PRESERVED LEMONS. 2022

It is time to start preserving your lemons while they are so plentiful .( Thanks to Robert and Karen Stockdale , Richard and Liz Henshaw ) These richly flavoured fruits are widely used in Middle Eastern cooking . Only the rind which contains the essential lemon flavour is used finely chopped in recipes . Traditionally whole lemons are preserved , Ive used lemon wedges , which can be packed into jars more easily . STEP 1 Wash the whole lemons . Slice each lemon into 6 or 8 wedges . Press a generous amount of salt into the cut surface of each wedge . Pack the salted lemon wedges into warm sterlised jars . To each jar add 3 tbs of salt and then add lemon juice to half fill your jar and top up with boiling water to fill your jar . Seal your jars and leave stand for 4-6 weeks before using . To use , rinse the the preserved lemons and discard the lemon flesh . Slice the lemon rind finely and use as required in recipes .

HUMMINGBIRD CAKE

Originally known as a 'Doctor bird cake 'in Jamaica . In 1978 a recipe was published by Mrs L.H Wiggin , Southern America , for the Hummingbird Cake . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. spray the cake pan liberally with cooking oil and line with baking paper . Place 300 gm of castor sugar into the bowl of your electric mixer along with 3 lightly beaten eggs , 300ml of canola oil / rice bran oil, 2 peeled and mashed bananas ( 270 gm ) . 1 tsp of ground cinnamon . Beat until all ingredients are well combined . Slowly add a mixture of 300gm of plain flour , 1 tsp of bi carbonate of soda , 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of vanilla extract . Continue to beat until everything is well mixed . Now it is time to stir in with a wooden spoon 100gm of crushed ,tinned and strained pineapple and 100gm of granulated nuts . Pour the mixture into a large loaf pan ( 260 X 160 cm). Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes . Cover with baking paper at 60 minutes to avoid over colouring the surface . The cake is cooked when it bounces back when touched . Leave to cool in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely . When the cake is cool , spred thickly with cream cheese frosting . Hummingbird cake is delicious .

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Beat 300gm of icing sugar with 50 gm of marg/butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer will suffice . Mix until the mixture comes together . Add 125gm of cold cream cheese . Beat until completely incorporated , continue beating until light and fluffy .

APRICOT AND CHERRY COBBLER

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Place 820 gm can of apricot halves ( drained ) along with 1 x 415 gm of cherries ( drained ) into a 2 lt casserole dish . Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of brown sugar and a 1/2 cup of granulated nuts . Now sprinkle 340 gm packet of madiera cake mix over . Finally drizzle over 125 gm of melted and cooled butter /marg . Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes or until golden brown . Serve with custard, cream or yoghurt .

RICE .

Have you ever been to a Chinese dinner or banquet and felt really 'full'half way through the meal .? Well try eating a smaller amount of rice with your savoury dish . If your are watching your weight steer clear of fried rice . Boiled rice contains no fat . If you are at home use a combination of grains to boil together ... red , white ,black , brown ,wild rice , quinoa , freekah . Make it your meal .

MONDAY NIGHT AT THE MANOR ...sweet corn soup

You will need to order in 2 chicken thighs with feet attached , from your local chicken shop in Manny's Market ( Morwell / Traralgon ). So presuming you have the chicken feet connnected to the thighs ... we can proceed . First I want you to add the connected chicken feet to a large pot and add 3 litre of water. Bring the water and chicken to a slow boil , cover the pot and simmer until the chicken is tender . Remove the chicken pieces to a large bowl and remove the skin , shred the flesh and return to the pot . Now add 2 x cans ( 840 gm ) of creamed corn , the finely sliced white base of 2 spring onions. Bring this mixture to a gentle boil . Add 2 lightly beaten eggs and continue stirring until thickened . Season with 2-3 tbs of soy sauce ( to taste ) . Pour into soup bowls and garnish with the spring onion greens . I so want to share this recipe with my family...

