MANOR MENU :MEZZE : 20/1/2020

A friend and work colleague , shared a meal at The Manor on Wednesday .
Linda shared her Xmas holiday story .... as she , her partner and beautiful dog Forrest had to be  evacuated by ship as  the fires burnt  through their holiday destination of Mallacoota...
We are talking about thousands of holiday makers .
The rest is history as the fires raged through Eastern Gippsland .
I actually know the fear Linda spoke of ......as my family lived through the horrors of Black Saturday  we were told to evacuate , but my husband Ken  and I , along with my sons Shaun , his wife Dee,
 Paul, Dale and my sons ‘friend Brandon Mahoney ...assisting us and our neighbours ..thy continued  putting out spot fires caused by floating sparks and we worked well into the night as the wind changed .
Fire doesn’t discriminate..... as neighbours lost their lives ...Fire is fierce and unforgiving .
THE MANOR ... 20/1 20..( 1 cancellation )
...MEZZE MENU.
1. PULLED CHICKEN AND AVOCADO RICE PAPER ROLS
2. BEETROOT AND SWEET POTATO ROLLS
3. STUFFED COURGETTES
4. NO FISH , FISH
5.PUMPKIN CHIPS
6.TOMATO , SPINACH AND HONEY SALAD WITH CRACKED PEPPER .
DESSERT ...
I gave my guest a bowl to go and pick her own strawberries ...
WINE .. SPARKLING SHIAZ

SPICED WHOLE GRAPES

This is delicious , great with grills , any baked or roasted meat , poultry , fish and sensational with warm curries .
Wash 1kg of grapes and remove stalks ...set aside .
Place1 packet of lemon or lime jelly crystals into a medium saucepan and add 500ml of apple cider vinegar , 1 dsp of mustard seeds , 1 dsp of minced ginger 1 tbs of ground all spice and 2 bay leaves .
Slowly bring the mix to the boil , then simmer gently , uncovered for 15 minutes , stirring occasionally.
Remove bay leaves .
Now add 1 tbs of lemon juice and the grapes .
Bring to the boil again and simmer for 5 minutes giving the mixture a stir at intervals , to prevent a skin forming on top .
Spoon into jars and add a small wedge of Kumato tomato  and seal.
Use within 4 weeks .

MACARONI WITH SOUR CREAM AND OREGANO

Pre heat your oven to 180 deg C.
Cook and drain 250gm of elbow macaroni .
Combine 250 gm sour cream and 4 lightly beaten egg yolks , season with salt and cracked pepper , 2 tbs of freshly chopped oregano or 1 tbs of dried oregano, 1 dsp of minced garlic  and 2 tbs of pitted and sliced black olives ....
Now whip 4 egg whites still soft peaks form , fold into mixture .
Bake in a greased ovenproof dish in a preheated oven for 30 minutes .
The mixture should not be dry and slightly wobbly in the centre.
Open the oven door and let sit for 10minutes , before serving .

ESCARGOT

' Our' common brown snails "Helix aspera' are fine to eat .
It is thought they were bought to Australia by the French in the 1850's and are now a garden pest everywhere .
So when you are collecting snails to prepare escargot for your special entrée , make sure they come a pesticide free garden .
In France snails are a delicacy, 6 per person as an entrée, but as I said earlier be very careful never to use snails that have eaten bait .
Catch your snails early in the morning , while the dew is still on them .
Soak them in cold salty water for 2 hours , until all matter is spewed out .
Rinse well in cold water and remove from shells .
Clean the shells for serving and set aside .
Marinate the snails for 8 hours in a red wine ,garlic , chilli , ginger and tomato sauce .
Lightly fry in parsley butter until tender .
Serve in shells on a bed of rice and chopped green capsicum .
 

