Kumara and tamarillo mash

This isn't my own creation, but I've been threatening to post it to try and motivate a friend to sign up and post it before I steal the credit. You know what they say, don't make idle threats.

Base Ingredients:
Kumara (sweet potato) is a big part of NZ culture. They were brought here by the soon-to-be-Maori settlers, and became a staple. From wiki:

In New Zealand, Māori traditionally cooked their kūmara in hāngi (earth ovens). Rocks were placed on a fire in a large hole. When the fire died out, kūmara and other food was wrapped in leaves and placed on the hot rocks, then covered with earth. The kūmara was dug up again several hours later. The resulting food was very soft and tender, as though steamed. However, hangi are rare in modern New Zealand, and New Zealanders, Maori or Pakeha are more likely to consume it baked, boiled, or deep-fried (such as in kumara chips) than they are in hāngi.

I really should do a post on hangi some time. Anyway... Kumara is a great and cheap ingredient.

Tamarillo are sometimes called tree tomatoes. They are often stewed and served sweetened for breakfast, and are great in salad as well. The taste tamarillo is sort of halfway between passion fruit and a slightly tart tomato, and they are very colourful, which is always a plus. It originates in South American, but is a commercial crop here, domestically and as an export.

Recipe

equal numbers of kumara and tamarillo

salt and pepper

butter

salt and pepper

brown sugar

This is going to be a chunky mash, so the first thing to do is peel, chop, and roast those kumara. Experts amongst you may note that there are two varieties of kumara there.


That's a good coating of rice bran oil, and then they go in the oven at say 190C for about an hour. you want the outsides nicely caramelised but not so thick as to be an impenetrable crust. Turn occasionally.

When they're almost done, blanch the tamarillos to remove the skins.

The skins will probably split after a couple of minutes in boiling water, this means they're done:


Skin those suckers and roughly chop them:


Then into a bowl with a good bit of butter:


the kumara should be finished:


So chuck those in on top with a good grind of pepper and some salt, and mash. Not too much now, this is the consistency you want:



Press into a plastic wrap lined mould, then invert onto a plate and sprinkle with brown sugar:



And back under the grill til it's nice and golden, with a caramelised top.


Done.  The result is not something I'd want to eat every day, but it is a different taste and certainly unique. Makes a nice change from spuds or whatever. I'll post the whole meal in the what are you cooking thread.

That looks wonderful Kiwi....I've never seen that fruit in any market over here. Too bad, I'd love to give them a try sometime.

I believe the pulp is sometimes pasturised and sold internationally. Also, we must be exporting them to somewhere so you never know, they might turn up in some upper class vege store near you. They certainly are an interesting taste to experiment with.

googled tamarillo montana and this was the second result - not sure if it helps. http://www.melissas.com/Products/Products/Tamarillo.aspx

Now's the time of year for them, so I imagine they'll be turning up soon if they are ever there. good luck!