ROASTED TĪTĪ, TARO GRATIN, BRAISED PŪHĀ

Serves two

Taro gratin recipe:

1kg taro, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

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2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
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4 garlic cloves, minced
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400ml coconut cream
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200ml water
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salt and pepper
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Heat the oven to 150C. Line a small baking dish with baking paper and set aside.

Put the taro, onion, garlic, coconut cream and water in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and mix well.

Layer slices of the taro and onion in the tray, pouring some of the seasoned coconut cream between each layer. Cover tightly with baking paper and foil and bake for approximately 90 minutes. To test if the gratin is done, insert the tip of a small knife into the middle. If the knife goes easily into the gratin with no resistance then it is fully cooked.

To finish the gratin, remove the baking paper and foil. Set your oven to 200C on grill mode. Place the gratin under the grill for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the top of the gratin has reached a light golden brown, it is ready to serve!

Braised pūhā recipe:

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1 large bunch pūhā leaves and flowers
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50g butter
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1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

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500ml chicken stock
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salt and pepper
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Wash the pūhā well then drain in a sieve, squeezing with your hands to remove any excess water. Chop and set aside.

Set a pot over medium heat and add the butter. Sweat the garlic in the butter until fragrant, then add the pūhā and cook together for 5 minutes. Add in the chicken stock and butter and lower the heat. Cook for 30 minutes until very soft and most of the chicken stock has reduced.

Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Roasted tītī recipe::

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1 salted tītī
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1 bunch rosemary
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1 bunch thyme
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1 onion, peel and chopped
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5 fresh kawakawa leaves
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1 bay leaf
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salt and pepper
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Tie the tītī with butcher’s twine so the tītī holds its shape during cooking. Allow a little room so that bunches of rosemary and thyme can be stuffed into the tītī later in the recipe.

Place the tītī into the pot of cold water and put it on the stove. Bring the water and tītī up to a boil. This removes some of the saltiness from the bird. After 5 minutes, remove the tītī from the water and set aside.

Discard the water and refill the pot with fresh water. Place the tītī back into the pot along with the onion, kawakawa, and bay leaf. Bring the water back to the boil. Once the water has reached a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and allow the tītī to cook for an hour.

After an hour, remove the tītī from the water and pat it dry with paper towels. Stuff the tītī with the rosemary and thyme bunches.

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Preheat your oven to 200C. 
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Place the tītī on a roasting tray. Roast the tītī in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. A lot of fat will render off the tītī. Use this fat to baste the bird as it cooks.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot and crispy with the taro gratin and braised pūhā.