Oca / NZ Yams Recipes
BACON-WRAPPED YAMS WITH THYME
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken stock
12 yams
A few sprigs fresh thyme
6 rashers streaky bacon, cut in half widthways to make 12 skinny strips
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
12 yams
A few sprigs fresh thyme
6 rashers streaky bacon, cut in half widthways to make 12 skinny strips
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius and line an oven tray with baking paper. Set aside.
Put the chicken stock in a large pot and bring to the boil. Add the yams – add a little water to make sure they are just covered with liquid – then cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain (the liquid can be reused in soup, such as the recipe below) and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Place a sprig of thyme on top of each yam, then wrap with a strip of streaky bacon and place on the prepared oven tray. Repeat until all the yams are wrapped. Drizzle over the olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Transfer to a warmed waiting plate to serve.
Put the chicken stock in a large pot and bring to the boil. Add the yams – add a little water to make sure they are just covered with liquid – then cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain (the liquid can be reused in soup, such as the recipe below) and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Place a sprig of thyme on top of each yam, then wrap with a strip of streaky bacon and place on the prepared oven tray. Repeat until all the yams are wrapped. Drizzle over the olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Transfer to a warmed waiting plate to serve.
SRC: http://www.viva.co.nz
CHILLI ROASTED OCA WITH HEDGEROW PESTO
Ingredients:
Hedgerow Pesto
100 g wild garlic well washed and dried – can use basil instead
100 g hazelnuts roasted
75 g vegetarian Parmesan type cheese
75 ml olive oil
1 pinch sea salt
Chilli Roasted Oca
100 g hazelnuts roasted
75 g vegetarian Parmesan type cheese
75 ml olive oil
1 pinch sea salt
Chilli Roasted Oca
500 g oca tubers well scrubbed
1 tsp rapeseed oil
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp rapeseed oil
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 pinch sea salt
Method:
Hedgerow Pesto
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until just combined. I used my Optimum G2.3 induction blender.
Spoon into clean jars and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Chilli Roasted Oca
Spoon into clean jars and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Chilli Roasted Oca
Mix the oil, chilli flakes and salt together in a bowl then add the tubers and stir until all are coated.
Roast the oca in an air fryer at 160℃ (320℉) or in an oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 15-18 minutes, depending on size. You may need a little longer if using a conventional oven. They should be soft all the way through when pierced with a knife.
Spoon a little of the pesto over the ocas and enjoy with some greens on the side.
Roast the oca in an air fryer at 160℃ (320℉) or in an oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 15-18 minutes, depending on size. You may need a little longer if using a conventional oven. They should be soft all the way through when pierced with a knife.
Spoon a little of the pesto over the ocas and enjoy with some greens on the side.
SRC: https://tinandthyme.uk/2017/03/chilli-roasted-oca-with-pesto/
ORANGE AND HONEY GLAZED NEW ZEALAND YAMS
Ingredients:
450g NZ yams/oca
2 tablespoons happy fat (I used duck fat)
zest and juice of one orange
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt
2 tablespoons happy fat (I used duck fat)
zest and juice of one orange
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt
Method:
Heat your oven to 200°C/400°C
Pop the yams in a baking dish. Spread them out into a single layer. Drizzle melted fat over the top, along with the zest of the orange. Sprinkle over a generous pinch of salt. Toss together. Pour over the orange juice
Roast for 30 - 40 minutes, turning once or twice
Remove foil. Drizzle honey over the yams. Roast uncovered for a couple of minutes
Pop the yams in a baking dish. Spread them out into a single layer. Drizzle melted fat over the top, along with the zest of the orange. Sprinkle over a generous pinch of salt. Toss together. Pour over the orange juice
Roast for 30 - 40 minutes, turning once or twice
Remove foil. Drizzle honey over the yams. Roast uncovered for a couple of minutes
SRC: https://joannafrankham.com/o-is-for-oca-orange-and-honey-glazed-new-zealand-yams/
OCA LATKAS
Ingredients:
Oca Latkes (traditional)
500 g oca – washed and trimmed
½ onion
1 egg
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
½ tsp sea salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
4-6 tbsp sunflower oil
½ onion
1 egg
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
½ tsp sea salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
4-6 tbsp sunflower oil
Vegan Latkes
500 g oca
½ onion
3 tbsp chickpea flour
3 tbsp water
½ tsp sea salt (use black salt for eggy notes)
⅛ tsp black pepper
4-6 tbsp sunflower oil
½ onion
3 tbsp chickpea flour
3 tbsp water
½ tsp sea salt (use black salt for eggy notes)
⅛ tsp black pepper
4-6 tbsp sunflower oil
Method:
Oca Latkes (traditional)
Coarsely grate the ocas and onion. A food processor is ideal for this, although you can use a box grater if that’s all you have.Pile the shreds into a clean tea towel. Gather the edges together and twist the top to squeeze as much of the water as you can get out. The dryer the ocas, the crisper the latkes will be.Preheat the oven to 100℃ (80℃ fan, 212℉, Gas ¼).Mix the oca and onion with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure everything is as evenly distributed as possible. You can do this with a fork or your fingers.Leave the mixture to rest for a few minutes whilst you prepare for cooking.Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium high heat. I use a cast iron frying pan for this. Place a wire rack on a baking tray and put it on the middle shelf of the oven. Line a large plate with kitchen paper.Take a heaped tablespoon of the oca mixture and place it in the hot oil. Flatten it to form a thinnish round measuring approximately 8 centimetres (3-4 inches). Repeat until the pan is full. I get four in my pan.Fry for about four minutes when the bottom should be crisp and darkly golden. Use the fish slice to flip the latkes over and fry for a further four minutes on the other side.Once cooked, transfer to the plate lined with kitchen paper and leave to drain for a couple of minutes. Then transfer to the wire rack in the oven.Repeat the process until there's no oca mixture left. You will need to add a little more oil as you go along.Serve immediately whilst crisp and warm. Don’t leave them in the oven for longer than thirty minutes or the latkes will dry out too much and might burn.
