CASTLE GARDEN ORCHARD ......AUTUMN BOUNTY .....PEARS

 

 

SWEET AND SOUR PEARS

 

 

Preheat your oven 180 deg C

 

2 kg pears peeled retaining the core and stalk , place them in a cast iron oven pot .

 

Now add 250 gm of  soft brown sugar tightly packed .

 

300ml of cider vinegar and 4 thin strips of orange peel without the pith .

 

Pour enough water in the pot to just cover the pears , cover .

 

The pears from the orchard are still very firm , so cooking the pears till they are golden in colour and easily pierced with a skewer may  take anything up to 3 hours , but just keep testing the tenderness throughout cooking .

 

Once ready pour off the juice  , and boil it until you have a thick syrup , the quantity will be significantly  reduced .

Drizzle the syrup over the pears .

The pears can be  served with any salad , potted meats , syrupy pulled meats , or grilled pork chops. 

Served whole with  a cheese platter and sliced as required ...delicious . !

 

 

 

 

 

CASTLE GARDEN ORCHARD .....AUTUMN BOUNTY.....QUINCE

 

QUINCE

 

I generally pick my fruit when they are still firm , allowing them mature in a warm kitchen .

When the fruit turns yellow and  aromatic ( and the scent of the quince is extraordinary )  the fruit is fully developed .

If the fruit is left too long the flesh becomes cottony,  not absorbing the sugar in cooking and gives a dry leathery result .

 

SPICED QUINCE ......Elizabeth David`s recipe ....

 

Peel and core the quinces , cut each into 8 pieces . Cover them with cold water and add a small handful of coarse salt.

Bring this to the boil , boil rapidly for 10 minutes and strain , retaining the liquid .

For each 600 ml of liquid add 500gm of sugar 150ml  of white wine vinegar and 1 tsp of whole coriander seeds .

Bring the liquid to the boil.

Place the fruit back into the liquid and simmer until the quince slices are tender .

Remove from the heat and let sit overnight .

Next day drain off the syrup , retain syrup .

Bring the syrup to the boil .

Place sliced quinces into preserving jars .

Pour the boiling syrup back over the quinces packed in preserving jars .

Screw or clip down the covers on the jars while still warm .

 

Spiced quinces keep for a long time and are excellent with pork , silverside or any slow cooked meat .

 

 

CASTLE GARDEN ORCHARD .......AUTUMN BOUNTY ..PEACHES

PEACH AND BANANA TART

PASTRY

Cream 100gm of margarine and 100gm of castor sugar.

In a separate bowl sift together 200gm of plain flour , 1/2 tsp of cinnamon , 1/2 tsp cl;oves

Now add 2 tbs of the flour mix to the cream mix.

Now add the grated rind of 1/2 lemon

Add 2 egg yolks .

Remove from the mixer and  add the rest of the flour and a 100gm of almond meal.

Knead well together , it will be crumbly - roll the dough into a ball shape .

Wrap in a cling film and place in fridge for 40 minutes .

Line your tray with the pastry , shaping the pastry up the side of the tray , try and keep the edges even .

 

FILLING

Place 500gm of cream cheese in an electric mixer  and beat till smooth .

Add 3/4 cup of passionfruit pulp and 1 cup of caramel topping  .

Continue to beat till thoroughly combined .

Layer the cream cheese over the base of the pastry.

Peel the ripe peaches and slice thickly ...my peaches were very ripe and  full of flavour so no need to cook .

Now I added a layer on the top of the cream cheese of bananas that had been marinated in lemon juice .

I topped the tart with thick sweet slices of peach from the orchard .

Place the tart in the preheated oven  180deg C for 40 minutes .

Keep an eye on the crust and place a piece of baking paper over  the top to avoid the crust from burning ..

Leave the tart cool and place in the refrigerator .

Great with  cream and or ice cream.

 

 

SPANISH PAELLA

Paella ticks all the boxes for  health , flavour and satisfaction that I  endeavour to bring to all my meals .