INDONESIAN BEEF STEW

In this recipe we will be using coconut milk , it is an essential ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking , it is used in a broad range of dishes from curries to soups . Before opening a can of coconut milk , shake it well to blend the milk and cream . Pour 1/4 cup of rice bran oil into a large pan and heat over a medium heat . Add 1.5 kg of cubed boneless chuck beef and 1 onion peeled and chopped , continue to cook until the beef is no longer red and the onion has softened . Now sprinkle 2 cups of dried shredded coconut , 1 tbs of soft brown sugar , 1 tbs of ground coriander ,1 dsp of ground cumin and salt and cracked black pepper to taste . Contiue to stir until the meat and coconut are browned and the spices are fragrant . Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker . Add 4 cups of coconut milk to the frypan . Raise the heat to high and deglaze the pan , stirring to scrape down the browned bits on the bottom of the pan . bring the coconut molk to the boil and then pour it into the slow cooker . Cook and cover on HIGH for 4 hours or 8 hours on LOW . To serve season with cracked black pepper and salt to taste . Ladle the stew over steamed rice .

MINCED BEEF WELLINGTON.

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. You need 500gm of lean minced beef . Place 60 gm of chopped bacon pieces along with 1 peeled and diced onion and 2 tbs of minced garlic in a pan with 2 tbs of rice bran oil . Cook until the onion is tender , add the minced beef , breaking up using a fork and continue to cook until lightly browned . Finely chop 250 gm of sliced mushrooms and 1 dsp of finely chopped parsley . Add the mushrooms and parsley to the mince . Cook uncovered for 15 minutes , stirring frequently . Remove from heat . Add 1 cup of breadcrumbs to the meat mixture . Season lightly with salt and cracked black pepper . Join 2 sheets of ready made puff pastry at the join with your fingers . Trim the pastry to 30cm X 38 cm rectangle and brush with tomato paste . Heap the meat mixture along the centre and press 12 stuffed olives in a line along the centre of the mince . Press the mince into a roll . Fold over pastry to the centre , moisten with water and secure the join . Make sure the ends meet and the entire meat roll is completely sealed . Use excess pastry to decorate the top of the pastry securing with 1 beaten egg and brushing the pastry all over . Bake in a well preheated oven until golden . This is a great winter meal .

BANANAS .......1942

This is from " A Treasury of Tips for the Model Homemaker ,"1942 edition . Bananas are best when fully ripe and flecked with brown . If the bananas you buy in the store have green tips or are all yellow .....you need to let them ripen in a bowl until they have brown flecks . Do not store bananas in the refrigerator as cold temperatures prevent proper ripening . When the banana is partially ripe , the pulp is firm , starchy and slightly tart . At this stage green tipped bananas can be used to bake , broil or fry . Cooking brings out a different , delicious flavour . If your banana is all yellow , it is ready to eat and can be used as ingredient in baking . A banana flecked with brown , is fully ripe and at its best for eating , infant feeding and as an ingredient in baking . a speckled banan will be sweet , mellow , digestible and delicious in fruit cups , salads , milk shakes and desserts . What was not mentioned , we can freeze ripe bananas to use in ice cream and baking .

WHAT IS FOR BREAKFAST ?

BACON , CHEESE AND EGG IN TOMATO SHELLS Prheat your oven to 200deg C . You will need 1 large tomato per person . Slice the bottom off the tomato and then using a spoon remove all the flesh ,being careful not to pierce the tomato shell . Chop the flesh finely . Place the chopped tomato flesh in a bowl and add 1 dsp of grated cheese per the number of tomatoes used . Line the tomato shells with a trimmed slice of pancetta , then divide the cheese mixture between the tomato shells and top with an egg Place the tomato shells in holes of a muffin tray . Bake until the egg cooked to your liking . serve with fingers of toast .

RATATOUILLE SOUP

This is amazing .. Place 1 kg of peeled and sliced kent pumpkin in a large pot along with 2 onions peeled and sliced , add 6 cups of beef stock . Season with 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and cracked black pepper to taste . Boil till the vegetables are tender . Add 2 tbs of peanut butter and 3 tbs of honey . Now puree till smooth . Add 300 gm of shredded carrot and stir through , keeping the pot on a medium heat . Add the flesh of 3 tomatoes , 1/2 cup of seeded and sliced black olives and 1 courgette ( zucchini ) trimmed and finely sliced , 3 finely sliced capsicums, 1 small aubergine ( eggplant )trimmed , sliced and cubed . Keep the soup softly simmering . When all the vegetables are tender , check the flavouring and adjust to your taste with honey , a litle salt / pepper and peanut butter . Now add 2 cups of dried pasta shapes , stir through . Continue to simmer until noodles are tender . Finally stir through 300ml of cream . Seriously this is the best soup I have produced . Serve with buttered crusty bread .

