Dazz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

The rhythm of our daily routine is sometimes not as ordered as we would like, and events happening sometimes escalate to the point where our expected achievements don't work out.

When this happens, lists of things to do build up and greater effort has to be expended coping with the extra stress.

Then, on top of all this, there's the lack of sleep and general disorganisation in the mornings, with nine animals to be fed before the first of my too many coffees.
It's sometimes nice to be interrupted from your projects, of which I have many. But then sometimes it's just down right annoying.

So, at the end of the day, you have bits of this done, parts of that done – but not a lot achieved.

You return inside to search the depths of the fridge to find something to eat. Only to find your food has been ransacked by couch boy or one of the flatties.

There's parts of this, bits of that – a bit like my day really – a hotchpotch of ingredients but enough to make some tasty ‘scharmosal' – this is the name I've given these moments. Actually, I've called it Scharmosal Syndrome.

This affliction, which presents itself as organised chaos subject to random events which turn out fantastic anyway, effects one in five grumpy old men – such as myself.

Using kumara wedges as a base and baking everything under the grill, I'm able to whip up a tasty, filling snack in no time at all.

Grilled scharmosal

Ingredients

1 medium kumara
2 Tbsp coconut oil
½ red onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 green capsicum
2-4 mushrooms, sliced
1 ham steak, cut
into slices
1 handful microgreens
½ cup mixed cheeses,
grated
Salt and pepper
Preferred seasoning

Method

Scrub the kumara and cut into slices. Rub with some coconut oil and place on a baking tray, lined with foil, and place under hot grill to begin the process.

Add capsicum, onions, mushrooms and garlic, spreading out on the tray and baking for a few more minutes.

As the kumara browns, turn over. Lastly, add ham strips, then cheese and bake everything until well browned.

Remove from heat and layer on plates, folding in microgreens as you go. You can mix and match your ingredients using the quick-cooking kumara as a base.
It's a great way to fill a plate.