Winter in the Hilltop Kitchen, or Salmon and Cream Cheese Quiche, Rainbow Vegetable Strudel and Caribbean Pumpkin Soup

At our café, I am usually the ‘barista’ or person running the espresso machine. In Summer, when it is really busy, no matter how much I wash my hands, at the end of the day, my hands always smell of coffee, not that I mind! I can think of worse things! Today they smell good, but not of coffee!

Well, now we are slipping into Autumn, and Winter will be here very soon. The ‘littlies’ Easter/Fall school break is over and things have slowed right down. Chef Luke leaves for the Czech Republic tomorrow (ash clouds permitting) where he will hide from the Antipodean Winter and visit with friends and family that he has not seen in a few years. Chef Vojta will still be here (he took his Czech holiday last winter). Well, we’ve decided that Vojta’s days off will be mid-week, and I will be the covering chef on those days!

This was the first week, and all went well. We didn’t have heaps of ala carte orders, so it was relatively stress free. This was good, because I am still figuring out where everything is kept and working through the best ways to do things so everything comes up ready at the same time.

Another goal or challenge for me in the kitchen this winter is to try to lessen wastage and make sure the recipes we’ve developed haven’t drifted off course. It’s a bit like the whispering game where one person whispers a phrase to another and so on, and in the end, the final phrase is nothing like what was started with! That happens with recipes, too, overtime!

So, the first thing I notice is that we are NOT turning-over the smoked salmon very quickly (and a lot of it has been being wasted) and we have a container of cream cheese that needs to be used. We used to make a Smoked Salmon Quiche regularly, but have drifted away from it. So, I blind baked a savoury pastry crust, lined it with some sautéed green onion (that were close to expiry, as well), added some smoked salmon and cream cheese and a bit of spinach for colour and bulk. I lightly beat 9 eggs with some dried dill and poured it in. A bit more salmon and cream cheese, and into the oven. About an hour later, it came out looking beautiful. I left it to cool and set, and cut it into 6 portions. We sold three within an hour and a half!

Assembling the Smoked Salmon Quiche

Smoked Salmon Quiche -- Just out of the Oven

Vojta had asked me to make the Vegetarian Mediterranean Summer Tart that is a staple in our deli. Well, I wanted to use up some of the other veggies so I decided to make a strudel instead! While the quiche base was blind-baking I had cut up a pumpkin and put it in the oven to roast along with some kumara/sweet potato (I also noticed we have LOTS of kumara). I also caramelized some onions, sautéed some diced onions, grilled some zucchini, and later found a bag of roasted red peppers we bought in that had been forgotten. When the pumpkin was cool, I peeled it and cubed about ¾ of it and added it to the sautéed onions

Roasted Pumpkin for Soup & Strudel

Wanting to get the Caribbean Pumpkin Soup done before lunch service got into full-swing, I added a litre (4 Cups) of vegetable stock and let it simmer for a bit. I then added a can of coconut cream, a good dash of cayenne and some ground ginger. Mr. Whizzy then jumped in and did his bit. It was a bit thick, so I thinned it with some water. Delicious! (Vegetarian and Gluten-Free, to boot!) We will serve it with a small dollop our sour cream on top and a dash of parsely for color.

This is what makes it 'Caribbean'!

Mr. Whizzy on the job!

Next up, it was time to assemble the Rainbow Vegetable Strudel. We use commercial flaky pastry, but you can buy smaller quantities in the frozen section (or make your own!) I laid out the pastry, and knowing it would go in the oven seam-side down, I built my layers top to bottom. I started with the kumara, since it is the firmest. I then added a generous amount of feta cheese. Thinking about colour, I next went for sun-dried tomatoes and then grilled zucchini. Oh, and there’s a bit of boiled parsnip in there, too (it was lurking in the back of the chiller!)! Then came the balance of the pumpkin, which I had sliced, and the caramelized onions. I had wanted the onions to be the bottom layer, but that’s when I found the char-grilled red peppers, so they went in last and wound up on the bottom. Now, these are the veggies that I had on hand, and tastes that I thought would combine well. There are no hard, fast rules for this beast! What veggies do you have? What is in season? What tastes do you like? I would avoid overly wet items, like tomatoes -- that's why I used sun-dried. Go for color -- it looks great and is healthy. You could also add bacon or ham, even left-over roast chicken!

