Richard Emerson’s Foodie Favourites
Emerson’s founder and good food lover Richard Emerson shares some of his favourites…including a memorable Christmas lunch which included dish from his wife’s homeland; lamb sosaties.
What’s your favourite recipe book?
Rick Stein’s India - this is the book I’m playing around with at the moment, in the outdoor kitchen. Some of the dishes are fantastic and fun to prepare, especially with a beer in hand!
What’s your favourite kitchen utensil?
Actually two favourite items that are used all the time…my red Meanie, a Spatula - great for mixing and folding bread dough. the thin sharp Kiwi knife for vegetables.
What’s your favourite ‘go to’ recipe?
This recipe has never failed my Christmas Day appearance on the table…it’s my (Emerson’s) 1812 Pale Ale BBQ Farm Duck roasted slowly on the charcoal Weber with orange, 1812 beer, honey, star anise and with the skin massaged with sesame oil, allspice and salt. Best enjoyed with a pint of 1812 Pale Ale…mmm!
What’s your favourite NZ ingredient? And how do you use it?
NZ Lamb - you can’t get more kiwi than our wonderful lamb. It is so versatile and flavoursome. It can be prepared in many different ways…bbq, roast, mince or curries etc...
What’s your most memorable meal?
We decided to break tradition with the usual one large Christmas dinner and went for a gourmet feast of many different little courses over the day starting with little dishes…cold smoked ostrich, salmon gravalax, eggs en cocotte (baked eggs), lamb sosaties (South African dish of lamb and apricot kebabs), storm clams, pan-fried cheese folds and beef on mushroom tartlets…wow what a fun day indeed! Most of the things were pre-prepared earlier and just cooked off on the moment. It was just a great day of talking, eating and drinking the food matches.
