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Otago Daily Times
29-04-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
A life and love of sharing food
For nearly four decades Joan Bishop has shared her recipes with Otago Daily Times' readers. Having made the momentous decision to retire her Southern Kitchen column this year, she talks to Rebecca Fox about her love of food and sharing her recipes. Tasty and quick. For Joan Bishop, they are the two essentials to any good recipe. She can remember being a young mum and reading recipes extolling the virtues of spending all day in the kitchen. But Bishop had much more she wanted to do. "I don't want to be in the kitchen all day." However, she did want fascinating food. She grew up in Dunedin in a family where meat and two vege reigned, as her mother, a florist and potter, was not an inspired cook. "We always had good meals because she had been to a course on nutrition, which was quite novel in those days." At 16, Bishop had a boyfriend whose family had lived in Malaysia and so she was introduced to proper Malaysian curries, "not the English version". "It opened a whole new world for me." Combined with food experiences while travelling, it was no surprise that when she was a full-time wife and mother, she took every opportunity to attend night classes and experiment with cooking at home. When her children got older, she took on a job in 1980 as a demonstrator for Sunbeam Appliances, later becoming southern territory manager. It was a time when food processors, slow cookers and electric fry pans were making their debuts. Using the experience gained from teacher training, as a NZ National Airways Corporation air hostess and trainer of air hostesses, Bishop travelled the region doing demonstrations on how to use food processors. She found women — and it was mostly women back then — kept returning to the demonstrations asking for more information, so she decided to write a book. Her first book was published in 1984 followed by one on electric fry pans. But it was the discovery of the crockpot that really inspired Bishop. As a young mother having to juggle children and the "fractious 5pm" window, it was revolutionary. To put a meal on in the morning and have it ready at dinnertime "seemed to me the most amazing thing that could happen", she said. "But also for busy mums, it has to be tasty and quick." Another bonus with the crockpot is cooking more than you need for one night, something Bishop is a big believer in. "Because it's tomorrow's dinner, which is very special." In 1985 her crockpot book was published, a first for New Zealand, and seven new editions have been published over the years. More than 125,000 copies have sold, hence Bishop becoming known as the "Crockpot Queen". "It comes through that this was my passion, the crockpot. I just loved it." Even though she had to down-size when she moved into an apartment in a lifestyle village a few years ago, Bishop, who is now in her 80s, could not get rid of her crockpot. "I wish I still used it but I've got it here with me. I've cooked one or two things but I guess as you age you go for the simplest things." Bishop said she had greatly enjoyed writing her cookbooks. "Everything else really goes on to the back burner. And you just get so passionate about it that it really is quite a momentous occasion when the 'baby's' born. It's emotional." She still has a bookshelf crammed with cookbooks she could not part with when she down-sized, although she did part with the files of recipe clippings she had amassed over the years, apart from her favourites. "It was hard, I couldn't bear to give my cookbooks away. They're special. And I browse them often". Australian Stephanie Alexander has always been a favourite, as well as Nigella Lawson, who she describes as a "absolutely brilliant". Bishop cannot recall when her first column was printed in the Otago Daily Times but she said the column had been an anchor for her , and in recent years especially, it had been incredibly important in helping her keep productive. "I found it wonderful if things were not going smoothly; I could switch on to food and just concentrate on that. And it helped me through lots of sticky patches." Her aim with the recipes was to "keep it simple" and to create great flavours without requiring too many exotic ingredients. She has also been a big believer in eating seasonally and locally. Every Christmas and Easter Bishop would come up with a special holiday recipe, one that could be helpful if entertaining or hosting visitors, whether it be for afternoon tea or dinner. She also went to great lengths to make each recipe's introduction interesting, and even produce a "giggle" now and again. "I don't want it to be boring, I want it to be light and for it to be easy reading for people. Nigella was good source of inspiration." In 2012 publisher Random House suggested she gather the best of her recipes written for the food column and her most recent slow cooker recipes in what became known as A Southern Woman's Kitchen . She continued to write her column, coming up with nourishing recipes that also recognised that many of her readers, like herself, watched their weight. Bishop has enjoyed chatting with readers about her recipes and while she discovered not all of them actually cooked the dishes, they faithfully read the column. "The men seem to be cooking more than the women. And they chat away to me about what they're cooking and it's quite interesting things like broths and using raw bones and things. I'm intrigued by it. "But the women, I