Salad greens in all their glory

Photo:Rob Corlett
Photo: Marion van Dijk
Once upon a time (and not that long ago), salad greens in New Zealand consisted of iceberg lettuce and maybe a little raw cabbage if you were adventurous.

As in so many other aspects of our cuisine, we have come of age when it comes to greens. We now know that lettuce doesn't have to be the only green in the salad bowl and the variety of greens available to us is stunning. Where do you begin?

Well, it's spring and salad greens are coming into their own in the garden. Lettuce and spinach and rocket that have languished in the cooler months take off and produce masses of succulent leaves just waiting to be picked, placed in a bowl and mixed with a deliciously crafted dressing to be a meal on its own or an accompaniment to just about any dish you can think of.

I can think of so many travelling experiences where I couldn't eat fresh salads because of concerns about water safety and how I crave raw greens. No wonder, as they are an indispensible part of a healthy diet; the more highly coloured, the greater the nutrient value.

Greens contain Vitamin A, Vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, folate, fibre and phytonutrients. These are chemicals that have beneficial effects on the body and can act as antioxidants. So make the most of the wonderful experience and sit down to a plate of mixed fresh greens with a perfectly made salad dressing.

There are a number of essential greens. All the varieties I discuss here can be bought at the top of the south, but not all as readily as if we lived in Auckland or Wellington. I think it is time that our markets were as diverse as those in the big cities.

In the meantime, grow them yourself – you don't need a lot of garden space. Pluck a bunch of leaves for a salad full of goodness and flavour.
Photo: Rob Corlett
Try making a salad with three different types of greens:

* A mild soft lettuce, like a red or green leaf lettuce, bib or boston.
* A crisp lettuce such as cos, or use spinach.
* A bitter green such as rocket or radicchio.

Most greens can be eaten whole or torn into bits. Occasionally, they can be sliced, depending on the recipe.

Always wash your greens thoroughly. An essential piece of equipment is a salad spinner – just as greens need to be washed, they also need to be dry for the dressing to adhere. The salad spinner stops the leaves from being bruised and dries them perfectly.

When it comes to dressings, the rule is: be generous.

Try making your dressing in the bottom of the salad bowl and then folding in the greens to coat them with the dressing. Always follow the 3:1 ratio – 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar or lemon/lime juice.
Ad Feedback

Here are some ideas for ways with greens and dressings.

VINAIGRETTE

3 Tbsp of good-quality extra virgin olive oil (you can play around with the oils – try a little walnut oil or peanut oil along with the olive oil for extra flavour)

1 Tbsp of vinegar (for darker greens, use balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar; for lighter greens use wine vinegar, tarragon vinegar, cider vinegar or lime/lemon juice)

1 clove of garlic, crushed

Freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt (Marlborough preferably)

Put the garlic and salt and pepper in the bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon. Add the oil and mix, then add the vinegar or juice and mix well. Add the washed and dried greens and toss well to coat the leaves.

HONEY AND MUSTARD DRESSING

3 Tbsp of good-quality extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 clove of garlic, crushed

Freshly ground black pepper

Sea salt (Marlborough preferably)

1 tsp of Dijon mustard

2 tsp honey

4 Tbsp of toasted pine nuts

Mix everything except the pine nuts in the salad bowl. Add baby spinach leaves, rocket, radicchio, cos lettuce leaves and lollo rosso. Add the toasted pine nuts. Fold everything together well.

CAESAR SALAD
Photo: Marion van Dijk
Nearly every cafe has a salad that they call a Caesar. I wish they would call it something else and refer only to the classic Caesar salad by that name. This is the recipe for it and once you have tried it, you will know that the other salads in cafes called Caesar salad are definitely something else. If you really, really don't like anchovies, substitute Worcestershire sauce, about a teaspoon or two.

For four people, use a medium to large cos lettuce. Wash it well and then spin dry.

Heat the oven to high. Slice four fat pieces of bread from a ciabatta loaf and then divide into crouton-sized pieces.

Sprinkle the base of a flat baking dish with some olive oil and add 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Spread the garlic around evenly and then add the croutons. Turn them to coat evenly. Place in the hot oven and cook until golden. Cool.

Dressing

In a large salad bowl, macerate a tsp of sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper, a clove of crushed garlic, one raw egg yolk (or a coddled egg yolk if preferred) and four anchovy fillets.

Add 4 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Beat until the ingredients are well combined and then add 3 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheese. The dressing will be thick and creamy.

Add the lettuce leaves to the dressing. If they are small, leave them whole. Throw in the croutons and then fold and toss thoroughly. Add some quartered anchovies if you really like them. Serve this salad by itself or as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish.
Photo:Marion van Dijk
GOING GREEN

Varieties to form your fresh greens diet:

Head lettuce or iceberg lettuce. The traditional Kiwi lettuce is crisp and long-lasting with tightly packed leaves, and readily available everywhere when no other variety is in sight. There is nothing wrong with it as long as it isn't what you use all the time. Try using cos lettuce instead.

Cos lettuce (or romaine, as it is known in many parts of the world). It has great flavour and crunch. It is essential for making Caesar salad. Its leaves hold dressings very well. It is available in supermarkets at the top of the south from time to time. If more of us demanded it, we might get it more often. You can buy vacuum bags of pre washed and sorted cos lettuce but it often isn't fresh enough and then the product is inferior.

Leaf lettuce. The leaves are loosely gathered and the texture is generally soft. The colour can vary from purple red to dark and light green. The flavour is generally quite mild. These lettuces are often grown hydroponically and are freely available in supermarkets.

Curly endive or frisee. A crisp bitter green. The outer leaves are more bitter and the inner leaves more tender and mild. It has a very frilly outer edge that is quite coarse in texture. This is quite commonly available in the salad section of the supermarket and is not usually identified by name.

Bib or boston lettuce. Bib lettuce is smaller than a boston lettuce. The leaves are delicate and soft and it has a great flavour. It has a slightly denser form than a regular leaf lettuce and a nutty flavour.
Photo:Marion van Dijk
Lollo rosso. A red frilly-edged lettuce. The edges are coarser than a red leaf lettuce. The flavour is mild and tender. It is often available in supermarkets.

Mizuna. Sometimes called spider mustard. The leaves are tender and it has a mustard pepper flavour. It is a great addition to leaf lettuce for contrasting flavour and texture.

Endive, or witloof. The leaves are crunchy and a little bitter. They can be eaten both raw and cooked. They are available in specialty markets.

Radicchio, or red chicory. Fabulous visuals, crisp with a slightly bitter taste. It is delicious added to a soft green leaf lettuce for variety in texture, flavour and colour.

Rocket, or arugula. A fantastic addition to a salad. It provides the zing and the zap to a bowl full of lettuce leaves. It is peppery and a little bitter and is a great counterpoint. It combines very well with basil in mid-summer for a salad combination. It is readily available in supermarkets and grows really easily in the garden. It self-seeds and, once established, will appear all year round.

Spinach. Rich in iron and calcium. It can be eaten both raw and cooked. The leaves get tougher as the plant ages but soften once either vinegar or lemon juice is added to them.

Tat soi. Has leaves shaped like spoons. Crisp with a pepper taste.

Mesclun greens. This is a mixture of many of the leaves described and is found in bins at supermarkets or in vacuum-sealed bags. It often includes rocket, mizuna, frisee, red leaf lettuce, radicchio, tat soi and baby spinach.

Tuna

Photo: Marion van Dijk
Tuna is a prized fish, a fish of the high seas, a roamer and fast swimmer. In New Zealand, tuna is not so commonly eaten or understood. For many, tuna is fish in a can. used in tuna sandwiches and tuna salad but not much else.

Having visited several Pacific Island fish markets, marvelling at the colour and array of the fish caught in tropical waters, I am always impressed by the different tuna available in the Pacific.

The tuna available to us in New Zealand fish shops and specialty supermarkets comes from Fiji for the most part, with a small amount fished from New Zealand waters during summer, when tuna migrate here.

Tuna are warm blooded, migratory fish, which spawn in the warmth of the tropics and travel extensively throughout the Pacific and Atlantic. There are nearly 50 tuna species. They are from the Scombridae family – mackerel, in fact.

Most of the commercially fished tuna belong to the Thunnus genus. These include albacore, yellowfin, bigeye and bluefin. Albacore, yellowfin and bigeye are readily available in New Zealand, as is skipjack, which belongs to another genus.

Albacore is a pink-fleshed fish and is often used in the commercial canning of tuna, as is skipjack. Otherwise, these two species are often smoked.

The Japanese also dry skipjack, where it is known as katsuo.

Bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye are deep-red coloured. The red colour comes from the fact that tuna muscle has high levels of myoglobin, an oxygen-binding molecule, and it is this red-fleshed tuna that is so often served as sashimi.

Around the world, the desire for the deep-red flesh of tuna has increased so much in recent years that there is increasing concern for its sustainability, particularly bluefin tuna. Arguments rage between conservationists, fishing companies and governments about fishing practices in pursuit of these deep-water giants. As the price of tuna increases, and with it the desire for bluefin, particularly among the Japanese, who regard it as the prize of prizes for sashimi, we are left with frenzied fishing practices.

Poor fishing practices aside and from a culinary perspective, the fish is delicious, so let's hope that we can continue to enjoy the delights of tuna.

As a nation, New Zealanders' consumption of tuna could not in any way be said to contribute to abuse of the species.

Tuna is an oily fish and has lots of vitamin D and omega 3. Some tuna, especially longer-living, larger fish, can contain low levels of mercury.

Opinions about mercury levels are as varied and volatile as the debate about fishing practices. However, on the other side, there has recently been recognition of the valuable levels of selenium in tuna. Inform yourselves about the debate.
Ad Feedback

It is good to be aware of all the pluses and minuses of what we choose to eat.

SASHIMI TUNA
Photo:Marion van Dijk
Having spent a lot of time in Samoa, including a very recent visit there, I always enjoy platefuls of thinly sliced, very fresh, tender and tasty sashimi.

Served just with wasabi soy sauce, the fish melts in the mouth. Tuna sashimi can be found on every menu in Samoa.

In a recent article, I described salmon sashimi. Tuna sashimi is prepared similarly and is as delicious as salmon – both fish can be enjoyed together on a platter as an entree.

The key to tuna sashimi is extremely fresh fish. It should be moist, shiny, bright and firm to the feel, and smell only of the sea.

Guytons fresh-fish store on the Nelson waterfront gets bigeye or yellowfin tuna twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It retails for $39 a kilogram. For a sashimi first course, buy about 200g for 4 people.

Take a very sharp knife, then cut through the flesh at 90 degrees, across the grain. Slice through the fish in one motion. Make the slices fine. Thick slices of raw fish are hard to swallow.

Allow at least 4-5 slices per person. Serve with soy sauce, add wasabi to taste and mix together well. Add some grated daikon radish and pickled ginger for an additional flavour and texture.

SEARED TUNA

To prepare fresh tuna, buy a piece of tuna big enough to be cut into steaks about 2.5cm thick for each person being served, or it could be cut into pieces about 7.5cm thick and cooked on all four sides, then sliced into individual portions.

Tuna is like beef in that it can be eaten rare, medium-rare or well done. I think it is a real shame to overcook it. Well-done tuna becomes tough and dry, and anything cooked beyond medium will be dry. Cooked rare, it melts in your mouth, soft and tender on the inside with a crust of crispness seared on the outside.

Coat the outside of the tuna steaks with lots of crushed salt and pepper, rubbing this into the surface of the fish.

Heat a pan with a little oil until it is very hot, or use a barbecue.

Place the tuna steak in the pan or on the hotplate and cook it for 90 seconds on the first side and then repeat for the second side. If you want to cook the thicker version, cook the four sides for about 45 seconds each.

Serve the seared tuna with romesco sauce and garlic mashed potatoes.

ROMESCO SAUCE

2 red peppers
2 red chillies
4 tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts with the skins removed
1 1/2 cups of coriander or parsley
1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

Slice the tomatoes in half and slow roast them in a moderate oven (150 degrees Celsius) until they are soft and tender, for about 45 minutes. Roast the hazelnuts in the oven with the tomatoes until they are golden. Cool and remove the skins by rubbing the nuts in your hands.

Roast the red peppers by placing them directly over a gas flame until they are charred all over. Peel them immediately in cold running water, although some people like to put the peppers in a plastic bag for 10 minutes as an alternative. Break them apart and get rid of the seeds and membranes. Set aside.

Do the same with the chillies. Char them quickly, because the skins are thinner than those of red peppers and disintegrate easily.

Cook the garlic in the olive oil until golden and leave to cool. While it is cooling, combine the other ingredients, including the herbs in a food processor. Add the oil and garlic and season to taste.

SALAD NICOISE
Photo:Marion Van Dijk
This is the classic French recipe for this salad. It is a salad that is popular and there are many adaptations of it. This is taken from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It is a great summer salad. Child used canned tuna in her recipe, but fresh tuna can be substituted. For 4 people:

Either 250g of fresh, seared tuna or a 250g can of good-quality tuna
2 cups of blanched french beans
2 tomatoes
Cos lettuce leaves
4 potatoes cooked and cooled, and sliced/diced. While they are still warm, toss them gently in a mixture of lemon juice and a dash of white wine.
1/4 cup of pitted black olives
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
6 anchovy fillets
Fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley
A dressing of 3 Tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 Tbsp of white-wine vinegar, 1 tsp of Dijon mustard, and salt and black pepper, mixed well together.

If using fresh tuna, sear it as outlined above. Leave it to cool and then refrigerate it. When it is cold, cut it into slices. To assemble the salad, combine all the ingredients on a platter, drizzle over the dressing and serve.

Asparagus

Photo: Marion van Dijk
Asparagus – crisp, succulent, grassy, herbaceous – tells us more than any other vegetable that spring is here.

The day I discovered grilled asparagus, a whole new dimension of taste and texture entered my life; a long way from childhood days and memories of afternoon tea parties, Kiwi-style, of egg sandwiches with the crusts cut off and the ubiquitous asparagus rolls made with overcooked asparagus rolled up in thinly buttered white bread.

I think the asparagus roll is ready for a comeback, hopefully with a more healthy, more appetising preparation of the asparagus: just lightly steamed and still crunchy.

After all, we now all know that overcooking vegetables destroys their taste, texture, colour and reduces their nutritional value.

Fresh asparagus is absolutely loaded with nutrients, so much so that it is like taking a multivitamin pill. In asparagus you find vitamin, K, folate, vitamins C, A, B1, B2, B3, manganese, fibre, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium and calcium. It is low in sodium and in calories.

A pity the season is so short, not only to enjoy the taste of asparagus but also knowing how good it is for us.

Asparagus, a member of the lily family, is really available fresh only in the spring to early summer, so we have to make the most of it. It retails between $8 and $12 a kilogram depending on supply and the time of the season.

It comes to us in an array of fat stalks, medium stalks and skinny stalks. Which ones you choose is a matter of taste, but it pays to be consistent in the size that you choose so that it will cook uniformly.

Asparagus is best eaten as fresh as you can get it. Always check the tips – they should not be split or look dried. The spears should be bright green and blemish free.

There are different views about preparing asparagus. Some people peel the spears, particularly the lower portions, to get rid of any stringy bits. Others view peeling as sacrilege.

You can snap off the base of the asparagus at the point where you feel resistance, which gets rid of the tough bit at the bottom of the spear. Save them to make a delicious asparagus soup.

Whatever way you choose to prepare asparagus, peeled or not, bottom snapped off or not, it should be cooked only until the spears are still crisp yet tender. If you prick the asparagus with the tip of a knife you should feel some resistance and if you are boiling or steaming it, the spears should be served bright green.
Ad Feedback

Keep an eye on the spears while they are cooking so you don't overcook them. The point between perfectly cooked and overcooked is a matter of only a minute or two.

When you are steaming or boiling the spears, first bring the water to the boil before adding the asparagus.

Asparagus is delicious plain with a little oil or butter, or hollandaise sauce, if you must. It really requires very little to adorn it. It is a wonderful accompaniment for meat and fish dishes as well as pasta, egg or rice dishes. It is great in quiches or tarts.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS
Photo: Marion van Dijk
To grill asparagus, lie equal-sized spears on a baking dish, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper and place under a hot grill until the asparagus begins to turn golden. Test a spear to ensure that you don't overcook it.

ASPARAGUS WITH PROSCIUTTO

Wrap three spears of asparagus in two pieces of fine prosciutto, per person (buy prosciutto from the Mediterranean Warehouse) and grill or bake in a hot oven until the prosciutto is slightly crisp and the asparagus is just tender. Serve with a cheese and onion frittata.

CHEESE AND ONION FRITTATA

Serves 4

Slice a medium onion and saute in olive oil in a heavy frypan that you can put in the oven. Saute until the onion softens. Add 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced. Add a handful of chopped Italian parsley and six eggs lightly beaten. Add a cup of grated tasty cheese and 3 to 4 Tbsp of grated parmesan cheese.

Turn the heat down to very low and cook gently for five minutes.

