FALAFEL

Jennifer , you can use canned chickpeas  ( drained and rinsed ).
Heat a tbs of oil in a medium pan and saute 1 small red onion ( peeled and finely chopped ) until tender .
Add 1/4 of 1 small red chilli ( finely chopped ) and continue to saute .
Now add this to your processor along with 400gm of (drained and rinsed ) chick peas ,
1 clove of garlic ( peeled and chopped )
60gm of feta cheese
1  egg yolk
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of lemon zest ( use the zest on your preserved lemon )
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of ground coriander
Ground pepper to taste
3 stems of fresh coriander ( including roots ) torn
2 tbs of fresh parsley
1 tsp of plain flour
Process all together to a firm paste .
Transfer the paste  to a bowl and season to taste .
Mix in a little more flour if the mixture is too soft .
Using damp hands shape the mix into golf ball sized  shapes and flatten slightly .
Cover and place in the refrigerator for a minimum 30 minutes or until you are ready to cook them .
Place 3 tbs of oil in a pan and heat over a medium heat .
Fry falafels without turning or moving for 4 minutes until golden brown on the bottom , turn and repeat till golden brown on both sides .
Drain on  paper towel.
Serve with hummus and a simple green salad .




 

ROASTED BEER CAN CHICKEN WITH CAJUN MAYONNAISE

This is for Shaun Mersey , Paul Mersey and  Dale Murphy ..
Preheat your oven to 180deg C.
You guys will need a size 16 chicken or anything up to a size 24 ...
(The size indicates the weight of the fowl... Size 16 =1.6 kg / Size 24 =2.4 kg )
Pat your chicken dry with paper towel .
Rub the chicken all over inside and out ...with a mix of 1 and 1/2 tsp of course salt ( cooking salt ) and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper .
In a small bowl mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 1 and  1/2 tbs of Cajun spice mix ( available in all supermarkets ).
Mix in 1 and 1/2 tbs of sriracha hot chili sauce .
Now massage the mayonnaise mix all over the chicken and the inside cavity .
Now using your beer can chicken roaster , open your favourite flavoured can of beer  , ( stout or cider would work well ) drink half of the contents ...  (it is part of the recipe ).
Place the half full can in the holder of the roaster , now lower the chicken over the can , the chicken will be easily balanced with the can in the chicken cavity .
Place the roaster in a baking tray  throw some halved washed potatoes and or sweet potatoes on the tray with a few garlic cloves and maybe some sliced small red chillies ( optional ).
Add just a drizzle of ghee over the veggies ( not much ) , place in your preheated  oven and allow to cook for 75 minutes and let the aromas fill your kitchen .
Prepare a simple leafy salad with a few noodles or just add cooked greens to you plate .
The chicken will be ready to serve when you pierce a thigh and the juices run clear .
Enjoy Mum x

CHICKPEA AND SWEET POTATO RISSOLES (V)

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C
Boil or microwave 400gm of sweet potatoes until tender .
Drain and mash .
Heat 1 tbs of rice bran oil in a fry pan
Add 1 onion  ( peeled and finely chopped )and 1 tbs of minced garlic .
Cook , stirring occasionally until the onions are soft .
Now place 1 x 400gm tin of chickpeas into a bowl  ( coarsely mash )
Add the sweet potatoes and onion mix .
Add 1/3 cup of fresh parsley leaves ( chopped )
4 sprigs of fresh thyme ( chopped )
2 cups of breadcrumbs
1 egg ( lightly beaten )
Mix well and divide into 6 portions and shape into round rissoles .
Dip the rissoles into a bowl with 1 cup of couscous and evenly coat .
Refrigerate for 30 minutes for the rissoles to firm .
Cook in the preheated oven ( 180 deg C) for 30 minutes .
Turn when rissoles are lightly browned .
Serve with a simple green leaf and tomato salad with a side of  beetroot relish .
 

SUPERCAKE TERRINE .

