CASTLE GARDEN MENU.........JULY 28TH -----AUGUST 1ST

MONDAY 27TH JULY
CHINESE STYLE KANGAROO IN SOY
Pg 210 ...The slow cooking Bible


TUESDAY 28TH JULY
JUNGLE CURRY PRAWNS
Pg 274.. The Slow Cooking Bible


WEDN....ESDAY 29TH JULY
SICHUAN CHICKEN
Pg 292... The Slow cooking Bible


THURSDAY 30TH JULY
LAMB AND SQUAT GREEN CHILLIES
Pg 63....Indian Food Made Easy by Anjum Anand


FRIDAY 31ST JULY
SIMPLE NORTH INDIAN FISH CURRY
Pg 70 ...Indian Food Made Easy..by Anjum  Anand

POT AU FEU

Pot au feu is a traditional French stew of meat or poultry sealed in fat and braised or simmered in stock with a variety of vegetables . The broth and the meat are often served separately .
The Asian equivalent or very similar to pot au feu would be the steamboat.


Traditionally it is required you make a tomato sauce , a parsley sauce  and a bernaise sauce .
The sauces are used for dipping .
The  sauces will depend on which cultural version of the dish you are preparing. An Asian steamboat  requires light clear piquant sauces.


You need to make a beef stock with shin bones and flavoured with carrots, turnips , cucumbers , leeks , onions, celery stalks , garlic , bouquet garni  and cloves.
Once boiled and simmered , season with salt .
Remove the vegetables and keep them hot .
Set the bouillon aside.


It is now time to prepare the meat....
Cut and cube  150 gm  leg of veal
150 gm of beef fillet
150 gm of leg of lamb
Marinate the cubes of meat  in a bowl with 3 tbs of soy sauce


Place the vegetable dish  and the dish containing the meats onto the table .
Pour the well flavoured bouillon into the fondue pan or steamboat placed  over its heat source in the middle of the table.


Each of your guests cook their own meat as they like it , dipping it into the boiling bouillon and then into the various sauces  and seasoning it.
The remaining bouillon can be served at the same time in small soup bowls.
A fabulous communal meal .

ABOUT FRIED FOOD

Food fried in oil or fat absorbs some of the oil or  fat in which it is cooked .
There is no such thing as a miracle or non fat oil .
The digestibility of fried food is very poor because of their high absorption of cooked fats.
When frying food , the oil or fat should not be used more than 4 or 5 times.
After use , leave it in the pan to allow the bits and impurities to settle and then strain through a sieve into another container.
Always keep the fat or oil in an airtight container.
Chipped potatoes can be replaced by sliced celeriac  ( which contains very few calories ) which is cooked in exactly the same way ........try them the result is quite surprising .

THE BEST HOME MADE CHIPS

The potatoes should be a firm yellow variety ....floury....my preference for chips is the  Dutch cream variety, cut into sticks of varying thickness..
Wash the cut potatoes and dry with a thick paper towel .
Heat the oil or fat in a deep fryer or large saucepan , it should be around the 150 deg C mark.
Plunge the chips in the frying basket and let them cook for 8 minutes .
Take the chips out with a slotted spoon or straining skimmer or simply remove the frying basket and Turn the chips out onto absorbent kitchen tissue.
Raise the temperature of the oil to 170 deg C.
Now plunge the chips back in the frying basket., keep shaking the basket so that the chips stay separated.
Fry for 2 minutes  , just enough to make them golden brown and crisp.
Take them out of the oil again , and turn them  onto fresh absorbent  kitchen paper .
Sprinkle with fine salt or better still freshly ground salt from the salt mill.
Serve immediately.


It is the second dip in hotter oil which gives the chips their impermeable crust . they become puffed up by the volatilisation  of the water trapped inside .....it is the same principle used in making pommes soufflés ..

