Sunday Kitchen: chef Norka Mella Munoz + Chilean chicken casserole recipe

Wharekauhau Lodge executive chef Norka Mella Munoz. Photo / Supplied

Chilean-born Norka Mella Munoz is executive chef at Wharekauhau Country Estate, a luxury lodge located in Wairarapa’s Palliser Bay, which was chosen by Prince William and Princess Kate as their place of residence on their 2014 New Zealand stay. Here she shares her Sunday ritual and a dish that instantly transports her to her homeland.

What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?

Normally I work until late on Saturday night, so Sundays are my sleep-in day. That means that either my partner or my kids make breakfast. My partner is a chef, and my eldest son wants to be a chef too.

In my house, we speak both English and Spanish, and the family usually get busy in the kitchen before I leave my bed. If it’s my partner’s choice we have the Kiwi breakfast with grilled bacon, scrambled eggs, baked tomatoes, bubble and squeak – all served with strong coffee. If it’s the children’s choice, they would normally go for French toast. This is how I can tell who was awake first.

After breakfast we normally get ready to go for a walk to discover new boutiques, hikes and coffee shops, as we are relatively new to the area. It’s easy to keep us amused with the great local produce and shops that the village has to offer. If we are feeling more adventurous, and it is just me and my partner, we go for a bit of wine or gin tasting in Martinborough.

Why have you chosen this dish?

I am proud of my heritage and coming from Chile, and even though I have lived in New Zealand for so many years, this dish takes me home faster than a direct Air NZ flight.

It brings back memories from my childhood – the warm feeling and the aroma from a cold winter Sunday in the middle of winter in Santiago. I can picture my mum cooking in the kitchen, with me and my sisters around her talking and laughing and playing. Each one had a task to do – setting up the table, washing up, tidying up – then sitting down to enjoy one of our lovely endless lunches on a Sunday.

This dish represents to me that food is more than just sustenance, it’s a hands-on medium that is central to family, communication and everything that hospitality grew from. For me, it is so powerful it brings those tiny tears that come with a giant smile.

Photo / Supplied

Chilean chicken casserole

Serves 4

Chicken

4 Tbsp oil

4 chicken legs

2 onions, cut into thin slices

2 carrots, cut into thin rounds

6 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices

1 red capsicum, cut into thin slices

½ cup of white wine

2 bay leaves

1 cup chicken stock

1 tsp oregano

1 tin diced tomato

2 cups peas

Salt and pepper

Rice

3 Tbsp oil

3 cloves garlic

2 cups long-grain rice

4 cups boiling water

Salt

For the chicken: Heat the oil in a large pot and sear the chicken until browned. Set aside.

While the pot is still hot, add onion, carrots, garlic, capsicum and cook until onion is translucent

Return the browned chicken and add the wine then cook for 3 minutes.

Add chicken stock, bay leaf, oregano and tinned tomato, season with salt and pepper Put a lid on and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked through, add the peas, cover with the lid and turn the heat off. Leave for another 10 minutes

For the rice: In a pot, heat the oil, add the cloves of garlic, add the rice and stir until the rice is hot.

Add salt, boiling water and cover. Cook for 15 minutes with a tight lid on – never open the rice when it is cooking. When time is up, leave it to rest for another 5 minutes before opening the lid

Serve the chicken and sauce on a bed of rice and a disfrutar (enjoy)!