This is  another version (  the grown up version  )of the goodness cake .
I will be serving this as dessert  at dinner tomorrow night at The Manor .
The Supercake Terrine
Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap ( with excess overhanging on all sides to cover )

Roughly chop  250gm of pitted prunes and mix in a small bowl with 1/2 cup of sweet sherry , now leave these to soak for 3 hours ( min)
In a separate bowl crush 300gm of digestive biscuits and mix with 100gm of chopped walnuts , 100gm of pistachios and about 60 gm of mixed peel .
In another bowl place 200gm of butter/marg , 10 tbs of golden syrup and 500gm of a good quality dark chocolate 70 %chopped .....microwave in increments until the chocolate melts .
Now mix the prune and liquid mixture , with the biscuit crumb and the chocolate mix , stirring to combine .
Press the mixture firmly into the loaf pan , cover with over hanging cling wrap and chill overnight .
Invert onto a platter and sprinkle with cocoa .
Slice in thin slices , will keep in the fridge for up to a week .

 

TUESDAY NIGHT DINNER AT THE MANOR

Tomorrow I will be preparing chicken with chilli chocolate , this is a simple version of a Mexican mole stew , the  secret to its success is a good quality dark chilli chocolate .
Firstly preheat your oven to 180 deg C
Use a good ovenproof pan and heat 2 tbs of ghee oven a medium heat .
Add 4 whole chicken breasts and cook for 3 minutes each side until golden , remove and set aside .
Add 100gm of sliced pancetta to the pan along with 2  chopped celery stalks and 1 onion  peeled and sliced , stir until the vegetables soften .
Add 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped , along with 200ml of dry red wine and simmer for 3 minutes .
Stir in 400ml of chicken stock
1 x 400gm of diced tomatoes
50 gm of dark chilli chocolate broken into small pieces .
Now return the chicken fillets to the pan .
Cover and transfer the pan to the oven for 25 minutes or till the fillets are cooked through .
Remove the fillets to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil .
Return the pan to the stove top and add 400gm tin of red kidney beans ( drained and rinsed ), simmer for 5 minutes until thickened .
Slice the chicken fillets and serve on quinoa and freehah grain mix , with the sauce , chilli and coriander .
Place avocado wedges and corn chips along side .

 

SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE

Place 500gm of shredded cabbage in a large saucepan along with
200gm of shredded carrot
1 granny smith Apple peeled and grated .
3/4 cup of apple juice
3 tbs of tamari
1 red capsicum , deseeded and sliced .
1sp of lemon juice
1 dsp caraway seeds
Simmer these all together for 30 minutes , stir occasionally .
Now add 500gm of firm tofu or 500gm of sliced chicken breast , toss through the vegetables over a medium heat until cooked .
Serve with wholewheat noodles or brown rice, wild rice and quinoa mix .

STUFFED CAPSICUMS WITH BUCKWHEAT AND KAISER FLESH

I love capsicums and they are so easy to fill with a mix of flavours and ingredients .
This is a beautifully flavoured and textured dish .....and so easily assembled .
( Yes Dale Murphy  I actually found a recipe to give buckwheat a reason to be  welcomed  at  my table ....all the family will love this )
Deseed 4 medium caspicums , keeping the  tops .
Preheat your oven to 180 deg C 
Saute 1 onion peeled and chopped in rice bran oil on a medium heat
Add 150gm of Kaiser flesh available at your deli ( or the deli at your supermarket should point you in the right direction .....with Gods help ! )
1 tsp of mustard seeds for 2 minutes .
Lower the heat and add 1 finely diced apple
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
1/4 tsp of all spice
Mix well then remove from heat
Now prepare the buckwheat  either steam or absorption method ( place 1 cup of buckwheat in a pan with 2 cups of water and cook over. a medium heat till the water is absorbed .
So now add the buckwheat to the Kaiser flesh mix .
Fill the capsicums with the mix and place the tops on the filled capsicums .
Place the capsicums on a baking tray and loosely place a sheet of baking paper over the top .
Bake in your preheated oven till the capsicums are tender , about 25 - 30 minutes .
 