CHICKEN BAKED IN SALT

Cover the bottom of a cast - iron casserole lined with silver paper , with a thick layer of coarse salt .
Put a whole  chicken ( 1.5 kg ) on top and bury  it completely with another layer of salt .
Bake it uncovered in a hot oven  200deg C for 1 hour .
When the cooking time is complete .. ease the " cake " of salt from the casserole and take out the chicken ......
Surprise , surprise you will have a chicken that is just as crisp as if it had been roasted ..
Try It .

FLOATING ISLANDS

Bring 8 cups ( 2 litres ) of water to the boil
Salt the water  then reduce the heat to a very slow simmer.
The saucepan should be large with a wide opening.

In a glass bowl , whisk 5 egg whites ...
Remember when beating egg whites , commence slowly at first to break down their resistance ...then increase the briskness of the beater as the egg whites start to thicken ....this ensues a better result .
Add 2 tbs of super refined sugar.... ( Sugar ground to a powder  )  very slowly  making sure you add it in small batches .
Bring the egg whites back to an even cocsistency.

It is time to cook your egg whites .
Make little mounds of egg white ( about an inch high  ) 3 cm  high on a skimmer , shaping them smoothly with a spatula .
Rest the skimmer on the surface of the very gently moving water in the saucepan .
The egg white mound will detach itself  from the skimmer  and float away on top of the water .
Repeat the process 4 times , to make 4 little rounded islands .
With the water fairly simmering, poach the islands for 15 minutes , turning them gently at the 7 minute mark.
Lift them carefully and drain on paper towel .

Prepare a coulis of fresh strawberries or blueberries...
Very simple process
Dissolve 3 tbs of  super fine sugar in 7 tbs of water ...boil till the liquid becomes syrupy.
Pulp 200 gm of strawberries or blueberries
Then mix the pulp with the syrup and the juice of one lemon.

Pour the fresh sauce onto your dessert plates and place the islands on top.
Dress with fresh mint leaves .

TUESDAY and THURSDAY COOKING CLASS

WOW .... This polenta 3 cheese lasagne has proved a huge success in the cooking classes..
Well done girls ...your enthusiasm to use ingredients new to you ... is so encouraging to me as your tutor ...never see it as a personal attack when I tell you to do it again .
I absolutely love it when you tell me what you have cooked through your week and  share the food issues in your kitchen... it is hard to please everyone .

CURRIED CHICKEN LIVERS

You will need 500 gm of chicken livers ...and these need to be  marinated in a mix of  1/4 cup of soy sauce , 3 fat garlic cloves crushed  , 1 tbs of sesame seeds  , 2 tsp of sesame oil and 1 tsp of water.

Refrigerate for 2 hours .

Heat  a large pan and cook 2  red onions  (sliced )and 1 sliced red capsicum ...until softened.
Remove from the heat and set aside.

Trim the chicken livers of the outer skin and slice .
Sprinkle the liver with 1. tsp of  ground coriander  , 1 tsp of cumin  , season with salt and pepper.
Mix  well .
Remove the liver slices
Reserve the spice mix
 .
Heat 2 tbs of peanut oil
Add the liver
Cook over a high heat until firm but slightly pink .

Add the onion , capsicum ,and reserved marinade to the pan.....mix well.
Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock  and 100gm of sno peas and simmer for 3 minutes .
Serve immediately with your choice of grain ...
Noelene would recommend serving the chicken livers with well mashed creamy potatoes..

LEG OF LAMB COOKED IN HAY

Preheat your oven to 220deg C.
Put a layer of hay in the bottom of a large casserole dish , flavour it with thyme , bayleaf and fresh rosemary .
Place a leg of lamb , seasoned with salt and pepper , on top and cover with another handful of hay .
moisten the hay with 10 tbs of water , cover the casserole with a lid  or seal with foil paper  and cook for 40 minutes in the oven.
Meanwhile put 2 tsp of ground tarragon and a handful of chopped mint leaves into 3/4 of a cup of beef stock ( or the gravy stock from a previous roast , skimmed of all the fat ) and heat over a gentle heat till aromatic .
I would now prepare  the sweet potatoes and celeriac in  a steamer until soft , then remove and blend both vegetables individually  to a puree , season  to taste.
Bring the lamb to the table in the casserole , still covered by the hay.
Remove and carve into serving portions .
Serve on warmed plates  with the herb flavoured gravy