know they care about food and cooking and they're also intelligent enough to be aware they have to eat well." "I have been so fortunate to have the food, the cooking, in my life. "It's made an enormous difference, I think. Because it is an act of love, isn't it, to cook for people?" Picking a few favourite recipes from the columns has nearly been an impossible task for Bishop, but she has settled on the ones included here. Panpepato Panpetato is a fabulously spicy cake which is also chock-full of fruit and nuts plus the surprising addition of black pepper. This dense rich Italian dessert cake dates back more than 1000 years. The original name of panforte was panpepato (peppered bread). Along with a number of other spices, it contained quite a lot of pepper which was a rare and expensive spice at that time. Documents from 1205 show panpepato was paid to the monks and nuns of a local monastery in Sienna as a tax. There are also references to the Crusaders carrying panpepato, as the durable confection, which is energy and nutrient rich, helped sustain them on their travels. I have taken a few liberties with this recipe, swapping fruit and nuts to suit, and simplifying where possible. Citron, candied peel and dried figs are the most commonly used fruits in early panpepato recipes. Chocolatey, spicy and more baked confectionery than cake, panpepato is quite expensive to make but it is usually served in slim slices with coffee or a dessert wine after a meal. Makes 1 x 22cm cake 80g raisins ¼ C Grand Marnier, or other citrus-based liqueur 130g standard flour 20g cocoa powder 1 tsp finely ground black pepper 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg 130g almonds, whole, brown skinned 120g hazelnuts, no need to remove skins 90g New Zealand dried apricots, chopped 80g crystallised ginger, chopped ⅔ cup runny honey 50g caster sugar 80g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped Grated zest of two oranges Method Line the base of a 22cm round cake tin with non-stick paper and lightly oil the sides. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Place the raisins in a microwave-proof bowl, add the liqueur and cover with cling film. Microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes. The raisins will plump up as they absorb the liqueur. Not quite all the liquid will be absorbed by the raisins; the little remaining will be stirred into the cake mixture along with the raisins. Set aside to cool. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Add the almonds, hazelnuts, dried apricots and ginger and stir to mix well. Combine the honey, sugar and the chocolate in another microwave-safe container and microwave on 50% power for about a minute. Stir and repeat until melted and smoothly blended together. Or, on the stove top in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melt together the honey, sugar and chocolate, stirring until smooth. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Add the liqueur-soaked raisins, the orange zest and the still warm honey-chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. This is quite a stiff mixture. Tip into the prepared cake tin and press evenly over the base of the tin using the back of a spoon or your hands moistened with water. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. The cake will be firm but still soft when touched. Leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife. Invert on to a plate then turn right side up and cool completely. Wrap in foil and store in the fridge if the weather is hot. Otherwise, store in a cool place. It will keep for several weeks. Lovely to have on hand as a special treat to serve with coffee. A wedge of panpepato makes a wonderful gift. Blue cheese and apple muffins The sophisticated combination of flavours in these muffins makes them perfect to serve with pre-dinner drinks, as party food, or with an array of soups and salads. But eat them with whatever or however you choose. The blue cheese component is quite subtle and does not overwhelm. The muffins are easy to make. Makes 12 180g blue vein cheese, cubed 2 large eggs, size 7 ¾ C Greek yoghurt ¼ C standard milk ¼ C light olive oil 200g self raising flour ½ tsp baking soda 1 Granny Smith apple (200g), peeled, cored and finely diced Method Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 180°C and lightly oil a standard 12-hole muffin tin. Place cheese cubes, eggs, yoghurt, milk and oil into the bowl of a food processor and whizz until smooth and creamy. Set aside. Sift together the self-raising flour and baking soda into a large bowl. Stir the diced apple into the flour until it is thoroughly coated. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid ingredients all at once. Stir until just combined. The batter will be a little lumpy. There is quite a lot of batter so spoon it generously into the muffin tins, filling them to the top. Bake until lightly golden and the centre springs back when lightly pressed, 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for five minutes. Loosen the tin then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge for up to four days. These muffins freeze beautifully. Chicken in red wine with cannellini beans A complete meal in a pot, this supremely succulent stew, a combination of chicken and creamy cannellini beans in a rich red wine and tomato sauce, is topped with a parmesan crumble. Easy to assemble and able to be prepared in advance, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours before reheating. A green salad is the only accompaniment needed. Serves 8 ¼ C