Vegan Latkes
Follow the process as above with the following exception.
Make a batter with the chickpea flour, water, salt and pepper in the bowl before adding the grated oca and onion. Mix well and proceed as above.
OR for a rosti style latke, place the whole mixture into the hot pan. Spread it out to the edges and flatten it down with the fish slice.
Cover the top of the pan with a lid and fry for eight minutes. This will help to cook the inside.
Turn the rosti over as best you can. Don’t worry if it breaks up, you can pat it down again to form a round. Fry for a further eight minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid to make sure any water evaporates and fry for a further two minutes.
Place a serving plate over the top of the pan and invert onto the plate. Be careful, especially if using a heavy pan and make sure you use oven gloves.
Slice and serve.
Follow the process as above with the following exception.
Make a batter with the chickpea flour, water, salt and pepper in the bowl before adding the grated oca and onion. Mix well and proceed as above.
OR for a rosti style latke, place the whole mixture into the hot pan. Spread it out to the edges and flatten it down with the fish slice.
Cover the top of the pan with a lid and fry for eight minutes. This will help to cook the inside.
Turn the rosti over as best you can. Don’t worry if it breaks up, you can pat it down again to form a round. Fry for a further eight minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid to make sure any water evaporates and fry for a further two minutes.
Place a serving plate over the top of the pan and invert onto the plate. Be careful, especially if using a heavy pan and make sure you use oven gloves.
Slice and serve.
SRC:https://tinandthyme.uk/2021/03/oca-latkes/
SPICED OCA
Ingredients:
400g oca
1 lemon
1 shallot
salt and pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tin dark lentils
200g spinach
2 garlic cloves
15g parsley
30g walnut pieces
½ tbsp garam masala
150g yogurt
1 lemon
1 shallot
salt and pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tin dark lentils
200g spinach
2 garlic cloves
15g parsley
30g walnut pieces
½ tbsp garam masala
150g yogurt
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Place the oca in the sink and cover with cold water. Set aside for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, finely zest the lemon. Transfer to a bowl. Peel and finely slice the shallot into rings. Place in another bowl with a pinch of salt and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Leave to macerate.
Scrub the oca to remove the dirt. Rinse and pat dry. Slice diagonally into 3-4cm pieces, keeping any small ones whole.
In a roasting tray, mix the smoked paprika, paprika, ground cumin and ground cinnamon with 1 tbsp oil. Toss in the oca and some seasoning. Roast for approx. 15-18 mins, turning halfway, until the oca is just tender.
While the oca cooks, drain and rinse the lentils. Wash the spinach. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Finely chop the parsley leaves, including the stalks if they're not too thick. Roughly chop the walnuts.
Heat a frying pan and dry toast the walnuts for 3-4 mins, until smelling fragrant. Transfer into the lemon zest bowl with the parsley. Mix.
Let the frying pan cool slightly. Add 1 tbsp oil and gently fry the garlic for 30 secs. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Mix in the garam masala, lentils and 3 tbsp yogurt. Heat through, season and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Divide the lentils between 2 plates. Top with the oca. Sprinkle over the herby nut mixture and enough pickled shallots, to taste. Finish with a drizzle of remaining yogurt.
Meanwhile, finely zest the lemon. Transfer to a bowl. Peel and finely slice the shallot into rings. Place in another bowl with a pinch of salt and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Leave to macerate.
Scrub the oca to remove the dirt. Rinse and pat dry. Slice diagonally into 3-4cm pieces, keeping any small ones whole.
In a roasting tray, mix the smoked paprika, paprika, ground cumin and ground cinnamon with 1 tbsp oil. Toss in the oca and some seasoning. Roast for approx. 15-18 mins, turning halfway, until the oca is just tender.
While the oca cooks, drain and rinse the lentils. Wash the spinach. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Finely chop the parsley leaves, including the stalks if they're not too thick. Roughly chop the walnuts.
Heat a frying pan and dry toast the walnuts for 3-4 mins, until smelling fragrant. Transfer into the lemon zest bowl with the parsley. Mix.
Let the frying pan cool slightly. Add 1 tbsp oil and gently fry the garlic for 30 secs. Be careful not to let it burn. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Mix in the garam masala, lentils and 3 tbsp yogurt. Heat through, season and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Divide the lentils between 2 plates. Top with the oca. Sprinkle over the herby nut mixture and enough pickled shallots, to taste. Finish with a drizzle of remaining yogurt.