GOULASH SOUP.

This is a 'souped' up version of the Hungarian dish Goulash, in keeping with tradition, serve this soup with sour cream. Ingredients......2 tbs of plain flour, 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of ground black pepper, 500 gm of stewing steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 1' / 2.5 cm cibes, 1 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 onion, chopped, 60 ml of water, 1 tsp of minced garlic, 4 cups of beef stock, 1 tsp of caraway seeds, 1 x 400 gm of diced tomatoes, 1 x cup of chopped carrot, 1 x cup of diced swede, 1 x cup of potato, sour cream to serve. Place the flour, paprika, pepper in a large resealable plastic bag . Add the beef, seal the bag, toss until coated. heat the oil in a large saucepanover a medium high heat. Add the beef. Heat and stir until the beef is browned. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and stir until the onion starts to soften. Add the water, scraping any brown bits from bottom of the pot. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, simmer partially covered for 75 minutes or until the beef and vegetables are tender. Cover the saucepan with the lid and let stand until 30 minute before you are ready to serve, then heat gently until warmed through. Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream to serve.

FLOURLESS FUDGE CAKE

Ingredients.....200 gm of butter / marg, 75 gm of cacao, 6 eggs, lightly beaten, 220 gm of raw castor sugar, 120 gm of almond meal. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Line a 20 cm springform pan with baking paper. Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave in 10 second increments, then stir in the cacao until smooth. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer and beat until doubled in volume. Add the cacao mixture and gently fold through the almond meal to combine. pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until just set. Allow the fudge cake to cool in the pan then carefully remove the sides of the pan and dust with extra cacao.

CHICKEN, ZUCCHINI AND FETA MEATBALLS.

Ingredients.....360 gm / 3 cups of coarsley grated zucchini, 500 gm of chicken mince, 2 cups of cooked red quinoa, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tbs of minced ginger, 150 gm of feta cheese, crumbled, 20 gm of finely grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup of finely chopped flat leafed parsley, 1 dsp cracked black pepper, store bought basil pesto and fresh basil leaves to serve. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C. Line an ovenproof baking tray with baking paper. Place the zucchini, chicken, ginger, garlic, quinoa, parsley and cracked black pepper in a large bowl and mix well to combine. Add the feta and Parmesan and mix till just combined. Roll tablespoons of the mix into balls and place on the prepared tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook until golden and cooked through, turning the balls after 10 minutes. Serve the meatballs with the pesto and basil leaves.

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.