THE MANOR NEW YEAR WISH

1. PEACE ..STOP the killing of innocent people . 2. That your kitchen fills with the aromas of your prepared meals to feed your family . 3. Wishing you everything good , Happy New Year . Noelene Marchwicki .

CHEESY SALMON with PASTA TWISTS .

After a day in the garden , I need to wind down and that for me is to cook , plus I have also worked up an appetite . Yes , I have a freezer full of homemade meals , but I have the time to prepare an easy dish tonight . First step... cook 250 gm of spiral noodles , adding the noodles to salted boiling water and cook till el dente , ( not soggy and retaining shape )drain and lightly spray with cooking oil and mix through , set aside. Next ...in a large frypan heat 2 tbs of butter/ margarine over a medium heat . Add and cook 2 cups of( thawed ) frozen mixed vegetables and 2 tbs of minced garlic and 1 dsp dried dill , stirring until the vegetables are warmed through . Now add 1 can (420 gm ) of condensed tomato soup . Stir until smooth , then slowly add 3/4 cup of milk It is now time to add 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded tasty cheese , cracked black pepper to taste and 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg . Continue to stir and heat until the cheese melts , then add 210 gm can of salmon (drained)and the noodles . Heat through over a low heat .

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Grease a 20cm / 8" loose bottom cake pan . To make the base ,place 115gm of finely crushed plain biscuits in a large bowl and mix with 1 dsp of Dutch cocoa powder and 4 tbs of melted butter/ marg . Mix well . Now press the biscuit mixture into the base of the prepared pan . Now place 800gm of mascarpone cheese , 200gm of icing sugar , the finely grated rind of 1 orange and the juice of 1/2 an orange , now stir to combine . Add 175gm of melted dark chocolate ( 70 % cocoa) and 2 tbs of apera . Spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the biscuit layer . Cover with cling wrap and chill for at least 4 hours . To serve remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and place the pan on a serving platter, open and remove the sides of the pan . Mmmm..heaven on a plate .

MELTING CHOCOLATE RISOTTO

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Place an ovenproof dish in the oven to warm through . Weigh out 110gm of 70% dark chocolate and break it into small chunks . Place 200ml of creme fraiche in a large measuring jug and then add enough whole milk to bring it up to 800ml . Now pour this into a large saucepan adding 175gm of aborio rice and 40gm of raw castor sugar, bring this to a slow simmer , stirring with a wooden spoon . Add the 40gm of chopped chocolate to the simmering milk mix and using a hand whisk, whisk until melted and smooth . Pour this mixture into the warmed ovenproof dish , give the mix one stir and return to the oven for 20 minutes , give the mixture another stir and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes until cooked . Remove from the oven and stir any skin that has formed back into the risotto, then evenly scatter the remaining 70gm of chopped chocolate chunks over the rice dish . Cover with a tea towel and let stand for 3 minutes while the chocolate melts into pools . Pour some thickened cream over to mingle with the melted chocolate . Serve at the table in warmed serving bowls and some more cream to drizzle over .

PASSIONFRUIT SPONGE

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Grease 2x 8" round pans and lightly sprinkle the bases with fine polenta . In a medium bowl mix together 1/4 cup of cornflour ,2 tbs of plain flour and 1 tsp of baking powder . Separate 4 eggs ( room temp ) and whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add 6oz( 3/4 cup ) of castor sugar , gradually , beating non stop . Add the beaten egg yolks , one at a time , continually beating . Now gently fold in the flour mixture with a metal spoon . Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans . Cook in the moderate oven for for 25 minutes . Leave stand in the pans for 3 minutes before turning on a wire rack , after loosening side from the pan with a knife , allow to cool completely . Okay , now it's time to fill and ice . Place one of the spaces on a serving dish . Thickly spread with 300ml of whipped cream . Place the second sponge on top . Make the icing by mixing together 1 tsp of melted butter/marg with a liberal 1/2 cup of icing sugar . Spread in a rustic manner over the top of the sponge and finish off with a drizzle of 3 tbs of passionfruit pulp ( including seeds ) .

GOLD COAST SALAD

Generously line a large platter dish with fresh baby spinach leaves . Marinate 500gm of cooked , shelled ,de veined prawns but retaining the tail in a half a cup of French dressing for 30 minutes . Slice 3 peeled oranges into segments and slice 500gm of ham off the bone into strips and toss together . I drained 2 tins (432 gm each ) of pineapple rings and patted these dry with paper towel . Drain the marinating prawns with a slotted spoon and arrange in a circle around the spinach leaf lined platter dish . Pile the sliced ham and orange segments in the centre of the dish . Garnish with pineapple slices topped with scoops of cottage cheese and sprinkled with flaked almonds .