Place the frypan in the oven under the grill element and grill until the top puffs up and turns golden.

ASPARAGUS SOUP
A delicious first course – serves 4
Photo: Marion van dijk

500g of asparagus
4 shallots or 1 medium onion
2 Tbsp of butter
1.2 litres of chicken stock
2-3 sprigs of fresh marjoram
1/4 cup of light cream

Peel the asparagus to about halfway up the spears. You need to peel them, or alternatively you will need to sieve the soup at the end to get rid of the fibrous stringy pieces.

Cut the spears into three pieces. Reserve the top 2 centimetres of the tips of the spears. Slice the shallots.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the shallots and the asparagus pieces except for the asparagus tips.

Saute until the vegetables soften.

Add the chicken stock and simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes. Take off the heat and cool.

Puree the soup until smooth. Return to the pot and bring to a gentle boil, reduce the soup by at least a third to concentrate the flavours.

Turn down to a simmer and add the asparagus tips. Cook until the tops are just tender. Add the cream and salt and pepper to taste.

Artichokes

Photo: marion van dijk
Just as we boast about Ohakune as being the carrot capital of the world, with its main street adorned with a mammoth carrot, so is Castroville, California, the artichoke capital of the world, with a 20-foot (six-metre) concrete artichoke creation.

The tiny town is also steeped in the mythology of Norma Jean Baker, who was crowned the first Artichoke Queen in 1947. Norma Jean went on to become screen legend Marilyn Monroe and may have even considered her dalliance with artichokes a pivotal point in her career.

My dalliance with artichokes began when I lived in California, where the annual artichoke season is a much-heralded event in the seasonal calendar.

There, the artichoke takes centre stage, and they are eaten in many different ways, from steamed whole to roasted whole, to artichoke hearts deep fried or marinated artichokes hearts chargrilled or plain.

They grow abundantly in the climate of the Pacific northwest from early spring. They also grow well in New Zealand, and even though they are a Mediterranean vegetable, they thrive in a temperate climate.

They are just coming into season now and Brett Ferretti from Grown in Hope produces a fantastic local crop that can be found at the Saturday market or at Richmond or Collingwood St Fresh Choice.

You may even have your own plant or two, in which case they will be budding now.

Artichokes are good for you as well. They are a natural diuretic, contain folic acid, potassium and magnesium and are a good source of dietary fibre.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus), it is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the thistle family. The flowerhead of the plant is what you eat and the head is formed with many overlapping bracts or leaves.

The artichoke is mostly eaten fresh with the whole head being steamed, or alternatively and definitely more laboriously, the majority of the leaves can be torn off to expose the heart and the heart is then steamed, or if you are Italian, roasted, braised or grilled in many combinations, but with garlic and olive oil being essential.

The hearts can also be marinated and preserved and are readily available in supermarkets.

HOW TO PREPARE AND EAT ARTICHOKES
Photo: Marion van Dijk

To prepare whole artichokes, first slice off the top of the artichoke using a serrated edged knife. Slice off the top five centimetres to get rid of the prickly tops of the leaves and to expose the centre of the flowerhead. You can also snip off the points of the remaining leaves to get rid of any remaining prickly offenders.

Slice off the stalk, so that the artichoke can sit flat. You can cook the trimmed stalk as well, so don't throw it out. The artichoke is now ready for cooking. If you are not going to immediately cook it, rub any cut surfaces with lemon.

Eating whole steamed artichokes is a sensuous affair, with each leaf plucked off the head and dipped in melted butter or extra-virgin olive oil or a garlic aioli. Pluck and dip each leaf, pulling the flesh from the leaf tip through your teeth.

Once all the leaves are gone, you reach the hairy choke. The hairy bit protects the delicate heart beneath. Remove all the choke carefully with the edge of a teaspoon or a knife and then dip the jewel of a heart into a dip and savour the taste. Truly delectable.

The alternative to all that plucking and dipping, and a lot less messy in the eating, is to pare the artichoke down to its heart. To do this, pull off all the leaves one by one, or cut them off with a knife if you are confident enough, until you reach the choke. Check out the images, above, of chef Serge as he demonstrates his professional skill in turning the artichoke.
Photo Marion van Dijk

Scrape out the hairy choke with a small sharp knife or melon baller. Rub the cut surface with lemon, as the artichoke discolours easily.
Photo: Marion van Dijk
Trim all the dark-green parts of the artichoke flesh until you have a creamy surface.
Photo Marion van Dijk
Trim the bottom off the stalk and then slice off the green flesh until it is the same creamy surface as the trimmed flowerhead. The result looks rather like a chalice with a long stem. Keep the artichoke in cold water with a lemon squeezed into it until you are ready to use it.

Try braising the prepared artichokes in a mixture of white wine and chicken stock with two cloves of garlic until they are just tender. These are delicious sliced and added to a risotto.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES

1 artichoke per person

Prepare the artichokes following the method described above. Steam for about 45 minutes to an hour until tender. Pull off a leaf, and if it comes away easily, the artichoke is cooked. Serve with butter, oil or mayonnaise. The fresher the artichoke, the more quickly it will cook.

BAKED ARTICHOKES WITH CRAB STUFFING

4 artichokes (to serve 4), prepared as above
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
Finely diced red pepper and red onion
1 stick celery
4 cloves garlic
2 cups of fresh breadcrumbs (ciabatta)
400g crabmeat

Once you have prepared the artichokes and removed the tops, pull out the central core leaves covering the choke and then slice out the choke with a sharp paring knife.

Saute the pepper, onion, garlic and celery in the oil and butter, until translucent. Cool and add to the breadcrumbs. Then add the crabmeat and mix thoroughly. Season to taste.

Stuff each artichoke in the centre and between the leaves. Place the artichokes in a roasting dish and add sufficient water to come just over halfway up the artichokes. Cover with foil and bake in a moderate oven for about an hour. Test the artichoke by pulling off a leaf. If it comes away easily, it is cooked.

OTHER WAYS

Roasted: Prepare the artichoke following the method described. Spread the leaves apart and stuff 4 to 6 cloves of garlic into the centre of the artichoke. Pour a small quantity of good-quality extra-virgin olive oil between the leaves. Season. Cover with two layers of tin foil and bake in a moderate oven for about 1 1/2 hours.

Grilled: Prepare the artichoke following the method described. Slice the artichoke in half lengthwise. Remove the hairy choke. Steam for about 15 minutes.

Marinated: Make a marinade with the juice of 2 lemons, 8 Tbsp of olive oil, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture on the artichokes and place on a hot barbecue grill or frying pan. Baste regularly and turn regularly until the artichoke is cooked.

Hoki Fish

Photo: Marion van Dijk
It is surprising how many people get lip curl when hoki is mentioned. "It's an inferior fish" or "I wouldn't bother with it" are common refrains.

Based on what, you have to ask. Is it how it looks? Not the most visually gorgeous, I agree, but don't be put off.

I think hoki is an essential fish in a well-rounded culinary repertoire and the fact that McDonald's use it in their "filet o' fish" should be viewed as an endorsement to its versatility, rather than a negative quality.

It is delicious when baked and smothered in a herb and garlic crust. and I would say to the most ardent critic, try the recipe before any more criticism passes your lips. It is always exciting to use different ingredients and to experience that moment of discovery when you realise what you have been missing out on.

Hoki is New Zealand's largest commercial fishery and is caught year round, mainly off the West Coast of the South Island, in Cook Strait and around the Chathams.

The catch is carefully monitored and its value to New Zealand in 2008 was $151 million. So in commercial terms the fish is a mammoth.

Hoki is a Maori word meaning "to return". The fish is a blue grenadier and is also known as blue hake, New Zealand whiptail or whiptail hake. Its scientific name is Macruronus novazealandiae and it is a merluccid hake of the merlucciidae family.

It is blue-green in colour and is a close relative of cod (so if you like cod you will like hoki).

The fish has a long, tapered body, big eyes and a protruding jaw. It grows between 60cm and 120cm in length. The flesh of hoki is moist, white and delicate - so much so that it appears to be almost fragile. The fresher the fish, the more robust it is. It doesn't have a great shelf life but when it is really fresh it has the best form, so buy it in that state.

The other striking thing about hoki is that the flesh surrounds seams of fat.
Photo: Marion van Dijk

Don't be confused into thinking this seam is ugly and useless. It is chocker full of omega 3 goodness, so much so that hoki is now being used to produce fish oil as an excellent new source for omega 3.

The fish has relatively few scales or bones and so fillets really easily. It can be served with the skin on or off. The skin is quite soft and as it has very few scales and is mild flavoured it can be eaten as well.