The 'Top Layers' - Kumara, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Then, Zucchini, Pumpkin, Onions and Finally, Char-Grilled Peppers!

I cut the left side of the pastry, allowing for a generous over-lap. I dampened the bits that would overlap and secured them together, trying to ‘snug-up’ the strudel and make it a tight roll. I fold the ends like an envelope. The Man offered to cut some pretty pastry ‘leaves’ for the top, and Donna reminded us to cut some vents. I egg-washed the strudel, then added some dill to the egg, in an effort to ‘paint’ the leaves green. It kinda worked.

All Rolled Up and Ready to Bake

Into the oven for maybe an hour, or at least until the pastry was golden, as everything inside is already cooked. I might add that the strudel and numerous trays of 50 muffins that Donna was preparing for a meeting group tomorrow morning had the oven a bit crowded during the lunch service we did have. Fortunately, we weren’t busier!

I was a patient as possible, waiting for the strudel to cool and firm up so I could slice and take pics. It was still a teensy bit warm, but I couldn’t wait any longer! The juices ran a bit, but hopefully the bottom won’t get soggy. It looks great and I can tell you that the little bits that slipped onto the cutting board were awesome! It will chill overnight and go on display in the deli tomorrow. We decided we won’t warm it in the micro-wave, just the oven, so the pastry re-crisps and is nice an flaky!

Just Out of the Oven!


YUM!!!

Personal Note: We are going away next Tueasday, for about 10 days. So, I may not be able to follow up on comments and I won't be updating my blog or hangin' out on the recipe exchange. But, with recharged batteries, I can promis more Flo & Myrtle, Winter in the Hilltop Kitchen, an Update to Project Bread, and probably something about the state of food in Northern New South Wales and Queensland, Australia!

The Bigga South Island Road Trip, Part Dui!!!

I’ve almost recovered from our whirlwind trip around the southern parta the South Island. Now, Gino, he want to show me the northern parta of the South Island. Wow! For such a small country, there is so much to see!

We leave the Hilltop early in our special, super-fast small auto and head to North Canterbury, an area called Waipara. This area is just beginnin’ to make a name for itself inna the wine industry. With the climate and soil, it seems that they are gonna be producing really good Pinot Noir and Riesling. There are alredy a lot vineyards in the area. Montana (or Brancott, as it is marketed in the US) has the Camshorn Vineyard growing Riesling. Pegasus Bay grows many varieties but they are best known for their Pinot Noir. We stop to eat at Pegasus Bay, because GoodEatNZ, she recommended it. Boy, was it good!

Our next stop is Hanmer Springs . It would be about 1 ½ hours fromma Christchurch inna normal car. The town izza popular tourist destination and is also popular with Kiwi’s for holiday homes and weekends away. The little village has lotsa café and bars, souvenir shops, mini-golf (perfect for me and Gino!) and of course, the springs.

Natural hot springs were discovered here inna the 19th century. They were created by a bigga crack inna the earth called the Hanmer fault. They have been developed into a modern resort with nine big pools, 3 sulphur pools and a few ‘private’ pools, all filled with the natural hot springs water. There is also more bungy jumping, jet-boating, mud-biking, and horse-riding! I can see why itsa so popular with the Kiwi families!





We get back onna the main highway going north to Kaikoura . It’s a beautiful drive with rolling hills and lots sheep, gradually turning to rocky seashore with lazy Southern Fur Seals lying around. I already know ‘Kai’ is the Maori word for food. It turns out ‘koura’ means crayfish! I think I know what’s for lunch! We were gonna wait until Kaikoura for lunch, but a little bit before we get there, what do we find! Nin’s Bins! Now this looks like some good Kiwi-style Kai!