THE MANOR XMAS LUNCH MENU 2023

It's Xmas Eve and the preparations begin ... We will start with a platter of cheeses , rice crackers, fruity pastes and a plate of oyster mornay . The mains ..... 1. Gingered Roast Pork . 2. Roast chicken brined in garden fresh herbs for 24 hours . 3.Lamb will be served as a Rogan Josh . THE SIDES ...... 1. Potatoes roastedin duck fat . 2. Whole baby carrots 3. Whole baby beans . 4.Steamed mix grains . 5.Baked apples 6.Pork crackling . DESSERTS ....... Whole orange cake served with pavlova nests and whipped cream / Greek yoghurt . Merry xmas everybody .

THE MANOR HEDGEHOG .

This recipe is a great way to use stale or leftover biscuits , I'm talking about shortbreads, any sweet biscuit , 500gm hand crushed .(chocolate coated biscuits can be added to the mix ). Hedgehog needs an assortment of sized crushed biscuit pieces , not processed to a crumb . Add to the biscuit pieces 1/4 cup of Dutch cocoa and 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut . Now add the contents of 1 x 395 gm can of sweetened condensed milk to a medium saucepan along with 250 gm of butter/ marg and melt over a low heat . When melted and mixed add the biscuit mix . Remove from the heat and stir to cover the biscuit pieces . Line a slice tray ( mine is 11"x 7"x 1 and 1/2 "). Now transfer to the lined pan . I did not have any chocolate for the topping , so I spread chocolate melts over top and placed in a really cooled oven until the melts were soft and I swirled through to mix the chocolate topping . Then placed in the refrigerator to set . When set I will slice the hedgehog into squares .

LORD HAREWOOD’S GINGERBREAD

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Place 250gm of butter / marg , 250 gm of castor sugar and 250 gm of treacle in a saucepan and heat slowly until melted . In a separate bowl mix together 375gm of plain flour , 1 tbs of arrowroot , 1 tbs of bi carb of soda with 1/4 tsp of salt . Now add to the melted mixture . Add 2 lightly beaten eggs along with 1 and 1/4 cups of lukewarm milk . Mix well . Pour into a well oiled pan ( 8"x 11") and lightly sprinkled with fine polenta . Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours or until golden and a skewer comes out clean when tested . The gingerbread is moist and keeps well in an airtight container . Oh yes , this good .

GOLDEN EGG PUFF ...(AUSSIE VERSION OF SHAKSHUKA)

Prehaet your oven to 180 deg C . Grease 6 ovenproof ramequins. You need 700 gm of 'allrounder ' potatoes .. Now peel the potatoes , slice and boil in salted water until tender . Drain and add 30 gm of butter / marg , 100gm of grated tasty cheese and 3 tbs of milk . Mash until creamy and smooth . Peel and slice 1 large or 2 medium onions , place in a pan with 1 tbs of canola oil and fry until the onion is tender . Add 1 x 400gm can of diced tomatoes with 2 tbs of minced garlic and 1 dsp of wholegrain mustard ,continue to cook over a medium heat until well combined . Divide the onion and tomato mixture between 6 ovenproof ramequins Smooth the mashed potato over with a spatula / fork . Place the ramequins in the preheated oven for 15 minutes . Remove the ramequins from the oven and make a semi deep indentation in each ramequin and crack an egg into each . Top the eggs with grated tasty cheese . Return the dish to the oven and bake until the eggs are just set . Golden puffs can be served as a main with a mixed leaf salad or as a side to a main meal, but its your dish ... I serve them with grilled sausages and bacon.

SCRAMBLED EGGS AND BREAD CUPS

For this easy weekend breakfast / brunch , you will need a large holed muffin pan . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Remove the crusts from 8 slices of bread and spread with butter/ marg on both sides of each slice . Now line 8 holes of a large holed muffin pan with the buttered slices . Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cups are golden and crisp . Keep the oven heated . Remove and line each bread cup with a slice of pastrami or sliced honey ham . In a separate bowl , mix together 5 eggs , 6 tbs of cream , 2 tbs of Italian mixed herbs , 1 dsp of minced garlic and season with cracked pepper . Divide the egg mixture between the the 8 meat lined bread cups and sprinkle with grated tasty cheese . Place the completed bread cups bake in the oven and continue to cook until the egg mixture is set and the cheese topping bubbling . Serve with a mug of fresh percolated coffee , ' now it's the weekend '.

HEALTH SLICE

There are two options for this recipe , it is up to you , make it your recipe . You can either use sultanas or dark choccolate 'Bits ' . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Melt(just melt ) 155gm of butter/ marg with 1 tbs of honey / 1 tbs of pomegranate honey . Place 1 cup of almond meal , 1/2 cup of raw sugar , 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut , 1/2 cup of wholemeal S R flour , 1/2 cup of sultanas or 1/2 cup of dark chocolate bits in a bowl . Then add the butter / marg mix and mix with a wooden spoon . Press the mixture into a lightly sprayed 8"x 8"pan. Bake in the moderate oven for about 15 minutes . Slice into fingers while hot and leave in the pan to cool .

