Casual winter dinner for eight
Dinner at Ray McVinnie’s is not what it used to be
We’ve just moved house (loving it in Titirangi!) and even though I still can’t find anything, we have been inviting lots of friends out to see the place. The following is the sort of meal I have been serving. The weather is cold so helpings are generous and, given the level of our disorganisation, above all easy to cook and serve.
Stuffed chicken thighs with kumara and spinach
Some of the stuffing will seep out, helping create something like a bread sauce.
Serves 8
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs made by blitzing stale bread in the food processor ½ cup 2cm diced chemical-free bacon 2 Tbsp chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ tsp dried tarragon Zest of 1 lemon 3 Tbsp plain unsweetened additive-free yoghurt (I use the Gopala brand from the supermarket, great product and price) 1 kg (16 smallish) free range, skinned, boneless chicken thighs, opened up flat and gently beaten to a uniform thickness 3 (about 850g) purple-skinned kumara, peeled, cut into 3cm chunks ½ cup white wine 750ml chicken stock 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves 2 Tbsp cornflour dissolved in 3 Tbsp cold water.
1 Heat the oven to 200C.
2 Put the breadcrumbs, bacon, parsley, garlic, tarragon, zest and yoghurt into a mixing bowl, season (the bacon may be salty so don’t add too much salt) and mix well. This is the stuffing,
3 To stuff one chicken thigh — place the thigh, former skin side down, on a clean surface. Put about 2 Tbsp of the stuffing at one of the short sides and roll over. Place in an ovenproof dish with the open side of the roll underneath. Repeat for the remaining rolls, placing them in side by side.
4 Put the kumara chunks into between. Pour
the wine and stock over the top. Place in the oven for 1 hour or until the kumara is tender and browned. Baste frequently. If they get too brown, cover with foil.
5 Remove from the oven and put the rolls and kumara on a warm serving platter.
6 Pour the cooking liquid into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the spinach, mix well, so it wilts. Stir in enough of the cornflour mix (mix it first, it clumps) to thicken lightly. Taste and season. Pour over the rolls and serve. Good with steamed rice.
Red onion, pumpkin and feta tart
Serves 8
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 kg red onions, peeled, sliced 2cm 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 4cm chunks (after which I had about 750g of pumpkin ready to steam) 500g made with butter flaky puff pastry 200g feta, crumbled very coarsely (you want some big bits) 8 large eggs, well beaten 2 large sprigs of thyme
1 Heat the oven to 200C. Line an ovenproof tray with baking paper (mine is 45cm by 32cm and about 3cm deep).
2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat and add the onions and lemon juice (the lemon juice keeps the onions pink). Fry gently without browning for 25 minutes or until the onions are very soft and reduced in volume by about half. Remove from the heat, taste, season and cool.
3 Steam or boil the pumpkin until tender but not collapsing. Drain well, taste, season and cool.
4 Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface so it is big enough to line the tray and place it evenly in the tray.
5 Spread the onions and pumpkin evenly over the pastry. 6 Sprinkle the feta evenly over everything.
7 Pour the eggs evenly over the top.
8 Place the thyme sprigs on the tart, push them into the egg a bit. Place in the oven and bake well for 35 minutes or until well set and puffed up.
9 Remove from the oven, cool, slice down the middle lengthways and then cut into six equal slices across the tart. Good with spicy chutney.
Walnut halva with plums and greek yoghurt
Serves 8
Butter for buttering the baking dish 4 eggs 225g caster sugar Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange, finely chopped or grated 160g butter, melted 350g semolina 1 tsp baking powder 200g walnut pieces 2 x 890g cans black doris plums, stones removed, plums very coarsely chopped and mixed with the syrup ½ cup pomegranate juice Greek yoghurt or whipped cream, to serve Pomegranate seeds for serving (optional)
1 Heat the oven to 180C. Butter a 25cm x 35cm ovenproof dish.
2 Beat the eggs, sugar and zests well until thick and creamy. Stir in the butter until well mixed. Stir in the semolina, baking powder and walnuts. Pour into the tin.
3 Place in the oven and bake 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. It needs to be well cooked. 4 Remove from the oven and cut into squares about 6cm square.
5 Mix the plums with pomegranate juice. Pour evenly over the hot cake. Cool and serve with thick Greek yoghurt or whipped cream. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds if using.