A specialty in the McGregor house when I was growing up. There were always rotten bananas to be used up and where better than in a loaf. I always loved it with a good spreading of butter . . . still do. It’s perfect with a cup of tea. This is fantastic for kids’ lunches and will keep for a few days in an airtight container. 
 
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 40-50 minutes
Makes 10 slices
 
Ingredients

     1¾ cups self-raising flour
     ½ tsp baking soda
     ½ tsp ground cinnamon
     ¼ tsp salt
     ½ cup sugar
     2 eggs
     ¼ cup milk
     75g butter, melted and cooled
     1 cup mashed banana
 
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease a 22cm loaf tin or line it with baking paper.
Sieve the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Combine with the sugar in a large bowl.
In another bowl whisk the eggs lightly, then stir in the milk, banana and butter (make sure the butter is not too hot or it will scramble the egg). Quickly add this to the dry ingredients and combine.
Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
 
Top tips
·       Throw some walnuts or macadamia into the mix.
·       Finely chopped dates are also a great addition.

Prep time 10 min
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 4
 
Ingredients
     400ml cream
     45g maple syrup
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     5 egg yolks
     50g demerara sugar
 
Method
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius.

Pour the cream, maple syrup and vanilla into a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer.
Whisk the egg yolks and 2 tsp of the sugar together until light and creamy. Pour a little of the cream mix into the eggs and combine using a spatula. Add half the remaining cream and combine, then mix in the remaining cream.

Strain into ramekins using a sieve. Pour hot water into a roasting tray so it will come about halfway up the ramekins. Place the ramekins in the hot water bath, cover the tray with tinfoil and bake for around 30 minutes or until the custard is just set. Remove and cool.
Sprinkle the remaining sugar over and use a blowtorch to heat the top of the custard until the sugar begins to caramelise.
 
Top tip:
If you don’t have a blowtorch at home, place your custards under a hot grill to caramelise the topping. Just watch them carefully.

Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 6

This recipe is from Japan – my sister-in law Chie’s family recipe. Chie cooked it for me once in Osaka and it was fantastic; hearty Japanese comfort food. It’s best eaten the following day, served warm or cold to allow the potatoes to absorb the soup. I like to use a cheaper cut of beef and cook until it is tender. The soy adds real depth of flavour and the peas a little pop of sweetness.

Ingredients
     1 tbsp oil
     2 large onions, diced
     1kg stewing steak or lamb, cut into 3cm dice
     4 large potatoes, thickly diced
     3 carrots, thickly diced
     6 tbsp sake
     3 tbsp mirin (sweet sake)
     6 cups water
     5 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
     130ml soy sauce
     2 cups peas

Method
 
Heat a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot add the onions and cook until they are just beginning to colour. Add the meat in batches and brown. When browned, add the potatoes and carrots and combine.

Now add both sakes and the water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Remove any scum that comes to the surface.
Add the sugar and soy sauce, cover and reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the peas and turn off the heat, cover and stand for at least 3 minutes.

Top tip: For a vegetarian option, replace the beef with whatever vegetables you fancy and use kelp stock. 
 

Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 3 hours
Serves: 4

This is an easy and economical Guinness and beef stew – we love it. The dumplings are optional, but highly recommended.

Ingredients
       3 fresh or dried bay leaves
       500g diced stewing beef
       500ml Guinness
       2 sticks of celery
       2 medium onions
       2 carrots
       Olive oil
       1 heaped tbsp plain flour
       1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
       Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
       250g self-raising flour
       125g really cold butter
       sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Trim the ends off your celery and roughly chop the sticks. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Peel the carrots, slice length ways and roughly chop. Put a casserole pan on a medium heat. Put all the vegetables and the bay leaves into the pan with two lugs of olive oil and fry for 10 minutes.
3. Add your meat and flour. Pour in the booze and tinned tomatoes. Give it a good stir, then season with a teaspoon of sea salt (less if using table salt) and a few grinds of pepper.
4. Bring to the boil, put the lid on and either simmer slowly on your hob or cook in an oven for 3 hours. Remove the lid for the final half hour of simmering or cooking. When done, your meat should be tender and delicious.
5. Remember to remove the bay leaves before serving, and taste it to see if it needs a bit more salt and pepper. You can eat you stew as it is, or you can add some lovely dumplings (below) to it.
6. For your dumplings
7. Preheat your oven to 190°C. Put your flour into a mixing bowl. Using a coarse grater, grate your cold butter into the flour. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
8. Using your fingers, gently rub the butter into the flour until it begins to resemble breadcrumbs. Add a splash of cold water to help bind it into a dough.
9. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and gently roll each into a round dumpling. Place the dumplings on top of your fully cooked stew and press down lightly so that they're half submerged. Cook in the oven or on the hob over a medium heat with the lid on for 30 minutes.

Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 2 hours
Serves: 4

Pork belly. Double-cooked. Sticky. You’re welcome.

Ingredients
       1kg pork belly, diced
       ¼ cup light soy sauce
       3 tbsp brown sugar
       2 tbsp dry sherry
       1 cup pineapple juice
       ¾ cup water
       2 star anise
       cornflour for coating
       1 litre cooking oil
       ½ tsp sesame oil
       finely sliced spring onion to garnish
       lettuce leaves to serve

Instructions

1. Place the pork in a glass bowl. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sherry and pineapple juice and pour over the pork. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the meat and marinade to a medium-sized saucepan and add the water and star anise. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer until the pork is tender, up to two hours.
3. When the pork is very tender, remove from the heat. Strain and reserve the liquid to make a sauce.
4. Coat the pork lightly with cornflour. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 170°C. Add the pork and fry until golden brown.
5. Place the reserved liquid in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a thick consistency, then add the sesame oil. Add the crispy pork pieces and combine.
6. Serve topped with spring onions and in lettuce leaves as pictured.

Useful tip

• When the pork hits the deep fryer, take care as it'll spit and splutter at you!

 

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Makes: 16

Cathy’s brownie recipe was a star at my mother’s café, Rhubarb, in Taranaki. She spent time in the States where she discovered the deliciousness of these chocolate brownies when she was 10 years old and visiting a family friend in Portland, Oregon. Twenty –two years later and she says her mouth still waters when this brownie comes out of the oven. If you like your brownies chewy, be sure to beat the eggs in really well!

Ingredients
       400g unsalted butter
       1 cup cocoa
       4 cups brown sugar
       ½ tsp salt
       2 tsp vanilla extract
       2 cups plain flour
       4 eggs
       1 cup chocolate buttons
       Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a 20 x 30 cm slice tin.
2. Melt the butter and cocoa in a large saucepan. Stir to combine, then add the sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Take the pan off the heat, sift in the flour and combine.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add to the mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into a tin. Pace the chocolate buttons on top in a pattern of your choice.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until if feels slightly firm. Cool in the tin, then slice. Dust with icing sugar.

Useful tips

• Be careful not to overcook the brownie or it will be dry.
• Throw in a few raspberries for something a little different

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Serves: 4

I love loading up on lamb, especially when it explodes with flavours. This lamb recipe echoes the ingredients often used in Portuguese cooking. The tradition in that part of the world where meals are made from many smaller servings means you can try more dishes than you would usually – it becomes a true culinary adventure.

Ingredients
       2 tbsp Olivado olive oil
       1 red onion, sliced
       1 tbsp smoked paprika
       3 cloves garlic, crushed
       1 red chilli, finely sliced
       125ml sherry or Madeira
       1 kg lamb steaks, diced
       2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
       1 tsp salt
       10 wooden skewers, soaked in cold water
       10 bay leaves, sliced in half lengthwise

Instructions

1. Heat a frying pan on medium-low and add a little oil. When hot, throw in the onion and cook for around 10 minutes or until golden. Add the paprika, garlic and chilli and combine well. Add the sherry or Madeira and stir, scraping any bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until the sauce has reduced a little, then set aside to cool.
2. When cool, blend or process the sauce until smooth. Place it into a bowl and add the lamb, parsley and salt. Mix well, cover and marinate for as long as you can.
3. Thread the lamb onto the skewers with the odd bay leaf between pieces. Cook under a hot grill for 10 minutes or on the barbecue, turning often, until cooked to your liking.
4. Serve with a fresh green salad. You could also add a side of asparagus since its coming into season. Blanch it, cook on the bbq, season and serve with a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon.

Useful tip

• You can de-skewer the lamb and serve in lettuce cups.