Bannockburn’s Desert Heart has an entire menu of food cooked with love, so it’s to them I am turning this week. Taking the local produce that arrives at the cellar door from supportive neighbours, orchardists and gardeners, owner Jane Gill whips up seasonal bites that keep the Desert Heart platter fresh and interesting (a requirement for any good relationship right there). Jane’s mother’s meringues and the chicken liver pate made with Desert Heart pinot noir are permanent fixtures and adored by many because you can taste the love in them.
From Central Otago my thoughts jumped across the ditch to Melbourne and Belle’s Hot Chicken, an eatery that holds a special place in my, and my fried-food-loving partner’s heart. Despite how many swanky, new restaurants I’ve been assigned to check out on my trips to Australia’s culinary capital, I always try to fit in a finger-licking-good (sorry, but it is) session at the counter at Belle’s original Fitzroy location, wings for me, tenders for my fry-boy, washed down with a glass of Belle’s Original Draft. Here’s to love.
Poached apricots
I love the simplicity of this dessert. The poached apricots will keep for up to a week in the fridge and freeze well. Cook them up while Central Otago trees are dripping with golden globes and enjoy dessert in a dash throughout the year. Serve as they do at Desert Heart with vanilla bean ice cream and extra spoons for those who didn’t order it but wish they did.
Serves 6
½ cup sugar
½ cup white wine
2 strips lemon peel
¼ vanilla pod, split in 2
400g apricots
Method
1 — Melt sugar with wine in a large saucepan over a medium heat, adding lemon peel and vanilla pod.
2 — Place the apricots, cut side down around the pan and leave to poach gently until apricots start to give way. The apricots will soften at different times, so check back frequently, removing each one as it softens with a gentle push of a spoon.
Chicken liver and pinot pate
Desert Heart’s Jane Gill makes kilos of this rich, savoury spread each week, not bothering with trimming the chicken livers so I haven’t either. If you prefer, trim off any fat and connective tissue with scissors for a smoother consistency. Any type of red wine can be used, just don’t scrimp and be patient reducing the wine down for maximum flavour and spreadability. Serve with cornichons and toasted sourdough as they do at the vineyard kitchen.
Makes 400g
50g butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 large cloves garlic
350g free-range chicken livers
2 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
2 bay leaves
¾ cups pinot noir
Method
1 — Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and fry until onion is translucent.
2 — Add chicken livers, sugar, salt, pepper and bay leaves and fry until livers are brown, stirring constantly.
3 — Add wine and simmer over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until wine is reduced and syrupy.
4 — Remove bay leaves, pour into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
5 — Serve in a ramekin or spooned on to a plate topped with cracked black pepper.
Belle’s-inspired fried chicken
What’s not to love about an all-in, eat with your hands sharing plate of fried chicken. Inspired by his time in Nashville, Kiwi chef Morgan McGlone brought Belle’s Hot Chicken to Australia a decade ago and I have been enjoying it ever since. My take on McGlone’s recipe includes brining the chicken for extra flavour — a step which can be skipped. Repeatedly flouring the chicken as it sits in the fridge for four hours is essential for a crispy coating. I have simplified the spice mix and added enough cayenne for a mild heat level, dial up the fire by adding more. Serve with slaw and/or fries and a requisitory pickle.
Serves 2-4
Brine
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp peppercorns
3 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
1kg chicken nibbles, (I recommend Bostock free range, organic)
Spice mix
3 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp salt
1 cup flour
Canola oil or similar, for frying
Method
1 — For the brine, mix salt and sugar in 1½ cups water in a medium-sized glass dish. Add peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves and chicken nibbles and mix to combine. Cover and place in the fridge for half a day (and no longer than 24 hours).
2 — Remove the chicken, discarding the brine, and pat dry with paper towel.
3 — Mix spice mix in a small bowl.
4 — Mix 3 tsp of the spice mix with flour, reserving the remaining spice mix to serve.
5 — Coat the chicken in the flour mix and place in the fridge for 3-4 hours, taking it out a couple of times and recoating in the flour mix. This will create a gluey coating that will crisp up when frying.
6 — Pour oil into a heavy-based saucepan, no more than 1/3 full and heat to 180C. Using tongs, cook chicken in batches (no more than 7 pieces at a time) turning once until crispy and cooked through (at least 75°C when tested with a meat thermometer).
7 — Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with extra spice mix to serve.