SPINACH AND RICOTTA GNOCCHI

For this delicious , light gnocchi , you will need 800gm of fresh chopped spinach . I place the chopped spinach in a large colander / 2 colanders and pour boiling water of 1 full kettle over the leaves .( if you are using 2 colanders , you will need to use 2 kettles of boiling water .) Leave the leaves to cool , then squeeze the spinach as dry as possible . Process in a food blender / processor , then transfer to a bowl . Add 350gm ( 1 and 1/2 cups )of ricotta cheese , 4 tbs of grated Parmesan cheese , 3 lightly beaten eggs and 1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg . Season with cracked blak pepper . Mix well to combine . Add 4 tbs of plain flour to make a soft dough . Use your hands to to shape the mixture into 3"sausage shapes . Finally dust lightly with a sprinkle of flour . Warm serving dishes on a low temperature in the oven ( 80 deg C) Bring a large pan of water to the the boil , gently slide the gnocchi into the water and cook until they rise to the surface . Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and divide the gnocchi between the warmed serving dishes . Melt 120 gm of butter / marg and pour over the dishes and sprinkle with extra grated parmesan cheese . You are now ready to serve , enjoy .

OLIVE BREAD Pane con Olive

Peel and thinly slice 2 red onions . Fry the onions in 2 tbs of olive oil until softened . Mix in 2 cups (225GM ) of sliced black olives . Place 800gm of bread flour ( high protein plain flour ), 1 and 1/2 tsp of salt , 2 tbs of dried yeast and 3 tbs of chopped parsley in a large bowl with the fried onions and sliced olives . Pour in 475 ml ( 2 cups )of warm water . Mix to a dough using a round bladed knife ,add a little more water if the dough feels dry . Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes . Place the dough into a large clean bowl , cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place until doubled in size . Preheat your oven to 220 deg C . Lightly grease 2 baking sheets . Turn the dough onto a floured surface and cut in half . Shape into two rounds and place each on a baking sheet . Now cover each round loosely with lightly oiled cling wrap and leave until doubled in size . Slash the tops of the loaves with a knife then bake for 40 minutes , or until the loaves sound hollow when on the bottom . Transfer to a wire rack to cool .

WHOLE ORANGE CAKE

This is a moist syrupy , flourless slab . The actuual cake takes around and hour to cook , but you need to boil the oranges for 2 hours prior to preparing the batter . So give yourself at least 3 hours to prepare this cake . To begin place 2 whole oranges in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water . Bring to the boil , then reduce heat , cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Drain and allow to cool enough to handle , cut the oranges into quarters , remove any pips and place the unpeeled segments into your processor . Blend until smooth . Now add 250 gm of castor sugar , 6 lightly beaten eggs , 250 gm of almond meal and finally 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder . Blend until thoroughly combined . Lightly grease a 24 cm springform pan and add a good pinch of fine polenta and shake the pan until the base and sides are thoroughly dusted with polenta . Tip out any excess polenta . Pour the batter into the pan and bake for around 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean . Cool in the pan before removing the sides of the springform pan . Serve from the base of the springform pan with thickened whipped cream or natural yoghurt .

ROASTED RED ONION WITH THYME AND BUTTER

You will need 6 equal sized red onions . Preheat your oven to 200deg C . Remove the 1st layer of the onion skin , the dried loose layer . Slice off the bottom end of the onion , to give it a flat base . Slice each onion in a cross shape in the top , slicing half way down ( not right down ) . Now sprinkle into the gaps a little salt , then add a knob of butter and top with some chopped thyme . I put these filled onions beside my patted dried brined and stuffed chicken in an ovenproof dish. Now cook the dish in the preheated oven , until the chicken thigh juices run clear . These onions are just the best with a roast , so tasty and sweet .

RISOTTO OF KANGAROO AND POMEGRANATE HONEY

Heat 2tbs of canola oil and saute 2 trimmed and sliced leeks ( white part only ) , until softened and translucent . Add 650gm of kangaroo strips and stir to cook gently . Add 400 gm of aborio rice and stir to coat . Add 50 ml of apera and 50 ml of white wine and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed . Mix through 2 tbs of tomato paste and 2 tbs of minced garic . Add 900 ml of chicken stock , 1/2 cup at a time , stirring well after each addition . When 1/2 the stock has been absorbed add 1/2 cup of pomegranate honey . Continue adding the remaining stock , stirring along with the addition of 300gm of snow peas . To prepare the garnish ,thinly slice the zest of 1 orange , slice 6 slices of prosciutto into thin stripes , add to a lightly greased pan and fry over a medium heat until the prociutto is crisp. Season to taste with cracked black pepper . Place the kangaroo risotto on a serving plate topped with the orange zest and crispy risotto.

