LEMON CHUTNEY

I need to make use of  the abundant lemons that are growing on my daughter`s lemon tree at  her place in Churchill.
For lemon chutney you will need 4 large lemons washed and sliced , remove all the pips .
Peel and chop 225gm of white onions and place them  in a large bowl with the lemons .
Mix thoroughly with your hands .
Sprinkle with 2 tbs of salt and let sit for 24 hours .

Next day place the lemon , onion mix in a saucepan along with 450 ml of malt vinegar , 450gm ( 2 cups  ) of sugar , 115 gm ( 1 cup ) of raisins , 2 tbs of mustard seeds , 1 tsp of ground ginger and 1 tsp of cayenne pepper .

Now over a slow heat bring this mix to the boil , then reduce heat to maintain a simmer , and cook until tender .( approx. 4 hours )
Pour into sterilised jars and seal securely when cool .

REMEMBERING MY MOTHER ...ON HALLOWEEN THE CELEBRATION OF THE DEAD .

My mum died over 2 weeks ago , it was a tough time for my brother, myself  and our families .
So in true Halloween spirit I will celebrate her in death by preparing the dish she most often prepared .....CURRIED SAUSAGES ....
My brother John came and stayed with me at Castle Garden during the  time of mum`s passing . John  lives in Northern Queensland and one night he asked if I remembered our mum`s curried sausages ?
SERIOUSLY ...how could I forget.... they were a staple , occasionally mum would prepare a steak and kidney casserole , which I liked , but not often as my brothers hated steak and kidney .
Today has been full of grey skies .....so great weather for curried sausages .

So I used the chicken mince in the freezer  a round of camembert cheese and rolled my own sausages , which I put in with sliced carrots , green beans sliced , sliced celery , and onions with a good hit of minced garlic (sorry mum ) , I also used chia seeds to thicken the mix along with finely sliced Sebago potatoes ...

` I haven't buggered your recipe mum , it tastes amazing .  `
R.I.P.
Noelene . 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

          So politically incorrect , but I love it ..............





                 HALF FULL IS NOT  ENOUGH

                  FULL IS NEAR ENOUGH

               
                 BUT BETTER..... A BELLY BURST THAN WASTE GOOD FOOD 



 

CHICKEN and BABAGHANOUJI WELLINGTON .

Slice an eggplant lengthwise , rub with garlic mince  and bake in a preheated oven on 160deg

 Spoon out the middle of the eggplant and mix with 250 gm of creamed cheese and  freshly chopped coriander , cracked black pepper to season .....join the 2 eggplant halves together .Place in refrigerator to set .

 Butterfly 2 chicken breast fillets and flatten with a mallet .
Then line the fillets with prosciutto .

 Place the fillets side by side overlapping a little , lay the eggplant on the fillet .

 Fold the chicken fillet over to enclose the eggplant .

 Then wrap the whole chicken parcel in the remaining prosciutto slices .
Sprinkle your work bench with fine breadcrumbs and lay 2 sheets of puff pastry on top , then brush the inside of the pastry with beaten egg white and a sprinkle a light covering of fine breadcrumbs on top .

Fold the pastry firmly around the chicken parcel , trimming where necessary .

Dock the top and sides of pastry with a fork ..

 

Once prepared this can be frozen till ready to be used , or place in a well preheated oven on 160 deg C for 45 minutes .
place a sheet of baking paper loosely over the pastry case once it turns golden brown , and proceed to cook through .
The  eggplant and cream cheese work really well together

FAVOURITES FROM THE COOKING CLASS

Each week I ask the class to share a favourite dish they make at home ....
 This is Liddy Davidson`s , Butter Croissant Pudding ,
I made a couple for my friend Laufa Oakley and myself .....Laufa messaged me last night to say it was `yummy ` , Laufa is always generous so I cooked mine tonight and she was right it was yummo !

It is easily made , butter croissants sliced in half and spread with jam , topped with chocolate melts and I crushed a 5 white chocolate tim tams and spread over the croissants .
Then either make your own custard or use a store bought custard and pour over to cover the croissants .
Set in the refrigerator till set , then bake in a preheated oven on 160 deg C till the top browns , about 30 minutes .
Serve with thickened cream or ice cream .
Thank you for sharing this recipe Liddy ...delicious .
No class Tuesday ....it`s the running of the Melbourne Cup .
Next class Trudy will share her family`s favourite recipe with us .

