I have just baked a luscious chocolate and blueberry cake, perfect for
Valentine's Day. But it would also be great for weddings, birthdays or
other special occasions. It's one of those rich, dense chocolaty cakes
that are simply irresistible!
The blueberries are a special surprise. Don't let the idea of grated
zucchini put you off. They can't be seen when the cake has been baked
but help to keep it moist for a several days. The icing, made from a
200 gram block of chocolate and some sour cream is so delightfully
sinful it will tempt every chocolate lover!
The recipe comes from "Plenty" published by the Whakatane West Rotary
Club. The Rotarians wanted to create something significant to
celebrate their 40th birthday. So they decided to put out a book to
showcase the Eastern Bay of Plenty's wonderful food and lifestyle. It
has given the locals a chance to share their favourite recipes and
quirky anecdotes. All the profits from the sale of this book will be
used for community projects
When a community recipe book is put together people will often be
prepared to divulge special family recipes and this book is no
exception. As one of the contributors says "I hate sharing my secret
but it's for a good cause!"
The recipes reflect the local food which comes from the land and the
bush as well as the sea. As you might expect from a coastal region
there are lots of seafood recipes such as a duet of whitebait, tuatua
fritters, creamed paua pastries, scallops on minted pea puree, and
smoked marlin pasta.
The Isis fish salad makes a great lunch. It is best made with freshly
caught snapper, kingfish or gurnard.
Roz Tucker created it on a maiden voyage to White island from snapper
caught on the way out. A little lemon salt is sprinkled on the fish.
It is then very quickly fried and tossed through a salad which
contains such ingredients as rock melon, tomatoes, cucumber and snap
peas. Over this a dressing made from orange juice, pickled ginger, soy
sauce and coconut cream. Light and delicious!
There are also chapters on nibbles and starters, barbecues and
picnics, wild foods, mains, desserts and sweet treats. Most of these
look yummy and are easy and quick to make.
For a very special dinner I'd start with the venison and brandy
terrine. For the main it would be the eye fillet on kumara rosti. For
dessert, the "Berry White Island", a romantic concoction of fresh
raspberries, cream, yoghurt, and crushed meringues. This would also be
a great meal to impress overseas guests and a welcome change from
roast lamb and pavlova!
"Plenty" was designed to be more than a recipe book. The photographs
capture the beauty of the coastal scenery as well as the food. As you
leaf through the book you almost feel as if you are at Ohope Beach
with sand between your feet, taking a leap into the water from the
Ohiwa wharf with the local kids, whitebaiting at Thornton Beach or
watching a glowing sunset at Lake Rotoma.
Another special feature of the book is the snippets of local history.
I loved the tale of how the first kumara arrived in New Zealand in the
great waka Mataatua and was planted at Matirerau.
The book also recounts how many years later Captain James Cook sailed
into the area and discovered how the sea, bays and rivers "abounded
with a great variety of excellent Fish," and mentioned that the
lobsters were the best his crew had ever eaten. No wonder he gave it
the name of the Bay of Plenty.
These days "The Bay of Plenty is still one of the great markets of the
world. Weka fricassee and kakapo casserole have been taken off the
menu, but now seafood chowder, whitebait fritters, wild pork, fresh
stream trout, native honey, cheese, berry fruits, citrus and olives,
to name but a few, all hail from the land, sea and soil."
Just reading about all this great food will be sure to tickle your
taste buds, and make you dream of a romantic weekend away .A great
place to fish, swim surf or simply lounge on the beach before tucking
into a picnic basket or firing up a barbecue. Must do this summer!
Plenty is published by the Whakatane West Rotary Club By Lyn Potter
Price $44.90
To finds out more go to:
http://www.whakatanewestrotary.org/Plenty.html
Chocolate cake the blueberry way
Recipe by Heidi Rosewarne
from Plenty published by the Whakatane West Rotary Club
http://www.whakatanewestrotary.org/Plenty.html
Ingredients
125g butter
250g cooking chocolate
½ cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup yoghurt, plain or fruit
2½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 cups grated zucchini
1½ cups Blueberry Corner blueberries
Icing
200g cooking chocolate
¼ cup sour cream
Method
In a large pot, melt butter and chocolate until smooth.
Cream through sugar and beat in eggs, one at a time, with a wooden
spoon. Add a little flour to prevent curdling. Add vanilla and
yoghurt, and then fold in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Finally, fold in zucchini and blueberries and spread mixture into a
greased 23cm cake tin.
Bake at 170˚C for 45-60 minutes. Cook for 20 minutes longer if using
frozen blueberries.
Ice when cool with 200g melted cooking chocolate and ¼ cup sour cream.
I have made this cake for weddings and Christmas as well as many
birthdays. It is a rich, moist and dense cake with the surprise of not
only blueberries but zucchini too! Heidi Rosewarne ( Blueberry Corner)