CHICKEN AND PARSLEY CASSEROLE

This recipe is for Debbie and the team in endoscopy at LaTrobe Regional Hospital ,Traralgon Preheat your oven to 180 deg C .
I use  skinless , chicken thigh fillets (   About 2 kg ?)
Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with an Italian herb mix
Seal the fillets on each side in a pan drizzled with rice bran oil over a medium heat .
Remove and set aside .
Hard boil 4-6 eggs.. peel and quarter .
Roughly chop a handful of fresh flat parsley .
Peel and slice 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic... mix together .
Now make a sauce .....place 3 cups of  chicken stock in  a medium saucepan and add 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tbs of ground  sumac  over a low heat , once the butter has melted stir / whisk in 5 tbs of plain flour , stir until slightly thickened .
Ok , using a large ovenproof dish , place a layer of chicken fillets and  hard boiled eggs scatter with some of the chopped parsley , some of the sliced onion and garlic , a sprinkle of grated cheese and smoked paprika .
Pour over half the sauce .
Repeat the process till all the chicken and ingredients are used .
Top with grated cheese and a sprinkle of smoked paprika .
Bake in a well heated oven for 1 hour .
Delicious .
I served this tonight with a green leaf and tomato salad drizzled with honey .
Enjoy .

SALMON AND MARJORAM PIE

BREADCRUMB BASE .......
Pre heat your oven to 180 deg C
Toss 3 cups of soft breadcrumbs into 3 tbs of melted butter /marg, until well coated .
Press the crumb mixture firmly into the base and sides of an ovenproof pie dish .
Bake in your preheated oven or 10 minutes or until golden brown .
FILLING.......
Make a white sauce by melting 3 bs of butter / marg in a saucepan
Blend in 3 tbs of plain flour
Add 3 cups of milk
Season with cracked pepper and salt to taste .
Heat over a low heat and continue to stir till thickened .
Add the juice of 1 lemon , 1x 440 gm can of flaked salmon ( drained ).
1 x 440 gm can of asparagus cuts ( drained ).
6 x hard boiled eggs ( sliced )
1 tbs of dried marjoram
1 tbs of  dried parsley .
Now pour this mixture into the prepared rumb base .
In a separate bowl mix together 1 cup of soft bread crumbs , with 1 tbs of melted butter and 2 tbs of grated cheese
Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the filling
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and the cheese has melted .

BREAD ......SWEET AND SPICY ,

This is a really good fruit bread ...

Preheat your oven to 189/deg C

I used a bread machine to do the kneading .....and used a baking pan with the machine formed dough to bake for 2 and a bit hours ....

This is delicious ..... if you are into making bread OR not ....give this recipe a try....

Place in the bowl of your bread machine 

300ml of like warm milk 

1 dsp of dried yeast

1. Tbs of raw sugar

1 lightly beaten egg 

225 gm of wholemeal flour 

1 tsp of sumac 

1. Tbs of chine 5 star blend 

Add 1and 1/2half cups of mixed grains ( quinoa ; millet , oats ) and granulated nuts .

Now set your bread machine and let knead on the appropriate setting ....when the machine beeps  .... add 1 cup of  sultanas or mixed fruit .

When the kneading is done , turn out on to a lightly floured bench .

Shape into a log shape , an place in a sprayed log pan ...score the surface of the dough into vertical lines with a sharp knife

Place in a well heated oven and bake till bread has risen with a crusty covering......and sounds empty when tapped ...around 60 minutes ...

SLOW COOKED CHICKEN CASSEROLE

Place 2 sliced onion, 3 sliced carrots  , 3 sliced sticks of celery and 2 tbs of minced garlic in a pan over a low heat .
Sprinkle 6 chicken thighs ( bone in , skin off ) with 2 tbs of plain flour and add these to the pan and seer both sides .
Remove chicken and vegetables to the lightly sprayed bowl of your slow cooker .
Deglaze your pan , by adding a cup of chicken stock , bring to the boil and stir with a wooden spoon.
Add the  deglazed stock to the slow cooker , along with  an extra 750ml of chicken stock .
Now add 1 tbs of freshly chopped thyme , 1 tbs of freshly chopped parsley ,1 tbs of freshly chopped chives , 1dsp of smokey paprika , 1 tbs of Worcestershire sauce , 1 tbs of oyster sauce , 1 dsp of tamari.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours .
Serve with rice or a cauliflower mash .
Celeste Gibbons shared this recipe with me on Garden Path , Kitchen Door ,Saturday 12 /1 2020.

