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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Returning home from his adventures in France, Tony Astle has one more restaurant to review from his trip. This week, he last ate at La Brasserie du Corton, an offshoot of Villa Madie with seasonal menus and fresh ingredients.

He sampled the Tartare de boeuf aux huîtres, poitrine de cochon confite, and the thon rouge de Méditerranée with an accompanying ratatouille, among other dishes.

“The service at Corton is extremely professional. Every need was executed with aplomb.”

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Ingredients:

Eggs

Sugar

Chocolate

Grand marnier

Egg whites

Pinch of salt

Icing sugar

Cream

Additional grand marnier (optional)

Method:

1. Line a 9 x 6 cm sponge sandwich tin with non-stick baking paper. Allow for high sides, the cooked sponge will rise.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C.
3. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks, gradually adding the sugar. Beat until the mix is thick and forms a ribbon.
4. Melt the chocolate and grand marnier over a bain marie (hot water bath). When melted, set aside over the water bath for warmth.
5. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until the whites golf firm peaks.
6. Combine the chocolate/grand marnier mix with the thick sugar/egg yolk mix. Beat until combined.
7. Gently fold through the egg white.
8. Pour into the prepared lined sandwich tin. Even out the surface.
9. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the centre is firm to the touch.
10. Remove from the oven, let cool.
11. Prepare a sheet of tin foil that is topped with a sheet of baking paper. Liberally sprinkle the baking paper with icing sugar.
12. Invert the sponge tin onto the icing sugared paper, releasing the sponge. Remove the baking paper from the sponges base.
13. Whip the cream. Spread it on half of the roulade leaving a space at the edge of the roulade that has no cream. Roll up the roulade in a rolling motion, away from yourself.
14. Make sure the roll is tight and even by screwing up either end of the roulade, using the tin foil, thus creating an evenly shaped roulade.
15. Refrigerate (best refrigerated overnight), or for at least a few hours.
16. Remove from the refrigerator. Gently unwrap. Slice portions and plate.
17. Eat and enjoy!

Note:

After unwrapping the roulade, and before cutting it into portions, you may like to sprinkle it with more grand marnier.

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Tony Astle is still in France, and this week he last ate at Mazette! in Annecy, which offers seasonal cuisine in the French Bistro tradition.

He sampled the Carpaccio de langue de boeuf, a “sensational” dish of thinly sliced beef tongue with capers, spring onions, celery, and toasted croutons, as well as the ris de veau grille, and le pate en croute, among other things.

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Recipe of the Week: Braised Lamb Shanks in Red Wine and Rosemary

Ingredients: Lamb Shanks

2 carrots, peeled, rough chopped 2 onions, peeled rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped fine
50 ml oil
4 lamb shanks
3 tsp flour
1 l brown stock
275 ml red wine
2 ½ Tbsp tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 rosemary sprig
salt & pepper

Method

1. Brown the carrots, onion, and garlic in a little oil, then place in a deep pan or casserole dish.

2. Dry, then brown the shanks in a hot pan with a little oil.

3. Add the shanks to the vegetables.

4. Drain off any oil. In the pan, add the tomato paste.

5. Over a low heat, ‘cook-out’ the tomato paste, stirring regularly, for 2-3 minutes. Doing this step sweetens the tomato paste, by partially caramelising its sugar content.

6. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and stock to the tomato paste. Stir and bring to a boil.

7. Add the liquid to the shanks and vegetables. Add the rosemary and bay leaf. Season.

8. Cook in a preheated oven (160-170 deg C) for around 2 hours, or until the shank meat is tender.

9. When done, remove the shanks and keep them warm.

10. Strain the cooking liquid and discard the solids.

11. In a pan reduce the cooking liquid until it thickens. Check seasoning.

Assembly

1. Having prepared your favourite potato dish and vegetables, plate the potato.

2. Lean the shank on the potato, add sauce and your vegetables.

3. Eat and enjoy!

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Tony Astle is still in France, and this week he ate at Chez Fonfon in Marseille, a classic French bistro that has been operating for more than 70 years.

He sampled la Poutargue, a fresh and citrusy fish dish, and the specialty of the house: la Bouillabaisse du Vallon.

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Ingredients:

120 g short or medium grain rice

1.2 l milk

120 g raw sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

1 Tbsp butter

pinch salt

nutmeg, ground, to taste

8 or 12 moist prunes

250 ml boiling water

1 tea bag

1 Tbsp raw sugar

Method:

1. Wash off the rice in cold water.

2. In a saucepan, heat the milk, sugar, vanilla, salt and nutmeg.

3. Drizzle in the rice. Heat to simmering point.

4. Transfer to the oven (preheated 180C), add butter in cubes, and bake for approximately 1 hr 15 min. Baking without a lid allows a caramelised rice skin to form.