You need to heat 2 tbs of rice bran oil in a large heavy based open pan .
Add 2 chicken thigh fillets that have sliced into strips along with 300gm of sliced  continental kransky .
Saute in the pan for 4 minutes .
Add 2 red onions peeled and sliced in thin wedges .
2 fat garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced .
1 small red chilli with seeds , thinly sliced
Combine and saute  until soft and aromatic .
Stir in 2 cups of aborio rice
Cook stirring for 1 minute .
Blend in 4 cups of water ... 
Add 400gm of skinned tomatoes .... ( you can use a tin of diced tomatoes )
Bring to a gentle simmer , reduce heat.
Cover and continue to cook for 20 minutes .
Remove cover .
Mix in 1 cup of green peas
Add 12 green prawns , deveined and shelled , retaining tails.
Contiue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and rice tender.
Sprinkle with torn coriander leaves .
 

LEFT OVER VEGIES FROM STOCK MAKING .......

I run a no waste kitchen , so the strained vegies and the poached meat from the chicken carcasses were placed in a medium pot with 2 ladels of the stock , a cup of sweet peas , 1 small jar of my fruit chutney , a sliced garlic clove ,  1 dessert spoon of  curry powder and a tsp of sumac .
I made sure the ingredients were well combined , covered the pot and warmed through  over a low heat , allowing the flavours to infuse .
Wash  4 medium potatoes and steam till cooked but firm , then transfer to the curried chicken .
Remove from heat and let stand .
Warm over a low heat prior to serving .
 

BREAKFAST OMELETTE

3 eggs lightly beaten .
Oil  a small skillet pan and place a sliced red onion ,  6 small whole baby beets , 4 rounds of liverwurst , once the onions softens  pour in the eggs ...top with  spinach leaves and 5 small rounds of buffalo mozzarella .

Cover the pan with baking paper , cook over a gentle heat ...warm the serving plate in the oven .
When the plate is a little over warm turn the omelette out and enjoy .

EGG FLOWER SOUP AND FRIED RICE

EGG FLOWER SOUP....
Make a simple chicken stock with 1 chicken carcass , 2  washed and thickly sliced carrots , 2 red onions peeled   halved , 1 small leek thickly sliced white part only , 2 sticks of celery sliced in thick chunks , 1 bay leaf , 2 sprigs of thyme and 6 peppercorns .
Cut vegetables for a clear stock in large chunks , as small pieces disintegrate during cooking causing the stock to cloud .
 Place all the ingredients in a large pot and pour over 3 litres of cold water and bring to simmer and cook for 1 hour .
Remove and strain through a fine sieve . Cool and refrigerate .

To make the egg flower soup
Beat 2 eggs .
 Heat the stock through till hot without boiling  addind 1 heaped tsp of minced ginger
 Pour into  warmed soup bowls , swirl the soup slowly and drizzle the beaten eggs through the prongs of a fork over the bowls .
Add a heaped tbs  of spring onions .
Serve immediately..
My version of Kate Mc Ghie`s Egg Drop Soup .
Photo to added.......


















FRIED RICE
Everyone has their own version of fried rice , and there is a great divide in what sauce should be added to the rice , soy or Worcestershire ?
Fried rice offers variety and can be served as a meal or part of a shared meal .
Steam 2 cups of rice ..( your choice  ) , fried rice works equally well with long grain  white , red , black or brown rice. ( 2 :4 )
Heat 40 ml peanut oil in a heavy based pan or a wok .
Pour in 3 beaten eggs , cook base  then fold in half and continue to cook for another minute.
Remove and drain on paper towel ..set aside.
Add an extra  40 ml of peanut oil to the wok or pan and fry 1 red onion diced , 1 tsp of minced ginger , 1 dsp of minced garlic and 100 gm of  diced bacon pieces ..stir fry for 1 minute .
Add 1 dsp of brown sugar , continuing to stir fry.
Pour in 2 tbs of Chinese cooking wine .
Add the cooked rice , stir fry to combine .
Add 4 spring onions , finely sliced
1. small red chilli with seeds , finely sliced . ( optional )
Roots and stems of a bunch of coriander .
3 tbs of tamari  ( thick soy sauce )
1/2 tsp of sesame oil
Season with salt and pepper.
This is my version of Kylie Kwong`s  fried rice recipe . ( I use small red chilli and peanut oil )
Photo to be added.......



 

SKORTHALIA........Skordalia

Skorthalia ........Greek in origin , is a mayonnaise .
A mayonnaise that is flavoured with raw garlic , ground almonds , lemon juice  ( or vinegar ) , it is thickened with pounded bread  and sometimes with the addition of chopped walnuts or pine nuts . It is used as a sauce or condiment .
Skordalia ......is often mistaken  as a creamy lemony - garlic mash of soaken bread and mashed potato .

