Guest Recipe from Christchurch, New Zealand

Facebook is a great networking tool - and it's given me the opportunity to re-connect with many classmates from England. One of those classmate, Gary Miller, is a Chef living in New Zealand. He has graciously sent me one of his recipes to share on my blog - thanks Gary!!!

Chef Gary Miller's Savory Goats Cheese Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Baguettes cubes into pieces
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 1 T Thyme, fresh and chopped
• 1 1/2 C. Goats Cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/4 C. milk
• 1 C heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat your oven to 395 degrees.  In a bowl, combine the eggs, milk and cream and whisk together. In a separate large bowl, combine your bread cubes, onion, thyme, goats cheese together. Add the egg mixture and using your hands, mix together until all the liquid is absorbed (it should resemble sloppy paste). Salt and pepper to taste.  Scoop into suitable containers that have been sprayed with cooking spray for baking. Gary uses mini loaf tins and I used a Yorkshire Pudding cup style tin. Bake for 12 minutes or until a skewer comes clean when inserted into loaf. Allow to cool slightly before removing.

Gary states that this goes really well with Duck Breast or any red game meat.   His image below is currently on his menu... Seared Canterbury Duck Breast served with warm Goats Cheese Pudding, Petite Citrus Salad, Pinot Noir reduction and Citrus butter sauce.

Gary Miller has worked as a chef in Five Star and Michelin Star restaurants and hotels in London and held the post of Executive Chef of New Zealand's Christchurch Casino from its opening in 1994 through early 2008. He is currently the Vice President of The New Zealand Chefs Association, www.nzchefs.org.nz  The Business Manager for the New Zealand Culinary Team who over the last nine years has won many awards and accolades to international worked ranking culinary competitions.

Gary is also Consultant Chef for Silver Fern Farms, New Zealand's premiere meat processing and export company. Gary can be seen demonstrating how to cook New Zealand's finest lamb at this link: http://www.silverfernfarms.co.nz/Our-Products/For-you-at-home/Cook-with-us.asp

Gary says "food is all about enjoyment, enjoyment of the meal, enjoyment of sharing with family and friends and the enjoyment of knowing that your work brings pleasure to others."

He currently works at Octagon Live Restaurant in Christchurch, New Zealand where music, entertainment and food are brought together to create a complete dining and entertainment package. www.octagonlive.co.nz

Cake Balls - simple yet scrumptious!

Have you ever had cake balls???   I wasn't aware of this phenomena until my friend Susan Spense of HWA mentioned it to me.   I ran home and had to make my own version of this - which I did!   WOW do they taste good and are so easy to make.   I love the endless possibilities you have in creating different things to roll them in over the standard dip in chocolate.   Since the cake balls are fairly sweet, I tried making a coating that was yummy but less sugary.   Here is my version!

Cake Balls rolled in cocoa pecans

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix, prepared as directed
• 1 container buttercream icing
• 1 C. pecans
• 2 T cocoa powder

Directions:

Prepare the cake per the package instructions.   Cool completely.   Once cooled cut the cake up and transfer into a large bowl.   Crumble the cake with your clean hands and then add the complete container of buttercream icing.   Mix well until the frosting is completely incorporated into the cake.   Place the bowl into the refrigerator for an hour to cool.   Roll cake mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

In a food processor,  process the pecans until fine.   Gently mix in the cocoa power and put into a pie plate.   Roll each cake ball through the pecan cocoa powder to coat and place back onto the parchment lined cookie sheet.  

Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.   Store in an air tight container.   Use your imagination to create different coatings such as coconut, white or milk chocolate or sprinkles.

Chef Emma making guacamole

My 7 year old daughter, Emma Hurley, is becoming quite a Chef.   She's excited about her cooking class this summer at Faraday's Kitchen Store in Lakeway!   Here is her demo of guacamole... she did it all by herself.   In case you're wondering, the knife she uses is a lettuce knife.   It won't cut the skin so it's perfect for kids to learn their knife skills!

The NEW Four Points Foodie Blog

In order to keep track of all the wonderful recipes I showcase, I felt it important to start the Four Points Foodie blog!   This is my platform for all things FOOD!   I hope you enjoy and try the recipes... they are delicious and I won't let your palate down!