Hoki is normally sold in fillets and these can be baked, sauteed, grilled or steamed. It has a slightly sweet taste when cooked. It retains its moisture and becomes fluffy and fulsome when cooked, and particularly when baked in a crust it melts in your mouth. It retails for $13 a kilogram so it is good value for money as well.
Ad Feedback

HOKI WITH A HERB CRUST
Serves 4

800g of fish (200g per person)
2 cups breadcrumbs, preferably ciabatta
Plenty of fresh parsley (or basil in summer)
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil about 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (fanbake).

Put the breadcrumbs, parsley (or basil), garlic, salt and pepper and cheese into a food processor and pulse use enough herbs to make the mixture bright green. Add olive oil in a steady stream until the consistency is fine and crumbly.

Place the hoki fillets in a roasting pan and smother the fish in the breadcrumb mixture. Drizzle a little extra virgin oil over the top.

Bake in the hot oven for about 6-8 minutes, until the breadcrumbs have just turned golden brown.

Serve with mashed potatoes and either green beans or asparagus as it comes into season shortly.

CAJUN FISH WITH ROAST KUMARA AND SPINACH AND PEA SALAD
Serves 4
Photo: Marion van Dijk

800g hoki fillets
Cajun spice mix:
3 Tbsp oregano
3 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp cumin powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper

Kumara, cut into chunks
Rice bran oil
Plenty of spinach
1 cup baby peas
Red onion
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Clove of garlic
1 tsp dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 200C (fanbake). Roast the chunks of kumara in a little oil while you prepare the hoki.

In a roasting pan mix together 4-5 Tbsp of rice bran oil and 2 Tbsp of the cajun spice. Add the fish fillets and coat the fish with the mixture on both sides. Set aside for 20 minutes while you prepare the salad.

Make a dressing in a large bowl by combining the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and mustard, with lots of black pepper and sea salt. Mix well.

Add lots of chopped spinach and finely chopped red onion. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of warm baby peas and toss through the salad.

Bake the fish for about 6-8 minutes until just done. Serve with the kumara and salad.

HOKI WITH BRAISED VEGETABLES

800g hoki in fillets
Grated parmesan to coat fish
1 egg, beaten
1 fennel bulb
2 red onions
4 sticks of celery
1 red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
800g of canned Italian tomatoes
1 Tbsp oregano
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp red chilli flakes
1/2 cup vegetable stock.
2 tsp of raw sugar

Chop the fennel bulb, red onions and red pepper, slice the celery and finely chop the garlic.

Heat 4 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan and add fennel, onion, celery and garlic, sauteeing until translucent. Add the red pepper and continue cooking.

Add oregano and fennel seeds. Continue cooking.

Add tomatoes. Continue to cook.

Add stock, salt, black pepper and 2 tsp of red chilli flakes. Simmer gently until the liquid has reduced about 30 minutes.

Cut the fish into large chunks. Coat in beaten egg and then in grated parmesan cheese.

Place in a roasting pan with a little olive oil and place under the grill. Cook until golden. Serve the fish on top of the vegetables.

*

Celeriac- the cinderalla of vegetables

Photo: Marion van Dijk
It is hard to believe that something so gnarly looking can taste so good. Talk about being underrated. Celeriac has to be the ugly duckling of the vegetable world yet once prepared becomes a culinary swan.

It is a type of celery, as the name suggests, and in its growing phase it produces a fan of stalks and leaves similar to the celery plant; however it is the bulbous root of celeriac that is consumed.

The bulb normally grows between 10cm and 20cm in diameter and has a knobbly, warty exterior. The outer surface belies what you find inside. Peel off the skin and you find a white, slightly rubbery flesh (rather like parsnip) that is surprisingly low in starch content, about 5 per cent by weight. It is also low in calories and high in dietary fibre and contains Vitamin B6, C and K as well as potassium.

Celeriac is related to carrots, parsnips, anise and parsley and in fact tastes like a combination of celery and parsley with a hint of parsnip and anise as well.

It works well in dishes where you are looking for these aromatics and flavours. My NMIT chef colleague James Perry tells me that celeriac is delicious with truffles, or even truffle oil. So it partners well with earthy flavours.

It can be eaten either raw or cooked and is a common ingredient in the cuisine of Europe although not so familiar here. It is a feature right now on the supermarket shelf of Fresh Choice in Collingwood St, Nelson, or Richmond Fresh Choice, or available from the Nelson Saturday Market.

Organic grower Brent Ferretti of Grown in Hope supplies the Nelson region with his organic celeriac. For 18 years Brent has been a regular at the market and he likes to grow unusual vegetables to liven the imagination of our local population.

He says celeriac is available through the winter where many vegetables are scarce. His soil is so rich that celeriac grows boldly and reaches sizes much greater than the normal 10-20cm - a celeriac of 2kg is not uncommon. It retails for about $9 a kg.

You will usually see a 2kg celeriac cut in half so consumers can buy smaller quantities. I would say be bold and buy the whole thing. It will last in the fridge for several weeks and is extremely versatile in its uses.

To prepare the celeriac, first peel it (except when baking whole). Use a paring knife to get around the knobbly bits. A good tip is, prior to use, drop into some cold water with lemon juice to stop it from discolouring.
Ad Feedback

Use celeriac in soups or stews, grate it in a salad and mix it with florence fennel. The two flavours are brilliant together.

It can be substituted for potatoes as french fries, it can be roasted like parsnips and alongside them as well. It can even be baked whole in its skin, before scooping out the flesh and enjoying it with butter and salt and pepper - a simple way to enjoy its rich taste.

My Swiss French chef friend Serge Crottaz introduced me to celeriac remoulade, a common dish from his homeland. Serge recently commented to me that when people try this celeriac dish they should try it just by itself, unadulterated - not as an adornment for another dish. He told me that when he first came to New Zealand he was surprised by how much we complicate our food and that we should enjoy simple dishes for what they are - so let me recommend that you try the following recipe in its virgin form.
Photo: Marion van Dijk
CELERIAC REMOULADE

1 egg

1 Tbsp vegetable oil (not olive oil as the taste is too strong try rice bran oil instead)

1 tsp French mustard

Another cup of the oil

Process the egg, mustard and tablespoon of oil until well combined then slowly add the cup of oil - very slowly at first, faster towards the end. Add the juice of a lemon and salt and pepper to taste. You can also make the mayonnaise by hand with a whisk. If you use this method use two egg yolks instead of a whole egg.

Then grate 500g of raw celeriac and toss through the mayonnaise. Serve on a brightly coloured plate.

CELERIAC MASH

500g of celeriac peeled and cut into chunks

Milk to cover the celeriac

2 bayleaves

2 Tbsp butter

Salt and pepper

Place the peeled and cubed celeriac in a pot and cover with milk. Add bay leaves and simmer until celeriac is tender - about 20-30 minutes. Pour off milk and reserve.

Mash the celeriac either by hand or in a food processor, using as much of the reserved milk as is required to make a smooth mash. Add butter, salt and pepper.

This mash can be served in any situation where you would have mashed potato. It is excellent with seafood and beef and lamb.

CELERIAC, PARSNIP, FENNEL, RED ONION AND POTATO SOUP500g of celeriac bulb

3 parsnips

1 fennel bulb

1 red onion

2 agria potatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 tsp fennel seeds

A handful italian parsley

Peel and chop all the vegetables. Heat the olive oil and toss in the fennel seeds and bay leaves, saute for a few minutes then add the vegetables and saute for about five minutes longer.

Pour in the stock and simmer, covered for about 30-40 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. Puree the soup and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with chopped italian parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

The king of fish

Photo: marion van Dijk
The glistening deep apricot flesh of fresh salmon adorns every fish vendor's window throughout New Zealand. Supply is constant and we take it for granted. Salmon must be the most universally recognised and appreciated fish, but it wasn't always the case.

Thirty years ago, before salmon farming began in New Zealand, you either saw salmon in a can or you may have been lucky enough to know a fisherman who fished the mouth of a braided river on the South Island's east coast and who might bring you a prize.

Salmon tastes good, looks good and is great for the brain, skin and eyes. In fact, it has remarkable health benefits. It is an excellent source of protein and vitamins as well. The best thing is that it is a natural source of omega 3 - so essential in the human diet - which protects us against heart disease and builds our natural immunity. We should eat fatty fish twice a week to get the fatty acids we need to be healthy, so bring salmon into your diet if isn't there already.

Salmon comes in different guises depending on the species. Most of the world's supply of salmon (two million tonnes, I am told by Don Everitt of NZ King Salmon) is farmed Atlantic salmon and the majority of farmed salmon originates in Chile and Norway.