flour 1kg skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 10 trimmed of excess fat) 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 large red onion, thinly sliced 400g red capsicums (2 large) deseeded and thinly sliced lengthways 3 garlic gloves, crushed 1x 400g can diced tomatoes in juice ¼ tomato paste ¾ C red wine 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves or 1tsp dried 1 Tbsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 x 400g cannellini beans, drained, rinsed (or 1½C cooked dried beans) ½ C breadcrumbs (panko) 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated Method Preheat oven to 180°C Place the flour in a plastic bag, add the chicken pieces two at a time and shake to coat the chicken evenly. Shake off any excess. Heat a large non-stick frypan, add 1 Tbsp oil. When hot, fry the chicken in batches until lightly brown. Place the chicken pieces in a flat-ish casserole dish, 18cm by 30cm works well. Add remaining oil to the frypan and add the onion and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the capsicum and garlic and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, oregano, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar to the frypan, stir well and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the sauce over the chicken. (the chicken can be refrigerated at this stage for up to 24 hours) Gently stir the cannellini beans into the sauce surrounding the chicken. Cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil and place in a preheated oven for 50 minutes. If reheating the chicken from the refrigerator, bring to room temperature and allow an extra 15minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Combine the breadcrumbs and the parmesan cheese. Remove the lid or foil, sprinkle the cheese mixture over the top. Return to the oven for 10 minutes until the topping is golden.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This cheese is the GOAT; even if you don't think you like it, you probably do
For decades, my husband has believed he doesn't like goat cheese. Shhhh! Little does he know that I have incorporated it into dishes galore that he craves. I think it's the consumption of it alone with crackers that he doesn't like, but I'm not investigating any further. That seems to be the case for a few people I know, but it certainly isn't true for me. I have loved goat cheese from the moment I first tried it. My refrigerator is rarely without it and inspires me when I am ingredient-bored. Chèvre is the French word for goat, and it refers to goat's milk cheese, which has a unique tang that helps it stand apart. For eons, I purchased goat cheese unflavored, but every now and then, I like to enjoy it with a mixture of herbs added. Although it doesn't require much aging, aging can take the earthy flavor to a whole new level. More often than not, you'll see it goat cheese served in its soft yet still crumbly form in the supermarket. 'Pur chevre' is made from 100% goat milk. 'Mi chevre' cheeses are made from a mixture of both cow and goat milk. Honestly, I like them both. Proper storage is essential for maintaining the best taste, and of course, it needs refrigeration. I have found that chevre doesn't seem to prefer plastic after opening. I wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before serving for optimum flavor. If you purchase goat cheese in a cylinder or log, your best tool for cutting it into discs is a piece of dental floss. Make sure the cheese is cut as soon as it is removed from the refrigerator. Ronny asks, 'What is parboiling? How is it different from boiling? Is it the same as a rapid boil?' Ronny, Think of the 'par' in parboiling as partial. Because that's what it is. Parboiling is when you partially cook a food in boiling water. It is frequently done with dense items such as potatoes and carrots before adding them to a dish. This makes sure that everything in the recipe is sufficiently cooked at the same time. Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at This article originally appeared on Southern Kitchen: You probably like goat cheese even if you don't realize it
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Split peas: A budget-friendly solution for a quick and delicious soup
I have always kept a variety of dried beans in the pantry. These are not just for emergencies but a ridiculously economical meal option. My problem is that occasionally, I don't plan ahead. Even the quick soak method takes some forethought. Split peas, however, can be made reasonably quickly. They're a wonderful and frequent go-to item, and they're delicious. While I more often than not use them in soups, they are also a fast side dish. Split peas are perfectly named because they are specifically grown to be dried and halved. By splitting them in two, you have a nearly instant dried pea that can be soaked if you want, but it isn't necessary. Rondo is the variety of pea routinely grown for split peas. Just like regular peas, they are harvested during the summer months and then stripped clean of the cellulose skins that surround them. After stripping, they are cut in half along the natural seam of the pea and then dried. Green is the most common and least expensive color of split peas. There are also yellow split peas available. Both are energy powerhouses and have a nice, long shelf life due to the lack of moisture. I transfer mine to a canning jar so the bag doesn't get lost in the pantry, plus I can see the amount I have at a glance. When serving as a side dish, I add a peeled carrot and either an onion or leek to the cooking liquid, typically stock. I discard the flavoring agents when the peas are drained, then just add butter, salt and pepper before serving. And even with spring arriving, I still enjoy making split pea soup to knock off the chill of the evening. Roger of Chattanooga asks, 'My mother has several notations in her meal planning book referring to moscovites. Can you help me with this?' Roger, These are molded desserts that are creamy and contain fruit. Think of Bavarian cream. It is sometimes served on top of chilled sponge cake that has been soaked in cherry brandy. Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at This article originally appeared on Southern Kitchen: Split peas: A budget-friendly solution for a quick and delicious soup
