A New Zealand French Bread Recipe and Labour Weekend, No Sailing

We were supposed to be sailing around the Hauraki Gulf on our lovely boat Cajun Moon

BUT there has been a problem with the hot water cylinder which has taken several (frustrating for Dale) days to fix, helped by our Poncy Plumber friend, His Majesty Mr King.

Here he is (with possibly his greatest plumbing assignment ever!)

It’s Monday and we are still at home.
As it turns out it has been very average weather and wind warnings every day.

It’s the Equinox Gales you know.
The good news is that we were able to go to our son-in-law Chris’s 30th Birthday lunch.

I had seen this Mushroom and Herb Pate on Huey’s Cooking Adventures that I wanted to make.

What a wonderful vegetarian dish.

Looks like a good chicken liver pate and actually is quite meaty as mushrooms can be...

but all meat free.
You can buy vegetarian oyster sauce which made from mushrooms use that if you wish.
So

1 tbs olive oil
250 gms Swiss brown mushrooms finely sliced
½ onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 chili finely sliced or 1 heaped teaspoon sambal olek
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 slurp oyster sauce

3 spring onions sliced
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons coriander
125 gms soft cream cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place oil into a large pan so that the mushrooms are well spread out
Cook well and brown,
Add onion garlic and chili
Cook till all soft nice colour and juices all absorbed

Remove from heat add ground coriander and oyster sauce
Cool
Into processor add mushroom mix, cream cheese, herbs and salt and freshly ground black pepper
Process till smooth and place in ramekins or little glass dishes…whatever

Cover with clarified butter. This helps to preserve the pate, and also there is your butter
all ready for you to lavishly slather it onto your crunchy bread.

A little coriander leaf for garnish

So off with my pate and with what is becoming my staple dish…“Sicilian Fish,” we took off to the party. Completing the menu was

Emily’s delicious Guacamole with Pita Chips
Katie’s Orzo Salad
Also her green salad with beetroot chunks, red onion and pinenuts
Beautiful Beef from Karen
It was excellent marinade

Recipe below
A good slosh of red wine (approx. 1 cup) and soy sauce (maybe ½ cup) a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar and several cloves of garlic.
Mix and add beef.
Marinate for 2-3 hours
Cook to desired doneness on the BBQ

BBQ Sausages and white bread with tomato sauce of course
Karen bought a Coconut Pavlova with lashings of cream and fresh fruit

Sorry no shots of this food bit slack I'm afraid

And Katie showed off her decorating skills with the birthday cake

Some party snaps!!!

Dan and Helen were heading off to a wedding looking very glam... and missing from the group shot is the photographer – the lovely Justine looking pensive, when we were all in Rarotonga this time last year.

My friend Diana gave me a baguette tin some time ago and I love it.

I had a little glass dish of pate left and you must have some crunchy bread. So I made some.

This is a great recipe

I am very proud of the bread it looked good and tasted excellent.

1 pkt yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

400-500 mls warm water(water quantities vary when baking)

It seems to take about 400 mls550 gms unsifted strong white flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 egg beaten and mixed with

1 tablespoons cold water

In a small bowl dissolve yeast and sugar in 100 mls warm water using a fork to dissolve

Set aside for 10 minutes.

Combine flour and salt.

Add yeast mixture

Stir in remaining 300 mls water a bit at a time

Mix until sticky enough to knead.

You may need more water.

Knead for 6-10 minutes

Dough should be sticky and smooth

Put in a bowl cover with a damp tea towel and
Let rise at room temperature until doubled in size
Usually takes about an hour

Punch down dough and divide into 3 pieces.

Roll each into a ball and then pull out shape into a baguette

Transfer to slightly greased baking sheet.
If you have special shaped baguette baking pan all the better.
Let rise until nearly doubled

Brush with egg water mixture.

Score diagonally across the top with a sharp knife, Pour 500 mls of hot water and place in a preheated 230C oven next (or underneath) to the baguettes to provide moisture.Bake the baguettes for 15 mounts then, lower temperature to 200C and bake for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.Remove and cool on a rack before eating.

Asparagus and tomato are a wonderful paring.
I cooked the asparagus, drain and run under cold water to keep the colour.
Plate - then
In a pan sauté 1 shallot finely chopped until just soft.
Chop 2 tomatoes and add to pan just toss around to coat and warm slightly
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper
Remove from heat, add a slurp of olive oil and a dash of balsamic vinegar.
Pour over the asparagus and eat with the beautiful baguette.

And I nearly forgot the other person missing from the group shot
Why baby Cleo of course