The species farmed in New Zealand is a Pacific salmon, the chinook or king salmon to be precise. King salmon is rightly named, according to those in the know; words like bigger, worthier and tastier, sensuous even, are attributed to the king, while the Atlantic salmon is described as duller, gluggy and fatty. Don Everitt explains that with king salmon, the lipids (fats) are expressed as oils, resulting in a superior texture.

King salmon is farmed in a number of places in New Zealand, from small family businesses to the largest company in the country, which produces 7000 tonnes a year - 60 per cent of the worldwide supply of farmed king salmon. The company is right here at the top of the south: NZ King Salmon.

From its hatchery at Waikoropupu Springs in Golden Bay to the six sea farms in the Marlborough Sounds and the processing plant in Tahunanui, it is a true top of the south affair, making the most of our fabulous natural environment.

The purest waters of Waikoropupu Springs supply the hatchery, then the fish are moved to the ideal growing conditions of the Marlborough Sounds: clear water, clean environment, uncrowded sea cages, excellent water temperatures and water flow. All conditions to produce the best, most delectable salmon.
Ad Feedback

You can be pretty sure that if you are buying fresh salmon in the Nelson Marlborough region, you are buying the product of NZ King Salmon.

Their fresh salmon retails under the brand name Regal and smoked salmon and other value-added products under the Seasmoke and Southern Ocean brands.

Salmon is equally delicious fresh or smoked and the options we have for smoked salmon products in our region are vast, including such delights as the fresh smoked salmon of Mapua Nature Smoke.

Salmon is delectable cooked in many ways - simply steaming it is a great option, or wrapping a whole fish in foil and baking in a slow oven until just cooked through.

Grilling or baking and cooking until just rare, glazed with the glaze of your choice, is hard to beat. (Look at the olive story published in June to see the delights of combining with Villa Grove Lime Oil).
Photo: Marion van Dijk

If you haven't tried raw salmon yet, as sashimi, you must. It is a great way to educate your palate to eat salmon rare and never commit the sin of overcooking it again.

I consulted my good friend John Moore, of Sail Nelson and Wakefield Quay House, the wisest fish man I know, about how he prepares sashimi and he provides the following advice.

When you choose a piece of salmon it must be as fresh as possible; the flesh should gleam and have no fish smell. The colour is important - look for a darker fillet.

John says this is the tastiest and he even prefers a piece of a fillet that is close to the belly because it has greater flavour and that is where the fat is stored.

Run your fingers from tail to head to check for pin bones and remove them with a pair of eyebrow tweezers.

Check to see if there is any dark red meat and remove it (this would be stored blood).

Then slice the fish against the grain into pieces about 2mm thick. The thickness is also a matter of taste but thicker is in vogue these days.

Enjoy the salmon with wasabi - the tube variety is stronger - and soy sauce.

Collingwood St Fresh Choice is stocking a sashimi soy that John says is the best.

BAKED MARINATED SALMON
Photo: Marion van Dijk
800g of fresh salmon fillet (feeds 4 allow about 200g of salmon per person)
Marinade:
1/4 cup of soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp oyster sauce (see note about other options)

Marinate the fish for about an hour. You can substitute chilli sauce for oyster sauce and add 2 or 3 chopped kaffir lime leaves.
You can change the mirin for white wine or use lime juice instead.
If you want a Mediterranean flavour, use 1/4 cup of combined vincotta and balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp of Dijon mustard , 1 Tbsp of brown sugar and chopped tarragon.
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 8-10 minutes. The fish should not be cooked through.
Serve with a salad of steamed broccoli that is still crunchy, roasted red pepper cut into strips, lots of fresh chopped coriander in a dressing of lime juice, lime oil, red pepper flakes and sea salt.
If you are making the Mediterranean version, make a dressing with balsamic vinegar and substitute fresh basil for the fresh coriander.

HOT SMOKED SALMON SALAD
Use a fresh local hot smoked salmon for this dish. Serves 4.
400g of hot smoked salmon
Six slices of haloumi cheese
1/2 cup of toasted slivered almonds
A mixture of rocket and cos lettuce leaves
Half a red onion, finely sliced
Fresh basil, roughly chopped
A little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper

Slice the haloumi into thick slices and place on a roasting tray. Bake at 200C until they turn golden. Turn and repeat the process. Cool.
Roast the almonds in the hot oven until golden. Cool.
In a salad bowl, make a dressing of 3 Tbsp of olive oil to 1 Tbsp of tarragon wine vinegar. Add pepper and a tsp of sea salt.
Add the lettuce and rocket, broken-up pieces of smoked salmon, red onion, basil, almonds and haloumi cheese, each piece cut in half.

Glorious nuts

Photo: marion van Dijk
A pantry without nuts is like a fridge without white wine chilling. A pantry needs a range of nuts: almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, walnuts, cashews, and pecans, for starters.

A small supply of each, frequently replenished, or nuts in their shells harvested from your own trees or from a local source you can trust.

The nuts must always be stored in a cool, dark place and, if shelled, in airtight containers.

Once shelled, they are best stored with their skins on. Unfortunately, nuts easily become rancid, particularly pecans and walnuts, so beware of any sold in packages with their skins removed and stored for any length of time.

There are a number of producers in the Nelson-Marlborough region, so with little effort you can find suppliers of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts and more.

In culinary terms, a nut is a large oily kernel found in a shell. Normally, nuts come from trees, but peanuts, for instance, come from a legume.

What you might not know is that research in the 1990s clearly told us that nuts are incredibly good for us. A Californian study declared that those who eat nuts daily are 60 per cent less likely to have a heart attack than those who eat them less than once a month, and further research identified that regular nut-eating showed benefits relating to strokes, diabetes, dementia and gallstones.

The more often nuts are eaten the better, and it seems that nuts generally, rather than a specific variety, are the key, so try them all.

Nuts contain low levels of saturated fats and high levels of unsaturated fats, and they are also a good source of fibre, vitamin E, folic acid, copper and magnesium, and the best dietary source of manganese.

Toasting or roasting nuts brings out the essential oils and aromatics and makes them taste wonderful. Always toast them unless you are using them for baking. Place them in a roasting dish at 180 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes (less for pine nuts - they are smaller and paler, so burn easily). When they turn golden, remove them from the oven and cool before using.

You can also slow-roast them, at 150C for about 25 minutes. Peanuts are particularly good prepared this way.

Some people dry roast nuts in a pan, but they toast less uniformly using this method.

Apparently, Kiwis do not consume as many nuts as they could, and although some people (between one in 100 and one in 200) are allergic to them, for the rest of us the culinary opportunities they offer are vast and splendid. We should be adventurous and try as many different nuts as possible in different combinations in different dishes.
Ad Feedback

Try simple things like this:

* Mix in a food processor some hazelnuts, breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, a clove or two of garlic, plenty of black pepper mixed with some local extra-virgin olive oil and use this as a topping for some baked fish like hoki. Smother the fish with the topping and then put in a hot oven for about 10 minutes. You can also use almonds or pine nuts and the taste will change - but equally delicious.

* Toast a few nuts and sprinkle them on top of vegetables or legumes. Try lentils with goat cheese, extra virgin olive oil and toasted pine nuts; mix toasted peanuts with a salad of red cabbage, celery and red onions; mix cashews and chicken, walnuts with celery and roasted red peppers, slivered almonds with beans or peas - the list goes on.

* Use ground almonds in cakes and biscuits - they produce a moist, delicious and gluten-free alternative to cooking with flour.

Nuts are not cheap: almonds retail for $27 a kilogram, hazelnuts for $32/kg, and pine nuts for a whopping $104/kg - no wonder when you realise how complex they are to harvest. Pine nuts are either from the European stone pine tree, Pinus pinea, or the Korean pine, Pinus koraiensis. The trees produce cones that contain the nuts. Each cone can hold 50 to 100 nuts and when they are ready the nuts fall from the cones. The shell is extremely tough and the nuts are extracted commercially by using rollers. It is labour intensive, hence the price.

To familiarise yourself with the unique tastes of each nut, make nut butter. You can use this recipe with any nut.

NUT BUTTER

1 cup of nuts, shelled and toasted
1 Tbsp of oil
1/2 tsp salt

Place the nuts in a food processor, or use a mortar and pestle. Grind for several minutes until they form a paste, then slowly add the oil while still grinding. Season with salt and store in the refrigerator. Use oil to match the nut - for instance, a delicate oil for a delicate nut.

Here is a recipe for romesco sauce that uses lots of nuts. I generally use hazelnuts, but you can alternate the nuts and hence the flavours will change.

In the middle of winter, this sauce can be used to liven up a drab day and can be used as an accompaniment with fish, meat or vegetable dishes. It is equally divine with any of them.

