Our Recipes...
Scroll down or use the recipe list to jump to a few of our classics & the most common recipes people ask us for, scaled down so you can make them at home. Simple, seasonal dishes and sauces we use in the restaurant, shared so you can recreate a little bit of Schnappa Rock in your own kitchen.
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Schnappa Rock
Dean Thompson Chef
Recipe List
Kawakawa Chimichurri
This recipe has been a staple on our menu for many years and is used across a number of dishes, including as the base for our ceviche sauce. We blend it to properly break down the kawakawa. Kawakawa grows in abundance around Tutukaka and this is a great way to show it off as an ingredient.
Ingredients:
35g kawakawa leaves
1 large red onion, finely diced
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp chilli flakes
25g fresh parsley, chopped
25g fresh coriander, chopped
20g garlic cloves, minced
½ Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable stock powder (like vegeta)
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Method:
In a bowl, mix the chopped kawakawa, red onion, oregano, chilli flakes, parsley, coriander and garlic.
Add the salt, vegetable stock powder and cracked black pepper.
Stir in the pomegranate molasses (if using), sugar and red wine vinegar.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while stirring to combine.
Alternatively you can put everything in a blender and blend.
Notes:
We usually blend it as this breaks down the kawakawa faster. Ideally leave it for a day or two before using so the flavour settles.
We also often adjust it by adding a bit more olive oil depending on what we are using it for. This tones down the flavour slightly and makes it a bit less intense.
Avocado, Kawakawa & Wasabi Sauce (Schnappa Rock Ceviche Sauce)
This sauce has been a winner on the menu and goes really well with our ceviche or in tacos. It uses our kawakawa chimichurri as an ingredient, so you will need to make that first (recipe above).
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado
100g kewpie wasabi mayo
⅔ cup kawakawa chimichurri
⅔ cup coconut milk
Large handful coriander
Large handful spring onion
2 Tbsp lime juice
Salt to taste
Method:
Add all ingredients to a blender.
Blend for a few minutes until light and silky smooth.
Strain through a sieve, then chill before using.
How to Make Schnappa Rock Ceviche
Take fresh fish of your choice and dice it. Season with sea salt and add some lemon or lime juice. Chop coriander, chilli and spring onions and mix through the fish.
Pour some ceviche sauce into a bowl, then place a pile of the raw fish over the top. Finish with crispy corn for texture and some fresh herbs.
Notes:
If using tuna we usually use less lime juice and add a little of our sesame ginger dressing (recipe below). Another quick way to do ceviche is to mix diced fresh fish with lemon or lime juice, salt, and equal parts kawakawa chimichurri and Kewpie wasabi mayo, then serve. This is a faster version we used to do and it was very popular.
Sesame Ginger Dressing
(Schnappa Rock Sashimi Dressing)
This dressing is great with raw sashimi and Kewpie wasabi mayo. At Schnappa Rock we finish our sashimi with some fresh spring onions, a sprinkle of dukkah and a few wasabi peas. It also works really well as a dressing for salads and vegetables, or even as a stir fry sauce.
Ingredients:
100 g ginger (unpeeled)
2 cups soy sauce
1 cup lime juice
1 cup sesame oil
1 cup mirin
Method:
Add everything to a blender and blend really well.
You can either strain it, or leave it slightly pulpy from the ginger depending on how you prefer it.
Paua Wonton Sauce
This incredibly simple sauce is what we serve with our pāua wontons and it’s always a hit. Rich, savoury and full of flavour, it’s also a great sauce to have around for seafood.
Ingredients:
1 cup Chardonnay
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbsp cornflour
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 Tbsp dried dill
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp vegetable stock powder (like Vegeta)
2 Tbsp water
2 cups cream
Salt to taste
Method:
Heat a pot and add the butter and Chardonnay. Reduce by about two thirds.
Whisk together the cornflour, chilli flakes, dill, turmeric and vegetable stock powder with the water, then whisk this into the reduced wine.
