Alison Lambert

This is a mighty loss for organics, for The Otago Farmers Market and for all the many loyal customers (like us) who have been blessed with honest, genuine, nutrient filled veggies. The loss is bigger than you can imagine.
I know Nigel will be back, he deserves more respect than was given. He was/is Oamaru Organics.
To the next chapter Nigel 👊

We just want to take the time to acknowledge the man that made Oamaru Organics.

Nigel took over management of the farm a few years ago and through his hard work and determination we have been able to supply our organic produce to customers all over the country. He worked outrageous hours, you may have seen the lights of the tractor in the paddock all hours of the night, to keep the produce flying out the chiller doors.

He has made the decision to step back from the farm and has resigned. He will be taking some well deserved time off to rest and relax and focus on his next step.

He wishes to thank all that made the farm possible and his time as management such a fulfilling experience.

ROASTED BEETROOT AND WHITE BEAN DIP

Beetroot are great for adding a bit of colour and cheer to a dull day. This easy beetroot dip was delicious and indeed very vibrant and cheerful.
I roasted the beetroot to give a deeper and sweeter flavour, blended it with cannellini beans which rounded out the flavour and added a light, creaminess to the dip. I enjoyed it with a selection of fresh vegetables and it was delightful.

Preparation time - 15 minutes
Cooking time - 40 minutes
Skill - easy
Makes 400 ml

Ingredients
200g cooked beetroot, peeled
425g tin cannellini beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ tsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp tahini paste
1 tsp salt
1 lemon, juice

Method
Roughly chop the beetroot and place into the bowl of a food processor, blend to finely chop.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until a velvety smooth puree has formed.
Taste and adjust if necessary.
It will last in the fridge for 3 days.

ITALIAN RICE AND CABBAGE SOUP

I love a recipe steeped in history and one that only requires a handful of humble ingredients. This soup is like a lot of Italian soups which are thick, dense and satisfying. The flavour is subtle and sweet, just like the ingredients.

Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 2 hours
Skill - easy
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced thinly
500g (1 medium) cabbage
1.5 litre vegetable stock
200g arborio (short grain rice)
Parmesan rind, plus parmesan for serving
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Method
Add the olive oil to a heavy base large pot.
Add the onion and cook gently until soft and lightly golden in colour.
Add the cabbage and stir through the onions, cook for about 10 minutes or until lightly coloured.
Pour over the stock, turn the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for at least an hour so the cabbage is very soft and sweet.
Add the parmesan rind, 1 teaspoon of salt and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
Add the rice, stir and cook until the rice is al dente (tender). If the soup becomes too thick add another cup of water.
Season the soup with more salt if needed.
Serve it with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, freshly grated parmesan and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.

QUINCE AND APPLE CRISP

Every year I look forward to the quinces arriving at the farmers market. There is nothing that comes close to their unforgettable flavour and fragrance.
This pudding is everything a winter pudd should be. The quinces are combined with apples and baked together with a buttery, spiced topping. The delicious aromas will fill your kitchen and warm your hearts.

Preparation time - 20 minutes
Cooking time - 1hr 30 minutes
Skill - moderate
Serves - 6

Ingredients
3 quince, peeled and cored
3-4 apples, peeled and cored
2 cups water
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup honey
1 lemon, cut in half
1 cinnamon stick or ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom

Crisp
¾ cup flour
½ cup oats
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp mixed spice
90g cold butter
¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method
Begin by cooking the quince as they can take at least an hour to become tender.
Place the water, sugar, honey, lemon, and spices into a deep saucepan. Bring to the boil.
As soon as you have prepared the quince, cut them into 5mm thick slices. Add directly to the poaching liquid. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a paper round and cook the quince until tender (this can take up to if not longer than an hour).
To make the crisp topping; make this while you are cooking the quince.
In a bowl add all the dry ingredients, mix to combine.
Add the cold butter and rub through with your finger tips. It is fine if the butter is rubbed in a little unevenly as it adds a great texture to the crisp topping. Set aside.
Slice the peeled and cored apples and cut into similar thickness to the quince and add to the quince. Cook gently until the apples just soften and the liquid has reduced.
Preheat the oven 190C
Pour the quince and apple mixture into a lightly butter dish 25cm in diameter (approx).
Scatter over the crisp topping, do not press it down.
Bake in the middle of the oven until the topping is golden and has become crispy and the quinces are bubbling.
Best enjoyed warm with cream or icecream.