COOKING CLASSES FOR 2018

Saturday cooking classes are back .......10 am - 12 midday
Tuesday cooking classes commence on the 30 th January  2018 ..10am - 12 midday
To book and get prices please phone the Churchill Neighborhood Centre ...51 222955.

The cooking classes will continue the flavour  journey around the world .
Each class you will get to prepare and take home either a main meal , a dessert or a cake .
There is a once off cost  ( minimal ) to cover the costs of trays , core ingredients that you use every week  ( flours butter milk , spices , oil), and a weekly class charge .
The class members are required to bring cuts of meat , vegetables , fruits , nuts , depending on the recipe .
I am so looking forward to preparing delicious healthy food with you , listening to and sharing our food experiences .

WEEK 1
Mediterranean spinach , capsicum and herb roulade .
You will need 500gm of spinach , silverbeet , lettuce mix or1 lettuce .
2 large eggs
170gm of creamed cheese ......$2.29 @Aldi
1 jar of grilled artichokes.....$2.49@Aldi
1 jar of kalamata olives (pitted) 340gm ...$$2.69@Aldi
Please bring a clean tea towel from home , to assist in rolling .

All available at Aldi......All other ingredients will be supplied ....

GIARDINIERA, ALLA

Italian, in the gardener`s style , with assorted fresh or pickled vegetables ..
Preserved vegetables are great to have on hand out of season , and antipasto platters .

Prepare various vegetables such as coloured capsicums , squash , green tomatoes , onions , red chilli , cauliflower ,onions and carrots buy cutting them into slices , wedges or florets .
Using a large bowl mix together all the vegetables along with 1 tsp of yellow mustard seeds , 3 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped , 2 whole sprigs of rosemary , 1 tbs of brown sugar and a pinch 1/2 tsp of rock salt .
Place the vegetables into sterilised jars , packing them in tightly .
Bring 3 cups of white vinegar to the boil .
Now carefully pour the vinegar into the jars .
The boiling vinegar will bring out the maximum flavour in the vegetables .
Put the lids on tightly and place the jars upside down , leave them sit like this for 10 minutes .
This helps the vinegar access all parts of the vegetables .
Then turn the jars right side up and open .
The vinegar will have lowered a little , since it has filled the air pockets that were created when the jars were initially filled .
Fill the jars with more vinegar , filling to the top .
Seal the jars and let sit for 1 month to a year .
The longer you wait the better the flavour .
 

BANANA CREAM PIE

First let’s prepare the crumb crust .
Preheat your oven to 180deg C
Process together cup of toasted oatmeal  with 4 tbs of apple juice .
Let this stand for 10 minutes.
Then press crumbs into a 23cm flan dish , beginning at the sides ( keep your fingers wet )
Cover  the base of the dish with remaining crumbs  ( use wet knuckles or fingers )
Bake at 180deg C for 10minutes .
Cool before filling ....

BANANA PIE FILLING
Place 1 cup of ricotta cheese in a food processor along with 2 bananas (each weighing about 125 gm )
1/4 cup of  coconut juice
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2. Egg whites
And blend till smooth .
Pour into cooled crumb crust shell and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes .
Cool to serve .

The only sugar in this recipe is in the coconut and apple juice ......

I took this recipe to another level and topped the cooled pies with a hazelnut chocolate spread , then sprinkled with chocolate chips and or shredded coconut ..

The banana cream pie has now become a chocolate and banana cream pie .

 

PEACH MERINGUE IN CHAMPAGNE

This recipe is also know as Peach Aileen.
Place 6 just ripe peaches in a bowl of  just boiled water for 5minutes , drain and peel each peach .
Slice in half and carefully remove the stone .

Place the peeled and sliced peaches in a saucepan big enough for each peach to sit on the bottom .
Mix 3/4 cup of brut champagne ( or dry white wine ) with 3/4 of a cup of black grape juice , now pour this over the peaches .
Poach for 15 minutes , turning once .