With our tummies bursting, we head on to the small town of Kaikoura.
It’s a beautiful spot, with the Kaikoura Peninsula sticking out into the sea and the Kaikoura Ranges coming down to meet the sea. The ocean is very deep here and this little peninsula causes some crazy currents and upwellings that the marine life love. Again, itsa very popular with the tourists, especially the young back-packy ones. They like the surfin, whale-watchin, and dolphin swimmin’ types of activities. So, Gino, he books us onna the afternoon whale-watch boat. Now, lotsa places around the world have whale-watchin’, but I believe Kaikoura izza the only place you can see the Giant Sperm Whale all year round! They say they see the whales 95% of the time! Wowza! How cool izza that!


As we leave Kaikoura, we leave the Canterbury Region and enter Marlborough. Marlborough is best known for two things, both right up my alley! Wine and the Green-lipped Mussels!

First, about the vino! Until the 1970 and 1980’s New Zealand wazza growing lotsa wine, but mostly ‘plonk’ for the box. To make a longa story short, in Marlborough, in the 80’s the wine-makers started getting creative with the Sauvignon Blanc. Because of the bigga dairy industry, they used a lot of stainless steel to ferment the wine, which keeps its freshness and vibrant fruit flavours. They created a very unique style of Sauvignon Blanc with flavours of gooseberry, fresh cut bell-pepper and what is often (and affectionately) termed ‘cat pee on a gooseberry bush’! By the mid-eigthies, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was a winnin’ international wine awards and had established New Zealand’s place as a credible wine producer in the world market.

So, we go through the main town of Blenheim and head out towards the town of Renwick, and head straight to Cloudy Bay and taste their newly released 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. (Sniff) Oooh! I getta fresh cut grass and herbs with some tropical fruity onna the nose! (Sip, swish, swallow) Oooh! Juicy and fruity with a minerally finish. Fantastico! Now, Gino, he insists on visitin’ lotsa the wineries.

We went to Allan Scott (Good EatNZ loves their Chardonnay and Riesling; she’s a California girl, and doesn’t really appreciate the NZ Sauvignon Blanc style, to be honest), Highfieid Estate (boy, they gotta the view), Oyster Bay and Te Whare Ra (the last two are onna The Man’s wine list at the Hilltop!). This izza the view from Highfield Estate!


After tastin’ all the wine, we take quick nap before drivin’ west. We take the scenic route alongside the Marlborough Sounds! Mamma Mia! This izza paradise! It’s full of tropical-like vegetation and the water izza so blue! There’s lotsa outdoor activites like kayaking, sailing, hiking, camping and fishing around here. This kayaking reminds me of when I was a young boy onna the canals in Venice! Don't you worry! I didda the "Slip, slop, slap" thinga they do inna New Zealand. I slipped on sunnies and a shirt, slopped onna the sunscreen, and I already hadda my hat slapped on. (I justa tooka the sunnies off for the photo, you know!)

And, to think, all those bays are full of the lovely Green-lipped Mussels! Holy Vongole! We stop in Havelock, the ‘Green-Lipped Mussel Capital of the World’ and take the Green Lipped Mussel Cruise . And you wanna know the best part!? The best food-wine match for the Mussels is……………., you guessed it! Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc!

We leave Marlborough and enter the Nelson region. This little area on the northwest corner of the South Island gets more sunshine than any other part of New Zealand! The main town, also called Nelson izza pretty city with a vibrant feel, but most people live in the surrounding towns and areas. Itsa very artsy-crafty type of place. Lots of artists live and work here and there are heaps of galleries to explore. There’s also a real trend towards the holistic, alternative medicine and healthy living lifestyle. There’s lotsa great restaurants, mostly featuring the great seafood available, onna the waterfront.
Just outta Nelson, around the town of Richmond is another big wine growing area. They grow all kinds a grapes here, but are well-known for their Rieslings. A lotta the original immigrants to the area were fromma Germany, so they know the Rieslings, and a lotta the good wines have names like Siefried and Neudorf. Of course, Gino, he want to drink more wine, and GoodEatNZ says both Seifried and Neudorf have good cafes, so offa we go!

After another busy day, we are heading back to Christchurch and the Hilltop. My time here is gettin' short and it won't be long before I'm on the plane, onna my way to Riverside, California!