THE MANOR ROASTED CHICKEN

Preheat your oven to 220 deg C. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry . Strain the herbs and lemon quarters from the brine and place in the chicken cavity along with a few garlic cloves ,adding more herbs if necessary . Rub the chicken all over with peanut oil . Lightly oil an ovenproof dish . Peel and quarter one onion and place over the base of the dish , sitting the chicken on top of the onion quarters to stop it stiicking. After 20 minutes reduce the cooking time to 180 deg C , continuing to cook for 40 minutes or until the juices run clear from the thigh when pierced with a skewer . Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest in a warm shallow dish for 20 minutes before carving .

BRINING A CHICKEN

Brining is a practice used to make roasted meats juicier and can subtly infuse the flesh with herbal flavours . You will need a 1.5 kg + chicken , which you need to pat dry , and then place in a large stock pot . Add 1 handful of rosemary , thyme sprigs and sage leaves .( I have these in my garden ) . 1 tsp of black pepercorns , and 2 lemons cut into quarters to the stock pot with the chicken. In a separate saucepan , dissolve 3/4 cup of salt with 1/4 cup of sugar in 1 cup of hot water , over a low heat . Add this to 3.5 litres of cold water and pour over the chicken in the pot until the chicken is covered . Use a plate to submerge the chicken if necessary . Leave the chicken in the brine for 2 hours , turning once . Remove the chicken , pat dry and roast.

Baba GHANOUSH (3)

When cool enough to handle , scoop the eggplant flesh into your food processor , don't be overly concerned if some of the charred skin goes in with the flesh , it will just add a smoky element . Now add 3 tbs of tahini the juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon , 1 tbs of minced garlic . Process till smooth . While the mixture is processing , add 1/2 cup of olive oil in a thin stream . Finaly add 1 dsp of ground cumin for an amazingly powerful flavour .

BABA GHANOUSH (2)

The next step is to remove the eggplants from the oven , split them lengthwise to allow heat to escape and leave to cool .

BABA GHANOUSH (1)

The secret to a good baba ghanoush is charring the eggplant skins to get an internal smoky flavour and this is done in your oven and dry roasting till very soft . Preheat your oven to 200deg C . Prick 2 large eggpants all over with a skewer and the place whole on a baking paper lined tray . Cook until the eggplant body is wrinkled and soft when touched .

POMEGRANATE HONEY

For this ongoing drizzly syrup ,that you can use as a spread , a marinade , a drizzle over a green leaf salad , yoghurt or ice cream . This is my gift to you. You need 1 pomegranate and 1 jar of runny honey ( around 375 gm ). The seeds / fruit of the pomegranate are called arils . Let's get started , slice the pomegranate in half around its belly , place over a shallow bowl side and hit the upturned side hard with a wooden spoon . the arils / seeds should come out easily . Repeat with the other half. Remove a couple of thin strips of the pomegranate skin with a vegetable peeler , making sure you do not take any of the white pith . Add the skin and arils to a jar of honey ,well a jar that will hold the arils and honey . Set the mixture aside on your kitchen bench . If the weather is cool , 8 /12/ 23 , leave the jar for a week before putting in the fridge. If the weather ever gets warmer , leave the the jar/s on the bench for 3 days . The honey will become a little runnier and gradually turn a little pinkish . Then place the honey in the refrigerator for as long as you want . I keep topping the same jar with honey and pomegranate when needed . The more you use it , the more uses you will find for it .

FLOURLESS BETE NOIRE

It's French and translates to 'Black Beast '... This is my idea of chocolate heaven , it is a very rich and an intensely chocolately flourless cake . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Grease and lightly sprinkle fine polenta over the base and sides of a 20cm round pan . Combine 110 gm( 1/2 cup ) of castor sugar with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves . Remove from the heat and add 250gm of chopped 70% cocoa chocolate and stir until smooth , then add 100gm of room temp butter/ marg and stir until melted . Remove from heat and set aside . Using your electric mixer beat together 3 eggs , 2 tbs of castor sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until the mixture has tripled in size . Now fold 1/3 rd of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined , then gently fold in the remaining chocolate mixture until just combined . Pour the batter into the prepared pan . Place the cake pan in a large baking dish , fill with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the cake has risen in the centre ( slightly domed ) , the cake will be slightly soft to touch . Remove the pan from the water bath and cool to room temperature . Then place the pan in your refrigerator overnight or at least 5 hours until firm / set . Remove the cake from the pan dust with Dutch cocoa and slice with a hot dry knife and serve with raspberries and thickened cream .

