempura or bhaji-style batter, and in the end I opted for the chickpea flour option ~ as it means that this recipe is also gluten-free friendly. The batter is spiced with a blend that’s loosely Mexican inspired, with the additions of cocoa, chilli and allspice, which when blended with the punchy, zingy avocado sauce makes for a nice flavour pairing. The green slap sauce is worth making in its own right - an excellent option to have in your fridge for dipping on demand, or adding to sandwiches, salads or the like.

Hands-on Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

serves 6 as a side

Cost Estimate: $15

Ingredients

Crispy crunchy asparagus

250g chickpea (besan) flour

1 large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 green chilli, finely chopped

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground chilli

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp sea salt

350ml soda water

canola oil, for deep-frying

500g asparagus, woody ends trimmed

Green slap sauce

flesh of 1 large avocado

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

30g sliced pickles/gherkins (from a jar)

30ml pickle juice (from a jar of pickles)

30g fresh coriander, leaves and stalks roughly chopped

20g fresh mint leaves

2 long green chillies, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ small brown onion, finely chopped

½ tsp sea salt

Method

For the sauce, place all ingredients in a tall container and blitz with a stick blender until smooth (alternatively just blitz together in a regular blender); refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the batter, to a large bowl, add the chickpea flour, chopped coriander, chilli, cumin seeds, cocoa, ground coriander, ground chilli, cinnamon, allspice and salt, whisking to evenly incorporate. Add the soda water to form a smooth, relatively thick-yet-pourable batter.

To cook the asparagus, heat 3cm of canola oil in a large high-sided frying pan, saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Ensure it is wide enough to fit the asparagus spears. You want the oil to reach about 175°C – you can measure this with a thermometer or by dropping a blob of batter into the oil: if it sizzles, floats, and starts to brown, the oil is ready. Line a large plate with a paper towel and place beside your frying station. Once the oil is at temperature, using tongs, dip an asparagus spear into the batter to fully coat, then shake to allow any excess batter to drip into the bowl. Place the coated asparagus in the hot oil. Repeat and fry in batches of 7 or 8 at a time (however many will fit in the oil without being overcrowded), for about 4-5 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove the asparagus from the oil with a second pair of tongs and place in a single layer on the paper towel-lined plate to allow any excess oil to drain. Repeat until all the asparagus has been cooked (when I made this I fried the asparagus in three batches), adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature.

Serve the asparagus immediately, arranged on a serving platter with a scattering of chopped coriander, and with the sauce on the side for dipping.

Alby’s Advice:

• make sure you drain the asparagus well after frying, to ensure it stays nice and crispy

• feel free to swap up the spices in the batter with what you have on hand

• wondering why it’s called green slap sauce????? Because it SLAPS!

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Lemon, thyme & elderflower drizzle loaf

Full disclaimer right here, before you get into this recipe. I tested this recipe twice before sharing here, and both times the middle of the loaf sunk a little. Now usually I wouldn’t share a recipe with you for a cake that doesn’t rise evenly, but this loaf was too God damn delicious not to share. The first time I put a channel of olive oil down the middle of the loaf batter before baking (a hack that helps to give loaf cakes a nice even crack), and I thought this might have caused the sinking. The second time I baked it I left this step out, and also adjusted the raising agents - and it still sunk a little. BUT, the loaf still baked nicely otherwise, and the end result was mighty mighty delicious, with a beautiful sturdy crumb. In figuring out how to deal with this sinking issue, I realised that by turning the loaf upside down, by the time it was fully cooled the sunken top had flattened out on the bottom of the loaf - so it can still look pretty AND be delicious! In other words, do not be alarmed if your loaf sinks a little in the middle as it bakes, you'll still be glad you made it when you eat the end result.

I’ve opted for a lemon and elderflower drizzle to bathe the loaf in when it comes out of the oven. In the holes that you prick through the loaf with the skewer, this drizzle will soak into this, giving you pockets of extra moist, flavoursome sponge. This step is entirely optional - feel free to skip the drizzle, as it won’t radically affect the loaf at the end (you’ll just miss out on some of those flavoursome pockets). Make sure you finish it with the icing though, as the sharpness from the lemon against the soft loaf really takes the cake!

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

makes 1 large loaf cake

Cost Estimate: $8

Ingredients

Loaf batter

150ml soy milk

40ml lemon juice

200g caster sugar

finely grated zest of 3 lemons

4 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme

75ml olive oil

60ml elderflower cordial

300g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp sea salt

Drizzle

60ml elderflower cordial

30ml lemon juice

Icing

150g icing sugar

30ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice

fresh thyme leaves, to garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional), with an oven shelf in the lower third of the oven (you want your loaf to be in the centre of the oven when it bakes). Grease lightly with oil and line a regular 900g loaf tin (ie 23cm x 12cm x 7cm) with baking paper. Ensure there is a little baking paper overhanging the edges of the tin, so that the loaf is easily lifted out of the tin once baked.

To make the loaf, place the soy milk and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Whisk together and set aside for 5 minutes to curdle slightly. Place the sugar, lemon zest and thyme in a large bowl. Using your fingers, rub the zest and thyme into the sugar until deeply fragrant. Once the milk has curdled, add this to the sugar, along with the olive oil and elderflower cordial. Whisk well to combine. To another large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, whisking to evenly combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk just to combine. Pour the batter evenly into the lined loaf tin, smoothing the top. Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean - don’t worry if the loaf has sunk a little in the middle, we are going to flip it over later so it will flatten out. Just make sure that it is cooked the whole way through.

As the loaf bakes, make the drizzle. In a jug, whisk together the elderflower cordial and lemon juice to combine; set aside.

Remove the hot loaf from the oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes, then while still warm, use a skewer to prick holes all over the loaf. Pour the drizzle evenly over the loaf, to allow it to soak in. Leave to stand for 15 minutes, then with the help of the baking paper to lift the loaf, remove from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool fully at room temperature. You can peel off the baking paper from the sides to help it cool quicker. Once fully cooled, place the loaf upside down on a serving platter, so the flat base of the loaf is facing upwards.

For the icing, in a small bowl or jug, whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle the icing evenly over the cooled loaf, then sprinkle with a final flourish of fresh thyme leaves. Leave to set for 30 minutes, then slice and serve. Store any leftover loaf in an airtight container at room temperature.

Alby’s Advice:

• If you can’t find elderflower cordial, substitute with an additional 30g caster sugar and an extra 15ml soy milk, and skip the elderflower drizzle step

• You can easily leave out the time, and swap for 1/4 cup poppy seeds for a lemon & poppyseed loaf situation

• I call for the zest of 3 lemons - I used medium-large lemons, so if your lemons are on the smaller size, use 4

easy peasy grapefruit squeezy

In today’s newsletter I’ve got three winning, simple, on-the-table-in-30-minutes-or-less, major for flavour recipes that all get their jazz and zing from one of my favourite (and, in my opinion, one of the most underrated) fruits ~ none other than the big dawg grapefruit. He’s that complex, hard-to-read, sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet, yet always get’s the party going friend that we all have in our lives. If children are oranges and adults are lemons, grapefruit might just be the moody teenager of the citrus family:

• its skin is thicker than others

• the range of taste in different grapefruit varieties is vast, from the sweeter ‘not actually a grapefruit’ NZ grapefruit (poorman’s orange), to the classic ruby red flesh grapefruit, to the ancestral pomelo with its green skin, sweeter flavour and bright pink flesh.

• how its taste is perceived is hugely dependent on the eater. Based on someone’s genetics, bitter-taste receptors may be more sensitive to the bitter notes of grapefruit - for instance my partner gets bitterly disappointed every time I make a meringue pie that he thinks is lemon and then finds I’ve snuck a grapefruit into the filling. Much like a teenager who can split, grapefruits can be rather divisive

• but undoubtedly, especially when grapefruit is used to mingle with more savoury flavours that can moderate or complement its bitterness, it can really bring some good times wow factor to a dish (enter grapefruit star-of-the-show recipes below).

For some reason I’ve always had an affinity for grapefruit. I mean, when I say always, I can’t remember us ever having grapefruit at home growing up in the lower South Island. But at least since I first tried a grapefruit, I’ve had a soft spot for them. Maybe I’m less sensitive to bitterness. Maybe I’m just always rooting for the underdog. Maybe it’s out of sadness for the grapefruits that fall and rot in neighbourhood yards across Hawke’s Bay every year.

Anyhow, I’m on team grapefruit, and I know that the recipes below will convince any of you who are doubters that grapefruits have a lot more going for them than you might think.

I want to be a grapefruit?

For this week’s recipes, I’ve refocused into some of my principles of Eating Who I Want to Be… which has led me to believe that perhaps in eating who I want to be, being a grapefruit might be just that!

These recipes are all deeply rooted in fresh seasonal produce, using either homegrown or Aotearoa produce (ie the carrot salad below used carrots and kale from the garden, coriander from the local Otago farmer’s market, and shallots grown by my mates Erika & Matt in Marlborough).

They try to hit that sweet spot I’m aiming for with being approachable but also interesting, with some new flavour combos this week. They’re also relatively planet-conscious, with minimal cooking involved, and keeping ultra processed ingredients to a minimum (flavour boosters like soy sauce etc. an obvious exception) - even things like tofu, which when made overseas has some intensive processing involved, is made locally and sold in Dunedin at the Otago Farmer’s Market, for less of a production footprint.

Most importantly, the grapefruits themselves that I’ve used are 100% Aotearoa homegrown. It continues to just blow my mind to smithereens when I see someone at the supermarket opt for the US-produced orange that looks perfectly symmetrical and that almost fluoro neon colour, rather than the cheaper in-season NZ oranges next door. Sure, they’re paler and more blemished, but God knows they’re going to taste a million times better, and are better for you, and the planet. For the past month, I’ve been looking at the oranges at the Dunedin Hospital cafeteria (whose food is sadly supplied by the high-flying, under-cutting Compass Group - a multinational BRITISH catering company), and despite it being prime time for the most delicious oranges from the East Coast of the North Island (I was up there a couple of weeks ago at the Gizzy oranges were plentiful and top notch), every time I’ve looked at the oranges, they’ve either been from the USA or Australia! One day I did get an orange just to see what it tasted like, and I kid you not it was up there with the top 5 driest and worst oranges I’d ever tasted. I cry orange tears for this madness. Especially when you’re in a health setting where local food with optimal nutrition is the commonsense best option for patients. If there’s one things I hope that you take away from today (if you don’t already do this), is prioritise buying Aotearoa-grown in-season produce.

Spring can be a slow time for NZ fruit, as we await the glory of summer stone fruit, berries and melons, but try not to be too tempted to purchase imported out of season goods. Be brave with your cooking, and try leaning more into the winter citrus that is still in its prime.

If you’ve ever got grapefruits on hand, they are a great option to use as the base of a quick salad dressing or vinaigrette. Think of it as a substitute for lemon juice or vinegar. In fact, I actually would choose grapefruit over lemon when making a salad dressing, as it has a more complex flavour than its yellow sister ~ its bitter notes often complement other flavour notes in a salad rather nicely.

When thinking about flavours that go well with grapefruit, I find it mingles well with most herbs, but especially mint and coriander. In the realm of spices, chilli, black pepper and ginger go well, as their heat/kick balances the bitterness quite effectively. Similarly, umami flavours like soy sauce or miso paste have a symbiotic effect with the zip and zing of grapefruit that pairs nicely. It also does well with creamy flavours/textures - eg the creaminess of the tofu or Greek yoghurt as seen in the recipes below.

First up today is a great little salad number, my Toasted coconut, cashew, carrot & kale salad with malt-miso-grapefruit dressing. Very versatile, and perfect for bringing to any optimistic late spring barbecues you might be invited to in the coming weeks. It gets some heartiness from the kale that softens beautifully with the grapefruit’s acidity, and different textures and tones from the carrot, toasted coconut, cashews and coriander really amp up the flavour. Malt vinegar is an ingredient that is far too often overlooked, reserved for your mint sauces and the like, but it’s a great ingredient to think more about when making salad dressings. It adds another welcome dimension when combined with the grapefruit and white miso paste in this salad’s dressing.

We’ve also got my Bright tofu with crisp greens and golden grapefruit-soy dressing. Again leaning heavily on grapefruit for the dressing, but the dressing is heated and used to soak the golden raisins which have an even fruitier flavour than regular raisins. Soy sauce and grapefruit juice are a surefire combo, and with the different textures of the crunchy celery and daikon, soft tofu, and crispy garlic/ginger/chilli topping it’s a real journey in the mouth that’s mighty addictive.

And so as not to disappoint the sweet tooth out there, a ridiculously simple (yet very flavourful) quick dessert option with my recipe for Grapefruit with good things & yoghurt. Light and refreshing, perfect for spring eating.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - late lemons, grapefruit, oranges

Asparagus

Avocados

Early spring beans & peas

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Beetroot

Carrots

Early strawberries

Spinach

Spring onions

Onion weed

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Brain food:

• grapefruit origins ~ the forbidden fruit of the Caribbean

• ever thought about the genetics of taste perception?… here’s an interesting systematic review on the topic

• complaining about the price of olive oil? some useful reading for perspective

• the global water crisis we’re not talking about

• for the fish lovers, try this grapefruit & saffron ceviche recipe

As I’m writing the close of this week’s newsletter, I’ve been picking at what’s left of the toasted coconut, carrot and kale salad that’s been sitting on the dining table for the best part of 8 hours ~ can confirm that it is just as good as when I made it this morning. Can’t stop, won’t stop.

I hope you’ve all been enjoying the longer evenings and warmer temps. Cheers to fresh, simple spring eating.

Much love,

Alby xx

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Toasted coconut, cashew, carrot & kale salad with malt-miso-grapefruit dressing

I feel like carrot salads are rather underrated. I love the lack of cooking involved in a classic carrot salad, and carrot brings great texture with a nice balance of sweetness and vegetable savouriness. If you’re looking for an easy, seasonal carrot salad that also feels a little bit fancy (but really isn’t), this is the recipe for you. I’ve opted for a combination of peeled ribbons and grated carrot, which with kale and shallots are soaked in the most gorg dressing. Grapefruit, malt vinegar and miso form its base, and with a heavy dose of toasty nutty coconut, plenty of fresh coriander and some cashews for extra yum, it’s a perfect salad for the spring season while grapefruits are abundant.

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

serves 8 as a side

Cost Estimate: $15

Ingredients

finely grated zest and juice of 1 grapefruit

4 cloves garlic, finely grated/chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp malt vinegar

1 tbsp Shiro (white) miso paste

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground ginger

60 twists of cracked black pepper

3 medium carrots

100g kale, central stalks removed, leaves roughly torn into small bite-sized pieces

2 shallots, sliced thinly into rings

70g thread coconut

1 medium bunch coriander, leaves picked

100g roasted cashews

Method

For the dressing, in a large bowl, whisk together the grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice (should be about 75ml), garlic, olive oil, malt vinegar, miso, maple syrup, ground coriander, ginger and cracked black pepper.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel each carrot lengthways into long ribbons. I do this on one plane of the carrot until I can’t peel any further, then flip the carrot over and peel ribbons on the reverse side. Add to the bowl with the dressing. Grate any remaining carrot (you will be left with some of the core) and add to the bowl. Add the torn kale and shallots, and using your hands, spend a couple of minutes massaging the dressing into the kale and carrot, squeezing to soften and allow the flavours to mingle with the vegetables. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, toast the coconut for a few minutes,tossing occasionally until golden and beautifully toasted. Transfer to a bowl.

To finish the salad, add three quarters of the toasted coconut and most of the coriander leaves to the salad, using tongs to toss through evenly. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and scatter over the remaining toasted coconut, roasted cashews and a final handful of coriander leaves.

Alby’s Advice:

• to make this gluten-free, sub out the malt vinegar for a gluten-free vinegar substitute

• could easily use lemon or lime zest/juice in place of grapefruit - although I do love the slight bitterness that grapefruit adds here

• feel free to use whatever roasted nuts you have on hand.

• this salad will keep well refrigerated if making in advance. Just save some of the toasted coconut and cashews for scattering over when serving.

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Bright tofu with crisp greens and golden grapefruit-soy dressing

This recipe is inspired by a block of silken tofu that sat in my fridge for a whole month, winking at me whenever I opened the door. After a few weeks thinking about what to do with it, I finally landed on the flavours of this recipe ~ part influenced by grapefruit season, part influenced by my celery in the garden that’s currently bolting. I’ve become a big fan of golden raisins since trying them in a celery salad a la Ixta Belfrage recently, and this has loosely inspired the thought behind this dish. The raisins are heated and soaked in a grapefruit, soy, rice wine vinegar and maple liquid that brings the bitter, sweet, salty, savoury and umami, to then be tossed through the crisp, fresh salad and drizzled over the cooling tofu. You could easily serve this atop a bowl of noodles for a more filling main, but it goes great as a light main or sharing plate as is.

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

serves 2 as a main, 4 as a sharing plate

Cost Estimate: $12

Ingredients

finely grated zest of 1 grapefruit

75ml freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

50ml light soy sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

50g golden raisins

4 tbsp canola oil

1 long green chilli, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

20g fresh ginger, peeled, sliced thinly and chopped into long strips

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 large celery stalk/rib, diced into thin 5mm pieces

4 spring onions, sliced diagonally into 2cm pieces

75g daikon radish, thinly sliced into rounds with a mandoline

300g soft/silken tofu, drained and sliced into 1-2cm thick rectangles

Method

For the dressing, place the grapefruit zest, juice, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup and raisins in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil and simmer vigorously for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes, to allow the raisins to soak and become plump.

Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chilli, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until the aromatics are golden, crisp and fragrant. Pour the oil and crispy bits into a bowl and set aside to cool.

Place the celery, spring onion and daikon in a large bowl. Pour over two thirds of the dressing and the raisins. Toss through and leave for a few minutes to let the flavours mingle and the salad soften a little.

To serve, arrange the tofu down the centre of a lipped serving platter, with the slices slightly overlapping. Spoon the salad and its dressing around the tofu. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the tofu to evenly coat. To finish, spoon the crispy aromatics and their oil down the length of the tofu. Serve at room temperature ~ either on its own for a light meal, or with noodles for a more filling main.

Alby’s Advice:

• Golden raisins can be found at some supermarkets, Indian food stores and other specialty food stores. Alternatively you can use regular raisins.

• This dressing goes excellently with many other combos - even just tossed through simple salad greens.

• You could easily swap the tofu for some baked fish or poached chicken as a meat-based alternative.

Grapefruit with good things & yoghurt

Sometimes it’s nice to keep life sweet and simple. As much as I love extravagant desserts and comfort bakes, I truly believe that something as simple as fresh fruit made a little bit special can be equally satisfying. In the method, I’ve given instructions on how to supreme a grapefruit - if you’re wanting to learn a new skill and make the grapefruit segments extra clean and fancy. As you can tell in the pic above, I did a very loose supreme when photographing this recipe, hence why there’s still plenty of pith on the outer edges. Still tastes just as good.

Hands-on Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

serves 2-4 as a light sharing dessert or as part of a breakfast spread (easily doubled)

Cost Estimate: $4

Ingredients

1 large NZ grapefruit, peeled and sliced into segments

2 tbsp honey

¼ tsp chilli flakes

1 small handful mint leaves, sliced thinly

150g unsweetened natural Greek yoghurt

sea salt flakes, to finish

Method

To supreme the grapefruit (cut into clean segments), trim the bottom and top so you have a flat surface to the grapefruit with some flesh exposed. Place cut side up on a board and following the contour of the grapefruit, slice lengthwise between the flesh and peel to remove the peel and pith. Holding the grapefruit over a medium bowl, to catch the juices, slice along the edge of a membrane (this is what separates each segment) towards the centre of the fruit. Do the same along the adjacent membrane so the cuts meet, releasing the segment into the bowl below (you may need to use your hands to release the segment). Repeat, slicing along the edge of each membrane to release all of the segments. Discard the leftover membrane/pith. 

Place the honey and chilli flakes in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt the honey until just starting to bubble, then pour the honey and chilli flakes over the grapefruit segments and their juice. Add the mint, gently toss to coat the grapefruit evenly, and set aside for 10 minutes.

To serve, spoon the yoghurt onto the base of a lipped serving plate, spreading out with the back of a spoon. Top with the grapefruit segments and drizzle over any remaining liquid from the bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve immediately -  place in the centre of the table with spoons for sharing.

Alby’s Advice:

• Be sure to cut the grapefruit into segments over a bowl - this can get a little messy, but you want to catch all those juices so they can mingle with the warm honey.

• Can easily swap out the grapefruit for orange, mandarin, lemon etc.

• It might seem odd, but the sprinkling of sea salt flakes really lifts this!

• swap the honey for 1 tbsp maple syrup and use Greek-style coconut yoghurt if wanting this to be vegan.

live laugh love… it’s onion weed season!

I’ve spoken in the past about my unparalleled love for spring as my favourite season, and with the arrival of daylight savings this past weekend, after just one week of long light evenings I’m already feeling my mood lift: recharged and ready to go from its winter hibernation.

On Monday I walked home from work, 5.44pm through the door and straight away hopped in the car with Beau the greyhound out to our favourite local beach. After an hour of walkies, beach runs, near miss sea lion confrontations and ocean frolicking, the sun was still smiling at us from the sky. My what a difference it makes.

For me, the anticipation of spring feeling fully present (which I argue doesn’t happen until October!) has been lingering for many weeks now. There’s a multitude of changes in the nature around me, primarily in the flora, that triggers this joyful sense of spring anticipation for me. And one of these is seeing the long, linear, fleshy green leaves of the onion weed that begin to pop up and dominate the borders of garden beds and the undergrowth of urban forests. Released from their dormancy, having been kept silent since the Summer before.

It is then around early-mid September that their bell-shaped white flowers have appeared, and since I first spotted them I’ve been waiting desperately for full blown onion weed season to announce itself, to share some new onion weed-inspired recipes with my newsletter whānau. Thank goodness that time has arrived!

Full disclaimer, this is not the first newsletter I’ve written that’s featured onion weed in it, as around this time last year I did an edition focused on spring foraging, with recipes that utilised foraged magnolia petals and wild onion weed. But there’s a whole lot of new arrivals to to the newsletter whānau since then, so for those who are new to or less familiar with onion weed, I thought I’d give a brief run down of what it’s all about.

Onion Weed, not to be confused with related Wild Onion or Wild Garlic, is a grass-like perennial that springs into life around September, identifiable by its white drooping bell-shaped flowers and long, thin, straight leaves. It tends to like growing in relatively damp, shady environments, and can often be found at the ends of abandoned gardens, near streams, or at the edges of urban woodland areas.

Onion Weed can be treated like spring onion in cooking ~ the bulb, stem, leaves and flowers are all edible and carry a flavour similar to onion/garlic (hence the name). Perfect for tossing through stir-frys, blitzing into pesto, using as a base for soups/pastas, mixing into fritters, or coating in a tempura batter to quickly fry.

Essentially, what I recommend at this time of year is to abandon purchasing anything in the realm of spring onions, and instead do some foraging in your local radius to see if you can spy some onion weed that’s ripe for the picking. Follow from the flowers down to the base of the stem and pull up the entire plant, as you would a spring onion from the ground, bulb and all. I acknowledge that depending where in Aotearoa you live, the supply of wild onion weed may be variable. I can’t remember it being especially prominent in the dryer climate of Hawke’s Bay, for instance, whereas it’s everywhere you look in Ōtepoti right now.

what can I cook with onion weed?

