Claire Aldous

Auckland

Food Editor at Dish Magazine

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Articles

Roasted Pumpkin and Maple Soup

1 month ago | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Whisk the oil, maple syrup, curry powder, garlic and ginger together in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Add the pumpkin, apple and the onion and turn to coat everything well. Tip onto a large oven tray and spread out to an even layer, scraping in any oil mixture left in the bowl. If the veges are packed on top of one another, they will steam rather than caramelise. Roast for about 40 minutes or until soft and golden, turning once during cooking.
Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Herb and Caper Gremolata

1 month ago | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Preheat the oven to 160°C regular bake. Put the onions in a roasting dish that will hold the lamb snugly and season with salt and pepper. Pat the lamb dry with kitchen towels. Using a sharp knife, score the lamb on both sides by making shallow cuts across the meat, deep enough to break through the skin. This allows the paste to penetrate and flavour the meat. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Rub a third of the paste over the bottom of the lamb, pushing it into all the cuts.
Spicy Peanut and Beef Short Rib Ramen

Mar 30, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Preheat the oven to 150°C regular bake. Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large lidded ovenproof pot and sear the ribs until well browned. Do this in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate. Don’t wash the pot. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pot, except the stock, and stir together, smooshing the peanut butter until everything is well combined. Stir in the stock and add the ribs and any resting juices to the pot. Season with salt and pepper then bring to the boil.
Upside Down Apple and Caramel Cake

Mar 30, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

EQUIPMENT: Lightly grease a 20cm fixed-base cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake. BASE: Put the butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a small pot and heat until the butter is melted. Bring to the boil then cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Tip into the tin and tilt to evenly cover the base. Cool for 5 minutes. Arrange the apple slices, overlapping in the base (pack them tightly together as they will shrink on cooking).
Crispy Chorizo Salami and Roasted Pumpkin Risotto

Mar 30, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan bake. Put the pumpkin on a baking tray, toss with oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes or until tender but still holding its shape. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the salami for a couple of minutes until crisp and a little frizzled around the edges. Drain on kitchen towels and set aside. RISOTTO: Heat the oil and butter in a large pot, add the onion, salami, garlic, thyme and paprika and season well.
Baked Spaghetti ‘Pie’

Mar 30, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. Drain well and spread out on a plate to cool until warm. Whisk the cream, milk, eggs, parmesan, pepper, salt, garlic, zest and the rosemary together in a large bowl. Combine the mozzarella and gruyère then stir three-quarters of it into the cream mixture. Add the pasta and stir until every strand is coated.
Crispy Pork Belly Bao Buns

Feb 16, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Using a very sharp knife or box cutter, score the skin of the pork belly at 1cm intervals but don’t cut down to the meat. Turn the pork meat-side up and rub the wine into the meat. Combine all the spices and sugar together and rub into the meat. Place on a plate, skin side up and refrigerate for 24 hours, uncovered, to dry out the skin. TO COOK: Season the meat side with sea salt.
Fresh Apricot, Nutmeg and Custard Traybake

Feb 2, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

EQUIPMENT: Grease a 28cm x 22cm shallow baking tin and fully line with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. BATTER: Put the sugar and orange zest in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the sugar looks like damp orange sand. Add the butter and vanilla bean paste and beat until light and pale, about 8 minutes. Beat in the eggs one by one until well combined then beat in the custard. Whisk all the remaining batter ingredients together, add to the bowl and beat for 1 minute.
Mexican Steak Salad with Summer Corn and Hot Honey Dressing

Feb 2, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

Preheat a barbecue to hot, if using. Brush the steaks and corn with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the steaks with the Mexican spice mix. Cook the steaks and corn on the hot barbecue or in a large frying pan. The steaks will take about 3–4 minutes each side depending on their thickness. Cook the corn until charred in places. Put the steaks on a plate, cover loosely, and rest for 10 minutes. HOT HONEY DRESSING: Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Pork and Noodle Salad with Creamy Cashew Nut and Lime Dressing

Feb 2, 2025 | dish.co.nz | Claire Aldous

DRESSING: Blend all the ingredients with a stick blender or in a small food processor until smooth. Add more water if you want a thinner dressing. Set aside in fridge. Line a shallow baking dish with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan bake. PORK: Put the pork in the baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Brush all over with about 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Roast for about 12–14 minutes or until only just cooked. If you overcook the pork, it will be dry.