Campus Trading ANZ nominated some of our friends from the South of New Zealand to host an event for the new Australasian family magazine, and the result was cosy, classy, and tasty. El Gusto secured exclusive content of the event, so in addition to the original article which can be viewed via the link at the bottom of the page, feast your eyes on this delightful featurette.
The dinner hosts were Levi Holt (Oamaru), self-diagnosed addict to all things food presentation, who would love to be an event creator; Tracey Burgess (Invercargill), who has a knack for menu planning and cooking in a beautiful but practical way, and Abbie Stewart, who has been honing her photography skills and loves entertaining.
We gave them less than a fortnight to come up with original or adapted recipes, that would suit many of our lifestyle and budgets, use some superstore supplies, and look and taste stunning. They went above that, aiming for a meal that could be enjoyed at home but also packed up and eaten out. Their approach was unorthodox, and we are envious of not being there!
Pork Loin stuffed with Spinach and Pancetta
Cut bread into 1cm cubes and fry until browned and crisp, forming croutons.
Heat remaining oil in same pan; cook garlic, onion and pancetta until onion browns lightly.
Stir in spinach; remove from heat. Gently stir in croutons, nuts and stock.
Place pork on board, fat side down; slice through thickest part of pork horizontally, without cutting through other side. Open out pork to form one large piece; press stuffing mixture against loin along with of pork. Roll pork to enclose stuffing, securing with kitchen string at 2 cm intervals.
Place rolled pork on rack in large shallow baking dish and roast uncovered, or barbeque until cooked through.’
Smoked Fish Dip
Remove the skin from the fish and flake between your fingers into a bowl, discarding the bones.
Whisk all the remaining ingredients together and season generously. Gently stir in the smoked fish.
Serve with fresh breads and pickles.
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake
Line roasting dish with baking paper. Place the chunks of pumpkin in the dish, drizzle with the maple syrup, then cover with tinfoil. Bake for 45 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Cut the pumpkin into smaller pieces to cool.
Blend the gingernuts in a food processor. Add the butter and blend again until smooth crumbs and tip into the lined baking tin and’ smooth out with the back of a tablespoon. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Place the cooled pumpkin pieces in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Allow pumpkin to cool for a further five minutes, then add the cream cheese, sugar, spices, salt, maple syrup and custard powder and blend again until smooth. Add the eggs and pulse briefly to combine, then pour onto the base.
Tap the tin on the bench to pop any air bubbles, then bake for 1 hour, or until it still has a bit of wobble in the middle. Allow to cool in the oven for at least two hours before removing.
Cool further on the bench then lace in the fridge’to cool completely.
Remove from the fridge half an hour before serving
Want to view all recipes from the menu?’ Click here
Grubs up! Please note some items or brands may need to be adjusted to your specific regions product availability.
Original piece was featured in the March edition of the Australasian UBT magazine, which goes to community members across Australia and New Zealand.
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