CASTLE GARDEN MENU JULY 21ST ..25TH JULY

MONDAY 21ST JULY
CHILLI  STIR FRY WITH BARRAMUNDI
Pg 35 Woolworths Magazine

TUESDAY 22ND JULY
CHICKEN LIVER CURRY
Pg 234 Slow Cooker Bible

WEDNESDAY  23RD JULY
SPICY GINGER & ORANGE CHICKEN
Pg 20 Woolworths Magazine

THURSDAY 24TH JULY
LAMB NECK CURRY
Pg 245 Slow Cooker Bible

FRIDAY 25TH JULY
TAMATAR MACCHI
Pg 126..Recipes From An Indian Kitchen


 

URSULA AND KATIA

Dear Ursula and Katia

You will be enjoying the hospitality of the best country in the world when you arrive in Australia .
I look forward to preparing a suggested tour guide for your journey of  discovery in Gippsland .
Your homework has been thorough and I am humbled that you sought me out after following my adventure on Masterchef  Australia series 5 . I will help you discover the food trails through Gippsland , Victoria .
I guarantee you will not be disappointed but will leave our region full of praise at we have to offer offer.
From hunting in the high plains to the potato farms in soil rich Thorpdale , ship wreck remains on the ninety mile beach to the fisherman`s markets with produce caught fresh daily in Lakes Entrance and a cosy stop over at the beautiful  inlet of Metung and of course you will marvel at the cricket pitch set atop a very steep hill in the gold mining town of Walhalla and everything in between .
From the hoof ,the ocean and soil .....to the  table ...Gippsland has it all .

For foodie tours of our "Most Liveable  City "..Melbourne . I suggest you look up Queenies Tours  which are hosted by Andrew Prior .
You both being huge Masterchef devotees,  a luncheon at "Samira`s " café in the Muslim museum Thornbury  Victoria, will be a definite on your itinerary.
A fine dining experience at Restaurant  8 in the Crown Atrium , which uses the produce from the Gippsland region...
We have it all here for you.
I will await your confirmation of dates ..

Kind Regards
Noelene Marchwicki
 

WARM POTATO SALAD WITH CELERY

Cover 750 gm of potatoes  ( Sebago ) scrubbed  and quartered in a pot of cold water.
Bring it to the boil , add salt and cook over a moderate heat until potatoes are tender .
Drain and cool.
Cut into bite sized pieces .
While the potatoes are still warm , toss them into a bowl with 60 ml of oil, 1/4 cup of  chopped flat leafed parsley and the tender pale stalks  of the inner part of a celery.
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately .

This a great served along side the asparagus and provolone gratin.
 

ASPARAGUS AND PROVOLONE GRATIN

Don`t cook the asparagus any longer than are just bright green and crisp tender .
Alone these can be served as a starter  or even better as a lunch with a salad.

Start by heating your grill .
Plunge 2 bunches of asparagus ...( woody bottoms snapped off ) into a pot of salted  boiling water .
Cook for 3 - 6 minutes depending on their thickness.
Drain the asparagus and place in a shallow baking dish  ( preferably the one you will take to the table ).
Arrange 125 gm of thinly sliced provolone cheese  over the stalks , avoiding the heads.
Scatter with 2 tbs of finely grated parmesan cheese and drizzle liberally with oil.
Season with black pepper.

Grill the asparagus until the cheese starts to melts .
Serve on heated plates .

Simple and good .

POLENTA LASAGNE WITH 3 CHEESES...Lasagna di polenta

How good does this look ..?
So easy and as wholesome as any meat based lasagne I have eaten ......This is what the girls will be making in tonights cooking class .
I will post the recipe when I finish class tonight ... promise !

