May 5, 2015

New Zealand Food Connection Chef Challenge

So I was at the New Zealand Food Connection/ Trade Enterprise fair recently at the Intercontinental Hotel and I was bowled over by the products on offer there... There were just so many amazing products to check out and try out....

Those who were early even got to see New Zealand Masterchef Nadia Lim in action preparing some culinary delights....


Alliance Group Limited is New Zealand’s largest processor of lamb under the Pure South label. It is a cooperative, 100% owned by farmers, established 67 years ago in 1948.

Alliance is the world’s largest exporter of lamb supplying the best quality lamb to over 65 global markets including leading food hotels, restaurants and retail groups. Alliance is a leading processor of New Zealand beef and venison. All livestock are grass fed (free range) by Alliance’s shareholders
– the farmers.

There is a constant and growing demand for a healthier choice of red meat in Southeast Asia. Pure South lamb and beef are natural, grass-fed, nutritious and healthy. 

Alliance Group products are carefully packed and recognised as a preferred and premium meat brand because of its high consistency of presentation and eating quality.

New Zealand’s strict quarantine laws contribute the highest world class standards for maximum food safety. 


Here are some recipes I have created and made with the New Zealand origin ingredients given to me...I am no Master Chef, so my dish is basically simple and easy.... 

 (for the Lamb)  Ingredients:-
1 rack of Pure South lamb ribs, trimmed
1 1/2 tablespoon of Anchor Pure New Zealand butter
2 tablespoon of chopped garlic
Black pepper and some salt to taste

Method:-
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celcius...

Trim the skin and fat away from the rack of lamb....

Sprinkle black pepper and some salt (if needed) on the lamb...

Add the garlic on the lamb.

Add the butter and mixed well with garlic and lamb....

Then you can either put in a baking pan and cover with foil or wrap the lamb rack with heavy duty  aluminium foil.

Then put it in the oven for about 15 mins. Once done, take it out, leave for 5 minutes, open the foil, turn the lamb rack over and drench it with the juice and close the foil again and bake it in the oven for another 15 minutes....


(for mashed potato) Ingredients:-
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut 
1/8 cup of Anchor Pure New Zealand Butter
1/8 cup of Tatua cheese sauce
1/2 cup of Tatua whipping cream
salt and ground pepper to taste.



Method:-
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with salt water. Cover and let boil for about 25 minutes , strain the potatoes dry and place in food processor (since I do not have a potato masher) and put all the ingredients inside and blend until smooth....



(brocolli and tomato) Ingredients :-

1 whole brocolli
1 tomato
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I love plenty of garlic on my food , but if you do not fancy garlic too much, you can lessen it)
2 tablespoon Anchor Pure New Zealand butter (melted)

Method:-
Just place the cut up florets of the brocolli on a baking tray along with the tomatoes
Sprinkle the garlic all over the brocolli, and drizzle the melted butter all over the brocolli......

Place in the oven at 200 degrees Celcius and bake for 12 minutes....


Once the brocolli and mash potatoes are done, you can arrange them on a plate and serve...the result is simple and healthy yet delicious baked lamb rack....!!!



Early in the morning when my daughter wakes up and rushes to get ready for school, I usually whip up an easy breakfast. This simple recipe is a no brainer from the New Zealand origin products I got...

I took two slices of bread, cut it in a shape of a cat...then, I buttered the bread with Anchor Pure New Zealand Butter and Pic's Really Good Peanut Butter. I add some Nutella or chocolate sauce for the cat's eyes and mouth... and cut up a cute Rockit apple....


I admit it is not the best presentation there is, but it is a simple and nutritious breakfast my daughter enjoyed before she headed out to wait for her school van to send her to school, and all done in less then 5 minutes!!!


Rockit apples are transforming and challenging both the snack food market and the fruit market  worldwide with unique apples which are specifically bred to be genetically small, and marketed in novel tube packaging formatted as a “health snack”.

The apple itself is small in size (1.5 x the size of a golf ball) with a sweet flavour, a distinctive bright red blush and a fantastic crisp crunch. Rockit is the perfect snack for children who require a healthy snack, and it is equally ideal for busy adults and sports people.

Rockit is one of a kind, there are no other miniature apples on the market which taste as great! Not only are the apples unique but the packaging stands out as well; it looks good, is hygienic and is convenient for people to grab on the go.

Tatua is one of New Zealand’s oldest independent dairy companies, formed in 1914 and is now recognized internationally for its innovative approach to developing specialized dairy products for the foodservice and food manufacturing industries.

Tatua is able to produce quality dairy products utilising fresh cream and milk sourced from their own farms. Due to Tatua geographical position, all milk sourced is from within a 10km radius. This enables faster processing of fresh milk into quality foodservice products.

Tatua offers a wide range of convenient foodservice dairy products that are currently being used in applications for bakery, airline catering, hotels, restaurant chains and food manufacturers. Tatua dairy products are sold throughout Australasia, Latin America and Asia Pacific.

Included in the Tatua offering is an extensive range of whipping and cooking creams for use within bakery or culinary cooking applications, cheese sauce blends for hotels and foodservice convenience channels plus formulated beverages for Ice Cream manufacturers.

Along with these, we did manage to check out a lot of other interesting booths and sponsors that included yummy Kapiti ice cream, Anchor Pure New Zealand Butter, Horley's Sculpt products, Talley's New Zealand Greenshell Mussels and seafood, 180 degrees natural crackers, Farmers Mill New Zealand flour, Whittakers chocolate and more.....

Anyway, those were among two of my recipes I manage to create out of some of the products given to me for sampling...

There is also a Sandy Baked Mussels recipe over my instagram....  huhuhu




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