Rotorua Daily Post

New flavours to savour

Some bold tastes and takes on classic dishes

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MISS POLLY’S KITCHEN is packed with bold and unique flavours and clever takes on classic dishes. Whether you are after something fresh and new, or you’re entertaini­ng friends and family, Miss Polly’s Kitchen has the perfect recipe for the occasion.

Author Polly Markus has a fun, yet relaxed, approach to cooking with a huge emphasis on flavour. She enjoys inspiring people to try new flavours, encouragin­g them to be more adventurou­s in the kitchen.

JAPANESE-STYLE STEAK TACOS

My dear friend Richard introduced me to Japanese steak tacos. With a few tweaks, these have been a staple in my house ever since. They’re truly simple and the wasabi mayo is an addictive condiment!

Ingredient­s

750g skirt steak

1 large avocado – flesh sliced

1/4 purple cabbage – very finely sliced or shaved

A handful of fresh coriander

Lime wedges

1 Tbsp light cooking oil

10 mini soft tortillas

1/2 red chilli – thinly sliced (optional)

Japanese marinade: 2 1/2 Tbsp white miso paste, 2 1/2 Tbsp mirin, 1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

Quick cucumber pickle: 5 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 1/2 Tbsp caster sugar, 1 Lebanese cucumber – thinly sliced, 1/2 red onion – thinly sliced

Wasabi mayo: 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp wasabi (or more if you want it spicy)

Method

Combine the marinade ingredient­s in a bowl. Add the steak, coating it well. Season with lots of cracked pepper. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

To make the quick cucumber pickle, mix the vinegar and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumber and onion. Stir well to make sure they are well coated. Season with salt. Set aside to pickle for 20 minutes.

To make the wasabi mayo, combine the ingredient­s in a small serving bowl, increasing the amount of wasabi until you are satisfied with the heat/taste. Set aside.

Divide the avocado, cabbage, coriander and lime wedges between individual serving bowls or plates. Set aside.

Heat a cast iron pan on a medium/high heat. Add one tablespoon of oil. When you start to see wisps of smoke, fry the steak for 2–3 minutes per side (or longer, depending on thickness), until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a board, loosely cover with tin foil and set aside to rest for a couple of minutes.

While the steak is resting, fry the tortillas over a gas flame or in a pan. Fold them in half and put them on a serving plate.

Drain the pickle juice from the cucumbers and onion and put them into a small serving bowl.

FOOD

Carve the steak into thin slices against the grain (this is very important). Arrange on a serving board. Serve accompanie­d by the quick cucumber pickle, wasabi mayo, tortillas and chilli (if using). Let everyone help themselves. — Serves 4

MISO CHICKEN AND RICE BAKE

A great meal to serve when you have a few people coming for dinner, this one-pot dish tastes like heaven yet is fuss-free to make. It is important to use white miso paste if you can, as it’s far less salty than its brown counterpar­t. Serve with pan-fried broccoli and bok choy on the side.

Ingredient­s

6 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh cutlets

1 1/2 cups white rice

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

1/2 white onion – finely diced

A sprinkling of sesame seeds – toasted A handful of fresh coriander

1/2 red chilli – thinly sliced

Miso marinade: 1/3 cup white miso paste, (or 1/4 cup brown miso); 3 Tbsp honey; 2 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 Tbsp mirin; 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger; 3 large garlic cloves – minced; 1 tsp chilli flakes; 1/4 Tsp white pepper

Sesame mayo: 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp sesame oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C fan bake.

Mix the miso marinade ingredient­s in a large bowl. Trim any excess skin off the chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade, stirring to make sure it is well coated.

Pour the rice into a large baking dish. Mix in the stock, water and onion. Gently place the chicken pieces on top, pouring all the marinating juices on too. Cover with a lid or 2 layers of tin foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, make the sesame mayo by mixing the ingredient­s in a bowl. Set aside. When the chicken has cooked for 30 minutes, take the baking dish out of the oven, working quickly to keep the heat in the oven. Carefully remove the lid or tin foil, then pop the dish back in the oven uncovered for a further 25 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Serve in the baking dish, drizzled with the sesame mayo and garnished with sesame seeds, coriander and chilli. — Serves 4

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 ?? ?? Miss Polly’s Kitchen by Polly Markus, photograph­y by Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios), published by Allen & Unwin NZ, $45.
Miss Polly’s Kitchen by Polly Markus, photograph­y by Melanie Jenkins (Flash Studios), published by Allen & Unwin NZ, $45.

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