perfect Meatless Monday supper. I used cauliflower and sweet potatoes to create this delicious bowl of goodness. enjoy x

SATAY CAULIFLOWER  — Alison Lambert -taste of my life SATAY CAULIFLOWER  It is hard to pass up a good satay sauce and this dish is using cauliflower instead of the more traditional chicken and it works so well.  The cauliflower is marinated then seared to add another level of flavour. It is then finished in the lightly spiced

giving you options here using up the mighty vegetables and combing some beans to create a delicous veggie burger

WINTER VEGETABLES ARE THE STAR OF THE SHOW — Alison Lambert -taste of my life WINTER VEGETABLES ARE THE STAR OF THE SHOW Winter time is sure upon us and the drastic drop in temperature and shorter days cosied up by the fire call for comforting food.  As you know I love food and I particularly love to celebrate the mighty vegetable.  Winter time is no dif

AQUAFABA MACARONS

Well this was a revelation as I had never tried to make macarons egg free before, actually i didn’t even realise it was possiblity? I simply used the aquafaba from a tin of chickpeas, to substitute the egg whites and the rest of the process was the same. They turned out incredible and it was a delight to be able to share them to friends and family who would normally not be able to eat them for dietary reasons.

Makes 20 macarons
Ingredients
250g aquafaba
¼ tsp cream of tartar
100g caster sugar
100g icing sugar
100g ground almonds
Colourings

Icing
80g dairy free spread
200g icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla essence
plant based milk

Method
Continued in comments 😊
(Method is a little too long)

CRISPY KOREAN-STYLE FRIED GNOCCHI

There cannot be many of us out there who don’t enjoy the sweet, sticky spice of the Korean fried chicken? I adore it and for those more relaxed weekend vibe dinners this one is fantastic. I have even cheated with this one and bought ready made gnocchi and dressed it up with this delicious sauce, scatter over some spring onions and more sesame seeds and you have a delicious dinner in 30 minutes.

Preparation time - 15 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Skill - easy
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pkt 500g potato gnocchi
2 Tbsp cornflour
2 Tbsp neutral oil

Sauce
2 Tbsp gochujang paste
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
3-4 Tbsp maple syrup or agave
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
30 ml water

Spring onions, sliced thinly to garnish

Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
Meanwhile to make the sauce, combine all the ingredients together in a medium saucepan, whisk the ingredients together. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened (10 minutes).
Once the water has come to the boil, add the gnocchi and give it a stir to separate the gnocchi.
Cook the gnocchi as directed on the packet. You will notice the gnocchi rising to the surface, once all gnocchi has done this, drain immediately and refresh under cold water.
Drain the gnocchi then toss in the cornflour.
Add the oil to a large fry pan, when hot add the gnocchi (may need to do this stage in batches). Cook until golden and crispy.
When all the gnocchi has been cooked, toss it in the sauce so it is well coated.
Serve with the spring onions.

SATAY CAULIFLOWER

It is hard to pass up a good satay sauce and this dish is using cauliflower instead of the more traditional chicken and it works so well. The cauliflower is marinated then seared to add another level of flavour. It is then finished in the lightly spiced peanut satay sauce.

Preparation time - 30 minutes
Cooking time - 40 minutes
Skill - easy
Serves - 4

Satay seasoning
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp turmeric
½ - 1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp curry powder
1 ¼ tsp salt
2 tsp sugar

750g cauliflower, cut into large florets
2 (400g) sweet potatoes, large cubes

Satay sauce
2 Tbsp oil
1-3 red chillies (depending on how hot you want it)
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lemongrass stalks
1 cup peanuts, roasted
500 ml vegetable stock
2 tsp kecap manis
3 tsp soy sauce
1 x 400g can coconut milk
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 limes, juice and zest
Coriander sprigs for garnish

