Angelo Georgalli experienced great cooking at home where vegetables would come from the veggie patch when he lived with his parents.
Angelo Georgalli experienced great cooking at home where vegetables would come from the veggie patch when he lived with his parents.
After travelling the world, Angelo Georgalli arrived in New Zealand in 1996, buying his first cafe in Auckland in Dominion Rd. Since then he has run seven successful deli cafes in New Zealand before settling in the beautiful Wanaka region to follow his passion for living a healthy, honest life off the land. Colleen Thorpe talks to Angelo about his new book, The Game Chef
Growing up, food was always made at home. We didn't go out to restaurants and we didn't have takeaways. Food has played a major role in your life, even as a lad. Tell us a bit about growing up.
My dad was a Greek Cypriot chef for 40 years and my Italian mum was a good cook also. Growing up, food was always made at home. We didn't go out to restaurants and we didn't have takeaways. So I experienced great cooking at home where vegetables would come from the veggie patch, and everything was natural. I worked in a Greek Deli in North London when I was 14. I worked there for three years before starting work in restaurants, and that was my foundation for food.
You've travelled the world, and now settled in New Zealand. What drew you here?
My wife. She is a Kiwi and I met her in London. It was a given that she would want to come home to New Zealand. And the outdoor lifestyle I have here is much better than the city lifestyle of London.
You have a passion for living a healthy honest life off the land. How easy is this to achieve in New Zealand?
It is definitely achievable, especially in the North Island because of the climate. But all of New Zealand offers great vegetables and fruit -- and there are not just mammals to eat, but also all the fish and shellfish along our amazing coastline. And I think the South Island has the best stone fruit and wine in the world.
Souvlaki. I have a dish for Lamb Souvlaki with Tzatziki in The Game Chef cookbook that brings with it a flood of memories of my family and cooking with my dad.
Tell us your favourite meal to prepare.
So many to choose from! But my favourite recipe from The Game Chef cookbook is Rack of Lamb with Grilled Haloumi and Asparagus. It represents who I am. The lamb is New Zealand. The Haloumi is Greek Cypriot, and the asparagus is very Italian.
What will be on your Christmas table this year?
We will be in the Abel Tasman so lots of seafood!
What are three key things to successfully living off the land?
1. Preparation and safety. Tell people where you are going and have all the equipment you need.
2. Know your environment. You need to know where to gather food and hunt food.
3. Never over-harvest. You need to think about sustainability and respecting the land. For example, if there are a herd of goats don't go and shoot them all! The same applies to fish.
1 lamb rack or 8 cutlets, trimmed 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves Zest and juice of 1 lemon Salt and pepper Extra virgin olive oil Rosemary sprig for brushing 10 asparagus spears, trimmed 6 tomatoes, halved 150g haloumi cheese, cut into 1cm slices
SALAD:
2 cups rocket or watercress 2 Tbsp olive oil ½ Tbsp red wine vinegar ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar Juice of ½ a lemon
Place the lamb in a bowl and toss with the rosemary leaves, half of the lemon juice, and the salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for a few minutes.
Cook the lamb racks on the barbecue grill for 5-7 minutes on each side. While the lamb is cooking, sprinkle it with the lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper, then brush it with a sprig of rosemary doused in olive oil to impart more flavour. Set the cooked lamb aside to rest for 10-15 minutes.
In a bowl, toss the asparagus spears with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Season the halved tomatoes with salt and pepper and cook on the barbecue grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, seasoning to taste with more salt and pepper.
Cook the asparagus spears on the barbecue grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until al dente, basting with the remaining lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.
Brush the sliced haloumi with the olive oil-doused rosemary sprig and sprinkle with a pinch of pepper, then cook on the grill for 2 minutes on each side.
Make the salad by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and tossing well. Serve the lamb stacked on a bed of salad, tomatoes and haloumi cheese with the asparagus on the side. Garnish with a dollop of pesto and scattering of lemon zest.
HOT SMOKED SALMON RISOTTO
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: Up to 25 minutes Serves 2-3
INGREDIENTS
200g salmon, skin on 2 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped 2 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh dill 1 tsp lemon pepper Juice of 1½ lemons 4 Tbsp melted butter 1 shallot, sliced 300g Arborio rice 75 - 150ml dry white wine 1L fish stock Salt and pepper 3 Tbsp mascarpone cheese 2 Tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese Zest of 1 lemon
Poke half the garlic and dill into the cuts on the salmon. Season with lemon pepper and two-thirds of the lemon juice, ensuring the seasoning gets into the cuts. Place the salmon in the smoker, seasoned-side up, and smoke for 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove smoker from heat and set aside.
In a hot frying pan, melt the butter until it turns a nutty brown colour. Brown the shallot and the remaining garlic, then stir in the rice. Gradually add some of the wine and then a ladleful of the fish stock, stirring constantly so the risotto does not dry out. Add the rest of the wine and ladlefuls of the fish stock as rice absorbs liquid.
Add the remaining lemon juice and season with a mixture of salt, pepper and lemon pepper and continue to reduce. After about 25 minutes, or once the rice takes on a creamy texture, remove the pan from the heat. Remove salmon from the smoker and peel off skin.
Return pan to the heat and stir in mascarpone, Parmesan, lemon zest and remaining dill. Divide risotto between plates and garnish with dill, lemon zest, a lemon wedge and salt and pepper to taste. Using your fingers, carefully lift the salmon flesh off the bone and arrange on top of each serving of risotto.
The Game Chef by Angelo Georgalli, Beatnik Publishing, $49.99. Beatnikshop.com. Photographs by Sally Greer.