RECIPE    From  ITALIAN COUNTRY COOKING  by Loukie Werle
                           Pg 88
First set your oven at 190 deg C


To make the polenta ... bring 8 cups of water to the boil , add salt and stir till the salt is dissolved .
Remove from the heat and add 400gm polenta in a steady stream .
Stir for 1 minute ,  then pour into an oiled tray ... Let cool and set  them cut into 1 cm slices and set aside .
Next make the béchamel sauce , melt 60 gm of butter in a pan and stir in 1/2 cup of plain flour  cook gently over a low heat for a couple of minutes , stirring all the the time .
remove from heat and add 2 cups of milk all at once .
Put back on a low heat  and bring to a simmer ...stirring constantly .
When the sauce thickens , season with salt and pepper  and simmer for 5 minutes..


now you will need 2 cans of diced Italian tomatoes , spread 2/3rds in the bottom the lasagne dish.
Now with the sliced polenta make a layer over the tomatoes .
Crumble 90 gm of blue cheese over the top and spread half the béchamel sauce and add another layer of polenta slices
Sprinkle with 60 gm of grated  gruyere cheese and 60 grams of pecorino cheese.
Spoon over the remaining béchamel sauce and the tomatoes .
Bake in a well heated oven  ( 190 deg C ) until bubbling..
Serve in deep , heated plates.


This is so yum !

.SLOW COOKED BEEF CHEEKS ....Guancia di manzo

There`s nothing like the velvety , gelantinous quality beef cheeks develop with long slow cooking .

Season 6 beef cheeks.....approx. 1.5 kg well with salt and pepper.
Heat  60ml of rice bran oil over a high heat in a large heavy pot , add the beef cheeks as soon as the oil starts to smoke.
Cook until browned on both sides , then transfer to a plate and set aside.
Now add 2 large red onions that have been quartered , 2 carrots that have been cut into rounds , 2 stalks of celery that have been chopped, and 125 gm of  cubed pancetta .
Cook over a moderate heat till the vegetables are softened ..stirring frequently.
Now add  500 ml of full bodied red wine .
500 ml of skinned and diced .....fresh tomatoes
Bring slowly to the boil .
Add the beef cheeks and simmer gently
Place a wet crumpled piece of baking paper over the top of the pot and place the lid securely over the paper and cook on a low heat for 3 and a half hours .
Serve in heated dishes on a bed of creamy polenta .

 

3 INGREDIENT CHOCOLATE CAKE

Laufa this simple recipe caused more stress than you would believe  ..
Thanks for sharing the recipe ...mmmmm.!


Using ice cream is a novel way to substitute  the milk, sugar and butter in a normal cake recipe.


I  &1/2  Cups of full cream chocolate ice - cream  melted .
1 Cup of cake flour .. ( use Lighthouse low protein s.r flour  this already has the baking powder added.)
OR
Alternatively use 1 cup of all purpose flour  ( plain flour )
1.5 tsp of baking powder .......This third ingredient must be omitted if using low protein s.r. flour
Mix  the s.r flour into melted ice cream
OR
Mix the plain flour and the baking powder into the melted ice cream with a hand held electric beater .
Pour the batter into a greased log pan and bake for 30 minutes in an oven heated at 180 deg C


This is not a sweet cake  and I recommend that if you make this cake  ..use 1 cup of full cream ice cream and 1/2 cup of chocolate topping

CAKE FLOUR

What is cake flour.. ?
I first came across the term in   "The Cake Bible " by Rose Levy Beranbaum ..
The term is commonly used in American recipes .
According to my dictionary of food by Charles Sinclair   " it is a very  high extraction  low protein  white flour used for making  light textured cakes."
Well that cleared up nothing ......!
I asked two qualified cooks , one didn't know ... the other said it was just self raising flour ..really ?
At this stage I`m still unsure ...... actually I`m none the wiser.
Why do I need to know  ? Because my friend Laufa sent me recipe for a cake with just 3 ingredients and you guessed it one of them was cake flour !!!
Grrr.
Surely , somewhere in my collection of cookbooks there must be a simple definition of cake flour.
Got it .
In the glossary of Women`s Weekly .. COOK.
Cake flour has a lower protein level and the least amount of gluten of all wheat flours , therefore delivering a delicate and tender finish .... so much for the trained chef ...it is an all purpose flour .. plain flour .It`s ideal in sponge cakes and some cookie batters.
So if the recipe calls for cake flour  and of course we haven't got it , substitute plain, all purpose flour  and simply subtract 2 level tablespoons of flour for every cup of flour called for in the recipe.
Now we can all have a go at the 3 ingredient cake recipe.

