Otahuna Luxury Lodge New Zealand situated at the head of a secluded valley on New Zealand’s South Island. http://www.otahuna.co.nz Read about Otahuna Lodge in the March 2009 of the Australian Financial Review

1. L8 THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW MARCH 20-22 ●
2009
FOOD
Fertile ground for seeds of a great idea
What ingredients from your heritage
garden are you cooking with now? One of the prize attributes of New Zealand’s THREE-TOMATO GAZPACHO
The beginning of autumn and the
end of summer are a special time
newest luxury lodge, Otahuna, is a century-old
in the Otahuna gardens as we botanic garden that is a veritable Eden for chef
have the bounty of the summer
plantings alongside the cooler Jimmy McIntyre. He has spent five years on the
evenings heralding the return of
the mushroom season. We have estate, recently overhauled at a cost of
seven to eight tomato varieties at
their peak (see three-tomato
$8 million by owners Hall Cannon and Miles
gazpacho recipe, right) and
hazelnuts are falling off the trees.
Refo from Manhattan. Cannon and Refo
We have had 4 kilograms of holidayed at the lodge a few years ago and saw
porcini mushrooms so far from
under the oaks. The mulberry tree an opportunity to restore the Queen Anne
has nearly finished its season; we
just have to beat the birds to the mansion. They kept McIntyre and he has helped
fruit. The chillies are just
colouring up and we are still
bring a Relais & Chateau gong to the enterprise.
getting plenty of zucchini and
squash blossoms – they’re
Marguerite Winter talks to the talented chef. Jimmy McIntyre uses Green them until fully chilled – at least
fantastic stuffed with a creamy Zebra, Gold Nugget (yellow) and four hours. Or you could place the
chevre and coated in a crisp that as the seasons evolve and Bloody Butcher (red) tomato bowls over crushed ice.
tempura batter with salsa vierge. more produce comes on, the varieties for this recipe. Allow
Sweetcorn picked and eaten on the combination just gets better and one medium-sized tomato per Corn Salsa
day makes a beautiful soup. Not to better. It would be silly to say person for each of the three 1 cup fresh whole kernel corn,
mention the potatoes, pumpkins, every dish is amazing, as every soups. This will make enough blackened
artichokes, gooseberries, quince, day is different and not everything soup for seconds. Core and 3 firm avocados diced
almonds, peaches, pears and goes according to plan. However, quarter the three types of 1 fresh chilli seeded and chopped
apples and many many more. I did this menu last week: tomatoes and place them one type finely
Sweetcorn soup with avocado, at a time in an electric mixer 1 tsp salt
What suppliers are you using from lime and grilled tiger prawns; fitted with a paddle. Add a little 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
the Canterbury region, which has a buffalo mozzarella with fresh salt and turn the mixer to low chopped
reputation for fine food and wine? nectarine, prosciutto and rocket; speed. Run until the tomatoes are 2 red peppers finely diced
We are lucky enough to have free- braised canterbury duck leg, thoroughly broken into a pulpy Zest and juice of 1 lime
range organic ducks from a local porcini mushroom tart with slush. (Do not use a blender or Ground black pepper
producer in Tai Tapu, our local glazed carrots, green beans and food processor as it will introduce Mix together and correct the
village and a fantastic butcher who hazelnuts; Whitestone Windsor air leaving a foamy meringue.) seasoning.
helps butcher our own lamb, pork blue with pear cheese; chocolate Transfer the mixer’s contents to
and beef. He also dry-cures and parfait with strawberry and a food mill fitted with the finest Scallop Ceviche
smokes an amazing bacon. We mulberry salad. plate and mill tomatoes into a 4 scallops
make our own prosciutto and bowl. Load the mixer with the Zest and juice of 1 lime
sausages. In the winter, we can Why is Otahuna a good place for second batch of tomatoes, Allow one scallop per person:
buy white and black truffles. This you at this stage of your career? quartered and salted as before, slice off the roe and discard, slice
will be my fourth year using local I get to balance work I cook what I want using the and paddle as before. Set the first the scallop in half horizontally,
truffles and we open the lodge up freshest produce. One of our batch of milled tomatoes aside add the lime zest, juice and salt
to casual diners, which is a treat and family because I gardeners owns Tai Tapu heritage and transfer the second batch to and pepper to taste. Marinate in
for locals and a great way for them seeds and, as a result, we have the food mill over a clean bowl. the refrigerator for an hour,
to experience the Otahuna truffle don’t need to work many varieties of heirloom and Process the third colour of gently turn once or twice.
dinners. The most amazing heritage vegetables, some of which tomatoes the same way.
saffron comes from Central Otago, 100 hours a week are very rare, not to mention tasty. When all three varieties are To serve
our southern neighbours. I can open my kitchen windows pureed, check their consistency. Place a tablespoon of corn salsa
Chef Jimmy McIntyre and listen to the birds and watch They will have different textures into the centre of each chilled
Why a cooking career? as native wood pigeons feed only a and flavours. soup bowl and lay two slices of
My stepfather was a chef and I few metres away. I have an To ensure the soups greet scallop on top. Use two ladles and
started annoying him and his amazing sous chef, Jeremy. But, rather than invade each other, scoop up about 1⁄3 of a cup of two
chefs at the age of 11 years. I left most important, I get to balance you may need to add a little cold of the soups and pour them
school at 15 and went straight into work and family because I don’t water to achieve a liquid that is evenly into the far side of the
the kitchen full time. I wasn’t need to work 100 hours a week. easily pourable without being too bowl, allowing them to flow
allowed to cook and had to wash runny. towards you. Ladle an equal
dishes for two years. Have you a favourite utensil? To start, season each soup with amount of the third to the front of
My zester – the amount of flavour salt only. If you find the soups the bowl at the line where the
The best meal you ever cooked? I get out of a little citrus zest is satisfying as they are, refrigerate first two meet.
That is a hard one because I feel incredible.
Otahuna Lodge, near Christchurch,
has a century-old botanic garden.
Photo courtesy Otahuna Lodge
LIFE L08