Ingredients
Method
Day before:
- Find room in your freezer for your ice cream attachment or alternatively 2500/3000ml stainless steel bowl
Method for the ‘custard’:
- Assemble your ingredients
- In your stand mixer combine the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla essence.
- Whisk on medium speed for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat the cream and milk in a saucepan to below simmering point – Do not boil
- When the egg mix is pale and fluffy, remove the beater and add the hot cream mix and stir in well by hand
- Into the same saucepan or a clean one pass the egg and cream mix through a fine strainer – discard any solids from the sieve.
- Return the egg and cream mix to the stove over medium heat. Add vanilla paste. Stir continuously until the mixture starts to thicken – about 10 minutes. Again do not boil.
- Take the mix off the heat and continue stirring for another minute on a cold surface or in a bowl of ice
- Cool to room temperature
- Cover the mix and refrigerate
- The freezing process regardless of the method you choose is a combination of freezing and aeration, at the same time
Method for freezing using a stainless steel bowl and whisk
- Give the custard mix an extra chill in your freezer for 30 minutes until the edge of the custard starts to freeze.
- Remove the custard from the freezer and whisk by hand to incorporate and breakdown any frozen custard. Return to freezer
- Repeat this process every 30 minutes for 5 or 6 times until the mix is frozen
Method for freezing in your mixer attachment:
- Give the custard mix an extra chill in your freezer for 30 minutes
- Make sure the ice cream bowl is completely frozen
- Following the instructions supplied (on the mixer attachment) it should take about 10 minutes to freeze.
- Transfer the finished ice cream into a freeze stable sealed container
Notes
Straining the hot cream and egg mix will remove any little bits of cooked egg whiteThe mixing process breaks down the ‘larger’ ice crystals which removes the ‘crunch” textureExperiment with your favourite additions folded through such as berries and sweet sauces.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Pre-heat your oven to 175c – 180c
- Grease the loaf pan with unsalted butter or non stick spray
- With your stand mixer on medium speed and using the paddle attachment beat the butter and brown sugar for 3 – 4 minutes until the mix is pale and creamy
- Meanwhile in a separate bowl combine the self raising flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon
- Returning to the butter mix add the eggs, one at a time. Ensure the egg has mixed in before adding the second egg. This is a good time scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl
- Add the sour cream (or yogurt), bananas and vanilla. Mix in well
- On a lower speed add the dry ingredients until just combined. If necessary mix by hand with a spatula. The batter is finished
- Pour this thick batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for one hour
- After 30 minutes, drop the temperature down to 160c to prevent scorching
- Check if it is cooked by using a clean toothpick
- Let the banana bread cool for at least 30 minutes before turning it out
- Slice and serve or wrap and store
Notes
For gluten free just replace the self raising flour with gluten free flour and four teaspoons of baking powder (all up)
• This recipe is a good alternative breakfast item. Cut a 2cm slice of the chilled banana bread and grill it on a flat sandwich toaster or dry frypan. Serve hot with jam.
• This recipe is a good alternative breakfast item. Cut a 2cm slice of the chilled banana bread and grill it on a flat sandwich toaster or dry frypan. Serve hot with jam.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175c
- Assemble ingredients
- Apply some non-stick spray to the inside of the patty pans.
- In a bowl add your dry ingredients and combine well (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt)
- In your second bowl add the mashed bananas followed by the sugars, melted butter, egg and vanilla. Mix well
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Avoid flour lumps but do not over mix.
- Divide the batter evenly between the patty pans
- Bake in your preheated oven for 20 – 30 minutes
- Use a toothpick to check if the muffins are done – the time can vary depending on the oven.
- Serve the muffins warm
Notes
For gluten free just replace the self raising flour with gluten free flour and three teaspoons of baking powder (all up)
Walnuts, pecans and blueberries are some of the many additions you can add to the finished batter
Walnuts, pecans and blueberries are some of the many additions you can add to the finished batter
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Method: crepes
- Assemble your ingredients
- Combine the flour and salt
- In a separate bowl combine by whisking the eggs, milk and water
- Whisk the flour mix in to the egg mix thoroughly to make a smooth batter
- Finally mix in the melted butter
- Ready
Cooking the Crepes:
- A suitable sized crepe is around 15 cm diameter and should plate up nicely if you were rolling or folding the crepe. A flat non-stick pan with a minimum base diameter of 18cm should allow you to attain reasonable shape. A measured amount of batter is also important – around 50ml to 60ml. A one quarter cup measure would be suitable. Initially, after heating a little oil in your pan, tip off the excess oil. I use kitchen paper soaked in oil and rubbed over the hot pan for subsequent crepes. The pan should be hot enough to set the batter but also allow the batter to run as you tilt the pan.
- Heat the oil in the pan
- Tip off excess
- Holding the pan by the handle pour in the batter a little off- centre
- Tilt the pan around the full 360 degrees to attain a circular shape
- Return to heat
- Cook for 1 -2 minutes. Light golden colour is good
- Turn with spatula and cook for a little less than a minute
- The side now facing you is the presentation side
- Turn the crepe out onto a plate
- Ready
Method: cream patissiere
- Assemble ingredients
- In a small saucepan heat the milk until it is a ‘drinkable heat’. Do not boil.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks and cornflour
- Whisk together
- Add the hot milk to egg yolk mix and combine well. The mix should be hot enough to just cook any egg white
- Into the milk saucepan or a clean one strain the milk mixture through a fine sieve and return to the heat. Discard any solids from the sieve
- Add the sugar and vanilla to the milk mixture while stirring continuously. At this point I prefer using a silicon spatula
- The mix will gradually thicken. Continue stirring
- When the mix appears to just start boiling take the mix off the heat
- Continue stirring the mix off the heat for one minute
- Strain again if you wish or pour the mix into a clean bowl
- Cover with plastic film and store in the refrigerator
Method: meringue
- Assemble your ingredients
- Firstly make sure your stand mixer and whisk attachment are both very clean and dry
- On a low speed whisk the egg white for 1 minute before adding salt and increasing the speed of the mixer to medium speed for 1 more minute until ‘soft peaks’ start to form
- Continue mixing and start adding the sugar, slowly, one tablespoon of sugar at a time, to ensure that the sugar dissolves
- Increase the speed of the mixer to medium high and continue adding sugar
- The meringue should adopt a glossy appearance with a smooth texture. The ‘soft peaks’ are now firmer
- Check the texture by rubbing a little of the mix between your fingers – it should not be gritty
Method: assembly
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c
- Prepare your ramekins by lining them with a thin coating of butter and a dusting of caster sugar
- Drain the strawberries (retaining the liquid)
- Combine the marinated strawberries with the chilled Crème patissiere
- Divide this mix between the four crepes
- Roll the crepes and place in the ramekins
- Place the ramekins in the oven for 5 minutes to heat
- Meanwhile prepare the meringue, which takes around 5 minutes
- When the crepes are warm remove the ramekins from the oven
- Pour the reserved liquid over the crepes
- Apply the meringue to the crepes with a pallet knife to cover the crepe
- Finish with more meringue in a random way or by ‘piping’ it on
- Return the crepes to the oven for 5 minutes until the meringue has browned
- Serve on an under plate decorated with raspberries and dusted with icing sugar
Passionfruit cheesecake
This recipe is unbaked, for I believe the flavour of passionfruit is retained when not cooked. I also use leaf gelatine instead of powdered. The recipe calls for two sheets, titanium strength –they’re the big ones, of gelatine which will give you a firm set, which is perfect if the cheesecake is destined for an outdoor celebration, but you may prefer to use less.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Line your spring form tin with baking paper
- In your food processor process the biscuits to a medium fine crush
- Mix in the butter and press this mix into the base of your lined spring form tin. Chill the crumb base in your fridge for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling
- In your stand mixer using your whisk attachment, whip the cream to firm peaks before removing and storing in your fridge
- Soften the gelatine in very cold water for about 5 minutes
- Meanwhile in your stand mixer, mix on medium speed combine the cream cheese, sugar, passionfruit liquid and vanilla until smooth
- Don’t forget to scrape the side of the mixing bowl to avoid any unmixed sugar
- While that is mixing, remove the softened gelatine, squeezing out any excess water before adding it to the hot water. It should dissolve almost immediately with a gentle stir
- Reduce the speed of your mixer to slow and slowly add the dissolved gelatine. Mix well
- On very slow speed or by hand fold in the whipped cream. Mix well but avoid over beating
- Pour this mix onto your chilled crumb base and spread evenly
- Finally spoon the passionfruit pulp on to the mix and gently swirl the fruit into the cream mix
- Cover and chill for four hours.
- Serve as a standalone dessert or a sweet slice.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat for 5 -10 minutes until the onions are transparent. A little colour is OK. Chill when cooked
- Add about ½ teaspoon of salt and a little water to the grated zucchini and mix well
- Let stand for 15 minutes
- Squeeze the excess liquid from the zucchini
- In a clean bowl combine the ‘dried’ zucchini, onion and potato. Mix well
- Season with a little cracked black pepper
- Add crumbled Feta. A light mix to distribute evenly
- Mix in cornflour
- Fold in egg
- Gently mix
Cooking:
- At a medium temperature heat a little oil in the frypan
- Form the mix into suitable sized patties and add to the frypan, evenly spaced
- Fry for 2 minutes and turn to cook the other side. One turn should do it. Even light brown colour is good
- Serve immediately with salad and chilli jam or chill
- Reheat in a frypan or carefully in a microwave
Notes
Use firm Greek Feta not the softer Danish variety
• Make sure the salted zucchini is squeezed well
• Use salt sparingly after this because the feta is salty
• Make sure the salted zucchini is squeezed well
• Use salt sparingly after this because the feta is salty
Ingredients
Method
- Chilled plates, lay the lettuce
- Arrange the meat, cheese and cucumber strips in a pattern of your choice
- Garnish with the cherry tomatoes, half eggs, spring onions and parsley
- Serve thousand island dressing separately
Thousand Island dressing
If you have had cooked prawns at Christmas time, there is a possibility that you may have leftover Cocktail Sauce which can form the basis of Thousand Island dressing. Additions to the dressing are finely chopped and folded in, and your choice of these additions can be varied, dependent on what you have available but aim for compatibility and colour variation to give a speckled appearance.
Ingredients
Method
Method for sauce:
- Mix all ingredients together
- Cover and refrigerate
Method for additions:
- Stir into cocktail sauce
- Cover and refrigerate
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Wash and dry the unpeeled potatoes
- Set your oven (or air-fryer) to 200c
- Place pinenuts on baking tray and bake in the oven for 5 minutes until slightly brown and place in container to cool
- Using the baking tray place the potatoes on a bed of coarse salt and prick the potatoes with a fork a few times
- Place the tray potatoes in the oven
- Cook the potatoes until soft – about 50 minutes
- When cooked take the potatoes out of the oven and cool them a little
- Using a gloved hand split the potatoes and rub the potato flesh through a fine sieve, without the skin, cool slightly
- In a bowl mix, the flour and salt, followed by the potato and egg
- Mix to form soft dough. It should not stick to your fingers
- Turn the mix out onto a lightly floured board
- On this lightly floured surface divide the mix into three and gently roll them into even thickness ‘sausage’ shapes
- Cut small amounts of the dough in 2cm chunks
- Roll them gently with the back of a fort and sprinkle them with a little flour.
- Rest the Gnocchi for 30 minutes before cooking
- It would be a good time to prepare the sauce (see separate pesto sauce recipe)
- In a large saucepan bring to a rolling boil a generous amount of salted water and about 20ml of olive oil
- Add the gnocchi. It should take around 2-3 minutes, but they will float to the surface when ready
- Drain them well in a colander and add them directly to the sauce
Pesto cream sauce
This is a versatile recipe that will convert you from ever purchasing the bottled variety again. Unused pesto has reasonably good keeping qualities and can also be turned into a dip.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Using your already pre-heated oven ‘toast’ the pine nuts – it should take about 5 minutes
- In your blender place the basil, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, lemon juice and a little seasoning
- On medium speed blend these ingredients to form a paste
- Add the olive oil and continue blending to make a thick paste
- Check seasoning
- Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container, or continue with the pasta sauce
- Heat the cream until almost boiling before stirring in the pesto
- Add the cooked Gnocchi and gently coat with sauce
- Serve topped with shaved parmesan and garnished with fresh basil leaf
Notes
If you feel your sauce is too thick add a little of the gnocchi boiling water or white wine.
Avoid over-cooking the sauce once the basil has been added for it will dull the vibrant green colour.
Experiment with other nuts. I have used both cashews and macadamias in similar recipes
Likewise try rocket leaves instead of basil
If you feel the pesto cream sauce is a little too rich try the tomato sauce recipe from Newsletter # 20
Avoid over-cooking the sauce once the basil has been added for it will dull the vibrant green colour.
Experiment with other nuts. I have used both cashews and macadamias in similar recipes
Likewise try rocket leaves instead of basil
If you feel the pesto cream sauce is a little too rich try the tomato sauce recipe from Newsletter # 20
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- In your saucepan heat your vinegars and sugar to boiling point
- Add all the spices, mango and salt
- Return the saucepan to boiling before turning the heat down for a slow simmer
- Check flavour profile
- Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking
- When you are happy with the thickness remove the cloves
- Seal in your refrigerator for the short term or bottle for long term storage (see separate method)
Preparing bottles for chutney and finishing
- This recipe required two 450 -500g jam jars. The jars need to be in good condition, clean, label free and have a screw cap. Jars that have been previously used for jam or pickles are fine. While you can use your oven to sterilise the bottles and caps, an alternate way is the boiling water/hot seal method, which I used.
- In a suitably sized saucepan, immerse the empty jars and lids in cold water and bring the water to the boil.
- Simmer for 15 -20 minutes
- Leave in the water on low heat until you are ready to use the bottles
- When the chutney is ready to bottle carefully drain and remove the first jar from the hot water. It should dry quickly
- Using a ladle fill the jar to about 2-3ml from the top, carefully clean the rim
- Take the lid from the hot water (again it will dry quickly) and cap the bottle
Notes
If you prefer a darker chutney use brown sugar instead of whiteChange vinegars to suit your tastesI used ground spices, which is what I hadI used less sugar than the 150g because I had made a ginger syrup and strained out the ginger
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Method for the custard filling:
- Assemble ingredients
- In a bowl combine the sugar, cornflour, salt, vanilla and egg yolks
- Whisk until creamy
- – about 1-2 minutes
- In a small saucepan warm the milk to 70c – 80c – which is below simmering point. Do not boil. The milk should be hot enough to cook any egg white that may have lingered in the egg mix
- Add half of the warmed milk to the egg mix and stir in well
- Add the other half of the milk and stir well
- Pass this mixture through a fine strainer back into the saucepan. The strainer will catch any unnecessary egg white
- Return the saucepan to the stove and over medium heat. Stir constantly. The mixture will quickly thicken. When the first bubbles (from boiling) appear, take the mixture off the heat and whisk vigorously to remove any lumps
- Return the saucepan to a lower heat to make sure it was evenly heated. Continue stirring
- Using a spatula transfer the custard to a medium sized bowl and cover the surface with plastic film
- Chill until ready to use
Method for the almond-honey topping:
- Assemble your ingredients
- In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine the butter, honey and sugar
- Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling and creamy
- Take off the heat and stir in the almonds until they are well coated
- Allow to cool to room temperature
- Leave on the side until ready to use
Method for the cake:
- Assemble ingredients
- In a small saucepan warm the milk, butter and honey
- Meanwhile combine the flour, yeast and salt
- In your mixer (with the dough hook attachment) add the warmed milk mixture
- Add the eggs and flour mixture
- On a low speed mix for one minute until a rough dough forms
- Turn the mixer up to a medium speed for 5 minutes
- The mix will now be ‘bread dough like’ – not sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl and elastic
- Form the dough into a ball and place the dough in a clean mixing bowl lightly greased with butter
- Cover the bowl and place it in a warm place for at least one hour to allow the yeast to do its work
- The dough will double in size
- When you are happy with the degree of raising, ‘knock’ the dough back by working the dough with your hands
- Lightly grease your spring form tin with butter and press the dough evenly into the base of the tin
- Spread the almond mixture evenly on top of the dough
- Cover and return to the warm place for at least 30 minutes
- While your dough is enjoying a second raising pre-heat your oven to 170c
- In the centre of the oven bake the Bee sting for 25 minutes
- When the topping is a golden brown remove the Bee sting from the oven
- Wait 5 minutes
- Run a knife around the edge of the tin and remove the Bee sting
- Allow to cool to room temperature and then it’s ready for final assembly
Method for putting it together:
- Gently fold in half of the whipped cream to the chilled custard
- When combined fold in the other half of whipped cream. The custard should be light and airy without any obvious bits of unmixed custard. Keep chilled while you split the cake
- Split the cake horizontally and on the inside of the base spread the custard mix evenly. Leave a little gap – say 1cm around the edge
- Place the top on the cake and gently press down until the custard expands to the edge of the cake.
