Allyson Gofton: Keep it simple and seasonal

We watched her time-saving cooking religiously just before the news on TV, her Food in a Minute books were a godsend for the working mother; Allyson Gofton is no longer in our homes each night but she's still producing recipes that will be a hit in every family. The title of her latest book, Good Food Made Simple, says it all. Colleen Thorpe talks to Gofton about life after Food in a Minute

YOU APPEARED ON OUR TV SCREENS AS THE FACE FOR FOOD IN A MINUTE AND BECAME A HOUSEHOLD HERO TO MANY HOME COOKS. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE ENDING THAT ROLE?

Being a mum, with sufficient work to keep my hand in but be able to work from home so I can enjoy Jean-Luc and Olive as much as possible outside school hours. I've just left a lovely job as food editor for New World's REAL magazine, where I helped get the magazine established, to come away to France with my family on an adventure of a lifetime. In addition, I have been able to write my cookbooks, which I love - not just the food but the creativity of the photography and design. And I worked with Beef + Lamb New Zealand producing newsletters and online videos, helping people to have better know-how for cooking our wonderful beef and lamb. So I have been busy, but not frantic like I used to be.

WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON FOOD?

Keeping it simple is my leading philosophy. That does not mean start food from scratch - we are all too busy to do that today. But it does mean simple but delicious home-cooked food. Leave restaurant and cafe cooking to chefs, after all that's why we go out, to try dishes that are far too complicated to cook at home. Enjoy the chef's talents. Home cooking is about love, simplicity and nourishment.

WHAT COUNTS AS GOOD FOOD?

That's a tricky question as so many foods are good foods, but when eaten in excess are not good foods. I would be lost without butter, but not too much, and then where would a pudding be without cream - again not too often. And then there's olive oil - delicious, but it is still fat and so not too much. And potatoes are essential, but not as chips. I'd like to say: local, seasonal and delightfully cooked, but that's not always possible and I am a realist. Make balanced food choices to enjoy good food.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE RECIPES FOR THIS BOOK?

Once I settled on the chapter headings, which are about the way we cook and eat, it was easy to fill in the pages, and I always have more ideas than space. I take time to scour supermarkets, find out what's popular, look at prices and trends and work back from there. I gave a talk one day about what we eat and it's interesting when you do research. I found that most protein-based recipes in the magazines call for chicken, but we still buy more beef than chicken by a long way, so where are the recipes for mince?

WHAT IS YOUR STYLE OF COOKING?

More dash than cash I suppose. Making twists to innovate already loved recipes, so that it is easy for people to think: "I can do that." I also love the concept of food being presented on platters and people help themselves.

WHO INFLUENCED THIS STYLE?

Tui Flower was and still is a mentor for getting the recipes right for readers.

My mother for ensuring that the best memories come from having easy-to-serve food with family and friends, and my chef in Tassie who trained me to cook well.

WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF FOOD?

I come from a pretty traditional family, raised in Launceston, Tasmania, so it was always family.

I had an uncle who was a chef and he would spoil us at his restaurant with bangers and mash one day and brains with mash the next.

But beyond that my mother's tea cake, warm from the oven, dusted with crunchy cinnamon sugar, cut into wedges, buttered generously, which would end up melting and running down your chin as you dived into a large wedge, accompanied with a gusty cup of tea. Yum.

DO YOU HAVE A SIGNATURE DISH?

Yes. Bread and Butter Pudding with Whisky Sauce. I served it to Jo Seagar one night, who told me to forget the pudding and just serve the sauce.

WHAT ARE YOU THREE FAVOURITE NEW ZEALAND FOODS?

Potatoes, beef and, yes, Wattie's Indian flavoured tomatoes - developed in New Zealand, using New Zealand grown foods; they make family curries taste that much better.

IS THERE ANY FOOD YOU HATE?

Yes tripe ... sorry, tripe clubs of New Zealand.

WHAT IS IN YOUR FRIDGE AT THE MOMENT?

I am in very rural France and I am missing my Indian tomatoes no end. What's in the fridge, well, about six varieties of cheese (this is France), confit of duck (this is Gascony), local sausages, rice as tomorrow is fried-rice night, vegetables, lots of local yoghurt, plenty of strawberries as they are in season right now. And chocolate mousse - you buy it here in tubs and the kids love it. There are no flash sauces, pestos or pastes; not part of the culinary culture of the Haute Pyrenee.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DESSERT ISLAND DISH?

Assuming I need something to live on until a rescuer arrives, it would be Irish stew; full of vegetables and meat and plenty of juices, too. If, however, it was my last food on Earth, shortbread, ever so slightly overcooked so that the butter has become nutty in colour and taste.

WHAT ARE THREE THINGS PEOPLE WILL BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?

I like to sing old war songs, my Dad taught them to me so I still clean the house to We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line. I love ballroom dancing but as Warwick has two left feet I rarely get a chance to dance these days - any offers gratefully received. I was a qualified air hostess for all of two weeks in Wellington, before realising that the 80s blue and red houndstooth uniform would have to be returned. I missed cooking way back then.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT?

Being a mum.

RECIPE

LEBANESE LAMB PIZZA

Sprinkled with jewel-like pomegranate seeds and drenched with sweet-sour pomegranate syrup, this pizza has panache to spare!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 12 minutes

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

300 grams lean lamb mince

1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large juicy ripe tomato, deseeded and chopped

1/2 cup sun-dried tomato pesto or paste

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

2 x 23 cm pizza bases, precooked or rolled-out dough

150-200 grams feta cheese

2-3 teaspoons pomegranate molasses

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to fan bake 220C. Place 2 trays or pizza stones into the oven to preheat.

Brown the lamb mince in a dash of oil in a frying-pan, breaking it up with the back of a spoon as it browns. Set aside. Reduce the heat, add a further dash of oil and gently pan-fry the onion until tender.

Toss together the cooked onion and mince with the tomato, sun-dried tomato pesto or paste and pine nuts. Season if wished.

Place the pizza bases on the preheated trays and brush the edges with oil. Divide the lamb mixture evenly between the 2 pizza bases and crumble the feta evenly over the top.

Bake the pizzas in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden and hot and the pizza dough is cooked. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and scatter with fresh pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley leaves, if wished. Serve with a salad on the side.

FAST SWITCHES

Indian lamb pizza: Following the recipe here, brown the lamb mince with 1 tablespoon of your favourite Indian curry paste. Use cashew nuts in place of pine nuts and serve sprinkled with diced mango. Sprinkle over a little grated palm sugar in place of pomegranate syrup.

Moroccan lamb pizza: Following the recipe here, brown the lamb with 2 teaspoons Moroccan spice blend. Use almonds in place of pine nuts.

South African lamb pizza: Following the recipe here, brown the lamb mince with 1 tablespoon South African-style Braai 'n' Grill spice blend. When brown, stir in a hearty spoonful of a spicy chutney. Use pistachio nuts in place of pine nuts, halved grapes in place of pomegranate seeds and a little treacle or apple syrup in place of pomegranate molasses.

ALLYSON'S TIP

How to deseed a tomato: Cut the tomato in half horizontally and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp.

Copyright text and recipes Allyson Gofton, 2013. Copyright photography Allan Gillard, 2013.

Good Food Made Simple

by Allyson Gofton

Penguin, $50