MUST WATCH
GREEN ENERGY
The mamaku is a fern frond
that grows in the middle of
the black tree fern and it has some
of the highest levels of collagen in
a plant in the world. It’s so gluey, but
there are two ways to eliminate that.
One is to do a more savoury method,
which is just roast it over coals for
a really long time and it cooks up
similar to celery root, but the other
way we do in our restaurant [Hiakai
in Wellington] is peel it down, cook
it like a puree and set it with pectin,
then it ends up taking on a more
apple or pear flavour. It’s something
that always blows people’s minds,
because it doesn’t look particularly
delicious but, if you know
what to do, it can be!
TIME FOR A PIT STOP
This was a leg of goat that we
had wrapped in some puka
leaves, which is a native plant in
New Zealand. It’s really good to use
like a natural tinfoil; it helps keep the
moisture in and is traditionally used
to lay hangi pits when you put food
down to keep the dirt off it and also
to keep things nice and moist –
plus it imparts a slight herbal note.
And it was so good!
Gordon was surprised at how
juicy, smoky and delicious the meat
was and how it was just falling off
the bone. I must say, maybe it was the
nerves about cooking this way with
him, but it was probably one of the
best hangis I’ve ever put down,
so I was very happy!
THE PROOF IS
IN THE PUDDINGWe cooked steamed
puddings in the
hangi and Gordon was
like, ‘A steamed pudding?
In there?’ But I said, ‘Just
trust me.’ He was really
surprised that you can use
a pit dug in the ground the
same way you can use an
expensive steam oven –
it’s just a little more basic.
Mind you, a couple of
times, the puddings have
toppled over and there’s
been mix everywhere...
I was really glad that
didn’t happen on
the day!
Puka leaves keep the goat
meat moist and tenderRamsay checks out
a steamed pudding
from Fiso’s hangiW
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9
Foxtel AUGUST 25