COOKING TIPS

When seasoning food to taste , I like to use sea salt and cracked black pepper . Acidulated water is a mixture is a mixture of water and lemon juice , it prevents discolouration . Non reactive bowls are made from glass, ceramic or plastic . Use these in preference to metal bowls when marinating to prevent the acid in marinades reacting with the metal and imparting a metllic taste . To blanch an ingredient , cook it briefly in boiling water, then drain it . To refresh it , plunge it in a bowl of iced water , this stops the cooking process , then drain it . To dry roast spices , cook the spices in a dry pan , stirring continuously over a medium / high heat until they are fragrant . The cooking time will vary depending on what spices you are using .

POTATO AND CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Cream 140 gm of room temperature butter/ marg with 180 gm soft brown sugar until light and fluffy . In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs until slightly thickened . You will also need 200gm of 'allrounder ' potatoes , boiled , drained , mashed and cooled. Mix together in a medium bowl mix together 45 gm of Dutch cocoa , 225gm (1 and 1/2 cups) of self raising flour . Now that you have got everything organised , let's get cracking . 1. Fold the eggs into the butter mixture . 2. Fold potato and 60gm of chopped dark chocolate into the creamed mixture . 3. Fold in the combined flour and cocoa , in 2 batches alternating 100ml of buttermilk . 4. Mix until well combined . Spoon into a buttered and lightly floured round 20cm cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer . Leave the cake stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack . CHOCOLATE FROSTING ... Bring 200ml of cream to a gentle boil, then pour over 150 gm of dark chopped chocolate in a bowl and stir until the mixture is smooth and chocolate has melted . Cover the bowl with cling wrap and cool at room temperature until almost set . Now add 60 gm of softened butter/ marg and use your electric beater mixing until pale . spread over the surface of the cake . Serve this cake at room temperature in an airtight container ( do not refrigerate).

POLENTA AND DRIED FRUIT CAKE

This polenta cake has a dense texture with pockets of date and apricot and is best served in thin slices with tea or coffee. Preheat your oven to 200deg C . Place 2 cups of water in a saucepan , bring to the boil , then gradually add 160 gm of polenta , stirring continuously with a wooden spoon . Add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 and 1/2 tbs of of canola oil and stir for 30 seconds over a medium heat until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the side of the saucepan . Remove from heat , add 50 gm of butter/ marg and stir until the butter/ marg melts and is well incorporated . Add 100gm of pinenuts , 80 gm of chopped dried apricots , 1 tbs of fennel seeds , 2 eggs lightly beaten , 150 gm ( 1 cup ) of plain flour . Mix well. Now spoon the mixture in a greased and lightly sprinkled with polenta a 11x 30 cm loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Brush the 1 tbs of canola oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs . Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean . Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 10 minutes , then turn out onto a wire rack to cool . Serve the cake in thin slices . Cake will freeze well or keep in an airtight container for 4 days .

TAMARIND AND DATE CHUTNEY .

This is so easily prepared and a perfect accompaninment to any fried food . Place the next ingredients into the bowl of your processor ... 200gm of dried dates , roughly chopped , 1 tbs of tamarind paste , 1 tsp of ground cumin , 1tsp of chilli flakes and finally 1 tbs of tomato sauce with 200ml of water . Process untill fairly smooth . Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 3 days .

BUTTER BISCUITS

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper . Using your electric beater mix together 175 gm of room temp butter/ marg with 140 gm of castor sugar , until light and fluffy . In a separate bowl beat 1 egg , in another bowl measure out 280 gm of self raising flour , finely grate the rind of 1 lemon . Continue to use your electric beater and combine the egg , flour and lemon rind until just combined . Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth . Form the mixture into rolls the thickness of a finger . Slice each roll into 4" lengths and shape into S shapes and place on the lined baking trays, allowing for room to spread . It is optional , but you can stud each biscuit with a few flaked almonds . Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden . Cool on a wire rack . Store in an airtight container .

ROASTED SPICY PINEAPPLE

The pineapples and mangoes are on the shelves in the supermarket . Here is a favourite dessert of mine using both pineapple and mango in a baked dessert. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top , base and skin of the pineapple , slice into quarters and remove the core . Cut the flesh into large cubes and place them into an ovenproof dish which you have lightly sprayed with cooking oil . Add 1 mango , peeled , seeded and sliced ( set aside ). Now add to a small saucepan mix together 55gm of butter/ marg , 4 tbs of golden syrup , 1 dsp of ground cinnamon , 1 tsp of ground nutmeg along with 4 tbs of soft brown sugar . Heat gently over a low heat , stirring constantly until butter / marg has melted and everything is well blended . Pour the mixture over the fruit and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes , or until the fruit has browned . To serve , beat together 150 ml of sour cream with the finely grated rind of 1 lemon and add a dollop to each serve and drizzle with passionfruit pulp .. Absolutely delicious !!!!