SWEET POTATO AND LENTIL PASTRY POUCHES

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Heat 2tbs of rice bran oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook 1 large leek , which has been finely chopped until soft . Add 1 tbs of minced garlic , 125 gm of roughly chopped button mushrooms ,1 dsp of ground cumin and 1 dsp of ground coriander . Cook until fragrant ( about 1 minute ). Drain and rinse 1 can of lentils , set aside . Peel and dice 300gm of sweet potatoes and boil until tender . Move the lentils and sweet potato to a bowl and stir through 1 tbs of sumac . Season to taste and allow to cool . Cut 8 ready rolled pastry sheets into 4 even squares , place 1 and 1/2 tbs of the mixture in the centre of each square . Bring the edges together to form a pouch and pinch together . Brush lightly with beaten egg and place on lined baking tray . Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden .

COUNTRY ‘ COOKING CLASS

In class tomorrow and Wednesday we will visit the Italian cuisine with the preparation of a frittata and then we will prepare a French chocolate ganache in our own prepared tart dough. See you in class tomorrow .

MOCK CREAM

Ever run out of cream ?

It is so annoying , so here is another tip I got from the Ministry Of Food 1945 . Mix 1 tbs of cornflour with 120 ml of milk in a small saucepan over a low heat , stir continuously until it forms a paste . Set aside and allow to cool . Blend 2 tbs of butter/marg with 2 tbs of sugar to make a fluffy mass , then gradually add the milk and cornflour mix , whisking continuously . the result will be a thick cream . Vary the thickness by using more or less cornflour .

THE WISE HOUSEWIFE .... 1945

Source Ministry of Food Leaflet .... The wise housewife ... 1. Shops early .. 2. Carries her own parcels and takes her own wrapping .... 3. Saves fuel , light and time . 4. Keeps her family healthy by giving them at least 1 uncooked and 1 correctly cooked vegetable everyday . 5. Uses vegetable water for cooking . Do you think we are coming full circle ?

WORLD WAR 2 HOME FRONT RATIONING ..FRUIT SCONES

This is how the recipe was printed ( you can convert the amounts .. you have got google , it was fun .) Preheat your oven to 425 deg F. Seive together 13 and 1/2 ounces of flour , 1/2 tsp of salt ,5 tsp of baking powder into a bowl . Add 1 tbsp of sugar and 8 ounces of dried fruit , whatever you have left in your weekly rations ( raisins , sultanas ,redcurrents ,apricots , prunes )and mix through . Cut 2 ounces of butter and 2 ounces of lard / margarine or suet ( whichever you have left over )into small pieces and rub it in to the flour . Mix in 1 beaten egg or the equivalent in dried egg powder and 8 fluid ounces of milk together . Slowly add the egg mix to the flour until a stiff dough is formed . Roll it out into a thick layer , about 1" thick and use a floured cutter to cut into circles. Place on a greased baking tray and bake for 10 minutes , or until risen and golden browm .

RATATOUILLE FRITTATA

Whisk 12 eggs in a bowl with 3/4 cup of cream , 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese and 1 dsp of dill . Season with cracked black pepper and 1 tbs of minced garlic , now set aside . Preheat your oven to 200 deg C . Deseed slice and cube 1 red capsicum , 2 small zucchinis trimmed and cubed , 1 small egg plant trimmed and cubed , 1 red onion peeled and cubed , 1/4 cup of sliced black olives, 2 medium tomatoes top sliced and flesh removed and chopped . Place all vegetables in an oiled pan with 1 dsp of basil and 1 dsp of minced garlic and cook over a medium heat until vegetables are just tender . Meanwhile place 2 cups of pasta shapes into a pot of salted boiling water and cook until tender . Spray a tray with cooking oil and add the ratatouille , add 2 cups of baby spinach , 1/4 cup of chopped parsley and the drained pasta , gently stir to combine . Pour over the egg mixture and bake until golden. Slice into wedges to serve .