Method
Begin by adding all the ingredients for the seasoning into a bowl and stir well to combine.
Sprinkle over 3 ½ tablespoons of the seasoning mix over the cauliflower florets and mix well to coat. Set aside for at least an hour if possible to allow the spices to seep into the cauliflower.
Over a medium heat, add the oil to a large fry pan.
Add the seasoned cauliflower in 2 batches if need be as you do not want to overload the fry pan. Cook the cauliflower quickly as you want to retain the crispness. Remove from the pan and set aside
To make the satay sauce.
Using the same pan add the onion, garlic, chilli, lemon grass and cook for 3-4 minutes over a moderate heat.
Add the mixture to a blender along with 1 cup of vegetable stock, 1 cup of peanuts, blend until almost smooth.
Pour this mixture back into the pan and add the remaining stock, peanut butter, coconut milk, kecap manis and soy sauce. Bring the mixture back to the boil, reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer, add the cauliflower and sweet potato,
Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Finish with a sprinkle of roasted peanuts, coriander and fresh lime.
Serve with brown fluffy rice.

KIWI (VEG) BURGER

This burger is an absolute winner. Whether you are plant-based or not this veggie based pattie is a combination of delicious mushrooms, beans and beetroot. When added to your burger with all your favourite toppings you taste buds will be blown-away!

Preparation time - 20 minutes
Cooking time - 30 minutes
Skill - easy
Serves - 4

Ingredients
4 x burger buns

Pattie
1 can kidney, adzuki or black beans, drained
250g mushrooms
1 shallot, roughly chopped
150g bread, roughly chopped or breadcrumbs
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp soy sauce
Few splashes worcestershire sauce
1 medium (160g) beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated

Fillings
Mustard
Tomato ketchup
4 x Iceberg lettuce leaves
4-8 slices pickled beetroot
2-3 gherkins, sliced thinly
4 slices cheese
2 tomatoes, sliced thickly
Onion, thin slices

Method
Preheat oven 200C
Place the mushrooms, shallot in the bowl of the food processor and blend lightly.
Add the drained beans and seasoned with salt and pepper, pulse to combine. Do not over blend as it will go mushy.
Add the beetroot, soy and worchestershire and mix together, mould into 4 even sized patties.
Lightly grease an oven tray with oil and place the patties onto the tray.
Roast for 10 minutes, turn over and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, gather the ingredients to go with the burger.
Prepare the buns, lightly toast or warm.
Have all your fillings prepared and ready to load onto your burger.
Once the burger patties have cooked for 20 minutes, lay over the sliced cheese and return to the oven. Change to grill setting and quickly grill until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Place onto your prepared burger bun, layer with your desired fillings, place on the top and enjoy.

Super easy and super delicious 'apple pillows' (cookie)

APPLE PILLOWS — Alison Lambert -taste of my life These airy apple cookies reminded me of little pillows. They are light and delicate in texture with a comforting apple pie flavour.  They are simple and quick to prepare and I like to finish them off with a little icing. Preparation time - 20 minutes Cooking time - 18 minutes Skill - e

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AUTUMNAL BEETROOT AND FIG SALAD WITH A TOUCH OF BLUE CHEESE — Alison Lambert -taste of my life A salad like this came about from wandering around my garden and rummaging through my fridge.  When making a salad with what's on hand a few key things to think about are flavours of ingredients, the textures such as crunchy, soft, leafy etc.  It must have a good punchy dressing to

YOGHURT MARINATED ROMANESCO — Alison Lambert -taste of my life Romanesco is such an ancient looking vegetable, which is a cross between cauliflower and broccoli. It can be cooked as you would a cauliflower and it absorbs flavour easily. This dish consists of flavouring the cooling yoghurt with spices and dressing it with lemon and a hint of chilli. P

FEIJOA, APPLE AND PEAR CRUMBLE SLICE — Alison Lambert -taste of my life This slice is a happy accident which turned out utterly delicious.  I have an abundance of apples, pears and feijoas at home and I was thinking of a warming crumble for dessert.  I then decided I needed a slice for the cupboards to keep the children full over the holidays. 

