Recipes from this weekend

Free-range Pork & Fennel Sausage Rolls

1 x pack of puff pastry (5 sheets – 750g)

400-500gm free-range pork mince

2-3 free range pork sausages

Fresh sage

Salt & pepper

Bulb of fennel

1 onion

2 apples

A free-range egg

1 tablespoon of cold water x 2

Remove the skin from the free-range pork sausages and combine with the free-range pork mince in a large bowl. 

Grate the fennel, onion and apples and add to the pork, I use my hands to mix it all evenly.

Finely slice 6-7 sage leaves and add to the mix along with a pinch of salt and pepper, mix to combine.

Lay out your pastry sheets, cutting each in half. Lay the pork mixture down the centre of each side of the sheet, leaving space on either side to wrap and overlap (The pork should be around 2cm wide and 1cm high).

Damping one side of the pastry with water, fold the other side over the mince and lay the water-dampened pastry over this flap. Press gently to seal. Repeat on all of the other sheets, you should end up with 10 long rolls.

I then cut each of the rolls in half, this makes 20 large sausage rolls, in half again creates 40 medium sized sausage rolls and in half again creates 80 bite sized canapes!

Beat the egg and tablespoon of cold water together and glaze the top of your sausage rolls then bake in a 180C over for approx. 20minutes until the top is a lovely golden colour and they are cooked through.

Vege Burger Patties

Olive oil

Salt

1 x med/large potato

1 x med/large kumara or sweet potato

1 x large carrot

A piece of pumpkin or butternut the size of your potato/kumara

3 cloves of Garlic

½ cup of flour or cornflour (gluten free)

1 teaspoon of Cumin

1 x free-range egg

Cup of bread crumbs or Panko crumbs (gluten free)

Method:

Peel the vegetables, you can leave the skin on the pumpkin as it is often easier to remove once cooked. (I usually peel a couple more potatoes, the rest of the piece of pumpkin, another kumara/sweet potato, another carrot and another onion at the same time so I can turn it all into soup the next day).

Toss the whole peeled vegetables in olive oil and some salt to coat. Roast all of the vegetables in the oven at 180C for about 40-50 minutes then add the garlic for a further 10 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking. They should be very tender and browned on the outside.

On a plate, place the plain flour and add a little salt and pepper to season. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a tablespoon of cold water until incorporated and the mix is an even pale yellow colour. In another shallow bowl or plate mix the breadcrumbs and cumin. 

Once the vegetables are roasted leave them to cool. The next step is a lot easier and works better if they are cool.

Cut vegetables into small pieces and mash together. (You can use a food processor and pulse to combine) It’s nice for the patties not to be a complete puree and they will hold together better.

Scoop up a large handful of the mix, you are aiming for a patty that is the same size as the burger buns you are using and about 2.5cm/an inch thick. Gently coat the patty in the seasoned flour, dip into the egg mix and then coat in breadcrumbs. I find I need to reshape the patty slightly afterwards! This is a messy job and you are best to wash your hands between patties!

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan to a med-high heat and lay the patties in, give yourself enough room to be able to turn them easily as each side browns. Try not to move them around the pan once they are in. About 5-7mins each side should be enough.

These are great serves with Goats Cheese!

Basic Roast Vegetable Soup

Roast a whole bunch of peeled root veges (carrot, pumpkin, kumara, parsnip, onion, potato etc…) until they are nice and soft and a little caramelised on the outside. (Brushing them with oil and salt before you roast will help).

Puree these in batches after leaving them to cool slightly.

In a large saucepan melt a tablespoon of butter and gently fry 5 sage leaves that have been finely chopped and 2 finely sliced cloves of garlic.

Add the puree to the pot along with a litre of a low salt chicken stock or a stock made from boiling water and miso paste to keep this vegetarian.

Bring to a simmer, don’t let it boil or you’ll end up with mud pools and geysers and a kitchen coated in orange puree :/

If you feel it is too thick then add hot water until the right consistency is achieved, you could add cream or coconut milk to make a cream of vegetable soup if you would like.