- Best refrigerated for 2 hours, but you can serve it immediately
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Set your oven at 150c
- Line your selected flat tray or baking sheet with baking paper
- Place your split tomatoes, cut side up on the lined tray
- Lightly sprinkle with the salt, pepper and herbs
- Finish with a sprinkle of the olive oil
- Place in the middle of the oven
- After 25 minutes reduce the temperature to 120c
- Continue ‘drying’ for 1 -1½ hours
- Take out, cool to room temperature and serve or refrigerate in a sealed container
Notes
You can substitute dried herbs instead of fresh, just use a little less
• Avoid setting the oven too high as it will effectively ‘boil’ the tomatoes
• The longer the process, the dryer the tomato
• If the tomatoes vary greatly in size consider quartering the larger ones to even them up
• Avoid setting the oven too high as it will effectively ‘boil’ the tomatoes
• The longer the process, the dryer the tomato
• If the tomatoes vary greatly in size consider quartering the larger ones to even them up
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Preheat your oven to 180c
- In a bowl mix the ricotta, egg, parmesan, thyme, a little seasoning and half the chilli
- Lightly spray an oven proof dish, around 15 cm diameter or a small muffin pan – say twelve
- Spoon the mix into the bowl or divide the mix evenly in the muffin pan
- Sprinkle with the remaining minced chilli
- Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown
- Serve at room temperature or store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Pre heat your oven to 180c
- In a bowl mix the mushrooms with the lemon juice, garlic, thyme and seasoning
- Add the olive oil and repeat the mixing
- Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until the mushrooms brown a little
- Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar
- Continue baking for 10 minutes
- When ready remove the mushrooms from the oven and cool to room temperature
- Serve immediately or store sealed in your fridge for up to 5 days
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Make a dressing form the lemon juice, vinegar, oil and seasoning. Mix well
- Add the onion and parsley. Mix well
- In a suitably sized bowl place the beans and top with chunks of tuna
- Gently mix the beans and tuna
- Cover with dressing
- Serve immediately or store sealed in the fridge for up to 4 days
Notes
If you are not serving the tuna that day, delete the parsley and add it just before you serve
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Pre heat your oven to 180c
- If the cashews are not toasted, place them on a dry oven able tray and cook in the oven for approximately 10 minutes – until slightly brown. Do not burn
- When the nuts are ready, cool to room temperature
- Bend to a coarse chop
- Mix the pumpkin with the spices, seasoning and oil
- In the oven, roast the pumpkin for 30 minutes, until soft. Do not burn
- Cool the cooked pumpkin to room temperature
- When ready place the cooked pumpkin in a bowl and mash it with a fork
- Add the chopped nuts, spring onion, yoghurt, vinegar and honey to the pumpkin
- Mix well and then chill the mix
- Serve chilled or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Honey Prawns
This dish is about 2 things – the batter and the sauce. Both are relatively simple. The finished dish can be served with crispy noodles, Singapore style noodles, boiled rice or a fried rice. I chose a simple fried rice using ingredients that I already had.
I try to avoid deep frying at home because of the expense of the oil, the invariable mess from the greasy vapours and also the possible dangers of handling hot oil. So take care.
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Drain the prawns of any ‘thaw water’
- Marinate the prawns in a little sea salt and 10ml of rice wine, cover and chill while you do a little more prep
- Combine 40g of the corn flour, gluten free flour, baking powder, salt, 10ml of the rice wine, yellow colour the soda water
- Mix well to form a reasonably thick batter. Keep chilled
- In a small saucepan combine the honey, soy sauce and remaining rice wine. You will heat this later
- Pour the oil into a suitably sized saucepan – one that will give you an oil ‘depth’ of around 8cm
- Gently heat the oil to around 175c. If you don’t have a thermometer test the temperature with a little of the batter. When dropped in the batter should almost immediately start cooking and returning to the surface of the oil
- Drain the prawns of marinade and pat dry
- With the remaining corn flour, dust the prawns
- Coat them in batter before gently dropping them in the hot oil, one by one
- You should be able to fit half the prawns in the saucepan
- Adjust the temperature to suit
- Fry the prawns for about 40 seconds, gently stirring/turning them with a slotted metal spoon
- Take the prawns out and place on absorbent kitchen paper
- Repeat the cooking/draining process with the remaining prawns
- At this point start heat the honey mix. Bring to boil before turning the heat down to a slow simmer
- Make sure the oil has returned to temperature before adding the prawns to the oil a second and final time. Fry for about 1 minute until they are crispy. Drain the prawns.
- In a heatproof mixing bowl add the drained prawns, sesame seeds, spring onions and hot honey mix.
- Toss/ mix to ensure a liberal even coating
- Serve
Notes
The first fry is called ‘flash frying’. It is a common practice in restaurants and takeawaysThe cooked batter will be relatively pale (without the drop of yellow colour) but I prefer the pale colour. Keep in mind the honey mix will impart an amber colour
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Pre-heat your oven to 200c
- Blanch the green leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds before refreshing them in cold water
- Gently squeeze dry the leaves
- Blanch the zest in boiling water for 20 seconds before refreshing in cold water.
- Drain and pat dry
- In a bowl mix the ricotta, pine nuts, spring onion, egg yolk, corn flour and seasoning together. Keep chilled while you prepare the chicken breast
- With a sharp knife, split the chicken breast horizontally (butter flied)
- Between two sheets of plastic wrap flatten the chicken, with a meat hammer, to around 6ml even thickness
- Remove the top sheet of plastic and discard and almost cover the surface of the chicken with the silver beet
- Place a generous amount of ricotta mix down the centre
- Use the plastic wrap to roll the chicken to form a cylinder
- Carefully transfer the chicken roll to an oiled sheet of al-foil. Remove the plastic wrap
- Wrap the chicken in the al-foil. Secure the ends by twisting the foil
- Place on a baking dish (with the foil join upwards) and bake for 20 minutes before turning down the oven to 170c and cooking for a further 15 minutes
- When ready take out and let it stand, unopened for 15 minutes
- Meanwhile, add the fruit juice, brown sugar and chicken stock to a pan and gently reduce by half
- Add the citrus zest to the pan
- Open the chicken and add any collected juices to the orange juice mix
- Diagonally slice the chicken into six pieces
- Arrange on two plates
- Coat the chicken with the citrus glaze
Notes
English spinach is a better alternative – I used silver beetTake care with toasting the pine nuts – 2 minutes in your oven while it is preheatingAlternatively use your air fryerI served the chicken with mashed potato and steamed vegetables
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Carefully toast the pine nuts in your oven or air-fryer – around 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Place the ricotta, pine nuts, spring onion, garlic, herbs, parsley and seasoning in a mixing bowl
- Mix these ingredients well, cover and chill
- Slice the eggplant lengthwise about 7mm-8mm thick
- Brush each side of the eggplant slices with olive oil
- In a heated non-stick pan grill the eggplant on both sides. Each batch takes about 5 minutes
- When the eggplant is all grilled, cool to room temperature
- Place ¼ of the eggplant slices on plastic wrap in a single layer
- On top of the eggplant place ¼ of the ricotta mix, down the centre
- With the help of the plastic wrap, roll the eggplant into a cylinder shape – not too tight
- Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to form the eggplant into a thick sausage shape
- Repeat the process with the other three portions
- Chill for one hour
- Gently heat the napoli sauce
- Pre-heat your oven to 175c
- Prepare the risoni by boiling in salted water
- Cook the risoni underdone – no more than 6 minutes
- Drain the risoni, retaining a little of the cooking liquid
- Mix the butter into the risoni
- In a lightly greased baking/serving dish, pour in the risoni to cover the bottom of the dish
- Unwrap the eggplant and place them on the top of the risoni
- Mask the cannelloni with Napoli sauce
- Top with grated cheese
- Bake in the oven until the cheese is golden brown
Notes
Goats cheese, which is lower in lactose, would be a good alternative to ricotta
Ingredients
Method
- Portion out the berries into individual glasses
- Select a stainless steel or heat proof glass bowl (not plastic)
- Add the egg yolks, marsala and sugar to the bowl
- Using a whisk mix these ingredients together
- In a saucepan large enough to suspend the bowl. Bring to the boil one litre of water before dropping the heat to keep the water at a slow simmer.
- Place the bowl over the water and start whisking. Do not let the bowl come in contact with the simmering water.
- Continue to whisk. Occasionally scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula. Gradually (about 4-5 minutes) the egg mix will thicken and at the same time ‘bulk up’ with air.
- A thickness which can coat the back of a spoon is what you are looking for.
- Pour the finished Zabaglione evenly over the berries.
- Your choice of garnish on top and serve.
Notes
I topped the finished dessert with a combination sponge finger biscuit and ginger nut biscuit crumb.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, both sides and put aside while you prepare the other ingredients
- In your pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and place in the pan, skin side down.
- Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes before turning and cooking for a further 5 minutes
- Take the chicken out and keep aside
- Add the chorizo and sauté for about 5 minutes, before adding it to the chicken
- Reduce the heat a little and add the onion and garlic to the pan and ‘sweat’ for about 5minutes
- Add the rice and make sure the grains are well coated with oil
- Cook for a further 2 minutes. Do not scorch the rice
- Stir in the capsicum, bay leaf and saffron
- At this point add the paprika and tomato paste if you are using them
- Add the stock and wine. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer
- Reintroduce the chicken and chorizo and any collected juices to the pan
- Add the tomato and any tomato liquid
- Bring back to simmer, avoid stirring but make sure the all the rice is in the liquid
- Push the chicken into the stock
- Cook for 10 minutes. At this point the rice should have been cooking for about 16 minutes and there should be plenty of liquid
- Add the mussels. Push them into the liquid. Cover the pan if necessary.
- Cook for 5 minutes more.
- Discard any mussels that have not opened
- Add the prawns and calamari
- Add the peas and lemon juice
- Simmer for another 3minutes until the prawns are cooked
- Check the seasoning
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley
- Ready
- Best served in the cooking dish
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Season the lamb with salt and pepper
- Heat the oil in your pan to almost smoke point and add the diced lamb
- Move the meat around for 3 minutes to achieve even browning
- Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and keep on the side
- Reduce the heat a little and add the onion and garlic to the pan
- Cook for a further 3 minutes
- When the onion have a little colour add the tomato paste
- Cook for a further 2 minutes before stirring in the flour
- Lower the heat a little more and cook the flour out for 2 - 3 minutes
- Add the stock, vinegar, brown sugar, thyme and bay leaf to the liquid
- Add the meat and any collected juices plus the tomatoes
- Bring to a simmer before turning the heat down and covering the pot
- Cook for 1 hour
- Test the meat with your fingers for tenderness
- In your frypan melt the better and sauté the turnips and carrots to lightly brown them
- Add the carrots and turnips to the stew
- Continue cooking the stew for 30 minutes
- Add a little more stock or water if the stew thickens too much
- Add the beans and peas to the stew and continue cooking for another 6 minutes
- Check the seasoning
- Ready
- Serve with mashed potato
Notes
Finally, I used gluten free flour
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Place the apple, caster sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to boil
- Stir, lid and simmer for no more than 5 minutes
- Add the rhubarb and stir in
- Continue cooking for 3 minutes with the lid on
- The rhubarb should have started to break up and the apple is still retaining shape
- Leave to cool to room temperature, while you prepare the crumble mix
- In your mixer cream the butter, brown sugar and vanilla on medium speed for 4-5 minutes
- Add the flour and continue mixing
- Scrape the bowl for good incorporation
- Add the coconut and oats
- Continue mixing on low speed for two minutes until the mixture has a crumbly texture
- Per-heat your oven to 175c
- If you choose individual ramekins almost fill them (about 1cm from the top) with the apple mix. Make sure that the liquid is used as well
- Heap the crumble mix on top of the apple mix
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until nicely golden brown and you notice the juices bubbling up the side
- When ready carefully remove the ramekins and place on covered side plate
- Serve with vanilla ice cream
Notes
Adjust the sugars to suit• Use G.F. flour instead of plain flour and my recipe for vanilla ice cream is entirely gluten free
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c
- Inspect the pumpkin and cut across about 80mm from the seed end of the pumpkin – not the stalk end. Put the stalk end aside
- Gently trim the end to ensure the pumpkin sits flat.
- With a spoon scoop out the pumpkin seeds and any loose stringy bits of pumpkin
- Rub the pumpkin with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic
- Bake the pumpkin in the oven for about 45 minutes, until just tender
- Meanwhile in a small saucepan slow simmer the brown rice and stock with the lid on for 30 minutes followed by a further 15minutes to evaporate any excess liquid
- In a small baking dish, dry roast the walnuts for 4-5 minutes
- In the oven in a separate baking dish cook the potato and onion with a little olive oil for 20minutes
- With all the ingredients now prepared you can make the filling
- In a mixing bowl add the rice, potato, onion, spices, beans, feta and spinach and mix well
- Spoon this mix into the empty pumpkin base – use it all
- Place the pumpkin back on the baking dish and cover with a little alfoil
- Return the pumpkin to the oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes
- Serve.
Notes
I served the pumpkin with green tomato relish and a drizzle of honey
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c
- Assemble your ingredients
- Prepare your cake tin with melted butter
- Line your cake tin with baking paper
- Brush any remaining melted butter on the baking paper base
- Sprinkle with the brown sugar
- Split the plums and remove the seeds
- Arrange the plums, skin side down, on the brown sugar. Put the cake tin aside while you prepare the cake batter
- In your electric mixer, with paddle attachment, add the 125g butter, vanilla and caster sugar
- Mix these ingredients on medium speed until creamy – about 3 minutes
- Add the eggs one at a time. Allow to incorporate before adding the next egg. Clean the sides of the bowl with a spatula between eggs
- Mix the almond meal and flour together
- On low speed, mix in the flour and almond meal
- You will end up with a very thick cake batter.
- Carefully pour the batter over the plums. Gently cover the plums
- Bake in your oven for 45 -50 minutes – until the cake has a little ‘spring’ when pressed
- When cooked, remove from the oven and let stand for 15 – 20 minutes
- Turn the cake out onto a plate and carefully remove any baking paper if still attached
- Serve warm with ice cream or for afternoon tea with whipped cream
Notes
Halfway through the preparation my Breville mixer stopped working, so I continued on with the Braun attachmentAlternative fruits such as pears and peaches are best with skin removed (peeling or blanching). Fresh pineapple will be improved by poaching beforehandA larger diameter cake tin will require more fruit and also result in a flatter result
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180c
- Assemble your ingredients
- In a baking dish place the pumpkin, garlic,onion, ginger, chilli and bay leaves
- Season with a little salt and cracked pepper
- Add oil and give it a good stir
- Place in the oven and roast for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching the mix - golden brown is the aim
- Add a splash of water if needed
- Remove the pumpkin mix from the oven when the pumpkin is soft
- Add the pumpkin mix and the stock to a suitably sized saucepan
- De-glaze the baking dish with a little stock to free up any caramelised vegies and add to the saucepan
- Bring the soup to simmering
- Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice
- Simmer for 20 minutes
- Remove the bay leaves and lemon zest
- Add the honey
- Turn the heat off
- Blend the soup to a fine puree
- At this point I strained the soup through a fine wire strainer, but that is optional
- To serve add a little skim milk to give it an even creamier finish
Notes
I placed the bay leaves and lemon zest in the sieve for easier removal I garnished with a dollop of sour cream
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- In a bowl prepare the marinade by combining the first thirteen ingredients
- Add the lamb to the bowl and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 – 6 hours
- Closer to the time you want to eat, cook the sweet potato in a small lidded saucepan with one cup of water and salt.