As I mentioned above, onion weed can be used just as you would spring onion, while being mindful of it’s more pungent garlicky flavour. In the new onion weed recipes I’m sharing with you this week, I’ve opted to simply char the onion weed in a hot cast iron pan for a few minutes. This helps to gently soften the onion weed, which adds to its sweetness and reduces any potential bitterness, while the charring also adds flavour. You don’t need to oil the pan or anything, so this really is the simplest way to cook it. Equally though, it can be used fresh as you would a spring onion (I often reach down, snip a stem off, and munch away on it as I’m walking Beau the greyhound around the neighbourhood). It’s great in salads, wraps, with avocado on toast, added with ginger and garlic to hot oil to make an aromatic perfect for drizzling over soups and salads as a flavour boost.

One of the recipes I shared last year, which is still a favourite way to cook with onion weed, is my Wild onion weed bhajis with date, soy + tamarind chutney. I received the nicest message ever (thanks Alex) to hear that a group of school kids in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara had made this dipping sauce in their Garden to Table session, and apparently were eating it with a spoon they loved it so much! If that’s not reason to try this recipe, then I don’t know what is.

Every year or two, most Aotearoa media outlets also remember just how darn useful and delicious onion weed is and share a few ideas with how to cook with it… here’s a couple of links if you’re keen to read some more about it:

• Why you should be cooking with this weed, according to chefs

• Why you should be eating onion weed

• Weeds you can eat: Onion Weed

For this year’s onion weed edition (I can foresee that if this newsletter continues for perpetuity, onion weed week is probably going to remain an annual occurrence), I’ve aimed for recipes that use flavours I feel compliment the natural savoury garlic flavour of the onion weed, while keeping it simple, plant-based and most importantly delicious. If you’re cooking onion weed for a crowd (ie your next dinner party), then you can’t go past my Charred onion weed with cashews, curry leaves & gochujang ripple labneh (recipe below). And if it’s more Friday night snacking onion weed vibes you’re looking for, then my recipe for Onion weed, triple herb & avo dip, paired with my homemade lemon, miso & poppy seed crackers will be your everything. It’s an onion weed partay!!!!!!!! But equally, just chop and through them into anything and everything at this time of year (as far as I’m aware there is no great harm that will come to you from excess onion weed consumption - trust me, I’m quite experienced in this matter!).

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - late lemons, grapefruit, oranges

Early asparagus

Avocados

Early spring beans & peas

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Beetroot

Carrots

Early strawberries

Spinach

Spring onions

Onion weed

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Brain food:

• further research on the impacts of metabolism & diet on our mood - flipping the script on how we view mood disorders. Watch this space! (thanks aunty Mon for sharing with me)

• For when you’re next dining out in Wellington… on a good day…

• Forget food foraging… what about ‘Sense Foraging’ to promote mental wellness, have a read.

• Important research to start soon, looking at whether current Aotearoa New Zealand food policies promote healthy, sustainable diets

• If there’s one onion weed recipe to make this spring, this is it!!

One last reminder that the onion weed foraging season is a fleeting one, so make the most of it - you don’t want to end up in November crying into your onion weed-less pie with onion weedy regrets now, do you.

It’s also time to start casting your eyes about for the first signs of elderflower, little white heads popping up from their green foliage… my goodness I love spring! Here’s to long nights and laughs ahead.

Much love,

Alby xx

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Charred onion weed with cashews, curry leaves & gochujang ripple labneh

We all know how much I love a sharing plate, especially one that’s layered with texture, tang and tonnes of flavour. This recipe follows the three-layer concept I share in my cookbook Good Vibes, where the anatomy of a sharing plate is broken down into the ‘base’, the ‘body’ and the ‘lift’. Here, a thick, creamy labneh is swirled with a flavour bomb gochujang sauce to form the base, with charred onion weeds as the body and crunchy cashews & curry leaves as the final ‘lift’. Perfect for your next spring sharing spread, while onion weed season is hot!

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight for the labneh)

serves 6 as a side

Cost Estimate: $12 (if using foraged wild onion weed)

Ingredients

300g wild onion weed (about 12), ends trimmed

1 tbsp canola oil

100g roasted salted cashews

20 curry leaves

1 tsp maple syrup

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 large handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Gochujang ripple labneh

500g unsweetened Greek yoghurt (unsweetened Greek-style coconut yoghurt if vegan)

½ tsp sea salt

1 tbsp gochujang

2 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp lemon juice

½ tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

finely grated zest of ½ lemon

Method

Prepare the labneh the day prior. Place the yoghurt and sea salt in a bowl and mix to combine. Line a sieve with doubled cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour the salted yoghurt into the cheesecloth, fold the corners over to cover and place a gentle weight on top (e.g. a mug or block of butter). Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours (or up to 3 days) to allow some liquid to strain from the yoghurt. 

The next day, for the gochujang ripple, in a small bowl whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger and garlic until well combined; set aside - you will use this to swirl through the labneh when serving. Remove the yoghurt from the fridge, bring the corners of the cheesecloth together and holding it over a sink, twist to squeeze out any extra liquid. Transfer the thickened yoghurt (labneh) to a bowl, add the lemon zest and whisk until smooth; set aside.

Place a large frying pan over high heat. You want it really hot. Cut the onion weed in half horizontally, so that it can fit in the pan. Add half the onion weed to the hot pan, arranging in a single layer. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning once or twice, until softened and nicely charred in places. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining onion weed.

Leave the frying pan to cool for a couple of minutes off the heat, then return over medium heat with the canola oil. Once hot, add the cashews, curry leaves and turmeric to the pan. Cook for a minute, tossing to coat the cashews evenly with the turmeric. Drizzle over the maple syrup and fry for a further minute or two, tossing through to coat, until the curry leaves are crispy and cashews starting to turn deeply golden in places. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the coriander and toss through.

To serve, spoon the labneh onto the base of a large serving platter, spreading it out into a large disc with the back of a spoon. Drizzle over the gochujang mixture, and use the back of the spoon to swirl and ripple it through the labneh. Arrange the warm charred onion weed on top and scatter over the turmeric cashews and curry leaves. Serve immediately.

Alby’s Advice:

• Use Greek-style coconut yoghurt (I like the Raglan brand) to make this vegan

• Feel free to roast and salt your own cashews for this recipe (as I often do) - for convenience though you can use ready salted/roasted cashews.

• Use spring onions as a substitute for wild onion weed, if it’s out of onion weed season or it doesn’t grow in your local area.

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Onion weed, triple herb & avo dip

Love love love that it’s avocado season in Aotearoa again. This dip is a great creamy number, with the richness of avocado and sour cream/yoghurt proving a solid combo with soft spritely herbs and a bit of zing and punch from the lemon and chilli. The perfect canvas to show off the wonder of onion weed. If you’re in the mood to make your own homemade crackers, my Lemon, miso & poppy seed crackers (recipe below) makes a crackin’ pair with this dip.

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

serves 8-10 as a dip

Cost Estimate: $12.50

Ingredients

300g wild onion weed (about 12), ends trimmed

200g sour cream or yoghurt (use coconut yoghurt if vegan)

flesh of 2 large ripe avocados

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

40g fresh coriander (stalks and leaves)

20g mint leaves

20g flat-leaf parsley leaves

4 cloves garlic, chopped

50ml + 2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp sea salt

1 long green chilli, sliced thinly

Method

Place a large frying pan over high heat. You want it really hot. Cut the onion weed in half horizontally, so that it can fit in the pan. Add half the onion weed to the hot pan, arranging in a single layer. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning once or twice, until softened and nicely charred in places. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining onion weed.

Place the sour cream (or yoghurt), avocado, lemon zest, lemon juice, coriander, mint, parsley, garlic, 50ml olive oil and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz to form a herb-flecked, relatively smooth dip. Take two thirds of the charred onion weed and roughly chop. Add to the food processor and pulse a couple of times to mix through the dip - you want the onion weed to keep some texture. Transfer the dip to a wide serving bowl. Using the back of a spoon, spread out to cover the bowl, with a well in the middle. Arrange the remaining onion weed in the well. Place the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced chilli and leave to bubble for a minute or two until the chilli is fragrant and turning golden. Pour the warm chilli and oil over and around the onion weed and dip. Serve with your favourite crackers for dipping.

Alby’s Advice:

• Use Greek-style coconut yoghurt to make this dip vegan.

• Be sure to blitz the onion weed through the dip enough that it’s mixed nicely through but retains some texture.

• Feel free to adjust the ratios of herbs that you use based on what you have on hand. You can equally use lime zest/juice instead of lemon, also.

Lemon, miso & poppy seed crackers

This is my first foray into crackers, loosely inspired by an Anna Jones cracker recipe from her 2015 cookbook A Modern Way to Cook, which opts for rolled oats and chia seeds that act as a binding agent when the water is added (ie no flour, egg etc. is needed here!). I’ve decided to amp up the flavour by using miso and lemon, plus adjusted some of the other ratios and components to balance it all out. These are certainly moreish crackers - great to have on hand for when dipping or platters are required at short notice.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

makes 2 large trays of crackers

Cost Estimate: $15 (cheaper if you use rolled oats instead of quinoa flakes)

Ingredients

150g quinoa flakes

150g larger seeds (e.g. pumpkin, sunflower, or a mix)

75g buckwheat

75g chia seeds

75g poppy seeds

2 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

50g Shiro (white) miso paste

50ml olive oil

100ml lemon juice

flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Line two large oven trays with baking paper.

Place the oat flakes, pumpkin/sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, coriander seeds and lemon zest in a large bowl. Toss together with a spoon to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk the miso paste with 50ml boiling water to dissolve. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and 150ml cold water to the miso, whisking to combine. Pour the liquid into the seed mixture and mix to evenly coat the dry ingredients with the liquid. Leave for 10 minutes, to allow the chia seeds and oats to soften with the liquid and bind everything together.

Tip the mixture out onto the two lined oven trays, half on each. Using your hands, spread the mixture out to as thin as possible, about 3-4mm thick, ensuring an even thickness. Sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt and bake for about 45-50 minutes, swapping the trays at halfway, until firm, crisp and deeply golden. Remove from the oven, leave to cool fully, then break into crackers. Store in an airtight container.

Alby’s Advice:

• Be sure to spread out the crackers nice and thin (otherwise the crackers will be too soft and bendy). Also ensure the centre is baked through fully and firm/crisp before removing from the oven. If you’re worried the crackers aren’t going to crisp up completely in the middle, when you swap the trays at halfway, you can flip each cracker spread upside down, peel off the baking paper and bake bottom side up for the remaining time.

• I’ve opted for quinoa flakes to keep these crackers gluten free, but you could use oat flakes or fine rolled oats as an alternative. They are also vegan!

• Also feel free to mix up the types of seeds you use in these crackers - eg black or white sesame seeds, linseeds etc. Just ensure you keep the quinoa flakes (or rolled oats) and chia seeds the same, as they absorb the moisture to hold the crackers together.

garden to table to you.

This week’s newsletter starts where all good things begin ~ in the māra kai.

For months and months, from sun to frost to gales and sleet, with the change of three seasons, we’ve watched as our little patch of celeriac (props to Alex for planting it at the beginning of this year) staunchly grow. It’s no radish or rocket - it’s certainly a crop where you’re in it for the long haul.

I must say that I’ve always struggled with understanding root vegetables fully. They’re curious fellows, forever playing hide and seek under the soil until they get a little too brazen in their hiding spots and start to poke the tops of their heads out above the soil. I cry for the times in the past where I’ve pulled out carrots too early and been left with something the size of a skinny thimble.

Because such time investment has been made in our celeriac, I’ve been particularly apprehensive to pull them up, for fears that despite their full heads of hair (celery-like leaves) they unknown unseen might be dwindling and stunted. So I’ve really been putting off harvesting them. With the dawning of mid-September spring, where the shift of the growing season feels well and truly here, and my tulips are starting to open on the wall next to the celeriac, this week it suddenly found like the right time to pull our celeriac babies up from the soil… and low and behold, they’d grown into regular size adults! Who knew such joy could come from holding a vegetable?

how on earth do you cook a celeriac?

Segway to the next question I was then asking myself… what can I cook with my special celeriac?! The pressure to do it justice suddenly felt all too real, and thus the journey for the celeriac recipe I’m sharing with you today began.

Briefly, for those who are less familiar with celeriac, here’s some info bites about this quirky vegetable:

• Celeriac is a root vegetable closely related to celery (hence the similarity in their leaf and stalk structure.

• Celeriac can be eaten raw (where it has a crunch, freshness and slight bitterness, similar to celery) or cooked (where it takes on a more earthy sweetness).

• Its growing period is usually from late spring/early summer, where it is then ready for harvest through the winter months, following a 5-8 month growing period.

• If eating raw, I suggest peeling the skin then slicing up into matchsticks for tossing through salads, or slicing thinly with a mandolin. When roasting (either whole or in steaks, as in my recipe below) you can leave the skin on - it softens to edible deliciousness.

I thought I’d talk you through my process for answering this question, what can I cook with my special celeriac?, and the steps in creating my celeriac recipe that I’m sharing with you today.

I have cooked celeriac once previously. I picked a celeriac up last year from the local market, and straight away knew what recipe I was going to try ~ as I’d eyed it up a year or two prior in one of my favourite books: Celeriac Steaks with Café de Paris Sauce from Ottolenghi & Ixta Belfrage’s Flavour cookbook. In their recipe the celeriac is slow-roasted whole, and then sliced into steaks that you then grill to caramelised perfection. Paired with a creamy, zingy sauce with big lemon and caper flavour, it’s a great recipe. So this was the initial base of celeriac cooking experience I had to launch from.

I then went about some research on the different ways that celeriac can be cooked and eaten. I quickly decided that for the recipe I was to share with you all, I wanted to cook the celeriac, as I thought this may be more useful/educational than just giving you a recipe for a celeriac slaw which might be pretty self-explanatory. As I often do, I stumbled upon some interesting recipes from some of my favourite cooks that utilise celeriac, each where it was prepared in different ways:

• Anna Jones (queen of vegetable-centred home cooking) has a delicious-looking and sounding recipe for celeriac burgers, where celeriac steaks are first boiled in salted water then grilled on the barbecue with a sticky barbecue sauce.

• Ottolenghi has another interesting celeriac recipe, where raw celeriac is pickled with lime juice and rice wine vinegar, and whole roast celeriac is cut up into wedges and roasted again. The two are then brought together with a a sweet chilli dressing.

• Richard Makin, vegan columnist for Olive magazine, opts to marinate the celeriac for a few hours, before roasting the marinated steaks.

So as I often do, I heeded the advice and techniques of these cooks, looked through some of my cookbooks to get some further inspiration, then conjured up my own interpretation of the celeriac steak ~ which I’m so excited to share with you this week, my Celeriac steaks with harissa, mint, lemon & coconut:

• To save time, I’ve opted to roast the celeriac in its steak form (as 2 hours to roast a whole celeriac on a busy weeknight just wasn’t the vibe).

• I decided not to peel the celeriac (to reduce waste), and the skin actually adds a wonderful texture once roasted and softened.

• I chose to roast the celeriac at a slightly higher oven temperature than others have, as I really wanted to go for extra caramelisation, to amp up the flavour.

• On the flavour side, I wanted to bring some umami, so brushing the celeriac with a harissa, tomato-ey, soy, maple marinade was where I chose to go. I then leaned into the herby, capersy, lemony notes of the Ottolenghi Café de Paris Sauce with a mint & lemon salsa (salsa verde esque) which really brightens with the roasted celeriac. And to cool it all off a turmeric tahini cream that pops with colour, and bolsters the natural creamy nuttiness that the celeriac brings.

I so hope you’re able to find a celeriac at your local market or produce seller to give this recipe a whirl!

spring has sprung and I’m in lavender love

I’m loving the early morning walks around my neighbourhood at this time of year, where the feeling of spring is well and truly abound. It’s that sweet spot in the morning right before daylight savings starts, where it’s light and bright at 6.45am, after a winter of cold darkness that always feels a bit bloody rude when I roll out of bed. Down the end of the road, a big old lavender bush is now in full bloom, and often when I’m walking by, as I also do with any rosemary bush I stumble upon, I briefly rub one of the lavender flowers gently with my fingers and inhale their perfume. It’s amazing what it does to lift my spirits, even when it’s still 8 degrees in Dunedin.

While conscious that the lavender flowers are very much for the plant and the bees at this time of year, given the copious amounts of lavender screaming out at me, I couldn’t get over the thought of lavender cookies (that had been bouncing around my head since the lavender started flowering), so picked a handful of flowers to experiment with.

The result is the second recipe I’m sharing with you this week, my Lemon, lavender & caramelised white chocolate cookies. Lemon in a cookie might sound like an unusual choice to some, let alone lavender as well, but this surprising combination is truly incredible. The lemon does a good job at balancing the sweetness of the cookie and caramelised white chocolate, and the lavender adds a more complex rounded flavour and wonderful fragrance that really does add to the cookie eating experience. I tested these cookies on a few of my tennis mates yesterday, and the consensus was that they could actually get the lavender in them - which is what I was hoping for! If you can’t get your hands on any lavender, these cookies are still very much worth making even without it.

may I order one ‘pup’ cake please

In other news this week, Beau the greyhound managed to do the rounds on the media circuit in celebration of SPCA Cupcake Day, which was celebrated around the country on Wednesday 18th September. Beau was heard on breakfast radio with the Breeze, and also made a few appearances on social media as a poster child for the cupcake fundraiser. For those who haven’t seen him enjoying his ‘pup’ cakes, have a watch of the video below.

SPCA is an incredible organisation that do awesome mahi in preventing animal cruelty and rehabilitating Aotearoa animals who are sick, injured, abused or abandoned. While the ‘official’ cupcake day has been and gone, you can still sign-up and participate in cupcake day for the next month (the idea is that you bake for your mates and ask them to give a donation to SPCA in exchange for the deliciousness you share with them); or equally you can donate to the fundraiser directly through their website.

In helping Beau to get amongst the cupcake day action, I’ve created a plant-based ‘pup’ cake recipe that’s perfect to make for your favourite pooch for their next special occasion. Rather than using refined sugars (that aren’t the best thing for your dog), they’re packed full of banana, apple, peanut butter, and honey/maple syrup for sweetness. Unlike a lot of ‘pup’ cakes out there which aren’t so palatable to the human taste, these are actually just really nice cupcakes to make for yourself any day of the week too. Super easy recipe, fluffy and neatly spiced (yes, dogs can eat things like cinnamon, turmeric and ginger in small amounts, yay for anti-inflammatory properties! - I don’t suggest you try the cinnamon challenge with your pooch though), with the easiest peanut butter-yoghurt whip icing ever. One for the peanut butter lovers out there!

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Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - late lemons, grapefruit, oranges

Early asparagus

Avocados

Last of the leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Celery

Mushrooms

Spinach

Celeriac

Spring onions

Onion weed

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Brain food:

• a new food waste app initiative - could be heading your way soon

• could you eat only NZ-made food for a year… or a lifetime?

• some Te Reo Māori kai-centric words to learn - bring te reo into your kīhini or wharekai

• for the Ottolenghi fans, try before you buy with these comfort recipes from his new book

That’s it from me for this week, I do hope you find some satisfaction in giving these recipes a go - for the celeriac and lavender sceptics, be brave, you’ve got this!

Right now, as I write these letters, I’m sitting anxiously beside my work phone, waiting for the call that’s surely soon to come to start my Sunday shift…

… good thing I’ve got some lemon & lavender cookie dough balls in the freezer to look forward to when I get home. I hope you’ve got something similarly delicious or comforting to look forward to at the end of your day too.

Much love,

Alby xx

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Celeriac steaks with harissa, mint, lemon & coconut

This is a lovely recipe to make when you’re wanting a vegan meal that feels a little bit special - a little bit fancy, but without too much faff. The celeriac takes on this wonderful sweet earthiness when roasted, which pairs terrifically with the zingy bite of the salsa, umami marinade and cooling turmeric tahini cream that it’s served with. It’s also plant-based, so a great vegan option for a special occasion.

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

serves 4 as a main (2 celeriac steaks each)

Cost Estimate: $24

Ingredients

2 medium celeriac (about 500g each), hairy roots discarded and scrubbed very clean

3 tbsp olive oil

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp rose harissa paste

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tsp tomato paste

1 tsp ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

Turmeric tahini cream

200ml coconut cream

50g tahini

juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp cracked black pepper

large pinch of sea salt

Mint & lemon salsa

4 cloves garlic

1 small green chilli

2 tbsp capers

20g mint leaves (from 1 medium bunch)

20g flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 1 medium bunch)

75ml olive oil

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

sea salt, to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced (or 210°C conventional). Line a large rimmed oven tray with baking paper.

For the steaks, cut each celeriac into four 2cm thick steaks, so you have 8 steaks. You do not need to peel the celeriac. Score shallow lines in a criss-cross pattern on both sides of each steak - this will help the marinade to soak into the steaks. Place the celeriac steaks on the lined roasting dish in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, harissa, maple syrup, soy sauce, tomato paste, cumin and garlic to form a smooth marinade. Brush half the marinade evenly over the top side of the steaks. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn each celeriac steak over. Brush the top of each steak evenly with the remaining marinade and roast for a further 20 minutes until golden and caramelised.

For the salsa, in a mortar and pestle (or blender), pound together the garlic, chilli and capers. Add the mint and parsley and bash together to form a rough chunky paste. Gradually add the olive oil to emulsify and finally stir through the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with a little sea salt.

To make the cream, in a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients until smooth and well combined; set aside.

To serve, spoon the turmeric tahini cream onto the base of each plate. Top with the celeriac steaks and spoon over the mint & lemon salsa. Serve immediately.

Alby’s Advice:

• Feel free to dial back the maple syrup or dial up the soy sauce in the marinade for the steaks, depending how sweet or umami you’’d like it to be.

• This recipe can easily be saved (ie just cook one celeriac and use half the marinade. It’s worth making plenty of the salsa as this goes terrifically with many things - this past week I’ve been eating it on toast with avo and chilli oil.

• If you can’t get your hands on celeriac, you could try roasted parsnip or butternut pumpkin as an alternative - although nothing quite compares.

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Lemon, lavender & caramelised white chocolate cookies

These cookies are an absolute doozy of a recipe. Floral, fragrant, rich, crispy-yet-chewy, warming and oh so delicious. The lavender adds a lovely floral back note to the more forward lemon, which pairs perfectly with the warmth of the caramelised white chocolate. You can easily leave out the lavender if hard to find.

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

makes 18 medium cookies

Cost Estimate: $12.50

Ingredients

200g caster sugar

100g soft brown sugar

1 tbsp lavender petals*, plus extra for sprinkling

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

200g butter, softened to room temperature

1 egg

300g plain flour

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp sea salt

250g caramelised white chocolate, roughly chopped into 1-2cm chunks

sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Line a small tray (one that will fit in your freezer) with baking paper. 

Place the sugars, lavender and lemon zest in a large bowl. Using your hands, rub the lavender and lemon into the sugar until wonderfully fragrant. Add the butter and with an electric hand or stand mixer, beat for 3 minutes until fluffy, creamy and well combined. Add the egg and beat for a further minute until mixed through evenly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a wooden spoon, fold the dry ingredients into the wet and mix to form a soft cookie dough. Add the chocolate, stirring through the cookie dough until evenly distributed. Roll the mixture into balls (about 60g each, just bigger than a golf ball), ensuring a piece of chocolate is at the top of each, as this will give you pools of chocolate on your cookies. Place on the lined tray, ensuring they are not touching, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes until firm to the touch and chilled.

