28 January 2012
Making it at the Market - Manawatu Standard Saturday 28th January 2012.
Manchester Square in Feilding was completely transformed last Friday. Besides the weekly market the square was packed with vintage cars, being admired by interested public. Pink Floyd songs led from the Feilding clock tower and all this was in honour on Nick Mason, the drummer in one of the world’s most successful bands Pink Floyd. Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Sid Barrett created Pink Floyd in the 1960’s and were very popular in London’s underground music scene.
I was at the market that day because I had been asked by Feilding Promotions to cook lunch for Nick Mason, his wife Annette and some invited guests, before the vintage car rally continued. Like all these things you are at the mercy of the weather. Sadly our oven didn’t arrive and the gas rings did not like the strong gusts of wind. I wandered around the market designing the lunch menu from the produce on offer. Chris Burns from The Breeze was the compere so that made for a lively hour.
We started with platters on which well flavoured olive oil, a range of dukkahs, and local bread were presented. The first course was very simple really. Two platters of finely sliced slow smoked terakihi from the fish caravan was served with rashers of sautéed bacon (rind removed, cut in crisp lardons). The fresh snapper I cut in cubes and gently pan fried in the bacon fat residue with a touch of olive oil. I found when cooking like this to always pan cook the first side of the product well, i.e. for 2/3 of the cooking time. Once turned over the product then requires only a small amount of further cooking. This is true when cooking fillets of chicken, fish, beef, pork chops and even duck breast. Once the fish is cooked I poured the juice of a lemon into a pan placed it on a platter and garnished the fish with chopped chives. By way of contrast I served sliced tree ripened peaches and nectarines, drizzled with olive oil and garnished with a fine chiffonade of basil.
The main course I was slightly more prepared in that I had ordered the lamb racks from Mooreish in Palmerston North who also have a stand at the market. I thought lamb racks would be appropriate because of the association with New Zealand. As I didn’t have an oven a kind gentleman, Tim from two stalls down who serves delicious hot baked potatoes with assorted toppings kindly offered to cook my lamb for me. I was somewhat dubious as I looked at his 4-5 hot drawers of varying temperatures. I thought philosophically he must understand his ovens and with the utmost confidence left the cooking of the racks and the Maori potatoes to him. The dish created was as follows:
Lamb Roasted Racks Served over Orange Pepper, Tomato and Broccoli Salad Accompanied by Roasted Maori Potatoes
Ingredients
2 lamb racks
Freshly ground salt & pepper
Method
Rub the lamb cutlets well with salt & freshly ground black pepper.
Pre-heat oven to 220°C, Place racks well-spaced on low sided oven tray, (if racks touch each other the cooking process is slowed through contact and the meat tends to sweat of caramelising).
For medium lamb cook racks approx. 15-17mins and let rest for 10mins before serving. Combine salad ingredients, arrange on platter. Carve racks into double cutlets. Combine each pair of cutlets and place in a row on top of salad. Combine any leftover salad juices with remaining meat juices in pan and serve separately.
Salad ingredients
2 Tbsp Olive oil
4 Tomatoes cored and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 oranges, red or yellow peppers, cut in half, seeds removed & sliced finely
1 punnet red & yellow cocktail tomatoes
1 head broccoli, cut in florets
Salad Method
Blanch broccoli florets in boiling salted water. When crisp tender remove and drain in a large colander. Meanwhile sauté tomatoes in olive oil for about 5mins. Add finely chopped clove garlic, and continue to cook a further 5mins. Add sliced peppers and gently “stew” for about 10-15mins. Season well, add the rind and juice of the lemon and a pinch of sugar to enhance the flavour, cool. Just prior to serving add fresh seasonal chopped herbs, whole small cocktail tomatoes and broccoli. Taste for flavour. You may need more olive oil and lemon juice.
We accompanied this dish with slow roasted oil tossed seasoned Maori potatoes.
For dessert I was slightly more prepared I had taken with me two Pavlova roulades which we filled with lightly whipped cream, a drizzle of lemon curd and fresh sliced strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Burnzee showed his prowess by learning how to roll up a meringue roulade! Certainly with me cooking and Burnzee talking, (almost continuously) there was hardly time to notice the wavering gas and the slightly inclement weather. To finish the guests were served small squares of locally made fudge with coffee. Certainly a morning to remember, but what I did discover is that perhaps Nick Mason’s greatest love, (after cars) is cooking followed by collecting recipe books.
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