A two-ingredient miracle

This week I have discovered something miraculous: a two-ingredient condiment that takes approximately one minute to prepare and that goes with just about anything.

Here it is…

This, friends, is a bowl of Greek yoghurt topped with a healthy dollop of chilli crisp.

While hunger is the best sauce (thank you, Cervantes), I think this combination isn’t far behind. In the last week I’ve eaten it with:

• Leftover cold roast potatoes and onions

• Roast chicken

• Brown lentils (from a tin!), dressed with a mustard vinaigrette and lots of parsley

• The mixture above, plus some grated carrots and halved boiled eggs

• Homemade fries and fried eggs

• Accidentally, with granola (I was in a rush, saw a bowl of yoghurt in the fridge, didn’t realise it was chilli-crispified until I scooped up the first spoonful… it wasn’t terrible).

In short, this is an extremely useful way to make quite plain and ordinary things taste quite exciting and out-of-the-ordinary. A bit like how fashiony types used to claim that the right accessories would change everything (they probably still say this but I’m better at not listening).

Anyway, the only rule, I think, is to use proper Greek yoghurt, e.g with a high percentage of delicious fat and no stabilisers. While this is my favourite chilli crisp, this trick also works with the OG Lao Gan Ma, which is much cheaper.

Do try it, as Mr Dilmah, used to say. If you find another use for it, let me know!

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Good Things

This is exceptional pâté - even pâté-deniers of my acquaintance are impressed by it - made in Auckland by chef/food writer Genevieve Knights. When I used to be a judge at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards her products always stood out - and this pâté is no exception. A little goes a long way.

Dumplings at Din Tai Fung, Hong Kong, 2013.

When did you last have a yum cha feast? If it’s been a while between dim sum, please read this moving story by my RNZ colleague Duoya Lu - and then make some bookings.

This week’s newsletter is coming to you from Hanmer Springs, where I’ve discovered this excellent Real Bread Manuka Sourdough - sold at the Four Square, of all places (it is a pretty posh Four Square, I have to say). I think this is a Canterbury-only phenomenon, but if you live in this vague neck of the woods, this is bread worth travelling for. More info here.

That’s all in this week’s on-the-road edition of Fancy Butter. Thank you for reading - and do try my miracle sauce!