Line two large oven trays with baking paper. Once chilled, arrange 6-8 balls of cookie dough onto each tray, evenly spaced at least 5cm apart, as they will spread during baking. Bake for about 16 minutes, swapping the trays at halfway, until turning golden brown on the edges and slightly cracked on top. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with extra lavender petals and sea salt flakes, and if you want to ‘scoot’ your cookies (see note below), do so now. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookie dough balls, or you can leave these in the freezer in an airtight bag/container for future cookies on demand; you do not need to defrost, just simply bake from frozen (they keep well frozen for up to 6 months).

Alby’s Advice:

• If desired, you can ‘scoot’ your cookies to make them perfectly round - as soon as they come out of the oven, take a round glass or cutter with an opening just larger than the cookies, place upside down to enclose the cookie (like capturing an insect), and keeping contact with the baking tray, move the glass in a circle so that it nudges some of the uneven edges of the cookie inwards to form a perfect circle.

• I like to make, roll and freeze the cookie dough in advance, so on a cosy evening I can take a few balls of cookie dough out of the freezer and bake immediately.

• *you can use either fresh or dried lavender petals. I used fresh petals for these cookies, taken from a bush down the road and petals plucked from their stems. For dried lavender, just let the flowers sit on the kitchen bench in the sun for a day or two then rub between your hands to let the petals separate.

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Peanut butter, apple & banana ‘Pup’ cakes

A great plant-based cupcake recipe that’s perfect for dogs and humans a like. It’s packed full of the natural sweetness of apple, banana and honey/maple syrup, and topped with an easy peanut butter and yoghurt whip that could not be simpler to make. Your pups and pals are gonna love these!

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

makes 10 cupcakes

Cost Estimate: $8

Ingredients

‘Pup’ cakes

200g mashed ripe banana flesh (from 2 small-medium ripe bananas)

75g grated apple (from 1 small-medium apple)

75g peanut butter

75g honey, melted (or maple syrup if vegan)

75ml canola oil

150g plain or wholemeal flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground turmeric

Peanut yoghurt icing

100g natural unsweetened Greek yoghurt (use coconut yoghurt if vegan)

100g peanut butter

1 tbsp honey, melted (or maple syrup if vegan)

chopped roasted peanuts or toasted thread coconut, to decorate

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Line a twelve-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases (you will have enough batter for about 10 cupcakes).

In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, grated apple, peanut butter, honey and oil until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently fold together until just combined. Spoon into each cupcake case, so it is ⅔ full (you will likely have a little extra batter leftover). You should have about 10 cupcakes. Bake for about 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean.

For the icing, in a small bowl whisk together the ingredients until well combined and whipped. Refrigerate until needed. When your cupcakes have cooled, dollop some of the icing on top of each cupcake, and sprinkle with some chopped peanuts or toasted coconut (if desired). Give to your dog (or human) to devour.

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Bread is love. Bread is life.

Just last night, I had a couple of special friends over for dinner. After a brief moment of consternation in trying to plan what I would cook, I realised that it was the perfect opportunity to open a VERY special bottle of extra virgin olive oil, Aotearoa-made and grown, pressed from the trees of my friend’s whānau in Mangapai. It felt criminal to use in the main course dishes, but it provided the perfect inspiration for how to bookend the meal.

At the close, its fresh greenness drizzled over a simple lemon and vanilla panna cotta with a sprinkling of thyme & almond crumble. And to start, swirls of hummus and whipped yoghurt in which the olive oil was poured and pooled; glistening under the dining room light. But who would dive and dip into its golden depths?

The flour was promptly scattered on the dining table and before long my friends were put to work, rolling out a quick yoghurt-based flatbread dough. First there was a circle. Next a love heart. Then a rather impressive flatbread butterfly was rolled. Into the hot cast iron pan they went. Smoke alarm blaring. Silenced. Puff, flip, flop onto the plate.

The flatbreads were shared and torn, hands to bread to oil, dipped and scooped and brought to lips. You could taste the love.

We had made and broken bread together. Bread that became a vessel for connection; collecting the oil and connecting us to my friend’s whānau, their labour of love, into our puku and manawa.

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Bread has united us as humans since the dawn of time (or at least since 10,000 BC, according to wikipedia lol). It’s not a new concept. But in pondering this week’s newsletter, the thought of dipping that bread in that glorious olive oil had me thinking a lot about bread. And it was then that I realised: when looking back on the week that had been, the most memorable connections I had made with others, had all featured bread!!

Bread is mahi

I went and met with Te Oranga Tonu Tanga, the Ōtepoti Māori Mental Health team, and as they welcomed me into their whare, one of their staff members had just picked up a freshly baked loaf of sourdough from Yours - a worker-owned and managed café/venue that imagines a better food system and provides space for radical action, music, art and cooperation (and who make daily bread they sell for koha - bread as community). Sharing parāoa together was something simple, that somehow felt really special.

Bread is whānau

One of the neat things about being in Ōtepoti, is that after years away in the North Island I now live pretty close to my Dad, which means getting to spend Father’s Day together (ps I hope all the fathers reading this had a cracker of a day). My Dad’s been wanting to take me on a road trip through the Nenthorn Valley for a couple of months now - even Beau the greyhound had been there with him before me! - so with the sun shining, we went for a father-son drive together. The ute weaved through the undulating tussock-soaked hills, scattered with impressive rock formations. Schist, dust, gusts and golden views. Not another car in sight for 70km, the area really is a hidden gem of East Otago (and only 45 minutes north of Dunedin). After panoramic views we found ourselves at Macraes (my first time in adult memory visiting here), famous for its gold and mining history. And with the dogs free to run around at a nearby reserve, we found a table and set up for a picnic lunch under the mightily impressive Haast Eagle Sculpture crafted by NZ sculptor Mark Hill.

Dad was on thermos duty, and I had packed us some homemade vegan Belgium squares and some rather handsome-looking focaccia sandwiches. It’s not all that often I get to spend a whole day one-on-one with my Dad, and eating bread I had made, together, under the watchful eye of the Haast Eagle, dogs running around at our feet, was rather meaningful. And of course, then finished off with a beer at the Macraes pub before making our journey home. These focaccia sandwiches are the inspiration for this week’s recipes.

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Bread is community

The other absolute highlight of my week also very very much owes itself to the wonders of bread. A connection with a local Ōtepoti food lover and advocate for reducing food waste (that was formed when she came along to my event at the Dunedin Readers’ & Writers’ festival last year - I’m almost certain there would have been some bread involved in the festival back then too!!), led me to walk through the doors of the Dunedin Craft Distillers. Angela had the idea that I might be interested in seeing what this recent boutique start up was up to, and boy was she right.

The Dunedin Craft Distillers primarily produce gin. Do I like gin? I don’t mind it, but it’s not my top drink of choice. So why was she so insistent that I needed to see what these gin-makers were up to?

Well, Dunedin Craft Distillers are no ordinary distillery. To quote their website: Dunedin Craft Distillers is the first distillery in Aotearoa and one of only a handful worldwide, to produce botanical spirits from surplus bread and bakery products that would otherwise go to landfill.

That’s right. Two ladies saw an issue (bread waste), and with a little bit of crazy and a lot of kiwi ingenuity, are now turning surplus bread (whatever KiwiHarvest is unable to give away to those in need) into award-winning gin.

It was such a privilege to have Jenny McDonald, one of the founders of the distillery, to talk me through their set up, the history of the business and the process of turning bread into gin. I’m not going to even pretend to be able to explain the intricacies of their methodology, but essentially bread is mashed and fermented, then distilled and and filtered to form a base ethanol that is the foundation of their gins (and limoncello!). It’s an intensive process that many NZ gin producers bypass by purchasing cheap imported ethanol, that is often produced without sustainability or the planet in mind. The ethos of Dunedin Craft Distillers is quite the opposite. From the bread they start their process with, to the recycling of water and heat used in the production process, to the packaging of their gins, sustainability is at the forefront of their business. And I can confirm, the gins are blimmin’ delicious (and the awards prove it!).

Unsurprisingly, because this is a grassroots business, its beginnings have relied heavily on the generosity of the community, from locals in the industry who have helped with set up and advice, to the residents and restaurants who have supported the product. At present, they are crowdfunding for a new mash kettle, to reduce the process for each batch of bread-based mash from three days to one, with the goal of increasing production to turn at least 18 tonnes of food waste into spirits annually and establish their business on a sustainable growth path. They have launched a PledgeMe campaign, where gin and other products can be purchased to support the continuation of their business - if you’re a fan of gin and the ethos of their sustainable business model, have a look and support their cause!

Once again, the power of bread.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - late lemons, grapefruit, oranges

Last of the yams

Avocados

Early asparagus

Last of the leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Celery

Mushrooms

Spinach

Celeriac

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Brain food:

• checkout this video of Dunedin Craft Distillers on Seven Sharp recently

• the most delicious homegrown olive oil - a perfect gift for loved ones

• why stick with one type of bread - some recipe inspiration for the bread-venturous

• Turning stale bread into pasta

• Why are we importing and not eating more NZ grain?

With all that being said about the marvel of bread, most of all, next time you’re eating that slice of glutinous goodness, enjoy it. Every crumb.

Be sure to scroll down for some killer recipes this week, based around the rather delicious Father’s Day focaccia - including the bread itself, a creamy hummus, quick egg filling and speedy coriander chutney.

I’ll leave you with this famous quote from Robert Browning (English poet & playwright) before I go: “If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.”

Much love,

Alby xx

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Father’s Day Focaccia

Easy homemade bubbly bread. Dreamy hummus. Zingy slaw for crunch. Creamy egg filling. Avo. Tasty. Fresh herb sauce. Sweet & spicy chutney. YUM!

Total Time: 2 hours

filling makes enough for 2-4 focaccia sandwiches

Cost Estimate: very difficult to estimate due to the different components, apologies

Ingredients

Quick slaw

2 tsp coriander seeds

100g daikon or radishes, sliced into thin rounds with a mandolin

100g thinly shredded cabbage

1 handful celery leaves, shredded (optional)

1 large handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

1 large handful mint leaves, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp maple syrup

¼ tsp sea salt

Egg filling

6 eggs

3 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp warm water

¼ tsp Dijon mustard

⅓ tsp curry powder

1 large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

sea salt, to taste

cracked black pepper, to taste

Additional ingredients

Easy overnight focaccia (adapted from Good Vibes, see recipe below)

Basic hummus (see recipe below)

Speedy green sauce (see recipe below)

sliced avocado

tasty cheese, sliced

Tomato, date & tamarind chutney (recipe on pg 220 of Good Vibes), or any sweet/spicy chutney

Method

First make the slaw to allow the cabbage to soften a little. Toast the coriander seeds in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant and toasted. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, lightly crush, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss through to combine, massaging the lemon juice into the cabbage and daikon; set aside.

For the egg filling, bring a medium-large saucepan of water to the boil. Once bubbling vigorously, carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water one at a time (I do this with a large spoon). Reduce the heat so at a gentle boil and cook for about 7-8 minutes. This should be the right amount of time for soft-set yolks. Immediately transfer the eggs to a large bowl of iced water to stop them cooking. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the shells. Roughly chop the eggs and add to a medium bowl. In a mug, whisk together the sour cream, warm water, mustard and curry powder. Add to the eggs, along with the chopped parsley. Gently toss through the eggs and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble the focaccia sandwiches, slice a large square (about 13 x 13cm) of focaccia in half for each sandwich. Spread some of the hummus on the base of the focaccia. Top with a handful of the slaw, followed by the egg filling. Next drizzle with some of the speedy green sauce, and arrange some sliced avocado and tasty cheese on top. Spread a generous amount of chutney onto the top half of the focaccia and sandwich on top to enclose the filling.

If wrapping the focaccia to eat at a picnic, assemble each focaccia sandwich on a large piece of baking paper. Once assembled, bring the long sides of baking paper up to meet above the focaccia and roll/fold them together downwards to enclose the focaccia. Fold the ends of the baking paper like a Christmas present and tuck underneath. Cut through the baking paper/sandwich in half (see pictured above), leaving the baking paper underneath the sandwich intact.

Alby’s Advice:

• Because there are a lot of components don’t go overboard with each part of the filling - but equally make sure you’ve got a good amount/balance of all the components in there.

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Easy overnight focaccia (adapted from Good Vibes)

This is an adaptation of the overnight focaccia recipe in Good Vibes (pg 53). No, it doesn’t compare to a 3-day focaccia, but if you’re wanting a simple, tasty, bubbly focaccia that requires very little effort, this ticks all the boxes.

Hands-on Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours (+ overnight proving)

makes 1 large rectangular loaf

Cost Estimate: $2.50

Ingredients

500g high grade flour

1 sachet (8g) instant dried yeast

10g sea salt

410ml cold water

80ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

coarse sea salt

Method

To make your focaccia dough, place the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl, ensuring the salt is not touching the yeast. Pour in the water and using your hands, mix to form a relatively wet dough (no kneading is required). Add 40ml olive oil (plus any additional dough ingredients, see note below - e.g. dried herbs, chilli flakes, chopped olives etc.) and mix through until well combined and evenly incorporated. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate overnight (for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 24 hours).

Shape the focaccia. Generously oil a large rectangular baking tin about 33cm x 23cm) with olive oil. Remove your dough from the refrigerator and bring the edges into the centre to deflate the dough. Tip the dough into the oiled baking tin, folded side underneath, and using your hands, press out the corners of the dough, gently stretching to cover most of the base of the tin. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for about 2 1/2 hours (will depend on the temperature and humidity of the space) until bubbly, wobbly, and doubled in size - it should have mostly filled the tin.

While the dough is proving, mix the remaining 40ml of olive oil and chopped garlic in a small bowl. Set aside to infuse for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (or 220°C conventional). 

To bake the focaccia, drizzle the garlic oil (including all the garlic) evenly over the dough. Use your fingers to create dimples all over the loaf, reaching the bottom of the tin so that the oil pools in them (the dough will bounce back a little so you are left with dimples rather than holes). Sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt and bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven, drizzle with extra olive oil, and carefully remove from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Alby’s Advice:

• Allow to cool to room temperature if using for sandwiches. Wrap with clingfilm and place in an airtight container for storage. It can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator if desired. It also freezes relatively well.

• I highly recommend adding some flavour additions to the bread dough. My favourite is to add 1 tsp dried basil and 1 tsp chilli flakes (as in the focaccia pictured above), or you could easily add other dried herbs, chopped sun-dried tomatoes or olives etc.

Basic hummus

This is an excellent basic hummus, made with canned chickpeas, for when you need hummus on demand. The secret is heating the chickpeas so they’re nice and soft when blitzed - resulting in a much smoother hummus. You can easily jazz it up with extra spices, blitzed roasted vegetables, chopped chilli or herbs etc. Make it your own!

Ingredients

2x 400g cans chickpeas, drained

1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste

150g tahini

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 ice cubes

½ tsp ground cumin

juice of ½ - 1 lemon

sea salt, to taste

Method

If you want a really smooth hummus, place the drained chickpeas in a tea towels and rub the chickpeas to release the skins. Carefully remove the skins and discard (this takes a while, but is worth it for a really smooth hummus - you can easily skip this step if desired). Place the peeled chickpeas in a medium saucepan with 1 tsp salt. Add enough water to cover and place over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain the chickpeas over a bowl, saving their cooking water (you will add some of this to your hummus). Place the drained chickpeas in a food processor, with the tahini, garlic, ice cubes, cumin, lemon juice (start with ½ lemon) and 4 tbsp of the reserved chickpea water. Blitz for a couple of minutes until really smooth. Season to taste with a little extra salt if needed, and add a little more lemon juice if more zing is desired. You can also add a little more chickpea water too, depending on how loose you wish the hummus to be.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It will thicken in the fridge - just loosen with a little warm water when next using, if desired.

Speedy green sauce

This is a quick green herb chilli chutney, similar to that you might serve with samosa. It’s a great condiment to have on hand in the fridge for a quick flavour boost - I love drizzling it over avocado on toast, or for using in sandwiches, salads or drizzled over soups.

Ingredients

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

30g fresh coriander (stalks and leaves)

20g mint leaves

1-2 green chillies (based on heat preference)

4 cloves garlic

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

sea salt, to taste

Method

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small pan over medium heat until fragrant. Add to a tall container or bowl, along with the coriander, mint, chillies, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Gradually add some water, a couple of tablespoons at a time, blitzing with a stick blender until a smooth, relatively thin-yet-spoonable green sauce is reached (about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water is usually about right). Season to taste with sea salt. Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge for up to 10 days.

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I’ve opened up the vault!!

Before we get into this week’s recipes, I have some good news to share with all of you free subscribers……….. which I guess now is actually all of you!

Last week I made the difficult decision to end the paid subscription option for Eating Who I Want to Be. After spending the past couple of months reflecting what direction I want to take the newsletter in,

While I continue to love writing about food and sharing my recipes through this platform, due to other commitments, work and projects that I’m invested in, lately I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to deliver my promise of 4 new recipes/fortnight to paid subscribers, and this self-imposed pressure to create constant recipe output within time constraints has started to take away a little of the fun and creativity in my kitchen - which is the opposite of what this newsletter has always meant to be. At its core, as I’m always trying to encourage through my newsletter words, cooking and food should be fun!

By making Eating Who I Want to Be an exclusively free newsletter, I feel that I’ll be able to create, cook, write and share with you my recipes and musings with greater freedom and less pressure to deliver. I appreciate I’m very fortunate to not rely on this newsletter for financial means, unlike many other food writers ~ so I’d encourage you to support other writers you love through this platform as you see fit. But for now, I want to keep writing and cooking for pleasure not profit, so it stays my happy place (rather than my stress place), hence the decision to end paid subscriptions.

My hope is also that by making this newsletter exclusively free, it will allow the freedom for greater time developing my recipes and writing about eating well and global food issues, which will hopefully result in more interesting and mouth-watering content. I’ll be aiming to still deliver a couple of recipes to your inboxes every fortnight, but as we all know, life sometimes throws things our way, so keeping the newsletter free allows for a little more flexibility in its output.

Wait… so what’s the GOOD NEWS????

Well, the Good News is that because the newsletter is now exclusively free, I’ve decided to unlock the vault of recipes from the past 18 months (over 100 of them!) that were previously only available for paid subscribers. So not only are you getting two brand new recipes this week, but for a lot of you, there’s a whole treasure trove of recipes from previous newsletters you’ll now also have access to!!

I’d highly encourage you to peruse through the previous newsletters to see if anything takes your fancy to add to the list for this fortnight’s cooking. I think my plan is that at some stage I’ll add a recipe Index Page to my Substack (will need to figure out how to do this first!) that has a list of all the recipes with links directly to the newsletter that they’re in, to make things a bit easier to find immediately when you’re craving that baked aloo gobi rice or those onion weed bhajis pronto!

is no theme technically a theme?

I know I’m usually all about a theme to the newsletter of the week, whether it’s been driven by what’s in season, what’s in the news, what’s on my mind, or what I’ve magically pulled from the sky on that given Saturday out of desperation. But today, in keeping with this laidback, easy-going, no pressure, ‘happy place’ vibe I’ve suggested that I’m trying to bring back into my kitchen, there is no theme to the recipes I’m sharing with you this week. Whether that’s a theme unto itself, that’s for you to decide; I’m too busy floating on a metaphorical lilo, sipping on my make-believe mojito.

Rest assured, that while I have put minimal effort into thinking of a theme for this week’s Eating Who I Want to Be, there has been the utmost of effort put into conjuring up two absolutely sumptuous recipes for you to make and devour this fortnight, and forever more.

Recently Alex and I were reminiscing about past trips to Italy, and naturally, about the food memories we share from those adventures. Alex shared that one of his favourite meals was at a restaurant in Modena ~ Ristorante da Danilo. The trattoria was very very Italian, from the wall hangings to the white tablecloths to the proud restaurant owner to the floral crockery, and we were treated to a truly magnificent Panna cotta drizzled with aged Modena balsamic: sweet and sticky with wobbly, creamy perfection. While this is what’s stuck in Alex’s mind from that dinner, for me it’s the lasagne verdi al forno that came before the Panna cotta that’s etched in mine. Lasagne verdi al forno (ie baked green lasagne) is from the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy (where Modena lies), and is unique for its green lasagne sheets, made with spinach, that house the delicious ragu, béchamel, and parmigiano reggiano. In my ever-growing quest to recreate plant-based versions of my biggest food loves, this week I’m sharing with you a recipe inspired by this memory of lasagne verdi al forno, albeit a rather loose interpretation.

And for this week’s second helping recipe, we’re going sweet and Dutch-but-not-actually-Dutch. I say this, become I’m sharing with you my spin on a Dutch baby, a Yorkshire pudding/pancake crossover, which is actually a misnomer as its origin is weirdly based somewhere in American/German food history. Feeling that it needed to be given a touch of actual Dutchness (and I don’t mean Dutch courage!), my Dutch baby recipe is flavoured with the alluring Dutch spice mix, Speculaas, famously found in the traditional Dutch biscuit of the same name. It’s a spice mix easily made at home, with prominent cinnamon, nutmeg and clove flavours, that really livens up the basic Dutch baby. Paired with wintry flavours of sticky maple walnuts and tinned Black Doris plums (the one tinned fruit that some may controversially say rivals its fresh counterpart), it’s a cosy and ultimately delicious option for either a weekend brunch or a quick dessert.

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Cooking from Good Vibes this week…

Cooking from Good Vibes: I’ve started with a new team this past fortnight, moving from working in older person’s mental health to the Early Intervention psychosis community service, meaning that I’m now working with a much younger cohort of clients (age 16-30)… which has been somewhat refreshing. Feeling in the mood to bake something last week for my new workmates, and having some buttermilk in the fridge near expiry and NZ oranges in the fruit bowl, the ‘Impossible’ cake from the Delight chapter of Good Vibes was the only option. This will forever be one of my favourites to make, forever mystified by the Mexican wizardry that sees the layers of custard flan and chocolate cake swap places in the tin as they bake. Baking truly is a science.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - lemons, early grapefruit, early winter oranges, late limes

Yams

Onions

Leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages, Brussels sprouts)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Kiwifruit

Celery

Mushrooms

Spinach

Celeriac

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Brain food:

• Farming systems influence the quality of our soil, food and our health; findings from a recent landmark NZ study

• For the nutlovers out there - a rather controversial ranking list (hazelnuts at number 10, are you for real?!)

• The Intersection of Food Security and Mental Health in the Pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals

• A Hokianga nursery hoping to restore knowledge in the māra kai to the local community

Whether you give these recipes a go or not, I hope that your next fortnight is full to the brim with good kai and good vibes. As always, feel free to spread the word about this little newsletter to anyone you think might listen; good food should always be shared!

Much love,

Alby xx

Lasagne verdi al forno (plant-based)

The lasagne of my Northern Italian dreams, given a plant-based Alby’s kitchen twist. Rather than the traditional pasta sheets made of spinach, I opt to blitz spinach through a plant-based miso béchamel, layered with the most umami of umami plant-based ragus you could imagine. It really does give all of that meatiness, without the meat. If you’re wanting comforting nostalgic Italian kai that will please all eaters at the table (meaty or not), this is the one.

