A WARM VEGETABLE SALAD.

Ingredients.....1 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 red onion cut into small wedges, 1 tbs of minced garlic, 1 tsp of chilli flakes, 1 yellow capsicum, seeded and chopped, 1 red capsicum, seeded and chopped, 150 gm of button mushrooms, halved, 1 zucchini sliced, 1 finger eggplkant, roughly chopped, 420 gm can of chickpeas, drained, 150 gm of baby spinach leaves, 1/3 cup of pine nuts. Dressing...1/4 cup of canola/ rice bran oil, 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar, cracked black pepper. Heat the tbs of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Saute the onion and add the chilli and garlic until fragrant, 1- 2 minutes. Add the capsicums, mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant. Cook, stirring until tender...3 - 5 minutes, reduce the heat to medium low. Prepare the dressing.. In a small jug whisk together the oil and vinegar until well combined. Season with the cracked black pepper. Now add the drained chickpeas and half the dressing to the warmed vegetable mixture. Toss gently to combine and remove from heat. Place the baby spinach leaves in a serving bowl. Toss through the remaing dressing and finally top with the warm vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with pine nuts to serve.

BISHOP’S BREAD.

This is a hearty loaf made with mixed dried fruit, glace cherries and nuts. Ingredients...2 eggs, 125 gm of castor sugar, 1 tsp of baking powder, 125 gm of plain flour, pinch of salt, 1 tbs of butter / marg, softened, 250 gm of granulated nuts, 200 gm of glace cherries, chopped, 375 gm of mixed dried fruit, 75 ml of Apera. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease and line 1 large loaf pan with baking paper. Beat 2 eggs and 125 gm of castor sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the softened butter / marg with 1 tbs of the flour and mix to incorporate. In another bowl mix together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt Add the granulated nuts, cherries and mixed fruit, mix together. Now stir in the egg mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, pushing the mixture well into the corners. Bake in the prepared oven for 90 minutes or until firm to touch when lightly pressed with your fingers / when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately drizzle over the Apera. Let the loaf cool in the pan. Remove the cooled loaf from the pan, wrap in foil and store in an airtight container.

LEMON THYME ROAST CHICKEN .

Ingredients.....1.8 kg chicken, trimmed, washed and dried, 8 onions, halved, 1 lemon, sliced, 1 bunch of thyme, woody stems trimmed, 3 tbs of minced garlic, 2 cups of dry white wine, cracked black pepper to taste, vegetables of choice to serve. Preheat your oven to Place the chicken in a large non metallic, casserole. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings under. Add the onions, lemon, thyme and garlic to the tray. Pour over the wine and season to taste with cracked black pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes, turning once. Bake in the preheated oven, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for 75 minutes or until golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer. Cover with foiland rest for 10 minutes. Carve the chicken and serve with vegetables of your choice.

PINEAPPLE AND RICE PUFF.

This recipe takes me back in time and only served on ' very special' occasions... Ingredients...1/4 cup of short grain rice, 600 ml of milk, pinch of salt, 1 dsp of butter / marg, 2 eggs, separated, 3 tbs of castor sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tbs of desiccated coconut, 425gm can of pineapple pieces, drained. Place the rice, milk, salt and butter / marg in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for about 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 20 cm ovenproof dish / casserole. Whisk the egg yolks together with a fork and add to the rice mixture with the sugar, vanilla extract and coconut, stir until well combined. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold through the rice mixture. Arrange the pineapple pieces over the base of the prepared ovenproof dish/ casserole. Pour over the rice mixture and bake in the preheated oven for 1 and 1/4 hours, or until golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

SPICY CORN AND TOMATO SOUP WITH CHORIZO

This is a meal in itself, and a favourite of mine to prepare, share and consume. Ingredients.....1 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 medium onion, chopped, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 1 stick of celery , chopped, grated zest and juice of 1 orange, 1 tsp of sirarcha ( chilli ) sauce, 1 kg of cherry tomatoes, chopped, 250 gm of chorizo sausage, sliced, 1 x 400 gm can of creamed corn, 125 gm of corn chips to serve, 60 gm of tasty grated cheese to serve. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and celery and cook until the celery is tender. Add the orange juice and zest, chilli sauce, tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. while the soup is simmering, cook the sausage slices in a dry frying pan until lightly browned, drain and set aside. Blend or process the tomato mixture until finely chopped. Stir through the corn, return the mixture to the heat and heat through. This next part is optional...To complete this dish, I place the corn chips on a baking paper covered oven tray. I sprinkle the corn chips with the grated cheese and place under the griller until the cheese is just melted. Place the cheese coated corn chips a serving dish. Serve the soup topped with the chorizo slices and the cheesey corn chips for dipping. It is your dish serve it when and how you like.

VANILLA CURRANT TWIST

Ingredients.....1 cup of self raising flour, 1/2 cup of plain flour, 30 gm butter / marg, chopped, 1/4 cup of castor sugar, 1/4 cup of currants, 1 egg, lightly beaten, 2 tbs of milk, 1 dsp of vanilla extract, extra milk for glazing and icing sugar for dusting. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease a 26 cm x 8 cm x 4.5 cm log pan and line two sides with baking paper. Mix the flours in a large bowl and add the chopped butter/ marg and sugar. Using byour fingertips, rub the butter / marg into the flour, until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the currants. Add the combined egg, milk and vanilla extract and stir to form a soft, sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead quickly for 1 minute or until smooth. Form the dough into a 50 cm long log. Fold the log in half and twist. Place the twist in the prepared pan, brush the twist surface with extra milk. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted in the centre. Turn the twist out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust the twist with sifted icing sugar before serving.

PAPPARDELLE WITH CHICKEN LIVERS

Ingredients....250 gm of chicken livers, 1 tbs of rice bran / canola oil, 1 onion, finely chopped, 2 tbs of minced garlic, 300 gm of bacon pieces, 1 tbs of tomato paste, 1/2 cup of white wine, 500 gm of pappardelle, 300 ml of thickened cream, 1/3 rd of a cup of finely chopped fresh parsley. Soak the chicken livers in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towelling. Remove any sinews and slice the livers in half. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion, garlic and bacon pieces, cook over a low heat until the onion softens. Add the liver pieces and cook over a medium heat, stirring until the liver changes colour. Add the tomato paste and wine, continue to cook until the wine evaporates a little. Now cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until el dente. Drain and keep warm. Stir the cream into the sauce and season to taste with cracked black pepper. simmer for 2 minutes over a low heat then pour the sauce over the pasta and toss through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.