#12 Labour of Love with Creme Brulee and Pistachio Biscotto
It was a labour focused theme all round with the new Labour government of NZ being announced, labour day commemorations for the eight-hour working day and labour in the house and garden. With a four day weekend, there was ample opportunity to fit in some cooking. With the recent home kill, there was a rolled leg of lamb waiting to be cooked. For the weekend roast, I was guided by one of the feature chef's in the NZ Great Cookbook, Martin Bosley from Oriental Bay, Wellington. Mr Bosley provides the recipe for a slow roast spiced leg of lamb with pan gravy, accompanied with roast vegetables and cauliflower cheese. This was a good hearty dish to feed the workers.
I went further south to St Clair, Dunedin, to Michael Coughlin at Pier 24 for the dessert - Apricot Creme Brulee and accompanying Pistachio Biscotti. I vividly remember the first time I heard about Biscotti. It was back in the day when Brian Edwards use to have a regular cooking slot in his "Top of the Morning" Radio New Zealand show in the 90s. My mother copied down the recipe which I still have to this day. Although I had never made it, the recipe seems in keeping with the traditional notion of these Italian twice baked, dry crunchy biscuits. There was the use of almonds as the nut of choice and instructions to roll the dough into a log shape before cutting into slices. Mr Coughlin substitutes the almonds for pistachios and rather than rolling the mixture it is formed by placing it into a loaf tin. I can understand why as the mixture is very soft and flowing due to the 125g egg whites (which is about 4 eggs whites worth). It is rather easy to make with the New Zealand Great New Zealand Cookbook rating it a skill level 1.
Pistachio Biscotti Recipe:
The ingredients you need are:
125g each of egg whites, caster sugar, plain flour, pistachio nuts and then just 5g vanilla paste.
Method: oven at 175C, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt, gradually beat in sugar until glossy and stiff. Sift in flour, fold in nuts and vanilla and turn out into a loaf tin, cooking for about 30 minutes. Wait until cool then slice 3mm sections which are baked for about 20 minutes until brown
Watch out for: slicing the loaf can be tricky and the serrated knife suggested didn't do the trick. It also was challenging cutting through the nuts which made the end product look well and truly homemade - ain't no uniformity here!
I was excited to make the Apricot Creme Brulee as I hadn't made a creme brulee before and it also gave me the satisfaction of using the blowtorch for the second time (purchased for the failed lemon meringue pie deconstruction see earlier blog!). I'm not a big apricot fan (apart from fresh of the tree) so I made a number of apricot free numbers as well. Because I choose smaller ramekins than stated there was plenty more than the stated servings of four. The family gathered at the scene to witness the piece de resistance of the carmelizing of the topping however it was somewhat stymied by the torch expiry! Luckily family can read instructions on the box unlike the novice blow torch user, who was instructed the blowtorch was not designed to be used upside down!
Labouring away cooking can be fun, and there is no better way to end than reclining back, reflecting on your completed tasks for the day whilst dunking your pistachio biscotti into your glass of wine. Happy Labour Day everyone!
I went further south to St Clair, Dunedin, to Michael Coughlin at Pier 24 for the dessert - Apricot Creme Brulee and accompanying Pistachio Biscotti. I vividly remember the first time I heard about Biscotti. It was back in the day when Brian Edwards use to have a regular cooking slot in his "Top of the Morning" Radio New Zealand show in the 90s. My mother copied down the recipe which I still have to this day. Although I had never made it, the recipe seems in keeping with the traditional notion of these Italian twice baked, dry crunchy biscuits. There was the use of almonds as the nut of choice and instructions to roll the dough into a log shape before cutting into slices. Mr Coughlin substitutes the almonds for pistachios and rather than rolling the mixture it is formed by placing it into a loaf tin. I can understand why as the mixture is very soft and flowing due to the 125g egg whites (which is about 4 eggs whites worth). It is rather easy to make with the New Zealand Great New Zealand Cookbook rating it a skill level 1.
Pistachio Biscotti Recipe:
The ingredients you need are:
125g each of egg whites, caster sugar, plain flour, pistachio nuts and then just 5g vanilla paste.
Method: oven at 175C, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt, gradually beat in sugar until glossy and stiff. Sift in flour, fold in nuts and vanilla and turn out into a loaf tin, cooking for about 30 minutes. Wait until cool then slice 3mm sections which are baked for about 20 minutes until brown
Watch out for: slicing the loaf can be tricky and the serrated knife suggested didn't do the trick. It also was challenging cutting through the nuts which made the end product look well and truly homemade - ain't no uniformity here!
I was excited to make the Apricot Creme Brulee as I hadn't made a creme brulee before and it also gave me the satisfaction of using the blowtorch for the second time (purchased for the failed lemon meringue pie deconstruction see earlier blog!). I'm not a big apricot fan (apart from fresh of the tree) so I made a number of apricot free numbers as well. Because I choose smaller ramekins than stated there was plenty more than the stated servings of four. The family gathered at the scene to witness the piece de resistance of the carmelizing of the topping however it was somewhat stymied by the torch expiry! Luckily family can read instructions on the box unlike the novice blow torch user, who was instructed the blowtorch was not designed to be used upside down!
Labouring away cooking can be fun, and there is no better way to end than reclining back, reflecting on your completed tasks for the day whilst dunking your pistachio biscotti into your glass of wine. Happy Labour Day everyone!
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| Incorrect blow torch position |
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| Biscotti loaf |
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| Pistachio Biscotti |
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| Slow roast spiced leg of lamb |
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