Concert in the Park Piss-Up, a New Zealand Food & Wine Extravaganza!

Inspired by my Daring Bakers' Challenge of the month, Pavlova, I suggested New Zealand cuisine for our Sunday Concert in the Park Culinary Challenge of the week. Kai nominated John to prepare the traditional Maori hangi, but we attract enough attention as it is.  Can you envision John, getting to the park extra early, and digging a deep hole to be lined with red-hot stones and covered with vegetation, in preparation of cooking our Kiwi picnic fare? Our wagon is chocka, and now Big Ugly is chocka - that's just sammy short of a picnic!

So, what exactly is New Zealand cuisine? According to my web sources, New Zealanders enjoy quality local produce from land and sea. Similar to the cuisine of Australia, the cuisine of New Zealand is a diverse British-based cuisine with Mediterranean and Pacific Rim influences as the country becomes more cosmopolitan. For dishes that have a distinctly New Zealand style, there's lamb, pork and cervena (venison), salmon, crayfish (lobster), Bluff oysters, paua (abalone), mussels, scallops, pipis and tuatua (both are types of New Zealand shellfish), kumara (sweet potato), kiwifruit, tamarillo and pavlova, the national dessert. It's also good to know a little New Zealand slang before embarking on such an adventure, and you'll notice I've had a little fun with it throughout this post....

Ladies a Plate means please bring a dish of food to share; Entree is an appetizer or hors d'oeurve; Main is the primary dish of a meal; Take-away means food to be taken away and eaten; Tea is the evening meal, dinner; and my favorite, Piss Up - a party, social gathering, and excuse for drinking alcohol...BINGO! As if we need an excuse to drink wine!

Before I get into our entrees and main, please realize these Concert in the Park Culinary Challenge blog posts are primarily photo recaps, featuring one or two recipes and/or links to recipes that inspired us. I do not request recipes from everyone who participated each week. If you decide to host your own theme party, along the lines of one of our challenges, I hope these posts will simply provide you with ideas. Ok then, let's get started!

I'll begin with Kai's Rewena paraoa (potato bread), since kai is the Maori word for food. Nigel Olsen, author of Curious Kai, The Curious New Zealand Food Blog, dedicates three posts to the preparation of this bread, with the complete recipe and step by step photos. The first post starts here. Our Kai served two loaves, still warm from the oven, with garlic butter...we were very impressed that he went through the 3-day process to make this flavorful bread! Kai also served Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops, but discouraged my photo shoot because they were served on one of Max's monkey plates ;-)

John pissed around for days before finally choosing a recipe I suggested from Hors d'Oeuvre at Home with The Culinary Institute of America, Lamb Brochettes with Mint Pesto (recipe provided at the end of the post).  John, and Minute Chef, Brad, made a mad rush to the store just hours before the concert. However, these brochettes turned out incredible, even with the shortened marinating time. Good on ya, mate!

When Alec and Nina started preparing Seared Scallops with Kiwi Salsa, I had to pinch myself repeatedly. Were we really dining at picnic tables in the middle of a park, or at one of the top restaurants in town! As Alec quickly seared the scallops in a pan on the grill, Nina plated the salsa on little white plates and had the fried parsnips ready for the final garnishing. A perfectly seared scallop that melted in my mouth...crash-hot!

Jim and Carmen arrived with a hot basket of Green Lip Mussel Fritters and Kiwi & Tomato Salad.

We were all fascinated how the lovely grape tomatoes and kiwi complemented each other in this simple, summery salad. Carmen said she used about ten kiwis, peeled and sliced; about thirty cherry tomatoes, halved; about two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley; and a splash of Temecula Olive Oil Company Citrus Reserve Olive Oil.

For her Mussel Fritters, Carmen started with the Chowhound forum, here, and adapted her own recipe. Chowhound links to a recipe by Pat Churchill, Cooking Down Under in that forum, and I am so tempted to try Emeril's Smoked Mussel Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli!

Pam and Brad tossed together two outstanding summer salads. Pammy's Kiwi and Kumara Chippie Salad...

And Bradley's Pear and Gorgonzola Salad, inspired by Andrea's recipe at So D'lish, New Zealand's food blog website. 

Sparks, still trying to figure how to convert her unused kitchen into a day spa for Riley, elicited some crikey dick with authentic New Zealand Meat Pies, homemade by Aunty Devi's Meat Pies! Aunty Devi personally made the drive to the island to deliver a few dozen Steak & Cheese and Chicken pies from her Escondido kitchen. They were quite nice.

Nina's freshly baked Bran Date Muffins, a recipe shared by Linette at Plum Tree Cottage in New Zealand, and Spinach and Feta Muffins, adapted from this recipe, were both awesome.  Several Bran Date Muffins disappeared as take-aways for breakfast the next morning.

For pudding, I presented my various Pavlovas from the Daring Bakers' Challenge...Chocolate Pavlova with Whipped Cream and Brandied Cherries

And a more traditional Pavlova with Passionfruit-Orange Cream and fresh kiwi, mango and blueberries... Recipes and additional photos are in my previous blog post, Dancing in New Zealand with a Slice of Pavlova.

Finally, as promised, here is the recipe for John's Lamb Brochettes...

Lamb Brochettes with Mint Pesto

Hors d'Oeuvre at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

Makes 30 brochettes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb
2 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped mint
8 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced, or bacon* (about 15 slices)
2 cups mint pesto (jarred or homemade)

Directions:

Cut the lamb into 3/4-inch cubes. Combine the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk until blended. Add the oil and mint.

Toss the lamb in the mixture to coat well, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator, tossing occasionally, at least 4 hours.