A WINTER APPLE PIE

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Grease a deep 6 cup capacity pie plate . Peel and slice 8 medium apples and layer them into the pie plate , mix together 1/4 cup of plain flour , 1/3 cup of sultanas , 3/4 cup of castor sugar and 1 dsp of cinnamon and sprinkle between each layer of apple . Place 2 sheets of ready rolled pastry together and roll out with a rolling pin . Top apples with pastry , overlapping to cover the pie top . Crimp the edges and trim excess. Decorate with pastry strips . Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the apples are tender and pastry is golden . Serve the apple pie with cream and or ice cream / custard . This is a really good recipe come on give it a go.

WARTIME FOOD RATIONS FOR ONE ADULT FOR 1 WEEK. ...1942

Source : A compliation of Ministry of Food printed materials ....... 4 ounces of bacon or ham ( approx 4 rashers of bacon ). Meat to the value of 1 shilling and tuppence ( 2 pounds of mincemeat or 1 pound steaks or joint ) 2 ounces of cheese ( a 2" cube ) 4 ounces of margarine ( 8 tbs ) 2 ounces of butter ( 4 tbs ) 3 pints of milk 8 ounces of sugar 2 ounces of jam ( 4 tbs ) 2 ounces of loose leaf tea ( makes around 15 to 20 cups ) 1 fresh egg ( plus 1 packet dried egg powder , making 12 eggs , every month ). 3 ounces of sweets . Sausages, fish , vegetables, flour and bread are not rationed but are hard to get . Canned food , like sardines , treacle ,and spam are on the new points plan and can only be bought using your extra monthly 24 points ....

SALMON AND WARM SNOW PEA SALAD

Season your wok or large pan with canola oil and heat on low . In a medium bowl mix together 1 dsp of minced ginger ,3 tbs of soy sauce , 2 tbs of Chinese rice wine and 2 tbs of apple juice . Pour the mixture into the heating wok/pan and heat to just simmering . Add 250 gm of snow peas ( topped and tailed )and stir fry for about a minute or until they turn a vibrant green colour . Now add 650 gm of skinless salmon , cut into bite size pieces . cover the wok / pan and gently cook for about 1 minute or until the salmon loses its raw exterior colour nd becomes tender . In a small bowl mix together 1 tsp of cornflour with 2 tbs of water , now add this to the wok/ pan and stir gently until sauce thickens . sprinkle over 1 dsp of dried dill . Serve over a mixed grain and mixed leaf salad .

ASIAN STYLE OMELETTE

Place 8 lightly beaten eggs in a bowl wih 1/3 cup of Chinese rice wine , 1 dsp of sesame oil and 1/4 cup of thinly sliced spring onions ( green part only). Season with white pepper and whisk to combine . Spray a medium / large fry pan with oil and heat . Stir fry 6 cups of assorted shred vegetables until JUST tender and then remove from the pan and set aside , keep warm . Reheat the pan and spray with oil again . Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture , swirling to coat the base of the pan . Cook for 2-3 minutes or until egg is firm . Slide the omelette onto a plate , fill with 1/4 of the warm shredded vegetables and fold over . Repeat with the remaining eggs and filling mixture and make 3 more . To serve the omelettes , garnish with bean shoots and coriander and finish with a drizzle of oyster sauce .

TIPS FOR PERFECT PASTA

BOTTLED PESTO Process 1 and 1/2 cups of basil leaves with 1 tbs of minced garlic , 1/4 cup each of fresh parsley , finely grated parmesan ,pine nuts with 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil . Add lemon juice to taste . Store in a lidded jar in the fridge . PASTA BASICS Cook pasta ina large pot of boiling salted water . When adding pasta to the boiling water , stir through a few times to stock the pasta from sticking and return to the boil . Cooking times vary , so chech the instructions on the packet . Fresh pasta is available in the refrigerated section of your supermarket . fresh pasta has lower GI as it needs less cooking . SHAPE UP If you are not sure what shape of pasta to use , I recommend that you use larger shapes like penne or twists , which are perfect for bakes or chunkier sauces . Spaghetti , fettuccine and linguine are perfect for smoothstyle sauces . QUICK SPINACH PASTA Try a simple pasta with some baby spinach leaves , crumbled feta and a grated red onion . sauce it up with some cream or a little tomato salsa .