Place the peaches in an oven proof dish cut side up (set the grapefruit and champagne juice aside )
In a small saucepan mix together1 tsp of arrowroot flour with 1 dsp of water and stir in the champagne and grape juice .
Heat and stir till thickened.
Pour around the base of the peach halves .
Now turn on your oven and preheat to 200deg C

To make the meringue .....
Place 3 tbs of currants in a saucepan with 3 tbs of water .
Simmer until the water almost evaporates .
Cool .
Blend in a food processor to a soft consistency
In a separate bowl beat 2 egg whites until stiff .
Gradually beat currants into egg whites
Pile a spoonful of meringue mixture onto each peach half
Bake in your preheated oven till the meringue is lightly browned . ( 3- 5 minutes )

I drizzled with the thickened grape and champagne sauce with a few sliced  black grapes

 

NECTARINES WITH ROSE PETALS

N.B ....Unsprayed rose petals are edible ..
Place 8 medium ( just ripe ) nectarines in a large bowl of boiling water or 5 minutes .
This will allow for easier peeling cut each nectarine in half and remove the stone .
Place the peeled and halved nectarines  in a saucepan
Mix together 1/2cup of unsweetened apple juice
2 tbs of dry sherry
1/4 tsp of ground cloves
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon and pour this over the nectarines .
Poach gently until cooked  ( approx 15 mins ), the sauce will turn a pale pink .
Cool , then chill thoroughly .
Serve in clear glass tumblers with whipped ricotta tinted pink with grape juice and sprinkled with washed pink rose petals .....

MUSTARD CREAM AND PITA CHIPS

This is excellent as a dip with lemon soaked apple wedges or pita crisps .......
Mix equal quantities ( 1 cup ) of ricotta cheese with cottage cheese ( 1 cup ), flavour with whole grain mustard or a mild curry powder ...
To lighten the consistency mix in 2 tbs of milk if necessary....
PITA CHIPS
This is a great way to use up leftover pita bread .
Using a sharp knife , cut pita bread into triangles .
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C , for 10 minutes or until crisp .
Alternatively you could brush the triangles with beaten egg whites and sprinkle with grated Parmesan  cheese , before placing in the oven .
Keeps well in airtight containers .

LEMON TUNA DIP

Place 180 gm tin of tuna in spring water  ( drained ) in the bowl of your blender along with 1 and 1/4 cups of ricotta .
1/2 cup of plain yoghurt
1 tbs of tomato paste
 Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs of fresh chopped coriander .
Process  until smooth and chill .

NAME DAY FOR THE MANOR ...A FAMILY AFFAIR

It all makes sense .
 I left Castle Garden with all the memories it held ....without question my next home had to be The Manor .
The Manor it is ..........Thank you Dale and Amelia for the gift
Thank you Marc for installing the plaque
Paul,Yianni and Nicole for initiating  great memories , ...
Shaun , Dee .. my grandsons Max and Jack ..
Shaun you cooked  the best bar be que on xmas eve for all the family ...thank you
My grand daughter Ella.........my door  is always open ....we love you .

QUICK BEAN , COCONUT AND LIME SOUP

Heat 1tbs of rice bran oil in a saucepan over a medium heat .

Add 1 chopped onion ans cook , stirring until soft .   

1 dsp of Thai green curry paste , continue to stir until fragrant .

Add 2 x 400 gm cans of cannelloni beans  ( rinsed and drained )

350ml of chicken stock

2 kaffir lime leaves 

Zest and juice of 1 medium lime 

Increase the heat and slowly bring the mix to a boil , reduce heat and let simmer for 10minutes .

Cool slightly then remove the lime leaves .

Now purée the mix with a stick blender or purée in batches if using a processor .

When smooth , stir in 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk and 1 dsp of fish sauce .

Reheat slowly over a low heat .

Ladle into warmed serving bowls and sprinkle it’s coriander leaves, chilli slices and chopped nuts .

