This week Tony Astle ate at Kingsland Social. Owned and run by Chef Phil Clarke and his wife, the restaurant is more family oriented than his previous ventures and according to Tony, the food is "casual in style but pretty good".

He had the Caesar Salad, the Crispy Calamari Salad, the Greenstone Creek eye fillet with garden salad and fries, and the Angus beef burger, topped with a fried egg, beetroot, pickles, mesclun, tomato, melted cheese, all on a brioche bun. And for desert, they had fresh fruit and vanilla ice cream.

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Ingredients:

For The Salad

1 egg

6 round French beans

3 anchovy fillets

3 green olives

1 small boiled potato, sliced

1 small vine ripened tomato, quartered

For the Tuna

150 g fresh tuna fillet

½ tsp cajun spice

½ tsp virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, reduced by half

Method and Finishing:

1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.

2. Add the egg. Boil for 5 minutes.

3. Place the boiled egg in iced water to cool.

4. Peel, halve, and arrange with the remaining salad ingredients on a plate. Set aside.

5. Reduce the balsamic vinegar, by half, over heat, then cool.

6. Rub the fresh tuna with the cajun spice.

7. In a very hot non-stick pan seal the tuna on all sides for approximately 30 seconds per side.

8. Place the seared tuna on the prepared plated salad.

9. Drizzle with olive oil and the reduced balsamic vinegar

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This week Tony Astle ate at Gochu, a new Korean restaurant in Auckland’s Commercial Bay.

He sampled the Waiheke Oysters Te Mataku, the Tuna crudo with chojang and pickled nashi, the crispy eggplant with doenjang glaze, tofu cream, topped with sesame, and the chargrilled pork belly with a chilli apple glaze, brussel sprouts, and tofy cream.

Ingredients:

1 large bacon ham hock

3 large onions, peeled and roughly diced

5 litres fresh chicken stock (can use convenience product)

500 g green split peas

500 g yellow split peas

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy based pot.

2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

3. Reduce heat to a light rolling boil/simmer.

4. Cook for about 3 hours, until the meat on the hock falls from the bone.

5. Stir often during cooking, the soup can catch and scorch on the bottom of the pot.

6. Remove the ham hock. Remove the skin and discard.

7. Slice or dice the meat and add back into the soup.

8. Bring back to the boil. Cool. The soup can be frozen.

9. When reheating (from frozen) defrost, and add milk or cream to achieve a smooth consistency.

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This week Tony Astle ate at Grand Harbour, a Chinese fine dining restaurant with a host of delicious traditional recipes.

He sampled the Pork and vegetable spring rolls, the Xiaolongbao, the spinach and prawn dumplings, and their famous deep fried squid.

"I have consumed many more dishes at this venue. I LOVE the tripe and tendons."

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This week Tony Astle is serving up a recipe for Cassis Macerated Apples and Blackberries, topped with Meringue and Baked.

Ingredients:

Fruit Mixture

1 kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

170 g sugar

60 g brown sugar

350 ml water

Zest of 1 orange

200 6 blackberries (fresh or frozen)

Meringue

235 g sugar

Half tbsp glucose

50 ml water

3 egg white

Method:

Fruit Mixture

Combine apples, sugars, water and zest in a pot.

Bring to a boil but avoid turning the apples mushy. Add the blackberries.

Cook for 5 minutes. Cool. Then add the cassis

Meringue

Combine water glucose and sugar in a pan.

Heat without stirring until it reaches 125 deg C on a sugar thermometer.

Beat the egg whites, until they have stiff peaks.

With the beater still running, pour the sugar syrup onto the egg whites.

Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and thick.

Note: the meringue can be refrigerated until required.

Finishing

Heat ban oven to 180 deg C.

In a pan, heat the fruit mix, then fill individual bowls.

Top with the meringue.

Bake for about 15 minutes, so the meringue is browned slightly.

Serve with whipped cream.

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