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    Thursday, November 06, 2008

    Whitebait: New Zealand's Divine Treat

    Whitebait Season is here again

    This time last year we were heading off for our intrepid adventure, touring New Zealand.
    Which was a fantastic month. We loved it. It’s a beautiful country we live in.
    It was just at the end of the Whitebait season and we ate it at every opportunity, as we drove down through the country, until the season ran out and there was no more.
    You can buy it frozen but I’m looking at fresh here.

    I bought $20 worth last night and there was enough to make a lovely omelet.
    It is so expensive these days…when I was young it was cheap as chips, but now it is about $150 per kilo…but we have to treat ourselves to this New Zealand delicacy.
    So I buy it as often as I can afford.

    This time I accompanied it with a Broccoli Slaw.
    I always keep breadcrumbs made from leftover good bread and freeze them in little bags.
    You can toast them in some olive oil to crisp them up.
    Makes a wonderful crunch for pasta and also sprinkled over salads.

    Ingredients
    Broccoli,
    Tomatoes cut into wedges and seeded
    Basil sliced
    For crunch
    3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
    1 tablespoon olive oil



    The Dressing
    1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
    Zest of 1 lemon
    1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
    1 teaspoon sea slat
    Pinch freshly ground black pepper
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


    Mix together the first 6 ingredients with a small whisk or a fork

    Slowly add the oil whisking well

    Pour over broccoli
    Put into the fridge for at least an hour
    Meanwhile
    Heat the olive oil in a pan, med heat
    Throw in the breadcrumbs and fry them for about 4 minutes till crispy.
    Add tomatoes and basil to broccoli and leave for another 10 minutes to meld the flavours.
    Add the crispy breadcrumbs and serve
    Now for the omelet
    You may be surprise at the flour addition but I find it helps to bind it together

    For 2 people

    Pre heat oven to 190C
    6 eggs
    1 tablespoon flour
    200 gms whitebait
    sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
    2 tablespoon olive oil

    Beat eggs in a bowl
    add flour, S & P
    Whisk again
    Add whitebait

    Heat oil in a pan (that will go into the oven)
    Till it is hot
    Throw in egg and whitebait mixture
    Shake it around over the heat for a minute or two.

    Into the oven for 5 - 7 minutes
    It should just be set don’t overcook it
    Cut into wedges and serve with a slice of lemon to squeeze over.
    We ate the salad separately.

    It was family dinner Sunday at Karen and Steve’s house and of course as usual the star of the day is The Baby Cleo
    The new trick “Where is Cleo?”
    Here is the three youngest watching DVD’s while the adults eat fab food and drink wine.

    Monday was Vegetarian Day at our house
    Leek Tomato Asparagus and Basil Risotto

    For 2 people
    1 cup Arborio rice
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 leek washed and sliced
    Sea salt & pepper
    1 cup white wine
    Approx 2 cups hot chicken stock
    Parmesan Cheese grated
    1 bunch asparagus tough ends broken off and chopped
    2 tomatoes seeded and sliced...Reserve seeds

    First in a pot add the chicken stock
    Bring to boil and add asparagus
    Cook till al dente
    Drain and reserve stock for the risotto
    Add tomato seeds to the stock for extra flavour
    Heat oil in pan over med heat
    Add leeks and sauté till soft but still green
    Add rice and toss around to fully coat the grains of rice.
    Season with S & P
    Add wine and stir till all wine is absorbed
    Keep adding the hot stock one soup ladle at a time
    Keep stirring as each amount of stock is absorbed.
    When the grains of rice are cooked
    Add tomatoes and asparagus
    Stir well
    Check seasoning and adjust if necessary
    Add basil and serve.

    2 comments:

    Maryam in Marrakesh said...

    I am so embarrassed to say that I don't know what whitebait is! Must google it immediately!:)

    So So Simple said...

    Hi Maryam
    Whenever you leave Marrakesh and travel to this part of the world we will prepared a feast of whitebait for you.
    Cheers