Simmer while whisking until it starts to thicken.
Add the cream and gently simmer to develop richness without reducing it too much. Stop before the sauce becomes fragile or close to splitting.
Season with salt to taste.
Papaka Road Gin & Tonic Granita
This refreshing granita is made with local gin and works really well with fresh oysters. Cold, sharp and slightly botanical, it’s a great little palate cleanser and a fun way to serve oysters.
Ingredients:
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup tonic water
1 cup caster sugar
60 ml Papaka Road gin (or any gin you have)
125 ml water
½ tsp dill
½ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp salt
1 egg white
Method:
In a pot combine the vinegar, tonic water, sugar, water, dill, chilli flakes and salt.
Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Remove from the heat and stir in the gin.
Freeze the mixture until solid (about 6–8 hours or overnight).
Break into chunks and blend in a food processor with the egg white until smooth.
Return to the freezer until firm.
Dukkah
We finish a lot of dishes with our dukkah. It is great for enhancing almost anything by adding that extra texture and flavour. It has become a bit of a staple on our menu over the years.
Ingredients:
125 g cashew nuts
125 g hazelnuts
250 g mixed sesame seeds
6 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 Tbsp flaky sea salt
Method:
Preheat your oven to 220°C.
Spread everything evenly on a baking tray and bake for about 5 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
Let it cool completely, then pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground.
Store in an airtight container.
Chilli Garlic Herb Butter
This butter is great on steak, potatoes, grilled ciabatta and plenty of other things.
Ingredients:
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 spring onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Handful fresh herbs (basil or parsley)
250 g butter (room temperature)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Best served at room temperature.
Pickle Mustard Sauce
This sauce goes really well with our signature crispy potatoes, fries and even in burgers. We use pickles that we make ourselves from the cucumbers we grow in our garden, but when we run out, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy pickles work really well.
Ingredients:
½ cup tomato sauce
1 cup tartare sauce
½ cup mustard (we use Al Brown’s Old Yella)
¼ cup diced onion
¼ cup diced pickles
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
Adjust the mustard, pickles and onion to suit your taste.
Schnappa Rock Crispy Potatoes
These crispy potatoes are seriously good. We break them up by hand for lots of crunchy edges, coat them in potato starch and deep fry them until golden. Pair them with the pickle mustard sauce and you have a great snack or side.
Ingredients:
Agria potatoes (or similar)
Potato starch (or cornflour) for coating
Oil or fat for deep frying
Salt
Method:
Peel the potatoes and steam or boil them whole until fully cooked.
Let them cool & dry completely. This helps with the texture.
Break them up by hand into rough chunks so you get lots of crispy edges.
Coat the potatoes lightly in potato starch (or cornstarch).
Deep fry in hot oil or fat (around 180°C) until golden and crispy.
Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Serve with pickle mustard sauce or our chilli garlic herb butter.
Beef Dry Rub
This rub is awesome for smoking meats, rubbing roasts or even coating roast vegetables. We call it beef rub because we mainly use it on beef before smoking, like our 800 g T-bone or the standing ribs we used to run on the menu. That said, it works just as well on plenty of other things and is a great staple to keep in the pantry.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp black pepper (cracked or NYC)
1½ Tbsp salt
1½ Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp citric acid
Method:
Mix everything together really well.
Store in an airtight container.
Notes:
If you mix 1 cup of this rub with 4 cups of potato starch or cornflour, it makes a really good coating for fried chicken or tofu. In fact, this is what we use to coat the crispy fried tofu on the Schnappa Rock menu.
Check out how we prepare our 800g T-Bone steaks -
Lamb Rib Corn Dogs
This is a fun and pretty tasty take on a corn dog, where the lamb rib bone becomes the hot dog stick.
