Five Wellington chefs used donated food to create a gourmet three-course meal at this year's Everybody Eats Cook-Off.
Maxime Gnojazk served up Cabbage and Banana Tamales, North African Spiced Lamb and Baked Apples.
Everybody Eats is a New Zealand organisation that runs pay-as-you-feel community restaurants in Wellington and Onehunga.
Maxime, who is currently head chef at the central Wellington restaurant Concord, is originally from France.
He's inspired by the way Everybody Eats brings people from different backgrounds together for a well-cooked meal made from food that would otherwise go to waste.
"To be involved in a competition is usually not my favourite thing but if it's involved with supporting Everybody Eats, I'm 100 percent for it.
"If I can just bring my funny French accent and happiness and see people have a good time that will be mission accomplished for me."
The Everybody Eats Cook-Off was held at Wellington's LTD. event space as part of the 2022 Visa Wellington On a Plate festival.
Three nights a week, Everybody Eats serves up a cooked meal for a koha donation in Wellington and Onehunga.
Maxime served...
Entree: Cabbage and Banana Tamales (the recipe is here)
Banana and Cabbage Tamales - by chef Maxime Gnojczak Photo: Everybody Eats
Main: North African Spiced Lamb with Quinoa and Vegetables
North African spiced lamb with quinoa - by chef Maxime Gnojczak Photo: Everybody Eats
Dessert: Baked Apple with Cardamom Syrup
Baked apples with cardamom syrup - by chef Maxime Gnojczak Photo: Everybody Eats
Cabbage and Banana Tamale
Banana filling
Ingredients
- 2 well-ripened green bananas
- 1 cabbage, white or savoy
- 1 cup banana flour
- 1 cup coarse cornflour
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 cups oat milk
- 3/4 cup oil (I used sunflower on the day)
Method
1. Place green banana in a pot, cover with water. Boil until the skin turns completely brown and you can easily poke a knife through the flesh.
2. Gently peel the largest cabbage leaves one after the other. Blanch or steam them until they soften. Immediately cool in cold water. Save the inner smaller leaves for later.
3. Peel the bananas and place in a bowl. Use a potato masher to crush them in a paste.
4. Add all the dry ingredients and mix in a paste.
5. Slowly incorporate the oat milk until the consistency feels like a slightly loose mashed potato.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Assembly
Lay the cooked cabbage leaves on a cutting board. Trim the hard core of the leaves and keep for the salsa.
Place 2 tablespoons of filling at the top centre of the leaf. Fold each side over and gently roll the leaf towards the bottom, just like a mini burrito.
Place on a plate for now and keep on rolling.
Set up a steamer basket and cook the tamale for 10 minutes at full steam.
Serve immediately with a spoon of cabbage salsa.
Cabbage Salsa
Ingredients
- Leftover cabbage heart
- Leftover cabbage leaves and core
- 2 x tomatoes
- 1x shallot
- 1x bunch coriander
- ¼ bunch mint
- ¼ bunch of parsley
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
Method
Chop all cabbage, shallot, tomatoes, and herbs finely. Add remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. If you enjoy, add some fresh finely chopped chilli.