CELEBRATE EVERYDAY

I know and I`ve met people who are experiencing diseases  and illnesses , some treatments are ongoing ..... some of these people get reprieve and medicate when necessary ...the illnesses and diseases are terminal .. and when I meet with these people there is an unspoken sense of positivity , a true gratefulness in being alive....nobody speaks about  how  bad the terrible  days  are ... or the what if..
It`s  all about here and now
One of the girls who attend my Tuesday class told me she was missing from class today because of inconclusive medical  test results and a  now a hospital procedure is needed .
She touched my hand and said " no matter what the result I`m here and I won`t give up  , and can`t wait to get back to the cooking classes "

FRYING PAN APPLE CAKE .....Torta di mele in padella

The texture of this cake is quite breadlike and is delicious with thickened cream.

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C

Melt 40 gm of butter in a non stick 23 cm round fry pan , over a gentle heat.
Add 5 golden delicious  that have been peeled , cored and thinly quartered .
Fry until golden brown on all sides , about 10 minutes .
Sprinkle over 2 tbs of brown sugar ..Set aside

Sift 275 gm of plain flour  with 3 tsp of baking powder and a pinch of salt in to a bowl .Set aside

Beat 2 eggs and 110 gm of castor sugar , 2 tsp of vanilla essence  and 1/2 tsp of cardamom  with 185 ml of milk in a small mixing bowl until smooth .

Now fold in the flour mixture, until just combined .

Spoon the combined mixture over the apples in the pan  and bake for 30 minutes , or until a skewer inserted comes out clean..
Turn out onto a flat plate  and serve hot with thickened cream.
 

N0 8.........JOHN LAWSON`S RESTAURANT......THE CROWN ATRIUM... MELBOURNE , VICTORIA . AUSTRALIA

WEDNESDAY   9TH JULY   2014

CHEF.....JOHN LAWSON

RESTAURANT......NO 8....CROWN ATRIUM .


Roasted Gippsland quail
braised radicchio, citrus and pancetta salad

Confit Ora King Salmon
soy salt crab and sweet corn succotash

Pan fried hapuka
Warrigal greens, clams , bouillabaisse

72% Cocoa and coffee fondant
served with buttermilk ice cream

Rum caramel banana split ,
banana bread , cream and toasted hazelnuts.

I was invited as a guest of the chef  John Lawson and enjoyed the company of other invitees  at the table.
My sons Paul , Dale and daughter Nicole attended the restaurant and enjoyed the choices from the full menu as patrons of the restaurant and commended the meals and the service.
None of the staff were aware we were related or that we came together.

I can and will recommend Restaurant No 8  to anyone expecting good food  , a varied menu , using produce  sourced from the  greater Gippsland area  and excellent table service .
The chef John Lawson  is a very congenial and creative  cook , his manner and looks are not unlike Ben Shewry from Attica ...now there`s a compliment !

MOIST ORANGE AND ALMOND CAKE .....Patricia O`Donnell

This delicious cake is easy to make and keeps well , it can be eaten by itself , served with ice cream  or fresh berries.


Pre heat your oven to 180 deg C
Place 3 oranges in a pot of boiling water and boil for an hour.
When the oranges are cooked , cut the oranges up and remove any seeds  and large pieces of pith .
Puree in a food processor . Set aside .
Beat together 250 gm of sugar  with 6 eggs  till creamy and thick .
Add the oranges to 250 gm of almond meal
Now fold this mix into the egg mixture .
Pour into a prepared pan  and bake in the oven for 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE .......Pierre Olivier Stinzy

The chocolate mousse to end all chocolate mousses and all chocoholics ......

