Comfort in a bowl
Indulging in warm platefuls of deliciousness is one of the best things about winter, says NZ House & Garden Food Editor Sally Butters.
Seafood chowder
This superb thick and creamy soup can be used as a base for most seafood – you can use just one variety of fish or other shucked shellfish (mussels, pipi, oysters, cockles), crayfish or smoked fish.
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped 4 rashers dry-smoked bacon,
rind removed, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 small red capsicum, seeded
and finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely sliced 1 bay leaf
1⁄4 cup flour
500ml fish stock
500ml milk
3 medium potatoes, peeled and
cut into 1cm cubes
150g firm white fish, skin and
bones removed
150g salmon, skin and
bones removed
12 large prawns, heads, tails
and veins removed 6 scallops, halved
150g smoked fish, skin and
bones removed
Pinch cayenne pepper 100ml cream
Heat butter and oil in a large pot. Add onion and bacon and cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, capsicum, celery and bay leaf. Cook until onion is soft.
Take pot off heat and stir in flour. Add stock and milk. Return pan to heat and bring to the boil, stirring until smooth.
Add potatoes and cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender. Meanwhile, cut fish into bite-size pieces.
Add seafood and cayenne and simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cream and heat for 5 minutes (do not boil). Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serves 6
Caramelised baby potatoes
Sugar-glazed potatoes are a Danish speciality served up at special occasions – typically with another Danish favourite, sweet and sour braised red cabbage, alongside roast pork or duck. It may seem odd to cook potatoes in caramel but they are amazingly delicious – browning the sugar brings out its savoury and bitter notes, which balance the earthy potatoes in an irresistible way. It is best to begin this recipe a day ahead.
1.5kg baby potatoes (Baby Perlas
are ideal)
250g caster sugar
170g butter, cut into cubes Flaky sea salt The day before needed, boil potatoes in salted water until just tender; do not overcook. Allow to cool slightly before removing skins. Leave to cool, cover and refrigerate.
On the day they are to be cooked, remove potatoes from fridge, place in a colander, rinse with cold water and leave to drain.
Place caster sugar in a heavybased frying pan set over medium to high heat; do not stir. Once sugar around the edges of the pan begins to turn golden, shake pan until all the sugar is a golden brown colour.
Add butter and let mixture simmer until it caramelises, shaking the pan to mix (stir as little as possible).
Add potatoes and toss them in the caramel mixture. Leave to simmer on a low heat for 30-35 minutes, turning the potatoes often to coat completely. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Serves 6
Oaty fruit crumble
Crumble puddings are perennially popular, dead easy to make and endlessly variable – the perfect winter pudding. Sprinkle this topping over your favourite cooked fruit.
cup rolled oats cup wholemeal flour cup brown sugar cup desiccated coconut tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg Good pinch of salt 60g cold butter, grated Stewed fruit of choice
Heat oven to 200C. Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, coconut, spices and salt. Grate butter into the bowl then rub it into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips, until the mixture is crumbly.
Spread over your favourite stewed fruit and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serves 4