Underground kai (+recipes)

Top Kiwi chef Peter Gordon has never been one for playing by the rules when it comes to food.

Famous for bringing diverse flavours together in his signature fusion cuisine, Gordon is now championing a revolution in New Zealand's indigenous cooking.

This time next week he'll be serving the ultimate gourmet hangi to 600 diners, including Maori King Tuheitia, to celebrate Matariki at Turangawaewae Marae in the Waikato.

"People think of hangi as succulent but bland," Gordon points out. "But why should it be? Why can you only cook food that's got no seasoning and comes out flavourless? So I decided to turn hangi on its head."

Catering the same event last year, Gordon modernised the traditional hangi by using flavours such as garlic, rosemary, kawakawa, allspice, coconut milk and ginger.

Not everyone on the marae was convinced by his plans for fancy kai. "The women were brilliant," he recalls. "They were really into what we were doing. But the guys who put the hangi down kept saying, 'You can't do that, it's not going to work'."

Since he'd never created a hangi on a marae before, Gordon admits he had a few doubts himself. "As I was rubbing kawakawa paste on to a whole sheep I did wonder if this was a bad idea and if instead of coming out bland and boring it would all taste over-seasoned and the flavours would meld together."

So it was a relief when the hangi was opened to find the meat moist, tender and smoky, and the flavours distinct rather than homogenous.

"We'd marinated the meat for 24 hours so I guess the flavours had been well absorbed, which is why they didn't crossover," he says.

Having learned a few hangi lessons last year, Gordon is excited about creating a second gourmet banquet to help raise funds for the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre.

He's planning a menu that includes pork loin topped with red curry coconut, horopito and tomato paste; chickens marinated in turmeric, manuka honey, ginger, cumin and kawakawa; and boned rolled legs of lamb stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds and smoked paprika.

Of Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa descent, the UK-based chef is now hoping for the chance to take hangi to the rest of the world. "I'd love to get a big hangi going in London," he says.

"I'd need to bring in the expertise of Maori and Pacific Islanders living over there, because if you gave me a shovel, a whole lot of rocks and a bit of wood it would be a disaster. But as a caterer it's amazing how you can have a hole in the ground and no electricity and pump out great food for so many people. There's something very exciting about it. It's natural, organic and open to the elements."

The community spirit of hangi cooking also gives the chef a buzz.

"I do loads of big events around the world but last year's hangi really was the best event I've ever been involved with," says Gordon, who was helped by a couple of friends and by staff from his Auckland restaurants Bellota and Dine, plus Maori cooks on the marae.

Hangi at home can be just as delicious as his Matariki menu, says Gordon. All it takes is a bit of extra effort, some marinating and stuffing, and an adventurous approach to flavours.

"If I was going to do one at home I'd probably get something like pork loin or pork belly, stuff it, roll it and wrap it in baking parchment and foil," he says.

"Flavours like chilli, ginger and garlic work really well. Or you could stuff a chicken cavity with coconut, vanilla and ginger and cook it wrapped in banana leaves or simply in an oven bag. Boned meats like a butterflied shoulder of lamb work really well."

Turangawaewae Marae has a state-of-the-art kitchen and, rather than a giant hangi pit, Gordon will be cooking the feast in a device he describes as looking like "a giant metal spa tub" with metal baskets that fit inside in layers.

"I figure we won them over last year with flavour," he says.

"So the plan is to do some of the same things again with a few tweaks."

GOURMET HANGI

The Matariki Gourmet Hangi 2010 takes place at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia - the royal marae of "King Tuheitia" on June 27.

An estimated 600 guests will dine and enjoy the evening's entertainment in the King's presence.

Tickets are $100 a person, which includes a powhiri, gourmet hangi and concert and are available for purchase online: rmtc.org.nz.