Melt 600gm of chocolate couverture  in a big bowl over a pot of hot water .
When the chocolate has  melted  you need to add  18 ..(.that`s right 18 ).beaten egg yolks and mix well.
Beat the 18 egg whites in a separate  bowl  until they are very fluffy...
Carefully fold the fluffy egg whites into the chocolate mixture .
Place in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour...

Go on I dare you to try it !!

THE COMMUNITY OF FOOD

The community of food really brings people together and unites us in the most suprising of ways .
11  weeks ago a group of ladies unknown to one another met at the Churchill Neighborhood Centre to commence cooking classes .
One class grew into 3 classes and commencing next term we will grow into 5 classes .
My classes introduce basic techniques , give  to understanding terms  and  using basic ingredients to make appealing , satisfying , hearty , healthy meals.
Above all the main aim is to get people interested in cooking again , the classes are hands on and  are set around a preparation bench , each person with their own station .
Over the course of the term it has been wonderful to learn something of each person through their cooking experience , kneading dough or whisking eggs and sugar the stories flow .
One magical class when Joan  bought us to tears sharing her path to recovery from an illness  which then led to a very shy Melissa opening up about her time caring for a relative with a terminal illness .
Around a table with our hands busy transforming ingredients , working together we feel comfortable sharing our love of food and the journeys that have bought us to the table.
There is Yvonne who is about to go on an oxygen tank and catches a bus every week to join  in our classes .
There`s Anita who is a very good cook with an Italian back ground and  looking for inspiration , Anita`s daughter Gemma  a student nurse and attends when lectures allow  , possesses the same intuition towards food as her mum ..the apple never falls far from the tree .
Siryani  a lecturer in IT who is just eager to learn anything about food .
Adriann a student who just wants to learn to cook.
Cathy suffers a form of ciliacs and her son David is a very hungry young man and getting a balanced diet for their household is challenging .
 Heather , Jan and Leica used to love to cook and are working on finding their desire in the kitchen  again.
Carol comes when I`m not cooking with fish ,  and  will experiment with the recipes to suit her tastes. ie  Orange delicious. Gayle is a very competent sponge cook and loves the challenge of anything different. Michelle is the quiet one who listens and  can follow a recipe her results are very good. Deanna is a good home cook who comes to learn and try new recipes ..how good was the swiss roll  ?
Jenny and Sam are the latest additions to the classes , Jenny stopped at the shops today to show me photos of the food Sam has been making , Jenny said Sam is  excited about food and is  suprised as Sam has never been a cook. Maybe cooking will be a way for Sam to fill the void left from loosing her beautiful dog of 17 years.
Jenny loves the community of the table and trying new recipes .
Thursday Class ...
Butterflied Pan Roasted Quail

POLENTA WITH CHEESE AND HERBS .....Barbie Ross ' The women`s cookbook "

An aromatic , enriching  side dish to accompany a simple dish of grilled meats....
Bring 6 cups of water to the boil , add a pinch of salt  along with 300gm of polenta  ( corn meal ).
Cook slowly for 30 minutes , stirring regularly.
Add 2 tbs butter  plus 250 gm of Taleggio  ( a light Italian cheese ), cut in to small cubes .
Cook over a low heat for another 10 minutes ,
Turn the polenta into a slice tray , spread evenly  and chill over night.
To serve polenta ....cut into strips ...and pan fry in rice bran oil with torn marjoram and sage leaves ..( if you are feeding young children use cookie cutters to create some polenta monsters or animals for the plate )
Drain on paper towelling  and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the top.
Noelene`s Tip.....
These make great chips oven baked in a hot oven until crisp and golden and served sprinkled with chicken salt.

MISSISSIPPI MUDCAKE .......Cafe Alcaston

 "A dark swampy chocolate indulgence that will draw you in like quicksand "

 Preheat an oven to 180 deg C

Melt together 250 gm butter
150 gm chocolate
500gm of castor sugar
250ml of strong black coffee
45 gm of cocoa
Mix well
Whisk in 2 eggs 
275 gm of self raising flour
375 ml of a dessert port
Pour this mix into a greased baking dish  and bake for 1 hour .

