This week Tony Astle ate at St. Marg's, a restaurant on Karangahape Road that sells all of the usual fare as well as some unexpected delights.

He sampled the Oysters, Beef tartare, the roast sirloin of the day, and the T-bone steak.

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4 portions

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe avocados
• 125 g tomato, roughly chopped
• 25 g green capsicum, chopped
• 25 g celery, chopped
• 25 g chives, chopped
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 125 g sour cream
• 3-4 drops tabasco sauce
• 60 ml vodka
• 400 ml chicken stock
• Salt, to taste

Garnish:

3-4 macadamia nuts

chopped chives

Method:

1. Peel the avocados, discard the stones and peel.
2. Combine avocado flesh, tomato, capsicum, celery, chives, lemon juice, and sour cream in a blender. Blend well to combine and puree.
3. Then, add the tabasco and vodka.
4. Keeping the blender running, add sufficient chicken stock until a soup consistency is achieved.
5. Pour into a storage bowl, check seasoning. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.

To Serve:

Pour into shot glasses, top with shaved macadamia nut and chives.

or

Portion into four chilled bowls, top with shaved macadamia nut and chives.

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Tony Astle is back in New Zealand, and this week he ate at Ponsonby’s San Ray.

They serve bistro classics with the vibrant flavours of Southern California and Mexico, all cooked over coals and woodfire.

Tony sampled both the Fresh Waiheke Oysters, the Oysters Natural, the Octopus, and the Wagyu Bavette, among others, each dish ranking well.

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Ingredients

• 150 g almonds, toasted
• 130 g hazelnuts, toasted
• 180 g dried peaches or apricots, chopped
• 40 g candied peel, chopped
• 125 g flour, sieved
• 25 g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground gloves
• 180 ml runny honey
• ¼ tsp salt
• 200 g white sugar
• 115 g dark chocolate

Method:

1. Heat oven to 155 deg C. Grease and line a 23cm cake pan with non-stick paper.
2. Sieve together the flour, cocoa, spices, and salt. Combine with all ingredients EXCEPT the honey, sugar and chocolate.
3. Combine the honey and sugar in a clean saucepan, and heat until it reaches the soft ball stage, 115-dec C, using a sugar thermometer.
4. When the honey/sugar mix reaches that temperature, remove from the stove and cool for 1-2 minutes. Then pour over the chocolate, stirring to melt the chocolate and combine the honey/sugar and melting chocolate together. Do this quickly.
5. Add this mix to the other ingredients.
6. Combine, and then press into the lined cake pan. This will take some strength!* Again work quickly ensuring all dry ingredients are well incorporated.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mins. Cool.
8. Remove from mould, dust with icing sugar. Cut into thin wedges.
9. Eat and enjoy!

*Panforte means strong bread, a reference to its taste rather than its firmness.

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This week Tony Astle didn’t dine out, but rather is telling the story of his own culinary endeavours.

At the height of its success in the 1980s, Tony and Beth Astle owned and operated Antoine’s, a Parnell-based restaurant that was booked out months in advance.

‘Let Them Eat Tripe’ tells the story of Antoine’s, and Tony joined Kerre Woodham for a chat about the recently released book.

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4 Portions

Ingredients:

• 450 g fresh asparagus
• 700 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 120 g potato, diced peeled
• 50 g onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 55 g butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 170 ml cream
• extra blanched asparagus to garnish

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the diced potato, onion, and crushed garlic. Sweat together without colour for 3 minutes.
2. Add the stock and cook the ingredients until the potato is cooked through. Approximately 12 minutes.
3. Add the asparagus (chopped) and continue cooking until the asparagus is just done.
4. Puree. For a refined soup strain, using some force. For a rustic soup, do not strain.
5. In a clean pan, add the soup. Heat. Add the cream. Check seasoning and adjust.
6. Finish with lemon juice.

Plating:

Portion the soup. Top with a swirl of fresh cream and some sliced asparagus or asparagus tips. Eat and enjoy.

Note:

Do not overcook the asparagus, otherwise your soup will lose its fresh green colour.

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