Fisher & Paykel

I remember a few years ago when I was working as a chef, there was a dry spell in the availability of puy lentils – I can't remember what caused it but it seemed to cause quite a stir amongst our restaurant community.

We tasted many wines on our team trip into Central Otago. While the region is best known for its (delicious) pinot noirs, we tasted a couple of delightfully syrupy, aromatic rieslings along the way as well. They proved the perfect inspiration (along with the stunning scenery) for this syrup-drenched cake. Sticky, citrusy and moist, this cake is best served warm with a big dollop of thick Greek yoghurt.

This is another of Simone's recipes. It is one of many in a collection given to her by her dad Les. I don't think I've mentioned Les before so I shall introduce him. I met him for the first time only a week ago while he was up from the South Island staying with Simone.

If I was to be honest I would say that my heart is in Asia, so picking Italy as my spiritual home is not an obvious choice, though nor is it completely left field. My experience of Italy is limited. In fact I have only been there once, over 10 years ago now, when I spent 2 weeks there with a good friend from boarding school. Whilst it was a quick trip, the architecture, art and history all made a lasting impression and many a meal out firmly cemented my love for Italian Cuisine.

My time in Thailand, although brief changed how I cook and how I eat. Since going there about a year ago I have fully embraced the cuisine which is now a staple of my diet. I vividly remember eating foods for the first time – dragon fruit, steamed broth from a side cart, whole soft shell crab.

The first time I ate this was actually in Spring about a year ago. One of the product evaluators for Dishdrawer threw a pot luck dinner and Craig, an electronics engineer, brought this gem along. The coriander jazzes the greens up, the cucumber provides a satisfying crunch, while the beef provides protein and deliciousness. A worthwhile summer/spring salad that I recommend you try your hand at.

I am such a huge cupcake fan – something about the shape, the decoration, the miniature-ness of them is just so appealing. This basic cupcake batter not only makes great vanilla cakes, but is also a great base that can be made into lots of different treats.

This recipe is similar to one that we cooked for our Design Sponge feature a few months ago, although for this feature we used all fresh ingredients: grilled eggplant and zucchini, prosciutto, tomato and anchovy sauce, parmesan and basil. The torta pastry is perfect for enclosing flavours without being too stodgy, and your family will love you for doing something so creative with leftovers.

Being of the non-religious, sweet toothed persuasion, Easter for me is a celebration of chocolate in all its delicious forms. In my humble opinion, these chocolate mousse-filled chocolate eggs are a good place for the party to begin. A perfectly made mousse is deliciously rich, silky-smooth and decadent. You can adapt the flavour to suit – substitute the vanilla extract for rum or flavoured liqueur; add espresso, orange zest or spices.

At Fisher & Paykel Kitchen we want to inspire, share our recipes and impart knowledge. Each member of our team brings to the table their own unique perspective on food, influenced by different flavours, shaped and moulded by our varying experiences and backgrounds. Please feel free to visit our kitchen.