Hands-on Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

serves 8-12

Cost Estimate: $36 (about $4-5 per serving)

Ingredients

Mushroom ragu

3 tbsp olive oil

400g finely chopped celery (from about 3-4 large stalks, leaves removed) 

350g carrots (about 3), peeled and finely chopped

3 medium brown onions, finely chopped

1 tsp sea salt

300g mushrooms, roughly chopped

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes

750ml vegetable stock

125ml red wine

100g tomato paste

50ml light soy sauce

2 tbsp white (shiro) miso paste

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp dried basil

400g can black beans or lentils, rinsed and drained

2 tsp ground paprika

1 tsp cracked black pepper

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground chilli

Spinach + miso béchamel

120g baby spinach leaves

400ml can coconut cream

600ml oat milk

80ml olive oil

1 ½ tbsp white (shiro) miso paste

100g plain flour

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¾ tsp cracked black pepper

sea salt, to taste

Additional ingredients

375g instant dried lasagne sheets

fresh basil leaves, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional).

First make the ragu. Pour the olive oil into a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chopped celery, carrots, onion and salt. Sauté for 15 minutes, until nicely softened (this is called the soffritto). Add the chopped mushrooms and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes, tossing through the soffritto. Add the remaining ragu ingredients, bring to the boil and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring intermittently, until the liquid reduces to form a delicious ragu. Adjust seasoning to taste.

As the ragu cooks, make the spinach miso béchamel. Place the baby spinach in a bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave for 2 minutes, then drain the water, rinse under cold water to refresh, and drain again, squeezing out any excess water from the spinach; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut cream and oat milk until combined. In a large, deep saucepan, whisk together the olive oil and miso paste. Place over medium heat and once hot, add the flour and whisk into the miso oil, cooking for a minute or two to form a crumbly paste (the roux). Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the coconut cream/oat milk, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Return to the heat, bring to the boil and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly along the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is nicely thickened. Remove from the heat and add the blanched spinach, ground nutmeg and cracked black pepper to the béchamel. Using a stick blender (or similar), blitz until completely smooth. Season to taste with sea salt, if desired (the miso will have already added a little saltiness).

To construct your lasagne, lightly grease a large, deep ovenproof dish or baking tin (approx. 33cm x 23cm) with oil. Spread a very thin layer of béchamel over the base of the dish. To form your layers, start with a single layer of lasagne sheets, followed by half the ragu (spreading it out), then another layer of lasagne sheets and half the béchamel. Repeat so that you have four layers of lasagne sheets, with the top layer being béchamel. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until golden, bubbling, and the lasagne sheets are cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes before serving warm with fresh basil leaves.

Alby’s Advice:

• To save time, I recommend finely chopping the vegetables for the ragu in a food processor, if you have one.

• Use whichever mushrooms you can get your hands on - a variety is good, I like to use portobello, but you could also easily use white buttons if they are most accessible.

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Speculaas Dutch baby with Black Doris & sticky walnuts

I’ve been meaning to make a Dutch baby recipe for some time, and this weekend was finally the weekend for it. A Dutch baby is somewhere between a Yorkshire pudding, pancake and crêpe, but decidedly unique in its own right. Essentially a pancake batter is made, without any raising agents, and then poured immediately into a hot buttered pan and baked at a high temperature. The high temperature results in the batter creeping up the edges of the pan and the pancake becoming naturally puffed and golden. It’s perfect for when you can’t be effed spending 30 minutes at the stove flipping pancakes, and is a great option for a quick-yet-fancy breakfast for two ~ my preference is to eat it straight from the pan! You can top your Dutch baby without whatever you feel, but this combo of canned Black Doris plums (IYKYK), sticky maple walnuts and crème fraîche, when paired with the Speculaas spice in the Dutch baby batter, really is something terrific.

Hands-on Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

serves 2-4 (or 1 very hungry caterpillar)

Cost Estimate: $12

Ingredients

Dutch baby

3 eggs

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g plain flour

2 tsp Speculaas spice mix (see recipe below)

¼ tsp sea salt

150ml milk

30g butter

To serve

50g walnuts, roughly chopped

3 tbsp maple syrup

generous pinch of sea salt

100g crème fraîche

850g can Black Doris plums

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (or 220°C conventional). Place a medium 23cm, high-sided cast-iron frying pan in the oven immediately, to heat while you make the batter.

For the Dutch baby, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until frothy and the sugar is dissolved. Sift over the flour, Speculaas spice mix and salt, whisking to combine. Pour in the milk and whisk until a smooth, thin batter is reached. You want plenty of air in the batter to help with the rise, so don’t be afraid to whisk it well (alternatively you can blitz all the ingredients together in a blender). Leave to rest for a couple of minutes. Remove the hot pan from the oven, add the butter and swirl the pan so the butter melts and coats the base and sides. Immediately pour in the batter and return the pan to the oven. Bake for about 18 minutes, until beautifully puffed up and golden brown.

As the Dutch baby bakes, prepare the toppings. For the sticky walnuts, place a small frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the walnuts and toast for a couple of minutes until fragrant and starting to turn golden. Add the maple syrup and salt. Stir through the walnuts for a minute until the walnuts are sticky and deliciously caramelised. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Place the crème fraîche in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Take three whole plums from the can, halve, remove the stones and place in a small bowl with a little of the syrup. Transfer the remainder of the can to a jar or container and refrigerate for another use.

Serve the Dutch baby immediately, topped with the crème fraîche, plum halves, sticky walnuts and a final drizzle of plum syrup.

Alby’s Advice:

• If you’re not in the mood for making the speculaas spice mix, a teaspoon of cinnamon, plus a little nutmeg, ginger and/or cardamom is a good option.

• Oat milk can also be used as a dairy-free substitute.

• Greek yoghurt, caramelised sliced pears and toasted hazelnuts are also a great topping option.

Speculaas spice mix

Speculaas are a famous Dutch spiced biscuit, made unique by their particular spice combination, which leans heavily into notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. This spice mix is incredibly versatile, perfect for adding to cakes, biscuits, or desserts (like the Dutch baby above). This recipe makes about 8 tbsp of spice mix, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Ingredients

4 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground nutmeg

2 ¼ tsp ground cloves

1 ½ tsp ground ginger

1 ½ tsp ground cardamom

1 ½ tsp ground star anise

1 ½ tsp ground black pepper

Method

Place all ingredients in an airtight jar and mix together until well combined. Store in the pantry and use as desired.

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Kia ora Paid Subscribers,

Fingers crossed that you’re sitting in the sun right now eating a buttery croissant, as it may soften the news that I’m about to share with you.

It’s been 18 months since I started my Eating Who I Want to Be newsletter through the Substack platform, and as such I’ve spent the last couple of months reflecting on where it is now an…

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it’s been a week for celebrating

After a busy couple of weeks, today’s newsletter is brought to you from the sky, as I sit here on a plane, headphones on listening to Brat (‘cause who isn’t right now!), and tapping away on my keyboard.

Why am I Arnie Pie in the Sky? I’m flying back home from Brisbane after having the privilege of attending the most beautiful wedding in Northern NSW. There was love. There were flowers. There was dancing. There was a gelato cart (my new top wedding reco!!). And of course, there was CAKE. The perfect celebration.

In my world, there's also been cause for personal celebration as last week I sat my psychiatry exam. So you’ll be pleased to know you won’t have to hear about this in the newsletter again. Who knows if I’ve passed, but not having to spend all night flipping over flash cards has been quite nice these last few days ~ and 20 degree temperatures in Queensland has also helped with the morale.

Then flash back to two weeks ago, I was in a karaoke room belting out ‘I want it that way’, celebrating one of my good friends’ 30th birthdays after stuffing ourselves silly with pasta… and of course cake (the cake of which this newsletter is alllllll about!!). It’s been a truly joyous couple weeks.

It’s easy to celebrate when you’ve got an event or an obvious reason, or if life’s been kind to you lately. But I find sitting in these moments of celebration, it’s a reminder to also try and find the small moments in your day worth smiling about and being grateful for.

What’s the saying…….. Every day is a celebration?!

With celebration on the mind, it only seemed right that this week’s newsletter is all about the one necessity that should be part and parcel of EVERY celebration (and no I’m not talking about your sleazy uncle who’s always there, even when no one invited him, and never brings his own beers).

I’m talking about C-A-K-E.

CAKE!

• When it’s the anniversary of grandma’s (aka baking queen’s) passing and you’re celebrating her life: CAKE

• When you’ve managed to survive the first 3 hours of a road trip with two screaming toddlers, you pull into the tearooms and celebrate with: CAKE

• When you’ve had a shit day and need cheering up, celebrate yourself with: CAKE

Then of course there’s all the weddings and birthdays and graduations and every day of the whole blimmin’ year quite frankly: CAKE!!

my perfect celebration cake

With that said, no surprises to hear that I’m actually quite partial to a cheeky slice of cake myself. Then again, who isn’t? I’m always mildly suspicious of anyone who says they don’t like cake…

We all live on a cake spectrum (yes, even you, you’re sitting on that cake spectrum right now), with different loves, hates and in-betweens. When making a cake, unless you’re a miracle worker, it’s unlikely to be the dream cake for EVERYONE who eats it. That’s just a fact. Hell, if even one person loves the cake you make, take that as a win! Everyone’s idea of the perfect cake is so varied, and I love it.

So, what does MY perfect celebration cake look and taste like?

• it’s been made with love.

  • YES! I truly believe you can taste the emotion and love (and possibly sweat) that has been poured into a cake. And to be honest, I think anyone who has baked a cake themselves and offered me a slice is an instant hero.

• it captures a slice of the personality of the person who made it, and ideally also the person whom it’s for

  • obviously this can be tricky if we’re talking chalk and cheese between the person who makes it and is receiving it, but I love a cake where the character of the person who made it shines through, or perhaps a part of them is translated in the decoration or flavours (perhaps it’s a jam in the middle that’s their Grandad’s recipe, or the flowers on top are from their garden). Equally, the perfect cake should channel the spirit and spark of the receiver in some way (if it’s for a specific person/occasion) ~ this could be creatively incorporating some of their favourite flavours or decorating the cake in line with how you see them: if they’re more chic and stylish, straight lines and trendy focal points may be the go; if they’re more whimsical or free-spirited, perhaps the decoration is more abstract and reflective of this.

  • My perfect cake does not need to look like it was carved by Michelangelo. It doesn’t need to look perfect to be perfect. There is beauty in creative expression at the expense of perfection.

• layers of flavour and texture

  • while there’s nothing wrong with a simple sponge dusted with icing sugar, if we’re talking CELEBRATION I’m wanting a cake that tastes a little bit special. And while this starts with how the cake looks (we usually eat with our eyes first), like most things it’s what’s inside that really counts. Creating layers of flavour in cakes starts with having an overarching concept and knowing which flavours might pair well with each other. This all comes from experience and trialling different combinations. Taste, taste, taste. I always applaud bravery, but not at the expense of harmony.

  • The cake itself needs to be flavoursome. Is a vanilla cake enough? If you’re really making vanilla the star of the show (with quality vanilla bean etc.) then absolutely. But for the most part, I prefer the cake to be a little more jazzy. Don’t just rely on fillings in your cake for flavour. Ask yourself: would I be stoked with a simple un-iced single-layer slice of this cake? The cake layers between should be flavoursome enough to proudly be eaten on their own without using the fillings or icing as a flavour crutch.

  • You should also consider what you want the overall texture of the cake to be ~ and this may depend on the style of cake batter you’re working with. If it’s a light, fluffy chiffon-style cake, perhaps you won’t want to be mixing nuts through the batter as this a) will probably deflate the chiffon and b) will probably detract from the cloud-like texture. But for other styles of cake, texture can add a lot ~ think nuts, chopped crystallised ginger, chopped fruits, poppy seeds, coconut. Think about the textures of the cake as a whole, fillings included, and how the eating experience will come together.

  • Then it is undoubtedly the filling which is crucial to amplifying the flavour and textures of my ideal cake. You need to be thinking about the structure of the cake when you choose your fillings. A really loose or runny filling might pose a risk of leaking out of the cake or increasing the chance of collapse. A filling that’s too thick or hard (e.g. a caramel that’s taken too far) can ruin the mouthfeel of that cake slice. Think about the different aspects of flavour that you’re adding to your fillings ~ cakes are often high in fats and sugars, but think about how you’re balancing richness with sharpness/acidity, bitterness, earthiness, or even heat/chilli/spice. You can also add welcome texture as part of cake fillings ~ maple-roasted caramelised chopped nuts or toasted thread coconut, perhaps. But always think about how the textures and flavours of the fillings will pair when eaten with the cake that holds them.

  • Then you have the icing ~ do you choose a vanilla icing that works well with most cake flavours, or does the icing flavour also elaborate on or complement the flavours within. The occasion for the cake might then determine the texture and structure of the icing used. If it’s for a wedding, or for stacking cake tiers, then a sturdy buttercream or ganache might be needed ~ but the temperature of the venue might also influence this. You don’t want your beautiful masterpiece melting to smithereens like the wicked witch of the west. If stability is less important, then a mascarpone cream or cream cheese icing might be the preferred choice. Is your icing smooth or grainy? Meringue-based or purely dairy-based? Do you need to get creative with vegan baking ingredients? My dream cake is one where the icing is flavourful, smooth and creamy in texture, and complements the rest of the cake components, rather than dominating or detracting.

Today I’m sharing with you recipes and step-by-step instructions (including photos), to walk you through my recipe for the most epic lemon celebration cake that you will ever eat (and make!). From my gf lemon, coconut & poppy seed cake, to the most luscious lemon curd (paid subscribers), my velvety and zingy white chocolate lemon crémeux (paid subscribers), mascarpone cream and torched Swiss meringue, this really is the lemon cake of all lemon cakes. And the beauty being that each of the components are absolute golden recipes to add to your sweet repertoire, useful in their own right or to use as part of a different future dessert or cake. Don’t worry, you can thank me by giving these recipes a go in your own kitchen!

building your cake courage

Before we get any further I want to pause and give some reassurance. You. Yes, you. CAN. make. this. cake.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, layer cakes seem to hold this magical aura about them. To the average punter who’s barely held a spatula, they present as some sort of culinary engineering feat, with a touch of witchcraft perhaps; on the surface it can look mighty impressive. Even for an enthusiastic cake eater who’s starting out in home baking, levelling up to layer cake territory can give the illusion of an Everest-like challenge.

But I am here to tell you that with a little bit of patience, the right direction (me!), and ideally a few useful pieces of decorating equipment, you’ll be whipping up this glorious celebration showstopper and being crowned king of the cakes in no time at all.

Each of the components can be fairly easily made, the most crucial factor to success is having confidence and backing yourself in the process: trusting the recipes, trusting your equipment, and trusting yourself!

In saying this, if you’re new-ish to making layer cakes, it might be worth practising this one on your close whānau first, before rolling the dice and blindly attempting it for a celebration with one hundred of your work colleagues.

Keep scrolling down for this life-altering cake recipe!!!!

Cooking from Good Vibes this week…

Cooking from Good Vibes: It’s leek season, baby. Which means it’s the PERFECT time of year to be making this Caramelised leek & mushroom spaghetti with pecan pangrattato from the Thrive chapter of Good Vibes. I whipped it up earlier this week, and was stoked to hear that some other friends have also had it on play in their kitchens recently. Frying leeks lower and slower gives them a delicious deep caramelised flavour, which really shines through in this simple, speedy weeknight pasta dish. I love to keep a jar of this pangrattato in the pantry, on hand for whenever you need to quickly elevate a simple pasta dish ~ it’s lemony, crunchy, herby and more-ish.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - lemons, early grapefruit, early winter oranges, late limes

Yams

Onions

Late pears

Late pumpkins

Leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages, Brussels sprouts)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Kiwifruit

Celery

Mushrooms

Brain food:

• A recent RNZ supermarket price comparison to 2022. Th numbers don’t lie.

• The most plant-based Olympics yet

• Why is food insecurity in Aotearoa getting worse compared to the rest of the world?

• Great food, classy jazz, incredible service, chic decor. If you’re ever in Brisbane, Mr Vain is an absolute must.

• Tackling sustainability from an editorial economic perspective

Deepest apologies for all this cake chat that’s probably got your stomach going gangbusters now. If only these recipes and images were instantly edible. I sincerely hope there is a slice of cake either in your lap right now as you’re reading this or in your near future. Remember, you are an adult. You don’t need an excuse for cake. You CAN buy a cake for yourself. Because life is a celebration.

Much love,

Alby xx

the most epic lemon celebration cake that you will ever eat (and make!)

Yes, I know. I’m perhaps getting carried away with the superlatives for this cake. You’ve probably eaten better lemon cakes if you’re a patisserie frequenter or just so happen to be Alice in Wonderland, but as far as a lemon celebration cake that’s achievable for the home cook, it’s right up there. Yes, there are a few components. Yes, it will take more than 5 minutes to make. Yes, a kitchen blow torch is ideal to make it look pretty (but it’s equally delicious with untorched meringue). But honestly, the texture and flavour in that winning bite is worth every ounce of effort. The recipe for the lemon, coconut & poppy seed cake is for three 20cm round cakes, but if you’re not wanting to do the full celebration cake, you could easily make a single layer cake with one-third of the cake batter ingredients. It’s great as a simple gf lemon cake, dusted with icing sugar, or made slightly fancy iced with the mascarpone cream (recipe below) and some swirls of lemon curd (recipe below).

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes (cake) + 50 minutes (fillings/icing/meringue) + 30 minutes (assembly)

Total Time: 3 hours (plus overnight chilling of cakes and fillings)

makes one large, six-layer celebration cake; serves 20-24

Cost Estimate: $65 - $70 (about $3 - $4 per serve)

Ingredients

Lemon, coconut & poppy seed cake (makes three 20cm round cakes)

675g caster sugar

finely grated zest of 6 lemons

525g butter, softened to room temperature

3 tsp vanilla extract

150ml lemon juice

12 eggs

600g ground almonds

210g desiccated coconut

75g poppy seeds

4 ½ tsp ground cardamom

¾ tsp sea salt

Mascarpone cream

600g mascarpone

400ml cream

100g icing sugar, sifted

Swiss meringue

200g egg whites (from about 6 eggs)

300g caster sugar

To assemble

White chocolate lemon crémeux (see recipe below)

Lemon curd (see recipe below)

kitchen blow torch, for toasting the meringue

seasonal flowers, optional

edible glitter, optional

Method

The cakes and fillings (curd and crémeux) are best made the day prior to your event, then make the mascarpone cream and Swiss meringue on the day of assembly.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Grease and line three 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.

For the cake batter, in a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant. Add the butter and beat with an electric hand or stand mixer for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and beat together until well combined. Add the eggs, two at a time, beating well after each addition until well combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. The mixture will curdle during this process ~ don’t worry, this is normal. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, coconut, poppy seeds, cardamom and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until smooth and just combined. Spoon the batter into the lined cake tins, smoothing the top and tapping against the bench to ensure the batter is level. Bake for about 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the tins. Leave to cool fully at room temperature, then refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) to chill completely ~ this makes it easier to slice the each cake in half when assembling.

Make the lemon curd (recipe below) and white chocolate lemon crémeux (recipe below) at this stage, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.

Make the mascarpone cream when ready to assemble the cake (ie the following day). Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric hand or stand mixer to form medium-stiff peaks. Be careful, as you don’t want to overmix and split the cream - once it’s starting to thicken, reduce the speed a little to ensure you don’t take it too far. You want it to be stiff enough that it can be piped and hold its shape nicely though, as it will create a dam around the cake fillings.

To assemble, take each chilled cake and cut horizontally in half (I do this with a bread knife, scoring around the edge so the cut is level then cutting through). You should now have six thin cakes. Transfer half of the mascarpone cream into a piping bag with a large round nozzle tip - you will use this to pipe a border dam to keep the fillings enclosed. Pipe a blob of cream onto the base of your cake stand or board, and place one cake layer (ideally a cake half that has a flat bottom) on top, crumb side facing upwards. Pipe a border of mascarpone cream around the edge, and pipe another layer of cream on top of this to create a dam. Spoon about one-third of the white chocolate lemon crémeux into the centre of the cake and spread out with the back of a spoon to evenly fill.

Place the second cake layer on top. Again, pipe a double layer border of mascarpone cream around the edge, then fill with about one half of the lemon curd, spreading out to form an even layer. Place the third cake layer on top and repeat, alternating with crémeux, then curd, and a final filling of crémeux. As you go, each time you add a cake layer, try to ensure the cake is level on top if possible and the sides are relatively straight.

Ideally the sixth and final cake layer should be a flat-bottomed one. Place the final cake layer on top of the cake, crumb side facing downwards, so that the top of the cake is beautifully flat and level. You should now have a six layer cake, with alternating fillings between each layer.

Using the remaining mascarpone cream and a palette knife, coat the cake in a thin layer of mascarpone cream to cover, ensuring you fill in any gaps between the cake layers. Try to make the sides and top as smooth as possible - if you have a cake scraper this is ideal for this. You are going to cover the cake in meringue though, so it doesn’t need to be too neat - just try to make sure the sides are relatively straight and the top is relatively flat. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to chill while you make the meringue (or alternatively, you could refrigerate the cake overnight if making the day prior, then finish with the meringue on the day of your celebration).

For the Swiss meringue, place the egg whites and caster sugar in a clean large stand mixer bowl. Set over a saucepan one-third filled with boiling water, ensuring the water is not touching the base of the bowl (double-boiler). Keep the water heat so that it is just simmering and gently heat the egg whites and sugar, whisking by hand occasionally, until the egg whites are very warm and the sugar has fully dissolved (test this by dipping your thumb and forefinger into the egg white and rubbing them together – you shouldn’t feel any grains of sugar). Transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer and whisk on high speed until the meringue is very stiff and the mixing bowl has cooled to room temperature (about 5-7 minutes).

To finish assembly, carefully pipe or spread the swiss meringue over the cake to cover it completely. I say carefully, as the mascarpone cream underneath will not be fully set, so be careful not to press the meringue into cream or mix them together. If you spread the meringue gently with a palette knife you should be fine. At this stage, if you want a smooth finish to your meringue, you could use a cake scraper to gently smooth out the meringue around the sides of the cake. I think the meringue looks best with texture though, so I suggest taking a palette knife and making upward strokes from the base of the cake to the top edge, wiggling it like a worm to create an effect like that pictured.

Once you’re happy with how your meringue looks, use a kitchen blow torch to toast the meringue until golden and glorious. Finish the cake with fresh seasonal flowers and edible glitter, if desired. The cake is best eaten at room temperature, and should be kept in a cool dark place until serving. You can refrigerate the cake for a couple of hours if needed (ie if you’re in a warm environment), just ensure you bring it back to room temperature before serving. Any leftover cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Alby’s Advice:

• Be brave, you’ve got this!

• I do recommend making the fillings the day prior (the curd and the crémeux) to allow them to set and thicken nicely. When spooning into the middle of your mascarpone cream for each layer, be careful not to over fill, as you want to try and avoid the dam breaking and filling leaking out.

• You can easily use a store bought lemon curd if desired. As a substitute for the crémeux (although this really makes the cake!), you could use lemon pastry cream, a thick custard, or more of the mascarpone cream.

• Don’t worry that there is no raising agent (eg baking powder) in the cake batter ingredients. For this particular cake, you don’t need a raising agent.

• Make sure you use a BIG mixing bowl, as it makes quite a lot of cake batter.

