HelloFresh has tapped into uniquely Kiwi flavours - Jono and Ben pick their favourites.

The vibrant and unique flavours that Kiwis love have been brought to life in a new Kiwi Flavours range by HelloFresh. Created by the culinary experts at the popular meal-kit company and crafted with local palates in mind, the range promises to elevate everyday meals with a taste that truly resonates. And that’s not just lip-service – HelloFresh conducted a survey to gauge exactly what flavours New Zealanders loved most. The answers were definitive: smoky (53 per cent), sweet (53 per cent) and salty (45 per cent) are our top tasty choices. To cater to these cravings, the HelloFresh team spent months tinkering to create a Kiwi Spice Blend featured in this new range. The Hits Breakfast radio team, Jono and Ben, count themselves among the new range’s fans. Here they share their favourite HelloFresh recipes starring the uniquely Kiwi flavours, and we also get to know a few of their culinary habits and why cooking with HelloFresh makes life just that little bit easier, no matter how rough your cooking skills are… (ahem, Jono).

Jono – your pick of the delicious HelloFresh recipes is the Philly-style Beef & Cheese Subs with Loaded Bacon Potatoes & Burger Sauce. What attracted you to this Philly-style beauty?

[The following answer is not “accurate” – Jono’s actually a Kiwi through and through] I actually grew up in West Philadelphia, where I was born and raised, and on the playground, was where I spent most of my days. So, I fell in love with the Philly there…that shocking reference aside, it’s just freaking delicious.

Who’s a better cook – you or Ben?

Cooking our books? Me. Cooking our food? Ben.

How are your knife skills? Any tips for cutting onions?

Fantastic knife skills. It’s my finger skills that let me down when they get in the way. Handy onion-cutting tip: cut the onion while in an overly emotional state; that way the crying serves a purpose.

What is the beauty of a good sub? Is it more like a burger or a next-level sandwich?

With this one, you want the meat to be thinly sliced – the thinner, the better. And yes, essentially, it’s just a cylinder-shaped burger, but let’s not tell that to the Philly – we don’t want it to develop a complex.

Beef and cheese – is there a better combo?

The only better combo I can think of is Jay Z and Beyoncé. Potentially, ham and cheese might take offence, but given we are here for beef and cheese purposes, let’s lock that in.

What does HelloFresh’s Kiwi Spice Blend bring to the party?

It’s specifically designed for Kiwis – made with all of the essential Kiwi ingredients: Hilary Barry’s jandals, bits of Hobbits, a strand of Taika’s hair, and one of Shaun Johnson’s used game-day socks.

Are you a messy cook or do you like to keep it tidy?

I prefer tidying as I go, which can be infuriating for anyone else in the kitchen at the time.

What was your favourite food growing up?

Barbecue – a real smoky barbecue. My dad had a knock-off, unbranded Weber and it would emit plumes of smoke across the neighbourhood.

How much does it help to have delicious recipes from HelloFresh in your kitchen?

Three-quarters of the work is done, eliminating a lot of thinking. As soon as HelloFresh starts delivering a robot chef with its parcels, it will be the all-round package.

Philly-style Beef & Cheese Subs with Loaded Bacon Potatoes & Burger Sauce

Serves 2

2 potatoes

1 sachet Kiwi Spice Blend

1 tin sweetcorn

1 packet diced bacon

1 packet baby leaves

½ onion

1 sachet garlic & herb seasoning

1 packet beef strips

2 brioche hotdog buns

1 packet burger sauce

1 packet shredded cheddar cheese

1 spring onion

½ fresh chilli (optional)

1 packet garlic aioli

Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Cut potato into bite-sized chunks, then place on a lined oven tray. Sprinkle over Kiwi Spice Blend and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat, then roast until tender, 20-25 minutes.
2. Drain sweetcorn. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook diced bacon and sweetcorn until browned, 4-5 minutes. Tip: Cover the pan with a lid if the corn kernels are “popping” out.
3. Remove pan from heat, add baby leaves, stirring until wilted. Transfer to a medium bowl. While the corn and bacon is cooking, thinly slice the onion. In a large bowl, combine garlic & herb seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil. Add beef strips and toss to coat.
4. Return the frying pan to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook onion until lightly browned and softened, 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a second large bowl. Return the pan to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When oil is hot, cook beef strips in batches, until browned and cooked through, 1-2 minutes. Transfer beef to the bowl with onion. Toss to combine. Tip: Cooking the meat in batches over high heat helps it stay tender.
5. Slice brioche hotdog buns in half horizontally, three quarters of the way through, then place on a second lined oven tray. Spread burger sauce over the inside of the buns. Top with beef-onion mixture and shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until golden and cheese has melted, 4-5 minutes.
6. Thinly slice spring onion and fresh chilli (if using). Top potatoes with bacon-corn mixture, chilli, spring onion and a dollop of garlic aioli. Divide Philly-style beef and cheese sub and loaded bacon potatoes between plates. Enjoy!

