MOJO Corn

Your mojo is one of your most important assets; it is your charm, energy, vitality, zest, drive, zip, zing, spirit, verve, pizzazz, punch, passion, oomph, power, get up and go, vigour and feistiness.

Whichever way you look at it your mojo is what makes you stand out from everybody else.

Your mojo is that spark which is the difference between having just a good day and a great day.

You may misplace your mojo from time to time but you must never, ever let anybody borrow it.

Top chef Jonny Schwass has mojo, and it was a great pleasure to host him here in Marlborough last weekend.

Ten years ago he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and spent the next year on a heavy treatment of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

That time was a real awakening for Jonny and cancer made him realise that we only have one life to live, so since then Jonny has kept his mojo close by him.

Jonny specialises in local and regional food and we took time out from the busy kitchen go hunt and gather sweetcorn from Birch Grove Farm in Rapaura and strawberries from neighbour Mrs Jones.

We shucked Marlborough oysters from Tio Point and sliced hot de Brood Bakkers bread baked right here in Blenheim.

We are so lucky that Marlborough has mojo, Marlborough food producers have mojo and we must never ever let anybody steal that from our fantastic region.

People bottle Marlborough mojo every day and send it around the world.

We are so lucky that we get to drink and eat Marlborough every day!

MARLBOROUGH MOJO SAUCE

4 red peppers – bell or any other non-spicy red pepper

1-2 slices stale white bread - crusts trimmed if very dry

2 tsp red chilli flakes or 3 hot red or green chillis

3-4 cloves Marlborough garlic, peeled

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp Marlborough rock salt

1 cup extra virgin Marlborough olive oil

1/4 cup (approximately) water or chicken broth

Splash of white wine vinegar to taste

Slice the garlic cloves thinly and break bread into quarters and set aside.

Process the peppers, cumin, garlic slices, hot pepper flakes and salt in a food processor or blender to create a paste. While blending, drizzle in olive oil gradually. Alternately add small pieces of the bread and small amounts of water or broth until the sauce is thick, but not as thick as a paste. Add 1-2 tsp vinegar or more, according to taste.