Soak thirty 6-inch bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning. Thread 2 pieces of lamb and 1/2 slice of pancetta onto each skewer; arrange on a sheet pan.

Roast the brochettes in a preheated 450 degree F oven until the lamb is nicely browned outside, yet still pink and juicy inside, 8 to 12 minutes.

Serve the brochettes with mint pesto sauce for dipping.

Note: If using bacon rather than pancetta, blanch it in a large saucepan of slowly simmering water for 5 minutes. The bacon will become opaque and firm. Drain and pat dry before using.

***John used bacon and grilled the brochettes at the park.

G'day mates, I'm buggered!

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Dancing in New Zealand with a Slice of Pavlova

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone by Francois Payard.

Pavlova is a meringue-based cake with a crispy crust and soft, light, marshmallow inner. The dessert is believed to have been created to honor ballet dancer Ánna Pávlova, and her world tour performances in Australia and New Zealand, in the 1920s.

Pavlova is traditionally decorated with a topping of whipped cream and fresh fruit, such as strawberries, kiwifruit, passionfruit, banana and/or berries, but this dessert welcomes creativity in its creation. In fact, The Pavlova Story: A Slice of New Zealand's Culinary History, by Helen Leach, is a compilation of 667 pavlova recipes from more than 300 sources!  This is what makes Pavlova the ultimate Daring Bakers' Challenge!  Like a mob of Kaimanawa wild horses, the Daring Bakers galloped away with reckless abandon!

While vacationing at Triple Creek Ranch, earlier this month (the horses above are really Triple Creek Ranch's herd), I was thrilled to see Berry Pavlova on the menu one evening. Knowing I would be making Pavlova for the Daring Bakers' Challenge when I returned home, I took a photo for inspiration.  Of course, the plating by Triple Creek's pastry chef was nothing less than stunning, with fresh berries, crème anglaise, raspberry sorbet, a tuille, and tiny puddles of mint syrup!

I did my research, and reviewed several Pavlova recipes, before choosing one by from Saveur, combining the best elements of versions by Robyn Hedges and Pip Hoar, two New Zealand bakers featured in Dave Lieberman's homage to the dessert, "Light Fantastic" (Saveur, August/September 2009).  Although the DB Challenge recipe sounded very decadent, I was persuaded to try the lighter, more traditional Pavlova.  I adapted Saveur's recipe slightly, by using passionfruit-orange flavored yogurt from Australia, rather than plain, and my own selection of fresh fruits.

Pavlova
Adapted from Saveur

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, and chilled

Meringue
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
8 egg whites, room-temperature

Whipped Topping
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1⁄2 cup chilled passionfruit-orange yogurt

Garnish with assorted fruit of your choice, such as:
Kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
Mango, peeled and sliced
Blueberries

1. Make lemon curd: In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together 1⁄2 cup of the sugar, 1 egg, and the juice and zest of the lemon; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 8–10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in unsalted butter, letting each cube incorporate before adding the next. Strain curd through a fine sieve set over a small bowl; press plastic wrap against the surface of curd and refrigerate until well chilled.

2. Make meringue: Heat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla extract; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat remaining 2 1⁄2 cups of sugar and egg whites on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form. Add cornstarch mixture to egg whites; continue beating until very stiff and glossy peaks form, about 5 more minutes.

3. Place a 9" round cake pan in the center of a 13" x 18" sheet of parchment paper and use a pencil to trace a circle around the outside of the pan. Flip the sheet of parchment paper and transfer it to a baking sheet so that the marked side is face down. Transfer meringue to the center of parchment paper.

4. Using a rubber spatula, shape it into a 9" disk by making the meringue conform to the circular outline; smooth top and sides with rubber spatula.

Transfer meringue to the oven and reduce oven temperature to 215°.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let meringue sit until cooled, 3–4 hours. Gently peel parchment paper from the meringue and, using 2 metal spatulas, transfer meringue to a cake stand. (*The key to a successful pavlova is patience: allow the meringue to cool completely before transferring it to the plate or cake stand. You'll prevent any crumbling that can occur when the process is rushed).


**I learned step #4 the hard way; although I did let the meringue cool completely for 3 hours in the oven, without any peeking, it stuck pretty well to the silpat and I had a hard time transferring it to a plate.  However, underneath that hard shell is a beautiful marshmallowy center, and the cracks are covered by the layer of whipped cream.

Round Two... two smaller pavlovas so they are easier to move! I did leave these in the oven overnight to rest and then very gently used a rubber spatula to loosen and move them to my serving platters.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat heavy cream and yogurt on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Pour the whipped cream mixture onto the cooled meringue and spread evenly over meringue's top using a rubber spatula.

6. Decorate the top of the pavlova with fresh fruit. Remove the reserved lemon curd from the refrigerator and stir vigorously; drizzle the curd over the pavlova, reserving a few tablespoons for individual servings. Cut the pavlova into slices and serve immediately with lemon curd.

I tried a slight variation of the Daring Bakers' Chocolate Pavlova, by halving the above recipe and adding 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the meringue ingredients. I used a pastry bag with a large round tip and piped out eight Mini Chocolate Pavlovas.  I topped these with whipped cream and brandied cherries.

The Daring Bakers' Chocolate Meringue with Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse, and Mascarpone Cream recipe can be found here.

My next post will feature our Concert in the Park Culinary Challenge of the week, New Zealand cuisine, inspired by this month's Daring Bakers' Challenge, where my Pavlovas made their debut, alongside a gourmet picnic of New Zealand lamb, Meat Pies, Green Lip Mussels, Scallops, bread, muffins, and Kiwi-inspired salads and relishes.

Concert in the Park Piss-Up, a New Zealand Food & Wine Extravagna post is up!

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