This is an absolute dish !

WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

 If chocolate can be white then we can make white chocolate brownies ...!!
Preheat your oven to 160 deg C.
Spray a slice pan with baking spray .
In a medium bowl mix together 2 cups of plain flour
1/4 tsp of salt .
 1/2 tsp of baking soda
In another medium bowl use an electric mixer to cream 3/4 cup of butter /marg with 1 cup of dark brown sugar  ( lightly packed )
Then beat in 2 lightly beaten eggs  ( small amounts at a time ) until well incorporated .
Now add 1/2 cup of flaked coconut
1 dsp of vanilla extract
Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon .
Time to add 300gm of coarsely chopped white chocolate .
1 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts .
Stir until evenly dispersed .
You should have  a textured , heavy dough .
Scrape the dough into a prepared pan .
Push the dough into the corners of the pan and level the surface with a spatula
Bake  for 40 minutes or until the centre is set and the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the brownie .
Remove from the oven and cool in the tray on a wire rack to room temperature .
Dust with icing sugar .
Slice into 3 inch bars .
Brownies will keep at room temperature in a covered container for several days and they freeze well .

IS WHITE CHOCOLATE , CHOCOLATE ?

Yes...it is just chocolate free and caffeine free.

White chcolate is simply the fat from the cacao bean ( the cocoa butter ) mixed with milk solids and sugar .

It contains none of those wonderful brown , cocoa bean solids that give chocolate its unique character and rich flavour .

CRUSTY POTATOES ANNA

Using clarified butter  ( Ghee ) in this classic dish allows the potatoes to cook up golden , brown and crisp.
Even the oven temperature is high , the fat won’t burn or smoke because the milk solids are absent .
You will need 4 medium potatoes (russets or sweet potatoes ..starchy potatoes )
Wash the potatoes and pat dry .(to peel or not is your choice )
Cut into 1/8 inch slices .
Pre heat your oven to 220deg C
Select a heavy based frypan  (I use a cast iron skillet with a lid .) and using ghee to butter the pan / skillet generously .
Arrange a single layer of potato slices on the bottom of your pan in a circular pattern , start at the middle of your pan working outwards , overlapping slices .
Melt 4 tbs of ghee .
Brush this layer with ghee and sprinkle with salt and pepper .

Repeat this process until all the potato slices are used .
Pour any remaining ghee over the the top .
On the stove top bring the potatoes to a sizzle over a medium heat .
Now cover with a lid and transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown on top and tender when tested with a skewer inserted .
A light crust should be visible on the bottom when the edge is lifted with a knife .( if not bake a little longer ).
Give your skillet/pan a good shake to loosen any pieces that may have stuck .
Place a after or large plate over the top of the pan and turn the potatoes out crusty side up to serve .

RICOTTA FRITTERS

Deep fried food doesn’t need to be heavy and your kitchen can remain a smoke free zone .
These dessert fritters are light and crisp ,     There is no oil flavour or oiliness if you keep the frying temperature at 180 deg C.
These fritters can be served with drizzled honey or any fruit syrup ( preferably fresh ).
Place on cup plus 2 tbs of ricotta cheese into a medium sized bowl .
Whisk in 2 lightly beaten eggs until well mixed .
Add 1 and 1/2  of melted butter / marg
1 tbs of  castor sugar
Finely chopped lemon zest of 1 lemon .
1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp of salt
Mix these together well.
Now stir in 1/3 cup of plain flour until well combined .
Set the mixture aside and let rest for 2 hours ..........
Pour rice bran oil into a small saucepan to the depth of about 1”and heat over a medium heat .
( to test the oil without a thermometer , drop a bit of batter into the oil and if it floats immediately to the surface , the temperature is about right .)
Or alternatively use your deep fryer with fresh oil , set at 180 deg C .
Gently drop in the batter 1 tbs at a time , using a second spoon to push it off into the oil .
The fritters will puff up and brown .
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to flip the fritters over to brown the other side .
Remove the cooked fritters with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels .
Repeat this process until all the batter is used .
Serve the fritters hot with a drizzle of honey or fresh fruit syrup .