Ingredients:
For braising the lamb ribs:
1 kg lamb ribs (bone in)
½ cup red wine
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
3 cups beef stock
Salt and pepper
Batter:
190 g all-purpose flour
2½ Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup soda water (plus a little extra if needed)
Coating mix:
60 g panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cornflour
For flouring:
All-purpose flour (for dusting the lamb ribs before battering)
Method:
Put the lamb ribs, red wine, onion, carrot, celery, beef stock, salt and pepper into a tray. Cover tightly with foil and cook in the oven at 150°C for about 3 hours or until the lamb is tender.
Let the ribs cool, then cut between the bones so you have individual lamb ribs.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Gradually add the milk and beaten egg, whisking until smooth.
Gently stir in the soda water until the batter is light and well combined.
In a wide tray mix together the panko breadcrumbs, sugar, salt and cornflour.
Lightly dust the lamb ribs in plain flour.
Dip each rib into the batter so it is evenly coated, then roll it through the panko mix.
Deep fry until golden brown and the batter is cooked through and serve with mustard mayo & caramelised chilli ketchup.
Caramelised Chilli Ketchup
Ingredients:
200 g fresh chillies (adjust depending on how hot you want it)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cups Heinz ketchup
1 tsp salt
Method:
In a saucepan combine the sugar and water. Heat over medium heat until the sugar starts to caramelise.
Add the chillies and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Blend the mixture until smooth, then strain to remove the solids.
Mix the strained chilli syrup and salt with the Heinz ketchup and stir well to combine.
Notes:
Adjust the amount of chilli depending on how spicy you want it.
We use Heinz ketchup for this recipe because it has the tanginess that works really well with the sweetness of the caramel. I used to make the ketchup from scratch with a whole lot of different ingredients but later realised the Heinz ketchup was exactly the flavour I was after.
You can use other tomato sauces if you like, or even just use the chilli caramel on its own as a sauce.
McLeod’s Porter Braised Beef Cheek
Straight from the menu served with roast pumpkin & cumin purée, crispy potato gratin, goat’s cheese mousse, kawakawa chimichurri, porter jus & toasted pistachio.
This dish is one of our signatures, New Zealand beef cheek cooked in Northland brewed McLeod’s Pioneer Porter. Served with our garden produce, house made accompaniments and our classic kawakawa chimichurri. It’s a good example of how we cook at Schnappa Rock: tasty food, strong local connections and respect for good ingredients.
Porter Braised Beef Cheeks
Ingredients:
1 kg beef cheeks, trimmed
1 can McLeod’s porter
Water (enough to cover)
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup demi-glace powder or beef stock powder
¼ cup brown sugar
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
¼ bunch celery, chopped
Method:
Place the beef cheeks into a deep baking dish. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Sprinkle over the demi-glace powder and brown sugar. Pour in the McLeod’s porter and enough water to just cover the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and braise in the oven at 160°C for about 3 hours or until the beef cheeks are very tender. Remove the cheeks from the liquid and reserve the braising stock for the porter jus.
McLeod’s Porter Jus
Ingredients:
25 g butter
1 tsp black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 Tbsp parsley
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp red wine vinegar
150 ml port
400 ml water
2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp demi-glace powder (or gravy powder)
3 Tbsp cornflour
1 litre reserved beef cheek braising stock
2 Tbsp cream
1 Tbsp tomato sauce
½ tsp ground black pepper
Method:
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary and parsley and cook until fragrant. Add the carrot, onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in the brown sugar and lightly caramelise. Add the tomato paste and vinegar and cook briefly. Pour in the port and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift the flavour. Whisk the water, salt, demi-glace powder and cornflour together then add to the pot. Pour in the reserved beef cheek braising stock and simmer for about 1 hour. Add the cream, tomato sauce and black pepper and continue simmering until the sauce becomes glossy and rich. Strain before serving.
To Finish / Serving Suggestion: Spoon the roast pumpkin purée onto the plate. Add a quenelle of goat’s cheese mousse and a drizzle of kawakawa chimichurri (refer to recipe at the top of the page). Arrange some grilled broccolini in the centre. Add crispy potato gratin. Place the porter braised beef cheek on top and spoon over the porter jus. Finish with toasted pistachios and fresh herbs.
