As Mother's Day approaches, many New Zealand cookbook authors are releasing their latest efforts. Among them is Annabel Langbein, who grows much of her family's fresh produce in organic vegetable gardens on the shores of Lake Wanaka.
Fans of Annabel Langbein's A Free Range Life, Everything you need for a great summer will be equally enthralled with her winter version.
''I want winter to feel easy and fun, not cold and difficult,'' Ms Langbein said.
''So I have streamlined and simplified winter cooking to give it the same easy mood that we love about summer meals.''
She has pulled together a range of recipes tailored to the cooler weather, including roasts, slow-cooked dishes and warming puddings.
Just like her earlier version, it has a range of tools, tips and tricks to take the stress out of winter cooking.
She has also included an eight-week meal planner to provide easy and simple ideas for weeknight meals and make-ahead workday salad lunches.
Ms Langbein has provided two recipes perfect for a Mother's Day weekend to share with Otago Daily Times readers.
Annabel Langbein's Stellar apple pie
Serves 6-8
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Sour cream pastry
200g butter, chilled and diced
1¾ cups flour
½ cup sour cream or creme fraiche
Spiced apples
8 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced, or 2 x 375g cans sliced apples, drained
½ cup raisins
½ cup honey
finely grated zest of ½ an orange
¼ tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
To serve
cream or ice cream (optional)
Method
To make the sour cream pastry, pulse butter and flour in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Add sour cream or creme fraiche and pulse until the dough starts to form a ball. If still crumbly, add a little cold water until it comes together. Form into a log about 6cm in diameter, wrap in waxed paper and chill for at least 20 minutes or freeze until needed.
To prepare spiced apples, combine apples, raisins, honey, zest and spices in a pot. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are semi-soft (5-6 minutes). Allow to cool. If using canned apples, drain well then stir in raisins, honey, zest and spices.
Preheat oven to 180degC fanbake and line a medium (about 25cm diameter) pie dish or ovenproof frypan with baking paper. Cut ¾ of the pastry log into circles about cm thick. Use to line the dish, pressing together to cover the base and 4cm up sides. Fill with apple mixture. Roll out remaining pastry and cut into stars. Arrange on pie then bake until pastry is crisp and golden (about 45 minutes). Serve warm or cold with cream or ice cream, if desired.
Take it Free Range
If you don't have sour cream or creme fraiche, use frozen sweet short pastry sheets.
Freebies
The Otago Daily Times has two copies of Annabel Langbein's new book A Free Range Life, Winter Goodness to give away. Please email your name and contact details with ''Annabel'' in the subject line to odt.features.co.nz by May 13.