SCRUMPTIOUS APPLE TURNOVERS — Alison Lambert -taste of my life If like me you will come across apples softening in your fruit bowl.  Everybody seems to push them to the side to find the crunchy one.  This is where a quick dessert like apple turnovers come in very handy.  They can be eaten warm with ice cream for a homely dessert and t

YOGHURT MARINATED ROMANESCO

Romanesco is such an ancient looking vegetable, which is a cross between cauliflower and broccoli. It can be cooked as you would a cauliflower and it absorbs flavour easily.
This dish consists of flavouring the cooling yoghurt with spices and dressing it with lemon and a hint of chilli.

Preparation time - 15 minutes, plus 1 hour to marinate
Cooking time - 3 minutes
Skill - easy
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients
1 head romanesco
½ cup unsweetened greek yoghurt
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground five spice
1 tsp good quality honey
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp sultanas (i used golden)
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp h**p seeds, lightly toasted
1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely diced to serve

Method
Remove the core from the romanesco. Slice the florets into 3mm slices (approx). Pick through the outer leaves and add.
In a mixing bowl add the yoghurt, spices, honey, zest and half of the lemon juice.
Whisk in the oil and season with a little salt and cracked pepper.
Add the romanesco and stir to coat, cover loosely and let the marinate for at least an hour.
Heat the vinegar in a saucepan with the sultanas, recover and remove from the heat. Allow to cool and plump up.
To assemble, add the cool sultanas to the romanesco and mix through.
Arrange on a platter, scatter over the h**p seeds and finish with a dusting of red chilli.

WHITE BEAN, LEEK AND FENNEL SOUP — Alison Lambert -taste of my life This soup is perfect for those evenings when you are low on time but wanting some warming and comforting food.  Having a tin of cannellini beans or chickpeas in your pantry combined with some good seasonal ingredients, will inspire you to create a quick nourishing meal in minutes. Prep

ROAST CARROT, PARSNIP AND FREEKEH SALAD
This is such a delicous salad full of interesting textures and packed with flavour and goodness. I am using freekeh as it is one of my favourites. Freekeh is a flavoursome green wheat, and has a wonderful chewy texture and a wholesome nutty flavour, which adds a wonderful depth to this tasty and nourishing salad.

Preparation time - 20 minutes
Cooking time - 1 hour
Skill - moderate
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup freekeh
4 Tbsp oil
1 leek, sliced thinly
300g carrots, peeled (keep the tops if available)
300g parsnips, peeled
200g kale, stalks removed
Dressing
2 Tbsp pomegranate or date molasses
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of cinnamon
Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper

Method
Rinse the freekeh with cold water.
Add 2 Tbsp oil to a wide based pot or fry pan.
Add the leek and cook gently for 2 minutes.
Add the freekah and stir to coat the grains in the oil, toast lightly for 2-3 minutes.
Add 3 cups of water and season lightly with salt. Stir well, cover and reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until the grain is tender.
Drain and set aside.
Preheat the oven 180C
If the carrots come with their green tops, remove them and set them aside for later.
Cut the carrots and parsnips into 3cm lengths, place into a bowl and 2 tablespoons of oil, season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and toss all together until well coated.
Spread out into a baking dish and roast, turning often until golden and tender (20 minutes). Remove and add to the freekeh (also any juices).
If you have carrot tops, pick through them and remove the stalks. Add the carrot tops to the freekeh and carrot mixture.
Alice the kale thinly and sprinkle with a little salt and massage to combine and to soften the leaves. Add the freekeh.
To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients together and pour over the salad. Mix really well so that the dressing coats the freekeh grains and clings to the vegetables. Let sit for 30 minutes so the grain and vegetables soak up the dressing.

SCRUMPTIOUS APPLE TURNOVERS

If like me you will come across apples softening in your fruit bowl. Everybody seems to push them to the side to find the crunchy one. This is where a quick dessert like apple turnovers come in very handy. They can be eaten warm with ice cream for a homely dessert and they also make an excellent snack and pack snugly into lunch boxes.