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Croutons: They're simple to make and add amazing texture to salads
One year I gave up bread for Lent and was doing great until I realized my salads would suffer. No croutons on the top left me with no crunchy texture, especially when it came to my beloved Caesar salad. It was remarkable how the elimination of that one thing can change a dish so much. Croutons are cubes of bread, dried by toasting or frying until crisp. The word comes from the French word 'croute' which means crust. The exact origin appears to date back to medieval times. Stale bread, naturally hardened by drying out, was recycled, so to speak. The French popularized croutons in the 17th century by speeding the process over a griddle. These cubes of bread were adornments for dishes leading up to the main course. Since these meals were typically drawn out, the pieces of bread helped satiate those who would prefer to rush the process. Even though there are packaged croutons widely available, I like making my own. I have used a variety of breads over the years but my preference is a baguette with the crusts removed. Half inch cubes are just the right size. They aren't too big to eat in one bite, or so small that they get lost in the other ingredients. You can saute the cubes on the stovetop but I find it's much easier (and I achieve more uniform results) when the process is done in the oven. Place the cubes in a shallow baking pan and drizzle with some melted butter followed by a light sprinkling of salt. Then into a preheated 350-degree oven they go for around 12 minutes. I stir them a couple of times so they brown evenly. That's it! You can use them right away or store in an airtight container for later use. Devon of Louisville asks, 'Why are bay leaves always discarded after using in recipes?' Devon, Even though the leaves add flavor to long cooking soups and stews, they do not tenderize. They are quite tough and the edges of the leaves can almost be sharp. The flavor is pulled from the leaves over time, but due to the fibrous texture, they are removed and discarded before the dish is served. Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at This article originally appeared on Southern Kitchen: Easy crouton method: How to make texturally rich, delicious salads
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Market basket: Toothpicks are useful tools to keep around the kitchen
Exactly 153 years ago tomorrow, a rather unusual patent was issued to Silas Noble and James Cooley. Today, the Noble and Cooley Company is much more famous for making drums. But in 1872, these two enterprising men came up with a machine that would manufacture toothpicks. We know that some form of toothpicks have been used for eons. Thin tree or bush twigs were called chewing sticks and documented by early Chinese around 1600 BC. That name was very appropriate because it softened the twig and very slowly it eventually gave way to the toothbrush. Thanks to floss, most folks seldom use this slender piece of wood for the purpose it was originally intended. But it remains a must-have item in the kitchen and beyond. I use toothpicks routinely to hold wrapped bacon around steak, figs, water chestnuts, shrimp and cocktail smokies (especially around this time of year). It's perfect length and sturdiness do the job well. Toothpicks are my go-to device for checking the doneness of brownies and cakes. Although I own a cake tester, more often than not, I end up reaching for a simple toothpick to see if baking needs to continue a bit longer. A trick I learned from my Daddy is to roll sausages like kielbasa around each other to prevent them from traveling all over the grill. Toothpicks come to the rescue once more to hold it all together. I never purchase colored or plastic toothpicks but prefer plain wooden ones instead. If using as a cocktail pick, there are quite a wide array of fancy ones that are reusable. A good tip is to use the same number particularly when wrapping bacon around a large piece of steak. I always use three, then there is no issue with accidentally leaving one in the meat when serving. Scotty from Montgomery writes, 'We received a large chunk of Lancashire cheese and have enjoyed it enormously with crackers. Is there a good recipe for using it in cooking?' Scotty, Welch Rarebit is your classic for using Lancashire cheese and there are recipes galore. The cheese melts beautifully which makes it perfect for this dish. I like serving it with the same beer used in making the cheese sauce. Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on 'Volunteer Gardener' on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at This article originally appeared on Southern Kitchen: Market basket: Toothpicks are useful tools to keep around the kitchen
