We were chuffed to host Food Rescue Kitchen at our Auckland warehouse for the last episode of the season. What a ride it has been! We hope you all enjoyed the show. If you missed it or want to relive earlier episodes, head on over to ThreeNow and Stream Free. We'll be sharing behind the scenes shots and recipes from the episode below.

In this episode, host Naomi is visiting NZFN Auckland warehouse, chatting with Relationship Manager, Sophie Percy. Naomi is wowed by some of the reasons produce doesn't make it's way to the shelves. It all leads to a phenomenal dinner created by Chef Brent Martin at Onemata.

Check out the recipes below and some tips to rescue food at home.

Recipes

Starter

Serves 6

SUMMER GAZPACHO – TOMATO,CUCUMBER, CAPSICUM WITH ROASTED MUSHROOM FOCACCIA

Ingredients
Summer Gazpacho
20 vine tomatoes
2 red peppers
½ cucumber (peeled and deseeded)
1/3 A10 tin of whole peeled Italian tomatoes
½ red chilli (deseeded and chopped)
150ml ketchup
400ml tomato juice
10 large basil leaves

Method
Squeeze the vine tomatoes so all the seeds are released.
Discard the seeds and place tomatoes into a large bowl.
Add all the other ingredients and leave to marinate for 3-4 hours.
Once marinated put the mixture into a blender. Blend until a liquid then pass through a sieve into a clean bowl.

Foccacia
595 grams plain flour
530 grams water
¾ tsp dried yeasts
1 Tbsp Flaky salt
70g extra virgin olive oil

Method

Place all ingredients except for the olive oil into the bowl of a planetary mixer with the hook attachment, mix on high speed for 3 minutes.
Pour the olive oil into a mixing bowl and add the dough, cover and set aside to prove
After two hours transfer the dough to a line 30x20cm tin and bake at 220 °c for 16 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.\

Main

GRILLED CHICKEN & EGGPLANT WITH ORANGE SOY REDUCTION

Serves 6

Grilled Chicken
Ingredients
3 Kiwifruit - skin removed
6 Chicken thighs

Method
Cut a few slits on the chicken. (Allows the marinate to better penetrate into the meat)
Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper
Smash the kiwi fruit and coat the chicken with it. Make sure every part of the chicken is coated with the kiwi fruit
Marinate for at least ½ hr before grilling. Overnight marination in a zip lock bag would yearn best results.
Grill skin down 1st till crispy then flip and slowly grill till cooked.

Orange Soy Reduction
Zest 6 Oranges
Juice 3 Oranges
600ml Soy Sauce
300g Sugar
12g Cinnamon Stick
6g Star Anise
6g Clove
1200ml Water
Salt

Method
Combine everything in a pot except Salt and Orange Zest.
Bring to boil then turn down to simmer
Reduce the sauce till nice sticky consistency
Add in the zest and salt to taste
Let it cool to use later

Fried Rice Puff Eggplant
Ingredients
1 Egg Plant
1 Cup of Rice Puffs
1 egg beaten
½ Cup Flour
Oil for Frying
Salt

Method
Cut the eggplant to 1 inch thick
Season with Salt for 30 mins to remove water content- then wipe the salt off
Blend the Rice Puffs to resemble bread crumbs
3 separate bowls- Flour, Eggs, Rice Puffs- coat the eggplant in flour first, then egg and then coat the entirety of the eggplant with the rice puffs
Fry the eggplant till it has a nice golden colour and crispy on the outside- season with salt

Dessert

BERRIES AND CREAM

Serves 6

Victoria Sponge
Ingredients
250g unsalted butter
250g castor sugar
250g whole egg (5 eggs)
250g plain flour
20g baking powder
5g vanilla

Method
Pre heat your oven to 160 degrees | line a square baking tin with baking paper.
In a standard mixer with a paddle attachment beat the butter, castor sugar and vanilla until it is light and fluffy.
Slowly add a little of the egg, then flour, then egg then more of the flour until all is mixed in. Turn the mixer up to speed 2 and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour the batter in the prepared tin, spread till flat and place in oven bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until fully baked.
Once cooled cut into 8cm x 2.5cm rectangles

Raspberry Sorbet
Ingredients
500g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
250g water
250g castor sugar
30g lemon juice
Method
Blend raspberries until well blended
heat the water and castor sugar until the sugar has dissolved, add to the blended raspberries and lemon juice.
Place in ice cream machine and churn till frozen.

Vanilla Chantilly Cream
Ingredients
500g double cream
70g icing sugar
3g vanilla paste or essence
Method
Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment
On medium speed, whip until medium peaks form.
Place into the refrigerator until needed

Blueberry Compote
Ingredients
250g water
250g brown sugar
2 tbsp orange zest
40g apple cider vinegar or white balsamic
500g frozen blueberries

Method
In a medium size pot bring the water, brown sugar and orange zest to the boil
Add the blueberries and on a medium heat cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Take off stove and let sit for 20 minutes to let the blueberries macerate
Strain the blueberries, keeping the liquid
Place the liquid back into the pot and add the vinegar or balsamic and reduce to half, once this is achieved let the syrup cool before adding the blueberries

Assembly
Place a piece of cake into the middle of the plate.
On top of the cake place a dollop of cream just off center
Next to the cream place a scoop of raspberry sorbet
Next to the cake add a spoon of the blueberry compote with a little of the syrup

TIPS

• Kiwi Fruit is a great tenderizer – works well with all red meats and Pork
• If you don’t have a grill for the chicken - Sear both sides and place in the oven at 180 degrees for 8 min
• Instead of frying the eggplant- you could bake in the Oven or Air Fryer

Deseeding tomatoes
Put the tomatoes in a bowl of water and squeeze the tomatoes in the water to get the seeds out. Deseeding underwater avoids seeds splattering in your kitchen.
Use the tomato water as a stock to flavour soups and sauces etc. rather than plain water.

Blanching Bok Choy
Blanch in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Add salt and sesame or olive oil to the water. The oil makes the Bok choy glisten for presentation.