- Simmer the sweet potato with the lid on until the sweet potato is tender – about 20 minutes
- Remove the lid and let it simmer for about another 5 minutes to reduce the liquid
- Test the sweet potato to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Take off heat
- Add the white wine vinegar, honey, butter and ground white pepper
- Mash with a fork, stick blender or whisk. Check seasoning. Keep warm
Cooking the lamb:
- Drain the lamb, reserve the marinade
- In your frypan, over medium heat, seal the lamb on all sides – there should be no need for extra oil
- When the lamb is nicely sealed pour in all of the marinade and lid the frypan.
- Slowly cook the lamb to your liking – 20 mins to well done if that’s the way you like it or less
- Take the lamb out and rest it on a plate. Take the pan off the heat
Assembly:
- Meanwhile add the rocket leaves, walnuts, E.V.O. and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and lightly toss
- Return the frypan to a medium heat adding any collected meat juices to the cooking residue
- On two warm plates place a generous serving of the mash
- Slice each lamb rump into two or three pieces
- Arrange the lamb on top of the mash
- Divide the pan juices evenly between the two portions
- Top with the rocket salad
- Sprinkle with a little black pepper
- Ready
Notes
Marinating for 4 – 6 hours is probably best, but can be overnight in the fridgeThe mash works well pre done as well and re-heat in your microwave is OKLamb back strap is also a good cut for this recipe
Risotto
I’ve always regarded risotto as ‘wet rice’ and I tend to make sure I have a little extra stock on hand. The finished risotto should be ‘wet’ enough to not heap on the plate when serving but certainly not of soup consistency.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- In one saucepan heat your stock over low heat
- Meanwhile in your other saucepan add the olive oil and gently sweat the onion and garlic for about 5 - 6 minutes
- Add the rice to the onion mix. Continue cooking/stirring for about 4 minutes. Do not scorch the rice
- Add the white wine. The rice cooking time starts now – 15- 18 minutes until ready
- Adjust heat and continue stirring and let the wine be absorbed
- Stir in about 200ml of the hot stock. Adjust heat to low to maintain a slow simmer
- As the rice thickens add another 200ml stock. Remember to stir
- Repeat
- The rice should be close to ready. You will note a tiny white spot in the centre of each grain – almost there
- Add a little more stock. You should have about 80ml stock leftover
- The white spot should have disappeared
- Check the ‘bite’ of the rice – there should be texture a little softer than ‘Al dente’
- Take off heat and stir in the cheese
- Stir in the butter
- Check seasoning
- Ready
- Serve grated parmesan cheese separately
Notes
Ground white pepper (instead of black pepper) maintains the clean appearance of the risottoParmesan cheese can be salty. Make sure you check the seasoning after you add the cheeseThis is an excellent dish to enjoy a glass of wine while you are stirringI finished this recipe with some ingredients I had on hand.Variations:Multiple variations of this recipe include changing the stock flavour and adding other ingredients such as chicken or seafood and other vegetables during the cooking process.The incorporation of ingredients can naturally alter the amount of liquid you would add. As an example, adding diced pumpkin when you start adding the stock should mean you need a little less stock. Alternatively, you could roast the pumpkin and fold the pumpkin in towards the end. The upside would be a better flavour profile. I used the following recipe as a topping, but you could incorporate the ingredients into the base recipe. Chicken stock instead of vegetable stock would be a good alternative.
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper and thyme leaf
- Heat oil in your frypan and the sauté the chicken until fully cooked
- Add the stock
- Turn the chicken out into a bowl and keep hot
- Add peas and corn to the same frypan and cook on medium heat
- Add tomatoes and cook for another minute
- Add the chicken back in
- Ready
- Serve on top of the risotto. See separate recipe for risotto.
- Decorate with a thyme sprig
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Place the corned silverside in your saucepan
- Cover with cold water
- Add the other ingredients to the saucepan
- Lid the saucepan and slowly bring to the boil
- Cooking time will vary but generally 60 minutes per kilo of beef is OK. The cooking time should start from the time you have a constant simmer at a low temperature setting
- Check the short video on how to check if the corned beef is ready
- The skewer will pull out under the weight of the corned beef. Take care, the water is hot
- When the beef is ready leave it submerged in the lidded saucepan off the heat, while you prepare the horseradish sauce
Horseradish cream sauce
If you are game, you might consider making this sauce from scratch, but fresh horseradish being related to wasabi, is particularly pungent. The horseradish root can be quite large and has little aroma; however, the preparation process, which involves grating, can severely irritate your eyes and sinuses.
So, for this recipe I use a pre-prepared, horseradish cream
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Melt butter over low heat and add flour to form a roux. Cook gently for one minute
- Take of heat and add stock. Whisk to remove any flour lumps. Bring to boil and then simmer
- Whisk in horseradish, mustard and lemon juice. Return to simmer
- Add sour cream
- Adjust seasoning. Serve
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
Method – toasting coconut
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c
- On a clean baking dish spread the coconut and place in the oven
- As it browns carefully stir the coconut to avoid burning or patchy colours
- It should take no longer than 5 or 6 minutes
- When ready take the coconut out and place in a saucepan
Method – Panna Cotta with leaf gelatine
- Add the leaf gelatine to the ice water. After 8 or so minutes the gelatine will become ‘jelly like’
- Add the coconut milk, cream, sugar and vanilla to the toasted coconut and gently heat. Do not boil. Stir occasionally. Set aside and keep warm.
- In a separate small saucepan warm the milk
- Gently squeeze the cold water from the gelatine. Discard the cold water
- Add the gelatine to the warm milk. It will dissolve very quickly with a little stirring
- Add the milk to the cream and coconut mixture
- Set aside the mix for another 5 minutes to extract the maximum flavour from the toasted coconut. Keep the mix warm
- Strain the cream mix, squeeze the coconut dry
- In your serving glasses wipe a thin film of canola oil with kitchen paper, if you are going to turn the Panna Cotta out to serve them
- Divide the liquid evenly amongst your glasses, leaving enough room to add the chilled caramelised pineapple later
- Chill the Panna Cottas for 4-6 hours until they are set.
Method – Panna Cotta with powdered gelatine
- Sprinkle the powdered gelatine on to the cold milk and let it stand for about 5 minutes
- Gently warm the milk with an occasional stir until the gelatine dissolves
- Add to the warm cream mixture and proceed with the previous directions
Method - pineapple
- Drain the pineapple over a small sauce pan or frypan
- Mix the drained pineapple in a small bowl with the brown sugar. The brown sugar will form into a grainy liquid
- Over a low heat reduce the pineapple juice to thicker syrup. Where looking to evaporate the water. Avoid caramelising
- Add the pineapple and brown sugar to the saucepan. Bring to boil
- Stir occasionally
- After a few minutes much of the water from the pineapple and syrup would have evaporated
- The brown sugary glaze should be coating the pineapple
- Set aside to cool
Assembly
- Top your Panna Cottas with caramelised pineapple or
- Turn the Panna Cottas out on to a chilled plate with the caramelised pineapple on the side
Notes
I would advise not to use an air fryer to toast the coconut. A dry frypan would be a better alternative if you didn’t want to use your oven.Consider making these the day before, but make sure you cover them to avoid picking up flavours from other ingredients dwelling in the fridge.
The fish
Popular, mid-priced, fish fillets include flathead and snapper; Trevalla and whiting generally carry a higher price. Economical fish fillets include Flake, Basa, Hoki and Hake. If you prefer the skin left on, be sure that fillet is well scaled. A thicker fillet will be moister after deep-frying.A suitable size portion is around 120g, but larger is OK, dependent on the size of the saucepan
Ingredients
Method
Method:
- Assemble ingredients
- In a bowl mix the dry ingredients and chill them for a ½ hour
- Take out and stir in the beer; whisk until it is lump free
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use
- The batter should be OK for 4-5 days if stored correctly
Cooking the fish:
- Pre-heat about 750ml of good quality vegetable oil to around 185c
- Test the temperature with a little drop of batter
- Pat the fish fillet dry. Season with a little salt
- Dust the fish fillet in plain flour and pat off excess
- Holding the fillet by the end immerse the floured fish in the bowl of batter
- Drain off excess batter
- Slowly lower the fish into the oil – do not drop
- Release the fish. The oil should be bubbling quickly – not lazy
- The fish will float when cooked and will be a crispy golden brown – about five minutes
- When ready take out of the oil and place on absorbent kitchen paper
- Repeat the process with subsequent fish fillets
- Serve with Chips, tartare sauce and a lemon wedge
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl mix all the ingredients together.
- Cover and store in the fridge
Ingredients
Method
- Wash and peel the potato. Slice the potato to baton shapes -10 cm long and say 10/15ml across. Aim to make the chips roughly even in dimensions to ensure even cooking
- Pat dry
- Plunge the chips into oil at around 165c (lazy bubbles) for about 5 minutes
- Remove the chips from the oil
- Increase the temperature of the oil to 185c/190c - blanching
- Cook the chips a second time in the hotter oil for another 5-6 minutes
- Take out the chips and drain on absorbent paper
- Turn the heat off if finished cooking
- Salt the chips and serve with the fish
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Preheat your oven to 170c
- With your hand mix the sweet potato with the salt and let it stands for two minutes
- Rinse the sweet potato with cold water
- Drain and squeeze the moisture out of the sweet potato
- Add the egg and flour to the sweet potato
- Mix well
- Heat your frypan with a little oil.
- Lightly dust both sides of the barramundi fillet with flour and place it on the sweet potato
- When the oil is hot place one quarter of the sweet potato mix in the frypan. Flatten it out so that it is large enough to still see the sweet potato mix after the barramundi fillet goes on top of it.
- Take another quarter of the sweet potato and cover the fish. The sweet potato should completely envelope the barramundi
- Repeat this process with the second barramundi fillet
- Adjust the frypan heat to prevent the sweet potato from scorching. Lid the frypan
- After 5 minutes turn the sweet potato over. Golden brown is good
- If the fish is staying in this frypan, cook for 2 minutes before placing it in the oven and baking for a further 10 minutes.
- If you are transferring the fish to a baking dish colour the underside in the frypan before transferring to a baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Serve with lemon wedge and garnish with parsley sprig
Notes
A little salt residue may stay in the sweet potato, even after squeezing out the moisture, so I avoided any extra seasoning.
Consider finishing the fish in your air-fryer
Consider finishing the fish in your air-fryer
Ingredients
Method
- Meanwhile soak/separate the noodles as per the instructions on the packet
- Mix the curry paste and the coconut milk together
- Heat your frypan with the sesame oil and sauté the mushrooms and capsicum for 4 minutes
- Add the zucchini
- Drain and add the noodles. Gently toss or stir the noodles
- Add the curry and mix in
- Finally add the shallots and mix those in.
Assembly:
- Portion the noodles onto two pre-warmed plates
- Using a spatula, place the barramundi on top of the noodles
- Drizzle the fish with sweet chilli sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise
- Garnish with lemon and coriander.
Notes
Change the vegetables in the noodles to suit your tastes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- In a suitable sized mixing bowl place all the fruits, ginger, alcohol and juice (the first thirteen ingredients) and mix well. Ensure the ingredients are well distributed
- Seal the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for two days, or longer
- Prepare your breadcrumbs in a food processor (one or two days before and store in your fridge in an airtight container)
- On the day of cooking mix the other four dry ingredients with the breadcrumbs
- Remove the marinated fruit from the refrigerator
- In your electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar on a medium speed for two minutes
- Continuing to mix adding the eggs, one at a time
- Add the marinated fruit and any syrupy marinade to the butter mix and combine well, but do not over mix
- On low speed incorporate the dry ingredients. Again, mix well but do not over mix
- Ready
Steaming
- Grease your pudding basin with butter or alternatively some non-stick spray
- Form enough pudding mix into a ball and then into the basin (say 1000g for a 1000ml bowl)
- Gently press down the mix until it is level with the rim of the basin, or a little higher
- Seal the bowl with cling film
- overwrap the bowl completely
- In your saucepan place a saucer in the bottom and then the covered pudding on top
- Place enough water in the saucepan to just reach the pudding basin
- Lid the saucepan and bring water to the boil
- Adjust heat to maintain a slow boil
- Steam the pudding for two hours, replenishing the water as needed with boiling water out of your kettle. Do not let the saucepan boil dry
- After two hours carefully remove the pudding basin from the heat; discard the water
- The cooked pudding would have will visibly risen a little, before settling back
- Let the pudding sit for twenty minutes before turning it out
- Serve immediately or wrap in cling film while still warm
Notes
I have a preference for preparing the pudding in November and storing it nicely wrapped in the fridge.To re-heat I suggest to firstly unwrap the pudding, place it on a plate and loosely cover with fresh cling film before re-heating in the microwave.Best served with vanilla or brandy anglaise.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla and sugar on medium speed for 8 or more minutes until the mix is a creamy pale yellow
- Add Mascarpone and mix until combined
- In a new clean bowl whisk the egg whites to a little more than “soft peaks”
- Gently fold the mascarpone mix into the whipped egg whites
- Add the cognac to the black coffee
Assembly:
- Quickly dunk the individual biscuits in the coffee mix (less than 2 seconds)
- Arrange the biscuits as a first layer in the serving dish
- Cover with the Mascarpone mix – ½ for two layers or ⅓ for three layers
- Add another layer of dipped biscuits and Mascarpone mix
- Sprinkle some grated chocolate on this layer of Mascarpone if you wish
- Repeat if you are doing three layers
- Finish with remaining Mascarpone mix
- Smooth the top
- Cover and refrigerate overnight
- To serve dust the surface with cocoa powder
Notes
I chose a dish that held 3 layers.If you are unsure of how many biscuits will fit your dish, do a trial run with just the un-soaked biscuitsEnsure the bowl you whisk the egg whites in is absolutely clean and dryThe dessert will set to a degree, but still be creamy
The Club Sandwich
The important thing with building a successful Club Sandwich is choosing the best ingredients
The tomato should be firm and full flavoured – heirloom tomatoes are perfect
An even thickness slice of chicken breast, around 7mm is best
Lettuce should be crisp
Rind less smoky bacon
Quality mayonnaise – homemade or store purchased (I like Kewpie brand)
Sliced bread about 15mm thick (traditionally white bread)
Salt and pepper
Assembly is also important. The tomato is best placed with the bacon and don’t forget a little sprinkle of salt and cracked pepper on the tomato. Chicken and lettuce go on the second layer. Mayonnaise is spread on both layers.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Heat your frypan with a little oil
- Add bacon and cook on medium heat for 1 minute before turning
- Season your chicken and add to the same pan. Cook for 2 minutes before turning
- Meanwhile start the toast. Underdone is OK
- Finish cooking the chicken and bacon – 4-5 minutes.
- Finish toast
- Line toast up on a clean cutting board – butter and add mayonnaise
- Assemble as illustrated
- Secure the sandwich with toothpicks
- Cut the sandwich across the diagonals
- Arrange each quarter on your serving plate while carefully pushing the skewers all the way through
- Serve
Notes
Heirloom tomatoes while more expensive, have superior flavour, do not fall apart when sliced and offer better “coverage” on your sandwich.
An even thickness of chicken will ensure even cooking
An even thickness of chicken will ensure even cooking
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 160c
- Grease and line gastronome tray
- Combine flour, sugar, walnuts, coconut and oats in large bowl
- Stir in eggs, butter and honey
- Press mixture into pan
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes
ICING
- Sift icing mixture into bowl
- Add butter and honey and mix together
- Add water if needed
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- In a saucepan bring 2 litres of salted water to the boil, for the pasta
- Meanwhile, in a non-stick frypan, large enough to add the pasta later, add all the other ingredients except the shallots
- Slowly heat these sauce ingredients to a low simmer
- Adjust the seasoning to suit your taste
- When the water is boiling add the pasta and gently break up with a wooden spoon if required
- Cook the pasta as per the directions on the packet. Mine was a little over 8 minutes
- Drain the pasta (do not rinse) and retain about 1 cup of the pasta water
- Add the hot pasta to the peanut sauce
- Use a spatula to stir and coat the pasta with sauce
- Add a little pasta water if you feel the sauce is too thick
- Stir in half of the onions
- Serve the pasta and top with remaining onions
Notes
Avoid overcooking the pasta in the waterI find dried pasta works better than the more fragile ‘fresh pasta’All sauce ingredient amounts can be adjusted to suit
Shortcrust pastry
It is well known that making pastry dough by hand can give varied results with temperature being the main culprit. Basically the warmth of your hand softens the butter too quickly and this can be worse when the air temperature is warmer in summer. By-pass the problem by using a food processor. I used the attachment on my stick blender.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Place the flour and salt in your processor and give it a quick pulse to mix
- Add the cubed butter and intermittently pulse the processor for about 30 seconds.
