SEPTEMBER 14 2019 LISTENER 39
towel, then place in a glass dish.
Crush the coriander seeds, garlic,
chilli flakes, salt and thyme together,
then add 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Spread this over the chicken, turn-
ing to coat well. Cover the dish and
refrigerate for at least an hour, but
preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Cut the kūmara into 3cm chunks,
then toss into a heavy oven dish with
the remaining oil. Add the chicken
and put the dish in the oven to roast.
After 40 minutes, add the toma-
toes and olives. Return the dish to
the oven for 15 minutes or until the
chicken is cooked, golden and still
juicy.
Transfer the chicken and veges
to a serving platter, drizzle with the
vinegar and sprinkle over a little black
pepper. Serve with a green salad.
Serves 4.
Wine match: cabernet or
bordeaux blend.BROWN RICE PILAF WITH HOT-SMOKED
SALMON
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I
n the past two weeks, I may have almost
consumed my own weight in fresh salmon.
As one of two judges of the semi-finalists in
the annual Ōra King Awards, established to
drive innovation and creativity among chefs,
I’ve been visiting chefs around the country to
taste their dishes. The challenge for the chefs
was to use salmon in a dish on the theme of “Sus-
tain”. This led to some imaginative and intelligent
interpretations and innovations.
When it comes to buzzwords relating to food
production, “sustainability” would lead the field.
Buying ethically and sustainably produced food is
one of the many ways people who are concerned
about the future of the planet are changing their
behaviour. Although this fare often attracts a
premium, buyers are usually rewarded with food
that is more flavoursome, safer and generally free of
additives and chemicals.
Taking a lead from the Government’s sustaina-
bility-motivated effort to eliminate plastic bags at
checkouts, shoppers should be considering how
they can extend this initiative. For example, when
buying fish or meat from a serve-over supermarket
counter, I take a lidded Pyrex dish with me. I also
pile unbagged fruit and vegetables into my trolley.
So, it’s really frustrating to have to buy food and
other items that are sold on unnecessary plastic
trays with superfluous wrapping. I heard of one
brave woman who undoes all that plastic and
cardboard at the checkout, leaving it behind for the
supermarket to deal with.
Shoppers can be selective and thoughtful about
the food they buy (if it’s not a budget issue). Many
food companies, farmers and growers are commit-
ted to managing their contributions to the food
supply in a sustainable manner. It’s sometimes hard
to identify those products, but as their efforts are
done with pride, look out for special labelling on
the packaging. Many supermarkets and farmers’
markets also have organic sections that are worth
seeking out.
This week’s recipes have sustainably produced
food as their star ingredient. Since visiting Bostock
Brothers’ organic farms in Hawke’s Bay, I have
become a fan of their firm, flavoursome chicken.
The hens roam outdoors in organic apple orchards
and live longer than the average farmed chicken.
As a result, this brand of chicken has a better
flavour and texture than any other I have tried.
And, as an added commitment to sustainability in
their business, the Bostock brothers have devel-
oped compostable packaging made from GM-free
corn sources and wood pulp. As they say on their
website, “The major driver of this move is to reduce
our environmental impact and meet demand from
our [sustainability] conscious consumers. Bostock
Brothers wants to lead the way for a cleaner future.”
NZ King Salmon, which produces the salmon I’vebeen eating lately, has won awards
for its commitment to a sustainable
future, including two Future Develop-
ment Innovation Awards this year for
work in research and development
and environmental sustainability.
The following recipes are easy one-
pot meals, because once in the oven,
the dishes need no more attention
until serving time.ROAST CHICKEN WITH KŪMARA
AND TOMATOES
4 chicken marylands (thigh and leg
portion, Bostock’s brand)
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic
pinch of dried chilli flakes
2 tsp flaky sea salt
5 sprigs thyme, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium kūmara, peeled
punnet of cherry tomatoes
½ cup large green olives
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (Sabato’s
Forum Cabernet Sauvignon Vinegar)
freshly ground black pepperWipe the chicken pieces with a paper
Brown rice pilaf
with hot-smoked
salmon. Left,
roast chicken
with kūmara and
tomatoes.