White chocolate lemon crémeux

This really is the epitome of luxe. Part custard, part ganache, big lemon flavour with the most incredible texture, it’s cake filling territory taken to the next level. It starts similarly to a lemon curd, then pouring this mixture over white chocolate to form a custard ganache, and finishing with cream for that luxurious texture. After chilling, the crémeux is whipped, the cream in its base thickening and forming the most heavenly cake filling imaginable. Equally, this would go excellently with a simple slice of cake, tart etc. to create a simple-yet-show-stopping dessert to impress guests.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight to chill)

Cost Estimate: $9

Ingredients

150g white chocolate, finely chopped

2 eggs (about 100g)

3 egg yolks (about 55g)

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

75ml lemon juice

100g icing sugar

175ml cream

pinch of sea salt flakes

Method

For the crémeux, place the white chocolate in a medium-large bowl and place a sieve over the top; set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and icing sugar. Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking regularly (including at the edges of the pan, to avoid it scrambling), until it reaches 80°C (it will be thickened and just starting to bubble). Immediately remove from the heat and pour through the sieve over top of the chocolate, whisking the mixture through the sieve (be sure to scrape it off the bottom of the sieve into the bowl) and discarding any remains. Whisk the lemon chocolate mixture together until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Add the cream and sea salt flakes, and using a stick blender, blitz until smooth and emulsified. Cover the surface directly with clingfilm, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or preferably overnight) to set. When ready to use, beat the crémeux with an electric hand or stand mixer for a couple of minutes until beautifully whipped and forming medium-stiff peaks. The crémeux will keep well in the fridge for 3 days until needing to use, if making in advance.

Alby’s Advice:

• This recipe makes the perfect amount for the celebration cake recipe above. It will also make enough to scoop into quenelles as part of a dessert for 8-10 guests.

• Be careful when heating the eggs/lemon not to let it go too far and scramble ~ if you let the temperature get above 85°C this is likely to occur. If this does occur, keep going, as when you blitz it with the chocolate and cream, it should smooth out any of these lumps. If your element tends to be on the hotter side, consider heating the eggs/lemon over low heat to reduce the risk of over-heating the mixture.

• Make sure the chocolate is very finely chopped, to ensure it melts beautifully when the lemon.egg mixture is added.

Lemon curd

Homemade lemon curd really is a pinch, and this method I find requires far less finesse or faff than the common double-boiler method. It’s luscious, lemony and oh so good. I like to keep a jar of this in the fridge at all times ~ perfect for a quick dessert at a moment’s notice, perhaps with some yoghurt or ice cream and a crumble for that speedy sweet fix at the end of dinner.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes (+ chilling time)

Cost Estimate: $18 (about $2 per serve)

Ingredients

100g egg yolks (from about 6 eggs)

150g caster sugar

100ml lemon juice

finely grated zest of 2 lemons

150g butter, cut into small cubes

Method

For the curd, in a medium heavy-based saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Place over low heat and cook, whisking regularly along the bottom of the pan, until the curd is thickened and only just starting to bubble (this will take a few minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, until smooth and thick. Strain through a sieve into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or preferably overnight) to chill and thicken. Alternatively you can pour the curd into a jar after straining, seal and chill ~ the curd will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Alby’s Advice:

• Low and slow is the key to a good lemon curd. Once it’s just coming to the boil (bubbles just starting at the edge) is the perfect time to remove from the heat and add the butter. Be sure to whisk along the bottom of the pan regularly to ensure it doesn’t burn or catch.

• This recipe is easily doubled or tripled as needed. The larger the volume, the longer it will take to come to the boil.

potlucks… more than meets the eye?

While barbecues rule the warmer months, I truly think that winter is the season of potlucks. The essence of a potluck lends itself to cosying up with friends on a cool August evening, windows steamed up from too much banter and an active kitchen, comforting traybakes and warm slow-cooked kai covering the table with love and good vibes.

For the most part, I’ve always appreciated a potluck, and feel we don’t nearly do enough of them. But I know this feeling is not shared by everyone ~ my partner for one has never seemed to warm to the idea of potlucks, albeit he’ll still happily contribute if the invitation is offered. And I know he’s not alone in this. We’re all somewhere on the potluck spectrum.

stirring the metaphorical pot

Perhaps for some, it can feel like an obligation ~ more than happy to go round to someone’s house for dinner, but less keen to be told that they need to bring something. For others the uncertainty that comes with a potluck may be off-putting. Who knows who your friend may have invited to the potluck, and what their idea of a delicious meal might be?!

Then there’s the risk that everyone brings a potato gratin ~ as much as I enjoy a good gratin, there’s only so much creamy mandolined potato this boy can take. At least it’s not 6 pasta salads though (this definitely happened at one pot luck I went to, or perhaps it was a nightmare…) ~ then you’re well and truly screwed.

Or perhaps people have a profound fear that the dish/container they take their home cooked meal in will be forever lost in a pile of potluck dishes, never to be seen again. I wonder what happens to all those potluck vessels… do you think they’re all hanging out together somewhere? I hope so.

you’ll never look at peoples’ potluck dishes the same again…

For me though, the positives far outweigh any of the above apprehensions or inconveniences that people may feel about potlucks. One of the greatest joys of going to a potluck meal is that for the effort of cooking one dish yourself, you get to go on an absolute flavour journey by trying ten different dishes in one delicious hit! The time:benefit ratios are in everyone’s favour - I mean, what’s not to love?!

For those who need a bit more convincing, if you’re keen to take a sneak peek into the secret lives of others, then it’s always interesting to try what someone brings to a potluck; it’s a tiny window into not only what food they might consider acceptable to eat, but also what food they feel comfortable and confident to share with others. How does the food one brings to a potluck represent the person who brings it? Do they play it safe and bring the tried-and-proven, Mum’s secret recipe? Are they brave and playful, choosing to try a new recipe on a group of strangers for a bit of a fun? Do the store-bought bread rolls mean they’re going through a stressful time, or are ridiculously busy, or it’s what they always had at the dinner table growing up, or perhaps they just really love the New World bakery? A potluck is a gateway to understand what kai means for others, and to taste their love and personality in what they’ve prepared for the table.

At this point I do want to stress, for anyone who’s ever been to a potluck with me before, or may do in the future, that for the most part I do not think about the above when I’m at a potluck. I may work in psychiatry, but I am not psychoanalysing your potluck choices LOL. I’m merely writing down a flight of ideas that one might consider when reflecting at a potluck, given I’ve decided to go into this topic today.

The true reason I love a potluck is that it brings people together over kai. The sense of community, and connections that can be made between different groups of friends and whānau is a beautiful thing. For anyone to bring kai and share it with me, no matter where it’s come from, who’s prepared it, or what it tastes like, is the most humbling expression of love that I am always grateful for ~ and a potluck has this in abundance!

all hail the potluck queen

The reason that potlucks are on the mind this week, is because one of today’s recipes has been heavily influenced by a potluck I went to recently.

I have no qualms in declaring, rather confidently, that Ōtepoti is home to the QUEEN of potlucks. Apologies to those who feel this title is rightfully theirs ~ you’ll be hard pressed to successfully challenge the royal throne on this one.

I’ve been lucky enough to find myself out in picturesque Company Bay on two occasions now for a potluck, hosted by friend and work colleague Rochelle (part witch, part octopus, part bloody great time!). One was in Summer, more BBQ style out on the deck; the other more of a wintry indoor vibe. But I kid you not, the potluck kai on both occasions has been out-of-this-world. I’m not sure if Rochelle has intentionally curated a group of friends around her that are all on the DL absurdly good cooks, but I tell you, the food at these potlucks have really raised the bar! I think the other part that makes the potlucks so successful is Rochelle’s sereneness as potluck host. Four people need to heat something in the oven at different temperatures? Water off a duck’s back.

It was at the most recent of Rochelle’s potlucks that I encountered the absolute flavour bomb which has inspired the lentil recipe I’m sooooooo happy to share with you all today.

For those who are not acquainted with Ixta Belfrage (former Ottolenghi Test Kitchen member) and her food, I hope that after today you look her up and start fangirling over her like I have been for the past few years. Some of you might be familiar with the cookbook Flavour - an Ottolenghi cookbook that was co-authored by Ixta. And in 2022, she released her debut solo cookbook, Mezcla, which is one of the absolute faves in my cookbook collection. Her cooking draws inspiration from her family and their connections to Brazil, Italy and Mexico ~ which unsurprisingly means that her recipes are big on flavour in the most interesting and creative ways.

So back to the potluck. Rochelle is also a big fan of Ixta, and had made the Red curry sweet potato gratin from her book Mezcla, especially for the occasion. I’d seen it in the book but never tried it, and with one mouthful I was sold. It’s remarkably simple, but the combination of kaffir lime, tomatoes and coconut milk in the gratin really is a mouth-watering one. I don’t know about the rest of you, but food lingers on my mind long after the last bite, and if I try a new flavour combo or dish that really sparks something in me, it takes a long time to shake it. This potluck was a couple of months ago, but I’ve been thinking about that gratin ever since ~ and thus have finally been able to capture its inspiration in this week’s newsletter recipes.

So there you have it, for any doubters out there ~ that truly is the power of a good potluck.

If you’re feeling hospitable or social in the coming weeks, I’d encourage you to put the potluck call out to some mates… and see how many gratins you can get on the table at once! Let me know if you break a new record.

If you’re looking for extra potluck advice, I found this article mildly amusing:

Stuff - How to nail a potluck

what’s cooking this week?

This week’s recipes really are must-makes. They’re all relatively short on effort (always ideal) and all deliver mega flavour (most importantly). The Pumpkin, tomato & kaffir lime lentils (inspired by the anecdote above), combined with the quick daikon-lime pickle really does make for a jaw-droppingly delicious plant-based comfort meal. Somewhere between a dal and a curry, all made in one pan, it’s a winner (and would make a great potluck dish too!). Then there’s my take on the cheesecake that everyone’s been talking about in recent years, the Burnt Basque cheesecake. It’s the rough-and-ready baseless, effortless cheesecake that gives you all the creamy feels without the stress. My version sees black tahini join in, for a particularly satisfying outcome. Another great dessert for a potluck - make the day prior and pull out of the fridge a couple of hours before serving. Slice and eat, easy as cheesecake!

To finish, there’s a recipe for my 20-minute, flavour-maxed Booyah! peanut tofu noodles which are really amped up by the addition of fresh celery and sprouting broccoli for welcome texture. I ate this earlier today and now I’m angry because it’s all gone and I wish it wasn’t all gone because I really want it now.

Cooking from Good Vibes: This week was my last one with the Older Persons’ Mental Health team who I’ve had the pleasure of working with for the past 6 months in a Consult Liaison psychiatry role. I felt extremely guilty for not baking much for them during a busy 6 months, but tried to make up with it on the last day with a few goodies, including this Black sesame, rose & cardamom cake with honey mascarpone icing from the Delight chapter of Good Vibes. I love seeing people’s reaction to the curious combination of flavours in this cake ~ it truly is unique, straddling the line between sweet and an almost savoury tone. You’ll never eat another cake like it!

The newsletter has crept up to over 700 subscribers as of the last few weeks ~ thanks to all of you who tune in to read my musings and learn from my recipes. Be sure to spread the word with friends and whānau - I reckon we can crack 1000 by the end of the year with your help!

Much love,

Alby xx

Pumpkin, tomato & kaffir lime lentils

Apologies for the average lighting ~ it’s been a busy week studying for an important exam next Friday, so recipe testing has had to fit in where it could. I’ve already chatted A LOT about the inspiration for this recipe, but inspiration regardless, this really is a knockout dish. It starts by roasting pumpkin and onion with tomato paste and spices until caramelised, before tomatoes, coconut milk, lentils and kaffir lime join the party, gently roasting away together to create a luscious and flavourful traybake dinner that will warm you to the core. It really is best served with the quick pickle recipe detailed below ~ see what you think!

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

serves 4-6 as a main

Cost Estimate: $20 (about $3.50 - $5 per serve)

Ingredients

800g peeled pumpkin flesh (from about ¼ - ⅓ large pumpkin), chopped into 2-3cm chunks

2 brown onions, sliced into 1cm half moons

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

50g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

finely grated zest of 1 lime

4 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp tamarind paste

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste

¾ tsp ground chilli (adjust to desired heat)

300g dried brown lentils

400g can chopped tomatoes

400ml can coconut milk

250ml vegetable stock

4 kaffir lime leaves, central veins removed, very finely chopped

2 large handfuls fresh coriander, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lime

Greek-style coconut yoghurt, to serve

Quick daikon-lime pickle, to serve (see below)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced (or 210°C conventional).

To a large high-sided roasting tin (about 33cm x 23cm), add the pumpkin, onion, garlic, ginger, lime zest, tomato paste, oil, tamarind, maple syrup, ground coriander, turmeric, salt and ground chilli. Toss together to coat the vegetables evenly, then spread out into an even layer. Roast for 30 minutes, giving the vegetables a stir at halfway. As the vegetables roast, place the lentils in a sieve and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cold water.

Remove the roasting tin from the oven. Drain the water from the lentils. Add the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable stock, kaffir lime, coriander, and 700ml boiling water to the tin. Stir through to evenly combine with the pumpkin and onions. Cover the tin tightly with two layers of foil to seal and bake for 55-60 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the sauce thickened to a delicious dal-like consistency.

Make the quick daikon-lime pickle as the lentils bake.

To serve, remove the lentils from the oven and peel away the foil. Squeeze over the lime juice, stir, taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra salt if desired. Serve warm in bowls, with a dash of yoghurt, the pickle, and warm roti or naan.

Alby’s Advice:

• Kaffir lime leaves can be found frozen at most Asian supermarkets or fresh in the herb section at other supermarkets. Kaffir lime trees also grow well in some parts of NZ and are worth adding to your garden (or even in a pot on the deck).

• Adjust amount of ground chilli based on the potency of the ground chilli you have on hand, and your desired heat.

Quick daikon-lime pickle

Making a pickle to have with a curry or dal might seem like a step too much on a busy night, but when it’s this easy there’s no excuse not to! It really does help to add some freshness and acidity, and is perfect served with the Pumpkin, tomato & kaffir lime lentils above.

Hands-on Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Cost Estimate: $3

Ingredients

2 tsp coriander seeds

150g daikon (or other radish), thinly sliced into rounds with a mandolin

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 small green chilli, finely chopped

1 large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 tsp maple syrup

¼ tsp sea salt

Method

In a small frying pan over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, lightly crush, then transfer to a small bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss through to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes, to allow the daikon to soften a little and the flavours to mingle.

Alby’s Advice:

• If you don’t have a mandolin, you can thinly slice the daikon into rounds with a sharp knife.

• Daikon is found at many local fresh produce markets or Asian supermarkets, or can be easily grown at home.

• Feel free to substitute the lime for lemon or grapefruit zest/juice if that is what you have on hand.

Black sesame Basque cheesecake

Cheesecake has never looked so easy. I love the deep nuttiness and grey tones of black tahini, and it goes well to offset the richness of the Basque cheesecake base. Basque cheesecakes are usually made with a little flour to help the structure, but here the black tahini fills this role, which makes this cheesecake pleasingly gluten-free for those who are coeliac. The black tahini does mean that the cheesecake is not as smooth as a traditional Basque, but I think it kind of suits its rustic charm. If you’re wondering why there’s some white specks in the picture, this is because I stupidly didn’t whisk the sour cream before adding it to the mixture - if you follow my method below, you should end up with a more uniformly grey cheesecake.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes (+ chilling time)

makes one 20cm cake

Cost Estimate: $18 (about $2 per serve)

Ingredients

500g cream cheese, at room temperature

200g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla paste

4 eggs

150g sour cream

150ml cream

70g black tahini

1 tsp flaky sea salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 210°C fan-forced (or 230°C conventional). 

Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin. To do this, use two pieces of baking paper, laying them on top of each other at a perpendicular angle and pressing into the tin. The paper should be large enough to cover the base and sides of the tin with a collar of paper a few centimetres above the top. Pleats and folds in the paper are wanted here, to give the outside of the cheesecake a rustic charm.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until the sugar dissolves and is completely smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated. 

In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the sour cream, cream, black tahini and salt until completely smooth. Add this to the cheesecake batter and mix together until evenly combined. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared tin and tap against the benchtop to level the mixture.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until deeply golden on top and the cheesecake is just-cooked but with a beautiful jiggle in the centre. Leave to cool, then refrigerate until completely cold. The cheesecake is then best served at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and bring to room temperature before serving. Slice with a hot knife for a clean cut.

Alby’s Advice:

• Black tahini can be found at some supermarkets, specialty food stores or whole foods stores.

• Cooking time may vary depending on your oven - trust your instincts with the jiggle.

Booyah! peanut tofu noodles with crunchy greens & chilli oil

This is one of those dishes worth ringing the bell and yelling Booyah! for yourself after you make it (if you’re a Simpson’s fan, you might get the reference). Obviously celery and peanut butter are well-acquainted bedfellows, and when mixed with moreish grilled tofu, a punchy dressing, and chilli oil lift, this will soon become a go-to quick weeknight dish for instant satisfaction.

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

serves 2-3 as a main, easily doubled

Cost Estimate: $12 ($4 - $6 per serve)

Ingredients

300g firm tofu

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp chinese five spice

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp turmeric

3 tbsp canola oil

200g plant-based dried noodles (e.g. Wuhan-style, udon, soba or ramen)

75g tender sprouting broccoli 

100g crunchy peanut butter

50ml light soy sauce

50ml apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

4 cloves garlic

20g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 celery stalks (with their leaves), leaves and stalks diced into 1cm pieces

1 large handful fresh coriander (leaves and stalks), roughly chopped

To serve

chilli oil (my Ginger-garlic Szechuan chilli oil goes primo here)

chopped roasted peanuts

1 spring onion, sliced

fresh coriander

Method

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornflour, Chinese five spice, ground coriander and turmeric. Pat the tofu dry with paper towel, then crumble into medium chunks into the bowl. Toss the tofu with the spices and cornflour to evenly coat. Place the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the coated tofu and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until nicely browned and starting to crisp a little.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling water, as per packet instructions until al dente. Drain and place the noodles in a large bowl. 

Once the tofu is nicely golden and getting crispy, add the broccoli to the pan and fry for 1-2 minutes, until just tender but still with some bite. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the noodles.

To a tall container or bowl, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic and ginger. Blitz together with a stick blender (or similar) until a smooth sauce is reached. Add the sauce to the noodles, along with the chopped celery and fresh coriander. Mix together with tongs to evenly combine and coat the noodles in the sauce. Add a little warm water to loosen, if desired.

Serve the noodles in bowls, topped with a drizzle of your favourite chilli oil (this really lifts the dish!), a scattering of roasted peanuts, sliced spring onion and some fresh coriander to finish.

Alby’s Advice:

• Don’t be afraid to use the celery leaves here as well as the stalk - they also have great flavour and texture contrast which adds to the dish.

• You can easily use ordinary broccoli instead of the sprouting broccoli - it may be worth blanching the broccoli in some boiling water first though, to ensure it is still tender after a quick pan fry.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - lemons, early grapefruit, early winter oranges, late limes

Yams

Onions

Late pears

Last of the persimmons

Late pumpkins

Leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages, Brussels sprouts)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Kiwifruit

Celery

Mushrooms

Brain Food:

• The story behind the Basque cheesecake for the history buffs among you

• Boring Oat Milk in partnership with The Spinoff are currently doing a ‘Breakfast Season’ tour around the country, with different events/panel discussions about kai. This week I attended one in Ōtepoti, a panel discussion focused on food systems, home horticulture and waste. Be on the lookout for the tour coming to a town near you.

• NZ’s mental healthcare is in crisis – but research shows us how to shorten wait times and keep staff

• A delicious-looking new cookbook, focused on the abundance of culinary magic crafted by chefs in the Pacific

• Honest words from best-selling cookbook author Meera Sodha, reflecting on her experiences of burnout, and rediscovering her love of food

This won’t come as a surprise to those of you who know me personally, but it’s been a restless couple of weeks for me….

Partly because I’ve been on night shifts these week (yay), but more importantly, it’s been WIMBLEDON baby!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a bit of a tennis fanatic, just a tiny bit, so there’s been a fair few late nights staring at little people scrambling around on a big rectangle of GREEN. Let’s just say the green grass of SW19 has hypnotically etched into my brain and onto the frying pan.

While Pimm’s cups, strawberries and cream are the usual fare of Wimbledon, that doesn’t quite sit with an Aotearoa winter, so instead this week’s newsletter takes inspiration from the finest green lawns in London.

And holy guacamole, have I got some blimmin good recipes in store for you today. If you’ve been on the fence about becoming a paid subscriber, this is probs the week to take the metaphorical plunge.

Why are green foods so good for us?

It’s a tale as old as time. We’ve all heard it before, probably as children, lectured at the family dinner table by one too many adults:

“Make sure you eat your greens, darl”

Pushing around wilted silverbeet or boiled-to-a-pulp cabbage and Brussels sprouts on the plate, as if swirling paint on an easel. Anything to delay shovelling their wretchedness into our gobs like good boys and girls ought to do.

Believe it or not though, and I apologise profusely to that inner child who doesn’t want to hear this, there is a rather large amount of truth to the advice that eating your greens is good for you ~ especially when we look at it through the lens of mental health (as I tend to always do).

Of all the foods out there that you can eat, leafy greens are right up there as showing the most promising dietary association with positive mental health and improved cognition.

Some significant studies released last year, based on the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) Diet, showed that those with a higher intake of leafy green vegetables (eg 7 servings a week) had significantly less Alzheimer’s-associated plaque deposits in their brains on posthumous neuroimaging.

This 2024 meta-analysis study, looking at the association between fruit/vege intake and depression incident in adults across different populations, showed that a multitude of studies have shown that there is evidence for green leafy vegetables having a particularly strong association with a lower risk of depression, alongside other fruits.

And the proof extends beyond the journal article and onto our plates and eating experiences. My own experience of eating leafy greens is undoubtedly that they make me feel better. It’s such that I often get cravings for them if I go a couple of days without. If you’d told me 10 years ago I’d be getting cravings for cabbage and kale…

As I alluded to earlier, obviously some of our negative association with these foods is how they’ve been cooked or prepared for us when we first tried them. It’s incredible how early food experiences have such an impact on our relationship to something as rudimentary as a vegetable. Just last week, a friend was round for dinner and discussing how they never cook Brussels sprouts because of the negative soggy boiled memories they conjure up. When I presented them with roasted-then-pan-fried-till-crispy sprouts with a punchy mustardy yoghurt base and lime-hazelnut topping, it had them feeling very different about the little green fellows.

So this week, with green on the mind, I’m sharing with you a few recipes to help you cook deliciously with leafy greens ~ perfect for the winter season, where cavolo Nero, kale and chard are at their absolute best. From a rocking palak matar (spinach & pea) paneer curry, to the most luxe silverbeet side dish with spiced brown butter and toasty hazelnuts, you’ll be falling back in love with the greens again in no time. Plus, something sweet and very green (but without vegetables, obvs) for your sweet tooth too.

Cooking from Good Vibes: With my partner moved to the North Island and whānau overseas, not wanting to be alone for Matariki, I invited some new work friends around for a Matariki homemade pasta-making feast. Needing a dessert to fit the Italian theme, I went straight for my Saffron yoghurt panna cotta with honey-mint oranges & almond crumble, from the Delight chapter of Good Vibes. I spoken before about how much I love saffron, and this really is one of my favourite recipes in the book. It’s perfect for dinner parties, as all three components can be made in advance - so it’s literally just a 5 minute assembly and you’re in panna cotta heaven.

Be sure to remember to scroll down to the bottom for links to other interesting foodie reads I’ve spied from recent media/articles, and some recommendations for recent food system films/presentations and a new cookbook that I highly recommend! I’ll be settling into the Wimbledon men’s final this evening, maybe with a slice of pandan roll to boot ~ I hope your week is looking just as delicious.