SWAHILI CHICKEN

Pat dry your whole chicken and set aside . Mix together in a large bowl ,1 tbs of minced ginger , 3 tbs of minced garlic , 1 dsp of turmeric , 1 tbs of sweet paprika ,1 tsp of ground cinnamon ,8 tbs of lemon juice , 4 tbs of canola oil ,1 dsp of ground cumin ,1 tbs of ground coriander , 1 dsp of chilli flakes , 100gm of greek yoghurt(whisked)and finally 1 tbs of runny honey . Mix well to combine . Now carefully (gently )loosen the skin around the opening at the neck. Spoon the mixture in small amounts under the skin . Using your fingers gently spread the mixture under the skin . Rub the remaining mixture all over the chicken skin . Place the chicken in a well greased oven proof dish or slow cooker . If your are cooking in the oven preheat your oven to 180 deg c and bake in the preheated oven for 1 and 1/2 then covering the dish with foil for another 30 minutes . If you use your slow cooker , place the chicken in a well greased base . Cover and cook on high for 3 hours . This dish should be served with plain boiled rice or flat bread , I will be offering both .

A QUICK CHOC BROWNIE

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C Spray an 8 inch square baking pan and set aside . In the large bowl of your electric mixer add 2 lightly beaten eggs , 1 cup of castor sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract ...beat until thick and lemon coloured . In another bowl mix together 3/4 cup of all purpose flour ,1/2 cup of Dutch cocoa , 1 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of salt . Now alternatively mix the flour mix and 85 gm of melted marg / butter with the egg mixture until just smoothly blended. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean . Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and let cool completely . Sift icing sugar over top . slice into 2"squares and store in an airtight container .

THE MANOR XMAS CAKE (1 )

25th of November 23', today I prepared The Manor Xmas cake and I have another two on order. I have a large bowl where I empty all the left over dried fruit ,granulated nuts , choc bits and glazed fruit into over the year , that is kept airtight . This mixture is then used in my Xmas cake preparation . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . First I mix the left over dried / glazed fruit and nut / choc bit , together until well combined . Into a large pot place 4 cupfuls of the mixed fruit / nut / chocolate mix . Add 2 cups of soft brown sugar ( firmly packed ). 220 gm of butter/ marg . 1 dsp of bi carb of soda and 2 cups of water . Slowly bring this mix to a slow simmer . Simmer for 1 minute only . Remove from heat and cool ( how cool ? well you are going to be adding eggs and you don't want them cooking ! ). In a separate bowl mix together 1 cup of plain flour and 3 cups of self raising flour . Add the flour mix to the fruit batter and lastly beat 4 eggs together in a separate bowl and then stir through the cake mixture until well combined . You will need a large pan , I used a 25 cm bell shaped pan , well greased and lightly sprinkled with polenta / or flour. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 2 hours or more ... check when the cake is done by inserting a skewer into the cake at differnt angles , when the skewer comes out clean the cake will be ready . Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack lined with a teatowel . Cover the cake with another layer of teatowel on top until completely cooled . Then place in an airtight tin or container in a cool , dark spot until you are ready to decorate .

CHICKEN AND BABY SPINACH CURRY

Heat 3 tbs of canola oil in a frypan . Add 4 skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced , 1 peeled and sliced onion 2 tbs of minced garlic , 1 dsp of dried chilli flakes . Fry until the chicken begins to colour and the onion becomes tender . Add 1 tbs of dried cardamon , 1 tsp of ground cumin seeds ,1 dsp of minced ginced ginger , 1 dsp of ground turmeric and continue to fry for 2 minutes . Add 240 gm of baby spinach leaves and cook until the spinach leaves wilt. Stir through 200gm of halved cherry tomatoes , cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes, remove the lid and continue to simmer for 5 minutes . Stir in 150gm of natural yoghurt and 2 tbs of chopped coriander . Serve with steamed grain of your choice . The aromas are amazing .

TAHINI COOKIES (2)

This morning I preheated my oven to 180 deg C . I removed the well chilled dough from the refrigerator and rolled the dough into 1 and 1/2 " balls . Dip the balls into sesame seeds ( white or black )and press down so seeds adhere to the dough . Place balls seeded side up , and about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking tray . Flatten each ball with a fork , making a criss cross pattern on top . Bake in the preheated oven (180 deg C) for 10 minutes or until lightly browned . Let cool on the baking tray for 2 minutes and then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely . Store in an airtight container . These are delicious .

