BAKLAVA.

Baklava, is Greek / Turkey by origin and is a very sweet pastry dessert consisting of many thin layers of buttered filo pastry, filled with a spicy nut mixture. Immediately after baking , a honey and lemon syrup is poured over the baklava in the pan and left to stand. It is then cut diagonally into diamond shapes to serve. Filo is the Greek / Turkish name for 'delicate, tissue thin, opaque sheets of pastry'. Originally spelt phyllo, meaning leaf. Ingredients.....1 and 1/2 cups of ground almonds, 1/2 cup of finely chipped almonds, 1/2 cup of castor sugar, 1/2 tsp of ground cardamon, 5 shellts of filo pastry, 50 gm of butter / marg, melted. Warm Syrup....3/4 cup of water, 1 cup of castor sugar, 1 slice of lemon, 1/4 tsp of ground cardamon. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease a 20 cm square pan. In a medium bowl mix together the almond meal / ground almonds, the finely chopped almonds, 1/2 cup of castor sugar and the ground cardamon. Cut the pastry sheets in half and trim to fit the lightly greased 20 cm square pan. Use 3 pieces of pastry, brushing every second piece with the melted butter / marg. Line the base of the pan with the buttered pastry. Sprinkle 1/3 rd of the nut mixture over the pastry. continue this way with the remaining nuts and pastry, finishing with 3 buttered and layered sections of pastry. With a sharp bladed knife, slash the top into diamond shapes, approx 2.5 cm wide. Sprinkle with cold water and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup...Place the lemon, sugar, water and cardamon in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes without stirring. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little. Remove the baklava from the oven and leave in the pan, while still hot pour the warm syrup over the baklava. Now set aside and let stand for several hours before serving. Can be kept in an airtight container.

CHASSEUR SAUCE.

This is a rich flavoursome sauce that adds the finishing touch to spoon generously over steaks or chicken.... Ingredients......90 gm of butter / marg, 250 gm of sliced mushrooms, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 onion, sliced, 2 tbs of plain flour, 1 cup of dry white wine, 1/4 cup of water, 3/4 cup of beef / chicken stock, 1/2 tsp of dried tarragon, 1 tsp of sugar, 1 tbs of tomato paste, cracked black pepper to taste, 4 spring onions,chopped, 1 tbs of fresh parsley, chopped. Heat the butter / marg in a pan, add the sliced mushrooms, minced garlic and chopped onion. Saute until onion is golden brown, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stock, stir until the sauce simmers and thickens. Add the tarragon, sugar tomato paste and pepper and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Add the chopped spring onions and parsley, simmer for a further 3 minutes. Serve with beef or chicken.

WONDER LOAF

Ingredients....1 cup of milk, 1 cup of All Bran, firmly packed, 1 cup of soft brown sugar, firmly packed, 140 gm of glace cherries chopped, 1 tbs of honey, 1 cup of self raising flour. So now you have read the ingredients, you have to be wondering how this will produce a loaf? But trust me, it does and it is delicious.!! Combine the milk, All Bran, brown sugar, chopped glace cherries and honey in a medium bowl. Cover and stand overnight. Next day preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease a loaf pan (20 cm x 10 cm / 8" X 4") and lightly sprinkle with polenta. Add the flour to the combined mixture and mix with a wooden spoon, do not overmix. Spoon the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Turn out and cool on a wire rack, before slicing to serve. Wrap loaf in foil and keep in an airtight container.

GLAZED SALMON WITH ASIAN GREENS.

Ingredients....2 tbs of ketjap manis, 1 tbs of lemon juice, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 4 x 100 gm salmon fillets, with skin left on, 2 tbs of rice bran / canola oil, 1 baby pak choy, roughly chopped, 1 baby choy sum, roughly chopped, 2 tbs of oyster sauce, 1 tbs of soy sauce. In a shallow dish, combine ketjap manis, lemon juice and minced garlic. Add the salmon fillets to the marinade, turning to coat well. Heat 1 tbs of oil in a non stick frying pan on a medium heat. Add salmon skin side down. Cook, brushing occasionally with the marinade for 3 - 4 minutes or until cooked to taste. Heat the remaining oil in a cleaned pan over a medium heat, stir fry the vegetables with the sauces until they begin to wilt. Serve the warmed salmon with the vegetables. Enjoy.

A CAKE FOR ANY OCCASION

Ingredients...2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped, 185 gm of dates, chopped, 1 tsp of bi carb of soda, 1 cup of boiling water, 125 gm of butter / marg, 1 cup of soft brown sugar, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 and 1/2 cips of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of salt. Topping......60 gm of butter / marg, 1/2 cup of soft brown sugar, firnmly packed, 1/3 rd cup of milk, 60 gm of shredded coconut. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease and line a 24 cm x 24 cm square pan with baking paper. Combine the peeled, cored and chopped apples and dates, bi carb of soda and 1 cup of boiling water in a large bowl. Set aside and allow to cool to lukewarm. Mix together the flour and salt. Cream the butter / marg and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lightly beaten egg, vanilla extract alternately with the flour. Finally stir through the cooled fruit mixture. Pour the mixture into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. To prepare the topping...combine the butter / marg, brown sugar, milk and shredded coconut in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar and butter/ marg have melted. Spread the coconut mixture over the hot cake and continue baking for a further 20 minutesw or until the topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for 15 minutes and then carefully move to a wire rack to cool completelty. Keep in an aitight container.

SAVOURY CHEESE SHORTBREAD.

These are a rich, savoury and crunchy shortbread. Ingredients....50 gm of butter / marg, 50 gm of plain flour, pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of cracked black pepper, 50 gm of finely grated Parmesan cheese ( found in the pasta aisle of your supermarket, well it is in mine ). Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cream the butter / marg. Season the flour with cayenne, cracked pepper and Parmesan. gradually work in the creamed butter/ marg. Knead until smooth and then refrigerate until stiffened. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 "/ 5 mm thickness. Cut into small squares or circles and using a palette knife carefully transfer to the prepared tray. Re work any excess dough and shape into biscuits. Prick all prepared biscuits with a fork and bake in the preheated oven until the shortbreads are firm and golden. Cool on a wire tray and store in an airtight container.

POLENTA AND ZUCCHINI PATTIES WITH TOMATO SAUCE..

Ingredients.....2 cups of water, 1 and 1/2 cups of polenta, 2 zucchini, grated, 1/2 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tbs of rosemary leaves, cracked black pepper, to taste. Tomato Sauce.... 30 gm of butter/ marg, 1 onion, sliced, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 400 gm can of diced tomatoes, 2 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 8 cooked chipolatas, mixed leaf salad leaves to serve (optional). Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan, over a high heat. Pour in the polenta. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring until all the liquid is absorded . Stir in the grated zucchini, Parmesan and rosemary. Season to taste with cracked black pepper. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Allow to cool. Divide the mixture into 8 even sized patties, set aside. Tomato sauce....Melt the butter / marg in a frying pan over a medium heat. Saute the onion until softened and add the garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Set aside, cover and keep warm. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Cook the patties in two batches until golden each side. drain on paper towelling. Cover and keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and patties. Serve the zucchini patties with the warm tomato sauce, cooked chipolatas and salad leaves... or whatever you choose. These are so easy to prepare and make for a tasty meal.