- The mixture should look like a course breadcrumb
- Add the 2 ½ tbsp of chilled water. Process again for up to 10 seconds
- There should be some change, but it won’t look like a ball of dough yet.
- With your fingers see if the mixture comes together. If not add a little more iced water and give it a quick pulse.
- Turn the mixture out and quickly work into a ball
- Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and chill for one hour
Notes
The addition of caster sugar with the flour and salt will give you a sweet shortcrust pastry.
Don’t be tempted to substitute margarine instead of butter.
Don’t be tempted to substitute margarine instead of butter.
Ingredients
Method
- Using a whisk, cream the butter until it is pale
- Add cream cheese and vanilla. Continue beating
- When the butter and cream cheese is nice and fluffy whisk in the honeycomb
- Ready
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- In a bowl mix the egg yolks, milk and vanilla
- Add the s.r.flour, salt, baking powder and sugar
- Whisk to form a smooth batter
- Mix in the melted butter
- Stir in the blueberries
- Gently fold in the ricotta
- In a separate clean bowl whisk the egg whites to a meringue consistency
- Gently fold in the egg white. Stir until the egg white is well distributed
- Should be used within 30 minutes
Cooking:
- In your frypan, over medium heat, melt a little butter
- When the butter is sizzling add a generous scoop, say 220ml
- Tilt the frypan to distribute the batter to give a diameter of around 12cm
- Cook for 2 – 2½ minutes – bubbles will start to appear. Turn the pancake
- Cook other side for about 1 – 1½ minutes
- Repeat until all the batter is used
- Serve one or two pancakes with whipped cream and maple syrup
- I topped mine with honeycomb butter, toasted almonds, some more blueberries and a dusting of icing sugar.
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl mix the egg yolks, milk and vanilla
- Add the flour, salt and extra baking powder to the egg mix
- Whisk to form a smooth thick batter
- Meanwhile melt a little butter in your pan over a low heat
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form
- Continuing to whisk gradually add the sugar. Continue until all of the sugar has dissolved and a meringue has formed
- Carefully fold the meringue into the batter. Do not overbeat.
Cooking:
- Check that the pan is not too hot
- Using a set measure place the batter in the frypan. Let it find its own height
- Repeat until you have some well spaced pancakes to suit the size of the pan
- In the same order place another scoop of batter on top of each one
- Add about 10ml water to the pan (avoiding the pancakes) and cover the pan with lid
- Cook for 1 ½ minutes.
- Add a third scoop to each pancake before replacing the lid
- Cook for a further 4 minutes
- Turn the pancakes and add a little more water before replacing the lid
- Cook for a further 4 minutes. Serve immediately
- The finished pancakes can be served with your choice of sweet topping
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Combine the flour and salt
- In a separate bowl combine by whisking the eggs, milk and water
- Whisk the flour mix into the egg mix thoroughly to make a smooth batter
- Finally mix in the melted butter
- Ready
Cooking the Crepes:
- A suitable sized crepe is around 15 cm diameter and should plate up nicely if you were rolling or folding the crepe. A flat non-stick pan with a minimum base diameter of 18cm should allow you to attain reasonable shape. A measured amount of batter is also important – around 50ml to 60 ml. A one quarter cup measure would be suitable. Initially, after heating a little oil in your pan, tip off the excess oil. I use kitchen paper soaked in oil and rubbed over the hot pan for subsequent crepes. The pan should be hot enough to set the batter but also allow the batter to run as you tilt the pan.
- Heat the oil in the pan
- Tip of excess
- Holding the pan by the handle pour into the batter a little off- centre
- Tilt the pan around the full 360 degrees to attain a circular shape
- Return to heat
- Cook for 1 -2 minutes. Light golden colour is good
- Turn with spatula and cook for a little less than a minute
- The side now facing you is the presentation side
- Turn the crepe out onto a plate
- Ready
Notes
For a thinner batter add a little more milk. A simple accompaniment is fresh lemon juice and icing sugar.
Pears Belle Helene
This recipe uses a chilled poached pear and the preparation of the chocolate sauce is pretty quick.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Break or chop the chocolate up and place in a bowl. Stainless Steel or Pyrex style is good.
- In a separate pot heat the cream to almost boiling before pouring the cream over the chocolate,
- Gently stir the combination until it is smooth. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- It will firm up if you refrigerate the sauce (for up to a week).
- Assembly:
- Your dessert plate should be at room temperature
- Drain the chilled whole poached pear well.
- Square off the base if required so that the pear is upright and stable.
- Coat half of the pear with chocolate sauce.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side
- Garnish with an edible garnish of contrasting colour – I used green mint leaf.
Notes
If you find this sauce too rich you could increase the ratio of milk chocolate and also add a little more cream
A gentle heating in a microwave (after refrigeration) will return the mix to sauce consistency.
A gentle heating in a microwave (after refrigeration) will return the mix to sauce consistency.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In your saucepan place the water and sugar. Slowly dissolve the sugar over low heat before bringing the syrup to the boil. Avoid stirring the water
- Add the juice of 11/2 lemons and cinnamon to the water. Bring back to simmering
- Meanwhile peel and gently core the pears. Concentrate on retaining the natural shape of the pear. Shave off any dark bruising
- As you peel each pear, place the peeled pear in cold water that has had the juice of half a lemon added. This will stop the pears from browning.
- When all the pears are peeled, gently place them in the syrup. Make sure they don’t rest on the bottom of the saucepan.
- Cover with a circle of paper
- Turn your stove down till it is just simmering
- Cook for 20 – 30 minutes. Test with fine toothpick
- When cooked cool the pears in the syrup before refrigerating them.
Notes
In peak season fresh firm, ripe pears are deliciously sweet and scented. They offer lots of possibilities for desserts, cakes and salads.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C (not fan-forced).
- Sprinkle brown sugar and concentrated syrup over the base.
- Melt 100g of the butter and pour over brown sugar syrup mix. In a neat pattern top with overlapping pear slices.
- Place remaining butter and caster sugar in bowl of electric mixer beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. It should take about 5-6 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time while beating. Turn the mixer off occasionally and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- On a low speed fold in the dry ingredients.
- Mix in the milk to form a smooth batter.
- Pour all of the batter over the prepared pears.
- Place pan on a baking tray, to catch any possible leaks and place in the oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes and drop the temperature to 150c.Cover if necessary to prevent overbrowning. Continue baking for another 30 minutes.
- When ready take the cake out and cool for 20-30 minutes.
- Carefully invert the cake on to a suitable sized serving plate.
- Serve with thickened cream for afternoon tea or warm with vanilla ice cream as a dessert.
Notes
This recipe is suitable with drained poached pears or because of the extended cooking time you can use fresh pears as long as they are ripe.
ANZAC biscuits.*
What’s in a name? Well quite a lot when it comes to these famous biscuits, with enforceable regulations relating to its commercial production and use of the term ANZAC. In short the recipe has to contain certain ingredients. Fortunately those regulations don’t apply when you make them at home. But why change a good thing.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients; mix well.
- In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter and add the golden syrup; mix well; avoid boiling; warm is OK. Leave off the heat.
- In a small bowl combine the bi carbonate soda and water.
- Stir into the butter mix. It will foam up a little.
- Add the butter mix to the dry mix. Combine well to form dough. It will have a greasy texture which is a little warm.
- Now portion the dough and roll into balls about two thirds the size of a golf ball.
- Position on your baking sheet with and flatten slightly leaving a 5cm gap between each biscuit.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. The shorter cooking time will give you a chewier biscuit, while the longer time will give you the traditional crispiness.
Notes
Notes:
• While not traditional, treacle or honey can be substituted for golden syrup.
• Experiment with brown sugar instead of caster sugar.
• Do not use instant oats as a substitute for traditional rolled oats.
• While not traditional, treacle or honey can be substituted for golden syrup.
• Experiment with brown sugar instead of caster sugar.
• Do not use instant oats as a substitute for traditional rolled oats.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Traditionally spaghetti was used (which is what I will use) but in Australia there has been a tendency to substitute penne or fusilli pasta.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a saucepan place the chicken bones, skin and any juices from the barbecued chicken bag. Cover with the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and turn the heat down to low. Simmer this stock for 30 minutes.
- Cut the chicken meat into a large dice.
- In a separate saucepan cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water as per the instructions on the pack. Cook till underdone or “al dente”. When ready drain and rinse and put aside
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c
- In a separate saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Sweat the garlic.
- Add mushrooms and lemon juice and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep cooking until the liquid produced has evaporated. Take off the heat and add the flour.
- Stir the flour in and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Adjust the heat to prevent scorching before taking the saucepan off the heat
- Strain the stock and let it settle before removing any fat from the surface
- Add 500 ml of this stock to the mushroom saucepan. Return to the heat and bring to the boil while stirring.
- Add white wine. Combine well. Continue stirring
- Add milk and cream. Bring back to simmer while stirring
- Adjust seasoning
- Stir in half the cheese mixture and half the chopped parsley
- In your lasagne style dish cover the bottom with bottom with 2-3mm of sauce.
- Add the chicken
- Add the cooked pasta to the saucepan. Combine well.
- Turn out this chicken mix out into the dish. Spatula out all of the mixture.
- Sprinkle the rest of the parsley and cheese on top
- Bake for 15 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- When ready let it stand for five minutes before serving.
Notes
I used an unseasoned barbecue chicken from Costco. It was 1.35 kg, which is heavier than the chickens sold elsewhere. I kept a little of the breast meat for some sandwiches
You will end up with too much stock so freeze it for future use
This recipe is easily adaptable for both seafood and vegetarian
You will end up with too much stock so freeze it for future use
This recipe is easily adaptable for both seafood and vegetarian
Meatloaf Mignon
This recipe will give you three good size portions. For variety you could make one or two portions into meat loaf mignon and then turn the balance into meatballs to serve later in the week with spaghetti.
Ingredients
Method
- In a saucepan sweat the onion mix in the oil and butter on a low heat about 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature
- In a small bowl soak the breadcrumbs with the milk
- In a separate mixing bowl place all other ingredients, except bacon. Mix by hand.
- Add the breadcrumbs to the meat mix. Mix really well.
- Cover and refrigerate the meat mix
- On a clean board, split the bacon length wise
- Form a cross with two strips of bacon.
- Divide the meat into three even portions. Form the in your hands in large balls.
- Place the meatball on top of the bacon and wrap the bacon around the meat.
- Repeat with the other two portions. Cover and refrigerate until needed
Cooking:
- Set oven or air fryer to 180c
- Place the three mignons in a small lightly greased baking dish and into the oven
- Cook for 15 mins before turning down to 150c for a further 20 minutes
- I served this with a Diane sauce. Mushroom sauce would also be suitable.
Notes
Assuming you are using fresh mince extra portions can be frozen in their uncooked state
Vegetable Parcel
So what do to when you have ingredients leftover? No I am not talking about “leftovers” I am referring to uncooked ingredients. It can be relatively easy as long as you follow two rules:
The ingredients have to be useable i.e. still within their use-by date.
The ingredients have to be compatible.
It works best when you have a variety of ingredients – don’t overload with a single ingredient
Apart from those suggestions it really is down to personal taste. This recipe made use of some filo pasty and an array of raw vegetables from the fridge as well as some cooked rice and mashed potato both of which were actual leftovers. It could be likened to a pasty without meat.
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare all the vegetables (washing and peeling) and cut into 4mm cubes.
- Line the prepared vegetables in the order presented above
- Heat a little oil in your frypan and sweat the onions for about 5 minutes
- Progressively add the other ingredients with the ones requiring the least amount of cooking added last.
- I micro waved the rice and potato to heat them before adding them to the mix
- Combine everything well and adjust the seasoning.
- Transfer the finished mix to a bowl and refrigerate
- Prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients and blending. Heat the sauce gently on the stove top or in the microwave oven.
Assembling the parcels:
- The number of sheets of pastry you will need depends on the amount of filling. Generally I use no more than three but most of the time I use two sheets
- Follow the instructions on the packet of filo pastry.
- Place one sheet of pastry on your clean bench top
- Brush the surface of the pastry with melted butter
- Add a third sheet and brush with butter if you like*
- Cover with a second sheet of pastry. Brush a little butter on the end of the pastry furthest from you
- About 10 cm from the end of the pastry closest to you place two ice cream scoops of chilled vegetable filling.
- Roll the pastry over the mix and turn in the pastry sides. Continue rolling (not too tight) until you have a neat parcel.
- Brush the parcel with butter all over
- Place the parcel on a baking tray (the join of the pastry down first)
- Prick a couple of holes in the top of the pastry
- Bake at 170c – 180c for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve with a tomato cream sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 150c
- Grease and line a gastronome tray with baking paper
- Place butter and chocolate in a bowl
- Melt over hot water, stirring occasionally until smooth
- Add caster sugar and stir until combined
- Slowly stir in eggs
- Add vanilla
- Fold in flour and macadamia nuts
- Pour into tray
- Bake for approximately 60 mins or until cooked in centre
- Cool, cover with ganache
GANACHE
- Melt chocolate and cream over saucepan until combined and smooth
- Cool until spreadable
- Spread over blondie
Notes
Hint - When baking, place another tray above the brownie. This prevents the brownie from browning too quickly.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 160c
- Grease and line gastronome tray with baking paper
- Sift flour into a bowl
- Mix in brown sugar
- Rub in butter until it forms a dough
- Press dough into tray
- Bake for 10 mins
TOPPING
- Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
- Add eggs and mix until combined
- Cover base with topping
- Bake for approximately 30 mins
- Cool
ICING
- Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy
- Add coffee, cocoa, malt and vanilla
- Slowly add water (if needed) until the right consistency
- Spread icing over slice
Ingredients
Method
- Grease and line gastronome tray
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Stir in flour and coconut and mix well
- Press into tray
- Bake at 160c for approximately 15 mins or until lightly browned
- Cool slightly
- Spread with warm lemon curd
LEMON CURD
- Place lemon juice, zest and sugar in saucepan
- Bring to boil
- Simmer until sugar is dissolved
- Dissolve cornflour in 50ml water
- Remove saucepan from heat to add cornflour mixture
- Return to heat
- Bring back to boil
- Stir in egg yolks, one at a time
- When bubbles appear, remove from heat
- Stir in butter
TOPPING
- Beat butter, sugar and lemon rind until light and fluffy
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Stir in flour and coconut
- Spread topping over lemon curd and smooth with the back of a spoon
- Bake at 160c for approximately 20 mins or until brown and firm
- Dust with icing sugar when cold
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 160c
- Grease and line a gastronome tray with baking paper
- Mix dry ingredients for base
- Add melted butter and essence
- Press into tray
- Bake for 15 mins
- Cool slightly
ICING
- Sift icing sugar and cocoa together
- Add melted butter
- Slowly add enough hot water until the icing becomes the right consistency
- Spread evenly over slice
- Sprinkle with coconut
Scotch broth
Scotch broth is a hearty winter soup that I am sure you will enjoy. Mutton has been replaced by lamb and the vegetables are progressively added to maintain their shape and texture. The ‘greens’ are added closed to the end to maintain their colour. You’ll note that neither the lamb nor the vegetables are sautéed or sweated – everything is simmered.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Soak the barley, preferably the night before.
- Prepare vegetables
- Place the lamb, stock, bay leaves and thyme in your saucepan. Slowly bring it to the boil before turning it down to simmer for one hour
- Gently skim the scum from the surface of the soup and discard the scum.
- Add the Swede, carrot and the white of leek. Continue simmering for a further hour
- Add a little water to compensate the evaporation.
- Add the barley and any of the water the barley hasn’t soaked up.
