RAW SALTED CARAMEL SLICE

THE BASE
Combine all these ingredients in a processor
1. cup of desiccated coconut
1/2 cup[ of slivered almonds
1/2 cup of pistachios
2 tbs of LSA...( linseed , sunflower seed and almond mix )
1. tbs of stevia
1 tbs of shortening ( almond butter / butter / margarine  ) OR  1/2 cup of chopped  dates .
2 tbs of cacao
3 tbs of water
Blend for 1 minute ...this processing will release the oils from the nuts .
The mix should stick together when pressed with your fingers .
Set aside .
Spray your tray with cooking oil .
Press this mixture into the base , making sure there are no gaps  and evenly spread .
Place this in the freezer to set .

THE FILLING
Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil and place in a bowl.
Add 1 cup of broken  macadamia nuts
2 tbs and 1 dsp of tahini paste
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
2 tbs of maple syrup
2 tbs of stevia
pinch of sea salt .
Place in a processor  and process till you get a smooth runny consistency .
Pour this over your frozen base , spreading it evenly .
Place back in the freezer .

CHOCOLATE COATING
Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil  and mix in 1/3 cup of cacao , 2 tbs of stevia  , 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract , pinch of salt .
Stir till smooth .
Pour this over the filling layer .
Return to the freezer .
Freeze slice for 20 minutes  before removing from the tin .
Slice for serving and storing .
This will keep well in the freezer and in the fridge in an airtight container

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JEGE ZEITOON..........( for Samira )

Jege Zeitoon ( jez-zee-toon ) , is chicken cooked  with green and black olives .
It is a Moroccan dish with a tangy , spicy flavour .
In a small bowl combine 1/2tsp of  ground saffron  , 1/2 tsp of turmeric  with 1 tbs of water .
Now mix until these are well blended .
Slice 3 chicken breasts in half and using a pastry brush coat the 6 chicken pieces evenly with the mixture .
Add 8 sliced dates
Heat a large pan with 3 tbs of peanut oil  and add the chicken fillets , cook for 8 minutes  turning occasionally.
Add the juice of 3 lemons and 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar.
Bring to the boil.
Add 12 pitted  and sliced green olives ,  8 pitted and sliced black olives , 1 tbs of minced garlic  and 2 sliced lemons with rind .
Cover the pan and reduce heat to a low heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken fillets are tender .
Remove from heat and serve on warmed bowls over a bed of rice.

JAVANESE STEAK

This dish is subtle in its simplicity ..
I used  4 kangaroo fillets .
In a small bowl , combine 1 bunch of roughly chopped fresh coriander , 1 dsp of crushed peppercorns , 1 dsp of minced garlic , 4 tbs of soy sauce  , 2 tbs of white wine vinegar , salt and pepper to taste .
Mix well to combine .
Slice the fillets and place in the mixture.
Marinate for 1 hour .
Preheat a pan over a med high heat .
Place the meat and marinade in the pan and cook for 6 minutes , stirring constantly .
Remove the slices with a slotted spoon and serve over a bed of white quinoa .
Drizzle with a little of the sauce .
Serve  at once .

BUYER BEWARE

The salmon advertised on the packaging was not delivered in the packaged product .
The advertised lemon crust was somewhat left wanting .
Buyer beware .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELLEY GILES .

 Happy Birthday Shelley ..... 19/ 8 /2015..
 

QUICK FRIED PRAWNS

This is about , quick , delicious and filling .
Mix together 4 tbs of Chinese cooking wine with an egg white and a pinch of salt .
Add 1 kg of raw prawns with tails on and toss until evenly coated .
Heat a good glug of peanut oil ( 4 tbs ) in a pan .
Add 2 dsp of sliced sushi ginger  ( chopped ) and 3 chopped spring onions .
Once heated through , add the prawns and cook for 3 - 5 minutes until they turn orange / pink .
To finish add 125 gm of fresh asparagus tips and cook for 1 minute .
Transfer to a warmed serving dish .
Garnish with 1 chopped spring onion .

 

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BISCUITS .

 

Preheat your oven 160 deg C

Place 2 cups of sifted icing sugar along with 1/2 cup of of sifted cacoa powder in the bowl of your electric mixer .

Add a pinch of salt , 2 large egg whites ( at room temperature ) and a tsp of vanilla extract .

Mix on the dough setting until thoroughly blended and the batter is thick and moist .

Now fold in 2  crushed  35gm   peppermint crisps .

Drop heaped dsp on  baking paper in an oven tray .

Bake for 12 minutes until the tops are glossy and slightly cracked .

They will be slightly chewy in the middle .

Overcooking will result in brittle biscuits .

You can vary this recipe with ...coffee powder , nuts ,  butterscotch, chopped mixed peel or glace cherries .

OLD FRIENDS

There are 2 women cooks  I admire and have read everything I can about them ....their recipes , their details on cooking methods . and what made them tick .
Elizabeth David and Margaret Fulton
That is not to say I overlook  vibrant younger cooks and chefs that are relevant today , I applaude their work .
But I do  respect  those who came before and set the scene .
 

GIOUVETSI .... A GREEK SPECIALITY

Heat an open pan over a high heat
Place 4 sliced garlic cloves in the pan
1 tsp of ground black pepper
A good pinCH of salt
1 tsp of dried thyme
Juice of 2 lemons
1 large onion thinly sliced
Cook till onions are soft and translucent
Add 1 can of diced tomatoes
Stir to combine
Now ad 500 grams of sliced beef
And a sliced green capsicum and 1 red bullet chilli with seeds intact .
Cook through for 10 minutes.
Serve on a bed of black rice .......

