The executive chef of Dine by Peter Gordon at Sky City answers your cuisine questions.
Blood oranges have been something I've wanted to try for a while as they look unique. Do you know where you can buy them in the Auckland area? And any ideas on how to cook/eat them?
- SMFD
Give Farro Fresh or Nosh a call. Blood oranges make great juice and jelly, and you can slice them, unpeeled, super thin and drizzle with best extra virgin olive oil and toasted pinenuts as a salad - the skin is delicious.
I love the recipes that use veal, but am ethically not able to eat the meat due to the young age of the poor little boy cows. So, what can I use instead? I have tried using wiener schnitzel but it doesn't seem to work too well. I usually use chicken to substitute but get tired of eating it too much.
- Sharron
Many recipes that use veal can use pork or beef. It all depends on your taste, and for the record, some veal is no more unethical than eating lamb. Check out the farms' farming methods rather than staying shy of all veal.
We're having a big crowd for Christmas dinner and so need to boost the turkey and ham with lots of extra side dishes. What summery vege or salad combinations can you suggest as a change from our usual beans/green salad/potato salad?
- Kate Williams
There are so many - I've written books on salads and veges. One good idea is roast diced kumara, with lots of shredded basil and coarsely grated parmesan with olive oil and lime juice.
Following the question about where to buy clotted cream in New Zealand (we still haven't found anywhere), we had lots of readers offering ways to make your own. Here is one:
One litre of full cream milk (straight from a cow is best)
500mls cream
Invert saucer in slow cooker. Mix milk and cream in container that can fit in slow cooker but has a big surface area.
Put container on top of saucer and fill cooker to within 4cms of top of container. Set slow cooker to low and go to bed.
The next morning a lovely golden crust has formed. Leave to cool, then put in fridge for approx 10 hours. Take crust and cream off the top and there you have it, yummy clotted cream.
I used the leftover milk to make scones to go with it. My family couldn't believe how good it tasted, with no effort at all. I will be making some for Christmas.
- Lorrain Kraushaar
That is brilliant - thank you so much - can't wait to make it.
NB: Two weeks ago I recommended soaking pipis in water to rid them of sand - I should have specified sea water. Thanks to the readers who alerted me to my typo.
* To ask Peter a question, click on the Email Peter link below.