INDONESAIAN GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH CABBAGE AND CARROTS

Place 2 cups of green beans , trimmed and sliced ,
2 medium carrots washed and sliced
2 cups of finely shredded cabbage
......into a steamer and cook for 5 minutes .
Transfer to a large bowl .
Add 1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of roughly chopped walnuts .....now set aside and allow the mix to cool.
In a food processor , puree 1  garlic clove
1 chopped shallot
1 dsp of minced ginger .
Now add 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter
2 tbs of soy sauce
2 tbs of fresh lemon juice
1 dsp of sugar
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper ...
Process until blended .
Add 3/4 cup of coconut milk ...and blend until smooth .
Pour the dressing over the salad , toss gently and serve .

This recipe is an interpretation of the gado  gado salad.
 

CONDOLENCES TO THE VUKOTIC FAMILY

My sincere condolences and sympathy to the Vukotic family on the death of your daughter Masa .
I first met with Mr Slav Vutkotic when he was the bus  driver for the masterchef contestants series 5... 2013.
I cannot begin to imagine the pain your family is experiencing but in time you may take some comfort  knowing that all Victorians have been shocked and are sharing your grief at this time .
Your daughter`s death will not be in vain as planned public rallies to push changes  for system reforms to get  tougher laws against violent criminals .
Take Care .
Noelene Marchwicki

CONGRATULATIONS DALE MURPHY

Dale has just been awarded the Dean`s Award from Monash University 2014.
The award is in recognition of exceptional academic excellence in the Batchelor of Civil and Environmental Engineering / Batchelor of Business and Commerce .
Well done Dale ....
Mum , Ken , Marc , Shaun, Dee , Paul , Nicole , Nana , Ella , Max  and  Jack .
 

MIX `N` MATCH........

Matt Preston suggested some fine autumn salad combinations in the Taste section of the Herald Sun on Feb 17 ..2015.

EGGPLANTS

Cube and stir fry eggplants then toss them in a sweet soy sauce with pulled pork , adding sliced spring onions  and a generous helping of sesame seeds.

Eggplants can be served Greek style , cubed and fried then mixed with honey  , roughly crushed walnuts  and a crumbly goat`s cheese . This can be served over or mixed with  grains like freekeh , brown rice , spelt and topped with freshly torn parsley and mint .

TOMATOES

Thick sliced over ripe tomatoes  ( left overs from the chutney and pickle making ) served with salted lemon zest and capers.
Tomatoes can be tossed with cubes of watermelon , sliced onions  and torn fresh mint leaves.

RED CAPSICUMS

Make a 'muhammara ' sauce for grilled lamb , breakfast eggs , or  grilled chicken  , by processing red capsicums ( the traditional recipe calls for red chilli ) , walnuts and stale breadcrumbs ........PLUS ...allspice , ground cumin , salt and pomegranate syrup , blended with a little water and oil .

Here is my version of  A HOT AUTUMN SALAD

Heat your oven to 200deg C.

Coat a baking tray with  2 tbs of oil
Add 2  red onions cut into quarters
3 cloves of  sliced  garlic
4 potatoes quartered
2 carrot s and parsnips washed and halved lengthways
1 eggplant washed and sliced into 8 wedges lengthways
4 fresh beetroots cut into quarters
1 small butternut squash cut into large cubes .
Rub all vegetables with lard and sprinkle with sea salt and sumac .
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or till vegetables crinkle  and colour .
At this point add 8 cherry tomatoes halved to the baking tray and continue to cook for  10 minutes .

In a large pan heat 2 tbs of rice bran oil
Add 250gm  of marinated tofu.
Cook till warmed through on all sides .
Set aside .

Remove from oven and place in a warmed salad bowl
Add the tofu , fresh torn mint and parsley leaves , a handful of roughly chopped walnuts .
Drizzle with the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon.



 

BAKED BARRAMUNDI IN A LEMON AND BANANA INFUSION

I arrived home off and running , Ella`s layered cheesecake birthday cake  to be made ,   guest speaker for  the Recently Retired group ....the Masonic  Lodge dinner .....3 orders for Meals On The Run ....

