Dish

Now that we’re back from holiday and well and truly into the new year, it’s time to look forward to the 12 months ahead. Two wonderful humans who will be enjoying a fresh start are Maddie Ballard and Liam Carr. Maddie, the writer of so many wonderful dish features, an eagle-eyed sub, and the most-loved interviewer I know, and Liam, the quick-witted digital expert who has wooed our online audience with his superbly entertaining email letters and masterfully run our social media presence, are both off to new adventures. Maddie heads south to Wellington to further her impressive education with a Masters at university, while Liam is winging his way to Mexico before touching down in Sydney and a new life ahead. Both have been a huge part of my work…

Claire Aldous Food Editor @clairealdous Q Where have you eaten out recently and enjoyed? A The warm and welcoming ambience at Bar Martin (Auckland) is reminiscent of those small neighbourhood bars that you chance upon when wandering through the streets of Paris. Order anything off their small plates menu and you won’t be disappointed. Q Tell us about something you’ve cooked this month. A I love really punchy vegetable dishes so I seared off thick wedges of cabbage then baked them in a gutsy chilli-laden puttanesca sauce. Ripped mozzarella added for the final five minutes melts into pockets of deliciousness. Q What recipe are you most excited about in this issue? A Olivia Galletly’s Silverbeet, Chilli and Lemon-stuffed Flatbreads (page 102) and Coconut, Lime and Sambal Grilled Chicken (page 94) sound totally moreish! Liam Carr Digital Editor Q Where have you…

1 Sarah Tuck, Editor Sage Restaurant, Paroa Bay: While in Northland making this issue (see page 42), we dined at Sage, where the carefully curated menu had us swooning. We got underway with fabulous Tunisian-inspired Lamb Ribs, followed by the Ricotta Croquettes with Greens, Twice-cooked Cambridge Duck with Braised Fennel and 12-hour Slow-braised Lamb Neck. It was lucky the lamb neck (pictured above) is designed to feed two, given the three of us pounced on it immediately. All the dishes were utterly delicious, but the lamb was a stand-out, meltingly tender and beautifully flavoured. Grilled Brassicas made for a perfect side along with Roasted Agria Potatoes. Only one brave soul had room for dessert – satiny House-churned Gelato made with organic eggs and Bella Vacca milk. If you’re keen on a…

Lots of Veg and Three-cheese Not-sausage-rolls, page 56 Sarah Tuck: I’m such a huge fan of a good sausage roll and can’t wait to get another bite of the Lots of Veg and Three-cheese Not-sausage-rolls that Claire made during our Paroa Bay jaunt. My youngest son is vego too, so I know he’ll appreciate them – packed with flavour and cheesy goodness! Fudgy Chocolate-topped Nut Bars, page 134 Maddie Ballard: Every day around 3pm, I find myself in irresistible need of a sweet treat. These moreish bars more than hit the spot – and with a whole lot less sugar than a Tim Tam. Pasta alla Nonna, page 66 Chrisanne Terblanche: I love cooking with seasonal veges and this recipe uses some of my favourite summer veg. I can’t get enough of the combination of…

As someone who appreciates Spanish culture, I’ve had my eye on K Road’s Candela for quite some time. Over the years, however, I’ve become skeptical of restaurants that claim to be ‘authentic’ or ‘inspired by’ a particular cuisine – by whose determination? And to what degree? What’s fascinating is that Candela was recently awarded full certification by ICEX, a Spanish government agency which recognises restaurants outside of Spain that best present themselves as global ambassadors of Spanish cuisine. A claim which only Candela can make both here and in Australia. Did I know this before dining there? Not at all. Has it changed my opinion of Candela? Absolutely not, because it couldn’t be higher. There’s something effortlessly cool about Candela. Like James Dean leaned up against a wall with his hair…

Maison des Lys 567 Great North Road, Auckland Self-taught baker Drissilla David opened her pâtisserie, Maison des Lys, in October 2022, after two years trading at the Shed Collective Market. She and her partner Peter opened the shop hoping to spend more time with their young daughter Hazel. The twist? Maison des Lys’ inventive range of treats is entirely plant-based – from ‘ham and cheese’ croissants, to delicate tartes aux fruits filled with vegan crème pâtissière, to the coffees made exclusively with plant-based milk. Drissilla went vegetarian in her teens and vegan a few years later, out of concern for animal welfare, and says she’s never looked back. Drissilla loves being able to delight people with French viennoiserie and pâtisserie that somehow avoids using any dairy or eggs, traditional mainstays of the genre. Maison…