As there is only me at home ...I sliced the remaining butter croissant pudding into slices , just as good cold with a cuppa .

 

I WANT TO GO I N A DIFFERENT DIRECTION ....ANYONE FOR TENNIS .?

Tennis is so unfair , when it comes to the difference between the payment for women and men players .
Really is it ?
 Men play more tennis each game compared to women .So men deserve the better payment .
Make the rules equal , give  women a chance to play with the same guidelines .
Women are not the weaker sex .
The rules need to be changed .

HALLOWEEN

Trick or Treat callers are welcome at my door .

Hey Max , Jack and Ella I hope you get lots of treats

These are just chocolate chip muffins , iced  with a soft  butter orange icing  and decorated with chocolate bats and musk lifesavers .

Another occasion to have fun ,  I don`t care where the tradition originated , Halloween celebrates the dead and is celebrated in many countries around the world .

If my grandchildren lived closer I would be taking them  around the neighbourhood , collecting treats or playing tricks on the `humbugs `.

ANYONE FOR TEA ?

BEEF TEA ......

Slow , low heat method of cooking retains all the goodness of meat  in an easily digestible form .
You will need 250gm of finely sliced  rump, round or topside beef , all the fat must be removed . I find it easier to partially freeze the beef to slice .
Once thawed , place the thinly sliced beef into a heatproof  bowl with a healthy  pinch of salt and cover with 1 cup of cold water .
Add a few drops of lemon juice , cover and let stand for 1 hour .
Place the heatproof bowl with the beef mixture over a pot of JUST simmering water .
Stir the beef mixture over the low heat until the  meat changes colour and becomes hot , 5-10 minutes .
Press the meat during cooking to extract juices .
Strain the beef tea into a bowl and serve with hot buttered toast .
(The sliced beef can be frozen and added to a slow cooked beef dish later on.)
This is a nutritious meal especially for those convalescing or an easy to eat meal for young children .

BRAWN

Cut the ears from a pig`s head and remove the brains .
Wash the head and place in a deep pot with salt  and cover with cold water .
Add 6 peppercorns , 1 bay leaf  ,  the top of 1 celery stalk and 3 parsley sprigs tied together .
1 carrot cut in quarters , 1 med turnip quartered  and 1 onion halved .
Bring to the boil , skimming as necessary .
Cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours .
Lift out head , reduce the stock by half , boiling over a high heat .
Let the head cool .
Remove all the meat from the head and cut into small pieces .
Trim the skin from the tongue and chop the tongue finely .
Mix the meat and tongue together in a mixing bowl .
line the base of a terrine dish with slices of hard boiled egg .
Skim the stock and strain through a fine strainer , discard vegetables and herbs .
Place the mixed meat and tongue in the terrine and carefully pour on enough stock to just cover .
Chill and refrigerate until set .
Turn out onto a serving plate .
Serve brawn in slices with tomato wedges and hard boiled eggs , garnished with parsley sprigs .

CHICKEN ROLLS WITH CAPSICUM

Combine your ricotta with 2 chopped spring onions and 1 tsp of garlic .
Set aside .
Place 1 red capsicum on a lined baking tray and place in the oven on 250 deg C .
Bake until the skin blisters and blackens .
Then place in a plastic bag till it is cool enough to handle .
Then peel and cut into thin strips ..
Set aside .
Slice chicken fillets in half , flatten the fillets with a mallet .
Spread the cheese mix over the chicken
Then top with a layer of prosciutto and a green leaf mix .
Place the capsicum at one end and roll up to enclose .
Wrap any left over prosciutto around the fillet .
Tie with string at intervals .

 

Lightly spray a pan with cooking oil and fry the rolls over a medium heat for 5 minutes until browned .

Add the sauce to the pan and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through .

Serve with green beans and remaining sauce from the pan .

 

Serve individual fillets over celeriac mash with beans or sliced with whole beans

 

THE SAUCE

To make sauce , place 185ml of beef stock in a pan along with 1 dsp of soy sauce , 2 tbs of red wine  and 1 dsp of

wholegrain mustard in a pan and stir to combine .

