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Lot Eight cold-pressed yuzu olive oil

MARTINBOROUGH olive oil producers Lot Eight make many exquisite extra virgin olive oils, but the yuzu oil is one of my favourites. Yuzu is a citrus used in a similar manner to a lemon – the flavour of the juice is bright, with a mandarin undertone, while the zest is aromatic. Lot 8 sources its yuzu from NZ Yuzu Fruit in Horowhenua, and it is the skins that are pressed with the olives to impart flavour. I think it’s best used to finish a dish rather than for cooking, hence my preference to drizzle over proteins and salads where its flavour shines. You can buy it online at loteight. co.nz or at some specialty food stores.

Slow-roasted cherry tomatoes with

yuzu oil Halve cherry tomatoes and put on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Season generously with sea salt and bake in a low (140°C) oven for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle generously with yuzu olive oil while still warm. Serve simply with mozzarella or burrata and a few greens. Soy & ginger lamb chops with smashed cucumber & yuzu oil dressing Mash a small clove of garlic with sea salt, add a peeled and grated 1cm piece of ginger and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Brush over lamb chops and marinate for 30 minutes. Grill until cooked, rest and drizzle with yuzu oil. Meanwhile, use the side of a knife to smash a cucumber, then slice on the diagonal. Mix with 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 small mashed garlic clove and 1 tablespoon yuzu oil and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Serve with the lamp chops.

RAW FISH WITH YUZU OIL

& SESAME SPINACH Thinly slice 400g salmon or other oily fish, put onto plates and drizzle with 2 teaspoons each of light soy sauce and yuzu olive oil. Garnish with finely chopped red or green chilli and coriander leaves. Toast 2 tablespoons sesame seeds in a dry pan, cool and reserve 1 teaspoon for garnish. Crush the remaining sesame seeds and set aside. Blanch 300g spinach in boiling, salted water, drain, cool and roughly chop. Mix with the crushed sesame seeds, ½ teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Scatter over the remaining sesame seeds to serve.