New Zealand Listener - October 13, 2018

38 LISTENER OCTOBER 13 2018

THIS LIFE

F

or food writer Kathy Paterson, who grew

up on a farm, it was an obvious choice

to produce a cookbook of recipes that

feature New Zealand beef and lamb. As

she says in her introduction, “It is a book

filled with traditional food memories

that I have given my own modern twist.

It’s about real food that comes from a quality

environment and that values a sense of community

over convenience.”

The self-published Meat & Three ($49.99, in stores

from October 22) celebrates the meat that has

been central to her life. With food photographer

Tam West, Paterson visited four large farms around

the country, recording the beauty of the rural

landscapes and the families who rear the high-

quality grass-fed beef and lamb that this land is

famous for.

Each recipe is a complete meal, with fresh and

often unusual vegetables included. There are also a

host of fail-safe tips and advice on how to choose

the most appropriate cuts and how to make perfect

gravy. Helpfully, the book is laid out by season and

two very useful sections, one on leftovers and the

other on desserts, round it out.

Paterson says there are various fresh herbs that

work well in the first recipe. You can use just one

or a combination, from among flat-leaf parsley,

thyme, dill, chervil, chives, coriander and basil.

SPRING LAMB RACKS AND ASPARAGUS WITH NEW

SEASON POTATOES AND WATERCRESS SAUCE

WAT E RCR E S S S AUCE

2 handfuls of watercress leaves

1 handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 spring onion, trimmed and sliced

Flirting with

tradition

125ml natural, unsweetened yogurt

squeeze of lemon juice

sea salt

SPRING LAMB

2 spring lamb racks (8-bone racks

weighing about 280g each), trimmed,

at room temperature

olive oil, for rubbing

2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs

sea salt and black pepper

POTATOES AND ASPARAGUS

600g new-season potatoes, scrubbed

and left whole if small; halved if larger

16 thick asparagus spears, trimmed

olive oil, for rubbing

sea salt and black pepper

Place the watercress, parsley and

spring onion in a food processor and

process to roughly chop. Add the

yogurt and process until smooth,

then season with lemon juice and

salt. Spoon into a bowl, cover and

keep in the fridge until needed.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put a

roasting tin in the oven to warm.

Heat a large frying pan over

medium-high heat. Rub the lamb

racks with olive oil, then press the

chopped herbs onto the meat. Place

The classic Kiwi staple of

meat and three veg gets a

spring makeover with fresh

flowers and vibrant herbs.

by Lauraine Jacobs

FOOD