Much love,

Alby xx

Palak matar paneer

There’s something undeniably comforting about a spinach curry. Its verdant greenness makes me feel supercharged, like nature’s goodness is humming to my core with every spoonful. Palak paneer has become a mainstay of kiwi Indian restaurants, and if in doubt it’s always a solid choice. As a student in Dunedin 10 years ago, the go-to BYO spot was always India Garden, and I have fond (albeit slightly patchy) memories of their palak paneer that was an iconic favourite. My version sees matar (peas) snuggling into bed with spinach, providing you with extra vegetable value and adding some pleasant brightness to the sauce. Incredibly easy to whip up on a busy weeknight and utterly satisfying. Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) I think is rather essential to its signature flavour, and can be found at all Indian food stores.

Hands-on Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

serves 4-5

Cost Estimate: $20 (about $4-5 per serve)

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil

400g paneer, cut into 2-3cm cubes

250g spinach leaves

250g frozen peas

50g ghee or butter

1 large or 2 small brown onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

1-2 long green chillies, finely chopped

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp ground turmeric

150g tomatoes (about 2 small), diced

1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste

75g yoghurt, plus extra to serve

juice of ½ lemon

Method

First fry the paneer. Place the oil in a large high-sided frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the paneer and fry for a few minutes, turning regularly, until golden on each side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 

For the sauce, place the spinach and peas in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave for 5 minutes to blanch. Strain in a colander, then rinse with cold water to cool and refresh. Strain again and return the spinach and peas to the large bowl. 

Return the frying pan with the ghee/butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, until the onion is nicely softened. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, fry for 2 minutes, then add the coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric and tomato. Stir through and cook for a minute to soften the tomato a little. Transfer the contents of the frying pan to the bowl with the spinach and peas. Add 300ml cold water and blitz with a stick blender (or similar), until the sauce is as smooth as you can make it. 

Pour the sauce back into the frying pan and return over medium heat. Add the kasuri methi and salt, stirring through. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken a little. Add the yoghurt and fried paneer, stirring through, and simmer for a further 5 minutes, until the sauce is nicely thickened. Squeeze in the lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste with a little extra salt as needed. Drizzle with a little extra yoghurt and serve warm with your favourite rice, roti or naan.

Alby’s Advice:

• You can easily make this plant-based - just swap the paneer for extra-firm tofu, use oil instead of ghee/butter, and coconut cream in place of yoghurt.

• Feel free to use ground chilli instead of fresh chillies, adjust to desired heat.

Pandan, kaya & kiwi chiffon roll

As soon as I made this chiffon roll, I instantly regretted it… because after one slice I literally couldn’t stop myself. It was gone in 24 hours!! If that’s not enough encouragement to get in the kitchen and give this recipe a go, I don’t know what is :) the chiffon roll is light and fluffy, the perfect canvas for flavours of fragrant pandan, sweet-yet-tart kiwi and creamy vanilla Chantilly.

Hands-on Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes (includes 2 hours chilling time)

serves 8-10

Cost Estimate: $14 ($1.50 per serve)

Ingredients

Pandan coconut milk

50g (about 10) frozen pandan leaves

400ml can coconut milk

Quick kaya (pandan coconut jam)

200ml pandan coconut milk

4 egg yolks

75g soft brown sugar

Pandan chiffon roll

4 eggs, separated

50ml canola oil

75g caster sugar

75ml pandan coconut milk

¼ tsp sea salt

50g plain flour

25g cornflour

Cream & kiwi filling

200ml cream

1 ½ tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve

1 tsp vanilla paste

3 kiwifruit

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Line a 33cm x 23cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper.

First make the pandan coconut milk. Run the pandan leaves under warm water to defrost, then cut into pieces. In a bowl, using a stick blender, blitz together the pandan leaves and coconut milk until the milk turns a beautiful pale green and the leaves are very finely chopped. Strain the pandan milk through a sieve into a separate bowl, squeezing any pulp with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the milk as you can. Discard the pulp. You should have about 300ml pandan coconut milk, enough to make the kaya and chiffon roll.

For the quick kaya, pour 200ml of the pandan coconut milk into a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Gradually warm until just starting to bubble. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale. Once the pandan milk is just bubbling, remove from the heat and very slowly pour the hot milk over the egg mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously, until smooth and combined. Return to the saucepan, place over medium-low heat and gently cook, whisking regularly, until the mixture boils and thickens to form a luscious thick custard, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl and refrigerate to cool.

For the pandan chiffon roll, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, 25g caster sugar, 75ml of pandan coconut milk and salt. Sift the flour and cornflour into the mixture and whisk together until smooth. In a separate bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites and remaining 50g caster sugar to form soft peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the pandan mixture, being careful to keep as much air as possible. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold through.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Swiss roll tin, gently spreading out if necessary. Lift and drop the tray onto the bench a couple of times, to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and the sponge springs back when lightly touched.

Place a sheet of baking paper the size of the Swiss roll tin on your kitchen bench, with the short side facing towards you. Remove the sponge from the oven and use a knife to loosen the outer edge of the sponge from the baking paper. Leave to cool for 2 minutes, then carefully tip the sponge out onto the baking paper on the bench, peeling off the baking paper from the underside of the sponge. Carefully roll up the sponge with the baking paper. Leave the rolled sponge to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.

For the filling, using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream, icing sugar and vanilla to form medium-soft peaks. Cut the kiwifruit in half, scoop out the flesh, cut into 2cm pieces, and place in a separate bowl.

To assemble, unroll the sponge and spread two-thirds of the kaya over the sponge in an even layer (keep the rest of the kaya in the fridge for future deliciousness), followed by the cream filling (I tend to keep the layer of cream thinner at the edges as it will push out a little as you roll up the sponge). Arrange the chopped kiwifruit evenly over the cream in a single layer. Carefully roll up again into a tight log, using the baking paper underneath to wrap the sponge as you go. Tuck the baking paper under the roll to tighten. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set.

To serve, unwrap the baking paper and transfer the roll to a serving platter. Dust the top with sifted icing sugar, and slice into thick rounds. Any leftover sponge is best kept refrigerated, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Alby’s Advice:

• Frozen pandan leaves can be purchased from most Asian supermarkets, in the freezer section.

• Be careful as you whip the cream to ensure you don’t take it too far - no one wants over-whipped cream.

• When you peel off the baking paper after chilling the roll, don’t worry if the thin golden crust peels off with it. You’ll be dusting the roll with icing sugar so will still look beautifully delicious.

Glorious greens with spiced hazelnut brown butter

Silverbeet can often feel a little ordinary; boiled, grilled or steamed and slapped on the side without too much thought or care. This recipe is all brought together in 20 minutes, and for the little bit of extra effort, it really does turn the humble silverbeet into something special. Let’s be honest, brown butter tends to make everything taste good, and does a lot of the heavy lifting here, but the addition of paprika, turmeric, hazelnuts and lime really gives it a lift rather than feeling too rich and heavy.

Hands-on Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

serves 6 as a side

Cost Estimate: $13 (about $2 per serve)

Ingredients

1 medium-large bunch silverbeet

2 tbsp olive oil

¾ tsp sea salt

100g sprouting broccoli/broccolini

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

75g butter

75g hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 tsp ground paprika

¼ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp maple syrup

juice of 1 lime, to serve

Method

To prepare the silverbeet, trim the end off the bunch of silverbeet to separate the leaves. Wash under running water to remove any dirt. Cut the leaves off the stalks. Slice the stalks into 1cm pieces. Chop the leaves roughly into large 5cm strips.

Heat the olive oil in a large high-sided frying pan over medium heat. Add the silverbeet stalks and leaves, along with the salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are softened and leaves are wilted. Most of the water from the silverbeet should have evaporated. Add the sprouting broccoli and garlic. Toss through and cook for a couple of minutes until the broccoli is just tender but still with some bite. Transfer the contents of the frying pan to a large serving platter. 

Place the butter and hazelnuts in a small frying pan over medium heat. Stir to melt the butter, then leave for a couple of minutes, until the butter starts to foam and lightly brown (beurre noisette). The hazelnuts should also be turning golden and toasty. Remove from the heat and stir through the paprika and turmeric. Leave for 30 seconds then stir through the maple syrup. Pour the warm spiced butter and hazelnuts over the greens. Toss gently to evenly coat. Squeeze over the lime juice and serve warm.

Alby’s Advice:

• Frozen pandan leaves can be purchased from most Asian supermarkets. Just run the frozen leaves under some warm water to defrost.

• Black glutinous rice is also found at Asian supermarkets.

• The rice pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Loosen with a little water when reheating.

Pom molasses yams with almonds & green feta whip

I know, I know, where have the leafy greens gone in this recipe?? Unapologetically, I’m cooking for one now, and have had a host of yams sitting in the fridge for the past 10 days begging to be used. Given the yam season is fleeting and we’re right in the middle of it, I thought this week would be the perfect opportunity to share with my special paid subscribers this knockout yam recipe. Roasted with pomegranate molasses, cumin and chilli, and to keep with the green theme of the week, served on a bed of green feta whip, made green by fresh mint, parsley and blitzed peas. It’s bringing the sweet, salty, crunch and freshness that we all crave.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

serves 4-6 as a side

Cost Estimate: $13 ($2.50-$3 per serve)

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus extra to serve

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chilli flakes

large pinch sea salt

600g yams

70g almonds, roughly chopped

100g frozen peas

100g feta

100g Greek yoghurt

1 large handful mint leaves, plus extra to serve

1 large handful of flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve

juice of ½ lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced (or 200°C conventional). Line a large roasting dish with baking paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, cumin, chilli flakes and salt. Add the yams and toss to evenly coat. Transfer to the lined roasting dish, spreading out the yams in a single layer. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, add the almonds, and toss through the yams. Rearrange in a single layer and roast for a further 8 minutes until the yams are tender and almonds golden. 

As the yams roast, make the green feta whip. Place the frozen peas in a tall container or medium bowl, cover with boiling water and leave for 5 minutes. Strain the water from the peas and return to the bowl. Add the feta, yoghurt, mint, parsley and lemon juice. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.

To serve, spread the green feta whip over the base of a serving dish. Pile the yams and almonds on top. Drizzle with a little extra pomegranate molasses, and finish with some finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Alby’s Advice:

• Pomegranate molasses can be found at some supermarkets and most Indian or Mediterranean food stored. Substitute this for maple syrup and a little balsamic or red wine vinegar, if you don’t have any available.

• To make this vegan, replace the feta and yoghurt in the whip with Greek-style coconut yoghurt and a little salt, to taste.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - lemons, early grapefruit, late mandarins

Yams

Late pears

Persimmons

Late pumpkins

Leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages, Brussels sprouts)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Kiwifruit

Celery

Brain Food:

• An epic visual illustration of 5 key food policy ideas for a healthier Aotearoa, taken from The Healthier Lives – He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge

• A recent lecture I attended by world-leading professor emeritus of food engineering, Dr Singh, worth a watch (available online)

• A recent award-winning documentary, Feeding Tomorrow, about people attempting to tackle the food crisis in the USA, that I stumbled upon on a plane trip and very much enjoyed

• Some transparency on Fonterra’s plans to reduce food waste

• A recently released cookbook, Agak Agak, that’s a must-add to your collection

Kia ora newsletter whānau, and Mānawatia a Matariki!!!! ✨✨

I hope this weekend has brought with it time for reflection, to honour those whānau who have come before, and of course, to feast!

As promised, this week’s newsletter is a little different. I am so so excited, and tremendously honoured to introduce Lavi Small as the first-ever guest writer for Eating Who I Want to Be. Lavi’s talents in the kitchen and in food writing are unparalleled, and her ability to weave culture, poetry and history through the lens of food is a beautiful thing. Lavi has some mouth-watering offerings to share with you all this week, as well as thought-provocating and truly informative words that I hope you find as captivating to read as I certainly have.

Lavi, thank you for sharing yourself with us today, I am truly grateful.

I’ll see y’all in a fortnight! Much love,

Alby xx

From Lavi:

Ka nui te koa o taku ngākau kia hoatu tēnei tuhinga ki a koutou. Ngā mihi mō tō koutou manaakitanga. 

Hello everyone and thank you for having me here! I’m Lavi, a friend and fellow Eat NZ Kaitaki of Alby’s. I am a chef, writer, food historian, and poet, or all of the above depending on my mood. I am also a polyglot - a person who speaks several languages - and I have a bit of an obsession with words, particularly food-related ones. I live in the strange and wonderful portal-to-an-alternative-future town of Ōamaru, surrounded by fruit trees, pumpkins, roses and rapidly growing broad beans, with my partner, her mother, a cat and the world’s friendliest chickens. 

Most of you will have noticed by now that Alby has a bit of a sweet tooth. Whilst a lot of the food I create has a sweet element; hummus and pickled dates, charred lettuce and mulberry molasses, fire roasted kūmara with burnt sugar (if you ever visited Conch while I was there you’ll know), I am far more likely to choose sour, salty, or umami over sweets. These are the flavours that excite me, that challenge me, that paint my tongue in ways that make it come alive. But over the last 8 months, feeling more and more horrified by the genocide we are currently witnessing, stuck at home recovering from a spinal injury and trying to write a recipe book full of poems that encourage people to explore the stories held in our food, I have found myself more and more craving sweetness. 

Sweetness in my book has become synonymous with hope. I keep telling people it is accidental, but it’s only consciously so. There is no shame in finding comfort in sweets, or craving them in times of emotional, social, spiritual or physical distress. Humans are hardwired to search for sweetness, to find it soothing. Breastmilk (and formula!), the first thing we taste, which sustains and nourishes us, and helps build connection between us and our parents, is sweet. So instead of feeling the strange sugar-induced-guilt I could, I’ve decided to lean into this sweetness. I still play with sour and bitter and salty, but right now, it’s the sweetness that makes me feel alive, the sweetness that gives me hope. I’ve found it in marshmallows, skewered with despair and brought to the point of collapse in the fire, plastering sweetness across my face (I like to save a bit for later). I’ve found it in feijoa Louise cakes, making use of the feijoas whose plenty quickly turns luxury to frustration. I’ve found it in halawa (Arabic for ‘sweet’, aka. halva) and bowls of rose rice-pudding that smell like pink and hope for Palestine. And more frequently, thanks to the abundance of mine and my mother-in-law’s gardens, I have found hope in the sweetness of pumpkin. 

Hello pumpkin, my old friend

The arrival of pumpkins through my front (and back and side) doors is a clear signal to me that winter will not be far behind. They are old friends, pumpkins and winter have always come together. Despite the fact that it is on the wrong side of the year here in Aotearoa, the link between Halloween and pumpkins is strong, pumpkins represent the end of the harvest, the time for coming inside and cozying up with bowls of soup and stews and fires (maybe even marshmallows). Pumpkins, like all fruits (yes, it’s technically a fruit according to the ‘has-seeds-inside’ rule) in the cucurbitaceae family are originally from the Americas, and are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. They are one of the Three Sisters, the (fairly) well-known Indigenous North American companion planting system, named for the Three Sisters who sprouted from the body of Sky Woman’s daughter as pumpkin, corn and beans (there are many versions of this story, this is an Iroquois version). They grow together lovingly, arms as vines wrapped around each other, body and leaves providing shelter and structure and sustenance, roots providing nutrients. Pumpkins now grow on every continent except Antarctica, and to many of us they are intimately linked to that elusive feeling of nostalgia. I was speaking to a friend recently, a wonderful woman in her 60s, who told me that she has always disliked pumpkin and yet she grows them and every single year makes herself eat them, thinking perhaps this is the year. Hope hidden in pumpkin.

I have three recipes to share with you today, all involving pumpkin, all involving different levels of sweetness. They are so different in fact, that you could take a large pumpkin, make all 3 and serve them up at a Pumpkin Party! I quite like the sound of that and not just as alliteration appreciation. 

The first recipe is my own exercise in plating nostalgia. I do not have particularly exciting memories of eating pumpkin as a child, or at least none that stand out, but I do have wonderful memories of eating persimmons (intriguingly I wrote this before Alby’s last newsletter, great minds!). Both raw pumpkin and under-ripe persimmon have a pale, rock-melony scent and for an entire year, since I last conceived of the idea as I ate a persimmon and locked eyes with the pumpkin looking on sullenly from my kitchen bench, I have dreamt about eating the two together. It may seem a slightly odd combination, but atop milky ricotta with nutty anisey flavoured bulgur (in honour of the ever-aniseed loving women in my family) bringing out the melon-y flavours, the two come together to paint a beautiful picture of late autumn sun and new winter fires. 

the most fascinating fruit

Persimmons are a fascinating fruit and a great example of how much we can learn from a name. We get the English word Persimmon from the Algonquin word Pessamin. The word pessamin means ‘dried fruit’ as usually they are eaten dried, which reduces their tannin content, though in their molten ripe form they are also added to bread doughs. Given we get the word from a group of Indigenous North American languages, it would be reasonable to conclude English speaking people first encountered the fruit in North America, where they had been growing for thousands of years, and this is true. But because of their high tannin content persimmons were not widely eaten or readily available in North America outside of Indigenous populations until very recently.

‘Very recently’ brings me to the next piece of this story; the persimmons widely available today are native to China / Japan (there is debate) where they have also existed for thousands and thousands of years. In most other languages around the world the word for ‘persimmon’ is something like ‘kaka’ (which is the Arabic word). Because the word ‘kaka’ or ‘caca’ in a lot of languages also refers to poo, some people have believed that persimmons are named for the birds who eat them and spread their seed. Alas, this could not be farther from the truth. The name ‘kaka’ comes from the Japanese name for the fruit; ‘kaki’; which in turn comes from the old word ‘kakayagu’ which means ‘to shine dazzlingly’ or ‘to be crowned with glory’. From this also comes the word ‘kakayagi’, ‘lustre’ or ‘brilliance’, which is now the name of a Japanese Bullet Train service. 

Now to come right around a circle, the things we call ‘persimmons’ are not really persimmons at all, that is, they are not the North American persimmon, botanically known as Diospyros Virginiana. They are the Japanese persimmon Diospyros Kaki. The two are completely distinct, but from what we can tell by looking at them, they must have started out as the same thing and split, somewhere around the time Gondwanaland split, about 180 million years ago. As good a lesson as any that nothing in this world exists in isolation

Astringent persimmons when meltingly ripe, while deliciously datey flavoured, tend to smell something like uncooked cake batter. The non-astringent Japanese Fuyu kind (the flat, round ones most readily available in Aotearoa), do not need to be melting before they can be eaten, and when crisper smell more like rockmelon as does pumpkin. There are two schools of thought on where we got the word pumpkin, one being from another Algonquin word pôhpukun meaning ‘to grow round’ and also relating to melons. The other suggests that the word comes from Greek pepōn, meaning melon and coming from a root word meaning to ripen or ‘to cook in the sun’. All in all, I think we can say that when I locked eyes with that moody bench pumpkin while devouring a persimmon and thought of melons, I was on to something. I strongly suggest that when you next cut open a pumpkin (hopefully to make one of these recipes) you take a deep sniff and allow yourself to be transported through time.

Following the scent of melons, we find ourselves standing with a watermelon in place of a flag. Surrounded by fields of wheat 15,000 years old, milling our hands through cracked bulgur, tossing it in a celebration of flour and rubbing pearls of dough through a sieve like panning for gold. Once the dough has been left to dry in the sun it becomes maftoul, known in English as Pearl Couscous. It is also the name of the dish, and my next recipe. 

Maftoul: more than just food

Wheat has, for as long as oral histories have been around (and from what carbon dating can tell us if you’re more into that kind of thing), been an integral part of Palestinian culture. I say culture, as opposed to cuisine, because it is not just food that wheat is important to. Think about maftoul; the growing of wheat requires land, it requires knowledge, and understanding, and patience and timing and skill. The drying of wheat, the turning of that wheat into flour. The collecting of water to mix with that flour. The rolling of dough between hands, the teaching and learning to roll the dough (the name actually comes from the word ‘fatala’ or ‘to roll’). The drying of the dough in the sun. The gathering and growing and rearing of things to eat with the maftoul. The cooking and sharing and talking about. The eating. There are so, so many parts to the story of this food, so many more complex and heart-wrenching twists when we add the difficulties of life under occupation. When I say ‘integral to Palestinian culture’, I do not mean necessary to, or important to, I mean integral in the very truest sense of the word - integral means whole, or complete. This dish is not just food, it is an entire history of people and land tied together.

My second recipe is for a soupy caraway-studded pumpkin and chickpea stew which is served spooned over the maftoul itself. There are many versions of maftoul, many topped with chicken or slow cooked lamb, but the scarcity and expense of meat in Palestine means that often it is now made vegetarian. The majority of the recipes available in English online are made without the caraway seed, though in the Bedouin communities from which it originally comes, the caraway, in all its fragrant, cooling complexity, is the defining flavour. This is a dish full of nuance, hope transferred from pumpkin to broth and broth to maftoul. Textural intrigue bubbling across our tongues in chickpeas and pearls. Perfumed soup that sings the name and the colours of a land who needs us to sing her name too. 

All sweetness and sumptuous light

And so we find ourselves in the eternal search for sweetness and hope. Weaving coloured lines of ink and broth and Oil through the fabric of despair. Despair and hopelessness are easy. Hope is not, definitely not always. But the ability to hope and despair all at once is part of what makes us so wonderfully, powerfully, fragilely human. My final recipe for you is all sweetness and sumptuous light. 

I have done some very interesting research into what people define as comfort food and found that overwhelmingly these foods are shades of cream, or beige, or yellow, or golden-brown. These are easy colours, they do not shock or jar our senses. There is nothing unsettling or unexpected. I am going to shake that up a bit. Pumpkin is sweet, but it could be sweeter. Whether or not that means you will find yourself more hopeful, I will leave up to you to decide. The Arabic word for sweetness is Halawet and this dish is called Halawet ‘Arae or ‘Sweetness of Pumpkin’ (sometimes spelt Qarae, but the q is soft, almost swallowed like the space in ‘uh oh’). Traditionally it requires soaking the pumpkin in slaked lime, but despite living in limestone central (Ōamaru) this is very hard to get hold of, and surprisingly dangerous to use, so I am definitely not going to ask you to try. The slaked lime helps the pumpkin stay crisp, a texture impossible to replicate without it (trust me, I have tried), so instead we are going to celebrate the pumpkin for her softness and subtle melony flavours, her sweetness, and then we are going to serve her as a shocking orange crown atop a bowl of gently floral rice pudding. 

As with all recipes, these ones are guides, they are letters of love and hope and longing, building connection between us and the world. Although it is literally my job to write recipes, I am not a big believer in following them, and for most of history and in much of the world, recipes as we know them were not a thing. These recipes are yours now, follow them if you wish and tweak them as you like. Share them and share their stories of places and people and sweetness and hope. My suggestion is that you use the ingredients (particularly spices) as teachers; smell them, imagine them, note their flavours and from that learn what else could work instead. All the ingredients in these recipes play a part in creating something integral, something whole and with heart. Like The Three Sisters they hold each other up, they support each other, nourish each other and draw each other out. Be it caraway’s whispers of desert wind, aniseed and basil painting memories of ripe melon upon a persimmon, or pumpkin’s gentle cushion of hope. 

Iti noa ana, he pito mata.

Aroha nui, 

Lavi xx

Pumpkin, Persimmon & Ricotta

Serves 4 as a generous entrée, alternatively serve on one large plate and share.

Ingredients

500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes

½ cup fine bulgur

1 cup boiling water

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp nigella seeds 

¼ tsp aniseeds (or ⅛ tsp ground aniseed)

⅓ tsp salt 

small handful basil (~12 leaves) + extra leaves for garnishing 

160g ricotta 

6 Tbsp milk 

2 persimmons, of desired ripeness (I like them jellylike)

1 ½ Tbsp date syrup 

1 ½ Tbsp fruity olive oil

Method

Toss the pumpkin pieces with a little olive oil and season with salt (there is no need for pepper). Roast in a 180c oven for about 20mins, until soft and a little caramelised around the edges. 