JELLY SLICE

Line the base and sides of a slice tin ( 25 x 16 cm ), make sure you leave plenty excess around the sides .
Crush 200 gm of plain biscuits and crush them until they resemble fine bread crumbs .
Melt 225 gm of melted butter and add to the biscuit crumb .
Pour the mixture into the lined pan and press down with back of a metal spoon .
Place in the fridge to chill and set .
Begin to prepare the filling .
Add 2 and 1/2 tsp of powdered gelatine to 3/4 cup of boiling water and stir until dissolved .
Place 1 x 395 gm can of condensed milk in a separate bowl and whisk.
While whisking pour in the dissolved gelatine mixture and the juice of 2 lemons .
Continue to whisk until mixture is smooth and combined .
Remove the set biscuit base from the fridge and pour over the condensed milk mixture .
Place the tray back until just set  in the fridge .( 35 minutes ).
While the slice is setting , make your jelly ( your choice of colour / flavour ) as per packet instructions adding an extra tsp of powdered gelatine .
Allow jelly to cool to room temperature .
Remove the slice from the fridge and carefully pour the jelly over the slice and place back in the fridge to completely set 6 - 8 hours .
Remove the slice and use a warm knife blade to cut into squares .

BROAD BEAN SALAD (V)

I love broad beans ...My neighbour across the road gave me 2 kg of broad beans , this broad bean salad can be served as a light lunch or supper dish .
Firstly make a dressing by whisking together 6 tbs of extra virgin olive oil with 2 tbs of lemon juice , the grated rind of 1 lemon , 1 dsp of minced garlic,  1 tsp of castor sugar and a pinch of cracked black pepper .Set aside when you have a well blended emulsion .
Shell your fresh broad beans about 1kg.
Now boil the shelled beans in boiling salted water until tender .
Drain the beans and place in a large salad bowl .
Whisk the dressing and pour over the warm broad beans .
Crumble over 150 gm of Greek feta , thinly slice a bunch of spring onions and toss them together in the bowl ..
Hard boil 3 eggs , slice and add to the salad .
Sprinkle with dried dill and add a handful of torn mint leaves and sprinkle with a tsp of sugar to bring out the minty aroma .

ROASTED VEGETABLE MOUSSAKA (V)

 

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C.
This is a vegetarian moussaka which is just as delicious as the meat version .
You will need 1 aubergine ( eggplant ), cut into slices  ( about 5 mm thick )
Rinse the aubergines slices under cold water and pat dry with paper towel
Slice 2 medium sized courgettes , peel and slice 2 onions and slice into thin wedges , 2 red capsicums , cored , sliced and chopped roughly .
Roughly chop 2 garlic cloves .
Place all the chopped and sliced vegetables into a baking tray .
Drizzle 5 tbs of rice bran oil over and toss together .
Now sprinkle 1 tbs of fresh thyme over the mix and season with cracked pepper .
Roast in the well preheated oven  for 30 minutes until golden and tender .
In a large bowl beat together 2 eggs add 300ml of Greek yoghurt and season with cracked black pepper .Set aside .
Remove the roasted vegetables and lightly grease an ovenproof dish and layer 1/2 the vegetables over the dish .
Now spoon over 1 can  (400gm ) of diced tomatoes and add the remaining vegetables over the top .
Pour the egg and yoghurt mixture over and crumble over 60 gm of Greek feta .
Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until golden .
This can be served hot , warm or cold .
I don't add salt to this recipe as the feta is salty enough .
The heavier winter moussaka is cooked and flavoured with mince lamb in addition to the vegetables in the recipe above .

 

STUFFED COUGETTES WITH FETA AND WALNUTS ( V)

This is great as a light lunch or vegetarian dinner or a vegetable accompaniment with grilled fish , chicken or beef .
Preheat your oven 190 deg C
Place 4 large courgettes ( zucchini )in a saucepan of boiling water and boil for 3 minutes .
Drain , rinse under cold water and drain again .
Leave to cool.
When the courgettes are cool enough to handle , slice off a thin strip off the top side of each courgette  with a sharp knife and gently score around the inside edges to help scoop out the flesh .
Use a teaspoon to scoop out the flesh , leaving the shell to hold the stuffing .
Chopp the courgette flesh .
Heat 2 tbs of rice bran oil in a pan add 1onion , peeled and chopped .
1tbs of minced garlic .
Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until onion softens and lightly colours .
Add the courgette flesh and continue to cook over a low heat for another 5 minutes .
Remove from heat and allow to cool .
Stir in 55 gm of crumbled feta cheese and 20gm of chopped walnuts .
Now add 55 gm of fresh breadcrumbs .
Add 1 egg , lightly beaten .
Season with cracked pepper , a little salt and dried dill .
Fill the courgettes with the stuffing
Spray an ovenproof dish with cooking oil and place the filled cougettes side by side  the dish .
Drizzle with a caramelised garlic balsamic.
Cover the dish with foil and bake in a well preheated oven for 30minutes .then remove foil and bake for a further 10minutes or until golden brown .
Serve  hot .

