Category Archives: Recipes – All About – Tried and Tested

Cooking for Family and Friends

Duck Hunting in Middlemarch

I was very fortunate to be invited for my first New Zealand duck hunt last Saturday. We prepared our Maimais on Friday and was out before light on Saturday. Even if there were to be no ducks, the shear beauty and pleasure of being out in the wild was adequate compensation. We were fortunate to get our share of ducks early on Saturday and enjoyed the views, walks along the streams and fresh air for the rest of the day. Sunday was duck cleaning day and after a few technical hitches, everything went smoothly and soon we had enough duck meat to last a long time. I was fortunate as nobody was interested in the offal and had it all to myself. As soon as got home I made it all into coratella, ate some and packed the rest into about 30 portions for the freezer – wonderful. The ducks were cut into portions, vacuum packed and frozen. I gave some meat to a few close friends and my neighbor across the road tried it the very next day and gave me the recipe for slow basted duck breast with dried figs, a recipe she created herself, which apparently was absolutely delicious.

RECIPE

Braise some onion and garlic in olive oil in a oven proof pot. Dust the duck breasts in flour and brown in a separate pan in olive oil. Now put the duck in with the onion and garlic and ad passata (tomato sauce) wine, chicken stock, dried figs, salt and pepper and bake in the oven for four to five hours at 120C. Turn and baste every so often.

Duck breasts and figs are on the menu for later in the week!

There were various hunting groups in the area and Saturday evening we all congregated to discuss the day and watch rugby together. I was disappointed to learn that many hunters would take breasts only and a few groups even discarding up to 60 entire ducks unused to only go out the next morning and kill some more. I am used to harvest for the pot only, waste nothing, and leave some for next year.

Fiori di Zucchini (Fried Zucchini Flowers)

2016-03-30 - Fiori di Zucchini 3

If one has space to grow pumpkins (I dug up some of the front lawn to plant mine), gorgeous, fresh, yellow flowers are a great perk this time of the year. Fried simply they are spectacular on the plate and the crispness of the batter and tasty flower make them the best starter for any meal.

Fried Pumpkin Flowers 

Luke warm water

salt to taste

white flour

vegetable oil

Method

Use a whisk to mix the salt and flour well. Add small amounts of water and keep whisking until a batter forms that is the consistency of cream. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, the oil should be about 3 cm deep and very hot. Dip each flower in the batter, top and bottom, shake off excess batter and slip the flower into the oil. When crisp and slightly coloured remove an drain on kitchen paper. Do not overcrowd the pan. When done arrange all the flowers on a serving platter, serve hot.

ENJOY with a glass of home made wine!

 

Torta Rustica ai Funghi Porcini (Fresh Porcini Tart)

2016-03-30 - Torta ai Funghi 3

What to do with a gift of porcini mushrooms, locally foraged? A recipe that would not change the flavour of the mushrooms in any way, but that would also be a full meal. Mrs BYF came up with a simple pie that hit the spot

Porcini Mushroom Pie 

Pre heat the oven to 200 F

4 porcini mushrooms

25g butter for frying

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pack of defrosted filo pastry

100g melted butter to brush on pastry

Fry the mushrooms in the butter for a few minutes. Unroll the pastry, remove one sheet and brush with melted butter, layer with 5 sheets all brushed with butter. Heap the fried mushrooms in the centre and scrunch the pastry up around the mushrooms partially covering them.

Bake the pie until the pastry is crisp and golden and serve with a fresh garden salad.

ENJOY with  glass f home made wine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

CrabApple time in Dunedin

2014-04-08 - Crabapple time in Dunedin2014-03-22 18.04.50

Crabapple jelly and jam

CRABAPPLES

 

Carciofi Bolliti ( Boiled Artichokes) – Three Ingredient Dinner

2016-03-30 - Carciofi

The joys of fresh organic produce straight out of the garden. The less complicated a dish is, the more chance there is of it being superb. I go so far that before looking at a new dish, I count the ingredients and if the list is too long, it does not even warrant my time to read any further.  Carciofi bolliti is the ultimate of simplicity, and in our house probably the favorite way to eat these wonderful flowers. Boil the already cleaned and prepared carciofi in water until the leaves are easy to pull off  with a gentle tug. Drain and serve with a bowl of very good extra virgin olive oil, salted to taste (about a teaspoon of salt per 1/2 cup of oil)  Pull the leaves off one by one and dip in the olive oil salt mixture and rip the flesh off with your front teeth – discard the hard part. Of coarse the younger the flower and the closer you get to the heart, the more and more of the leave you can eat. When all the leaves are gone and the heart is exposed, make sure the choke is not stringy, and if so, remove and discard before eating the heart – soft and creamy.

Enjoy!!! Do not forget a piece of home made bread to mop up all the olive oil and wash it down with good home made wine.