ROMESCO SAUCE

2 red peppers
2 red chillis
4 tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of toasted hazelnuts with the skins removed (see recipe)
1 1/2 cups of coriander or parsley
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Slice the tomatoes in half and slow roast them in a moderate oven (150C) until they are soft and tender - about 45 minutes.

Roast the hazelnuts in the oven with the tomatoes until they are golden. Cool and remove the skins by rubbing the nuts in your hands.

Roast the red peppers by placing directly over a gas flame until they are charred all over. Peel immediately in cold running water (some people like to put the peppers in a plastic bag for 10 minutes as an alternative method). Break apart and get rid of the seeds and membranes. Set aside.

Do the same with the chillis - char quickly as the skins are thinner than the red pepper and they will disintegrate easily.

Cook the garlic until golden in the olive oil. Cool the oil and garlic.

Combine all the ingredients with the herbs in a food processor. Add the oil and garlic and season to taste.

This is my all-time favourite cake and is loved by many people who have tried it. It ages really well if it ever gets the opportunity and is simple to make.

Photo: Marion van Dijk
LIL'S CHOCOLATE DATE AND ALMOND TORTE
250g of almonds
250g of dates, pitted and sliced
250g of good-dark cooking chocolate
125g of caster sugar
6-7 egg whites

Chop the dates, almonds and chocolate into small chunks and then food-process in batches. The mixture should not be over mixed, but should still have a slight texture.

Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, adding the caster sugar. Fold the chocolate, date and almond mixture into the egg whites.

Fold into a 25cm springform pan that has been lined with two pieces of baking paper. Bake at 180C for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cake in the oven until completely cold.

Serve the cake with lots of whipped cream piled on top, shave chocolate over the cream and top with some slivered, toasted almonds.

luscious leeks

Photo: Marion van Dijk
Driving up the Appleby Straight, the farm paddocks opposite the Traveller's Rest were full of people harvesting leeks, rows and rows of them, the winter crop ready for people to enjoy.

It made me realise how versatile and robust leeks are, able to flourish and grow in the cold weather of the New Zealand winter, yet equally able to grow in summer.

A local farmer explained to me that there are two varieties - the winter one being harvested right now, and the other harvested in the summer months.

Leeks can be found year-round in New Zealand shops, and if you are fortunate enough to have your own garden or can source leeks direct from a market garden, you can experience baby leeks and discover how truly delicious they are.

This is not to say that a mature leek isn't delicious - it is - but there is something about fresh baby leeks, braised whole, steamed or gently sauteed in a little butter or extra virgin olive oil (local, of course). They melt in your mouth - rich, sweet, soft and fragrant.


When purchasing leeks, always buy them with their green leaves and roots intact. Without these, they deteriorate rapidly, and an old leek is not a good leek.

A good mature leek should have a clean white bulb around 20 centimetres in length and not be too fat. They can be stored for up to a week or so as they are - without being cut, in a plastic bag to keep moisture in and the odour out of the refrigerator.

Leeks are not cheap, retailing for around $1.50-$2 each, but one leek goes a long way. Two or three will serve four to five people as a side dish, and are ample for use in soups or other dishes.

Leeks are also really good for you - they are a great source of vitamin C, fibre, iron, folic acid, calcium and potassium. Like their relatives onions and garlic, they promote the healthy functioning of the blood and heart. Easier to digest than onions, leeks have diuretic, antiseptic and anti-arthritic properties.

Leeks, onions and garlic are members of the Alliaceae family, with leeks differing from onions and garlic in that instead of forming a tight bulb, they produce a long cylinder of bundled leaf sheaths.

Leeks can be prepared in many different ways. The first thing you have to do is wash them thoroughly, as dirt loves to cling between the outer layers of leaves.

Normally, you discard the top green leaves (unless you are making a soup - in that case, the green leaves will add flavour).
Ad Feedback

Cut off the very tip of the bulb where the roots are attached, then either slice the leek into rounds or slice it lengthwise into fat fingers or strips, and away you go.

Leeks can be braised, roasted, baked, steamed or sauteed - you can even eat them raw, thinly sliced in salads with a good dressing (the younger the better for this, as they are more tender and delicate in the junior form).

They also flavour soups in the most wonderful way. Everyone has a recipe for leek and potato soup.

One tip, regardless of the method, is don't overcook them - if you do, they get slimy and soft if cooked in a liquid, and dry and hard if you are roasting or baking them.

They don't taste good undercooked either, as they can be tough and chewy. Perfectly cooked is the answer!

The recipes that follow describe different methods of cooking leeks. One of the great things about leeks is that they go with so many dishes - meat, fish and vegetarian meals will all benefit from a side dish of leeks. Here are two ways to create the side dish.

ROAST LEEKS

2 leeks
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A handful of thyme (leeks and thyme are a lovely combination)
Salt and pepper

Cut the leeks in half and then slice lengthwise to make 4 large strips per leek.

Place in a roasting pan and sprinkle with sea salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle the olive oil over the leeks. Add the thyme. Roast at 160 degrees Celsius.

Turn the leeks after about 10 minutes. Cook until tender - be careful not to overcook or brown the leeks too much.

The cooking time will depend on the size of the leek - 20 minutes should be enough.

BRAISED LEEKS

2 leeks
1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil
3/4 cup of vegetable stock

Slice the leeks into rounds and then gently saute in the butter and oil. Sweat the onions for about 5 minutes until they begin to wilt.

Add the stock. Cover and cook until the leeks are tender. Season and serve in the braising juices.

SNAPPER OVER LEEKS WITH RED PEPPERS AND SMOKED PAPRIKA

600g snapper
For the leeks:
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 cloves of garlic
6-8 baby leeks or 3 mature leeks cut into 8 long strips
A bunch of fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme
Bayleaf
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of vegetable stock

Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan. Add the leeks and garlic and sweat for five minutes over a gentle heat.

Add the thyme, salt and pepper, bay leaf and wine. Reduce the wine by half and then add the stock. Cover tightly and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add 600g of snapper directly over the leeks and baste with some of the braising liquid.

Transfer to a hot oven (180degC) and bake until the snapper is cooked through (about 10 minutes).

Serve with peppers with smoked paprika:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 peppers, 2 red and 2 yellow (or all red)
2 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp fresh marjoram
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil and add all the ingredients. Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes over a low heat in a heavy-bottomed pot. The peppers will create their own juices. Delicious!

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

4 agria potatoes, peeled and cut into dice
3 leeks, cut into round slices (use some of the green part of the leek, about half, discarding the hard top part)
1 bay leaf
A handful of fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley and marjoram
6 litres of good-quality stock - either vegetable or chicken
A little butter and/or oil

Heat the oil in a large pot and add the leeks. Sweat them gently over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and continue the process for another 5-10 minutes.

Add the bay leaf and herbs and the stock and simmer for at least 30 minutes, until the potatoes are well cooked.

Remove from the heat and then in a food processor, blend the soup until smooth. Season well.

Reheat gently - it should be thick and creamy. Serve the soup with some chopped chives, some freshly ground pepper and a drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil.

flat and fabulous turbot

photo: Marion van Dijk
For years, I would walk past turbot in the fish shop, giving it a sideways look, not convinced about it.

Its soft apricot colour with clinging roe and frilled edges confused me, and I would turn to a fish I was more familiar with.

One day, after endless hounding by my partner, who knew it well from his youth, and feeling emboldened from reading my Rick Stein bible Seafood, I bought a large fillet or two and used Stein's recipe for roasted turbot and sauce vierge.

It was absolutely divine, and now I scour the boards at Guyton's or Collingwood St Fresh Choice, and if I spy turbot, I am in to buy.

Stein has said that turbot is as good as lobster, and went so far as to say on Close Up a few weeks ago while visiting New Zealand that turbot is his favourite fish, and the simpler the better.

He recommends it served with a lemon hollandaise and a few new potatoes. Turbot is a delicate fish but it is also succulent and smooth, and flakes perfectly when cooked. Roasted, it is juicy and tender. The flesh turns white when it is cooked, by the way.

Turbot is a flatfish, and in New Zealand it is from the species Colistium nudipinnis, which differs from European turbot, which comes from the bothidae family.

Despite these differences, turbot in both places tastes very similar.

There are 11 species of flatfish found in New Zealand waters. Most Kiwis are familiar with flounder and sole, and are used to eating them whole. Increasingly, they are also learning about turbot and realising how fabulous it is.

Turbot is considerably bigger than flounder, and is sometimes confused with brill. It grows to about a metre in size with a deep body, twice that of its body length. It lives to a fine old age - around 16 years. It has a low oil content and is high in protein and low in fat, and has moderate amounts of omega 3.