RHUBARB AND APPLE CRUMBLE SLICE .

Pre heat your oven to 160 deg C.
Using the recipe for rhubarb and apple crumble .Prepare the pulp and the crumble .
Set aside and prepare a plain cake batter with 1 and 1/4  cups of self raising flour , 80 gm of melted butter , 2 tbs of castor sugar  and 4 lightly beaten eggs .
Beat until creamy and smooth .
Spread 2/3 rds of the batter over a greased aluminium tray 31cm x 20 cm x 5cm .
Sprinkle over a layer of the crumble mix and follow with a layer of the rhubarb and apple pulp .
Then pour remaining cake batter roughly over the top and finish off with a scatter of the crumble mix
Place tray in the well preheated oven and coo for 45 minutes .
At the 20 minute mark , place a sheet of baking paper over the slice to prevent the top colouring too much ..

RHUBARB AND APPLE CRUMBLE

Gippsland is veiled in smoke  here in my home town of Churchill , the smoke from the fires is thick .
There is so much devastion in East Gippsland and there are  fires still raging .
Today I harvested my rhubarb .
I removed all the leaves , washed  and trimmed the stems .( 25 stems )
Peeled and sliced 3 apples , added 1 cup of dried fruit and mixed peel , 2 tbs of dried  and ground lavender flowers , 1/2 cup of lemon juice , 1/2cup of raw sugar and1/4 cup of butter , 1 dsp of ground cloves and 1 dsp of minced ginger.
Place in a large pan over a low heat stirring  occasionally .
When softened  set aside .

Now it is time time to prepare your crumble .....

Place your mix of grains , seeds and oats on a sprayed baking tray ...... my mix was rolled oats , black
sesame seeds , pepitos ,sunflower seeds , slivered almonds ,cashews and pine nuts .Sprinkle with ground mint and lavender flower and a drizzle of honey .

Spray with cooking oil and a few dobs of butter.. ( if you want a sweet granola sprinkle with 2 tbs of raw sugar )

Place in a preheated oven 160 deg C ,   Cook until golden , stir the crumble occasionally .

Fill your serving containers with the the rhubarb and apple pulp and top with the seed crumble , serve with custard , Greek yoghut , sour cream   ,thickened cream or mascarpone. 

CURRY CHICKEN CANELLONNI

Tonight at The Manor I have prepared a chicken curry cannelloni.....
I used  dried cannelloni tubes X 12
Purchased 10 chicken sausages
Removed the casing from the sausages and stuffed the cannelloni tubes ...
Set them aside .
Spray the bowl of your slow cooker with rice bran oil ( your choice ) add 1 tbs of minced garlic , 2 tbs of minced garlic , 2 tbs of tomato paste , 1 red onion peeled and sliced , 1 red capsicum char grilled ... ( place your whole capsicum under the griller and let it become charred all over ...turning constantly.
( it doesn’t take long ) then place in a lidded container and let it cool ...
Once cooled peel off the capsicum skin ...
Slice and place in your slow cooker along with the other flavour ingredients.
Add 1 dsp of ground cumin , 1 dsp of ground turmeric
1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper ( optional ) or 1 tsp
of paprika.......
1X 400 gm tin of lentils including liquid
1X 400 gm tin of diced tomatoes
1X tin of whole champignon ( drained )
Finally 1X 400 gm tin of coconut cream
Stir through to combine
Add the filled cannelloni tubes and turn your slow cooker on high for 4 hours ..
Serve with steamed freekah along with a minimal scatter of green leaves ...( your choice )
Delicious and comforting....