Recipe and words extracted from Food for Thought: A NZ-grown cookbook from the BearLion kitchen by Alesha Bilbrough-Collins
At the BearLion Deli we had a notebook in which any of us could jot down our favourite salad of the week. I started this for the sole purpose of writing a cookbook one day, so here’s one that made the cut. I often forget about potatoes but they really are fucking terrific and utilising them differently with a salad is always a winner. You don’t have to smash the peas. I just prefer to do it that way. I find they hold to the potato better, like a dressing almost. Hey, and while you’re at it, try a different potato variety for a change. Learn and taste something new from a local grower.

Garlic potatoes with smashed peas, pecorino, cumin, dill + chilli
Serves 4
Vegetarian
Ingredients
4 medium potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
4–6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups frozen peas, defrosted, or fresh
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 whole fresh chilli, thinly sliced
100g pecorino cheese
1 tbsp dried dill or 1 cup fresh, including stalks
Method
Turn the oven up high to 220˚C fan bake.
Scrub the spuds and give them a rough big chop, golf-ball size. Whack them in a bowl with the usual palaver — olive oil, plenty of salt and pepper plus the garlic. Cook in the oven for about 25–30 minutes or until golden brown.
While the spuds are doing their thing, smash the peas by using a kitchen whizz and giving a wee blitz or go old-school and use a masher. Place them in a bowl and dress with the extra virgin olive oil. Add cumin seeds, lemon zest only and chilli. Mix well and see if you’d like more heat. Remember it’s going to be dispersed so flavours and heat won’t be as full on.
Keep potatoes on the roasting tray or put in a vessel that gets you excited. Squeeze the lemon juice over the potatoes, then top withbig splotches of the pea mixture followed by thinly sliced pecorino (use a peeler if need be) and lastly the dill.
I’d have this as is for brunch, possibly add a fried egg on top if you wanted or serve up with a big fuck-off steak and plenty of jus or mustard. There’s plenty of good New Zealand peeps producing pecorino cheese these days. So go find your favourite. I used the ViaVio brand.
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Alesha Bilbrough-Collins (The Lion) is a chef who has worked across the hospitality industry, including stints for Ottolenghi and Ramsay Holdings in London. Returning to New Zealand, Alesha and husband John (The Bear) opened BearLion Foods, which has had various incarnations, and these days operates as a sustainable and organic food, catering and private chef business based in Upper Moutere, Tasman.
More recipes by BearLion Kitchen —
Upside-down apple and polenta cake

Food for Thought: A NZ-grown cookbook from the BearLion kitchen
From the BearLion kitchen by Alesha Bilbrough-Collins, published by Bateman Books, RRP$55, available now.
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