The Bigga South Island Road Trip: Part Uno

This mornin’, Gino and me, we loaded up the car and set out on the bigga trip we planned last week. Easter is over, and Good EatNZ said she could spare Chef Gino for a few days so he could show me around.

We left the Hilltop and travelled south. We stopped for ‘morning tea’ in Oamaru (‘Oh-uh-muh-roo’), a pretty little town known for its white, stone buildings. Normally, it woulda take about 5 hours for this drive, but our specialized mini-car lets us travel MUCH faster. I hadda Flat White and a muffin, and Gino, he had a Short Black and a scone. It wazza good, but notta the Hilltop quality I am used to!
Our next stop is near the famous Moeraki Boulders, about 70 km north of Dunedin. There is a very good little restaurant here called Fleur’s Place, that specializes in seafood and local, organic produce. Good EatNZ will be jealous. She wants to eat here one day! I can’t decide what to have so I go for the Kaimoana Platter (Kai [‘ky’] =Maori for food, Moana [‘mo-ah-na’] = Maori for sea), so I canna a sample a little of everything! Gino, he go for the Bluff Oysters that are just in season now, and a Chard Farm Sauvignon Blanc (from Central Otago – we’re goin’ there, too!) Looksa like I’m drivin’!!! The food is excellent and those Boulders are way cool! Justa like giant Italian Meatballs!

The Moeraki Boulders!

We stop briefly inna Dunedin. Dunedin is also know as the 'Edinburgh of the South' and was settled by Scottish pioneers (and Chinese gold miners) in the mid-1800’s. The architecture reflects this, especially in the ‘Octogon’, the city center that has eight sides and a bigga statue of Robbie Burns. During the gold-rush inna Otago, Dunedin wazza the richest city inna New Zealand cozza it was the port city for Otago and that'sa why there is so much fancy buildings and houses. It was also gonna be the capital city until the gold ran out. The University of Otago izza the largest ‘Uni’ in NZ and gives Dunedin a bit of a college town feel.



Gino, of course, he has to show me the Speight’s Brewery and taste alla the Speight’s range of beers. We drank some Speight's atta the Hilltop, but this is where 'The Pride of the South' originates!


We head outta town to the Otago Peninsula, a bitta like a mini Banks Peninsula off Dunedin. Right outta the end of this pretty peninsula is Tairoa Heads, home of the only Royal Albatross colony on a mainland. Wowza! These Albatross are fantastico! They are some kind of bigga, too! Cann you imagine one of those around your neck!?!? We were there atta the time a year the chicks are hatched. Is that cute or what?

Next we take the ‘Presidential Highway’ towards Central Otago. I’ma bit confused – New Zealand has a Prime Minister, no? Soon, we come to the tiny town of Clinton and a short time later, the town of Gore (home of Goretex raingear, by the way!). “Sheeesh! Now I get it! Presidential Highway fromma Clinton to Gore!”
A little while later, we arrive in Fiordland . There izza some serious beauty goin’ on here. Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Mitre Peak. Cruises, walks, all kinda activities! I wish I hadda more time!!!
And, then there are the glaciers!!! This izza Fox Glacier! Fox Glacier and nearby Franz Josef Glacier are the only glaciers inna the world that end inna temperate rainforest, almost at sea-level! Incredible!

This izza Mitre Peak!

Back inna the car, we head for Queenstown. Queenstown is the major town in Central Otago. It’s got something for everyone. Inna the Winter it’s the skiing and snowboarding hot spot., and even the US Ski Team come down under to train during their summer. The Shotover River joins up with Lake Wakatipu here, so there is lotsa watersports like jet-boating, too.

WHEEEEEE!

You cann go up the big mountain on the side of the town inna the gondola and ride the luge on the way down! And, of course, I havva to try the famous AJ Hackett bungy jump! AJ Hackett izza crazy Kiwi bloke to invent this!

KOWA-BUNGY!!!!!

It gets very hot in the summer and the soil is very good for grapes, so some of the best New Zealand wines come from around here, like the famous Felton Road Pinot Noir.

