• Mandy and the family around the dinner table

    Dad doing the honours of serving
     



    Be quick in this family or you'll miss out!



    It's not complete without roast potatoes,
    nothing is complete without roasted potatoes



    Everyone looks happy and even veg on the plate,
    well it looks green to us



    Mandy shares her recipe!  
    Order your roast cut and let us know how you go!

    Mandy's Roast Pork

    Ingredients
    1 tablespoon chilli flakes

    1 tablespoon cumin seeds

    1 tablespoon mustard seeds

    1 tablespoon crushed garlic

    1 tablespoon salt

     2 tablespoons oil


    Method
    1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. If your oven has a fan function then use this. 
    2. Score the skin of the pork with a sharp knife then pat dry with paper towel.
    3. Mix together the flakes, seeds, garlic & salt and massage into the porkrubbing in well between the scored lines.
    4. Place pork on a rack in a roasting tray (It's important to let air circulate around the roast for even cooking).
    5. Insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the meat, avoiding the bone.
    6. Drizzle over the oil.
    7. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the oven tray.
    8. Place in the pre-heated oven for half an hour and then reduce the temperature to 120ºC and cook a further 3-4 hours until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced or until the thermometer reaches 71ºC.
    _____________________

    If you want to recieve a cut of meat to cook for your family and friends on us,
    then click the link and let us know!

    Ruby's Home Dinner Club
    Posted 30/08/2011 1:56:51 p.m. (0 comments)
  • Terri wins a night assisting Chef Carlos at 'Bowmans - Mt Eden'



    597 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden 
    Phone: 09 638 9676
    Email: inquiry@bowmansrestaurant.co.nz
    Open Tues - Sat from 6.00pm
    www.bowmansrestaurant.co.nz
     
      '


    I was a little apprehensive about going to Bowmans as I didn’t want to get in the way or make a fool of myself! Hubbie suggested I was probably better off just helping with the dishes **expletive**.




    The restaurant was fully booked and there was also a private function for 35, so with that in mind, I was happy to stay out of the way and watch Carlos and his team whilst I bombarded them with lots of questions while they were hard at work – something quite satisfying about watching three men in a kitchen! And then there was Alvin, dishwasher extraordinaire, who weaved around everybody ensuring there was lots of clean pots and pans.


     
    I love the fact that Bowmans make everything from scratch, onsite. From the pastry to sauces, ice cream, sorbets and my favourite, spaetzle– the list goes on. There were lots of little containers with all sorts of goodies that the boys had prepared earlier. I learnt lots of techniques that produce meals with different flavours and textures but I think I’ll leave that stuff to the professionals – there are some things that are just not meant for the home cook!




    What impressed me the most was the calm manner in the way the kitchen was run. Watching them plate up 35 main courses for the private function was amazing – it was done in near silence with everyone working in harmony, each knowing what had to be done.




    The meals going out looked stunning – elegant, sophisticated and of course delicious. Throughout the night I sampled so many tasty delights and Carlos cooked me their Hawkes Bay lamb rump with glazed rib, chickpea puree, yoghurt and toasted almonds. I finished off the night with a glass of wine and the Valhrona chocolate dessert. I went home a very, very satisfied woman!



    A testament to a great meal is watching the wait staff return plates to the kitchen that where clean. I did not see one plate returned with uneaten food – now that’s a sign of an excellent restaurant.



     
    I really appreciated the way the food was prepared, cooked and presented – using fresh ingredients, skill and most importantly lots of love.


    Posted 27/06/2011 8:24:18 a.m. (0 comments)
  • Vicki - Our latest 'Ruby's Home Dinner Club' winner

    As Vick says "The pork shoulder cooked to the recipe provided by Kate was just delicious.  The pork was tasty and so tender, all our guests were very impressed.... There were no left overs!"

    We partnered the meat with a kumara mash and greens – brocolli, asparagus and beans.  Very simple but just the business for a dinner party of 10.  I’d definitely do the same again for another dinner party.  Thank you Ruby!

      
     
     

    BELLY CUT SHOULDER RECIPE FROM RUBY’S KITCHEN
    This cut of pork has the most delicious flavour and produces the best crackling ever! What Ruby’s family do at home is the following:
    (Serves 4)

    Ingredients

    1 x Freedom Farms Belly Cut Shoulder (approx 1.1kg)
    2 x Star Anise
    1 x Carrot (peeled and sliced)
    1 x stick of Celery (sliced)
    1 x Parsnip (peeled and sliced)
    1 x Onion (sliced)
    3 x sprigs fresh Thyme (if you have it)
    2 x Cloves of Garlic (sliced into slivers)
    Olive Oil (about 1 Tbsp)
    ½ cup of water (approximate – may need more)
    Salt and Fennel seeds to season

    Method
    1) To prepare the piece of pork, remove from wrapping and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a Stanley knife andscore the skin lengthways (please see the picture on the website). Once the skin has been scored, drizzleover a small amount of olive oil, rub in some salt and fennel seeds. This can be done the night before youwant to cook the meat and left covered in the fridge overnight if easier.