MAMA MIA ..PIES GALORE !

Pie makers come in all sizes .......they are the best .
A great way to make the best of left overs or the tinned food in your pantry with or without your  special spice or herb added to the pie filling .
It`s a great way to spend a productive afternoon .
Sweet or savoury your pies will be amazing !

 

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE .....

We made a tomato soup cake about 3 years ago in cooking class, it was a huge success and surprised everyone how a tin of tomato soup could turn into such a delicious cake .
Well here is a recipe that uses whole egg mayonnaise in place of eggs , this is delicious .
Grease and line the base of a 23 cm springform cake pan.
Preheat your oven to 180 deg C.
Using the bowl of your electric mixer ....
Add 250 gm self raising flour
60gm of cocoa powder
1/4 tsp of baking powder
200gm of castor sugar
225gm of whole egg mayonnaise
2 tsp of vanilla extract .
200ml of warm water .
Now beat with your electric mixer until smooth
Spread into the prepared pan
Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean .
Remove from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack .
Dust with icing sugar or ice with a butter and cream cheese icing ...
ICING ....
Process 100gm of softened butter / margarine with 100gm of cream cheese ,250 gm of icing sugar , 1 tsp of vanilla essence , a couple drops of coffee essence .
process till smooth
Spread over cooled cake .

CHEAT`S BURRATA

What is burrata ?
Burrata is an Italian fresh mozzarella filled with cream , which ouzes out onto the plate when you tear it open .
It is really hard to find here commercially , the following recipe makes a great alternative to burrata .
You will need to purchase about 750gm  ( about 3 buffalo mozzarella balls ) drained .
Tear the mozzarella into large pieces .
Place the pieces in a large bowl with 3 garlic cloves finely chopped , 200ml of crème fraiche , 200ml of thickened cream and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper .
Toss to combine and serve with a tomato salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil .

 

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

I adore the simplicity of Italian pasta dishes .
This is a delicious , elegant dish which can successfully be served as a main meal .

Heat a tbs of oil and a dsp of butter /marg in a pan over a med heat .

Add about 100gm of sliced pancetta , cut into thin slices , stir until the pancetta starts to crisp .

Now stir in 1 dsp of minced garlic or 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped .

Now remove the pan from the heat and set aside .

Cook 400gm of pasta in boiling water .

While the pasta is cooking beat 3 eggs together in a small bowl along with 150 ml of cream and season with salt and cracked pepper .

Now drain the pasta .

Return the pasta to the saucepan add the egg mixture and the pancetta and toss to coat the pasta .

Add 100gm of finely grated parmesan  ( or a mix of grated pecorino and grated parmesan ) and 2 tbs of finely chopped flat leafed parsley .

Now sit an extra egg yolk in its shell on each dish to stir through the pasta at the table .

This will give you a super creamy sauce and the residual heat from the pasta will cook the egg .

 

 

THE PANTRY DINNER DISH

This meal includes anything you have left over in the pantry , fridge or kitchen .
I used 12 eggs beaten with about 300 ml of cream , a good slug of sriracha .
From the freezer , I pulled 10 crumbed chicken burgers , some cubed tasty cheese.
The fridge offered a sad small green chilli , a red and green capsicum , half packet of grated cheese  and parmesan  cheese  , the pantry draws were full of the freshly harvested garlic , a couple of onions ....and an aluminium tray .
I chopped the vegetables and sautéed them in a pan with some oil and a little cayenne pepper.
Sprayed the pan with cooking spray and gave the pan a light sprinkle of sumac .
Then place 5 chicken burgers over the base of the pan .
Top the burgers with half the vegetable mix
Pour the egg mixture in the pan .
Then the half packet of grated cheese was sprinkled over the over this mixture .
The other 5 burgers were then placed on top and I finished this off  with the remaining vegetable mix, a sprinkle of sumac and the grated parmesan with the cheese cubes .
Popped it in the oven , cooked  for 60 minutes on 160 deg C .
It looks and smells amazing which tells me this will be a filling , nutritious meal .
Have a look around your kitchen and create your own pantry dinner dish ..!
I`m thinking this will go really well with the beetroot relish .