When the pumpkin has 10 mins left to cook, mix the bulgur, seeds and salt in a small pot or bowl and pour over the boiling water. Cover and leave to sit for 10 mins. 

Finely chop the handful of basil, mix the ricotta and milk until a smooth cream, peel the persimmon and cut into cubes slightly smaller than the cubes of pumpkin. 

Fluff up the bulgur, I do this by scraping around it with a fork, and mix in the basil. 

To serve, smear a quarter of the ricotta mixture on each plate, top with a few pieces of pumpkin and a persimmon, scatter over quarter of the bulgur, top with remaining quarter of pumpkin and persimmon. Quickly whisk together the olive oil and date syrup and pour over the top. Garnish with extra basil leaves.

Maftoul

Serves 4 - easily doubled for celebratory eating. I do not recommend halving this recipe, but it will keep deliciously in the fridge for 3 days.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thickly sliced 

1 ½ tsp ground cumin 

1 ½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp cinnamon 

¼ tsp allspice 

¾ tsp caraway seeds 

½ tsp fennel seeds 

½ tsp ground black pepper

4 green cardamom pods

3 bay leaves 

2 tsp tomato paste 

½ tsp sugar 

1.2L veggie stock 

400g pumpkin, in 3-4cm cubes 

6 garlic cloves, split in half lengthwise  

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

20g butter

1 Tbsp olive oil 

2 cups Maftoul (pearl couscous or ‘moghrabieh’) 

To serve

yoghurt

parsley

green chilli shatta (Palestinian fermented chilli paste)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large pot  over medium heat. Add the onion, turn the heat to medium low and allow to sweat beneath a lid for about 7 mins, until translucent and beginning to brown and curl in places. 

Add all the spices except the bay leaves and toast for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, sugar and pumpkin and cook for another few minutes, stirring until the tomato paste deepens in colour. 

Add the garlic cloves, chickpeas and veggie stock, bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and allow to cook for 20 mins until the pumpkin is tender but not mushy. 

Strain the mixture, reserving the liquid and set aside the veggies in another pot. Measure out 750ml (3 cups) of the broth and pour the remaining broth back over the veggies. 

Melt the butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil in another pot, add the maftoul and toast for 3 mins until golden and nutty smelling. Add the reserved broth, bring to a boil, turn down to as low as possible (I use a simmer plate on my gas stove) and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 mins (or according to your package cooking time) then turn off the heat and quickly sneak a paper towel or tea towel under the lid. Leave to steam for 10 mins. (As long as the maftoul is tender don’t worry if some liquid remains). 

While the maftoul is steaming, reheat the stew. 

Serve the maftoul topped with the stew, with any extra broth in a bowl to be spooned over. Eat with yoghurt, parsley and green chilli shatta if you wish. 

Halawet ‘Arae and Rice Pudding

Serves 4, easily halved or doubled. 

Adjust the sugar in the halawet as you wish, you can taste the pumpkin raw to assess its sweetness, but note that the raw bitterness will disappear when cooked. Begin the night before serving.

Ingredients

Rice Pudding 

⅔ cup short / medium grain rice, unwashed

⅔ cup water 

4 cups milk (of your choice - macadamia is a good plant based option because of the higher fat content!)

½ cup sugar 

1 tsp rose water 

½ tsp orange blossom water (or extra rose water)

Halawet ‘Arae

350g pumpkin

175g sugar

Method

Begin this recipe the night before. 

For the Halawet ‘Arae, cut the pumpkin into short 5mm matchsticks. Place in a bowl with the sugar and rub together well. 

Cover and leave to sit for ~8 hours on the bench (or overnight). It will produce a lot of liquid, it is ready to cook when the liquid almost covers the pumpkin. 

The following day, drain the liquid into a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 mins, then keeping the pot on the highest heat add the pumpkin and cook for another 5 mins until just tender but keeping its shape. 

For the rice pudding, put the rice and water in a pot and bring to the boil, turn down and simmer until all the water is absorbed, about 5-7 mins. Add the sugar and 3 cups of the milk, stir well and cook at a gentle simmer for 15 mins until the milk is absorbed. Add the flower waters and the remaining cup of milk and cook for a further 5 mins. You want it to be a loose milky porridge. 

Serve the rice pudding topped with a big spoonful of halawet ‘arae. If desired, sprinkle with ground cloves or cinnamon as is traditional in Palestinian Jewish communities. 

**Leftover halawet can be kept for a week in the fridge. It is delicious on toast or flatbread, with or without labneh. To reheat the rice pudding, which will keep refrigerated for 3 days, add more milk or water and heat gently, stirring frequently.

Hello strangers…

…lol JK 😂

When you’re used to pumping out weekly newsletters, a two-week gap seems like an AGEEEEEEEEE (yeah right!). Thanks to everyone for your understanding of the temporary shift to a fortnightly publication. Hopefully it’s given you some extra time to try out some of the recipes from previous editions of Eating Who I Want to Be. You’ll be pleased to know I still found myself standing at the kitchen bench yesterday, semi-frantically trying to stir some ideas together at the stove to share with you all on this lovely Sunday morn.

Before I launch into this week’s newsletter, the theme of which I am very very pumped about (go the big orange P!!), I have some exciting news to share with you all. You may recall that back when launching Eating Who I Want to Be, I wrote that my intention was to bring you, and I quote, “Possible guest appearances from other Aotearoa food writers (TBC)”.

Well, I am pleased to inform you that the possible TBC is now the confirmed. For the next Eating Who I Want to Be (June 30th) I’ll be handing over the reigns to my friend, fellow Eat New Zealand Kaitaki and one of Aotearoa’s most impressive chefs and food writers, Lavinia Small.

Lavinia (Lavi) is a chef and writer/poet, currently based in Ōamaru, whose mahi is focused on exploring food as a means of storytelling. She has worked as a chef around the globe, as well as head chef in a number of Aotearoa establishments. Lavi has generously offered up her skills, artistry and expertise, and will be the guest writer for the next newsletter, sharing a collection of timely pumpkin recipes for us all to learn from and enjoy. It’s a special thing to hear from someone with such experience and talent, so be sure to keep your eyes on your inbox for two Sundays’ time!

my P obsession: the fruit you oughta eat

My love affair with persimmons began in Northland. In fact, I’m not sure that I’d ever eaten a persimmon before I moved up to Whangārei.

Out the door, across the bridge, up the hill, across State Highway 1, past the McKay Stadium and across the street there she was. Beautiful green-turning-golden foliage, sprawled out and heaving with bright orange globes. A hop-skip-and-a-jump from my front door, there was the most glorious of glorious persimmons trees. I’d seen persimmons the odd time before at the supermarket, yet for some reason had never given them a go. Was it because they were in the fruit section but looked like a tomato? Was it their too-bright-orange-to-be-natural skin, their alienness? Was it that I always seem to be on such a god damn mission whenever I’m at the supermarket that taking an extra few seconds to consider trying something not on my agenda had never occurred? Seeing the persimmon actually growing on the tree, in my neighbourhood, triggered something in me to try them (case in point of why it is SO SO important for us all to be able to connect with where our food comes from in a tangible way!). And I quickly realised that persimmons grow like hotcakes in Northland: I was in persimmon paradise. I cry orange tears for my years of missed persimmon eating now.

Just last week, I was at the checkout at the local Pak’nSave (I buy almost all my produce from the local farmers’ market or take from the garden, but sometimes there’s certain fruits that are grown up north that I will foray to the super for). And of course, in preparation for this newsletter, I was purchasing quite a number of persimmons. I got chatting with the girl at the checkout (as you do), having kicked it off with a fruity conversation starter (do you prefer limes or lemons? I asked her… what an idiot!). She had moved to Aotearoa from the Phillipines 1 year ago, because of her family, and was missing her home very very much. I was shook when she said “aren’t limes and lemons more or less the same”, but forgave her quickly. As the persimmons came up to the scanner, she suddenly got rather excited.

“Do you like these?” she asked. Not a silly question considering there was a mighty stack of persimmons heading her way.

“I love them”, I replied with far too much enthusiasm for a piece of fruit.

“Someone bought one the other day, they said they’re kind of like an apple. I’ve never tried one, but I want to!”

“Yeah, I guess they’re kind of like an apple. You can bite into it, eat the skin and all like an apple, but the flavour is more subtle, kind-of honey-like… the best way to know is by eating one. You’ve never tried one?! Oh, you have to! You’ll have to make it your goal for this week to try a persimmon!”

She smiled and laughed, noncommittally, but then as I was paying, she said, “when I see you next, I’ll tell you what I think of it.”

I proceeded to wheel the trolley over to the packing bay, and as I was packing the persimmons into the bag, I realised the obvious. As I was leaving the supermarket, I left the trolley briefly and returned to the girl at the checkout, where she was busily scanning through three packets of chocolate wheatens for a ‘love’s a chocolate wheaten’ looking lady. I tapped her on the shoulder, she turned around, and I presented to her a persimmon. “You’ll have to eat it tonight!” I said, and then walked away, the chocolate wheaten lady looking rather confused as the girl grinned from ear to ear. She’ll be P obsessed in no time.

So persimmons, what are they?

Persimmons are an old fruit. Dating back over 2000 years to East China, persimmon fruits are technically a berry in the botanical sense (like a tomato), with each fruit coming from a single flower that blooms from the branches of this deciduous tree.

Persimmons actually tolerate remarkably cold temperatures during their dormant phase (down to -15°C), but they do need reasonably warm weather for fruit to fully ripen over the summer months, ready for a late autumn harvest. There are two general types of persimmons: astringent (persimmon which are quite high in tannins and are unpleasant to eat unless completely softened or prepared properly) or non-astringent (the ones you can eat like an apple, my preferred type). The Fuyu persimmon is the non-astringent, tomato-shaped variety that grows well in Northern Aotearoa and is seen on the supermarket shelves at this time of year. It’s the persimmon I love, and the persimmon we’ll be cooking with this week.

I’ve really been on a roll with plant-based recipes the past few newsletters. In fact, it may feel to some of you like Eating Who I Want to Be is a plant-based newsletter. Which for the most part I guess it is, as this is in line with some of those values that the newsletter is aiming to achieve. But for those who dabble in the realms of fish, meat, eggs and dairy, you’ll be pleased to know that this week I’m mixing up the formula.

For free subscribers, we’re diving into taco town, with quick-and-easy monkfish tacos that are set alive by the most wonderful fennel, persimmon, preserved lemon slaw/salsa thing that is a great option for fun weeknight eating. We’ve also got a sweet-yet-savoury sharing plate, great as a starter or part of a mezze-style meal, Hot lemon honey persimmons with mint labneh and pistachio-fennel dukkah.

For paid subscribers, this week’s newsletter has definitely been worth the wait. You’ll also be getting the MOST comforting and easy autumn pulled pork, the flavour amplified by persimmons that tenderise and melt into caramelised deliciousness as the pork roasts. Plus a Thai-inspired black sticky rice pudding, paired with a persimmon & lime compote that is winter warming dessert right when we need it.

Cooking from Good Vibes: This past week I received the most lovely email from a lady who had tried this recipe from the Connect chapter of Good Vibes, my Persimmon & red onion tarte Tatin with crispy sage & feta. She was wondering what I usually paired it with, and if I thought it was more savoury or sweet, given it straddles the fence of these two domains so curiously. While this was intended to be served as more of a savoury dish (e.g. with a sharp salad with some bitter leaves and herbs), it made me realise that it could just as easily slide into the dessert-ish category. And it reminded me how much I love recipes that don’t sit squarely in one camp ~ it really challenges our sometimes strict perceptions of food and meal brackets in an endearing way. This recipe from Good Vibes has a special place in my heart, and is perfect to try this persimmon season.

Be sure to remember to scroll down to the bottom for links to other interesting foodie reads I’ve spied from the past weeks’ media. Embrace the orange, and get ready for even MORE orange with Lavi’s guest feature pumpkin era next time.

Much love,

Alby xx

Fish tacos with preserved lemon, fennel & persimmon

Who doesn’t love a taco? I love fish, not just for its health benefits, but also for its ease and speed for cooking - a great option for when you want a quick weeknight meal that feels just a little fancy. I’ve opted for monkfish here, but any firm white flesh fish will do well. The persimmon really does well to jazz things up here. You can feel free to make substitutions with whatever you have on hand as well - thinly shredded cabbage instead of fennel (although the flavour will be very different), yoghurt in place of sour cream. If you’re feeling game, it’s also a lot of fun to make your own tortillas, and a lot easier than you might think - there’s an easy recipe for Corn tortillas on page 228 of my cookbook Good Vibes.

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

serves 4-6, makes about 12 tacos

Cost Estimate: $26 (about $2-$2.50 per taco)

Ingredients

Kinda-slaw

1 medium fennel bulb (about 250g), fronds attached 

skin of 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped

1 long green chilli, finely chopped

1 large Fuyu persimmon, ends trimmed and diced into 1cm pieces

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 large handful mint leaves, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp sea salt

Crema

200g sour cream

2 cloves garlic, finely grated

finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 ½ tbsp finely chopped gherkin

⅓ tsp dried dill

sea salt, to taste

Fish

600g monkfish fillets (or other firm white flesh fish), cut into 5cm pieces

1 ½ tbsp cornflour

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground paprika

⅓ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp sea salt

3 tbsp olive oil

To serve

soft corn tortillas, warmed

chopped fennel fronds

lemon wedges

Method

First prepare the fennel. Remove the fennel fronds from the fennel bulb and finely chop. You want about 15g (a few tablespoons). Slice the bottom off the fennel bulb and using a mandoline, shave the fennel from the bottom to the top into very thin 1-2mm slices. Place the shaved fennel and chopped fronds in a medium bowl, saving a few extra fronds for garnish later.

To make the kinda-slaw, add the remaining ingredients to the fennel, toss together to evenly combine, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

For the crema, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together until well combined; set aside.

For the fish, pat the fish pieces fry with paper towel. In a bowl, mix together the cornflour, coriander, paprika, garlic powder and salt. Add the fish pieces and toss through the spice mixture to evenly coat. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the coated fish for about 2 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Remove from the pan onto a plate.

To serve, gently warm the tortillas in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat for 15-30 seconds on each side. Stack and cover with a tea towel to keep warm. Spoon dollops of the crema down the centre of each tortilla. Top with some of the kinda-slaw, a couple of fish pieces, and some extra chopped fennel fronds, with lemon wedges on the side for a final zing.

Alby’s Advice:

• Always buy the freshest fish you can find - I suggest having a look online for your closest local fish monger, and try to ensure the fish is caught sustainably.

• This recipe is also gluten-free, as it uses maize-based cornflour in the fish coating, and the tortillas are made of corn.

• This is also a great meal idea for cooking with friends - especially if you make your own tortillas! The cooking conveyor belt is a thing of beauty.

Hot lemon honey persimmons with mint labneh and pistachio-fennel dukkah

Another great recipe for straddling the line between sweet and savoury, creamy, herby, garlicky strained yoghurt combines beautifully with the honey-sweetness of the persimmons. The lemon honey, spiked with subtle chilli really gives it all a lift, with a bit of texture from the dukkah. The dukkah makes far more than you need for this dish - it’s ideal for having in the pantry for a quick flavour boost at short notice.

Hands-on Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight for the labneh)

serves 6 as a sharing plate

Cost Estimate: $12-$14 ($2 per serve)

Ingredients

Hot lemon honey persimmons

40g honey (or maple syrup if vegan)

finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp chilli flakes

pinch of sea salt

2 Fuyu persimmons

Mint labneh

500g Greek yoghurt (or Greek-style coconut yoghurt if vegan)

½ tsp sea salt

1 large handful (15g) mint leaves, plus extra to serve

3 cloves garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

Pistachio-fennel dukkah

75g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped

2 tsp fennel seeds

2 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp cracked black pepper

¼ tsp sea salt

Method

Prepare the labneh the day prior. Place the yoghurt and sea salt in a bowl and mix to combine. Line a sieve with doubled cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour the salted yoghurt into the cheesecloth, fold the corners over to cover and place a gentle weight on top (e.g. a mug or block of butter). Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours (or up to 3 days) to allow some liquid to strain from the yoghurt. 

For the hot lemon honey, place the honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli flakes and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until starting to bowl, then pour into a bowl and set aside to cool.

To make the dukkah, toast the chopped pistachios in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, until lightly toasted. Add the fennel, sesame and coriander seeds and toast for a further 2 minutes, until the pistachios are becoming golden and the seeds are fragrant and toasted. Transfer to a mortar & pestle and grind until the seeds form a coarse powder around the chopped pistachios, still with some texture and crunch. Stir through the black pepper and salt; transfer to a bowl.

For the persimmons, slice the bottom off each persimmon and using a mandoline (or a sharp knife), slice the persimmons into thin discs - you want the slices to be pliable but maintain their structure. Place in a bowl and pour over the cooled lemon honey, gently tossing through to coat all the slices. Set aside for a couple of minutes.

To finish the labneh, bring the corners of the cheesecloth together and twist to squeeze out any extra liquid. Transfer the thickened yoghurt to a bowl. In a mortar and pestle, bash/grind the mint leaves and garlic together until crushed to a green paste. Add this to the yoghurt, along with the olive oil, and stir to evenly combine.

To serve, spoon the labneh onto the base of a serving platter, spreading it out into a disc with the back of a spoon. Gently nestle the persimmons in the centre of the labneh. Sprinkle generously with the dukkah (you will only need about one-third, store the remaining dukkah in an airtight container for later). Drizzle with some of the remaining persimmon liquid, and finish with a scattering of mint leaves. Serve as a sharing dish with torn flatbreads ~ perfect for a starter or mezze-style meal.

Alby’s Advice:

• Do be careful when slicing the persimmons to not slice them too thin, otherwise they will lose their shape when bathed in the lemon honey.

• Also be sure that the lemon honey has cooled before pouring over the persimmons - if this is hot, then the persimmons can turn to mush.

• Store any leftover dukkah in an airtight container.

Black sticky rice pudding with persimmon & lime compote

Rice puddings are very very underrated. Especially as we are into the winter months, a warm creamy bowl of rice pudding really hits the spot. Remember to always soak your rice in advance, as this helps to tenderise it and reduce the cooking time (saving energy too!!). The rice pudding itself here is relatively traditional, naturally plant-based and using black glutinous rice and pandan leaves for its subtle vanilla flavour. It’s usually made with palm sugar, but I’ve opted for the more ubiquitous brown sugar in my version (mainly because it’s what I had in my cupboard at the time). The persimmon &. lime compote is what sets my recipe apart from the usual, and I think it works really well here without overpowering the subtle flavours of the pudding. The compote is also great with oats, yoghurt, or alongside pancakes.

Hands-on Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes (plus rice soaking time)

serves 6

Cost Estimate: $12 (about $2 per serve)

Ingredients

Black sticky rice pudding

300g black glutinous rice

5 pandan leaves (fresh or frozen and defrosted), tied in a knot

400ml can coconut cream

¼ tsp sea salt

120g soft brown sugar

toasted thread coconut or coconut chips, to serve

Persimmon & lime compote

3 Fuyu persimmons (about 650g), peeled and chopped into 1-2cm pieces

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp golden syrup

60g soft brown sugar

¼ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

First prepare the rice in advance. Rinse the rice in a sieve with cold water until it runs clear. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl, cover with cold water and soak the rice for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight).

For the compote, place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the persimmon is softened and the compote has reduced and nicely thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

To make the rice pudding, strain and rinse the rise through a sieve, then transfer the rice to a large saucepan. Add the pandan leaves, 200ml coconut cream, salt, and 1.25 litres of water. Place over medium-high heat, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes then more regularly towards the end, until the rice is tender but with a subtle bite, and the liquid is reduced, thick and creamy. Remove from the heat and stir through the brown sugar.

To serve, ladle the warm pudding into bowls, drizzle with the remaining coconut cream, and top with the persimmon & lime compote.

Alby’s Advice:

• Frozen pandan leaves can be purchased from most Asian supermarkets. Just run the frozen leaves under some warm water to defrost.

• Black glutinous rice is also found at Asian supermarkets.

• The rice pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Loosen with a little water when reheating.

Autumn pulled pork with red cabbage & persimmon

This pulled pork recipe really is the epitome of easy flavour. All you have to do is mix everything together, then bang the Dutch oven or casserole dish in the oven for a few hours to let it do its thing. Great in buns, tacos, or flatbreads, or equally good with slaw, rice or another hearty salad. Also a great option for the slow cooker, if that’s your preferred method.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

serves 8

Cost Estimate: $22 ($2.50-$3 per serve)

Ingredients

200ml coconut cream

100ml apple cider vinegar

100ml white wine

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp sea salt

¾ tsp ground chilli

1.5kg pork shoulder or leg, bone-in

2 Fuyu persimmons, ends trimmed and diced into 2-3cm chunks

300g shredded red cabbage (from ¼ red cabbage)

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C fan-forced (or 170°C conventional).

For the pulled pork, place the first 12 ingredients in a medium-large (about 25cm) Dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid. Whisk together until well combined. Trim any excess fat or skin from the pork. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Using a sharp knife, score the meat diagonally a few times, making cuts just 1cm deep. Add the pork to the Dutch oven and using your hands, massage the sauce into both sides of the meat. Add the chopped persimmon and shredded cabbage, tossing together with the pork and sauce to coat. Cover with the lid, and cook for about 3 hours 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Carefully remove the pork from the sauce onto a chopping board. Using two forks, pull the meat into shreds. Return the pork to the Dutch oven and mix through the sauce to absorb all the moisture and flavour. Serve warm in flatbreads, tacos or buns with your favourite slaw.

Recipe Note: Alternatively, cook the pork in a slow cooker on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 6 hours until tender and falling apart.

Alby’s Advice:

• If reheating the pork, loosen with a little water.

• You can easily swap the white wine for extra apple cider vinegar, or vice-versa.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Citrus - lemons, limes, late mandarins

Apples, Pears

Persimmons

Pumpkins

Leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages, Brussels sprouts)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Kiwifruit

Celery

Mushrooms

Beetroot

Brain Food:

• Imagining a better food system for Aotearoa

• One of NZ’s leading organic community farms needs your helps to stay alive. Show your support if you can (especially Aucklanders in the Ponsonby area).

• A new documentary that begs the question: Can self-interest and profit be put aside to ensure the food future of our planet?

• Food produced ‘out of thin air’? One company in Europe is working on a food revolution. Listen to the interview on RNZ.

• In case you were wondering, yes, there is a NZ band called Persimmon, have a listen

**Note: This newsletter was originally titled ‘My P addiction’. Out of respect for those with addiction issues, I have changed the title of this newsletter to ‘My P obsession’ (edited on 19/06/24). If you or a whānau member is struggling with addiction or substance use, here’s a list of Aotearoa services that may be a helpful first step for support.

Oh boy do I have some cracking recipes for you this week!! If you’ve been slow to wake up to mandarin season this year, it’s not too late to dive head first into a pool of juicy orange and embrace the race while the season is at large.

I have very very fond thoughts when I think of mandarins.

Mandarins make me think of my Grandma Peg, and how in her later years she would love to recount to my whānau and I, in great detail, the recent home visits she had from her GP at time. For some reason, her regular GP was unavailable one time (or had possibly retired), so she was visited by a doctor whom she said peeled a mandarin for her and fed her segments of the mandarin that were indeed delicious. She thought this doctor was rather marvellous because of this, and it’s amused me ever since.