- Add the potato. Continue simmering for another 15 minutes
- Take out and discard the bay leaf and thyme
- The meat should be tender enough to take out of the soup. Cut the meat into a one cm dice, discarding any sinew or excess fat. Add the diced meat back into the soup.
- Add the green leek, celery and cabbage to the soup. Simmer for a further 15 minutes
- Gently skim the surface of fat. There should be more fat if you are using lamb shoulder. Alternatively carefully use some absorbent kitchen paper to soak it up
- Add the parsley and serve
Notes
Alternatively you could use lamb shanks, just allow for the bone’s weight.
I used boneless lamb leg. If you are using other cuts you will need to extend your cooking time by perhaps one hour before you add the carrot and Swede.
Turnip is another vegetable you could use as well as or instead of Swede
Maybe avoid parsnip
Kumara would make it more ‘down under ‘style. Add that with the potatoes.
I used boneless lamb leg. If you are using other cuts you will need to extend your cooking time by perhaps one hour before you add the carrot and Swede.
Turnip is another vegetable you could use as well as or instead of Swede
Maybe avoid parsnip
Kumara would make it more ‘down under ‘style. Add that with the potatoes.
Ingredients
Method
- Ingredients
- Heat the oil in a suitable sized saucepan
- Add the onion and garlic and sweat for two minutes
- Add both capsicums and continue cooking for another three minutes
- Add the mushrooms and lemon juice. Cook until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Turn the heat down
- Add the thyme, turmeric chilli flakes and tomato paste and cook for another two minutes
- Add white wine and tomatoes and bring the sauce to the boil before turning the heat down to maintain a low simmer for 10 minutes. Lid the saucepan
- Add the olives and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
- Check seasoning and serve.
THE PASTA:
- Allow 100g pasta per person or a little more or less depending on your appetite
- Follow the instructions on the packet
- When the pasta is cooked to your liking drain the pasta.
- The pasta is best when you don’t rinse it.
- When it is well drained place your pasta in the mixing bowl with a little of the Cacciatore sauce and fold the sauce in
- Portion the pasta in pre-warmed serving bowls followed by a generous ladle of sauce
- Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Notes
You will find the colour of the green capsicum will dull with only a little cooking so you can replace it with more red capsicum or yellow. Alternatively sweat the green capsicum separately at the last minute and either fold into the finished sauce or place on top
Replacing the dry white wine with a red variety shouldn’t change the flavour too much but there will be a difference in colour
Drained and pitted green Manzanilla olives can be substituted for the black olives.
Replacing the dry white wine with a red variety shouldn’t change the flavour too much but there will be a difference in colour
Drained and pitted green Manzanilla olives can be substituted for the black olives.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Ingredients
- Melt the butter in over medium heat and gently sauté the bacon.
- Add the carrots, onion, celery, mushroom stalk and garlic and sweat for a further 5 minutes
- Take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the flour. Return the saucepan to the heat and add the stock and tomatoes. Stir to break up the roux.
- Add the thyme, parsley and bay leaf
- Bring liquid to the boil before turning down to a low simmer and lid the pot
- Simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching
- Strain the sauce, avoiding pushing the vegetables through the sieve.
- If needed return the sauce to the saucepan to further concentrate the sauce
- A little seasoning when done
- Use, refrigerate or freeze the finished sauce
Notes
A dated recipe, but still tasty. More relevant for perhaps a cream of tomato soup
You may be wondering, after looking at the last picture, why do we throw away all the vegetables? Firstly remember it is a Tomato sauce not tomato and vegetable sauce. However if you take more care with preparing the vegetables, that is peeling the carrot and celery and making sure the cuts are actually even in size and then removing the thyme and bay leaf you would then have a different sauce without straining.
You may be wondering, after looking at the last picture, why do we throw away all the vegetables? Firstly remember it is a Tomato sauce not tomato and vegetable sauce. However if you take more care with preparing the vegetables, that is peeling the carrot and celery and making sure the cuts are actually even in size and then removing the thyme and bay leaf you would then have a different sauce without straining.
Kedgeree
While you could consider using leftover cooked rice, Kedgeree would benefit from fresh rice cooked pilaf style. This is rice cooked by absorbing just enough water or stock.
Some recipes call for the separate poaching of the smoked fish in milk; I prefer steaming the fish on top of the rice.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Macerate the smoked haddock in the milk for 30 minutes and then drain
- Prepare the smoked haddock into pieces that will fit within the saucepan or steamer’s diameter
- Heat your saucepan with the oil and add the dry rice; stir with a wooden spoon to prevent the rice from scorching on the bottom of the saucepan
- After 2-3 minutes add the stock, bay leaf, curry leaf, cardamom. The stock should boil at first before recovering. Season carefully now for better distribution.
- Stir the rice until it starts boiling again. It should have the consistency of a thin sauce. Turn the heat down to lowest temperature and give it a final stir.
- If you are using a steamer top for the fish place it on top and lid the saucepan. If you aren’t, just lid the pot.
- After about 5 minutes, quickly check the rice to make sure it is cooking by giving it a stir. Alternatively the heat may be too high and the rice is sticking; in either case adjust the heat. Lid the pot
- If you are not using a steamer top, place the fish directly on top of the rice now to cook. Try for a single layer of fish so it will cook evenly. Lid the pot
- After another 10minutes, both the rice and the fish should be done, regardless of which way you steamed the fish
- Remove the fish and let it cool a little.
- Remove the rice from the heat and carefully ‘fluff’ up the rice, before replacing the lid. Try and retrieve (and discard) the leaves and the pods. Leave the rice saucepan at the back of the stove to keep warm.
- With your fingers, flake the fish, being careful to remove and discard all the bones and the skin. Keep the flaked fish at the back of the stove
- Meanwhile heat the frypan and melt the butter. When sizzling add the onion and garlic.
- Gently cook for 2 minutes before adding the curry powder and ground cumin
- Continue cooking for a further 1 minute
- Stir in lemon juice. When it has evaporated add the cream. Bring to the boil.
- Either in the rice saucepan or a large bowl break up the rice (a dinner fork or chopsticks works well). Fold in the hot curry cream, mix well. Add the parsley and coriander. Mix well.
- Finally, carefully fold in the smoked haddock
- Serve with a poached egg and buttered toast. Garnish with chives.
Notes
I made up a vegetable stock with a powdered stock base.
I soak the fish in milk to make the fish less salty. Be careful with your seasonings as the fish will still be salty.
The fish will also add liquid to the rice so be careful not to add too much stock
Smoked haddock may still have fine bones particularly at the thicker end of the fillet
The fish will take longer to cook in a steamer top
In Australia, smoked salmon is a popular substitute for smoked haddock. However smoked salmon does not require cooking. Just fold through the salmon the hot cooked rice or alternatively just arrange the salmon on top.
As with any ‘green food’ extended cooking can leach the colour out to give a less appetising appearance. So be careful with your green herbs and any other green vegetables such as peas that you might consider adding
In our kitchen we have a glass top stove. These stoves not only take longer to heat up but they also retain heat. Take this into account when turning down the heat to a low simmer.
I soak the fish in milk to make the fish less salty. Be careful with your seasonings as the fish will still be salty.
The fish will also add liquid to the rice so be careful not to add too much stock
Smoked haddock may still have fine bones particularly at the thicker end of the fillet
The fish will take longer to cook in a steamer top
In Australia, smoked salmon is a popular substitute for smoked haddock. However smoked salmon does not require cooking. Just fold through the salmon the hot cooked rice or alternatively just arrange the salmon on top.
As with any ‘green food’ extended cooking can leach the colour out to give a less appetising appearance. So be careful with your green herbs and any other green vegetables such as peas that you might consider adding
In our kitchen we have a glass top stove. These stoves not only take longer to heat up but they also retain heat. Take this into account when turning down the heat to a low simmer.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- If the onions are bigger than say a 20 cent piece then take off a some layers
- Finely chop any of those onion layers
- In a bowl marinate the beef, thyme, bay leaf, carrots and pearl onions in the red wine; cover it and refrigerate for between 6 and 24 hours.
Ready to cook:
- Drain the meat and retain the liquid
- Heat the Dutch oven on the stove and add a little oil
- Evenly sauté the pearl onions and carrots for 5 minutes. Take out and keep on the side.
- Add a little more oil to the Dutch oven and sauté the mushrooms. Take out and keep on the side
- Add a little more oil and sauté the beef in batches. Take out and keep on the side
- Add a little more oil to the Dutch oven and on a lower heat sauté the chopped onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Do not scorch the onion.
- Take off the heat and add the tomato paste. Stir in.
- Add a little flour to absorb any oil of fat. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat
- Stir in the beef stock and dissolve any roux lumps before the liquid boils
- Meanwhile slowly bring the marinade to the boil. The beef juices will coagulate.
- Strain the relatively clear liquid into the Dutch oven and stir in
- Add the beef, pearl onions, carrots, thyme and bay leaf.
- Lid the pot and slowly simmer the stew for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally
- In a separate pan gently sauté the bacon pieces. Do not make the bacon crispy. When ready drain the bacon and add it to the stew for the last 15 minutes of cooking
- Check the tenderness of the beef after 2 hours. This can be done by selecting a piece of beef of the Dutch oven pressing it firmly between two fingers to see if the meat separates.
- Check the seasoning. Find, remove and discard the thyme and the bay leaf.
- When cooked serve the Beef Bourguignon with mashed potato and a steamed green vegetable.
Notes
I used the bacon fat (from the sautéing pan) in the mashed potato.
Fried bread croutons are a tasty topping when plating up.
Fried bread croutons are a tasty topping when plating up.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare ingredients
- Prepare the fillet steak. Cut of flatten to about 5 mm thickness
- Heat the oil in the frypan
- Pat the steak dry and season with salt and cracked pepper
- Seal the steak in the frypan for 1 minute before turning. Seal the other side for a further 1 minute. Turn the heat down and take the steak out of the pan to rest on a plate.
- In the frypan add the butter and when the butter is sizzling add the chopped shallot and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes on medium heat.
- Add, Demi-glaze, mustard and Worcestershire sauce
- Add any collected juices from the steak. Reduce the liquid a little. Avoid scorching
- Return the steak to the pan
- Flambé with brandy
- Add cream. Bring the sauce to the boil
- Take out steak and place on pre-warmed serving plates
- Reduce the sauce (if needed) to a coating consistency
- Add chopped parsley to the sauce. Ready
- Serve the sauce over the steak
Notes
Diane sauce is a stand-alone sauce that can be adapted to chicken, pork and lamb. It is also delicious on chips, as many a pub goer would know
I used reduced beef stock in place of Demi-glaze (Gravy)
I used reduced beef stock in place of Demi-glaze (Gravy)
Ingredients
Method
Meat Sauce
- Prepare your ingredients
- In your saucepan, heat the oil and sweat the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for about 4 – 5minutes. A little colour is OK
- Add the mince and break up by stirring until there are no large lumps of mince. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, until most of the moisture has evaporated.
- Stir in tomato paste. Cook for a further 1 minute. Take off heat.
- Stir in the flour – enough to absorb the fat and oil. Place back on the stove and cook for a further 1 minute
- Stir in the stock and tomatoes.
- Add the herbs. Turn the heat down to low.
- Give the sauce a stir before lidding the saucepan
- Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally
- After 1 hour take lid off. Stir occasionally for 20 minutes
- Add red wine. Take out the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and discard. Ready.
- Keep warm, ready to assemble your lasagne
Mornay sauce
- Mornay sauce is a derivative sauce from a French ‘mother sauce’ – béchamel. Previous newsletters have looked at both espagnole and tomato sauces. Bechamel or White sauce is the base for many other sauces including Mustard, Nantua, Dill and Horseradish. You’ll need a small saucepan, whisk, spatula and a strainer plus a bowl to heat the milk, for this recipe.
- Push the 2 cloves into the onion, do the same with the bay leaf by making a small incision with a knife
- Place the onion, cloves and bay leaf in the milk
- Heat the milk to just under simmering temperature. Do not boil the milk
- In a saucepan melt the butter and add the flour to form a roux.
- Cook on a medium heat for about 1 minute. Avoid browning the roux. Take off the heat and cool slightly
- Remove the onion from the hot milk and discard.
- Add the hot milk to the roux. Whisk until the roux has dissolved. Return the saucepan to the heat and continue whisking
- The milk will thicken and then boil. Turn heat to low and continue whisking for 1 minute. Take off the heat. At this stage you have prepared Bechamel
- Stir in the grated cheese until it has melted.
- Strain the sauce. Ready. Keep warm ready to assemble your lasagne
Assembly:
- Set your oven at 170c
- In your baker cover the bottom with about 3mm of mornay sauce
- Place one lasagne sheet on the mornay sauce
- Cover the pasta with one quarter of meat sauce
- Add another pasta sheet, followed by another ¼ of the meat sauce
- The next layer will be lasagne sheet followed by a layer of mornay sauce
- The next two layers will be pasta sheets and meat sauce
- Top the last meat sauce with pasta sheet and cover with the rest of the mornay sauce
- Finally top the mornay sauce with the cheese mix
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and the sauces are bubbling.
Notes
Milk can burn easily – make sure you regulate the temperature and stir constantly.
I find that the microwave can heat the milk perfectly (without stirring)
Grate the cheese directly from the block. Avoid pre- grated packaged cheese for the sauce. If you have no alternative but pre-grated, avoid boiling the sauce after you add the cheese. I used Jarlsberg cheese which is a good substitute for Gruyere cheese.Portion leftovers and freeze them in labelled containers.
I find that the microwave can heat the milk perfectly (without stirring)
Grate the cheese directly from the block. Avoid pre- grated packaged cheese for the sauce. If you have no alternative but pre-grated, avoid boiling the sauce after you add the cheese. I used Jarlsberg cheese which is a good substitute for Gruyere cheese.Portion leftovers and freeze them in labelled containers.
Ingredients
Method
Method (for lamb)
- Pre-heat oven to 300 c.
- For the lamb spice mix, combine all the ingredients in a bowl
- Place the lamb in a roasting dish and coat the lamb all over with the spice mix
- Pour one cup of boiling water into the bottom of the pan
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes
- Invert a similar dish on top of the roasting pan to form a cover over the lamb. It doesn’t have to be a perfect fit. Alternatively cover with aluminium foil. If the seal is loose you may need to add a little more water occasionally to ensure an even cooking process and to prevent burning the roasting pan. Return the lamb to the oven
- Cooking time should be around 3½ hours
- Lamb is ready when the meat can easily be pulled away from the bone with a fork
- If you think it is ready, take out of the oven and rest the lamb, covered at the back of the stove. If not, continue to cook as before. You can’t really overcook the meat as long as it still has water in the covered roasting dish.
Method (for rice)
- Assemble ingredients
- In a medium sized saucepan (capable of being lidded) add the olive oil and on a medium heat sweat the onion and garlic until it becomes translucent
- Add rice and continue cooking until the rice is hot and coated with the oil
- Add the other ingredients, except currants and water. Mix in well
- Add water, bring to simmer, turn the heat down to a very low setting
- The “consistency” should be similar to a thick sauce when stirred
- Cover the pot with the lid. It will continue to absorb the liquid. Basmati rice usually takes about 12 - 15 minutes to cook
- After about 10 minutes, stir in the currents and add a little more water to allow for the absorption qualities of the currents
- At the end of the cooking cycle give a stir of the rice to break it up (fluff it up). Replace the lid and push to the back of the stove. It will stay at a good serving temperature for a good half hour
Putting it together
- While the rice is cooking take the lamb out of the liquid, place on a large plate. Pour all of the remaining liquid into a jug. Let it settle and then remove and discard what should be a fair bit of glossy fat on the top of the liquid
- Transfer the liquid to a pan and on medium heat reduce the liquid to concentrate the flavours and thicken slightly
- While the liquid is reducing, strip the meat off the bone, discard any skin and “non meat” findings. Shred any large chunks to strips. A mixture of sizes is OK
- Add any juices collected on the plate to the reducing liquid (sauce)
- Add the shredded lamb to the sauce. You may have to do that in batches. Coat the lamb well
- Finally turn out the rice onto a warmed platter or individual plate. Divide the shredded lamb evenly onto your plates or pile it onto the single platter
- Finish with some strategically placed dollops of yoghurt, tomato and coriander leaves. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve
Notes
Notes:Naturally you can use fresh garlic or bottled. I find bottled Australian garlic a better flavour than an imported product.