For the following recipe you will  need to slice 3 bananas  soaked in the juice of 4 lemons for 24 hours .

 At Castle Garden I  served baked barramundi in a lemon and banana infusion
I used 4 barramundi fillets .
Heat your oven to 200 deg C
Place a bunch of fresh parsley , 1 tbs of dried dill   , 2 garlic cloves sliced , 1 dsp of  drained capers ,1 red onion sliced , 1 cup of lemon juice that has been used to marinate sliced bananas  in a food processor . ( Keep banana slices aside )
Pulse until smooth.
Slice 20 pitted black olives  and line a  large sheet of baking .
Place the barramundi fillets on top .
Coat the fillets with the lemon infused  salsa verde
Top with some extra slice olives 
Enclose with an extra sheet of baking paper .
Bake in a set oven for 12 minutes .
I served the fillets over a bed of white quinoa .
This is a simple delight .



P.S Use the banana slices in a banana syllabub .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLA MERSEY

Happy 11th birthday Ella

Love Nan , Pop , Dad ,Uncle Dale , Aunty Nicole , Uncle Paul , Uncle Shaun , Aunty Dee , Cousins Max , Jack  and Great Nana Grunberg.
xo xo xo xo  .

HEADING HOME

The driver and I are flying home today , leaving Nicole happy in her quest for travel and work experience .

Bye Nicole , take care .....
Love Mum xx


One more sleep Ella till your 11th birthday ........!

SYLLUBUBS

A fragile whip of cream contained in a small glass , concealing within an innocent froth of an alcoholic punch.
The ingredients of a syllabub are simple and delicious .
There are many versions for syllabub, but the one recipe published in 1727 ...by E.SMITH ...Complete Housewife ...( also the first cookbook to be printed in America ) is suggested to be at its best after 3 or 4 days ....

Try this in place of the tedious trifle  we are always shovelled fed at occasions ,events or family gatherings like Xmas and Easter....
This should be  prepared the day before the syllabub is to be served ....
Place the grated rind of 1 lemon in its own juice .
Add 120 ml of  sweet sherry
2 tbs of brandy .....
Mix together and leave stand overnight.
Strain the mixture into a larger bowl
Add 60gm of castor sugar
Stir until completely dissolved .
Pour in 250 ml of thick cream very slowly , stirring all the time .( I use the whisk attachment on the mixer  at a slow speed )
Sprinkle in 1 tsp of nutmeg .
This process is only complete when the mixture holds a soft peak ...over working will ruin it .
When the cream is ready ...
Spoon it into the small glasses , they should be filled but not to the brim .
Add a thin twist of lemon peel into each glass .
Keep in a cool place but not the fridge .
They can be made 2 days ahead .

DINING IN ALICE SPRINGS.......

The food I have experienced in Alice Springs has been unexceptional .
Dining at the Gap Hotel was disappointing .
The ` $10 roast ` looked to me to be over priced .
The` parmie `, was a preformed slab placed on a pile of chips.
My fish fillets were straight from the pre -packaged freezer served with chips and a very ordinary salad .

Our stay at the Desert Garden Motel Uluru , was very  expensive , there is no car parking anywhere near the rooms , to access any of the facilities you have to produce your room key , all our transactions were cash , so I was really alarmed that on departure the room had been billed with a substantial drinks total.
Even more alarming was speaking to other guests who had stayed at Desert Garden Motel Uluru , had  queried extra charges made to their rooms.
The restaurant meal that I chose was nothing exceptional . A rack of lamb and shredded back strap served ,the meat was tender and flavoursome, the foam  and the wafer triangles of dried vegetables were soft and unappealing .

Casa Nostra Pizza and Pasta in Alice Springs was an unexpected enjoyable experience , It is BYO , and the menu comprehensive , offering a good choice of pasta , the pizzas ordered at my table were  wholesome and made with fresh ingredients , I chose the chicken funghi fillet served with a most delicate cream sauce , ( served not drowned ).
We commenced our meal with bruschetta and olive bread .....both served on pizza  bread.
The décor was authentic and distinctively provera cuccina , the faded prints and family snap shots were annoyingly  crooked , but the food was delicious....