Turbot is found on the west coast of both islands and in some pockets elsewhere, but the commercial harvest is off the West Coast in shallow waters by inshore trawling fleets. Talley's regularly catches turbot, and although it can be caught year-round, the fishing fleet concentrates on other fish for for some months of the year. This explains why turbot isn't always seen in the shops.

Talley's supplies fishmongers, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants throughout New Zealand. In local shops, turbot is almost always seen in fillet form, but Guyton's, for instance, will sell whole fish on request.
Ad Feedback

I thoroughly recommend buying a whole turbot and trying the recipe below. Whole turbot, like most fish cooked whole, has its own special, splendid flavours.

Turbot sells for $14.90 a kilogram whole and $19.90 a kg in fillet form. Whole turbot range from 1kg to larger fish as requested. It can be cooked many different ways and it is always delicious. This recipe is one of the best fish dishes I have ever tasted.

ROASTED TURBOT WITH SAUCE VIERGE
Photo: Marion van Dijk

This is an adaptation of Rick Stein's recipe. I have substituted fillets for turbot steaks and changed the recipe slightly.
Buy two large fillets of turbot (larger is better) or four smaller fillets about 800g in total. This will serve four people.

Combine the following ingredients to rub over the fish:

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped fresh lemon thyme
1 bay leaf, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

Grind all of this in a mortar and pestle to combine well, and mix with 75ml local extra virgin olive oil. Rub all over the fish and place the fish in a roasting pan. Leave for about 15 minutes while you make the sauce.

SAUCE VIERGE

75ml extra virgin olive oil (try using some Villa Grove lime oil)
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
2 tomatoes, preferably Italian plum tomatoes, cut into small dice
8-10 olives, pitted and sliced
2 anchovy fillets, diced
1 clove of garlic, sliced
A handful of parsley
Salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients except the parsley and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Roast the fish for about 5-8 minutes. The roasting time will depend on the thickness of the fillet. The fish should be just done.

Add the parsley to the sauce and serve the fish with the sauce either on the side or on top. This is delicious with agria mashed potatoes and some wilted spinach.

BRAISED WHOLE TURBOT

Heat the oven to 200deg C.

Season a whole turbot (1kg-1.5kg) with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting dish with just enough water to stop it sticking about 600ml. Braise uncovered for half an hour.

Transfer the fish to a serving tray and carefully remove the top skin. Keep warm. Reduce the cooking liquid to 3-4 Tbsp.

Melt 2-3 Tbsp of butter and add lots of fresh chopped herbs parsley, tarragon and chives are particularly good. Add the reduced cooking liquid. Pour this over the fish and serve immediately.

When the flesh is removed from the top half of the fish, carefully lift off the bones to access the bottom fillets.

Serve with braised leeks and slow-roasted halved tomatoes.

Photo: Marion van Dijk
Whether you grow your own or buy them at the supermarket; eat them as snacks or cook with their oil, olives are a magic ingredient in the kitchen and in life.

In Italy, where olives are commonly grown and pressed on family-sized plots using artisan methods, the plot is usually restricted to a single hill.

The slope and angle of the hillside and the sunlight varies considerably from place to place, so the olives grow and ripen differently. The hills that receive the most light yield riper olives and consequently darker oil.

It may be hard to believe, but nestled among our own hills and valleys are more than 40 commercial olive growers with more of the same in Marlborough. In fact for both Nelson and Marlborough in 2006, the olive harvest was 450 tonnes with about 190,000 litres of extra virgin olive oil produced.

By world standards, as for most things, we are a small player particularly compared with Spain, Italy and Greece, but the quality of what we produce is a different matter, attested to by the taste qualities of our excellent local product and our performance in international events.This is despite the fact that our climate does not really provide the hot summers that olives like so much.

It has been said that Nelson-Marlborough makes up for the lack of sustained heat with high sunshine hours and it has also been noted by the experts that Nelson-Marlborough is arguably the most important olive-producing region of New Zealand.
Most of the olives produced here are frantoio and leccino (Tuscan olives) with plantings of other varieties such as koroneiki (Greek) and barnea (Israel).There are also local varieties with names like J5 and GBO1 (not as exotic as the foreign names).

The local groves are on a range of different terroir from the Moutere clays to the Waimea alluvial gravels to Dovedale loam.Each area, and in fact each grove, produces olives with their own characteristics, even if the varieties grown are the same.The likely onset of early frost in some places means that the olives will be harvested earlier in some groves than others - this also significantly effects the end product.
All of this provides an exciting, flavourful and contextualised environment for us as consumers when selecting olive oils from our local producers.

The olive (Olea europuea) is native to the Mediterranean and has been cultivated there for thousands of years. There are many cultivars. Famed ones include the Greek kalamata, renowned as a table olive for eating. The kalamata olive has a PDO status (protected designation of origin), as does the famous amifissa olive that is used both as a table olive but also for oil extraction.Manzilla olives are Spanish as are picual - the olive that generates 20 per cent of the world's olive oil production as well as being widely eaten in Spain.

Olives are harvested from March to July in New Zealand, depending on the location of the olive grove and the type of olive. Harvesting olives is intensive and most olive groves use mechanical harvesters. Olives must be used rapidly (preferably within 24 hours)after harvest for either pickling or pressing as they need to be perfect and fresh to extract the best from them.

One important thing to know is how oil is graded and what you are paying for when you buy oil. Oil is produced through a centrifuge process and there is one pressing. The International Olive Oil Council has created the following standards. The higher the degree of free acidity the more likely the oil is damaged and unstable, and of lower quality. Half the oil produced in the Mediterranean is of such poor quality that it has to be refined to produce an edible product.
Extra virgin olive oil: must have less than 0.8 per cent free acidity plus other characteristics.
Virgin olive oil: must have less than 2 per cent per free acidity plus other characteristics.
Ordinary olive oil: must have less than 3.3 per cent free acidity plus other characteristics.
Refined olive oil: produced by refining virgin olive oils with high acidity or organoleptic faults (affecting the taste, colour, odour, feel) which are eliminated after refining. No solvents are used in the process, only charcoal and other filters.

Olive oils are as varied as wines and if you want to experience them first hand then take a drive to the outskirts of Nelson and begin your tasting experience. A visit to Villa Grove in Wakefield will offer you the opportunity to talk with Phil and Rachel Costello who are part of the Nelson Olives brand Oriwa as well as producing their own Villa Grove blend from their 700 frantoio, leccino and koroneiki trees.

Rachel describes the virtues of a good blend saying that an oil in balance will have harmony between the desirable qualities of fruit aromas, a bitterness that is not too astringent and a pepperiness that does not dominate.She points out how important it is for local consumers to understand the beauty of a local olive oil, rich and fresh compared with many of the imported oils that may well be past their use-by date and could have become rancid as there is no requirement for foreign producers to provide a use-by date on their products.

Drive in the direction of Tasman, stopping first at the Jester House for a delicious brunch and then on to Tasman Bay Olives. Through the glass window you can see the elegant Italian press and sample their Elovi oil, a frantoio single blend extra virgin olive oil, winner of a gold medal in 2008 at the Olives NZ National Awards.

They describe the oil as spicy with strong flavours and a distinct peppery taste. You can also buy Leccino Tasman Ridge extra virgin olive oil bottled or in bulk with a vintage of a couple of years ago featuring currently for only $16 a litre.This fruity, peppery, buttery, oil is an excellent price and even though there are some aficionados who would say olive oil needs to be consumed within 12 months of pressing, this oil shows otherwise. Another stop down the road on the Coastal Highway at Rosie's Grove where David and Debra Smith have an honesty box selling their oil for $20 a litre. These are just several examples of what is on offer around the district.

Many of the olive producers in the region use Olive Services Nelson to press their olives into oil.This is a co-operative venture and if you are a home grower and want to have your own oil, link in with friends to come up with a minimum amount of 50kg and your olives can be pressed for you.

What all of all this says is that it is time to try local olive oil. You can still use vegetable oil or cheaper olive oil for cooking but start using fresh local oil in salad dressings or drizzled over fish or chicken, soups or vegetables and start savouring the tastes.

Best of all about olive oil, other than the taste, is how good it is for you. Regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil increases HDLs, the good cholesterol, reduces plaque formation in your arteries and lowers blood pressure. What more could you ask for!

Photo: Marion van Dijk

LIL'S LUSCIOUS LIME SALMON
Fresh limes at Collingwood St Fresh Choice are delicious at the moment and only $6.99 a kilo. The Villa Grove Lime Oil is available from Villa Grove at Wakefield.
For two people.