Lamb shoulder is a cheaper cut.
Increase or decrease spices on the meat if you prefer.
You could replace the water for both the lamb and rice with a low salt chicken stock.
Remember that flavours concentrate as water evaporates and hence salt will as well. You can always add, but it is harder to take away.
Lamb shoulder is a cheaper cut.
Increase or decrease spices on the meat if you prefer.
You could replace the water for both the lamb and rice with a low salt chicken stock.
Remember that flavours concentrate as water evaporates and hence salt will as well. You can always add, but it is harder to take away.
Shortcrust pastry
It is well known that making pastry dough by hand can give varied results with temperature being the main culprit. Basically the warmth of your hand softens the butter too quickly and this can be worse when the air temperature is warmer in summer. By-pass the problem by using a food processor. I used the attachment on my stick blender.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble your ingredients
- Place the flour and salt in your processor and give it a quick pulse to mix
- Add the cubed butter and intermittently pulse the processor for about 30 seconds.
- The mixture should look like a course breadcrumb
- Add the 2 ½ tbsp of chilled water. Process again for up to 10 seconds
- There should be some change, but it won’t look like a ball of dough yet.
- With your fingers see if the mixture comes together. If not add a little more iced water and give it a quick pulse.
- Turn the mixture out and quickly work into a ball
- Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and chill for one hour
Notes
The addition of caster sugar with the flour and salt will give you a sweet shortcrust pastry.
Don’t be tempted to substitute margarine instead of butter.
Don’t be tempted to substitute margarine instead of butter.
The Curried Scallop Pie
As already mentioned the curry sauce is a veloute. Basically it is prepared in a similar fashion as béchamel sauce. The roux is cooked a little longer, perhaps a minute and the milk is replaced by stock – in this case fish stock. The amount of roux will dictate the thickness of the sauce. A little extra texture comes with the added vegetables and the curry powder. I used fennel, which is a good accompaniment for seafood.
Ingredients
Method
Curry Sauce - method:
- Assemble ingredients
- In your saucepan on a moderate heat melt the butter on your stove top
- Sweat the onion and fennel for 2-3 minutes. Avoid colouring
- Add curry powder and gently cook for a further one minute
- Add the flour, combine well and cook for a further one minute
- Take off the heat and add the fish stock and lemon juice. Mix well to break up the roux. Return to the heat and bring to the boil. Sir until you have a smooth sauce
- Add potato. Simmer for 12 minutes
- Add cream. Bring back to simmer for 1 minute
- Check seasoning
- Ready
- Chill the sauce before using it in your pies
Assembling pie - method:
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c
- Lightly grease the pie tin with melted butter
- Roll out the pastry to approx 2mm thick
- Line your pie tins with the pastry. Avoid air bubbles under the pastry. Avoid stretching the pastry
- Trim the pastry to the edge of your pie tin
- Chill the pastry for a few minutes to firm the pastry up again
- Gather scraps into a ball and roll out the pie top to suit the size of your pie
- Fill the base with the scallops and enough cold sauce to give a domed effect after you lid the pie
- Brush the edge of the pastry with the egg yolk mix
- Cover the filled base with the pastry top
- Seal the pie by crimping the base and top together
- Brush the top of the pie with the egg yolk mixture
- Cut a couple of steam holes in the top of the pastry
- Place in the your oven and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown and the sauce is bubbling through the steam holes
Notes
I used non stick metal pie dishes, offering a better heat transfer than ceramic or glass.
Place a baking sheet on the shelf below the cooking pies to catch any overflows
Place a baking sheet on the shelf below the cooking pies to catch any overflows
Ingredients
Method
- In a small saucepan over a medium heat, sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 4 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for another 1 minute
- Add the tomatoes. Rinse the can out with 50ml of water and add to the pot
- Add the white wine, basil leaves, bay leaf and a little seasoning
- Stir together and bring to boil before simmering slowly for 10 minutes
- Check seasoning and add a little sugar (optional)
- Ready
Ingredients
Method
- In a small saucepan combine the four ingredients and heat
- Simmer slowly for 10 minutes. Ready
- Ready
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Flatten or cut the breast fillet to an even thickness of around 4mm
- Season both sides with a little garlic, paprika, salt and pepper
- Light dredge the chicken in flour, pat off excess
- In a small bowl mix the egg, parmesan and parsley
- Dip the chicken in the egg mix. Ensure good coverage
- In a non-stick frypan melt the butter with the oil over medium heat
- When the butter is hot enough to foam place your coated chicken fillet in the pan
- Add a little more egg mix to the chicken’s top side. Cook on medium heat for two minutes
- Turn the chicken and cook the reverse side for a further two minutes.
- Take out and place on absorbent kitchen paper.
- Ready
Assembly:
- Set your oven to grill setting, or turn on your air-fryer
- Place the cooked chicken on a suitably sized oven able dish
- Coat the chicken liberally with the tomato sauce and top with cheese
- Grill the chicken for about 3 minutes until the cheese is bubbling
Notes
An ideal side for the chicken is a vegetable risotto.For a smooth tomato sauce use your stick blender.I used baby bocconcini instead of mozzarella.
Seafood Gumbo
Really important. Because this is quick to cook, make sure you assemble all the ingredients, before you start cooking. Avoid over seasoning or too much liquid. Remember you can always add, but you can’t take away.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Sauté the garlic and onion in the oil, over low flame for 2 minutes. A little colour is acceptable.
- Add chilli, paprika, cayenne. Stir in for 1minute.
- Add celery, carrot and leek. Continue cooking/stirring for another 2minutes.
- Add liquids, bring to boil. Turn down to slow simmer.
- Add tomato. Check seasoning.
- Add Mussels and Prawns. Bring back to a slow simmer. Should take less than two minutes.
- Add Scallops and fish. Bring back to slow simmer.
- Add oysters, parsley. Taste test. Adjust to suit.
- Serve in large pre-warmed bowls with the rouille on the side
Notes
Substitute the seafood to suit your taste.
Decrease/Increase the spice to suit.
The ingredient list looks a little daunting; however you can break the recipe into two separate jobs. Firstly the vegetable broth which would include everything but the seafood and parsley. You could even consider cooking this the day before. The second part is naturally the seafood.
Decrease/Increase the spice to suit.
The ingredient list looks a little daunting; however you can break the recipe into two separate jobs. Firstly the vegetable broth which would include everything but the seafood and parsley. You could even consider cooking this the day before. The second part is naturally the seafood.
Rouille
When you search for a recipe for rouille you generally will find the starch ingredient will be bread with the potato variety less common, but effectively it achieves a similar result. Apart from an accompaniment for the soup it also makes a great dip with crackers.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- In a bowl place the potato, capsicum, garlic, cayenne, seasoning, egg yolks and lemon juice
- Blend to a smooth paste
- Slowly add the olive oil while continuing to blend
- Thin with a little gumbo stock
- Ready
- Serve with crusty bread
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Assemble ingredients
- Sweat the onion in the oil and butter for 6 minutes. Avoid colouring
- Add leek and sweat for a further 5 minutes
- Add potato and herbs
- Add stock, bring to boil
- Simmer for twenty minutes
- Adjust seasoning. Remove and discard herbs
- Ready
Notes
Check the leeks for sand and soil even if they look clean. Trim and cut and then cold rinse. I used a good quality one litre vegetable stock, supplemented by some powdered stock and water.Variations:Potato and leek soup makes a good base soup, lending itself a number of tasty preparation methods.Puree:Using the basic recipe, take half of the cooked vegetables out and puree them with a stick blender, before returning them to the hot soup. That way you have the thickness of the puree combined with the textures of the individual ingredients.Vichyssoise:Using the basic recipe, blend the finished soup and then strain the puree through a fine strainer. Chill the soup. Add 300ml of fresh cream. Adjust the seasoning and strain again. Serve chilled with chopped chives.With Chicken:Replace the vegetable stock with chicken stock. Garnish the hot soup with strips of poached chicken breast.With bacon:Start the basic soup recipe with 200g diced bacon. Sweat the bacon for 8 minutes before proceeding with the rest of the basic recipe. Finish with 200ml fresh cream. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot, topped with a sprinkle of chives and croutons.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat your saucepan and melt the butter. When sizzling add the bacon
- Sauté the bacon for 5 minutes; add the diced vegetables and continue cooking until the bacon and vegetables are nicely coloured. Take off heat.
- Add the flour to absorb the fat. This is called a roux. Place the saucepan back on a low heat to cook out the flour for 2 minutes. Take off heat
- Add the stock and stir to dissolve the roux. Make sure the bottom of the saucepan is free of roux.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the liquid to the boil.
- When boiling turn down to a low simmer.
- Simmer for one hour.
- Avoid seasoning at this stage
- Strain through a fine strainer
- Refrigerate, freeze or use straight away.
Notes
You may be wondering why I took the saucepan off the heat. The general rule when making roux is that you add cold stock to hot roux or vice versa. This is to eliminate the lumps that form when you add hot to hot.
As mentioned this is a base sauce and can be used in most recipes requiring a “gravy” style sauce.
Use the collected juices from the grilled meat to enrich the espagnole or a packet gravy mix
As mentioned this is a base sauce and can be used in most recipes requiring a “gravy” style sauce.
Use the collected juices from the grilled meat to enrich the espagnole or a packet gravy mix
Ingredients
Method
- Assemble and prepare all the non-meat accompaniments for your mixed grill – chips, mushroom, tomato, apple, garlic, parsley
- Blanch the chips for ten minutes in boiling water. The cut potatoes should still be holding together when done. Drain them, let them dry out and put aside till later
- Pre-heat your grill plate. It needs to be hot enough to grill but not too hot to char any single ingredient
- Pat all the meat dry and then lightly salt the lamb, chicken and beef
- Brush those meats with oil
- Start grilling the sausage and progressively add the other the other meats
- Adjust the heat accordingly
- When you are comfortable with how the meat is progressing add the mushroom you have seasoned, oiled and popped the garlic in.
- It’s time to get your deep fryer pot going and your other pot happening for the peas.
- When the oil is hot enough carefully add the potatoes
- Brush the tomato and apple with oil and add to the grill plate
- Add your peas to the boiling salted water
- Add the bacon to the grill plate
- When the individual grills are done to your liking, take them off and let them sit for a minute or two
- This should give you enough time to finish the chips, peas and gravy
- Drain the peas and add the butter and mint.
- Turn your deep fryer off and carefully take out the finished chips; drain them well and lightly salt them
- Add collected meat juices to the gravy
- Arrange everything on a pre-warmed plate.
- Serve with chutney on the side.
Notes
There’s a bit to think about in the recipe and timing is important
• Adjust the meats to suit your tastes
• Think about combining elements of this recipe with the vegetarian mixed grill from two weeks ago
• Adjust the meats to suit your tastes
• Think about combining elements of this recipe with the vegetarian mixed grill from two weeks ago
Gremolata
Your last task is the Gremolata. Fresh chopped parsley does not have good keeping qualities so it’s best to not combine the individual ingredients until the last moment. Use sparingly if you are unsure.
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl mix the three ingredients together
- Sprinkle the mix on the top of your finished braise
Ingredients
Method
- In a small pot, over medium heat, sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 6 minutes. A little colour is OK. Do not scorch or burn the onion or garlic
- Add the stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low
- Using your whisk to stir, pour the cornmeal into the stock in a steady stream’
- Turn the heat down til the mixture is barely boiling and continue to stir with the whisk
- Stir occasionally for the next for up to 15 minutes, depending on the coarseness of the grain
- Add the butter, parmesan, and seasoning
- Cook for a few more minutes
- Serve
Notes
The cooking time will vary depending on the coarseness of the cornmeal. If you are using fine grade (the most common) it will be about 5 minutes
Polenta will keep warm (covered) at the back of the stove
Cooked leftover polenta can be refrigerated for up to five days. To reheat the polenta on the stove, add a little boiling stock and breakup the polenta with your whisk. Stir it until it is creamy again.
Polenta will keep warm (covered) at the back of the stove
Cooked leftover polenta can be refrigerated for up to five days. To reheat the polenta on the stove, add a little boiling stock and breakup the polenta with your whisk. Stir it until it is creamy again.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If you are using a slow cooker, turn it on high setting and preheat the insert with some boiling water.
- In either your Dutch oven or your frypan place the oil and turn on high heat
- Pat the meat portions dry with absorb, season them and dust each shank portion with flour. Shake off excess flour. Adjust the heat.
- Place both portions in the hot oil. Seal until golden brown before turning. You need to achieve a similar colour on the other side as well as the edges of the shanks.
- Place the sealed shanks in the slow cooker (after draining the hot water) or on the side so you can cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the frypan or Dutch oven. Add a little extra olive oil if needed
- Sweat the vegetables for about 6 minutes; a little colour is OK. Do not scorch or burn the vegetables.
- Add the cooked vegetables to your slow cooker or add back the veal shanks to the Dutch oven
- De-Glaze the frypan with white wine and add to the slow cooker. You are now finished with the frypan. Alternatively add the wine to the Dutch oven
- Adjust the Dutch oven heat to medium
- Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, thyme and bay leaf.
- Bring the Dutch oven to the boil; turn down to lowest heat setting. Give it a stir before covering the Dutch oven
- Do the same with the slow-cooker.
- The cooking time will vary – depending on thickness. Allow 1 – 11/2 hours for either pot, stirring occasionally. After 1 hour test the meat and then every 10 – 15 minutes. Naturally expect the slow cooker to take a little longer than the Dutch oven
- When tender (but not falling of the bone) take out. Take out the bay leaf. Reduce the sauce if necessary. Check seasoning
- Stir in the chopped parsley. Ready
Notes
When not stirring make sure you try and keep the lid on your pot to prevent too much evaporation
Left over sauce can be frozen and used in other casseroles
Left over sauce can be frozen and used in other casseroles
Vegetarian Mixed grill
It is important that the cooking times for all the vegetables are similar and this can be achieved by blanching. Some vegetables benefit from blanching in boiling salted water prior to grilling, particularly denser vegetables. I blanched the potatoes, corn, sweet potato and onion. Additionally I blanched the asparagus. The way you cut the vegetables is also important; different shapes will give you better presentation on your plate.
If you are doing a large amount use your oven to keep the finished vegetables.
The choice of vegetables is up to you – whatever is good in the market. Some vegetables are best avoided. These include leafy greens, peas and beans.
The volume of vegetables you have to purchase will feed more than 4 persons, but keep in mind you have the rest of the week to use up your vegetables in other recipes
Some of the zucchini will be turned into a blended sauce.
Ingredients
Method
- SAUCE
- Heat your small frypan with a little oil
- Add the chopped garlic, sauté for 30 seconds
- Add sliced zucchini. Cook for another one minute
- Add basil leaf, stir in.
- Season
- Blend all with stick blender
- When blended chill to retain colour
- GRILLING
- Heat you pan – hot enough to sear and brown the vegetables
- Brush the vegetables and the pan with oil
- Start with the vegetables which take the longest – potatoes, corn, sweet potato and pumpkin. Turn the vegetables occasionally
- Colour these before you put the next vegetables on – eggplant, zucchini red capsicum and mushroom
- Add 8 halves of garlic. Cook those a little before putting them onto the mushrooms
- Add onion, tomato and asparagus.
- Cooking times will vary. Adjust heat accordingly
- When finished serve with zucchini sauce. Sprinkle the grilled capsicum with pine nuts
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a bowl whisk the oil, eggs, zest and lemon juice, add milk and continue mixing. Add sugar and mix until the sugar dissolves.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Pour the egg mix into the flour mix. Stir to form a batter.
- Stir in the sour cream. Continue whisking until the sour cream has been dissolved.
- Pour into your choice of prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 -40 minutes.
Croquette Potatoes
Makes 10 – 12 portions
Deliciously addictive, with the combination of the crunchy coating and creamy interior.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- There are a couple of ways to portion the potato to make it ready for crumbing.
- You can use a disposable piping bag to form long tubes and then cut or use a large ice cream scoop to do individual portions.
- For both preparation methods the potato is best handled very gently at room temperature but should be chilled after crumbing to firm them up before frying.
