Eat like you’re in New Zealand!

New Zealand! The primary filming location for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy as well as The Hobbit trilogy. It is home to gorgeous rolling mountains and endless blue sky’s. It is also home to some incredible cuisine!

Ultimate Kiwi Pie- New Zealand

https://www.recipes.co.nz/shop/EVERYDAY/UltimateKiwiPie.html

Ingredients

Beef

• 500g Quality Mark beef cross-cut blade steak, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons seasoned flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 500g crown pumpkin, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• ½ cup red wine, or extra stock
• 1 cup beef stock
• ½ can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• splash red wine vinegar

Pastry

• 2 sheets pre-rolled savory shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 2 sheets pre-rolled flaky puff pastry, thawed

Egg wash

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Beef

1. Roll the beef in seasoned flour. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, add a dash of oil and brown beef in batches. Transfer beef to an ovenproof casserole dish as you go.
2. Lower the heat and add another dash of oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook until soft, then add the pumpkin and carrot slices. Pour in the red wine and allow to bubble and reduce slightly. Add the stock and tomatoes and stir well. Season. Add to the casserole dish with the bay leaf. Cover meat with a piece of baking paper, cut to fit. Cover with lid and cook for 2½ hours, until the beef is tender. Remove from the oven and thicken the sauce with a small amount of butter and flour paste (mix together 25g softened butter with 2 tablespoons flour until you have a paste). Discard the bay leaf, add a splash of red wine vinegar and leave the beef to cool completely.

Pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Place the shortcrust pastry sheets, one on top of the other, and roll a little more to fit a 23cm pie tin, leaving the overhang. Lightly prick the base with a fork. Spoon in the cooled filling. Brush the edge of the pastry with egg wash. Roll the flaky pastry out as above, to fit pie. Place the pastry top on, cut away excess pastry, and crimp the edges. Make a few slits in the top with a knife for the steam to escape. Brush the top with egg wash and place in the oven. Cook pie for 45 – 50 minutes until the pastry is well browned and the filling piping hot.

New Zealand Pavlova Dessert

https://www.196flavors.com/new-zealand-pavlova/

Ingredients

• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup icing sugar
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Fruits (e.g. kiwis and strawberries)
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions

Meringue

1. Preheat the oven to 200F/90C. Spread butter and sugar the edges of a springform pan.
2. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, while slowly adding sugars, cornstarch, vinegar, and the seeds extracted from the vanilla bean.
3. Beat until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be shiny and firm.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Place the springform pan on the parchment paper (or on the removable base).
6. Using a pastry bag, form meringue sticks (or another shape) around the springform pan.
7. Coat the entire bottom with a thick layer of meringue (about 2 in/5cm). Make sure to create a well where the cream will be placed after cooking.
8. Bake for 2 hours.
9. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside until completely cooled.
10. Unmold the meringue gently and set aside.

Cream

1. Whip the heavy cream while gradually adding coloring and vanilla extract.
2. Spread the whipped cream on the meringue with a spatula or a pastry bag.
3. Place fruits on top (kiwis, strawberries, or others).