Fancy a gumbo of skate and paua? Or perhaps some horopito gnocchi?
Weird, wonderful, and definitely wild, three Hawke's Bay eateries will be testing the tastebuds of patrons next month for the Monteith's Beer and Wild Food Challenge.
The national competition sees 79 professional chefs creating unusual wild food dishes matched with a Monteith's beer. Judges will trial the dishes from June 3 to July 3, and the public can vote for their favourite via text.
The top two as voted by the public and the judges' top five will compete in a live cook-off final in Auckland on August 1.
The West Shore Beach Inn head chef Shaun Williams was making the most of duck shooting season and drawing on his South African upbringing for his dish.
His duck breast, marinated in star anise, cinnamon and Monteith's Crushed Apple Cider was inspired by "memories of hunting and sitting around the campfire, anticipating the flavours of the springbok stew simmering in the cauldron pot".
He spent four days in the kitchen experimenting with flavour combinations to perfect the dish.
Greg Miller hoped his "extreme game" dish at the Thirsty Whale would be a winner. The head chef roped in help from sous chef Paul Andersen to create a wild venison stuffed with paua, wrapped in wild boar bacon on horopito gnocchi. Mr Miller said early taste tests elicited glowing reviews, and the dish could become a regular feature on the Thirsty Whale menu if it proved popular during the competition.
Loading Ramp head chef Daryle Schlierike had created three paua and skate combos on one plate, one of which was fashioned in a fish'n chip style with puha pesto.
It was the third time Mr Schlierike had entered the competition and he was looking to better his top-six placing in 2009.
Mr Schlierike agreed skate was a cheaper fish, but said "it isn't a bad fish, it's underutilised".
"We're just trying to be a bit different from anybody else".
Head judge Kerry Tyack said overall the standard of this year's entries were "remarkably high and increasingly adventurous".
It was the 14th time the competition had run and Mr Tyack said it pushed chefs to "think outside the square and explore different ways of combining beer and food".
The winning restaurant or bar would get $10,000 cash and the national title. Every text vote for People's Choice finalists received a reply with a complimentary Monteith's redeemable at that restaurant or bar.
Skate, paua on menu for challenge
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