FRUIT MARINADE

Marinated fruit kept in sealed jars can be kept for months .
Since I don't now much about sealing preserves or marinades in jars , I simply refrigerate the fruit in
( cleaned  , reused glass jars with lids )  jars I've saved , and the preserves and marinades last a long time .
The fruits you want to marinate can be almost  any kind of fruit except for melons.
The marinated fruit is excellent  served in the piece as an accompaniment to roasts meats or as a dessert with sour cream .
I peeled and thickly sliced 8 buerre bosc pears and 7 green apples ( Granny Smith ) , I placed these in a large saucepan with 6 cups of water .
Allow this to come to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes .
Remove from the heat .
Now add 1/2 tsp of ground cloves
1 tsp of whole peppercorns
1 tsp of ground tarragon or 2 bay leaves
1 and 1/2 cups of raw sugar
2 sticks of cinnamon
3 tbs of white wine vinegar .
Bring the mix gently to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes .....remove and cool .
Chill and put into jars .
 

BLINCHATY PIROG S EEZYOOMOM EE ORYEKHAMY

PANCAKE PIE WITH RAISINS AND WALNUTS
Alternating layers of pancakes with a honey , nut and raisin filling .
This dessert tastes like baklava , although it is entirely different .
Make a pancake batter , let us use the traditional Georgian preparation .
Place 2 cups of plain flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl .
In a separate bowl beat 4 eggs.
Gradually add the eggs to the flour mix , you can use a wooden spoon but I use an electric mixer on low .
Now slowly add 2 cups of  skimmed milk and 4 tbs of melted ghee .
Continue to mix until the batter is smooth .
Now the most important step to any light pancake ......
Refrigerate the batter for 2 hours , this allows the flour particles to soften , producing lighter pancakes .
While the pancake batter is chilling , prepare the filling .
Place 2 cups of raisins in a bowl with 170 gm of coarsely chopped walnuts .
Melt the 330gm of ghee with 1 cup of castor sugar , let the mix bubble gently until the sugar is dissolved ....( about 10 minutes . )
Now add 1/4 cup of honey , the dissolved sugar in the bowl with the raisins and chopped walnuts .
Make the pancakes by dropping spoonfuls of the batter  into a heated and oiled pan .
Layer the prepared pancakes  on a serving  plate and generously  dot the filling over the pancakes between the layers .
Finish with a topping of the filling .
Refrigerate with till you are to serve .
Sprinkle with  icing sugar prior to serving .
Cut into wedges to serve .

PEAR AND PASSIONFRUIT JAM

Peel , core and finely slice 1 kg of beurre bosc pears .
Place the sliced pears in a large saucepan with the juice of 4 lemons and the pulp of 10 passionfruit OR 3 x170 gm tins of passionfruit pulp and 2 cups of water .
Gently simmer until the pears are tender

.
Then add 1.5 kg of castor sugar and stir through until sugar is dissolved .
Allow to boil rapidly for 20 minutes , it will thicken slightly and reduce a little .
When ready , fill the hot jam into sterilised jars and seal .

PEAR AND PARSNIP MASH

Peel and core 4 Packham peas, slice thinly .
Peel and thinly slice 4 parsnips ( avoid the coarse core ).
Place the sliced pears and parsnips in a saucepan with a dsp of minced garlic , 1/2 tsp of ground mace, 6 sage leaves and 1 bay leaf .
Season with salt and pepper add 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of water .
Slowly bring to a gentle simmer , uncovered till the pears and parsnips are soft .
Remove from the heat , drain and add 1/4 cup of cream and blend to a smooth paste .
Perfect with beef , poultry and seafood .

PICKLED SPICE PEARS

Use a large saucepan  to bring 300ml of white vinegar and 250 gm of castor sugar to the boil .
Add1 kg of small corella pears that have been peeled leaving the stem intact .
Gently simmer for 12 minutes .
Remove from the heat and carefully pack the pears into sterilised jars .
Add 1 small cinnamon quill , 3 green cardamom pods , 2 whole star anise and a few strips of preserved lemon zest or a few strips of fresh lemon zest .
Then fill the jars with the vinegar syrup and seal while hot .
Serve the pickled spice pear sliced on a cheese board with your favourite cheeses or with pickled pork , corned  silverside or game .

APPLE AND RICE MERINGUE

Firstly preheat your oven to 180 deg C
Grease an ovenproof dish .
Place 500gm of peeled and sliced green apples in a saucepan with 60 ml of water .
Cook until softened ...stirring constantly over a medium heat .
Then stir in 1/4 cup of castor sugar , continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved .
In a clean saucepan place a 1/3 cup of white rice with 120ml of water , until all the water has been absorbed .
Now add 1 and 1/2 cups of milk and simmer gently until the milk has been absorbed .
Using your electric beater cream 2 egg yolks with 2 tbs of castor sugar , add this to the rice mixture , stir through gently but thoroughly .
Pour this mixture into the ovenproof dish and spread the stewed apples over .
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes .
In a clean dry bowl whisk the 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form .
Now you need to add 2 tbs of castor sugar BUT at tsp at a time , making sure the sugar is dissolved before adding another tsp .
Beat for 5 minutes after adding each tsp . ( Patience is needed . )
Place the meringue mixture on top of the apples .
Lightly brown the meringue in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes ..

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C
Line baking trays with baking paper
In a medium bowl mix together .....
1/2 cup of lentil flour ( any plain flour is acceptable )
1/4 cup of peanut butter
1/4 cup of nutella spread
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
Mix until well combined
Drop tbs of the mixture onto the tray, flatten slightly .
Bake for 15 minutes or until the mixture is no longer shiny .
Remove from oven and let cool on the tray .
Enjoy .

PEAR AND VANILLA MUFFINS

Place 2 litres of water , 370gm of castor sugar ,1 tsp of vanilla extract  in a saucepan over a low heat and stir till the sugar is dissolved .
Add 12 small  beurre bosc pears ( peeled and cored ).To do this I peel the pears keeping the stem in place .Slice the pear slightly off centre and remove the core .
Cover and cook for 25 minutes or until tender .
Drain on absorbent paper , set aside and allow to cool.
Preheat your oven to 160 deg C.
Place 125gm of softened butter /marg in the bowl of your electric mixture with 150gm of castor sugar , beat for about 10 minutes or until pale and creamy .
Gradually add 2 lightly beaten eggs , 1 tsp of vanilla extract ,
Fold in 190 gm of self raising flour alternating with 125 ml of milk.
Now line a 12 x 1 cup capacity muffin tray with paper cases and spoon in 60 ml of batter into each case .
Join each pear together and push the enclosed pear into the cases and bake for 30 minutes or until a sewer inserted into the  cake comes away clean .
These are delicious and great served with a dollop of mascarpone cheese .

CHEESY BEEF AND MUSHROOM PIES

Home made pies with a slow cooked filling .
When cooked I topped the pie lids with sliced carrot ,  halved cherry tomatoes and grated cheese ....
Then I placed the required number of pies bac in the oven till the cheese melted .
Pan fry 300gm of sliced mushrooms in a pan with a tbs of butter /marg .
Place individual pies on warmed serving plates accompanied with mushrooms .