Celebrate Mother’s Day with an on-the-knee repast served in elegant vintage style.

Menu Chicken Liver Bruschetta Roast Vegetable Pasta Beef and MozzarellaParcels Ginger Breads

 

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The livers need to be cooked at the last minute but all other ingredients can be prepared earlier, including the bruschetta, which can be refreshed in a hot oven while the livers are cooking.

 

Bruschetta: 6 slices country-style bread (eg ciabatta or sourdough) Olive oil 1 clove garlic, halved   Chicken livers: 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 slices streaky bacon, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 350g chicken livers, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces 3 anchovy fillets, chopped 1 tablespoon capers, drained 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley leaves 3 tablespoons Marsala wine

 

Bruschetta: Brush bread lightly with oil and cook in a grill pan or under a grill until toasted. Rub each slice with the cut side of the halved garlic.

 

Chicken livers: Heat oil in a heavy-based frying pan, add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a paper towel.

 

Add garlic to hot pan and stir-fry until golden. Add chicken livers and anchovies and cook until livers are brown on the outside and still pink in the centre, about 2 minutes. Add capers and parsley and cook a further minute.

 

Add bacon and Marsala, stir to combine and simmer until most of the liquid has disappeared then season to taste. Serve on bruschetta, drizzled with any pan juices. Serves 6 as an appetiser or pre-dinner snack

 

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To save last-minute work, the vegetables for this dish can be roasted, the dressing made and all the other ingredients prepared earlier in the day. Then only the pasta needs to be cooked when the family has arrived.

 

1kg prepared mixed fresh vegetables, such as red onions, red capsicums, mushrooms, kumara, pumpkin and courgettes 12 cloves garlic (unpeeled) 2 tablespoons olive oil Flaky sea salt Sprigs of fresh thyme 500g penne pasta 70g pine nuts, lightly toasted 50g parmesan, finely grated 80g rocket leaves   Dressing: ¹/3 cup good-quality chicken stock 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed

 

Preheat oven to 225°C. Cut vegetables into sizes and shapes that will cook evenly.

 

Toss vegetables and garlic cloves with oil and place in a lined baking tray. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and scatter over thyme sprigs. Roast until vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes, turning once.

 

Meanwhile, cook the pasta to packet directions. Drain well and tip into a large serving bowl. Combine dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Add roast vegetables and any juices to pasta (discard thyme sprigs). Fold through the pine nuts, parmesan and rocket with dressing. Serve immediately. Serves 6

 

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What to drink Chicken livers are rich and textural so drink something ripe and buttery such as Matakana Estate’s 2007 Chardonnay ($27) with the bruschetta. Pour a glass of plummy, spicy Frizzell Merlot Malbec 2007 ($22) with the beef and mozzarella parcels. If serving the pasta alone, Boundary Vineyards’ Paper Lane Pinot Gris ($19) would be perfect. And go for a gewürztraminer with the ginger breads – the Clearview Estate 2008 Gewürztraminer ($19) is delicious. Yvonne Marie Lorkin

 

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These parcels can be made in the morning and kept in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature before cooking.

 

6 medium slices of beef schnitzel 2-3 tablespoons basil pesto Young spinach leaves 6 fresh mozzarella balls, drained and halved 12 strips of prosciutto 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for frying

 

Bash schnitzel with a rolling pin to flatten slightly and tenderise then cut each piece in half horizontally to form long strips.

 

Spread each strip with a little pesto. Top with spinach leaves, a sprinkle of salt and a good grind of pepper. Place a piece of mozzarella at one end and roll up parcels. Wrap each one in a strip of prosciutto. (Do not worry if the mozzarella oozes from the ends; plenty will still be left in the parcels.)

 

Ten minutes before serving, heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid and brown the parcels on all sides. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve immediately. Serves 6

 

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These are best made the day they are to be eaten but they can be made earlier and warmed in the microwave before drizzling with syrup and serving. Large muffin pans can be used instead of loaf pans but the cooking time may need to be adjusted.

 

100g butter ½ cup dark cane sugar 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons golden syrup ¼ cup chopped crystallised ginger, plus extra for garnish ¼ cup drained, chopped stem ginger (reserve syrup) 1½ cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground ginger ½ cup buttermilk Stem ginger syrup and/or golden syrup for drizzling

 

Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease 6 mini loaf pans (½-cup capacity). Cream butter and sugar, add egg and golden syrup and beat until smooth. Fold in chopped gingers.

 

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and ground ginger together. Add these alternately with the buttermilk, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients.

 

Spoon into prepared pans and decorate with extra crystallised ginger. Bake until breads are golden and spring back when lightly touched, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans. Serve warm, drizzled with ginger syrup and a side of whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6

 

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Using very intense, dark chocolate turns this into rocky road for grown-ups.

 

120g pink and white marshmallows, coarsely chopped 250g rose flavoured (red colour) Turkish delight, coarsely chopped ½ cup brazil nuts, coarsely chopped ¼ cup shelled unsalted pistachios (left whole) 250g dark chocolate (at least 72% cocoa) 250g dark mocha chocolate (Whittaker’s brand is excellent)

 

Line a 17cm x 27cm baking tin with baking paper, allowing the paper to extend about 3cm above the sides. 

 

In a large bowl combine marshmallows, Turkish delight and nuts. Gently melt chocolate over a double boiler or carefully in the microwave. Working very quickly, spoon a layer of chocolate over the base of the tin. Quickly fold remaining chocolate into marshmallow and nut mixture. Place mixture over chocolate layer, pushing it down firmly with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best) before cutting into bite-size pieces.