Blend 2 tsp of cornflour with a little water and stir into mixture to thicken .

 

SOMETHING SWEET WITH SUPERSEEDS

SUPER  SEED BRITTLE

Spray and line an oven tray with baking paper .
In a medium saucepan , combine 1/2 cup ( 125ml ) of water with 2 cups of castor sugar ( 440 gm ) .
Stir over a medium heat without boiling .
Continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved .
Now remove the spoon and let the mixture slowly come to the boil , uncovered , without stirring , until golden in colour .
remove from heat and allow bubbles to subside .
Add 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds , 1 tbs of sesame seeds and 1 tbs of chia seeds
Pour the mixture onto the tray .
Leave to set at room temperature .
To serve , break brittle into pieces .

 

TUESDAY COOKING CLASS

Let`s start looking forward to Christmas Lunch .......
Tuesday we will prepare Chicken Rolls with Capsicum  ..You will need to do some homework before class , Please make
your own ricotta cheese ..and bring it along to class .

RICOTTA  CHEESE
Place 4 cups of milk in a medium saucepan with 200ml of cream , 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt over a medium heat and cook , stirring constantly for 5 minutes .
Remove from heat and set aside to cool and thicken slightly .
Now line a large sieve with a clean thin cotton tea towel , or a clean piece of muslin or cloth ....and place over a large bowl .
Pour the warm milk mixture into the prepared sieve .
Refrigerate overnight .
drain off the whey .
Wrap the ricotta in a cloth and store in an airtight container in the fridge .

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN ROLLS
2 fresh chicken fillets
1 red capsicum
4 slices of prosciutto

See you all Tuesday ...enjoy your cheese making .
Noelene Marchwicki
 

LAMB SHOULDER WITH SAGE AND PARMESAN GNOCCHI

STEP 1
You will need 1.5 kg shoulder of lamb , bone in and excess fat trimmed .
Place lamb in the slow cooker ( alternatively place the lamb in a casserole )
Pour over 6 cups of vegetable stock and 2 of fish stock
3 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
Cover and cook for 4 hours ( alternatively cover and place in a preheated oven 100deg C , for 12 hours ) , or until the lamb is falling off the bone .
When the lamb is done , transfer to a plate .
Strain the stock mixture into a large saucepan ...then place over a high heat ( stirring occasionally ) until the stock reduces by 3/4 and thickens .
Coarsely shred the lamb and place into the reduced stock .
Keep warm .
STEP 2
Melt a tbs of ghee in a pan over med heat until foaming .
Place 1/2 cup of fresh sage leaves in the pan and cook for 3 minutes until the leaves are crisp .
Transfer the sage to a plate lined with paper towelling .
STEP 3
Increase oven temp to 220 deg C
Spread 1 kg of rock salt over a roasting pan and place 700gm of desiree potatoes on the salt .
Bake for 1 hour or until tender .
Peel potatoes while still hot .
Mash potatoes until smooth .
Add 1 cup of plain flour .
1 egg lightly beaten
2009gm of grated parmesan
1/2 cup of finely chopped sage
Stir with a wooden spoon until a firm dough forms .
Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth .
Divide dough into 4 equal portions , roll each portion into sausage sized logs .
Use a sharp knife to and cut into 3cm pieces .
Bring a large pot of water to the boil over a medium heat .
Cook gnocchi in batches , about 3 minutes or until they rise to the surface .
Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a warmed bowl .
STEP 4
Cook frozen broad beans in boiling water till warmed through .
Drain and add to the lamb and gnocchi .
Divide among warmed serving plates .
Top with fried sage leaves and grated parmesan cheese to serve .
 

MAGIC MIX

Keep this mix on  hand for making a quick batch of  very light drop scones ...

MAGIC MIX ....
In a large mixing bowl , mix together
6 cups of plain sifted flour
2 tbs of baking powder
1 cup of instant milk powder
2 and 1/2 tsp of salt .
Mix really well to combine , store in a large plastic container with a lid .
Cover tightly and keep in the refrigerator until required ..( this mix will keep fresh for a month )

DROP SCONES
Preheat the oven to 220deg C .
In a mixing bowl , stir 2 cups of magic mix with 1 and 1/4 cups of cream with a knife just to moisten the mix .
the dough will be sticky , do not over work the dough or the scones will be tough .
Drop the dough by placing heaped tbs onto a lightly greased baking tray , space the scones about 3cm apart .
Bake for 8- 10 minutes or until golden brown.