The Pinot Noir is the main variety grown here. The vineyards are very scenic, some have astounding views! Gino, he twists my arm and we decide to do a bitta vino tasting. First we wenta to the Chard Farm, like Gino had for lunch. We tried three Pinot Noir’s, the River Run ’08, the Finla Mor ’08 and the Viper ’08. So beautiful these were. Inna the end, I bought a bottle of the Closeburn Chardonnay ‘cuz I know itsa one Good EatNZ favourites. Next we stopped at Mt. Difficulty Wines . Again, we tasted the Pino Noirs and they were awesome. Our fave was the 2008 Roaring Meg! No wonder The Man atta the Hilltop have it on his winelist! We then made the short drive to Lake Wanaka and stopped at the Rippon Viineyard Here, we try another Pinot Noir but also a Reisling and a Sauvignon Blanc. All deliscioso! And, I thinka, maybe the most beautiful vineyard in the world, lookin' out over the Southern Alps!

As we drive, we notice how beautiful the Autumn leaves are. We picked such a good time to do this trip. Every valley is just bursting with a the reds, golds and yellows of autumn. We are heading east now, back towards Christchurch. We arrive at Mt. Cook, the biggest mountain inna New Zealand – Wowza! Lotsa peeps come to New Zealand just to climb this famous mountain! It looks a bit bigga for guy like me! And Gino, he take a quick snap of me at Lake Matheson, too.

Next stop izza the photogenic rocks at Castle Hill. This area was used in the filming of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movies, as well as the more recent ‘Chronicles of Narnia’. Hmmm… iffa this Celebrity Chef thinga don’t work out so good, maybe I could come backa to New Zealand and be a movie star!?

So, where do you thinka these two wild and crazy Italiano stud-muffins will go next???

Chef Luigi Explores Banks Peninsula

Today, Chef Gino takes me around the Banks Peninsula, the area outside Christchurch where the Hilltop Café is. Onna the map, the Banks Peninsula (by the way, that’s pronounced “Pen-in-shu-la” in Kiwi-speak!) sorta sticks out like a weird growth on the Eastern coast offa the South Island.

That means they catch a lotta the rugged weather – the southerlies and gale force winds comin’ uppa from the Antarctic, or the hot Nor’Westers comin’ over from Aussie.
The Peninsula issa the result of two extinct volcanos from 11 to 8 million years ago. The two remaining craters form Akaroa Harbour and Lyttleton Harbour which is the important shipping port for Christchurch. This picture from space by NASA shows the craters and the rugged terrain.

Now, back inna the colonial days, the French, they landed inna Akaroa Harbour and thought it would be a good place for a whaling station. They made a dubious deal with the local Maori to buy some land and went back to France to form the whaling company and gather settlers. Inna the mean time, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the Maori and the British, giving the British sovereignty to the whole of New Zealand. When the British got wind of the French deal, they rushed to Akaroa and raised the British flag just days before the French arrived! Otherwise, the South Island would be a French Island instead of what was a British Colony! But, Akaroa was still established by the French peeps, and the streets and peeps still all have the French names. Every year, on Bastille Day, the re-ennact the French Landing.

Akaroa, which means ‘long harbour’ inna the Maori language, is pretty much a tourist town but it’s very nice. It is quite a seasonal destination. There are maybe 800 permanent residents in Akaroa with about 7600 onna the whole peninsula. There are a lotta holiday homes, orra what the Kiwis call ‘Baches’ (as inna ‘Baching it’) or onna the South Island ‘Cribs’. There are lotsa pretty beaches, some good for campin' or surfin’, but Akaroa is the only village with a small grocery store, bank and a few shops and cafes.



There’s fun stuff to do inna Akaroa, especially in the summertime. You canna go swimmin’ with the Hector’s Dolphins – they are the world’s smallest dolphins and they live inna the Akaroa Harbour. You can also see the Fur seals and other New Zealand wildlife on the Blackcat Harbour Cruise. There is some good boutique shopping in Akaroa especially iffa you like the Merino Wool or the Possum wool. Si! They make wool outta the fur of the possum here. It’s native to Australia but itsa pest in NZ, so they try to put it to the best use. Itsa very soft and warm fur – apparently, the hairs are hollow and add extra insulation!