QUICKLY PREPARED CANNELLONI ON A BUDGET

1.Box of cannelloni..24 tubes ( dried instant )    $1.95
1. Tub of ricotta cheese ....1 kg ...$8.35
1. Bag of mixed lettuce leaves ....200gm ...$3.00
2. Soup ladels of condensed soup of your choice ....1  small tin will suffice ....$1.00
1. Jar of chunky passata ...$1.95
1 packet of grated parmesan .....95 c

I mixed the ricotta in a large bowl with the torn lettuce leaves along with 2 ladels of soup concentrate  ( I used 2 soup ladels of the cabbage soup I had prepared earlier , as it is thick and hearty )
Using your cleaned hands and  fingers fill the ricotta tubes .
Place them in a prepared pan sprayed with cooking oil ....
Spray the first layer of filled tubes with cooking spray and repeat till all tubes are filled .
Then pour over the jar of tomato passata , sprinkle with grated parmesan .
Bake for 50  minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 180 deg C ...
So what to serve it with ?
1x pack of thick cut chips with skin on  $3.00....place them on a tray for the last 30 minutes of cooking ....or just serve the cannelloni with a simple green leaf salad .
Either way your total for a  filling home made meal for 4  to 6 .... with a side serve of salad is $17 50

BASIC VINAIGRETTE

Mix together 1/3 cup of white vinegar
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of peanut oil
Ground salt and pepper
1 dsp of minced garlic
1 heaped tsp of wholegrain mustard .
Mix together and store in a small container , this vinaigrette keeps well .

QUICK FRUIT MINCE ICE CREAM

Mash up 2  litre of a good quality  ice cream , I used chocolate ice cream  and added 1 jar of a good quality fruit mince  (ROBERTSON`S  410gm ).
Pack the mixture into small size pans , I then sliced glace cherries over top , along with cubes of creamy vanilla ice -cream and broken chips of chocolates .
Place in freezer to set
Cut into slices to serve , enjoy with a Tokay .

 

LEFT-OVER CHRISTMAS CAKE OR PUDDING

Cut up left-over cake or pudding into slices and fry in butter until it has a crust on both sides .
Lift the slices carefully from the pan and sprinkle each side  lightly with castor sugar .
Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream .
TIP ...
You can substitute any firm cake for this recipe...madeira , butter , banana , sultana  and the like .

MUSSEL BISQUE

You can use frozen mussels in place of fresh mussels , just make sure the mussels are scrubbed and beards removed .
Put the mussels and 1 bottle of dry white wine into a large pot , along with 1 leek ( white part only ) , 1 stick of celery  ( sliced ) , 3 cloves of garlic  ( finely chopped ).
Cook over a high heat until the mussels open .
Discard any mussels that do not open .
Remove the cooked mussels from the pot with a slotted spoon and the mussels from their shells .
Discard the shells .
Continue to simmer the soup stock until the vegetables are tender .
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir through 300ml of  cream and use a stick blender to puree.
Season with cracked black pepper and 5 saffron threads .
Reheat to a simmer  and add the cooked mussels just before serving ...!
 

CABBAGE SOUP

Use a large pot to boil together 1/2 a cabbage ( roughly sliced ) , 5 large potatoes ( peeled and sliced ), 2 carrots  ( sliced in rounds ) , 1 leek chopped  ( white part only ) , 4 cloves of garlic ( peeled and chopped ) , in 1 litre of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar .

Bring the chopped vegetables to the boil and then simmer for 45 minutes or until tender .
Stir in 1 tbs of ground  turmeric ,1 tbs of cumin and 1 tsp of curry powder
Allow to cool .