SAVOURY DROP SCONES
Place 2 cups of magic mix into a bowl and add........one ( 1) of the following ingredients
1/2 tsp of caraway seeds
1/3 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
1 tbs of dried bacon pieces
1 dsp of chopped chives
1/4 tsp of curry powder .
Mix well to combine
Then pour in 1 and 1/4 cup of cream , use a knife to mix .
Do not over work the dough
Drop the dough , ( heaped tbs )  on a lightly sprayed baking tray .
Space scones 3cm apart
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown in a preheated oven ( 220 deg C )

 

PAN BAGNA

Pan bagnat., ( France )..traditionally a sandwich from Provence containing salade nicoise ingredients
A hollowed out sandwich loaf or roll is often used as the bread base .
I used a hob loaf and sliced it into 2 round halves .
Spread both cut sides with minced garlic and sprinkle with olive oil, vinegar and cracked black pepper .
On one side arrange a thinly sliced tomato , thinly sliced cucumber , hard boiled eggs sliced , sliced black olives , anchovy fillets , flaked tuna , fresh parsley and basil .
Place the 2 halves together .....
Wrap the whole sandwich together firmly in foil .
Place in between 2 baking trays with a weight on top .
Leave in refrigerator for at least 8 hours to allow juices to soak through the bread .
This is  an ideal summer lunch , picnic food or pre barbeque appetiser .
To serve slice into wedges .

 

 

FOR LEANNE ON THURSDAY ISLAND

Hello Leanne ,
I hear you like tamarind , well so do I .
Please look on my blog for the quinoa quiche recipe .........
Nicole has told me the  cost of ingredients is very high on the Island , so you can use any grain you like in place of the quinoa , this quiche also works well with lentils or chickpeas .
Follow my quinoa quiche recipe ...replace the Dijon mustard with tamarind paste  ( Process the tamarind fruits to a paste )
Leanne you can use any meat you like , chopped salami worked well for the ladies in class today , or add 1/2 chopped eggplant or 1 chopped zucchini for a vegetarian version .
The quiche can be frozen , it reheats really well and once defrosted or cooled from cooking it can be eaten cold .

Cheers Noelene

CHRISTMAS CAKES GALORE (2)

 CHRISTMAS BELL CAKE

 

 

CHURCHILL COMMUNITY CENTRE COOKING CLASS

The cooking class is in it`s 3rd year .The participants come and go with a core group attending for the  3 years .
The participants come from Churchill , Jeeralang ,Boolarra ..Morwell , Traralgon, , Newborough .
Classes can be undertaken on a weekly basis or for a  full term .
Anne Crawford volunteers her time to help out in the classes , which is greatly appreciated .
The cooking class is all about food and the community of the table .
My aim is to get people to use fresh ingredients to make their own meals in an uncomplicated manner , we discuss and share recipes , make new friends , we all learn so much from the classes....... everyone has something to contribute .
This year the class went on 2 excursions , the first was a day trip  to Oasis Bakery in Murrumbeena and the second outside class was to the butchers at IGA supermarket  Churchill.
The is so much more to food than just cooking ...and I love the opportunity to develop and share my passion within my community .
Noelene Marchwicki .

TUESDAY COOKING CLASS

We will be preparing STUFFED BAKED ONIONS ......( V)  and SYLLABUB  (V)

You will need to bring 125gm of sliced mushrooms .
1 med sized orange .
I need you to bring along a prepared marinade for the syllabub ...
Please grate the skin of a lemon , add the strained juice of the lemon , 2 tbs of castor sugar , 1/4 cup of dry white wine to a bowl and stir to mix , cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand overnight ...and bring this to class along with
300ml bottle of cream.

Whole baked onions have a sweet , mellow flavour which is quite unique from that of fried or braised onions .
Stuffed baked onions can be served as an accompaniment  to a meat based meal or as a meat free first course .
syllabub is an ideal warm weather dessert , that is easy to make and requires no cooking .