Ben, you’ve chosen a Loaded Beef Burger & Potato Fries with Charred Pineapple, Fried Egg & Burger Sauce as your favourite HelloFresh recipe. What is it about this meal that caught your eye?

Being a bit of an egg myself, I’m a big fan of an egg in a burger. My mum used to love adding an egg to home-made burgers back in the day and it instantly takes me back to my childhood. Mum also used to add peas to lasagne which wasn’t quite as well loved.

As a Kiwi, is a burger even a proper burger if it doesn’t have pineapple and a fried egg?

We do love our burgers in New Zealand and I love how you can chuck pretty much most things inside. Our country is famous for its adventure sports, so I’m guessing we took that mindset into being adventurous with our burger fillings.

Have you particularly enjoyed any burgers in the past?

I remember when I was younger travelling through Europe with my wife. We got lost and it was getting very dark, and we felt very unsafe – we were pretty sure someone was following us at one point. We finally found our hotel and we were very relieved to find a place that sold burgers next door. Nothing tasted better than those burgers at that moment.

Are burger patties best cooked on a barbecue, in the fry pan or in an air fryer?

I do love cooking burgers on a barbecue. Usually it’s just me and the dog hanging out together on the porch. I know the dog isn’t there to keep me company, he’s there just in case I feel like dropping any of the patties for him.

The HelloFresh Kiwi Spice Blend – how much does this little sachet of goodness elevate a burger?

If you are looking for something a little on the spicy side that is safe for talking about at work or in front of the kids – then the HelloFresh Kiwi Spice Blend is it.

Who’s the best chef in your household and who’s usually on dishes?

I generally cook during the week at home as my wife works much later than me and while I’m okay in the kitchen, she’s definitely the better chef. I’m happy to get stuck into washing dishes, too, but I do create a bigger pool of water around the kitchen than the public baths.

How much does it help to have delicious recipes from HelloFresh in your kitchen?

I love how HelloFresh saves you time in planning and making dinners because family life during the week is super busy. My wife tells me off for not sitting down while we eat, for some reason I like to stand. Maybe that’s just to make myself look busier than I actually am.

Are you a better cook than Jono?

Jono cooks sausages in the microwave, so I think that’s your answer there.

Loaded beef Burger & Potato Fries with Charred Pineapple, Fried Egg & Burger Sauce

Serves 2

2 potatoes

½ tin pineapple slices

1 packet beef mince

1 sachet Kiwi Spice Blend

1 packet fine breadcrumbs

2 burger buns

½ packet shredded cabbage mix

1 packet burger sauce

1 packet garlic aioli

Olive oil

3 eggs

Drizzle white wine vinegar

1. Set your air fryer to 200°C. Cut potato into thin fries. Place fries into the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes. Shake the basket, then cook until golden, a further 10-15 minutes. Tip: No air fryer? Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Place fries on a lined oven tray, drizzle with olive oil, season and toss to coat. Spread out evenly, then bake until tender, 20-25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, drain pineapple slices. In a medium bowl, combine beef mince, Kiwi Spice Blend, fine breadcrumbs and the egg (1 egg for 2 people). Using damp hands, shape beef mixture into 2cm-thick patties (1 per person). Set aside. Little cooks: Join the fun by helping combine the ingredients and shaping the mixture into patties!
3. Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Cook pineapple slices until lightly charred, 2-3 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Return frying pan to medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook beef patties until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes each side (cook in batches if your pan is getting crowded).
4. Meanwhile, heat a medium frying pan over high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. When oil is hot, crack the remaining eggs into the pan. Cook until egg whites are firm and yolks are cooked to your liking, 2-3 minutes.
5. While the eggs are cooking, halve burger buns and bake directly on a wire oven rack until heated through, 2-3 minutes. In a second medium bowl, combine shredded cabbage mix and a drizzle of white wine vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste.
6. Spread burger sauce over the burger bun bases, then top each bun with slaw, a beef patty, charred pineapple and a fried egg. Serve with potato fries and garlic aioli. Enjoy!

Tune into The Hits Breakfast show with Jono and Ben every day this week for your chance to win cash with their game of ‘A Taste Kiwis Love’. Find your frequency by texting FREQ to 4487 or tune in on iHeart Radio Get a head start on your guesses by going to hellofresh.co.nz/menu.

*Explore next week’s delicious recipes at hellofresh.co.nz/menu