Roast Pumpkin & Cumin Purée
Ingredients:
2 cups roasted pumpkin
125 ml cream
60 ml water
40 g butter
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp ground cumin
Method:
Place the cream, water, butter, salt and cumin in a pot and bring to the boil. Transfer to a food processor with the roasted pumpkin and blend until smooth and silky. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Goat's Cheese Mousse
Ingredients:
180 g goat’s cheese
3 Tbsp warm milk
200 ml cream
Salt
White pepper
Method:
Whip the cream to soft peaks. Mix the goat’s cheese with the warm milk until smooth. Fold the whipped cream through the cheese mixture. Season with salt and white pepper and chill until needed.
Crispy Potato Gratin
Ingredients:
Agria potatoes (peeled)
Salt
Pepper
Cornflour
Method:
Thinly slice the potatoes and pat dry. Layer them into a lined tray, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper and a light dusting of cornflour. Cover tightly and bake at 160°C for about 65 minutes (until potato is cooked). Press while still warm to compact the layers then chill overnight. Cut into roughly 3.5 cm cubes. Deep fry until crispy. You can freeze before frying it, this makes it more crispy and extends the shelf life.
Kumara, Orange & Crème Fraiche Salad
This is a proper Northland salad for us. We get the kumara delivered straight from Dargaville from Trev the grower himself, the oranges come from Nadia at Nadia’s Garden, and the spring onions and herbs all come from our restaurant gardens.
Ingredients:
3–4 large orange kumara, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for roasting
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
250 g crème fraîche
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the kumara chunks on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and roast for about 25–30 minutes until tender and golden. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.
In a large bowl combine the orange zest and juice, crème fraîche, chopped coriander, extra virgin olive oil and smoked paprika. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the roasted kumara and sliced spring onions to the dressing and gently toss so everything is nicely coated.
Smoked Fish Rillette
This recipe has been used a few different ways at Schnappa Rock and works well with any smoked fish. We’ve done smoked kahawai rillettes in the past, then a Ora King Salmon one, and now we use Haku kingfish. We usually use the meat from the frames, wings and heads after filleting the fish so there’s no waste. The fattier bits work best for this. It's also really nice with a bit of chilli added.
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried dill
½ tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest and juice of 2 lemons (to taste)
Large handful fresh herbs (your choice), chopped
1 cup smoked fish, flaked
250 g crème fraîche
Method:
In a bowl combine the diced onion, garlic, dill, paprika, salt, NYC pepper and lemon juice and zest.
Add the smoked fish and crème fraîche and mix until well combined.
Taste and adjust seasoning, making sure there is enough salt and lemon to balance the richness.
Stir through the fresh herbs or sprinkle them over the top.
Chill before serving.
Thai Curry Mussels
This dish has been on the Schnappa Rock menu for about 20 years and we’ve never been able to take it off. It’s super simple but people love it. We get asked for this recipe all the time, and people are usually pretty shocked when they hear the kitchen version makes about 20 litres of curry sauce. So this is a scaled down version you can make at home.
Ingredients:
3 onions, diced
50 g fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
60–120 g red curry paste (depending on the brand and how spicy it is)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 L coconut milk (or coconut cream if you want a thicker sauce)
3 Tbsp chopped coriander (ideally the stalks)
1 Tbsp Brown sugar (or to taste)
Salt to taste
Mussels
Method:
Sauté the onions, garlic and ginger in a little oil until soft and translucent.
Add the curry paste and cook until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste, followed by the coconut milk and lemon juice and zest.
Simmer gently for about 25–35 minutes.
Add the chopped coriander, then season with brown sugar and salt to taste.
Stick blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve or chinois.
Scrub the mussels and remove the beards if needed. Steam them in a covered pot with a small splash of water until they open. Drain off any excess liquid from the pot, then cover the mussels in the Thai curry sauce and serve.