See you Tuesday .
Noelene Marchwicki

20 MINUTE MEATBALLS WITH MUSHROOM AND QUINOA

 Melt 2 tbs of ghee in a pan over a medium heat.

 

In a separate pot place 1/2 a cup of quinoa with 1 cup of water , bring to the boil and cook till all the water is absorbed

I added 2 tins of sliced mushrooms in a butter sauce to the pan with 12 meatballs that I formed by pushing the meat

from the casing of 4 thick sausages

I added a small packet of freshly shredded carrot and 1 bunch of brocolini chopped .

Finish off the meal by adding the quinoa , season with a little paprika , salt  and cracked black pepper .

Stir gently and bring to a slow simmer .

Enjoy .

 

 

 

 

POLENTA FINGERS WITH ZUCCHINI , OLIVE AND TOMATO

Grate 1 large zucchini , then drain on absorbent paper towelling .
Finely chop 35 gm( 1/4 cup ) of semi dried tomatoes, then drain on absorbent paper .
Spray a square cake pan 20cm and line with baking paper .
In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups ( 500ml ) of water mixed with 2 cups ( 500ml ) of chicken stock to the boil .
Gradually stir in 170gm ( 1 cup ) of polenta .
Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir the polenta until it thickens .
Stir in zucchini and tomatoes .
Now add 1/2 cup ( 85gm ) of coarsely chopped ,seeded black olives ....and a 1/3 rd of a cup ( 25gm ) of finely grated parmesan cheese .
Pour the polenta mixture into the pan , smooth over , cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until polenta is firm .
Turn the polenta out onto a board , cut in half and slice each half into 6 pieces .
Heat a pan with a good glug of oil over a medium heat and cook polenta until lightly browned on each side .

Cooked polenta fingers can be kept in an air tight container for 3 days and can be eaten cold or reheated .

ICE-CREAM...........BANANA AND HOMMUS ........BANANA AND AVOCADO ......BANANA AND MORE

BANANA AND HOMMUS ICE CREAM

3 ripe frozen bananas per serve ,
Break into pieces and place in the processor .
Process till smooth and creamy .
Then add 1 neat  tbs ( per serve ) of hommus
Process till well combined .
Serve immediately .

 

BANANA AND AVOCADO ICE-CREAM

 

3 ripe frozen bananas per serve ,

Break the bananas into pieces and place in a processor .

Process till smooth and creamy .

Then add 1 neat tbs ( per serve) of avocado .

Process till well combined .

Serve immediately .

BANANA AND LEMON CURD ICE-CREAM

3 ripe frozen bananas per serve ,
Break the bananas into pieces and place in a processor .
Process till smooth and creamy .
Then add 1 neat tbs ( per serve ) of lemon curd .
Process till well combined .
Serve immediately .

 

 

A BREAKFAST SUPRISE

BREAKFAST SUPRISE ...

1 packet of lime jelly ( my choice )...mixed with 1 cup of boiling water and 1 cup of coconut cream .
Add 1 tbs of chia seeds .
Then add fresh fruit (I  used whole grapes and sliced kiwi fruit )into the serving dishes
Pour over the jelly mix .
Refrigerate till set .
You can choose your own colour combination in jelly and fresh fruit you like .
Enjoy .

 

BANANA , PEANUT BUTTER AND BACON CAKE

Welcome back ladies , your cakes and frosting were a success and what a great flavour combination .
I learnt today that Heather Beaton`s cousin is Kevin Sheedy and Donna is Justin Leppitsch`s cousin , the discussions around the kitchen bench are so interesting .
I do hope that the ladies remember there is a difference between liquid and solid volumes .

 

CHRISTMAS CAKES GALORE

 

 

The star shape is still to be baked , these 3 completed  cakes will be stored till I decide on the decoration , I don`t have a lot of experience with icing , so I will be looking at preserved fruits for colour in my cake decoration .

My friend Laufa who specialises in cake and cake decoration with go with icing and decoration ....

Hopefully we will be able to have the cakes ready for the next Churchill Community market for  sale and offer to take orders .

The cake recipe is the 3 ingredient fruit cake  and  it is diabetic friendly .