NUTTY APPLE LOAF

This cake gives us everything we want on the cold wintry days . I use uncooked fresh apple , peeled and chopped . This cake will question so much about you as a cook ...come on give it ago !!!. Place 170 gm of butter / marg ( room temp ) in the bowl of your electric mixer along with 140 gm of raw castor sugar and 2 tbs of strawberry jam . Cream until light and fluffy . Lightly beat 2 eggs and slowly add to the butter mix . In a separate bowl mix together 140 gm of plain flour with 1 tbs of baking powder and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon . Beat the flour mix into the butter mixture . Stir through 100gm of granulated nuts , 50 gm of dark chocolate chips and 2 peeled and chopped apples . Mix with a wooden spoon until evenly dispersed . NOW here is the diffence . .. Pour the mixture into a log pan that has been lined with baking paper ( 23 cm X 13 cm ) , smooth with the back of a spoon . Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours or better still overnight . WHY ? ....it helps with the texture of the cake ...supposedly !

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C for 15 minutes before baking the cake for 50 - 60 minutes or until the cake feels firm to touch and browned all over . Leave the cake to cool in the pan before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely . If you use a skewer to test the cake , it should come out clean apart from a little melted chocolate .

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE

I use crunchy peanut butter for a better flavour and texture . It is also up to you whether you use chocolate in this recipe . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Place 225 gm of butter/marg at room temperature in your mixer bowl and using a paddle attachment or whisk , cream until light and fluffy . Add 2 lightly beaten eggs one at a time , mixing well . Turn your mixer down to slow speed and beat in 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and 240 gm of crunchy peanut butter . Continue beating and add 340 gm of plain flour 2 and 1/2 tsp of bi carb of soda until a smooth dough is formed . Stir in 75gm of dark chocolate chips until evenly dispersed . Line 4 baking trays with baking paper . arrange 6 equal amounts of cookie dough on each prepared tray . Make sure the cookies are spaced apart to allow for spreading while baking . Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes , or until golden brown around the edges and are quite flat . Leave the cookies to cool slightly on the trays before turning out to a wire cooling rack to cool completely . The cookies should be soft and chewy and are gauranteed to be a hit !!!

LAVENDER CUPCAKES

These are a favourite of mine , a lavender flavoured infused cupcake . You will need a 12 hole muffin tray lined with paper cases . Place 120 ml of whole milk and 3 tbs of dried lavender flowers in a jug , cover and refrigerate overnight . Repeat this process for the lavender frosting , placing 25 ml of whole milk with 1 tbs of dried lavender flowers ,set aside in the refrigerator . Preheat your oven to 170 deg C . Place 120 gm of plain flour in the bowl of your electric mixer along with 140gm of castor sugar , 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 40 gm of room temp butter / marg . Beat these together until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined . Now strain the lavender infused milk ( for the cupcake)and slowly pour into the flour mixture , beating well until all ingredients are well mixed . Add 1 lightly beaten egg to the mixture and beat well . Spoon the mixture into paper cases , 2/3 rds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes , or until the cakes bounce back when touched . A skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean . Leave the cupcakes to cool a little in the tray before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely . FOR THE LAVENDER FROSTING . Beat together 250 gm of icing sugar with 80 gm of room temperature marg / butter and 2 drops of purple food colouring , beat on a medium speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed . Turn the beater down to slow and strain the lavender infused milk into the butter mixture . Once the milk is incorporated , turn the mixer up to high speed and continue to beat until the frosting is light and fluffy ( at least 5 minutes ) . The longer the frosting is beaten , the fluffier and lighter it becomes . When cupcakes are cold , spoon the lavender frosting on top and decorate with a sprig of lavender .

DID YOU KNOW ? HANDY HINTS

Denture cleaning tablets are ideal for bleaching white table linen . White vinegar makes a fabulous fabric softener , just add a splash to the last rinse . Cider vinegar added to chooks' drinking water stops them getting worms . When you are frying eggs , sprinkle a little bit of flour in the hot oil , it stops the oil from spattering . Coffee grounds make an excellent fertiliser for indoor plants and roses . A few drops of lemon juice will shine your shoes if you have run out of shoe polish .