GINGER MARMALADE SCONE LOAF.

Scones are easily prepared as is this scone loaf. Ingredients......Make a basic scone dough, ( everyone has their own favourite ),1 tsp of salt, 60 gm of butter / marg, 3 cups of self raising flour, 1 and 1/4 cups of milk, 3 tbs of ginger marmalde and 2 extra tbs of ginger marmalade. Line a large loaf pan with baking paper. Preheat your oven to 220 deg C. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and using the bread hook / paddle. Mix to a soft, sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead lightl, until the dough becomes less sticky. Now shape the dough into rectangle about 2 cm / 3/4 " thick. At this stage you can cut rounds out of the dough to make ginger marmalade scones or continue on with the following steps.... Spread the extra marmalade over the dough. Roll the dough up from the wide side and place the log seam side down in the the lined pan. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool....and just like scones serve for any occasion, sliced and buttered or with thickened cream and a dob of marmalde or jam, along with a good pot of tea or coffee.

PORK, SPINACH AND CELERY SALAD WITH APPLE DRESSING

Ingredients....2 tbs of hoisin sauce, 600 gm of pork fillet, 100 gm of baby spinach leaves, 100 gm of celery, thinly sliced, 60 ml of apple juice, 60 ml of honey, 1 tbs of lemon juice. Let's begin with preparing the apple dressing...Combine the apple juice , honey and lemon juice. Set aside. Heat a large non stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Brush the hoisin sauce over the pork fillet and cook for 5 minutes each side or until cooked through. To serve, arrange the spinach and celery on serving plates, slice the pork and arrange on top. Spoon over the dressing.

FRUIT LOAF

Ingredients.....450 gm of strong white flour, plus extra for dusting, pinch of salt, 115 gm of butter / marg, 1 dsp of mixed spice, 7 gm of easy blend dried yeast, 115 gm of raw castor sugar, 110 gm of currants, 110 gm of sultanas, 60 gm of mixed peel, finely grated rind of 1 lemon, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 150 ml of warmed milk, canola oil spray. Mix the flour, salt and mixed spice in a non metallic bowl and rub in the butter / marg until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the yeast, sugar, dried fruit, mixed peel and lemon rind with a wooden spoon. Add the egg and warm milk, mix to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Clean the non metallic bowl and lightly flour it before adding the dough. Cover the bowl and leave to rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Now preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly oil a 900 gm loaf pan. Knead the dough again briefly, then place in the prepared pan. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the loaf is golden and well risen. Leave to cool in the pan before removing to slice and serve. This loafs keeps well in an airtight container and is also freezer friendly.

PARMA STYLE ASPARAGUS.

Ingredients......1.5 kg asparagus, washed and trimmed, 140 gm of butter / marg, 110 gm of grated Parmesan cheese, dried garlic flakes. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease an oven proof dish with cooking oil spray. Steam or boil the asparagus for 7 minutes, drain carefully and arrange in layers in an ovenproof dish. Distribute the butter / marg, garlic flakes and grated Parmesan between each layer. Place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden on top. Serve as a side dish with chicken, beef or fish.

ALMOND JELLY WITH ORANGE SEGMENTS.

A healthy wellbeing dessert..... Ingredients......450 m l of boiling water, 7 tsp of powdered gelatine, 375 ml of light evaporated milk, 1 tsp of almond essence, 2 tsp of powdered sugar, I used stevia, 4 oranges, segmented, 1/4 cup of mint leaves. Pour the water into a bowl and add the gelatine and whisk with a fork to dissolve. Add the evaporated milk, almond essence and stevia, mix well. Pour into 6 small ramequins and refrigerate till set. Befrore serving toss the orange segments with the mint. Either serve the jellies in the ramequins or turned out onto plates with the orange segments and mint leaves.

LATKES

Latkes are grated potato cakes that are cooked in oil until they are crispy on the outside and tender inside. Ingredients.....6 All rounder / Sebago potatoes, 1 onion, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, 3 tbs of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of cracked black pepper, 1 tso ground cumin, 1 tsp of ground turmeric, 1/2 cup of peanut oil. Peel and grate the potatoes and onion. Squeeze out any excess moisture and transfer to a large bowl. Stir through the lightly beaten eggs. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, cracked black pepper, cumin and turmeric. Stir this mixture through the potato mix, stir well to combine. Place the oil in a large frying pan and heat over a medium heat. Place heaped tablespoons of the potato mix in the hot oil, flatten slightly. Cook on both sides until brown and crisp. Remove the latkes to paper towelling to drain. Traditionally, latkes are served with an apple sauce that has been infused with cinnamon and grated lemon rind. Latkes go well with grilled tomatoes and a green leaf salad for lunch or as a base for poached eggs for Sunday brunch.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

Here are the answers to September's challenge..... 1. Sandwich... 4.Hummus..... 2. Korma... 5.Coriander..... 3. joint... 6. Kosher....... Here is my October challenge for you...... 1. Refers to one or more edible trimmings added to a dish to enhance its appearance and or flavour? 2. Large pretzel shaped pastry, traditionally flavoured with cardamon and served at Christmas? 3. The science of gourmet food and drinks? 4. Colourless alcoholic drink made with fermented rice? 5. To preserve meat or fish by hanging in smoke, or by salting or drying? 6. Yoghurt based salad like side dish served as a cooling accompaniment to curries?