Julie Biuso says you can't beat a roast chicken...

Can't beat a roast chicken ...Waiheke has been all abuzz this past week with the opening of a new shopping block that is now home to the new supermarket, and where you will also find the Te Matuku Fish Shop. That set me off on a fishy theme and I’ve featured recipes for a great mid-week fish curry and another way with hot-smoked salmon and fennel including avocados which have just come down in price. The interesting thing about the fish curry is the two ways of presenting it – same recipe, but a rustic presentation in a chunky blue dish, and an elegant single serve on a white plate. Which do you prefer? We held our amazing event As Good As It Gets last Sunday at Casita Miro. See the pics! See the menu! See the wines! At some events everything gels, the vibe, the place, the food, the wine … and so it was on Sunday. It really was As Good As It Gets. This Sunday is Selak’s Roast Day. I love a good roast, and I truly love the recipe here for roast chicken with verjuice served warm on a leafy salad.  The verjuice juices run over the salad leaves and mingle with the lemony salad dressing  as you spoon them over the chicken. It’s an absolute star. Why wait until Sunday? I’m thinking I must be mad. I’ve agreed to take part in a debate for the NZ Guild of Foodwriters. Tomorrow night. Yikes! It’s being held at Pah Homestead in Hillsborough, Auckland. The historic home was built in 1880 and is now owned by Auckland Council and is currently used as an art gallery housing the James Wallace Art Trust’s collection of New Zealand art. It is also home to the Homestead Café run by Sam Mannering and the boys from Ceremony Café. Sam is on the opposing debating panel. I’ll have to keep an eye on him in the kitchen to make sure he doesn’t doctor my team’s dinner! The topic is, ‘These days everyone is a bloody food expert’. I’m on the affirmative. I’m just hoping no one chucks rotten tomatoes at me! Private cooking classes have kicked in, so if you want to book a date and come with a group of friends and choose your own theme for a class, send me an email to Julie@sharedkitchen.co.nz and we’ll talk it through. Have a great week. Reckon we’ll need to keep the slow-cookers plugged in for a wee while yet.   MORE