Top-notch winter fare: Philippa Cameron’s recipes from the high country

High country station cook Philippa Cameron. Photo / Lottie Hedley

If Philippa Cameron can keep those working on a North Otago cattle and sheep station warm and sated in the cold months, you know the food contained within her cookbook Winter Warmers: Recipes and stories from a New Zealand high country station will be a mighty welcome addition to a chilly day anywhere.

Pork sausages with apple and onion gravy. Photo / Lottie Hedley

Pork sausages with apple and onion gravy

Serves 4-6

This is a delicious, quick solution for what to make for dinner when all you can see when you open the freezer is sausages. Serve with mashed swede, kūmara or potato and freshly steamed greens.

6-8 pork sausages

60g butter

Apple and onion gravy

1 apple, thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ cup white wine

2 Tbsp flour

1 cup vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

1. Brown the sausages in half of the butter in a pan on a medium heat. Set the browned sausages aside.

2. To make the gravy, add the remaining butter to the pan and cook the apple, onion and garlic on a low heat until soft and condensed.

3. Pour in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape all the good bits off the bottom of the pan (this makes the gravy delicious).

4. Take off the heat and sprinkle over the flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until combined. Return to a low heat and add the stock. Stir until combined.

5. Place the sausages evenly throughout the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes until the gravy thickens and the sausages have warmed through.

Tips and tricks

• If you don’t have apples, you could use pears.

• If you don’t have white wine, you could sacrifice a rosé, or put 2 Tbsp of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar into your measuring jug and fill to half a cup.

Beef and beer casserole with beer dumplings. Photo / Lottie Hedley

Beef and beer casserole with beer dumplings

Serves 4-6

If this isn’t winter-warming goodness, then I don’t know what is. This casserole is rich and filling and makes plenty. The addition of dumplings means it will feed a few more mouths around the kitchen table in case visitors pop in. Serve with steamed veges on the side.

¼ cup flour

Salt and pepper

1kg stewing beef

2 knobs of butter

2 onions, finely chopped

1–2 large cloves garlic, crushed

1½ cups beer

1 Tbsp golden syrup or treacle

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Marmite

Beer dumplings

2 cups self-raising flour

½ cup chopped fresh herbs, such as fresh parsley, thyme or rosemary

25g butter, melted (optional)

1 cup beer

1. Put the flour and a good grind each of salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Cut the beef into chunks and toss in the flour mixture. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 160C fan bake. Heat a knob of butter in a Dutch oven or cast-iron pan. Saute the onions and garlic, removing them before they brown. Add another knob of butter to the dish and, in two batches, sear the beef until browned. Remove from the heat.

3. Return all of the beef, onion and garlic to the dish. Pour in the beer and use a flat wooden spoon or spatula to scrape all the goodness off the bottom of the dish. Stir in the golden syrup or treacle, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and Marmite. Cover with a lid. Cook in the oven for 1 hour, stirring every now and then.

4. To make the dumplings, place the self-raising flour and herbs in a small bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the melted butter and beer. Use a dough whisk to combine into a soft dough.

5. After 1 hour, remove the dish from the oven and place spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture around the top of the casserole. Cover with the lid for a soft dumpling, or leave it off for a crunchier dumpling. Return to the oven for 20 minutes, then serve.

Tips and tricks

• Any beer would work here, but a dark beer or draught is best.

• The purpose of the Marmite is to help with a rich, deep flavour. If you want to substitute the Marmite, you could use Vegemite or 15g instant gravy powder.

Curried cauliflower salad. Photo / Lottie Hedley

Curried cauliflower salad

Serves 4-6

It’s sometimes hard to get inspiration for salads in winter, but this is one you will want to make time after time. The yoghurt is fresh and light, and the curry flavours help liven up a winter meal.

1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped

420g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup unsalted cashews

3 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp olive oil

2–3 bulbs garlic, crushed

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

Salt and pepper

Yoghurt dressing

½ cup plain yoghurt

1 tsp curry powder

Good squeeze of lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake. Prepare a large roasting dish. Scatter the cauliflower over the prepared dish. Scatter the chickpeas and cashews on top.

2. Combine the honey, oil, garlic and spices in a pot on a low heat. Heat until runny and combined.

3. Drizzle the honey mixture over the cauliflower, chickpeas and cashews. Grind salt and pepper over the top. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing the mixture every 5–10 minutes, until slightly brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

4. To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl or jug. Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl and toss through the dressing.

Tips and tricks

• Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Lil' coffee cakes. Photo / Lottie Hedley

Lil’ coffee cakes

Makes 12

Apparently, the difference between muffins and cupcakes all comes down to icing. Muffins do not have icing, and when I think of cupcakes, I think of cute frosting-covered cakes topped with sprinkles. An image not usually associated with a high country station smoko. So, I’ve decided to call these little cakes instead.

3 Tbsp instant coffee

½ cup boiling water

1 egg

½ cup milk

150g butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

2 cups self-raising flour

Coffee icing

2 cups icing sugar

2 Tbsp instant coffee

2 Tbsp boiling water

50g butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake. Line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake cases.

2. In a small jug or cup, dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water and set aside to cool.

3. Place all of the wet ingredients, including the cooled coffee, in a large bowl and mix. Add the sugar and salt.

4. Add the self-raising flour, a little at a time to avoid any lumps, using a dough whisk or wooden spoon to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cases. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

5. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a medium-sized bowl. In a small jug or cup, dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water and add the melted butter. Slowly pour the liquid into the icing sugar and stir until smooth. Generously ice each little cake. Store in an airtight tin or container for 2–3 days.

Tips and tricks

• This recipe will also make a cake in a 20cm ring tin. Adjust the cooking time to 1 hour.

• You can substitute the instant coffee with 125ml of espresso

Edited extract from Winter Warmers: Recipes and stories from a New Zealand high country station by Philippa Cameron. Photography by Lottie Hedley. RRP$49.99. Published by Allen & Unwin NZ.