The Dinner Party

A few weeks ago my uncle arrived out of the blue wanting to take us all out to dinner. Since my sister and I both have children, this wasn't going to happen, so instead he decided to take over Aunty L's kitchen and make us all dinner. I threatened to blog it, and so here it is.

The main course was fish parcels, meticulously prepared by hand with fresh New Zealand fish.
Terakihi fillets...
...with salmon fillets......layered on baking paper with peeled deveined shrimps, spring onions, sprigs of fresh tarragon, freshly ground pepper and salt and a little wine and olive oil......wrapped up nicely, with the fold to the top, ready to go in the oven.
Meanwhile, some organic potatoes were put on to boil with heaps of rosemary...
...and a fresh garden salad full of cherry tomatoes was tossed together...
... as was the fruit salad for afters.
When the fish was done in the oven (I think it was about 15 minutes at 200C), it was served up with the salad, potatoes and fresh focaccia bread.
Did I mention that my uncle was a chef in a former life? He's not anymore, but he sure does do a good impression of one. It was quite superb, and I had almost forgotten how much I love fish.

Thanks Uncle M. It was very much enjoyed and appreciated by all. Hope we can do it again soon.

Wanganui Road Trip

What would the holidays be without a road trip?

Well, a nice boat trip can be just as good if not better, but we had a road trip instead.

Just before Christmas we took Isaac up to visit his Great-Gramps and Gran in Wanganui. We must have missed all the traffic, because it was a quick trip up the country. We stayed in Foxton on the Friday night, with Isaac's Nana Beth.

Great-Gramps is one of my revered cooking mentors, and Gran has been responsible for pointing out all sorts of interesting and helpful little things in the kitchen over the past few years. I was very much looking forward to having dinner with them on Saturday, and I was not to be disappointed.
Beef fillet, wrapped in bacon and smothered in butter.
I'm not going to mention how healthy this may or may not have been, but it was delicious.
I can't pass on the secrets of cooking this fine dish, as Great-Gramps and I were very busy drinking gin and wine respectively, and immersing ourselves in a very engaging discussion about politics and the environment. I haven't had so much fun in a long while. Ah yes, there were mushrooms involved, too.
I know I've already used this shot, but to be fair it was Gran who had prepared these raspberries and strawberries for us for dessert,
with a delicious amaretto cream to match. They were also good enough to make us breakfast on Sunday morning, with hot coffee, to give us the strength for the drive home.

We stopped again on the way down in Foxton, and had lunch with Dessert Chef's whanau, before making it home at a leisurely pace.

Yip. Road trips aren't what they were when I was 18 anymore.

*sigh*