Summer Entertaining Recipes

Nicola McConnell Nicola McConnell

Outstanding Summer Platter

When whanau call by you want to entertain with ease - our Outstanding Sumer Platter is designed for that! Mixing and matching these products from award-winning producers is your guarantee your platter will not only look great - but it will taste ‘outstanding’. What’s more, we’ve chosen a selection of goods made with aroha which are so delicious guests will think they came from your kitchen!

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Easy Mille Feuille by Lauraine Jacobs

Outstanding Food Producer Awards head judge Lauraine Jacobs has shared this simple take on the classic Mille Feuille. Using Outstanding Food Producer Awards winning products; Paneton Bakery “Ready to Use” Flaky Pastry and Lewis Farms, Whole Berry Strawberry Jam makes what is often a cook’s challenge in a dish anyone can whip up to wow friends and family.

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Nicola McConnell Nicola McConnell

Spring Potato, Asparagus, Lemon and Parmesan Salad

A stunning warm salad doused in hot melted lemon, herb butter and topped with shavings of Outstanding local Meyer Cheese Parmesan. A salad that can be eaten on its own. However, we love it served alongside crisp breadcrumb-coated beef or chicken schnitzel.

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Luscious Lemon Tart

A gifted copy of The River Café Cookbook from her sister after they dined there in August ‘98’ inspired Kathy Paterson and she’s been making their stupendous Lemon Tart ever since.

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Honey and Pine Nut Swirl Scones

Honey and pine nuts are a superb combination that elevates a simple, old school scone dough – true comfort eating. Work quickly but gently to produce swirl scones that have a light and fluffy texture once cooked.

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Apple Crêpes

Paper thin crepes are terrific with smooth, creamy yoghurt and the soft apples. Outstanding Food Editor, Kathy Paterson says the small amount of sugar brings out flavour in the apples, but if you prefer not to use refined sugar, you could go without it. Kathy decided to elevate the dish, serving it with a Leefield Station Riesling.

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Buttery Orange Cake

An orange-flavoured, Madeira-style celebration cake that is a brilliant carrier for icing. Madeira cake used to be served with a glass of Madeira hence its name, however a tipple of Grand Marnier would be the way to go here. For her afternoon tea Outstanding Food Editor, Kathy Paterson enjoyed a slice along with a cup of Tea Thief Mr & Mrs Grey.

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Seafood & Fish, Meats Nicola McConnell Seafood & Fish, Meats Nicola McConnell

Stew of Sausage & Clams

Thanks to our outstanding food editor Kathy Paterson for sharing this winter favourite from her collection. We recommend using Outstanding sausages such as 2024 Silver Medal winning L'Authentique, Pork Sausage. We reckon this dish would taste great with a Leefield Station Chardonnay 2023.

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Lemon Joy

Outstanding food editor, Kathy Paterson created this glass of delicious as an excuse to enjoy Charlies Lemon Gelato. We reckon it tastes even better if you match it with a glass of Leefield Station Ridgeline Riesling. It’s a set-cream dessert - where the richer the cream you use, the silkier the posset will be. Using lemon curd, lemon confit and Charlies Lemon Gelato allows us to wallow in the charm of lemons. We like to serve a little crisp biscuit with each posset to add some texture.

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The Kutai Guy Smoked Mussel Fritters

A taste of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards 2024 Champions Party; Glasshouse executive chef James Wilkinson created these with gold medal winning The Kutai Guy, Green Lipped Mussels. It’s a riff on a fritter the stewards whipped up during the OFPA judging at Homeland. Emerson’s Dear Dublin Irish Stout adds a hint of much-desired bitterness to the batter.

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Passionfruit Iced Shortbread

Outstanding Food Producer Awards recipe guru Kathy Paterson has shared one of her favourite autumn recipes. She promises that shortbread keeps well if not iced, saying she usually makes enough icing to ice half of the biscuits at a time. Passionfruit icing elevates the biscuits, making the shortbread a little special.

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Pan Asian Beef Salad

Kathy Paterson serves us up a recipe to put on repeat over summer when it’s stonkingly hot and you just need to eat something that stimulates the palate.

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