Food November/December 2017

There is no doubt that when we think of Christmas, our thoughts often turn to food. Whether you’re a traditionalist who craves turkey, trifle and mince pies, or someone who prefers cold meats and cocktails in the sun, this is the time of year when we all indulge our tastebuds. Personally, I adore my own homemade mince pies – and have to seriously limit my consumption! But what I really love about the ‘season of eating’ is the opportunities it presents to use food as an excuse to get together with family and friends. Many of the recipes that feature in this special Christmas issue are designed to feed a crowd. From our classic dinner banquet on page 32 to our ideas for a festive brunch on page 40, these…

GIVING BACK Seeing as it’s Christmas, we wanted to give an extra treat to those of you who’ve taken the time to get in touch. This issue, all published letters (not including Kids in the Kitchen) will receive a signed copy of At My Table by Nigella Lawson. We were mightily impressed by Aliesha’s vegan version of our Broccoli ‘ Pizza’ VEGAN VERSION I just wanted to share an image of a dish I created with inspiration from your September/October issue. It is based on the recipe for Broccoli ‘Pizza’ with Courgette. I adapted the recipe to make it vegan – omitting eggs and dairy. Thank you so much for the inspiration! Aliesha Gopperth ANIMAL MAGIC Thank you for the great ideas for kids’ cakes in…

HIGH FIVE FOR HUBBY Thank you for inspiring my hubby! On Friday it’s his job to do tea – it’s usually something quick and easy, but as it was the school holidays and he was home that day he wanted to try something new. The result was your Oven-Baked Mushroom and Chicken Risotto from the latest issue, and very nice it was too. He said it took him a while to get it all ready, but he thought it was well worth it and will be quicker next time! He is now reading through all my magazines to find something for next Friday. Watch this space... Sharon Oakey WIN Our star letter wins a bumper pack of books worth $160. It includes a signed copy of Nigella Lawson’s latest book…

Bark & bite Christmas bark is a great treat for this time of year. Quick and easy to make, it’s ideal for kids and visitors alike, and also makes a thoughtful gift that’s a lot more personal than store-bought chocolates. It’s affordable too – as you can make it by using up leftovers from Christmas baking. Simply pour melted chocolate into a lined baking dish, and immediately sprinkle over toppings, from cranberries to crushed candy canes and jaffas. Cool until set, then break into pieces. Some combos to try: · Peppermint essence and dark chocolate, topped with white chocolate and candy canes · White chocolate, broken icecream cone, salted peanuts and mini marshmallows · Dark chocolate, dried banana, chopped caramels and sea salt Double DELIGHT For a two-tone effect, set…

“For me it’s all about the leftovers – I will use the leftover roast turkey and turn it into a light Asian salad with rice noodles and fish sauce.” – NIGELLA LAWSON “Planning really is crucial, just for an easy life. I always make a list two weeks before Christmas; it helps so much. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a few sherries then!” – RACHEL ALLEN “There are many possible variations when making stuffing. Add your favourite herbs, some pistachios or the diced turkey heart.” – RAYMOND BLANC “Prepare a lot in advance to make life easier on the day. On Christmas Eve, I make the sausage stuffing and gravy and the veg will have been parboiled. If you’re having trifle, try to make that the day before too,…

It might be the season of indulgence, but that doesn’t mean all our food choices have to be decadent. Countdown has made health and wellness more accessible by dropping prices on 26 of its most wholesome products. Delicious options in the Macro, Organics and Free From Gluten ranges are now even more affordable, and if you want to experience the difference, enter our giveaway. We have five Countdown prize packs up for grabs, each featuring a taste of the healthy ranges, including LSA, black and white chia seeds, coconut sugar, treats from the Free From Gluten collection and a $50 Countdown gift card. To enter, send an email with ‘Macro’ as the subject to foodmagazine@bauermedia.co.nz by December 31, 2017.…