TAHINI COOKIES (1)

The sesame seed paste called tahini is a staple in Middle Eastern cooking , which adds a nutty flavour to a variety of dishes . In a the bowl of your electric mixer , beat together 1/2 cup of EACH castor sugar and firmly packed brown sugar , 1/2 cup of tahani , 4 tbs of room temp butter/ marg and 1/4 cup (60 gm) of copha with 1 beaten egg until creamy . In another bowl , mix together 1 and 1/3 rd cup of plain wholemeal flour with 3/4 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of baking soda . Gradually add the flour mixture to the tahini mixture , mixing thoroughly . Wrap the mixture tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate until next day , when the dough will be easy to handle .

COCONUT SLICE

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 23/22 cm square cake pan and line the base with baking paper . Cream together 125 gm of room temp butter / marg with 225gm of castor sugar until pale and fluffy , using your electric beater . In a separate bowl mix together ..2 well beaten eggs , the finely grated rind of one lemon and 3 tbs of lemon juice and 150 ml of sour cream . Now stir the lemon mixture into the butter mixture using a metal spoon . Finally fold in a mixture of 140 gm of self raising flour with 85 gm of desiccated coconut into the mixture . Spoon the blenbed mixture into the prepared pan and level the surface . Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch . Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the pan , then turn out to finish cooling on a wire rack . For the icing , lightly beat 1 egg white until frothy and then mix in 200gm of icing sugar and 85 gm of desiccated coconut , adding 1 tbs of lemon juice to mix to a thick paste . Spread over the top of the cake , sprinkle with toasted coconut . Leave to set before slicing into bars .

DING DONG (2)

Ding dong (1) marinated overnight in the refrigerator . This morning I transferred the marinated stir fry beef mixture to my slow cooker . WHY ? , because I wanted to see how stir fry beef would respond to being slow cooked . After 6 hours and the addition of a 1/3 of a cup of uncooked quinoa , 1/3 cup of uncooked rice and 2/3 rds of a cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of lemon juice . The Ding Dong was complete , tender and thickened . I have placed the ding dong in an oven proof dish to freeze and wait to serve. This is a delicious , mildly heated beef curry .

DING DONG (1)

An Indian recipe from 'The Madras Cookery Book , first published in India way back in 1882 . The original recipe reads as... 1 lb of good tender beef . Mixed with 1 stick of saffron , 1 pod of garlic , 2 tbs of soft brown sugar , 1 tbs of salt. This is my interpretation of the original recipe . I used 1 kg of beef stir fry strips . For the curry stuff ingredients , I used 3 tbs of dried chilli flakes , 3 tbs of saffron powder , 3 tbs of minced garlic , 4 tbs of soft brown sugar and 1 tbs of salt . I also added 300gm mix of shredded carrot , beetroot, and zucchini . Rub the brown sugar into the beef strips and then add the mixed curry stuff through the beef strips and then cover and refrigerate over night . Let us see what happens tomorrow .

A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS

The definition of Christmas :'the time of the year wwhen families get together to give presents , open old wounds and renew hostilities'.....Anon . I love everything about Christmas , the decorations , the frenzy of anticipation , family and friends , the Manor filled with aromas of spice and herbs . Whatever Christmas is to you , please reflect on how fortunate we are to be here in a free country and of the value of peace . Merry Xmas everyone .x

BUTTERY LEMON COOKIES

These lemon bars remind me of lemon meringue pie , minus the meringue topping , with a cookie crust instead of a pie pastry . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . In the bowl of your electric mixer , beat together 225 gm of room temperature butter/ marg with 1/2 measuring cup of icing sugar until creamy . Beat in 2 measuring cups of of plain flour , blending thoroughly . Spread the mixture evenly over the base of a well greased 9 x 13" baking tray . Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes . In the cleaned bowl of your electric mixer , beat 4 room temperature eggs until light . Gradually add 2 cups of castor sugar , beating until mixture is thick and lemon coloured . Add 1 tsp of finely grated lemon zest , 6 tbs of lemon juice , a 1/3 of a measuring cup of plain flour and 1 tsp of baking powder and beat until smooth . Pour the lemon mixture over the hot baked crust and return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is a pale golden . While still warm ,lightly sprinkle over icing sugar and let cool . Slice into squares and store in an airtight container .. Easy to prepare and absolutely delicious .

BEE STING SLICE ‘BIENENSTICH ‘

This is a favourite recipe all the way from Germany . Preheat your oven to 180- deg C . In a small pot , place 1/2 cup of butter/ marg ,1/4 cup of castor sugar , 2 tbs of honey , 2 tbs of milk , 1 cup of slivered almonds and 1 tsp of almond essence . Heat over a medium heat to a simmer while stirring . Remove from heat and set aside . In the bowl of your mixer place 1 and 3/4 cups of all purpose flour ,1/2 cup of castor sugar,1 dsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt . Finally add 1/2 cup of softened butter/ marg and mix until the mix is crumbly , now add 1 beaten egg and continue to mix until dough holds together . Press the dough evenly between ungreased slice pans ( I used 2 .. 27 .5 cm x 17.5 cm slice pans ). Pour the almond mixture over the dough , spreading evenly . Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until topping is a deep golden . Let cool in the pan on a wire rack . Slice into triangles . Store in airtight container .

