Dinner With The Dudes

The other night we were invited to a cooking demonstration at our friend’s Sheryn and Steve's house.

Ceasar

Skip

Sheryn had invited Ceasar (chef) and Skip (right-hand man) - "The Dudes" - down to her house to cook us dinner - with the challenge to use ingredients that she has produced on her block - no fancy pre-prepared, expensive stuff.

They spent the day harvesting and milking etc. Then 8 ladies (some with their partners) came and joined them in the evening. We watched them cook, learnt the tips of trade, drank vast amounts of wine (an essential part of cooking) and ate the resulting dinner.

Most of the preparation was done before I got there but I was still able to watch Ceasar plate up and learn some of the ways he had prepared the food beforehand.

Ceasar tossed the salad that included julian carrots, grapes and walnuts, for the vegetarian main course. In the bowls in front of him are deep fried basil, halved cherry tomatoes, iced shredded spring onions and thin kumara chips.
This was all built up on the plate creating quite a tower of food and decorated with nasturtium flowers.

The trick was to place small handfuls of salad on top of each other to allow air to hold it up so to speak. Next were the kumara chips, spring onion, basil and flower and the cherry tomatoes placed around the base. A dressing was made from vinaigrette and plum sauce and dribbled around the completed salad.






Then it was Sheryns turn to copy it!








The main meat course was roasted vegetables topped with a pork steak that Skip had barbequed.
This also had caramelised apple rings and then topped with the spring onions, basil and nasturtium flowers.

We prepared the tables outside with hops from the orchard and tea light candles.

Harry was very handy with his lighter!!

We had 19 people eating and enjoying the food and company in the evening air.


After the dessert of fruit crumble and what I would call an egg custard The Dudes gave us a display of twirling fire sticks.