Look up my recipe for Youvetsi ......Giouvetsi    ....different spelling , same pronunciation.

FRUIT BREAD ROLL

BAKED BEANS

Spray a pan or electric skillet with cooking oil
Add a good glug of oil ( 2 tbs )
Peel and slice 1 onion to the pan along with
1 dsp of minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of thyme
1 dsp of ground cloves
Cook on a medium heat till onions have softened .
Now diced up 4 rashers of bacon , and add to the pan.
Cook through and stir for 3 minutes .
Now stir in ...
2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
1 carrot grated
2 tsp of dry mustard
2 tbs of tomato paste
1/4 cup of soft brown sugar
2 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tin of diced tomatoes  ( if you stop right here you have just created a perfect sauce for your spaghetti )
Season with a throw of sea salt and ground black pepper .
Stir to combine thoroughly .
Now add 500gm of strained and washed cannelloni beans  ( 2 tins ).
Transfer to a baking dish and place in a well heated oven ( 160 deg C ) and warm through for 30 minutes .
Serve with crusty garlic bread ...
Yummo!

PIZZA SPINACH BASE

This is an amazing pizza base .......giving you more control over what you are eating with your topping .

 

SPINACH BASE

To make the spinach base , first you need to preheat your oven to 20deg c .

Grease a 30 cm pizza tray with rice bran oil .

now place 1 cup of spinach leaves in a processor and pulse .

In a separate bowl ...

Add 1 beaten egg , 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and 1 dsp of  dried basil leaves along with 1 tsp of  dried oregano leaves ....now add the processed spinach .

Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste .

Spread the dough evenly onto the pizza tray  ....

Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges begin to brown .

Top with your favourite uncomplicated toppings .

CAULIFLOWER AND BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE ...For my daughter in law Diana (Dee ) Mersey

TO MAKE THE BASE ....

Place in a food processor ...
3/4 cup of  unsalted cashews
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 tbs of stevia
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 tbs of coconut oil ...
Now blend until finely chopped .
Now press this mixture into the base of a 16 cm cake pan . ( which you have sprayed with cooking spray )
Place this into the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes ....

Steam  1 small head of cauliflower . ..set aside ..

THE FILLING
Combine the following ingredients in the cleaned processor
2 cups of cashews
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1 and 1/2 cups of cooked cauliflower
1 cup of frozen blueberries
1 tsp of vanilla of vanilla extract
1 tbs of lemon juice 1/3 cup of coconut milk .
Process to combine .

Remove the base from the freezer and pour in the topping .
Return to the freezer for 45 minutes .
Then let it set in the fridge for an hour .
Top with fresh blueberries  (and passionfruit pulp optional ) to serve .

 

EMINCE DE PORC AUX POIVRONS ..(Pork with pimentos and onions )

 

Heat 2 tbs of rice bran oil in  a pan over med heat add 2 two sliced onions and 3 tbs of minced garlic ...

Cook till the onions are translucent and aromatic .

 

In a separate bowl slice 3 pimentos ,  add the juice of 2 large lemons , 1 dsp of cayenne pepper , 1 dsp of paprika ,

1 dsp of cracked black pepper .

Mix well to combine .

Now add 4 tbs of Worcestershire sauce

 2 tbs of stevia or substitute with 2 tbs of soft brown sugar .

Add 1 kg of sliced pork fillet .

Mix well to combine .

Allow this mix to sit for 20 minutes .

Then add to onion mix .

Cook over heat till pork is cooked through stirring constantly ..

 

IF YOU LIKE IT HOT ...JUNGLE CURRY PRAWNS

First of all you need to make a paste ...the curry paste
Cut up 10 dried whole red chillies with seeds , place these in a processor with 4 red onions sliced , 6 garlic cloves chopped , 1 lemongrass stem ( white part only ) sliced , 1 tbs of minced ginger ,2 cilantro roots ( coriander roots ) , 1 shrimp paste cube , 60 ml of peanut oil .
Salt and pepper to taste .
Process to a paste .
Place 1 kg of green prawns ( tails intact ) in a bowl and coat with paste .
Heat a pan with a splash of peanut oil
Add 1/4 cup of chia seeds
1tbs of fish sauce
300ml of fish stock
1 tbs of whisky
50gm of bamboo shoots
4 green spring onion stalks
Bring to the boil and add the coated prawns , simmer for  5 minutes or till prawns give an orange tinge , stirring constantly .
Serve with black quinoa .
 

JADE BALLS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Mash 500gm of ricotta cheese with 2 avocados
Mix in 1 finely chopped onion with 1/2 cup of dry breadcrumbs
Form in to golf sized balls , dip into 2 beaten eggs and then roll in extra breadcrumbs for coating .
Cook until golden brown  on all sides in peanut oil .
Drain on absorbent paper
Garnish with shreds of green stems of spring onions .

DIPPING SAUCE.....
Combine in a bowl ......
1 dsp Chinese cooking wine
2 tbs of honey
1 dsp of minced garlic
1 dsp of minced ginger
3 tbs of tamari or soy sauce ...
Alklow to marinate for at least 4 hours before use .