Diesel Rogers Dining with Diesel www.sunlive.co.nz

There is no way I would want to be involved in some of the schoolyard shenanigans doing the rounds at the moment as a result of the local body elections.

Some of these clowns remind me of those two legger games at school, where the two most popular lads get to pick their teams for a game called bull rush and all the other boys – and the occasional adventurous girl, are jumping up and down saying, ‘pick me, pick me.'

Well, all I am saying is, I do not want to picked at all. In fact, I can't wait for the entire thing to end.

Even the Boss, with his diplomatic hat on, is completely over it. Every time his phone goes, I carefully sneak out from under his desk, and slink into the corner, as I've had enough of getting one of his wayward size nines in the moosh, what with me still recovering and all.

We just hope the election winners spend as much time and energy on making this great town a place we can all be proud of, as they have on their election campaigns.

Now due to all the excess wind being emitted by our local body politicians (and you thought it was the weather), the bosses and I headed for the bush to escape the madness for a few days.

After my incarceration while I recovered from my surgery, it was great to feel the sun and wind on my sultry locks. It was with great delight that I cavorted in the ocean. My only regret is that it seems even the intrepid Chocolate Crusader has to make a few allowances for the passage of time.

The possum population will probably be ecstatic now that I am unable to cause the usual amount of mayhem and damage among their ranks. A word of warning though - as the film star Governor of California once stated, 'I will be back.” Possibly not in my usual rough and ready way, but I will be using that great Labrador intelligence to great advantage. After all, there is more than one way to skin a possum.

Well now it's on to something else you can get your teeth into, namely Johnny Boy's meat. Now that daylight has been extended, it must be time to dust off the barbecue. The butcher boy in Gate Pa has all the goodies, so get along and see him.

Asian-style Sirloin Steak and Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients

700g sirloin steak (175g per person)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (1-1 and 1/2 tsp of ground ginger may be substituted)

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
Long grain rice to serve four (1/4 C of uncooked rice makes about 1 C cooked rice)
1 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted

Method

Preheat oven grill to high temperature.

Combine ginger, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper; reserve 1 teaspoon. Rub half of remaining mixture over each side of steak.

Place steak on a rack above a grill pan and place under the preheated grill, about 10 centimetres from the element. Grill for 15 to 17 minutes, to desired degree of doneness (rare or medium), turning once.

Prepare rice to packet instructions using your preferred cooking method – rapid boil or absorption method – or in a rice cooker if you have one.

Once the rice is cooked, gently toss it in the reserved soy sauce mixture, green onion and toasted almonds.

Slice steak across the grain into thin slices. Serve with seasoned rice.

Alrighty, my good people, I must be away to protect the boss from local body politicians. Some of them taste worse than possum and they're a lot less fun to catch.

Do a little homework first and use that vote sensibly. It's the future of our great city that's at stake, and those who don't vote have no right to bitch and moan.

There's a good chance I might be at the SPCA animal blessing this Sunday. Word is, there's going to be free tucker.