Finding a good cafe to stop at on a road trip can be a dilemma. Freelance writer Anna King Shahab has tried to remedy this with the New Zealand Cafe Cookbook which features 50 cafes around New Zealand, from Kerikeri to Dunedin.
It also features those cafes favourite recipes, the ones that never leave the blackboard or menu.
Otago features with recipes from Queenstown's Boatshed Cafe and Bistro, Arrowtown's Postmasters and Florence's Foodstore and Cafe Inland, while Dunedin's No. 7 Balmac, Kiki Beware and Morning Magpie also share their recipes.
Ms Shahab believes New Zealand standards are so high people are spoilt for choice, so it is hard to get a bad meal or coffee at a popular local. One thing the cafe owners featured all have in common, even though their cafes are different, is they are all progressive in their outlook and do not justopen to make money, it's their passion.
''If people want good cafes nearby they need to support them and, in return, cafes need to ensure they don't disappoint.''
THE BOOK
Extract reproduced with permission from New Zealand Cafe Cookbook by Anna King Shahab.
Published by Penguin.
RRP $50.
Recipes copyright individual cafes.
Photographs copyright Liz Clarkson, 2015.
No. 7 Balmac - Maori Hill
BARBECUED BRINED CHICKEN WITH SALSA VERDE
At No. 7 Balmac we cook this wonderful chicken on our wood grill, but this recipe works equally well at home on the barbecue.
There are a few steps, but it really is very simple and a lot can be done well in advance.
The brine can be made up to a week ahead of time, keeps well and can be used as needed.
Once brined, the chicken is marinated and can happily sit in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you prefer, you can use boneless chicken thigh meat in place of the breasts.
Serves 6
BRINED CHICKEN
1.5 litres water
1 handful of thyme sprigs
zest and juice of 2 lemons
zest and juice of 2 oranges
160g rock salt
80g white sugar
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled
6 skin-on free-range chicken breasts
2 lemons, cut into quarters, to serve
MARINADE
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 cup canola oil
1 handful of thyme sprigs
zest of 1 lemon
SALSA VERDE
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp capers, finely chopped
1 large gherkin, finely chopped
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 handfuls flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 handful basil, chopped
1 handful mint, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
To brine the chicken: place the water, thyme, citrus, rock salt and sugar in a pot.
Cut the garlic head in half and add. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain, reserving the liquid which will be used as the brine.
Place the chicken in a large flat-bottomed bowl and pour over the brine.
Refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
To marinate the chicken: Slice each breast in half so that you end up with two thinner, flat breast pieces. Smash the unpeeled garlic open with the flat side of a large knife. Put the chicken in a large dish and cover with the oil, thyme, zest and garlic. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
Make the salsa verde to serve with the chicken: Combine all the ingredients, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and lightly mixing; don't over-mix.
To cook the chicken: Heat the barbecue, getting it nice and hot, then turn the flame down to medium.
Remove excess oil from the chicken and place it on a tray ready to cook. Place pieces of chicken breast on the barbecue, allowing a little space between each. Each piece will take roughly 4 minutes on each side, provided you have sliced them evenly.
Just before the chicken is done, lightly brown the cut sides of the lemon quarters.
Drizzle the salsa verde all over the chicken and serve the lemon alongside.
We serve this with steamed green beans or asparagus; if these are not available, greens such as kale, cavolo nero, Swiss chard or even broccoli would be a great alternative.
Morning Magpie - Stuart St
RASPBERRY TART
A rich and delicious raw, vegan, gluten-free and refined-sugar-free tart.
Any fresh seasonal fruit can be substituted for raspberries.
This needs at least 3 hours to set in the fridge before serving.
Makes one 20cm tart
BASE
2 cups pitted dates
½ cup boiling water
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw almonds
¼ cup linseed
pinch of salt
FILLING
1 cup pitted dates
¾ cup boiling water
2 cups raw cashews
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp coconut cream
TOPPING
2 cups frozen raspberries
2 tsp cornflour
juice of 1 lemon
½ cup cold water
METHOD
Line the base of a 20cm round springform cake tin with baking paper, and spray with baking spray.
To make the base: Soften dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Place dates, water, cashews, walnuts, almonds, linseed and salt in a food processor and process until thoroughly combined but still a bit chunky; you don't want the mixture too pasty.
Press base mixture evenly into cake tin, spreading evenly up the walls of the tin about 2cm high to get a crust - this holds the filling.
To make the filling: Soften dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Place all filling ingredients in the food processor and process until very smooth and creamy.
Spread the filling evenly over the base, and allow to rest in the fridge while you prepare the topping.
Topping: In a small pot, place all topping ingredients except 1 cup raspberries. Turn on the heat and stir constantly until the mixture has begun to thicken (about 5-10 minutes).
Gently stir through the remaining cup of raspberries (so they stay whole), and pour over the filling. Allow to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours before cutting and serving. You can garnish with extra defrosted raspberries if wished.