Mandarins also make me think of Hawke’s Bay, and the citrus trees that explode with colour at this time of year, front yards filled with glorious globes of yellow and orange: Poorman’s grapefruits, oranges, lemons, and of course, mandarins. We used to have a small delicious mandarin tree, which we took with us up to Whangārei and now thrives in Northland soil under someone else’s care. One of the most impressive mandarin trees in our local neighbourhood in Hawke’s Bay was the Taradale Bowling Club tree, tall, broad, and with more orange than green when the mandarin season would strike. I remember during the Covid lockdown of autumn 2020, the club was closed, and no one was eating the mandarins. So one evening we took it upon ourselves to feast on its riches. Mandarins never tasted so good.

The recipes in this week’s newsletter are dedicated to the mandarin.

Did you know that mandarins are actually one of the ‘ancestral’ citrus species? Native to South & East Asia and traced back to over 8 million years ago, mandarins are at the head of the citrus family tree, alongside the pomelo and citron.

So what about mandarins vs satsumas? Or clementines (UK chefs seem to be obsessed with these)? Or tangerines? Are these fruits the same thing or all completely unique? Here’s a useful resource I found online that breaks down their differences:

We all know how much I love to turn a common animal product dessert into something plant-based and slightly more jazzy, and that’s the premise of this week’s recipes. If you find a mandarin that’s easy to peel, bursts with juice from each segment and is sweet but ever so slightly tangy, then it’s probably best to just eat it fresh, but for any mandarin that is middling in quality, they are excellent to cook with. Just like an orange, the zest of mandarins has a beautiful fragrance and flavour), so always try to use this when cooking with mandarins if you can, as well as the segments and juice.

First up, for all subscribers, is my vegan version of the traditional Greek dessert, portokalópita, its literal translation being ‘orange cake’ (portokali = orange; pita = bread or cake). This is a cake unlike any other, unique in that it is made of shredded dried out filo pastry, that is tossed through a custard, baked, then doused in a delicious floral syrup. The filo creates the most incredible texture and flavour that can only be described by taking a bite. While it is usually made with oranges, I’ve subbed in the mandarin, and livened it up with a touch of orange blossom and saffron for a home-run bake.

And for paid subscribers, the most delectably indulgent plant-based chocolate panna cotta (made with coconut milk and agar agar powder) that’s buddied with a runny mandarin chilli caramel that is next-level. If you’re still on the fence about becoming a paid subscriber, this might just get you across the line!

Now, you know I like to keep it real with y’all.

So I thought I should share a recent life update that has developed in the past week. You might remember that at the start of the year I started a new job ~ returning to psychiatry training after an 18-month hiatus ~ and was feeling somewhat apprehensive about this, with lots of self-doubt etc. etc. But I had decided to give mental health doctoring another chance.

Well, after 4 months back in, its actually going pretty well, so well in fact that I’ve decided to just commit to finishing the training (which is another 3 years or so). We have a couple of big exams to pass during the psychiatry training programme, and earlier this week I decided to sit one of these exams at the start of August ~ which is only 2 MONTHS AWAY!! So basically a lot of my time outside of work for the next 2 months is going to need to be channeled into this space.

So what about the newsletter? Where does this fit into everything?

This newsletter is ++++++++ important to me, as are all of you subscribers, whether free or paid, who support my cooking and food writing (some of you having been with me for many many years). I love writing this newsletter, and the recipe is 100% going to continue during these next two busy months. For paid subscribers, you will 100% still be getting your 4 recipes/fortnight.

What I’ve decided though, is that rather than emailing out a newsletter to your inboxes every week, with 2-3 recipes in each edition and all of my musings and other foodie content that comes with this, Eating Who I Want to Be will now be published every second week, with a MEGA 4 recipe newsletter coming in hot to your inbox every fortnight, with all of the other usual content jam-packed in it too.

On average, each week’s newsletter takes me about 10 hours, including time to think of recipe ideas, test recipes, write out recipes, then write the newsletter itself ~ so in creating a fortnightly publication, I’m hoping it’ll be easier for me to fit that in amongst the rest of my schedule. I promise the quality and quantity of the content won’t be changing, you’ll just be hearing from me with extra extra awesomeness slightly less frequently. The next edition will be hitting your inbox in two weeks’ time :) thanks for your understanding. I appreciate you all immensely.

Mandarins, here we come!

Enjoy,

Alby xx

Mandarin portokalópita with saffron & orange blossom syrup

It’s been almost 2 years since I was sitting at a table in Naxos, Greece, and my life was changed forever by portokalópita. It’s a strange concept really: a cake who’s structure is formed by shards of filo pastry suspended in a set custard, then doused liberally in syrup. Especially when you consider that the process of making filo pastry takes some skill and effort to begin with, and then you immediately throw that effort to the wind by scrunching it up and rehydrating it. But honestly, once you try this cake, you’ll understand why the Greeks love it. Traditionally, it is made with oranges, and the custard is made with dairy-based Greek yoghurt and eggs. As I’m often trying to do, this recipe is my attempt at veganising the traditional portokalópita, and I’m very very pleased with the result. I’ve also opted for mandarins, as tis the season, and an addition of orange blossom and saffron in the syrup to make it that little bit special. Dive in.

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

makes one 21cm square cake or 23cm round cake, serves 12

Cost Estimate: $22 (about $1.80 - $2 per serve)

Ingredients

Cake batter

375g vegan filo pastry*

375g Greek-style coconut yoghurt

finely grated zest of 8 firm mandarins

250g caster sugar

30g cornflour

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp sea salt

250ml canola oil

250ml mandarin juice (from about 10-12 mandarins)

Syrup

finely grated zest and juice of 4 mandarins

1 tbsp orange blossom water

200g caster sugar

generous pinch of saffron threads

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional). Grease with oil and line a 21cm square cake tin or 23cm round springform cake tin with baking paper. Line two rimmed oven trays with baking paper.

First bake the filo. Scrunch up each sheet of filo pastry into a loose ball and place on the two oven trays in a single layer. Bake for 7 minutes until turning lightly golden. Remove from the oven and carefully (the filo will be hot) pull apart each ball, so that the centre (which won’t have dried out yet) is also exposed. Return to the oven and bake for a further 3 minutes, until golden and dried out fully. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the cake batter, in a large bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, mandarin zest, sugar, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Stir through the oil and mandarin juice until smooth. In three parts, scrunch the dried filo into small shards over the mandarin mixture, stirring through after each addition until evenly incorporated. Spoon the batter into the lined tin and spread out evenly. If the cake tin is springform or has a loose bottom, make sure you place the tin on a rimmed oven tray. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until beautifully golden brown in colour and set.

Make the syrup as the cake is baking. Place the mandarin zest, mandarin juice and orange blossom water in a medium saucepan set over scales. Add enough water so the total volume of liquid is 200ml. Add the caster sugar and saffron, stirring through. Place over medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Once bubbling away, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 7 minutes to create a thin syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool (you want to pour cold syrup onto hot cake).

To finish the cake, remove from the oven and using a long skewer, immediately poke several holes into the cake. Pour the syrup,  including the saffron and mandarin zest, evenly over the cake. Set aside for 1 hour, to allow the syrup to fully absorb, before removing from the tin. Slice with a serrated knife and serve at room temperature or slightly warmed, with yoghurt on the side. It is often even better the following day. Store in an airtight container, either at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Alby’s Advice:

• While I’ve opted for mandarins here, you could use orange zest and juice if mandarins are out of season.

• While I do think that the addition of orange blossom and saffron in the syrup elevate this cake to something special, you could easily leave these out if desired.

• Timos is an excellent NZ filo pastry found at all supermarkets which is vegan and works a treat. It comes in 375g packets, so I have written this recipe specifically for that quantity.

• If the recipe does not need to be plant-based, you can use any kind of Greek yoghurt.

Chocolate panna cotta with mandarin chilli caramel

If you’re after a dessert that looks impressive, but actually takes very little effort, welcome panna cotta to your repertoire! This is my plant-based version, which sees coconut milk forming the creamy base (as opposed to milk/cream) and dark chocolate and agar agar powder as setting agents, instead of animal-based gelatine. The star of the show really is the mandarin chilli caramel though ~ sweet and floral with a hint of heat, that truly pairs perfectly with the creamy chocolatey goodness next door. A great make-ahead dessert, with only 6 ingredients!

Hands-on Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes (plus chilling time)

serves 6

Cost Estimate: $12 ($2 per serve)

Ingredients

Panna cotta

canola oil, for greasing

2 x 400ml cans coconut milk*

100g caster sugar

1.5g agar agar powder (about ½ tsp)

peeled skin of 2 mandarins

150g vegan 70% cocoa dark chocolate, finely chopped

Mandarin chilli caramel

5 mandarins

200g caster sugar

¼ tsp chilli flakes

Method

Lightly grease 6 dariole moulds or standard ramekins (approx. 150-200ml) with a little canola oil to coat the base and sides. Arrange the molds on a board.

For the panna cotta, place the coconut milk, caster sugar, agar agar powder and mandarin skins in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Gradually bring the mixture up to a boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately add the chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large pouring bowl or jug. Carefully pour the mixture into the lightly oiled moulds to fill just below the tops. Cover with cling film (ensuring the cling film does not touch the liquid) and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours to set. The panna cottas can be made in advance and kept for up to 3 days before serving.

For the mandarin chilli caramel, cut two mandarins in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl set over scales. Add a little water to make 80ml of liquid; set aside. Peel the remaining 3 mandarins and slice each one horizontally into 4 discs. Place the mandarin slices in a medium bowl. To make the caramel, place the caster sugar and 60ml water in a heavy-based medium saucepan. Over medium-low heat, melt the sugar into the water until fully dissolved, then increase the heat to medium-high. Do NOT stir beyond this point. Bring to the boil and cook until a deep amber colour is reached, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and while stirring, carefully pour in the mandarin water you prepared earlier (stand back as it will bubble like a cauldron). Return over low heat and stir to dissolve any caramel that may have seized. Stir through the chilli flakes, then pour the caramel over the mandarin slices to cover. Toss the mandarin slices through the caramel a little, then set aside to cool. The mandarin caramel can also be made in advance and refrigerated until needed.

When ready to serve, remove the cling film from the panna cottas and dip each mould into a bowl of hot water for about 30 seconds (this will depend on the thickness of the mould/ramekin), ensuring no water gets on the panna cotta. Run the blunt tip of a small butter knife around the top edge of the mould to separate the panna cotta a little. Place a plate on top of each panna cotta and invert the mold onto the plate. Give the mould a reasonable tap/shake and the panna cotta should come out (I tend to put my thumbs on the top of the mould, fingers under the plate and shake to release. If not releasing, it may need some more time in the hot water to loosen). Spoon some of the mandarin slices and caramel onto and around each panna cotta. Serve immediately.

Alby’s Advice:

• It’s VERY important that you use canned coconut milk or canned coconut cream that does not separate in the can ~ otherwise your panna cotta are at risk of not setting properly. To check this, shake the can of coconut milk on the supermarket shelf - if you can hear a uniform liquid in the can moving up and down, this is what you want. If you can’t hear anything as you shake it, this suggests there is some separation and solidification of the cream from water in the can, so may not work for the panna cotta. I tested this recipe with Pams Coconut Milk, and it worked perfectly.

• Agar agar powder can be a little fickle ~ I initially tested this recipe with 3g (a whole teaspoon) and while it was still delicious the set of the panna cotta was too firm. 1.5g might not seem like a lot but it should be enough, as the chocolate also helps the panna cotta to set. Agar agar is available at most supermarkets in the baking section, next to the gelatine products.

Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):

Autumn fruits - mandarins, lemons, limes, apples, pears, quince

Early persimmons

Leeks

Carrots

Brassicas (broccoli, caulis, cabbages, early Brussels sprouts)

Hardy greens - cavolo nero, silver beet, kale

Early kiwifruit

Celery

Mushrooms

Brain Food:

• A 2008 documentary on the truths of the US food industry, still important watching 16 years on (and the sequel is soon to be released)

• At the end of June, there are Feast Matariki events happening throughout some parts of the motu

• An excellent dissertation, recently completed by a friend of mine, that explores Māori views on kai in relation to health and sustainability in Aotearoa

• Support our local mandarin growers

• For those needing some savoury mandarin recipe inspiration

Because ginger is the bees knees baby, one newsletter dose didn’t feel like quite enough. So today I’m bringing you an extra extra extra helping of ginger-heavy kitchen inspiration, to roundhouse kick the winter colds away. Three extras because I’m serving up three new gingerific recipes this week.

Before we get to the gingerness, I thought I’d pause for a moment to celebrate the fact that May is New Zealand Music Month. For those who have been longtime followers of the newsletter, you’ll know that in the past, each fortnight I would share my ‘kitchen music of the moment’, inspired by what I’d been frying, whipping and kneading to recently ~ some banger suggestions for you to jam to in your own kitchens. **Please comment below if you’re keen for me to bring this mack into the newsletter!!** And for me, music and food go together like ginger and pears. Cooking in itself is a music of sorts, a symphony of flavours that synchronise and layer to form a masterpiece. Both can be expressions of ourselves, of our culture, of our whakapapa. Creative identity and vehicles for emotion and love.

I’d love to know what kinds of music people tend to channel in their own kitchens. Is it a chill out space where you stir away to smooth jazz or alt indie folk? Are you beating the cream emphatically as you strut around the lino to a Tina Turner anthem? Are you crying into your literal pie with Bonnie Raitt or Lana Del Rey? Or are you all out party mode, throwing the sprinkles with Deeee-Lite or The Black Eyed Peas?

Eating Who I Want to Be is as much about cooking and food being joyful as it is about being sustainable or delicious. And for me, cooking with the speaker up, and making the kitchen a happy, positive space is so so important. We all have moments where the thought of cooking feels a little overwhelming, or the kitchen can become a little stressful. How can you make your own kitchen a part of the house you get excited about, rather than it being a room of necessity and chore? For me, music is a big part of that.

Back to New Zealand Music Month. We have some truly remarkable musicians in Aotearoa who have provided the soundtrack to our lives, and our kitchens. I love a song that's got food in its title (for those who missed it, when Good Vibes came out I actually created a food-related playlist to blast while cooking from its pages), so in celebration of NZ music, here’s a few homegrown foodie tunes to get your kitchen pumping this week.

Two of this week’s ginger recipes have essentially been fuelled by a strong desire to make some homemade chilli oil ~ which I’ve been meaning to do for the past few weeks. BTW, hot tip for the week, I strongly suggest having a jar of chilli oil on hand in your pantry at all times. The absolute best thing to add an instant flavour hit with literally zero effort. Scrambled eggs look a bit boring ~ drizzle over some chilli oil. Quick stir fry ~ toss through some chilli oil. Blanched greens need to be jazzed up as a side dish ~ toss through some chilli oil. Pizza needs more pizzazz ~ you guessed it, chilli oil. So today I’ve got all you subscribers covered, free or paid, with a ginger-heavy chilli oil that will knock your metaphorical flavour socks off!!!! While many chilli oil recipes call for aromatics like ginger and garlic to be heat in the oil then strained before adding the chilli, I’ve opted to pour the hot spice-infused oil over the ginger and garlic WITH the chilli ~ which means you’re getting all the goodness from them, rather than just some subtle background flavour. Fifteen minutes and you’re in chilli oil heaven.

Ginger-garlic Sichuan chilli oil

A great chilli oil is all about creating layers of flavour, and heating the oil with spices first looks to achieve this. Sichuan peppercorns give that signature mouth-tingling, slightly numbing, drool-worthy taste, and can be found at all Asian supermarkets.

Hands-on Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes (plus cooling time)

makes two medium jars

Cost Estimate: about $12

Ingredients

500ml canola oil

4 star anise

8 green cardamom pods

1 cinnamon quill

3 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

2 shallots, peeled and halved

75g chilli flakes

50g fresh ginger, finely grated

1 bulb (about 40g) garlic, cloves peeled and finely grated/minced

1 ½ tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

Place the oil, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and shallots in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Heat the oil until the aromatics are sizzling and dark brown in colour, around 10 minutes. Place the chilli flakes in a large bowl. Carefully strain the hot oil through a sieve onto the chilli flakes and discard the aromatics. Stir the oil through the chilli flakes to evenly combine. Leave for 2 minutes to cool a little, then add the ginger, garlic, salt and sesame seeds, stirring through. The oil should fizz a little then settle. Leave to cool completely at room temperature before pouring into airtight jars. The chilli oil will keep for a few months in the pantry.

Now with chilli oil made, thinking what recipe I could create to eat it with, my brain went straight to destination DT. I’m talking about DUMPLING TOWN. Who doesn’t love dumplings? I honestly don’t think I’ve ever met a person who doesn’t like them (coeliac friends aside). In fact, as a global community, we seem to just have a general obsession with any food item that comprises a filling wrapped in some sort of carby deliciousness - whether it be a pie from your local kiwi dairy, samosas on the streets of Delhi, ravioli in Puglia or the humble dumpling. Today I’m here to remind you (in case you didn’t already know), that homemade dumplings are actually remarkably easy to make, and the rolling, filling and folding process is also rather kinetically satisfying, in a therapeutic mindfulness kinda way.

For paid subscribers, today I’m sharing a plant-based recipe for Roasted pumpkin, portobello & tofu dumplings that is full to the brim with vegetable goodness, and includes a hefty dose of ginger in the filling for good measure (recipe at the bottom of this weeks edition).

But for all of you, I thought I’d share a couple of my go-to dumpling fold techniques that I like to draw on, depending on my mood ~ I think the pleated half-moon is my favourite for efficiency and aesthetics, but the bao fold is particularly cute, and more fun to assemble. Below I have a few pics I’ve taken to show the key steps of each fold ~ plus I’ve recruited some help from my YouTube friends for video instructions on how to achieve some of these dumpling folds, for your viewing pleasure.

I am very aware that some of you are probably still thinking, what was with the picture of that choctastic dreamy cookie I saw earlier?? I thought I was in for cookie content. WE WANT COOKIES!!

Settle down cookie monsters, because the third ginger recipe for today is indeed one for the sweet tooth amongst you. And because I’m feeling extra generous, it’s for free subscribers too (and this is where I sneak in that you should very very definitely think about upgrading to be a paid subscriber (only $5/month), if you’re looking for double the deliciousness AND access to the full recipe archive). It’s a plant-based chewy cookie loaded with big ginger flavour, crystallised ginger, roasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate ~ the kind of rainy day cookie perfect for pairing with a cup of chai and curling up on the couch with.

Cooking from Good Vibes: I love love love cooking for others, especially comfort food that’s designed for sharing. And there’s something about a family pie that really speaks to me ~ perhaps because it was a big part of my childhood. Often on busy nights, there would be a family mince pie left in the oven on low, for people to help themselves as they came and went from the house throughout the evening. In an ideal world though, a family pie is best eaten with everyone present, placed in the centre of the table, sliced and shared. If you’re able to make your own pastry too, it really can’t be beat. When a good friend was down from Waikato last week, comfort food was certainly needed, so with pie on the mind, we made this Black pepper & paneer pie, a banger from Good Vibes I hadn’t made in yonks that ticks so many of the comfort deliciousness boxes. It gets its warmth from a hefty dose of black pepper and ginger (on theme of course), and we pivoted by using new season persimmon for the salsa (as a substitute for mango/capsicum). Very satisfied. The rough puff pastry recipe can also be found in the Sustain chapter of Good Vibes ~ homemade pastry is always worth the extra effort!

The month of May has really brought winter with it. I hope you’re all staying warm and delicious - these recipes will help.

Much love,

Alby xx

Ginger molasses, hazelnut & buckwheat chocolate chunk cookies (aka Karaoke cookies)

We all need a great plant-based cookie recipe up our sleeves. For me, these cookies are it. This recipe came about last Saturday, when I wanted to make a late-night snack to sustain us at a Karaoke bar leaving-hoorah, celebrating a good friend who’s also dairy-free. So from here-on I’m calling these babies Karaoke cookies. Recently I tried a cookie recipe from the incredible Nicola Lamb, which saw walnuts tossed in a sticky mix of miso/mirin/sugar before mixing through the cookie dough. This recipe adopts this technique, with molasses, tahini and apple cider vinegar combining to form sticky deliciousness that coats the hazelnuts before they’re stirred through. The molasses sings with the ginger to give these a bold gingerbread-like flavour, with dark chocolate and crystallised ginger bringing some jazz, for extra decadence.

Hands-on Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

makes 15 medium cookies

Cost Estimate: $20 (about $1.30 per cookie)

Ingredients

125g hazelnuts

50g blackstrap molasses

50g tahini

30ml apple cider vinegar

225g plain flour

75g buckwheat flour

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp sea salt

125ml canola oil

125g caster sugar

125g soft brown sugar

75g crystallised ginger, finely chopped

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped into 1-2cm chunks

sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional).

First make the sticky molasses hazelnuts. Place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Roast for 12 minutes until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from the oven, transfer to a bowl, and set aside to cool. Place the molasses, tahini and vinegar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once bubbling vigorously, reduce the heat to low, add the toasted hazelnuts and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring through until the caramel has thickened. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate to cool while you make the cookie dough.

To make the cookies, in a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, buckwheat flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, caster sugar, brown sugar and 75ml water until well combined and emulsified. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir together, mixing to form a soft dough. Add the sticky molasses hazelnuts, stirring evenly through the mixture, followed by the crystallised ginger and two-thirds of the dark chocolate. Roll the mixture into 75g balls, and gently press a piece of the remaining chocolate into the top of each ball while retaining their shape - this will give you pools of chocolate on your cookies. Place on a baking paper-lined tray, ensuring they are not touching, and place in the freezer for 20 minutes until firm to the touch and chilled.

Line two large oven trays with baking paper.

Once chilled, arrange 7-8 balls of cookie dough onto each tray, evenly spaced at least 4cm apart, as they will spread during baking. Bake for about 13-15 minutes, until turning golden on the edges, set in the middle, and slightly cracked on top. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Alby’s Advice:

• You can easily keep any cookie dough balls you don’t want to bake in the freezer. Once solid, store in an airtight bag or container. They will keep for about 6 months, and simply bake straight from frozen (no defrosting necessary) - for instant cookies on demand.

• Feel free to mix up the nuts or spices with whatever you have on hand. Ensure the dark chocolate is 100% vegan (I like to use Whittaker’s Dark Ghana 70% cocoa chocolate).

• If you don’t have buckwheat flour, substitute for more plain flour. The buckwheat flour just adds a nice earthy, nutty quality.

Roasted pumpkin, portobello & tofu dumplings

Yes, making your own dumpling wrappers takes some extra effort, but it’s the kind of activity where many hands make light work ~ a great party food to make as a group. Make the filling and wrapper dough in advance, then invite your mates round for dinner and get them forming an assembly line of dumpling construction. The filling is jam packed full of plant-based goodness, with mashed roasted pumpkin, carrot, spring onion, mushroom and tofu for some added protein. The dipping sauce utilises a couple of teaspoons of the chilli oil recipe I’ve shared above, forming an umami, spicy, sweet and salty sauce perfect for dumpling night. The great thing about dumplings is that once assembled, they freeze excellently and don’t need to be thawed before cooking.

Hands-on Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

makes 40 dumplings

Cost Estimate: $20 (about 50 cents per dumpling)

Ingredients

Dumpling wrappers

300g high grade flour

1 tsp ground turmeric

160ml boiling water 

Filling

800g peeled pumpkin flesh, cut into 1-2cm cubes

2 tsp Chinese five spice

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste (about 1 tsp)