Preparation - 30 minutes
Cooking time - 30 minutes
Skill - easy
Makes 4

Ingredients
2 medium-large apples, peeled and cored
50g sugar
1 lemon, zest
½ tsp ground cinnamon

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
1 Tbsp milk for brushing
2 Tbsp sugar

Method
Roughly cut up the apples and place into a medium saucepan, add the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of water, cover with a lid and cook over moderate heat until the apples are soft and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
To assemble the turnovers. Preheat the oven 200C
Divide the apple mixture into four.
Using one sheet of the ready rolled pastry, cut in half and place a spoonful of apple compote on one half of each pastry strip. Allow 1.5cm from the edge, brush lightly around the edge of the pastry and fold the pastry over the apple filling to form a rectangular shape. Press the edges together to seal. I secure the edges by pressing down on the back of a fork along the pastry edge. Repeat with the remaining pastry.
For best results, place the apple turnovers in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Prick the top of the pastry, brush with a little milk, sprinkle over the sugar. Place onto a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffy.
Enjoy

Who doesn't love a warm fruit pie? This fruit pie is amazing and i have made it to give for Easter. A beautiful pie like this needs to be shared with friends and family. The pastry is my ultimate for making fruit pies. I used apples and plums, however mix it up to suit what you have x

WIND-FALL PIE — Alison Lambert -taste of my life   A PIE FOR SHARING   As a pie eating nation I thought making a homemade pie to give and share over Easter would be such a well received gift.  Pies come in many forms, from fruit and vegetable fillings to all cuts of meat, some with puff pastry, some with shortcrust.

one of my favourite pies - Blueberry

BLUEBERRY PIE — Alison Lambert -taste of my life I remember eating my first ever blueberry pie many years ago when travelling the states.  Back then blueberries were rather scarce and I would certainly never have had enough to fill a pie.  My times have changed and we are very fortunate now to have delicious, plump blueberries gr

get picking those tomatoes, no mater how they are looking. This jam is savoury with sweet, sticky and a little kick. It is has been a big hit in my household. Goes great in sandwiches, alongside your breakfast etc

ROAST TOMATO, CHILLI JAM  — Alison Lambert -taste of my life I have collected the last of my tomatoes from the vines.  My tomatoes now are really only good for cooking and this jam is sticky, sweet with a little heat to finish it off.  It makes such a great condiment and will keep for months. I used a variety of tomatoes from cherry to be

Using up the last of my tomatoes to make this irresistible sticky, sweet, chilli jam.

This Easter i am making pies for gifts. I remember having a homemade family pie for dinner and it was memorable. So i thought why not do the same for Easter and give a delicious pie for sharing with the family

JUST FOR YOU - meringues with strawberries and cream

This cute little dessert is easy to whip up and looks adorable.
It could also add a little more love to your already special night.
Make an extra special effort this valentines, it will say a lot x

Recipe -tasteofmylife.org

ONION AND CHIVE QUICHE

I came across the most succulent locally grown onions the other day and thought of this quiche I once had. It had a delicious creamy texture with the added delight of tender steamed onions. This would make a fantastic treat for a summer picnic or a light dinner with a crisp salad.

PLUM JAM

Plum’s are appearing everywhere at the moment. I am a great forager and found an abundance on my walks. Plum jam is tart and sweet and can be enjoyed simply on a piece of toast or put into a sauce to spice it up!

BLUEBERRY PIE

I remember eating my first ever blueberry pie many years ago when travelling the states. Back then blueberries were rather scarce and I would certainly never have had enough to fill a pie. My times have changed and we are very fortunate now to have delicious, plump blueberries grown locally and in abundance.
This pie has a crisp, buttery crust which holds the juicy blueberry filling. It is delicious eaten hot or cold, with or without cream. It’s just the perfect pie 🥧 🫐 Recipe is in my blog
⬆️ tasteofmylife.org

SUCCULENT CARROTS WITH STICKY NEW SEASON GARLIC

When new season carrots team up with fresh, sticky, plump new season garlic, you are in for a flavour explosion.

Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Skill - easy
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 bulb new season garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
500g new season carrots, washed and tops removed
5 sprigs summer savoury, rosemary or thyme
Salt and cracked pepper
Juice of lemon

Method
Over a moderate heat, add the butter and oil to a medium saucepan.
Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until it starts to go golden.
Add the carrots (cut in half lengthways if a little too large). Stir to coat in the garlicky oil.
Add the sprigs of herbs, season lightly. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and give the carrots a quick stir.
Add 2 Tbsp water and cover once again with the lid and cook until the carrots are tender (5-8 minutes.
Squeeze over a little lemon juice and serve with all the garlic, herbs and juices.