When the cake is cooked , turn out the cake .
 Pour over another  80 ml of  dessert port .
Let the cake stand at room temperature and do not refrigerate
Serve this with a chocolate sauce

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Heat together ...
200gm of dark chocolate
100gm castor sugar
100gm of Kahlua
100ml of cream.
..........................over a gentle heat  and whisk to combine
Pour over the cake and serve with cream....

THIS IS A SERIOUSLY GOOD RECIPE AND THE CAKE IS DELICIOUS.
 

DAIRY FREE LASAGNE

I prepared this lasagne at Latrobe City last week as part of the healthy lunch box options demonstration.
The lasagne was very popular and  I received many requests for my recipe...

INGREDIENTS ...
500gm of mince ..(  at home I use kangaroo , for the demonstration I used a mince mix  of veal and pork )
 4 large potatoes
2 sweet potatoes
2 green capsicums
1 red capsicum
1 yellow capsicum
2 medium sized egg plants
4 fat cloves of garlic
4 red onions.

Heat oven to 200 deg C

Peel and slice all potatoes
Core and slice capsicum
Slice egg plants into rounds ..( no need to peel )
Peel onions ,garlic and slice into quarters

Place all vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with rice bran oil
Season with sumac ( Middle Eastern spice ) and Greek seasoning
Mix well making sure all pieces are well seasoned .
Divide the seasoned vegetables between two roasting trays  and bake till they are aromatic and slightly  coloured ..

THE SAUCE
Lightly brown the mince in a drizzle of oil
Add 1/2 cup of tomato paste
1 cup of freshly torn basil leaves
4 tins of diced tomatoes
1 dsp of ground allspice
1 dsp of brown sugar
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to continue with a gentle simmer

CONSTRUCTION
Line an oiled baking tray with spelt lasagne sheets
 Layer with vegetable mix alternating with the sauce and lasagne sheets .
Continue layering till all the ingredients are used
Finish with a topping of the sauce and grated parsnips. ( sprayed with cooking oil )
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
Enjoy.
 

SPINACH AND TONGUE TERRINE ........Annie Smithers " The Women`s Cookbook "

This recipe is very close to the dish that my Aunt Ruby would serve  during the summer in place of the traditional hot roast chicken for Sunday lunch .

( Back when all the commission homes had combustion stoves and we had to light a fire in the chip heater to warm the water for a bath . Oh God how old am I ?)

This is an absolute beautiful dish .......

Line a terrine with 400gm of beaten out bacon .
Mix together .....
900gm of minced pork
450 gm of sliced cooked tongue
225 gm cubed pork fat
350 gm of cooked and cubed chicken livers
2 red onions finely sliced and sautéed
450 gm of cooked , drained and chopped spinach
300ml of cream
2 tbs of salt 
1 tsp of nutmeg
8 eggs
3 tbs of fresh herbs ...parsley , thyme ,  chervil (chopped )
2 tbs of chopped rosemary.
.............................................with your hands.
Fill the terrine , line the top with the bacon overlay and seal with a little more pork fat.
Cover with foil .
Cook in a bain marie bath for one hour at 220deg C
Turn the oven down to 180 deg C for a further 45 minutes .
Leave it cool in the oven with the door open .
Remove and cool completely in fridge , turn out onto a serving plate and serve with  a green salad and homemade vinaigrette .

PAUL .....AN INVITATION TO ALCASTON CAFE

Paul I would love it if you would  share a dining experience with me  at Café  Alcaston , some time soon .
Hopefully Nicole , Dale , Shaun and Dee will be able to join us .
I have been reading about Beverley Waldegrave  - Knight  the original owner . She at one time run two restaurants in Alcaston  House .....the café on the ground floor and the restaurant on the lower ground floor .
Beverley Waldegrave- Knight through Alcaston House was able to combine her love of the arts ,food and wine and was an agent for Aboriginal artists in the Alcaston House gallery .
From my research I am lead to believe fine food is still served at Alcaston House , Collins St , Melbourne .
Mum .x