Tonight I am dining at a Thai Restaurant , I have heard gushing reviews from the person who advised me against dining at Casa Nostra Pizzas and Pasta......I will let you know my thoughts after dinner tonight .........
The Thai restaurant was a Vietnamese restaurant , situated on the outside of town accessible only by car . The food was authentic and full of flavour , the menu was varied though numerous  prawn dishes were offered .
The restaurant is set under a large roof away from the kitchen with sandy paths leading to garden rooms that display huge marble statues that appear at odds in the surrounding natural terrain .

When the driver and I arrived in Alice Springs  and met with Nicole we  enjoyed a bar be que together , which I prepared and the driver cooked for us on the most adequate facilities provided by..The Quest , Alice Springs .

I`m not a food snob , I`m from Victoria , live in Gippsland surrounded by the most remarkable array of produce  and am a frequent visitor to Melbourne ..... Australia`s most liveable city with great coffee, excellent restaurants , great pub food  ( The Espy ..St Kilda ) , and the home of  4 sons , daughter in law and grandchildren .

THE ARTIST .....JOY NAKAMARRA

Today I was invited to sit with the artist Joy Nakamarra , her tribe is Anmtjerre and belongs to the country of Coniston , Northwest of Alice Springs.
Joy was sitting on the grassy reserve along the pedestrian mall in Alice Springs central , displaying her paintings on canvas .
I enquired of the price of the paintings , I bartered for a better deal , the artist agreed but told me she was hungry for lunch and asked if I could go get her `maybe a chicken and salad sandwich with a drink of cold water `, she told me she could not leave her paintings to go to the café .
I  obliged and returned with her lunch in hand .
The artist asked me to sit down with her and remain holding the bag with her lunch in it.
Joy appeared a little nervous , eyeing a young man who was watching us talk she asked where I was from and I replied Gippsland in Victoria , the country of the Kurnai people , the artist said `ah the cold country `..
The man and the artist exchange words and he went off , the artist asked for her lunch and the balance of the money for her painting.
I asked if there was a problem , the artist replied the men will take our money for grog if they know we have any , she was trying  to hide the money she made from the sale of her art
The painting I chose to purchase is titled `Women Collecting Bush Tucker `
The story of the artist and the painting are written in grey lead on the back of the canvas .

 

PORK CHEEK

You will need to place an order with your butcher to get pork cheeks .
Unfortunately they are expensive , it is annoying when it wasn't all that long ago that this most flavoursome cut of meat  ( beef or pork cheek ) was always discarded and ended up on the butcher`s floor and processed for dog food.
On ordering your pork cheek request that your butcher soak it in brine for 24 hours .
At home soak the cheek in cold water for an hour.
There is no need to remove the rind .
Place it in a pot with 1 onion
2 carrots
4 peppercorns
1bay leaf
3 stalks of parsley
2 tbs of white wine vinegar
Add enough cold water to just cover the cheek.
Cover with a lid .
Cook gently for 90 minutes .
Remove the cheek from the pot and sprinkle with rice bran oil .
Press the cheek between 2 plates .
Weight the top.
Leave the weighted cheek in the fridge overnight .

Next day , make a vinaigrette sauce .

Chop 2 shallots
Finely chop enough parsley to get 3 tbs
2 tsp of  yellow mustard powder
6 tbs of olive oil
1 white wine vinegar
1tomato , peeled and deseeded ....cut into tiny cubes..

Remove and  thinly slice the pork .
Drizzle the vinaigrette sauce over the sliced cheek.
Serve with a little parsley scattered over.

Serve as part of a tapas style meal .

A CREAM CHEESE FOR DESSERT

Mix 570 ml of thickened cream with 2 tbs of sugar .
Place over heat and gently boil for 5 minutes.
Add 2 tbs of orange flower water .
Place the cream into a bowl and allow to cool .
Then place in refrigerator for 2 hours allowing it to become cold.
Now whip the cream till it stands in peaks.
Line a fine holed colander with a piece of muslin
Leave it drain for 4 hours minimum or preferably overnight in the refrigerator .
Eat it with sugar and a quince or raspberry jelly.

Recipe an extract from Gourmet 1969.
 