Then use a stick blender in the pot or a processor to puree in batches until smooth .
At this point I added 100gm of hummus , stirring through to combine.
Reheat slowly to warm through and serve .

Sprinkle grated parmesan on buttered slices of sourdough bread and grill on both sides .
Float grilled sourdough slices on top of soup to serve ...

OPTIONAL .......
Add 500gm of shredded ham after the soup has been through the processor .

AVOCADO SOUP

I love this  really special soup which takes avocado to a new level .
Firstly you will need to saute 2 onions ( peeled and sliced ) , along with 1 leek ( white part only ) and 1 sliced celery stick in 2 tbs of ghee or butter .
Saute till softened but not coloured .
Add 750 ml ( 3 cups ) of chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked .
Remove from heat and allow to cool .
Add 3 peeled and deseeded avocados .
Use a stick blender to puree in the pot .
Now add 1 cup of cream .
Season with salt and cracked pepper .
Stir in 2 tbs of medium sherry .( optional )
This soup can be served hot or cold .
Delicious and nutritious

EARLY SUMMER HARVEST AT THE MANOR

Small gardens can be very productive , my potted garden is proof of that .

BEETROOT RELISH

This recipe is for my daughter Nicole Murphy who loves beetroot , especially on vegemite toast .
Beetroot relish on toast is really delicious .
I use the pre cooked beetroot that are available in the  vegetable sections of  larger supermarkets .
Coarsely break up 1 kg of cooked  beetroot in a food processor along with 1 cup of marmalade , 1 tsp of ground ginger and 3 tbs of brown vinegar (  1 dsp of sriracha  ..optional....though not optional in my family )
Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook gently for 10 minutes until thickened .

Remove and bottle while hot .
This is so good ..
Nicole it is in the mail and Anne Crawford you need to give this a go ....

I got up early this morning ( Saturday 27th 2018 ) and made a second batch of beetroot

relish , this time I replaced one cup of orange marmalade with 1/2 cup of orange marmalade and 1/2 cup of whole cranberry jam all other ingredients as per the original recipe ...

A little more intensity of flavour ....very nice.

 

MANGO RELISH

This is a great recipe to make the most of  the abundant mango .
With this recipe I can have mango all year round .
Place 1 kg of firm ripe mango , peeled and cubed into a large saucepan  along with...........
 1  tbs  of  of minced ginger .
1 tbs of minced garlic .
1/2 cup of white vinegar ,

Stir this mix to combine , bring to the boil and simmer till the mango is tender over a medium heat .At this point your kitchen will be full of smooth velvet aromas
Then add 750gm  of brown sugar , .1 cinnamon stick ( optional 1 tbs of sriracha) .
Continue to simmer , stirring from time to time , until the relish thickens .

Remove the cinnamon stick and bottle the relish while hot .

PUMPKIN SOUP

Heat 1 tbs of oil in a large saucepan
Add 1 large onion , peeled and sliced .
3 cloves of garlic , peeled and sliced .
Cook until the onion and garlic are tender .
Add 2 kg of butternut pumpkin , peeled and sliced .
1 sweet potato , peeled and sliced .
2 medium sized carrots , sliced
3 medium potatoes , peeled and sliced .
Now add 1 litre of vegetable stock and allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender .
You will need to puree the mixture in batches using a blender / processor .
Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan and add 1 cup of milk .
Reheat slowly , season to taste with salt , pepper and ground nutmeg .
Serve with sour cream and sliced shallots .

 

HELLO .....2018

I`m back and have , enjoyed spending leisure time in my garden ( though my daphne is causing some concern) and indulged my pleasure of reading .
1. Love and Hunger.................Charlotte Wood
2. The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul .......Deborah Rodriguez
3. Return to the Little Coffee Shop of Kabul................Deborah Rodriguez
4. The Zanzibar Wife ..............Deborah Rodriguez.
I`m ready to return to the kitchen .
Welcome back !
Happy new year .....2018