Aromatic Coconut Coriander Curry Sauce
This is a really good curry base or sauce that works with all sorts of things. We’ve used it with chicken, confit duck legs and even tofu. It’s a great one to have around if you want a rich, aromatic curry sauce ready to go.
Ingredients:
1 large onion
35 g fresh coriander
3 red chillies (adjust depending on how spicy you want it)
25 g fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
½ Tbsp garam masala
½ Tbsp ground cumin
½ Tbsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp ground coriander
½ Tbsp coriander seeds
½ Tbsp cinnamon
½ Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp vegetable stock powder (like vegeta)
½ Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp oil
To finish:
500ml coconut cream or coconut milk (depending how thick you want it)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
Method:
Pulse the onions, coriander, chillies, ginger, garlic, spices, salt, vegetable stock powder, brown sugar, pepper and oil in a food processor until a thick, even paste forms.
Cook the paste in a pot over medium heat until fragrant.
Add the coconut cream (or coconut milk) & tomato paste.
Simmer gently until the flavours come together and the sauce is rich and aromatic.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Cointreau Creme Brulee
This recipe makes about 8–10 creme brulees compared to the kitchen version which makes about 50, but you might still want to halve it. You can leave the Cointreau out and use another liqueur if you like, or keep it simple and make it vanilla by swapping the Cointreau for an additional 150ml of milk or cream. These can easily split depending on ovens. If they come out looking a bit scrambled don’t throw them out. Give the mix a quick blend in a food processor, pour it into your ramekins and chill. They’ll still set and be fine.
Ingredients:
8 egg yolks
145 g sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste
850 ml cream
150 ml Cointreau
Zest of 1 orange
Method:
Mix the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla paste together in a large bowl with a whisk until just combined. Try not to incorporate too much air.
Warm the cream and orange zest in a pot until steaming but not boiling.
Temper the egg mixture by slowly whisking in a small amount of the hot cream. Once combined, whisk in the remaining cream and add the Cointreau.
Strain the mixture to remove the zest.
Stir gently, then pour into ramekins.
Pop any air bubbles on the surface with a blow torch.
Place the ramekins into a baking dish with some warm water (should come halfway up the outside of the ramekin) and cover with foil. Carefully place in the oven on bake at about 150°C until just set (30-45 min).
Chill well before serving, then sprinkle with sugar and brûlée the tops with a blow torch.
Whittaker's Dark Chocolate Pudding
This rich pudding works well as a cake, a slice, or a delicious warm dessert with cream or ice cream.
Ingredients:
325 g Whittaker’s Dark Ghana 72% chocolate (melted)
1 Tbsp espresso (or instant coffee)
1 Tbsp rum
250 g sugar
250 g butter (room temperature)
160 g ground almonds
8 egg yolks
8 egg whites
Method:
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Slowly add the rum and espresso.
Gradually beat in the egg yolks, scraping the bowl often.
Mix in the melted chocolate.
Add the ground almonds and stir through.
Whip the egg whites until very stiff.
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the mixture.
Line a baking dish with baking paper and pour in the mix.
Bake at 160°C for about 30 minutes, or until just set in the centre.
Chocolate Vodka Ice Cream
Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
100 g sugar
625 ml cream
150 g Whittaker’s dark chocolate (melted)
½ tsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ cup vodka
Method:
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl.
In a pot heat the cream until just below boiling.
Slowly pour the hot cream into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
Stir in the melted dark chocolate, vanilla, sea salt and vodka and mix well.
Transfer to a bowl and let it cool slightly before freezing.
If you have an ice cream churner use that. If you don't no worries neither do we. Place the mix in a large bowl and put it in the freezer and give it a whisk every 30 minutes or so as it starts to freeze.
Once it is mostly frozen, or around a soft serve texture, blend it in a food processor for a few minutes to incorporate some air (this is essentially what churning does).
Return to a container and freeze again until firm. You can adjust the vodka slightly if you want the ice cream to freeze softer or firmer. (Vodka doesn't freeze, therefore more makes its softer less makes it firmer. Sugar works the same).
