Yes chef! In the Kitchen with Peter Gordon

Restaurateur, writer and fusion pioneer chef Peter Gordon has generously accepted our invitation to join us each Saturday for Summer Weekends to make us lunch, or it could be dinner or even both.

This morning to launch the new year Peter is in the RNZ studio in Auckland with me this morning. 

Because it's not every day we get to ask questions of an award winning chef let alone our very own Peter Gordon - please text any questions you have from your kitchen. 

What are you wanting to try or what have you tried and failed? There is no-question-too-a-silly so we feel empowered to cook with what we have, staying within an accessible price point, while not flinching when unexpected guests show up - we know without doubt what we're about to serve will hit the spot.

 

Kiwi summer chicken salad, peanut condensed milk mayonnaise 

For RNZ Summer Kai Kōrero: keeping it reasonably inexpensive as you use the bones to make a broth for another meal  

For 6  

1kg chicken drumsticks, skin on 

1 onion, peeled and sliced thin 

4 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 

1 thumb ginger, unpeeled but washed, thinly sliced 

1 chilli, sliced – to taste – or use a bottled chilli sauce 

Salt 

600g potatoes, whole or peeled, but cut into even sized chunks anywhere from 2 - 4cm so they cook at the same time, or halve the potatoes if using baby ones  

2 Tablespoons vinegar – cider, red wine, white wine 

1 cup condensed milk mayonnaise 

½ - ¾ cup crunchy peanut butter 

400g tomatoes, if using cherry tomatoes cut in half lengthways, if using larger ones cut into 1cm dice or slice ½ cm thick – whatever you like 

¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted – or use sunflower seeds or nuts – even pre-toasted salted nuts work well like honey roast cashews, bbq spiced peanuts etc 

1 iceberg lettuce – cut into wedges or cut in half lengthways and slice thickly 

2 Tablespoons EV olive oil (or any oil) 

 

1. Cut the ankles of the drumsticks (it loosens the flesh), pat dry and lightly season with salt and pepper then fry in a pan in a little oil over medium heat 

2. Brown the chicken all over, remove to a plate 

3. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan and fry a few minutes till onion caramelised, stirring now and then to prevent it burning 

4. Return the drumsticks to the pan along with 1 teaspoon salt. Add enough hot tap water to just cover the drumsticks, bring to a boil, put a lid on the pan and cook at a rapid simmer 15-20 minutes till cooked through. To check, take a drumstick from the pan and using a sharp knife cut the flesh at the fattest end and if no blood showing then they’re cooked. Leave to cool to room temperature and remove the flesh from the bones 

5. For another meal add the bones back to the poaching liquid, bring to a boil and reduce the stock by half over medium heat. This can then be strained and used for a broth for soup or a pasta dish – just add some thinly sliced vegetables (zucchini, beans, carrot, cauliflower, whole frozen peas) boil till barely done then mix with cooked pasta and sprinkle with loads of grated parmesan in the bowl. The broth can also be frozen for up to 3 months 

6. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water and cook till just done – drain in a colander, tip onto a plate and drizzle the vinegar over and leave to cool 

7. Make the mayonnaise using the following recipe. Mix 1 cup of it of it with the peanut butter, it will be quite thick, you can thin it by mixing in a little cold water 

8. To serve as individual cut the iceberg into wedges – however many of you are eating it and spread a little of the mayonnaise along one side of the wedge, lay on your plates with the peanut side facing up. Mix the potato and tomatoes together with the olive oil and a little salt and pepper, then lay around the lettuce wedge. Lay the chicken on, drizzle with a tablespoon of the reduced broth which can be hot or cold. Dollop on the peanut mayonnaise and scatter with the toasted seeds 

 

Condensed milk mayonnaise 

1 tin condensed milk 
1 cup vinegar (growing up we used malt vinegar, but great with any vinegar except balsamic – too sweet) 
1-2 tsp mustard powder, or 1 Tablespoon grain or Dijon mustard, or use wasabi  

1 tsp flaky salt or less of fine salt – or use 1 ½ Tablespoons soy sauce  

 

1. Whisk everything together and leave for 5 minutes, then whisk again and add more mustard or seasoning if needed 

 

Eggless alioli 

You’ll need a stick blender and a jug or narrow bowl to make this as there isn’t a lot of volume - something narrow and deep, rather than flat and wide. 

3 - 4 cloves peeled garlic, sliced – and you can add a few cloves of black garlic to make it even nicer 

300ml whole milk (don’t use trim milk) 

approximately 300ml sunflower oil or light olive oil 

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

  

1. Blitz the garlic and milk on full speed for 20 seconds 

2. Drizzle in the oil, slowly at first, then a little faster as it begins to thicken, lifting the blender up and down as it thickens to make sure it’s all incorporated.  You may not need to use all the oil 

3. Lastly blitz in salt and pepper to taste 

4. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days