- The crumbing procedure is flour egg and breadcrumb – in that order.
Cooking
- In a small saucepan pour 400ml oil and bring to frying temp – around 175c. Keep an eye on the temperature. Check the temperature by dropping a little loose breadcrumb in. It should bubble vigorously.
- Gently lower the croquettes into the oil. Maintain separation. Don’t overload.
- Regulate the cooking temperature, up or down
- Cook for one minute. With your slotted spoon turn them to prevent scorching on one side
- Total cooking time is 2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Take the croquettes out with your slotted spoon and on to absorbent kitchen paper. Do another batch
- You should able to do at least 3 batches without keeping the cooked ones warm
- Serve
Notes
You can substitute a generic brand breadcrumb if you wish. They tend to retain more oil and colour more quickly
Yes you can keep them warm in a slow oven but the croquettes will lose their crispness if kept too long
The finished oil should still be usable. Strain or filter the cooled oil, seal the oil in a dark container, date and label the container and keep in the fridge.
Yes you can keep them warm in a slow oven but the croquettes will lose their crispness if kept too long
The finished oil should still be usable. Strain or filter the cooled oil, seal the oil in a dark container, date and label the container and keep in the fridge.
Delmonico Potatoes
My recipe cooks the Kestrel potatoes in a microwave for about 16 minutes, whole, the day before and grates the cold skinned potato. Alternatively you could cook them in your oven at around 175c, covered and with a little water but it would take longer. I have also added natural yoghurt to the recipe.
If you use your microwave remember to treat with caution when removing the HOT cooked potatoes. You will need a small saucepan, a baking dish, a grater and a bowl plus your dishes for crumbing, for this recipe. I used two smaller Pyrex dishes instead of a baking dish to achieve the same result.
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse the potatoes in cold water and place them in a microwave safe bowl. A little water in the bowl is OK. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or microwave safe plate. Cook for about 16 minutes
- Refrigerate the potatoes overnight.
- The next day skin the potatoes (discarding the skins) and course grate the potato
- Pre-heat your oven to 175c
- Grease a suitable size baking dish with a little of the butter and add the grated potato. Put aside
- In the saucepan on medium heat sweat the onion in about 50g butter. Avoid colouring the onions
- When the onions are transparent (about 3 minutes) add the cream, milk, yogurt and half the cheese. Bring to the boil before turning down the heat. Simmer for two minutes. Season.
- Pour the cream mix over the grated potato
- In the meantime melt the remaining butter and mix into the breadcrumb
- Top the potato with the remaining cheese and breadcrumb
- Finish with a little sprinkling of paprika
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese/ breadcrumb is golden brown
Notes
If you prefer the finished product to be softer increase the cream, milk and yogurt proportionally.
This recipe works well when it is baked in a muffin pan for individual portions. Make sure the pan is well greased
Your finished product can be frozen
This recipe works well when it is baked in a muffin pan for individual portions. Make sure the pan is well greased
Your finished product can be frozen
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Method crumble
- In your mixer cream the butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
- On low speed add the flour. Beat until breadcrumb consistency
- Add oats and coconut. Continue beating on low speed. After a couple of minutes the crumble should have a coarse granular appearance. Ready.
Method filling
- In a small saucepan over medium heat place the sugar, water, cinnamon and lemon
- When the sugar is dissolved add the Quince. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the Quince is tender.
- When done take off heat.
- In a separate saucepan (lidded) place the apple and a ½ cup of the Quince syrup.
- Bring the apple to the boil and give it a stir. Turn the heat down and lid the pot
- Cook for 5 -8 minutes. The apples can over cook very quickly. When tender remove from heat.
- Add the Quince and a little of the syrup to the apple. Gently mix the two fruits together.
Assembly:
- Set your oven to 175c
- Divide the apple/quince mix between the four ramekins
- Spoon the crumble mix over the top of the apple generously
- Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and then into the oven.
- Cook for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up the side.
- Serve with Vanilla ice cream.
Notes
The crumble mix keeps very well in the fridge and of course the freezer, as does the cooked fruit.
This crumble mix is suitable for all types of fruit crumbles such as berries, peaches and rhubarb.
Retain the unused syrup for future use.
This crumble mix is suitable for all types of fruit crumbles such as berries, peaches and rhubarb.
Retain the unused syrup for future use.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Lightly grease your skillet or dish with butter
- Place the water in the saucepan and the pour the sugar into the centre. Turn to medium heat. Bring to boil slowly. Do not stir the sugar.
- Preheat your oven to 190c
- The sugar should have dissolved by the time the water boils. Again leave the saucepan alone. You probably have about 20 minutes before the caramel is ready.
- As the water evaporates the sugar becomes syrupy and shortly after you will notice a hint of light caramel colour. This is good.
- Turn the heat down to low the colour will darken quickly.
- Take the saucepan off the heat.
- Carefully add the butter. It will bubble vigorously. Stir with the spoon until the butter is incorporated. The caramel should have a creamy texture. Return to the heat.
- Add the apple. Gently stir to coat the apple. Continue the cooking process for 3-4 minutes as you stir. You need to retain the shape of the wedges but at the same time cook them a little.
- Arrange the apple in the base of your dish. The outside of the apple faces down, for best presentation. Once you think it looks OK fill in any gaps with smaller bits of apple.
- Pour the caramel mix over the apple.
- Finally cover the apple with the pastry round. Push the pastry down the sides. There is no need to brush the pastry with anything as the pastry forms the base of this dessert.
- Place the dish in the oven. Bake until the pastry is golden brown – about 35-40 minutes.
- When ready, take out and cool for about 15 minutes.
- Invert the Tarte Tatin on to your serving plate.
- Serve warm with whipped cream.
Ingredients
Method
- Place all ingredients (except oil) in your blender or in a suitable container or jug and use a stick blender.
- Blend for a minute or two until you have a thin paste.
- Gradually add the oil and continue to mix with the blender.
- You should have sauce consistency.
- Check seasoning.
- Use immediately or seal and refrigerate. Good for one week in the fridge.
Notes
Parmesan can be added unless you want it dairy free.
I added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to my sauce.
I added a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to my sauce.
Pan grilled Barramundi Fillet, Salsa Verde, heirloom tomatoes and green oak lettuce
Ingredients
Method
- Pre-heat your non-stick frypan with a little oil.
- Pat the fish fillet dry. Season very lightly.
- Place the presentation side of the fish fillet in the hot oil. (The inside, opposite the skin side).
- Leave for 2/3 minutes until it forms a golden crust. Turn the fillet.
- Cook for a further 2/3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat. Push the pan to the back of the stove. Cover the fish. There should be enough heat in the pan to finish cooking the fish, without overcooking. Leave for a further 1 ½ minutes, while you quickly finish the garniture.
Notes
Some fish are served with the skin on. I think this dish works better skinless.
The Salsa Verde can be used as both an accompaniment for the barramundi and also as a salad dressing.
Plate the grilled fish with either the sauce on the side or separate and the lettuce and tomato also on the plate.
For larger thinner fish fillets you might consider cutting the fish into three pieces and then layering them (lasagne style). i.e: three layers of barramundi interspersed with two tomato/lettuce layers, but you will need to work quickly before the lettuce wilts.
The Salsa Verde can be used as both an accompaniment for the barramundi and also as a salad dressing.
Plate the grilled fish with either the sauce on the side or separate and the lettuce and tomato also on the plate.
For larger thinner fish fillets you might consider cutting the fish into three pieces and then layering them (lasagne style). i.e: three layers of barramundi interspersed with two tomato/lettuce layers, but you will need to work quickly before the lettuce wilts.
Ingredients
Method
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger and a little of the oil to your food processor and blend to a paste.
- Heat a little ghee in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the onion mixture and fry for approx. 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to turn golden brown. Turn the onion mix out into a lidded saucepan. Turn the saucepan to a low heat setting
- Add the rest of the ghee to the pan and when hot sear the lamb. When the meat is sealed, add all the dry spices and salt to the pan. Stir and cook for a further minute. Add the meat and spices to the saucepan.
- Add the coconut milk, tomatoes, lemon juice and tomato paste the pan. Bring to the boil and add to the saucepan.
- All the ingredients are now in the saucepan. Give it a good stir. Turn up the heat and stir until simmering. Lid the pot and turn the heat down until it maintains a slow simmer.
- The lamb may take more than 2 hours until its tender. Give the pot an occasional stir. Add a little water if you feel it is too dry, but it shouldn’t need it.
- When ready serve with boiled rice. Top with garnishes.
Notes
I boned out a 1.2 kilo lamb shoulder to achieve a little over 600g of relatively lean meat. I would suggest you purchase the lamb already diced.
This perfect dish to cook and freeze. While freshly cooked rice is best you can portion the curry with cooked rice and freeze. Don’t forget to label and date.
You can extend the recipe by adding diced potatoes to the curry for the last hour of cooking.
This perfect dish to cook and freeze. While freshly cooked rice is best you can portion the curry with cooked rice and freeze. Don’t forget to label and date.
You can extend the recipe by adding diced potatoes to the curry for the last hour of cooking.
Ingredients
Method
- On a medium heat add the oil to a saucepan, followed by the onions, bay leaf and seasoning.
- Sweat the onions for 10-12 minutes until they are translucent. Avoid burning.
- Add vinegars and brown sugar. Stir the mix. The sugar will dissolve quickly.
- When the mix boils, turn the heat down to keep the mix simmering.
- The jam will be a light brown colour.
- Over the next half hour the colour will gradually darken as the water evaporates and the sugar cooks.
- Stir occasionally. The mix shouldn’t stick until the liquid is syrupy.
- When the mix reaches the ‘hot jam’ consistency it’s ready. Check seasoning.
- At this point you may want to make it sweeter or more vinegary. You could adjust the flavour now if required but continue cooking to achieve the correct consistency.
- The jam is best served at room temperature.
Notes
Also called Caramelised Onion or Onion Marmalade, this is very much a personal taste accompaniment. You could increase the sweetness or piquancy, or add suitable herbs or even citrus. You could also use Spanish onions. My recipe is easy, with good keeping qualities in the fridge or you could bottle it (using traditional methods) for longer term storage
Ingredients
Method
- In a small pot melt the butter. Turn to medium hot heat.
- Add flour. Mix in. This mix is called a roux.
- Cook the roux for 2-3 minutes. Continue stirring the roux. Avoid browning.
- Take off the heat and add the chicken stock and lemon juice.
- Put the pot back on the stove and whisk the liquid to break up the roux totally.
- Bring the mix to the boil, stirring all the time. Turn the heat down to simmer the sauce.
- Simmer for a further 4 minutes. Stirring with a silicon spatula will be helpful here to keep the sauce from sticking.
- Stir in the sour cream.
- Take off the heat. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Keep warm.
- Add chives just before serving the sauce.
Notes
Thin this sauce, if needed, with a little white wine and/or stock.
Ingredients
Method
- Place the Onion, tomatoes, bay leaf, basil and garlic in a small baking dish and sprinkle with all of the oil.
- Place in the oven and roast for at least half hour.
- Turn oven done to 150c and continue roasting the tomatoes for another half hour.
- Occasionally check to make sure the mix does not burn. Stir occasionally. Replace evaporated juices with a little stock or water.
- Eventually the tomatoes will ‘collapse’ and the onions will be transparent and ready to take out of the oven.
- Discard the bay leaf. Spatula all of the tomato mix into your blender. Season with salt and pepper. Add white wine. Puree the mix. Check seasoning. The sauce is finished. Keep it warm for service.
Notes
Adjust the consistency with stock or water.
You can pass the mixture through a fine sieve if you prefer a smooth finish.
You could add a little chopped chilli at the beginning to give the sauce a little kick.
You can pass the mixture through a fine sieve if you prefer a smooth finish.
You could add a little chopped chilli at the beginning to give the sauce a little kick.
Goulash soup
Who doesn’t like hot soup on a cold day? This recipe for goulash soup is both hearty and nourishing and perfect for lunch or dinner or putting your feet up on a wintery afternoon to watch a favourite movie. A non-stick frypan and a lidded pot or slow cooker will be handy for this recipe.
Serves 4 to 6 persons.
Ingredients
Method
- Pre-heat your slow cooker. Alternatively put a very low heat under your pot.
- Add oil to pan and turn up the heat. Sear the beef in batches and add to your pot.
- When all the meat is browned add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes until brown, occasionally stirring. Add carrot and celery and continue cooking. Add the paprika and caraway to the pan and continue cooking and stirring. When all the vegetables are soft add them to the pot.
- Deglaze the pan with a little beef stock and add to the pot.
- Add the rest of the beef stock, lemon juice and tomatoes to the pot. Stir. Lid and bring the pot to a slow simmer. Simmer for 11/2 hours or until meat is just tender.
- Add potatoes and continue simmering for 20 minutes.
- Check seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Remove bay leaves.
- Serve the soup in heated bowls, topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.
- Crusty bread on the side is a good accompaniment.
Notes
For a thicker soup you could lightly flour the meat before searing or add a little flour to absorb the oil when you add the paprika.
A little lemon zest, unbranched, will enhance the flavour.
A little lemon zest, unbranched, will enhance the flavour.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In your saucepan melt the butter. Use a little of the melted butter to individually grease the insides of the ramekins.
- Using just a few grams of the sugar coat the inside of the ramekins. Once done tip out any excess sugar from the ramekins. There should be very little; it can be added back to the rest of the sugar. Keep the ramekins warm.
- Separate the eggs into clean bowls.
- Turn the heat up on the butter and add the flour. Cook the flour and butter (this is called a roux) for about one minute, before taking the saucepan off the heat.
- Whisk in the cold milk to the saucepan. Keep whisking until the liquid has broken down the roux. Return the saucepan to the heat and continue stirring until the liquid thickens. Turn the heat down to a low setting.
- Continue stirring as it slowly boils for three minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Take off heat. Stir in egg yolks, one at a time. Return the saucepan to the heat when the egg yolks have been incorporated. Cook for a further one minute. Take of heat. Let the mix cool to room temperature. This mix is called Crème Patisserie.
- Set your oven to 400c
- When the Crème Patisserie has cooled drain the Grand Marnier from glace fruit. Pour the Grand Marnier/syrup over the strawberries. Chop the glace fruit into a small dice and add the fruit to the Crème Patisserie. Make sure the fruit is mixed in well.
- In your stand mixer place the egg whites. Add the Crème of Tartar to the egg whites. Turn your beater on firstly at a low speed for 30 seconds. This helps
- break down the egg white and distribute the Crème of Tartar.
- Turn mixer up to a medium speed. You are looking for the egg whites to form a meringue consistency of stiff peaks; it could take a couple of minutes. Avoid over beating.
- When the egg white (meringue) is ready, take about one quarter of it and gently stir into the Crème Patisserie before gently folding the rest of the egg white. Mix well.
- Finally divide the mix between the ramekins. About three-quarters full or a little more is good, any less would look lead to a less appealing dessert.
- Place the individual ramekins in your pre-heated oven. Do not open the oven door again until they are cooked. Cooking time will be a little less than twenty minutes.
- Check them after about 12 minutes (through the oven door window). The Soufflés should have risen above the rim of the ramekin.
- When ready they should be a golden brown on top.
- Serve immediately with the marinated strawberries.
Ingredients
Method
- Turn your slow cooker on to the high setting. On your stove top pre-heat your frypan. Add butter to frypan.
- Season the chicken thighs and coat them in flour. Pat off excess. Butter should be sizzling. Adjust heat down to avoid butter burning.
- If you are using whole thighs place them in the frypan skin side down. For thigh fillets it is less important.
- Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes until it is golden brown before turning and repeating on the other side. After this place the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Gently sauté to golden brown. Add mushrooms and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Add onion mix to slow cooker.
- Deglaze the pan with a little of the chicken stock and put that liquid in the slow cooker as well. Place the frypan to the side for future use.
- Now add the tomato paste, white wine, tomatoes and oregano to the slow cooker. Give the chicken a little mix. Lid the slow cooker. After 30 minutes it should be time to turn the slow cooker down to low. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, lightly blanch the orange zest for about 30 seconds. Boiling water out of the jug should suffice. Refresh the zest in cold water and then drain. Keep aside.
