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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This week on Where I Ate Last, Tony Astle ate at Bivacco, a fine dining Italian restaurant on Auckland’s Customs Street.

He sampled the beef carpaccio, fried calamari, the BBQ wagyu tongue, and the delicious trevelly crudo.

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Ingredients

500 g tarakihi fillets, dice to the size of your small fingernail

3 medium limes juiced, and the zest of one of the limes

½ tsp salt

50 g each of: red onion, red capsicum, green capsicum, celery

120 g diced ripe tomato

2 spring onions, cut lengthways

1 tsp garlic, crushed

½ tsp chilli

50 ml olive oil

225 ml coconut cream

Fresh coriander or parsley, to taste

Method

1. Combine the diced fish, juice and zest, and ½ tsp salt. Mix well, cover, refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Prepare the diced vegetables and sliced green onions. Refrigerate.

3. In a new bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic and chilli.

4. After 2 hours, or when the fish is a white opaque colour, strain off the juice. Discard the juice.

5. Add the drained fish to the olive oil, garlic chilli mix. Stir.

6. Next, add the coconut cream and vegetables to the fish, reserving some spring onion for garnish.

7. Check seasoning, adjust, then sprinkle with coriander or parsley.

8. Serve with a salad, or on its own as a starter.

Note: This dish needs seasoning. Also, don't be afraid to add more chilli, especially if you like it hot.

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This week, Tony Astle ate at Gion.

Named after an ancient district in Kyoto, Gion Japanese Restaurant gives an ambience of the old Japan. Chef Akira Kugue describes his food as simple, heart-warming, and traditional, and his goal is to bring the original taste and visual experience of Kyoto to his customers.

Tony sampled the Gyu Tataki, the Sashimi, the Chawan Mushi, and the Vegetable and Prawn Tempura, all of which he gives four ticks, and three ticks for the Yusu Rice Cake.

The Gyu Tataki.

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Tony is serving up a recipe for Coq au Vin, a delicious French chicken stew.

Ingredients:

6 chicken drumsticks

6 bone in chicken thighs

200 g thick bacon or smoked ham, cubed

12 pickling onions

12 button mushrooms

1 large onion finely diced

1 medium carrot grated

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 fresh thyme sprigs (or 2 tsp dried)

4 bay leaves

75 g butter

60 g flour

300ml chicken stock, heated

375 ml red wine

3 Tbsp tomato paste

salt and fresh ground pepper

Method:

1.Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saute pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

2.Brown the seasoned chicken on all sides. Remove and place in a large casserole dish. Set aside,

3.In the saute pan, add the onions, bacon or ham, and brown evenly. Add to the chicken in the casserole.

4.In the saute pan, brown the mushrooms, then add them to the casserole dish.

5.Add 25g butter to the saute pan, melt, then add the chopped onion and grated carrot.

6.Cook that mixture for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Then, add the flour.

7.Whisk in the heated chicken stock, then the red wine, garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme.

8.Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. If the sauce mixture is too thick, add more stock and/or red wine. Add to the ingredients in the casserole dish.

9.Cover and cook in a preheated 170 deg C oven for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

10.Skim off any fat or impurities rising to the surface.

Note:

This dish is best cooked the day before you need it. This allows the flavours to develop. Simply, reheat when needed.

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Tony Astle returned for a chat about where he Ate Last: Copia.

Located in Orakei Bay, the restaurant offers a range of seasonal menus all cooked to perfection.

Tony sampled the caramelised lamb sweetbreads with pickled butternut squash, shiitake mushroom, macadamia nuts, and quince, which was full of flavour. He also tried the Steak and flounder, the coconut baked meringue, and the glazed chocolate parfait, as well as a few other dishes.

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Ingredients

25 g Butter

5 Granny-Smith apples

2 Pottles blackberries

120 g Sugar (and extra for sprinkling)

Cinnamon (to taste)

1 Lemon juice and zest

1 tsp Ginger chopped

1 Egg, beaten

1 Packet of convenience sweet short-crust pastry (I recommend Paneton)

Method

1. Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan, and melt.

2. Add the apples, lemon juice, zest, ginger and cinnamon.

3. Cook slowly (lid on) for 15 minutes.

4. Add then blackberries, cook 5 minutes more (lid off).

5. Cool. then add the fruit to your pie dish.

6. On a floured surface roll the pastry.

7. Carefully lift the rolled pastry and cover the fruit.

8. Crimp the edges to seal the pie.

9. Brush the pastry top with the beaten egg. Then sprinkle lightly with sugar.

10. Bake 180 deg, until the pastry is cooked and golden brown (approx 60 minutes).

11. Rest pie before enjoying with lashings of whipped cream or your favourite ice cream.

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This week Tony Astle ate at Bianca, a pasta shop and restaurant run by Hayden Phiskie.

He sampled the perfectly executed cappelletti, the tortiglioni, the panna cotta, and gave the beef tartare four ticks. The service was excellent from start to finish, and every server knew their stuff.

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This week Tony’s serving up a recipe for Sauteed Black Pudding.

Ingredients: Black Pudding and Scallops

3 Tbsp oil

12 Slices black pudding

Dusting flour

16 Scallops

Ingredients: Beurre Blanc

100 ml Chicken stock

100 ml Dry white wine

20 ml Lemon juice

150 g Unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

Method: Black Pudding and Scallops

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan.

2. Dust the black pudding in flour.

3. Quickly sauté on both sides. Set aside.

Then:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp in a frying pan to smoking point.

2. Dust scallops lightly in flour.

3. Sauté scallops in the hot pan. Do not overcook. Set aside.

Method: Beurre Blanc

1. Combine chicken stock, white wine, lemon juice in a thick bottomed frying pan.

2. Bring to a boil, and reduce the liquid by two-thirds.

3. Without boiling, whisk in half of the butter, then whisk in the remaining butter.

4. The sauce should be quite thick.

5. Add peppercorns to taste.

6. As an option add 1 Tbsp cream to the sauce just before serving.

Assembly:

1. Plate the black pudding and scallops.

2. Spoon over the green peppercorn beurre blanc.

3. Enjoy!

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