300g salmon fillet
8 thin slices of haloumi cheese
1 red pepper
1/4 cup of green olives
Mesclun salad greens
1 lime
Red pepper flakes and sea salt
Villa Grove extra virgin olive oil, lime infused
A little of your favourite extra virgin olive oil

Turn your oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Cut the red pepper into 8 slices and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place in the oven and cook until just tender. Near the end of this add the haloumi cheese and cook until golden. Remove from the oven and keep warm.

Sprinkle the salmon with a little sea salt, some red pepper flakes and a little Villa Grove Lime Oil. Turn the oven on to grill and cook the salmon until just done or a little rare, according to taste.

Make a vinaigrette in the bottom of a salad bowl, with 3 Tbsp of the lime oil and the juice of a lime, add sea salt and red chilli flakes. Add the green olives, red pepper, plenty of mesclun greens and toss through with the haloumi. Serve immediately with the salmon. The vinaigrette makes a delicious sauce for the salmon as well.
Here is a recipe that asks for both green and black olives straight from the brine or you can use good quality black and green olives from the supermarket.
CHICKEN WITH TWO OLIVES

Roast a free-range chicken, sprinkled with a little extra virgin olive oil, at 180C until cooked. When cooked let it rest for 15 minutes then slice into portions and return to the roasting pan.

Make the following sauce:
4 cloves of garlic sliced finely
1/2 cup of green olives
1/2 cup of black olives
1/4 cup of best quality olive oil
1/2 cup of fresh Italian parsley or fresh basil if in season (or add 2 Tbsp of dried basil - but only use fresh parsley)
6 fresh Italian tomatoes or a 400g tin
1/2 cup of white wine

Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Saute the garlic in half the oil until golden. Add tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the olives, herbs and white wine and cook until well integrated - about 20 minutes. Pour over the chicken and warm through.

Serve with mashed agria potato and a mesclun green salad with balsamic vinaigrette using the oil. Drizzle the remainder of the olive oil over the potato mash.

OLIVE TAPENADE

2 cups of green olives
1 clove of garlic
2 anchovies
2 Tbsp of capers
1/4 cup of flat leaf parsley
Zest of a lemon
Salt and pepper
3-4 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Process the ingredients in a food processor. Add the olive oil slowly to form a smooth paste.

OLIO SANTO (HOLY OIL)
Try this on lots of dishes - experiment!

2 cups of best quality extra virgin olive oil
15 fresh basil leaves
5 whole hot chillis

Pour the oil over the basil and chillis. Seal the jar tightly and store for 15 days and then use with as many things as you can think of that could use some zing.

Photo: Marion van Dijk

oysters

Photo: Rob Corlett
It is Grand Central Station, New York City. Go down the escalator to the lower floor, underground, and enter the Oyster Bar; a grand, cavernous space, giant chandeliers, gleaming tiles reflecting light.

Photo: Rob Corlett
People are everywhere, savouring oysters from the east and west coasts, from the top to the bottom of the country. Each oyster can be bought individually - Bluepoint, Boques Bay, Caraquet, Hood Canal, Little Skookum, Mecox, Meximoto, Pemaquid, Tatamoguche, Wellsfleet, to name a few.

You can sit at the counter and watch the experts shucking oysters and sliding them in front of you on ice, or you can be at any of four other sections in the restaurant and sample the same and more, such as its classic dish - a steaming bowl of bouillabaisse.

Even if you are not passionate about oysters, your curiosity has to be aroused by myriad options the menu holds. The menu of April 29, 2009, had 30 different oysters, named from the source - Boques Bay in Virginia, Caraquet in New Brunswick, Meximoto from Baja California, Tatamoguche in Nova Scotia, Little Skookum from Washington. Each is different in texture, size and taste, as well as variety.

The complexity of oysters is a little like that of different wine varieties. They are vastly different to the palate. Aficionados know the different varieties by name, and the qualities they will experience when tasting them.

All edible oysters are from the Ostreidae family. There are three principal genuses that feature in oyster eating. Members of the Ostrea genus live immersed in sea water, while Saccostrea and Crassostrea live in intertidal zones.

On the menu of the Oyster Bar, many of the oysters are either Crassostrea gigas (Pacific oysters) or Crassostrea virginica (Atlantic or Eastern oysters).
Photo: Rob Corlett

In New Zealand, we have all three of the principal genuses. Bluff oysters are in fact Ostrea chilensis, as are the oysters in Nelson and Marlborough. They are dredge oysters and are native to New Zealand and Chile, and have been commercially harvested here for more than 100 years.

New Zealand rock oysters are from the species Saccostrea commercialis, and are found in the intertidal zone in the north of the North Island. These oysters have been farmed commercially in the north of the country for about 40 years.

The interloper is Crassostrea gigas, the Pacific oyster, which appeared in our waters in the 1950s, and is suspected to have arrived via Japan. They now form the majority of our farmed oyster crop. They are vigorous and grow much faster than our native species, and are established in a range of places, including the Marlborough Sounds.

Photo: Rob Corlett

The latest commercial venture here in Nelson is the Cawthron Institute's oyster hatchery at the Glen, soon to be officially opened with an event featuring celebrity chef Peta Mathias creating an oyster dish to be prepared and served by NMIT hospitality staff and students.

Olin Pilcher, of Cawthron, says rearing Pacific oysters is like handling gravel or farming rocks. He explains that the beauty of hatchery-raised spat is that you get a much more uniform product.

Three-quarters of industry spat comes from the wild, sourced mainly from the Kaipara Harbour. From the wild, you get what you get, and the spat is variable in terms of numbers and quality. Hatchery spat can be bred for colour, shell shape and growth rate.

The Cawthron initiative has the capacity to grow up to 20 million spat a year. They are grown to about the size of a fingernail before being shipped to oyster farms, where they will be raised for another nine to 12 months.

New Zealand is a small player on the world oyster scene, with the industry producing about 45 million oysters a year.

Photo: Marion van Dijk
Oysters can be eaten raw, smoked, baked, fried, roasted, grilled, steamed or pickled. True oyster lovers consider it sacrilege to cook an oyster, and believe that the only way to eat them is raw.

The species and the place they grow greatly influence their taste. Pacific oysters are often described as being creamy with a mineral ocean taste, whereas an Atlantic oyster is described as saltier.

Each ocean, sea, bay or inlet has different conditions and water qualities, and this is reflected in the taste of the oyster. Each has its own degree of saltiness, and tastes are varied, with descriptors such as a fruit or almond finish.

Oysters are good for you - they are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and D. Four to five oysters a day will supply you with the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus.

Here are a few recipes.

OYSTER SHOT: Make a bloody mary mix by adding to tomato juice a dash or three of worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Add some celery salt and black pepper. Add vodka to taste. Mix well. In a shot glass, add an oyster and pour over the bloody mary mix. Have 3 or 4.

OYSTERS WITH NOBU'S THREE SALSAS: From Nobu the Cookbook by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa (visiting the Nobu restaurant in New York is an amazing culinary experience)
.
Photo: Marion van Dijk

12 fresh oysters in the shell

4 Tbsp matsuhisa salsa

4 Tbsp maui onion salsa

4 Tbsp jalapeno salsa

Finely chopped chives for garnish Remove the oysters from their shells and rinse under cold water. Drain. Arrange the oysters in their shells and top with a little of each salsa - use four oysters per salsa. Sprinkle the chives over the maui onion salsa.

MATSUHISA SALSA: 1/2cup (60g) finely chopped onion

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp garlic

1/4 tsp chilli oil

1/4 tsp finely grated ginger

1 Tbsp oil

Combine and add 1/2 cup (10g) finely chopped parsley before use.

JALAPENO SALSA: finely chopped jalapeno chillis

1 1/4 cups (125g) finely chopped onion

1 tsp sea salt

5 tsp extra virgin olive oil

5 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine.

MAUI ONION SALSA

1 cup (100g) finely chopped maui onion

3/4 cup (105g) finely chopped tomato

6 Tbsp Ponzu (Japanese citrus-based sauce)

2 tsp orange juice (freshly squeezed)

1 tsp hot chilli sauce. Combine.

ANGELS ON HORSEBACK:
This is a classic canape that was a party favourite decades ago and may be enjoying a comeback.

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 clove garlic, chopped

12 oysters

6 slices lean bacon

Salt and pepper

Mix the wine, garlic, salt and pepper together. Add the oysters and marinate for 10 to 20 minutes. Preheat the grill. Cut each bacon slice in half and wrap around an oyster, securing with a toothpick. Grill on both sides until the bacon is crisp. Serve while still warm.