5. Toward the end of the rice cooking, boil the water.

6. In a bowl place the prunes, raw sugar and tea bag.

7. Pour over the boiling water. Stir to dissolve sugar. Steep for 10 minutes.

Assembly:

1. When the rice pudding is cooked, portion into bowls.

2. Remove the prunes from the tea-infusion and add them to the portioned rice.

3. Add a dollop of cream. Dust with icing sugar.

4. Eat and enjoy!

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This week Tony Astle was in France, sampling the dishes at Boutary in Paris.

He sampled the Amuse Bouche, the Pomme de terre Boutary, the Homard a la Nage, the line-caught Turbot, and the Allegria Fresa, among other dishes.

The overall meal was a mixed bag, with some excellent dishes and some that were less than stellar, Tony noting the Chef’s passion for strong orange zest flavours.

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Serves 5

Ingredients: Panna Cotta

225 ml cream
400 ml coconut cream
110 g raw sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
10 g powdered gelatine
1 Tbsp boiling water
salt, large pinch

Ingredients: To Finish

200 ml cream icing sugar, to taste
vanilla essence, to taste
2-3 tamarillo, blanched and peeled with sugar to sweeten
mint leaves for garnish

Method

1. Combine cream, coconut cream and sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar.

2. Remove from heat, add the vanilla essence. Allow to stand, cooling slightly, so the flavours can infuse.

3. In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatine in the boiling water. Add to the cream mixture.

4. Strain, and fill the 5 containers.

5. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is best).

6. To plate, run a sharp paring knife around the inside edge of the mould. Invert onto your plate and shake with a horizontal motion until the panna cotta comes away from the mould.

7. Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla, use to top the panna cotta.

8. Rough chop the peeled tamarillo, add sugar and reduce until syrupy. Let cool.

9. Add a spoonful of stewed tamarillo to each portion.

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This week Tony Astle last ate at Tempero, a Latin Restaurant and Bar on Auckland’s K Road.

They offer a blend of the rich heritage of Latin cuisine with modern innovation, resulting in a “symphony of flavours that will delight your palate.”

Tony sampled the pickled mussels, the lamb tacos, the braised spare ribs, among other things, with his favourite being the Feijoada. Overall, he gives Tempero four ticks.

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Ingredients:

Pork belly confit:

1 side pork belly

1 tbsp chopped thyme

4 star anise, crushed

10 coriander seeds, crushed

6 cloves, crushed

2 medium sized onions, chopped

1 head garlic, chopped

30 ml oil

1.5 litres duck or pork fat

1.5 litres beef or chicken stock

Oriental dressing:

100 ml sesame oil

100 ml olive or peanut oil

50 ml soy sauce

50 ml mirin

20 ml lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ tsp chilli paste

1 tsp grated ginger

Roast Tomato:

4 vine ripe tomato

Malden salt

2 tsp oil

Method: Pork belly

1. In a frenzied attack, stab the pork skin with a fork or skewer.

2. Rub in the herbs and spices all over the pork.

3. Place on a non-corrosive tray, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

4. Heat oven to 160 degrees celcius.

5. Saute onions and garlic in oil until brown. Do not burn.

6. Place the pork in a roasting dish, skin side up. Smear with the onion garlic mix.

7. Melt the fat in a saucepan and then add stock. Whisk together, then pour over pork.

8. Cover pork with baking paper, then seal the roasting dish with foil.

9. Bake for 3 hours. Remove from the oven, cool, cover, and refrigerate.

10. The fat/stock can be kept for future use. It can be frozen.

Method: Oriental dressing

Place all ingredients into a bottle and shake well.

Method: Roast tomato

1. Heat oven to 160 deg C.

2. Drizzle the tomato with oil, sprinkle it with salt.

3. Roast in the oven 15-20 min.

4. Remove from the oven, cool the tomato.

Ingredients to Assemble:

8 slices cold pork belly

oil for greasing

16 scallops

75 g mixed greens

1 carrot, peeled, julienned

1 courgette, julienned

16 snow peas, julienned

roasted tomato

oriental dressing

Final Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.

2. Slice cold pork belly into 5 mm slices.

3. Oil four metal egg rings (85mm), and line with two slices of pork belly.

4. Place on greased tray, and heat in oven until pork is hot.

5. As the pork heats, saute the scallops. Do not over cook. Set aside.

6. In a bowl toss the salad ingredients in the oriental dressing.

7. Run a knife around the edges of the pork moulds to loosen. Plate the pork.

8. Place three scallops atop the pork, then the salad.

9. Gently and carefully remove the egg metal ring.

10. Lean remaining scallops and tomatoes against the pork, drizzle with dressing.

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