New Zealand Food

Sausage Rolls Recipe

Sausage rolls are quite popular in New Zealand's bakeries. They are eaten any time of the day as a snack or meal but are most popular at breakfast or lunch. Unlike our sausage, New Zealand sausage is processed to almost a paste consistency. I've created this recipe to come as close as possible to the original while using American ingredients. They are quite yummy and may also be cut down to use as appetizers, with a small reduction in baking time.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 slices soft white bread
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and fine-diced
• 1/2 medium onion, fine-diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 pound ground beef chuck (80-20%)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 sheets puff pastry (17.3-ounce box), thawed
• 1 egg white whisked with 1 Tablespoon water for eggwash glaze

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two jellyroll pans with parchment paper. Cut bread into cubes and place in food processor. Pulse into crumbs. (This works best if the bread is frozen or use bread that has been exposed to the air for an hour.) Place bread crumbs into a bowl and cover with cream. Set aside. Place ground beef into the food processor and pulse until it is finely-ground, almost a puree. (Do not let the processor constantly run as the friction heat will begin to "cook" the meat.) Place in a large mixing bowl. Repeat with the pork. To the beef and pork, add the carrots, onion, sage, thyme, garlic powder, curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cream-soaked bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly with a large fork, but do not overwork or the result will be tough. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle about 10 inches by 14 inches. Cut in half lengthwise so you have two long strips. Divide the sausage mixture in half and set half aside. Divide the remaining half into two portions. Form each sausage portion into a log and place down the center of each puff pastry strip. Gently pull up pastry sides to meet forming an encased sausage roll. Wet your fingers lightly with water and moisten along the seam to seal the dough together. Cut each sausage roll into 4 pieces. Place on prepared jellyroll pan seam-side down. Repeat with remaining sausage and puff pastry sheet. Brush each sausage roll with the eggwash glaze. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 16 sausage rolls

Lamb Dinner

The Roast is one of Australia's and New Zealand's favorite ways

to eat lamb.

This recipe could not be simpler. The lamb is just oiled, salted and seasoned with garlic and rosemary.

The two most common lamb roast cuts are the leg and the shoulder. I used a shoulder here. This cut has more fat than the leg and therefore requires slower cooking.

If you have chosen to use a leg instead of shoulder, simply cook it for 20, 25 or 30 minutes per pound depending on whether you want rare, medium or well-done meat.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) leg of lamb
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2.5 tsp of sea salt
• 6 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers
• Several sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 8 potatoes
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 white onions
• Mint Sauce
• Serves 4

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 290F.
2. Cut the potatoes and sweet potatoes into inch-thick slices. Cut the onions in half and then place vegetables into a baking tray.
3. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle on some salt. Place tray in the oven on the bottom rack and roast.
4. Cover the lamb in olive oil and then sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Use the point of a sharp knife to make small incisions all over the lamb.
6. Place the garlic slivers and rosemary springs in the holes.
7. Place the lamb onto the middle oven rack with the vegetable baking tray beneath it to catch drippings.
8. Roast for 90 minutes. Test meat to see if it's done by slicing it in the thickest part. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate to rest. Cover lamb in foil and let it sit for 10 minutes.
9. Serve with potatoes, onions and mint sauce.