A RICHLY FLAVOURED BEEF STEW WITH A SLIGHTLY THICKENED SAUCE

You will need 1 kg of topside steak , sliced into small steaks about 100 grams .
Slice 500gm of red onions .
I use a cast iron oven pot but a heavy casserole will be fine .
Line the base with a layer of sliced onions .
Place 3 of the steaks on top .
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Repeat the layering process and finish with a layer of onions .
Mix together 30 gm of butter / margarine and 1 dsp of flour
Divide the mix into tiny knobs and scatter them around the sides of the pot and on top of the onions.
Cover the pot with a layer of buttered baking paper and a lid.
Cook in a slow oven  150deg C for 2 hours.

Mix 3 tbs of chopped parsley
2 cloves of garlic
3 tbs of rice bran oil
4 anchovy fillets
2 tbs of red wine vinegar
Combine thoroughly to make a vinaigrette sauce
Pour this into the pot after the first hour
Replace the paper and lid .
Continue to cook for another hour .

SARDINE BUTTER

This recipe will save you time and money when seeking out a pate.
All it  takes is a tin of sardines or the equivalent weight in anchovy fillets
Drain them
Mash thoroughly with a fork
Add 1 tsp of minced garlic
20gm of softened butter for every sardine used  
Pound all ingredients together till you get a smooth paste
Season with a few drops of lemon juice
Sprinkling of cayenne pepper
Pack the paste into a small terrine or ramequins
Cover with a cling wrap .
Place in refrigerator to chill .
 

I`VE BEEN EVERYWHERE ....

I`m sitting in my room at Quest Alice Springs , family matters at hand . My only daughter and sister of her brothers  is nursing in Alice Springs .
As her mum I want to kidnap her and bring her home  but the fact is , that is  my dream  not hers .
So I`m here to share a trip to Uluru with her ....... a couple of evenings together after her shifts ..... then back to our lives .
Whatever possessed  the driver and I to consider driving to Alice Springs along the inland route is now beyond my scope of a good idea.
The driver and I left Churchill and stayed over in Ballarat , Port Augusta , Coober Pedy then travelled to Alice Springs .
We will travel to Uluru tomorrow and stay overnight at the rock .
On Wednesday I will return to my home where orders are waiting to be filled .
 

MAGIC MERINGUES

This is a dough like meringue...
Follow the directions ...
You will be amazed and you will need to have a microwave oven .
Microwave meringues are the real magic trick.
The mixture is prepared like thick icing and needs to be pliable enough to shape .

LET`S START .....
Place 1 egg in a bowl and STIR with a fork until frothy .
Add 1/2 tsp of red food colouring  ( optional )
1 tsp of raspberry flavouring ( optional )
Now STIR in 350 gm of sifted icing sugar .. stir in batches using enough to make a VERY stiff dough .
It should be the consistency of marzipan .
Mould the dough in to 24  BEAN shapes or 24 marble sized discs .
Flatten slightly.
Place 6 small discs on baking paper on the microwave turn table .
Place them well apart as they will TRIPLE in size .
Cook for 1 minute on HIGH or till dry
Leave stand for 1 minute before removing from the microwave .
Repeat with remaining batches .
Just before serving , sandwich the meringues together with whipped cream.
Enjoy .

 

SEA BREEZE

This is my recipe showcasing the bounty of the catch from the Gippsland Lakes and surrounding open waters.
 Heat a pan with 4 tbs of rice bran oil .
Saute 2 red onions peeled and thinly sliced into wedges , along with 4 cloves of garlic peeled and thinly sliced .
Cook till softened and aromatic .
Remove and set aside .
Place 3 fillets of salmon in the pan and cook for 4 minutes each side , remove from the pan and peel the skin off the fillet, and use 2 forks to shred the meat . Set aside .
In the same pan saute  250 gm of fresh scallops roe removed , along with 500gm of king prawns which have been peeled and deveined , keeping the tail intact .
This won`t take long , just keep on the heat till they lose their opaqueness .
Remove from heat and set aside .
Slice very finely 1 small bulb of fennel , small red chilli with seeds  and place in the pan and warm through .
Using the same pan  add 1/2 cup of cream fraiche .
Add 50ml of ouzo
1/2 tsp  of cracked black pepper
Pinch of sea salt.
Add the prawns and scallops , stir through the sauce and fennel .
Add the pulled salmon .
Turn off the heat .
Warm the serving plates and serve over a bed of  red rice .
Garnish sparingly with fennel fronds .
Enjoy.
 

