Prize dinner menu

Press, 25 November 1981, Page 19

Prize dinner menu

Alison Hoist’s

Food Facts

Last week I was one of the judges at a Young Farmers’ cooking and hosting competition. The seven regional finalists. from Young Farmers’ clubs all round New Zealand, competed in Wellington, preparing a menu and workplan, cooking . their meal, then serving it to three dinner

guests, while three judges watched, tasted, and compared notes. This is a daunting exercise for any young person, and all seven finalists acquitted themselves very well. The winner was Carey Aiderton, from the Blue Mountains Young Farmers’ Club. Carey represented

Southland and Otago, and her menu included crayfish and wild duck — foods which I always associate with this part of New Zealand. The dinner started with a crayfish cocktail. The main course was wild duck, jointed and marinated then casseroled in red wine and apple jelly. It was served with duchesse potatoes, a salad of sliced orange and onion, and an unusual, wellseasoned cold green bean dish. This was followed by a dessert of kiwi fruit in a syrup flavoured with ginger and rum. This is a good menu to serve to guests, since it involves very little last minute work, and leaves the hostess free to entertain her guests. Here are the recipes for the duck, salad, the beans and the kiwi fruit. If you are lucky enough to have wild duck in your freezer you might like to try the recipe exactly the way it stands. If .not, you can substitute joints of domestic duck, rabbit, hare or chicken for the duck. The finished dish will be different, of course, but the:, flavour (will be much the same. Raki-Raki-Riihi (wild duck dish): 1 Wild duck ' 1 onion, grated */2 cup burgundy 1 tablespoon chopped parsely 1 tablespoon apple jelly 2 teaspoons cornflour salt and pepper Cut the duck into two leg and two breast and wing portions, cutting the flesh off the bony body framework. Season the four pieces with salt and pepper, and place them in a baking dish large enough to hold the four pieces in one layer. Combine grated onion, burgundy and chopped parsley, pour over the meat. Cover and leave to marinate for several hours. Bake, covered, at 180 deg. C for one hour or until tender. (Cook ahead if possible, to allow extended cooking time if necessary). Remove duck to serving plate and keep warm while making gravy. Add apple jelly to juices and thicken with cornflour. Adjust seasonings and pour over duck. Serves four.

Tasty green heens 200 g green beans, sliced 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon mustard ’A. cups sugar 1 tablespoon grated onion 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Cook beans in boiling salted water until just tender, then drain. melt butter in saucepan, then stir in salt, mustard, sugar and onion. Add vinegar, then add beans and parsley. Let mixture simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then turn into serving dish and chill. Serves four. Orange and Onion Salad 3 oranges 1 small onion 2 tablespoons salad oil 1 tablespoon vinegar ‘/a teaspoon mustard black pepper Peel oranges, removing all pith. Slice into rings. Put layers of orange rings and thinly sliced, separated onion rings into a serving dish. Mix oil, vinegar and mustard to make dressing. Sprinkle this over the orange and onion. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Toss gently, sprinkle with black pepper and serve. Kiwi fruit and ginger dessert 750 g kiwi fruit 2 tablespoons preserved root ginger 2 tablespoons syrup from preserved ginger 2 tablespoons rum whipped cream grated chocolate Peel kiwi fruit. Halve lengthwise then cut each half in thick slices. Slice ginger very thinly and scatter through sliced kiwi fruit. Mix ginger syrup and rum and pour over fruit. Cover and refrigerate for

several hours to blend flavours. Spoon fruit and syrup into individual dishes. When serving, top with very stiffly whipped cream which has been flavoured with vanilla. Sprinkle with grated chocolate if desired.