The Wholefood Kitchen

Almond Flour, Yoghurt & Lemon cake, testing out a recipe for a light, zingy dessert contribution for a Matariki meal shared with compadre Johannes, my Wharekai partner while cooking for a recent Men’s Summit, who took care of the main course - serving up a traditional Hungarian dish which featured his signature Crackling Pork Roast alongside homemade sauerkraut and dumplings. No images of this dish were captured, though the memory still lingers. The jury is out on this cake though, as delicious as it was, there’s a few tweaks I plan to make before stating my version of a few recipes floating round the ‘net. Pinky promise, I’ll share it when I’ve nailed it down. Any tried and true recipes welcome. Mānawatia a Matariki!

Stage two of the Puy lentil, Bacon, and Veg soup. Chopping and prepping all the ingredients, then bringing it all together on the hob. I use a tried and tested process of building the soup gradually, to add depth of flavour while not taking more than 20 minutes to get underway. Once simmering it can be left to its own devices, only returning a little later to adjust seasoning, and add more stock for desired volume and consistency. This video shows the process from start to finish, where it’s plated up in a bowl served with croutons made with leftover sourdough.

A versatile, easy to make, all-in-one winter soup I turn to often, Puy Lentil, Bacon and Veg Soup which can be enjoyed for a few days or frozen and reheated. Made with a batch of pre-made, frozen Chicken Stock which I have on hand for just such a purpose. In this video I walk you through the various ingredients, and offer a few cooking tips. Stay tuned for the next one where it all comes together.

A Saturday brunch cooking session, with a favourite go-to dish of mine: Sautéed Mushrooms with garlic, Maple Syrup and Tamari. Fantastic as part of a brunch plate, served up on homemade sourdough with cream cheese, some grated Parmesan, Smoked Salmon with capers and a fried egg.

This morning, I took a moment to share the connection I feel between Matauranga Māori and what I’ve experienced firsthand through countless hours in the kitchen. Simply, bringing a great deal of intention, reverence and gratitude to whatever we are doing. Being in our hearts. Being of service.

Step #3: Assembling the Tricolore Filo pie. What may seem an onerous task is actually quite simple and satisfying. Because it’s potentially a little messy it will also appeal to the young ones. Plus, there’s the magic of seeing milky white sheets of filo transform to flaky, crispy deliciousness. Trust me, it tasted even better than it looks. Great served with a little homemade Fig Chutney.

Step #2 of my ‘Tricolore’ Feta Pie creation: preparation of the ‘green’ layer with sautéed Leeks, mushrooms and streaky bacon, whilst OVER toasting some pine nuts (a good sign I’ve taken my eye off the ball and got distracted) while also preparing a Chicken Stock for the Rice Noodle broth I had in mind for the evening meal.

A recent Saturday cooking session, where I had the inspiration to take on a ‘Tricolore’ Feta Pie featuring Leeks, Roasted Pumpkin, Feta and some other tasty ingredients. FILO is a wonderful thing to work with, especially this beautiful product produced by local company Timos. This is a surprisingly easy dish to create, which you can utilise ‘pre-made’ elements and let your creativity and imagination run wild. Step #1 in the process.

A sneak peak of a dish I’ll be doing a step-by-step run through soon, a ‘Tricolore’ Feta Pie featuring Leeks, Roasted Pumpkin, Feta and some other tasty ingredients. A surprisingly easy dish to create, add to your repertoire, and bring your creativity to.

A brief reflection ahead of an inaugural Titirangi Steiner School gathering tomorrow morning to mark the beginning of Matariki. A chance to reflect on alignment between the Steiner and Maramataka calendar, and ways whānau and community come together to acknowledge rhythms and seasons, and to mark them appropriately, with the cooking and sharing of Kai a pivotal part of these events.

A meal made of memories old and new… the first time (believe it or not) tackling BBQ Pork Spare ribs, making use of a pack from the freezer I picked up some time ago from our friends at Aussie Butcher. Riffing off the HoneySoy Marinade for some succulent ribs served up with a side of rice and a fresh ‘slaw infused with a Horseradish marinade. A happy customer in my darling daughter who was truly in Nirvana - evoking memories of when she broke out of a strictly veg/vegan phase (aged 2) by nabbing a freshly BBQd lamb chop off the grill at a nursery school camping trip

A highlight of the TRSS calendar, the mid winter celebration which brings the school community together to mark the winter solstice in such a magical and poetic manner. A ceremony that starts off in darkness, with light coming from a single flame which is used to light the handmade lanterns of each class. There is a procession, a gathering in a circle to sing songs, then a re-entry to the courtyard where a bonfire is lit ceremoniously. This fire becomes the hearth, where potatoes and kumara are cooked in embers and distributed amongst the attendees, as a customary culmination of sacred ceremony.

For those of you waiting with baited breath, here’s time lapse footage of the final result after about an hour of cooking - an all-in-one Chicken tray-bake with potatoes, garlic, lemon and fresh herbs (Oregano). The trick is to check periodically, ensuring potatoes and garlic remain submerged in the cooking liquid so flavours are absorbed and combined. The result is lemony, garlicky deliciousness, enjoyed over several days (served with Spinach Rice).