Now, iffa you are lookin’ to get hitched, like Gino and Barbie, or you wanta good corporate team building thingy, Mt. Vernon Lodge is the place. The bossa lady has done a lot of catering up there. She loves it! The view is spectacular, the peeps are usually nice and she gets a kick outta looking after them.



On the hillside just before you gt to Akaroa issa big olive grove called La Casa Toscana. They grow Manzanillo olives for their oil. It must be as good azza the great Italiano olive oil cuz they just won Best in Show at Olives New Zealand national olive oil awards.

Near Akaroa, is Barry’s Bay, home of the Barry’s Bay Cheese Factory! They make fabulous cheese using the fantastico New Zealand milk. They make Massadam, Gouda, Edam and lotsa other cheese, but they are best known for their rinded cheddars. I want to try Avon's Anadama Bread with that!

I hope everyone is havin' a grande Easter and enjoying the beginnin' of Spring! It's startin' to get cold in New Zealand, so we are stayin' inside by the fire and I'ma makin' a big Italiano Feast!
Ciao,
Chef Luigi

Today is errand day. Mosta the supplies for the Hilltop Café are delivered, but about once a week The Man and/or Good EatNZ drive in to Christchurch to do the banking and pick up odds and ends. Today, they have invited me to go with them. I think they wanna show me off in alla the foodie shops, if you know what a I mean, with me being the next big (OK, small) Celebrity Chef. Cousin Gino is coming, too. He wants to show me all the special places in Christchurch.

Our first stop wazza a place called Blazey Uniforms. They sell alla the cheffy uniforms and stuff. Good EatNZ runs in and comes back with a new jacket for me!!! She say,”Luigi, you can’t be travelling the world and expect to be the next big (er, small) Celebrity Chef if you don’t have your name and logo on your jacket! So, I had them make this special for you!” Oh! She’za so sweet! Molto Dolce!




Our next stop wassa Trent’s. Itsa the big, wholesale store for the hospitality industry. You have to have a business license to shop here. And you gotta have a Liquor License iffa you wanna buy the booze. I am impressed with the selection. I did notta think Christchurch would have this.

Then, a few streets over we go to the Asian Food Warehouse! Mamma Mia! This place is huge! It hazza everything: Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and things I don’t even recognize! More kinds of noodles thanna the old burned down pasta factory! And, rice! I never saw so many types of rice! I am justa learning the Asian cooking (You know, I was born inna China, but left when I was only a few days old) and this place could make it very fun! Good EatNZ, she buy wonton skins, sushi rice and mirin. Sounds like shes planning on Japanese night, to me!


Then we stop atta the C4 Coffee Headquarters, the local coffee bean roasters for the Hilltop. I been lookin’ forward to this. Those C4 Flat Whites I been drinkin’ at the Hilltop are amazing. According to my hosts, these are the best roasted beans inna NZ, and these peeps, they are way cool and trendy, too! Gino takes me inna the back where they actually roast the coffee beans and shows me how they do it!




The nexta stop blows me away. The Mediterranean Food Company! Holy Ravioli! Who woulda thought a city like Christchurch hazza one store stocking alla this pasta, and carcioffi, and grappa! And they have alla the salami, proscuitto and lovely cured meats from Italia! And, The Man and Good EatNZ are good friends with the lady that works there! Now, I am seriously impressed witha this place!





Gino, he wants to show me around the center of town, so we jump onna the Christchurch Tram for a bit of sightseeing. Christchurch, izza known as the Garden City, and I can see why! Beautiful flowers are planted everywhere. Inna the beds in front of Victoria Square, they’ve even planted Parsley – gardeners after my own heart! Our next stop onna the Tram is Cathedral Square, famous for the bigga Anglican Cathedral. Gino tells me there is usually a market selling local crafts and there is a giant chess board with lotsa guys playing chess.






We get back to Good EatNZ house inna the late afternoon. I check in with Flo & Myrtle while The Man and Good EatNZ put an organic, ummm, Whisper! Chicken on the rotisserie. Tomorrow is Good Friday, so I volunteer to make summa Hot Cross Buns for the Hilltop. My hosts are pleased with my generosity.

Wella, itsa been a big day for a little guy. I’m gonna watcha some Rugby and go to sleep!