- When you think the chicken is ready, check the seasoning and turn to “keep warm”. Add orange zest.
- Heat your frypan again with a little olive oil and sauté the prawns until just ready.
- Finally add most of the chopped parsley and brandy to the chicken. Stir it in.
- To serve. If you are using whole thighs, place those on your serving plate first and then ladle the sauce over. Top with the cooked prawns and a sprinkle with parsley. If you are using thigh fillet ladle out even portions. And finish as before.
Notes
This dish works best with minimum liquid so keep the lid on the slow cooker as much as possible. If you feel it is too dry ad a little more chicken stock.
The amount of flour retained on the surface of the chicken will dictate the thickness of the final dish.
Black olives have also featured in the Marengo recipe, but it is debatable if they were part of an original recipe.
If you use the egg option, it is served sunny side up, on top of this dish.
If you were tempted to create a one pot meal (using thigh fillets) you could add pasta to the last 10 or so minutes of cooking time. You would definitely need to add some more stock, adjust the seasoning and of course the bread would be optional. Alternatively, you could serve it with crusty bread.
The amount of flour retained on the surface of the chicken will dictate the thickness of the final dish.
Black olives have also featured in the Marengo recipe, but it is debatable if they were part of an original recipe.
If you use the egg option, it is served sunny side up, on top of this dish.
If you were tempted to create a one pot meal (using thigh fillets) you could add pasta to the last 10 or so minutes of cooking time. You would definitely need to add some more stock, adjust the seasoning and of course the bread would be optional. Alternatively, you could serve it with crusty bread.
Pojarski Cutlet
A key component of the traditional Pojarski is the incorporation of butter and cream to help maintain the cutlets moist texture. The butter can be in the form of softened butter. My recipe uses all the butter from the cooked vegetables. The two different sauces work well with this dish.
Ingredients
Method
- In a lidded pot and melt the butter. Add the vegetables and Thyme.
- Turn up the medium heat, give them a stir and lid the pot. Turn the heat down. Avoid colouring the vegetables. You are “sweating” the vegetables and they will need an occasional stir and this should take about 12 minutes until they are tender.
- When ready, cool the mix a little and using a spatula turn the vegetables and the melted butter into your blender. Blend to a coarse paste. Cool this mix in the fridge.
- In a suitable sized bowl place the mince, seasonings, nutmeg, egg yolks and the white breadcrumbs. Mix well.
- Add in the chilled vegetable mix. Continue mixing until well combined. The mixture will have a sticky texture. Cover and refrigerate.
- Meanwhile in a new separate bowl prepare the egg wash with the egg, milk and leftover egg whites
- In a separate shallow dish place the flour, while the Panko crumb should be placed in another shallow dish. You will be crumbing the meat mix. Other terms used for the same process are “breading” and the French term “pane”.
- Preheat your oven to 180c.
- Divide the meat mix into four and form the portions into large meatballs.
- In order pass the meatballs through flour, brushing off excess. Next the the egg wash and finally the crumb. Press the down crumb firmly (avoid wet spots) before placing the crumbed meatball on a clean tray.
- While on the tray flatten the meatball to about 2cm thick and at the same time shape it into something similar to a pork loin cutlet or veal cutlet or an elongated kidney shape.
- When all done place them in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
- Heat the oil (medium heat) in a fry pan (about 3mm) and place the Pojarski Cutlets in. After about 3 minutes, when golden brown turn them and achieve the same on the other side.
- Remove the cutlets and place on an oven tray and then the oven.
- The cutlets should be cooked in around 20 minutes.
- Accompanying sauces are Sour cream sauce and Roasted tomato sauce (recipes follow).
- The cutlets were served with mashed potato and green beans wrapped in bacon.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Using your whisk lightly beat the egg whites until the whites have broken up and aerated slightly. You are NOT making pavlova.
- Add ground nuts, icing sugar and flour. Stir until well combined.
- Add melted butter. Mix well, for a couple of minutes until the butter is incorporated.
- Regardless of what pans you are using, fill each mould to just below the rim.
- Bake for about twenty minutes.
- When ready (they should be springy to touch), let them cool for about 5 -10minutes, until you turn them out onto a wire rack.
- Dust with icing sugar to serve.
Notes
The uncooked mix freezes well as does the cooked friands. If you are freezing it uncooked, estimate a ‘batch’ quantity before you fill your container.
Ordinary plain flour is OK to use. I use the gluten-free type and have some mix in the freezer as a quick option for unexpected visitors.
If you actually want gluten free, check that your corn flour is made using maize.
Lots of easy flavour variations – a few are listed below.Variations:Either mix. Place some berries on the top of each friand before you bake. 2-4 raspberries, 3-6 blueberries, 1-2 blackberries; depending on the size of the friand.
Almond mix. Add 100g of grated white chocolate to the uncooked mix. Finish with raspberries.
Almond mix. Add one ripe, mashed banana to the uncooked mix and top individual friand with one or two slices of banana.
Almond mix. Add 2 tsp grated lime zest to the uncooked mix. Top with a a quarter thin slice of lime.
Almond mix. Add 2 tsp of grated orange zest and one tbsp of poppy seeds to the uncooked mix.
Ordinary plain flour is OK to use. I use the gluten-free type and have some mix in the freezer as a quick option for unexpected visitors.
If you actually want gluten free, check that your corn flour is made using maize.
Lots of easy flavour variations – a few are listed below.Variations:Either mix. Place some berries on the top of each friand before you bake. 2-4 raspberries, 3-6 blueberries, 1-2 blackberries; depending on the size of the friand.
Almond mix. Add 100g of grated white chocolate to the uncooked mix. Finish with raspberries.
Almond mix. Add one ripe, mashed banana to the uncooked mix and top individual friand with one or two slices of banana.
Almond mix. Add 2 tsp grated lime zest to the uncooked mix. Top with a a quarter thin slice of lime.
Almond mix. Add 2 tsp of grated orange zest and one tbsp of poppy seeds to the uncooked mix.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Sift all your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt) into a mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl use your whisk to break up the egg before adding the milk, oil and vanilla. Mix well
- Make a hollow or well in the centre of the dry mix and pour in the egg mix. Whisk until combined. Use your spatula to scrape the batter down the sides of the bowl.
- At this point you can fold in some other ingredients of your choice. See variations.
- Divide the batter evenly into your pre-prepared muffin pan or paper patty-pans, no more than ¾ full.
- Bake in your pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes. When done they should be springy to touch.
Notes
The “raw” batter freezes well. Don’t forget to label it.Variations:Muffins lend themselves to many different flavours. Not only sweet but also savoury, including:Fresh berries – blueberries or raspberries. Add one cup of either to the batter.
Choc-chips, again one cup of dark, milk or white choc-chips added to the batter.
Add one cup of chopped fresh dates to the batter.
One cup of grated vintage cheese or crispy bacon pieces added to the batter or a combination of both.
Dried fruits such as sultanas or diced apricots can also be used. Again one cup of either. Allow extra 30 ml of milk in the batter to compensate the fruit.
Choc-chips, again one cup of dark, milk or white choc-chips added to the batter.
Add one cup of chopped fresh dates to the batter.
One cup of grated vintage cheese or crispy bacon pieces added to the batter or a combination of both.
Dried fruits such as sultanas or diced apricots can also be used. Again one cup of either. Allow extra 30 ml of milk in the batter to compensate the fruit.
Almond shortbread
This Almond Shortbread recipe is a good example of a biscuit, even though its title implies otherwise. The egg yolk makes it more durable and it has excellent keeping qualities.
Ingredients
Method
- In your mixing bowl add the butter, icing sugar and vanilla. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to slowly combine the ingredients, before increasing the speed to medium. You are ‘creaming’ the ingredients.
- After about two minutes will notice the colour becomes paler. Spatula down the sides of the bowl to make sure that all the sugar and butter have combined.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time. Continue mixing on medium speed until the egg yolk has blended in.
- Mix the flour and almonds together and on slow speed add this dry mix to the creamed butter.
- Mix until all your ingredients have formed dough. It shouldn’t take long – say about 30 seconds.
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover or wrap in plastic wrap. “Rest” the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Set up for rolling the dough. You’ll need a rolling pin, a pastry sheet, a pastry brush, a little plain flour (to prevent the dough sticking), your choice of biscuit cutter shape and a palette knife.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180c. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Turn the pastry out on your lightly floured pastry sheet. Use flour sparingly on your rolling pin.
- Roll the dough out to around 8mm thick.
- Using your cutter cut out the individual biscuits. Avoid the ragged edges of the rolled out dough. Transfer the shapes to the baking sheet.
- Brush any excess flour off the dough scraps. Reform these scraps and repeat the process until all the dough has been used up.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until light brown in colour.
- Slide baked shortbread onto a wire cooling rack.
- Unless you are storing them in an airtight container dust with icing sugar and serve.
Basic cookie dough
This cookie dough is good base dough which will give you almost endless flavour possibilities and the dough can be frozen. I’ll tell you how.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In your mixing bowl add the butter and sugars. Use the paddle attachment on low speed to slowly combine the ingredients, before increasing the speed to medium. You are ‘creaming’ the ingredients. After about two minutes will notice the colour becomes paler. Spatula down the sides of the bowl to make sure that all the sugar and butter have combined.
- Crack the egg in a separate bowl and add to the butter mix along with the vanilla. Mix on medium speed until the egg has combined. Again use your spatula. The mixture will be a lot wetter.
- In a separate bowl sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt).
- On low speed now, add half of the sifted ingredients. Combine this first before adding the other half of the dry ingredients. Avoid over mixing. In fact you could probably mix the second lot in just with the spatula. Try and scrape all the mix off the paddle. The mix is ready and you have a couple of options:
- Baking the cookies:
- With the finished cookie dough you can mix in your favourite extra. It could chopped nuts, choc bits, dried fruits, smarties or other suitable lollies. It’s your choice.
- To bake pre-heat your oven to 175c. Next either grease your baking sheets lightly with butter or line those same baking sheets with baking (silicon) paper.
- Using a standard ice cream scoop (to ensure even size cookies), scoop the mix, so that is flush with the scoop edge.
- Place the portions flat side down and flatten slightly with the back of a table fork.
- The cookies shouldn’t spread too much but ensure that there is ‘space’ between each, say 2cm.
- If you want larger cookies just combine two scoops before repeating the two previous steps.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown. That should be approx. 10 minutes.
- When ready remove from oven and after 5 minutes, slide them onto a wire cooling rack.
- Serve freshly baked or store in an airtight jar for up to a week. Yes you can short term freeze the finished cookies.
Notes
Freezing the cookie dough.As I mentioned earlier raw cookie dough can be successfully frozen for future use and I believe it is a better option than freezing baked cookies.
- Firstly estimate the amount of dough required for enough cookies to fit on your baking sheet. Say enough for ten cookies.
- On a 30cm square sheet of greaseproof paper or silicon paper place the dough about 10cm from the edge closest to you.
- Next spread the mix in a rough tube shape leaving about 5cm clear paper on both the left and right sides of the paper.
- You can now, using light pressure ‘roll’ the paper up into a cylinder about 5cm in diameter. The ends of the paper should be clear of mix.
- Finally twist the ends of the paper (like a wrapped chocolate). With the ends secure gently roll to ensure an even log shape.
- Next, repeat the process with plastic wrap. Don’t forget to name and date the cookie dough
- Place in freezer.
- The day before you need to bake the cookies take the required number of rolls out of the freezer and place in the fridge.
- To bake, remove the wrapping and cut your portions.
- With your hands roll the dough into balls, before placing on your baking sheet. Flatten each one slightly with the back of a table fork. Ensure suitable spacing. Bake.
Apricot Almond Slice
This recipe was developed for baking in a standard full size “gastronorm” tray. The external dimensions for a full size gastronorm tray are 530mm x 325mm x 70mm which may be a little large for your oven but they do come in half size as well.The tray needs to be fully lined with silicon paper (baking paper). This makes for easy turning out, when the slice is cold and you will find the washing up much easier. The other rule is that you do not cut the slice while it is still the tray, even though you will be tempted.You may already have a baking tray and if it is in the vicinity of 330mm x 270mm x 65mm it should be suitable for a half batch recipe.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- For the base ingredients sift the flour into a mixing bowl and then mix in the brown sugar.
- Rub in the butter and work the mixture to form dough.
- Press this mix firmly into your prepared tray to form the base. Use the back of a soup spoon to press down the edges. Bake the prepared base for 10 minutes.
- While the base is baking prepare the topping.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Add the eggs and combine well.
- When the base is ready cover it with the topping mix evenly.
- Return the slice to the oven and bake for a further 30 minutes.
- Turn the tray after 15 minutes to ensure it cooks evenly.
- When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Give it an extra hour in the fridge before you attempt to turn it out and portion it.
Notes
This slice freezes very well
Caramel coconut slice
This recipe was developed for baking in a standard full size “gastronorm” tray. The external dimensions for a full size gastronorm tray are 530mm x 325mm x 70mm which may be a little large for your oven but they do come in half size as well.The tray needs to be fully lined with silicon paper (baking paper). This makes for easy turning out, when the slice is cold and you will find the washing up much easier. The other rule is that you do not cut the slice while it is still the tray, even though you will be tempted.You may already have a baking tray and if it is in the vicinity of 330mm x 270mm x 65mm it should be suitable for a half batch recipe.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Mix the dry ingredients for the base. Add the melted butter.
- Press this mix firmly into your prepared tray to form the base. Use the back of a soup spoon to press down the edges. Bake the prepared base for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile combine all the filling ingredients in a pot and stir over medium heat until it is just simmering and it is thick and glossy – about 8-10 minutes.
- Pour over the par-baked base and set aside to cool slightly while you make the topping.
- In a bowl combine the topping ingredients.
- Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the filling. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.
- When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Give it an extra hour in the fridge before you attempt to turn it out and portion it.
Notes
This slice freezes very well
Caramel Swirl Brownie
This recipe was developed for baking in a standard full size “gastronorm” tray. The external dimensions for a full size gastronorm tray are 530mm x 325mm x 70mm which may be a little large for your oven but they do come in half size as well.The tray needs to be fully lined with silicon paper (baking paper). This makes for easy turning out, when the slice is cold and you will find the washing up much easier. The other rule is that you do not cut the slice while it is still the tray, even though you will be tempted.You may already have a baking tray and if it is in the vicinity of 330mm x 270mm x 65mm it should be suitable for a half batch recipe.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- For the brownie melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
- Stir in the sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well.
- Stir in the eggs, one at a time, mix well.
- Fold in the flour. Combine well.
- Pour half this mix into the prepared baking tray. Set aside.
- For the caramel, combine the ingredients in a pot, stirring over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until simmering, thick and glossy. Cool slightly.
- To finish assembling the slice, pour half the caramel mix randomly over the brownie mix in the tray, before topping with the rest of the brownie mix. Finally pour the rest of the caramel mix, again randomly over the brownie mix.
- With a skewer gently swirls the caramel mix through.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for 40 -50 minutes.
- When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Give it an extra hour in the fridge before you attempt to turn it out and portion it.
Notes
This slice freezes well.
Slightly warmed topped with ice-cream – yum.
Slightly warmed topped with ice-cream – yum.
Choc Brownie
This recipe was developed for baking in a standard full size “gastronorm” tray. The external dimensions for a full size gastronorm tray are 530mm x 325mm x 70mm which may be a little large for your oven but they do come in half size as well.The tray needs to be fully lined with silicon paper (baking paper). This makes for easy turning out, when the slice is cold and you will find the washing up much easier. The other rule is that you do not cut the slice while it is still the tray, even though you will be tempted.You may already have a baking tray and if it is in the vicinity of 330mm x 270mm x 65mm it should be suitable for a half batch recipe.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- For the brownie melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over hot water.
- Stir in the sugar and vanilla essence. Mix well.
- Stir in the eggs, one at a time, mix well.
- Fold in the flour. Combine well.
- Pour this mix into the prepared baking tray.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for 40 -50 minutes.
- When ready take out and leave to cool to room temperature. Chill slightly. Turn out.
- Meanwhile in a bowl melt the chocolate over hot water.
- Gently stir in the sour cream. Mix well
- Spread the icing evenly and let set before portioning.
Notes
If freezing it is better not to apply icing.