MINI CHOCOLATE MUFFINS .

Place 12 mini cake cases in a muffin pan . Gently heat together in a small saucepan over a very low temperature 375gm of milk ordark chocolate , 2tbs of butter / marg and 3 tbs of cream , until smooth . Remove from heat and set aside . Measure out 175 gm of crunchy or smooth peanut butter , using wet hands shape into 12 circles . Push the balls into the bases of the cases . Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter and refrigerate for 3 hours or until set . Store in an airtight container . Top with a half of a peanut .( optional )

LEMON GRASS CHICKEN

Heat 2 tbs of canola / rice bran oil in a large pan and brown 12 chicken drumsticks evenly for 5- 6 minutes . remove from the pan and set aside . Now stir fry 1 peeled and finely chopped onion over a low heat until tender . Add 2 tbs of minced garlic , 80 gm of lemongrass paste , 1 small red chilli finely sliced , 2 tbs of medium curry powder . Stir fry until well combined . Return the chicken to the pan with 1 tbs of grated palm sugar and 1 cup of chicken stock . Top with quartered lemongrass stalks . Bring to the boil , season with cracked black pepper, cover tightly with a lid and slow cook for 2 hours on a low temperature or until tender .

CABBAGE BHAJI

Place 500gm of roughly chopped white cabbage in a large saucepan with boiling water , cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally . Drain and return to the saucepan and set aside . Now heat 2 tbs of canola oil / rice bran oil in a frypan and heat, stir in 1 tbs of cumin seeds ,2 tbs of minced garlic , 1 dsp of minced ginger ,1 dsp of dried chilli flakes stir fry until fragrant. Pour the oil over the prepared cabbage ,stir in 2 tbs of desiccated coconut and season with cracked black pepper . This is delicious served as a starter or as an accompaniment to a meal .

Dala’Mahshi. ( dala ma shi ) STUFFED LAMB BREAST

For this dish you will need to order 2 lamb breast fillets from your local butcher along with 250 gm of beef mince . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . PREPARE THE STUFFING . Heat your oiled pan ( 2 tbs of canola oil/ rice bran oil ) and add 1 chopped red onion and cook util onion softens . Now stir in 250 gm of minced beef , cook until the mince colours . Stir in 1 and 1/2 tbs of rice and 1 dsp of chia seeds . Stir constantly for 3 minutes . Add 1 tsp of ground cumin , 1 tsp of ground tumeric , 1 cup of water . Season with cracked pepper . Bring the mix to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer and allow water to be absorbed . Add 3/4 cup mix of dried fruit and pine nuts . Set aside . PREPARE THE LAMB BREAST . Lay the breast fillet out , use a mallet to flatten out any thick pieces . Season the breasts back and front with a little salt , Moroccan spice mix / 7 spice mix . Divide and spread the stuffing over the breasts . Roll up the breasts and tie with cooking twine ,' but' the ends with scrunched up baking paper. Spray your baking pan and the rolled breasts . Place breasts in the pan and bake in the preheated oven until golden , about 90 minutes Remove the breasts from the oven and discard the liquid from the tray . Brush the breasts with a well mixed and loose apricot jam . Replace the glazed breasts in the oven and increase the heat to 200deg C . Roast until the lamb rolls are glazed and golden about 10 minutes . Serve with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes .

SATURDAY BAKING ...WHOLEMEAL BREAD ROLLS

Mix together in a basin 1 tbs of dry yeast , 2 tsp of plain flour , 1 dsp of sugar and 1 and 1 dsp of of plain wholemeal flour ( plain white flour can be used )and 1 and 1/2 cups of warm water . Set the bowl aside in a draught free kitchen area to activate the yeast ( also known as the starter ), until it becomes frothy. Preheat your oven to 220deg C . While waiting for the starter to activate , mix 3 cups of plain wholemeal /white flour with an extra 3 tbs of flour ,1 dsp of salt , 1 tsp of sugar , 1 tsp of bread improver per each cup of flour used , 1 tbs of rice bran / canola oil . I mixed this in the bowl of my electric mixer with the dough attachment and added the frothy starter . The dough was kneaded with the dough hook for about 10 minutes . Using wet hands remove the dough to a greased bowl and leave sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size ( approx 45 minutes ). When the dough has risen ,place it back in the bowl of your beater and knead, knocking back the dough , shape the dough into roughly 12 balls and place on a baking paper lined oven tray ,place the tray in a draught free kitchen area until the dough rolls are well risen . Bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 200deg C and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until the rolls sound hollow when lightly tapped .