LEMON MOUSSE

Separate 4 eggs , set the egg whites aside.
Whisk the egg yolks with 175 gm of castor sugar until light and fluffy .
Juice 2 lemons  , set aside
Finely grate the rind of 2 lemons into the egg mix .
Add 300ml of thickened cream .

Beat the 4 egg whites until they are stiff .

In a separate bowl sprinkle the gelatine on to the lemon juice and heat gently  until it has completely dissolved .

Pour into the egg mix stirring continuously .
Fold in the egg whites .

Pour into serving dishes or bowl .
Leave to set in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set .
 

LEMON HONEYCOMB MOULD

You will need a 1 litre mould or soufflé dish for this dessert.

Also the juice of 2 lemons .

The fine grated rind of 2 lemons .

Firstly make a custard .

Mix together 3 egg yolks , 300ml of milk , 300ml of cream and 75 gm of castor sugar .
Stir over a low heat until it thickens  to a creamy consistency .
Melt 12 gm of gelatine in the juice of 2 lemons  until the gelatine has completely dissolved .
Remove the custard from the heat .
Stir in the gelatine and the grated peel .
Cool.

Whip the 3 egg whites until they are stiff .
Fold into the custard.

Rinse your mould or dish with cold water .
Pour in the custard and chill . ( 2 hours )
Turn out when set .
It should be in 3 layers ...
The top of clear lemon jelly ,
The middle a creamy milk jelly ,
The bottom a fluffy lemon mousse..

This dessert can be frozen ,
Freeze the mixture in the mould or dish .
To serve after freezing , allow to thaw at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight in  the refrigerator .
Turn out before serving .
 

4 CHEESE LASAGNE

After 2 weeks of pasta making in cooking class , you will be able to whip this lasagne up in no time at all.
Fresh lasagne sheets are best but store bought lasagne sheets will suffice. ( 175 gm )
You will need 75gm of shaved parmesan
75gm of gruyere cheese cut into small dice
75gm of grated mozzarella
75gm of pecorino cut into small dice or shaved carefully using a mandolin .
Set aside 1/3 of the shaved parmesan .
Mix remaining parmesan and other cheeses all together in a pan .
Add 50gm of butter,
50gm of flour ,
750ml of milk .
Season with salt ,pepper and nutmeg .
Heat slowly over a low heat , stirring till all cheeses have melted.
Butter or spray a shallow ovenproof dish and put in alternate layers of lasagne sheets  and sauce .
You should have 4 layers of each .
Finish with a topping of sauce sprinkled with the reserved parmesan .
Bake in a hot oven  200 deg C  for 30 minutes or until bubbling hot .
 

STICKY DATE CAKE

Preheat your oven to 170 deg C
grease and line a 20cm pan ...

Combine 1 and 3/4 cups of dried pitted dates with 1 and 1/4 cups of water ,
Bring to the boil .
Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda .
Leave to cool .
Then puree in a processor .

Use an electric mixer  to beat 60 gm of margarine
2/3rds of a cup of raw sugar once the mix is light and creamy add
1 cup of sifted S.R flour
Then beat in 2 eggs until well combined .
Pour into prepared pan .
Bake for 55 minutes .
Stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto a serving dish .

To make the sauce
Turn into a saucepan
3/4 of a cup of soft dark brown sugar
2 tbs of golden syrup
100gm of margarine
3/4 of a cup of thickened cream
1 tbs of vanilla essence
Stir to combine and bring to the boil
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes

To Assemble
Prick the pudding all over with a skewer
Spoon 1/2 a cup of sauce all over the pudding .
Let the pudding stand for 5 minutes

Serve with remaining sauce and double cream .
Enjoy .



 

WHERE HAVE I BEEN ?

I have been to the inner sanctum  , and have accepted the offer to continue to cook for the Morwell Masonic Lodge .
The Boolarra Folk Festival , great entertainment ,entertainers , produce galore , food , loads of visitors and all four seasons in one day .
Jacican Café ..Mirboo North held an open day on Sunday .
Max helped nana pick the chillies and tomatoes from the garden to take home for his mum and dad .
A farewell gathering for Nicole and her friends , she flies out on Thursday ...destination Alice Springs .
Tuesday cooking class ...we returned to making pasta ,  this week we are making lemon and goat`s cheese ravioli.........
Back on track , there are orders to be filled and meals to be prepared.