    2) In a large roasting dish, put in the olive oil, star anise, carrot, celery, parsnip, onion, garlic, fresh thyme andwater. Distribute the ingredients evenly in the bottom of the roasting dish. Then place the pork (skin side up)on top of the ingredients and place in the oven. Roast slowly at 170 degrees Celsius for around 2 - 3 hours.When you can put a sharp knife straight through the meat to the bottom of the roasting dish it is ready. Note:You may need to add extra water to the pan as the meat cooks to avoid it drying out and the meat sticking tothe bottom.

    3) Remove the pork from the dish and put onto an oven tray. Then place under the grill to crackle the skin. Bevery careful to watch it, as it will burn quickly... it’s worth waiting around for though!

    4) Lastly, don’t throw away the meat juices or the vegetables... they make the most fabulously rich gravy. So,be sure to pick out the star anise and remove any stalks from herbs etc. What we do at home is mash all theremaining vegetables, then put the roasting dish back on the heat, mix in some flour with a whisk and addwater as needed to make the gravy (or “sludge” as we call it at home).

    5) Cut the pork in pieces along the lengths of the crackle to serve. Serve with fresh green beans, apple sauceand a lovely creamy mash. Enjoy!
     
    Posted 18/06/2011 12:30:45 p.m. (0 comments)
  • Rebecca who won this months 'Win a night assisting our leading Chefs" spends her night at 'Sidart Restaurant'

     
    Three Lamps Plaza
    Level 1/283 Ponsonby Road
    Ponsonby
    (09) 360 2122
     
    www.sidart.co.nz

    I won a night helping out at SIDART restaurant in Ponsonby via Ruby’s List. I was nervous but excited as I walked the steps up to the sliding door of the restaurant – it’s fine dining so not only do the clients expect the best, the chefs do too. Head Chef Sid Sahrawat is backed by two extremely talented Sous chefs, Jason and Ed. You can see why SIDART is so successful, the team gel so well and the food they produce is simply stunning. They take such pride and precision in what they pass through to the restaurant – if it’s not perfect it doesn’t go out of the door.
     

    'Rebecca it's terribly important to taste'




    'Total concentration'


     

    'Precision'

    RH-Sidart5.jpg
    'Team work'




    'Watching now, your turn next'





    I assisted Ed on the “cold larder” section of the kitchen for the night – this included helping prepare starters such as yellowfin tuna, aloe vera, radish, wasabi and the cured salmon, goats cheese w peas & smoked eel dish. Such intense flavors and beautifully presented. I also helped with a couple of desserts, which are named vaguely so that the customer is intrigued and surprised by their choice. These included lychee & pineapple and also mandarin with meringue – “WOW” was all I could say as they passed by me.




    'Sid you're far too fast'




     




    'Dish completed'




    'We're talking all the senses here'




    'On it's way to the lucky diners'

    SIDART recently won “Dish of the Year” in the 2011 Metro Magazine awards for their John dory with paua, miso and vanilla – all I can say is go there, you really won’t appreciate SIDART cuisine until you experience it yourself. 
     
    Posted 11/06/2011 10:18:04 a.m. (0 comments)
  • Ruby's Dinner Club - Nicola with family & friends!

    As Nicola said "Thanks very much for the pork - it was delicious" and looking at her photographs we have to agree.



    Get the BBQ out - apparently Waiheke had the best weather

    Here's what Nicola did to the pork "We oiled it slightly, salted, peppered and popped on the bbq - using the meat thermometer it came out perfectly particularly when teamed with my home made apple sauce!

    Ok I'm wondering now why we didn't invite ourselves

    "Whilst it was wet in Auckland it was fairly nice when we got to Waiheke, 10 of us for the weekend and dinner in all, lots of catching up, laughs and conversations around a great meal and a few wines before heading off to the late supper club jazz that night. Fabulous night!

    Thanks
    Nicola"
    Keen eaters ready to go

    Nicola you are most wlecome and we're glad to hear the night was a success.  The pork looked fantastic and I bet it tasted so too.

    Kind regards
    The team at Ruby's List

    Posted 27/04/2011 10:03:13 a.m. (0 comments)