Aunty Huia

Tu Tangata, Issue 26, 1 October 1985, Page 52

Aunty Huia

Te ringawera

Mouthwatering recipes and then some health hints come this month from Mandy Tamati, a young lady from Auckland.

She sent in a neat package of original writings, some of which are published here for the benefit of readers especially young ones.

Tu Tangata would like to hear from young people willing to share their ideas on life with other young people. Anything from prose and poetry to recipes is fair game.

‘‘Fish Florentine”

You need... 500 g (lib) Fish Fillets lVz cups long grain rice 30g(loz) butter or margarine 1 clove garlic 1 onion 1 chicken stock cube 2Vz cups water 1 bunch spinach 45g (IV2OZ) butter, extra 1 Vz tablespoons plain flour 1 Vz cups milk salt/pepper 90g (30z) grated cheddar cheese 30g (loz) grated cheddar cheese, extra. Cut fish into 4cm (1 Vz in) pieces. Rinse rice in cold water, drain well. Melt butter in pan, add crushed garlic and chopped onions, cook until onion is transparent. Add rice, cook over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add crumbled stock cube and water, bring to boil reduce heat to very low, simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove pan from heat, stand, covered, 10 minutes. Spoon rice evenly over base of serving dish. Wash green spinach leaves, chop, place in pan, stir over medium heat 1 minute, arrange around edge of dish. Melt extra butter in pan, add flour, stir 1 minute, gradually stir in milk, stir until sauce boils and thickens. Add fish, cook further 2 minutes, add cheese, stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper, spoon over rice, sprinkle with extra grated cheese. Cook under hot griller until brown. Serves 4.

“Vitality Salad” You need... 2 x 90g (30z) chicken fillets 2 cups water 60g (2oz) bean sprouts 30g (loz) alfalfa sprouts Vz small lettuce 4 small bunches grapes

1 carrot 1 stick celery Gently poach the chicken fillets in the cups of water until tender. Drain chicken, reserve stock for dressing; allow to cool. Wash and dry bean sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, grapes. Grate carrot, finely chop celery. Arrange lettuce on plate. Slice chicken fillets and allow to marinate in the dressing for at least one hour. Combine bean sprouts, grated carrot, celery. Place on top of lettuce. Arrange chicken over salad, sprinkle with alfalfa sprouts pour remaining dressing over said. Garnish with grape clusters.

Zesty Dressing 2 teaspoons oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 5 tablespoons chicken stock 2 cloves garlic Vz teaspoon dry tarragon leaves 2 teaspoons chopped parsley Vz teaspoon dried basil leaves 1 tablespoon white vinegar salt and pepper Combine oil, reserved chicken stock, crushed garlic, tarragon, parsley, basil, vinegar and lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serves 2.

“Herbed Breads”

Cheese and Gherkin Bread 60g (2oz) butter 60g (2oz) grated cheese 2 finely chopped gherkins 30g (loz) grated cheese, extra 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese Cream butter with cheese and gherkins, spread on bread, sprinkle with extra cheese and parmesan.

Cream Cheese and Bacon Bread Vi x 200 g tub cream cheese spread 30g (loz) butter 1 tablespoon chopped chives 2 rashers bacon Chop bacon finely, cook in pan until crisp. Drain on paper, cool, mix with remaining ingredients.

Watercress Tarragon Bread Vz cup lightly packed watercress leaves 2 tablespoon parsley sprigs 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves 90g (3oz) butter 2 teaspoons lemon juice Vz clove garlic, crushed. Drop watercress into boiling water, boil 5 seconds, drain, rinse under cold water, drain. Chop finely with parsley, combine with remaining ingredients.

Grand Marnier Pots de Creme

You need... 4 egg yolks V2 cup sugar 300 ml jar thickened cream Va cup milk 2 teaspoons grated orange rind 2 tablespoons grand marnier Heat cream and milk in saucepan until just below boiling point, add orange rind, pour cream mixture into egg yolks, add grand marnier and quickly stir until combined. Pour into four small souffle dishes, stand in baking dish with hot water to come halfway up sides, cover loosely with foil, bake in moderate oven 40-45 minutes. Remove from water, cool, refrigerate. Top if desired, with whipped cream and glazed orange strips.

Glazed orange strips

1 orange cup water Vz cup sugar Peel rind from orange with vegetable peeler. Bring saucepan of water to boil, add rind and boil 5 minutes; drain. Cut into thin strips. Place water and sugar in pan, stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved, bring to boil, add rind and cook until transparent, for 4 minutes. Remove from saucepan, place on foil to cool. Serves 4.

Muttonbird with Foveaux Garnish Take your mutton bird gingerly and remove the few feathers that they’ve left to prove it would have flown if they’d let if. Boil it briefly and pour off the water. This is a matter of taste. Personally I like 'em salty but if you don't, boil it again, or rather simmer it until softish. Lose the water. Now grill your bird until brown and sizzling. While all this is afoot, make a white sauce with a lashing of white wine. Or alternatively, drink the wine in case its presence in the sauce might offend your guests. (I find the latter more satisfactory.) Pour into the sauce as many Steward Island oysters as it can comfortably accommodate, and don't cook too long. Serve a joint of muttonbird each apiece all round and have a fair go at the sauce. Deep fried potato chips go well with it. and a tossed salad following does wonders to the palate.