GREEN WITH ENVY CHEESECAKE

Thirty four years ago , a lady by the name of Christine Heaslip put together The Complete Avocado Cookbook .
My copy of the book is in near new condition and the recipes are as relevant  today as they would have been suprising when the book was first published .
It is a fantastic recipe book .
I have made the Green With Envy Cheesecake many , many times it is very popular .

Mix together 2 cups of fine biscuit crumbs with 1/2 cup of melted butter / margarine and 3 tbs of raw sugar .

Work it together with your fingers .

Press into a well greased spring form flan pan over the base and around the sides , making a flat , smooth crust .

In a bowl beat 500gm of cream cheese together with the flesh of 3 avocados , 1 cup of cream , 3 lightly beaten eggs , 1 cup of honey (or 1 cup of raw sugar ) with an electric mixer or processor .

Add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon , 1/4 cup of brandy , 1 tsp of vanilla essence .

Pour into the prepared flan pan and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour .

Cool  then refrigerate , carefully remove from spring form pan and place on serving dish .

Decorate with whipped cream and slices of kiwi fruit and avocado wedges ..(optional )

 

HERB GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO SALSA

Herb gnocchi with tomato salsa ......
I pre prepared the potato gnocchi this afternoon.
Pre heat your oven to 180 deg C.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil .
Scrub 1 kg unpeeled potatoes and pat them dry with paper towelling .
Place them on a baking tray and oven bake the potatoes for 1 and 1/2 hours, until soft in the middle when pierced with a skewer .
Set aside to cool , then peel off the skins .
Mash the potatoes in a bowl , leave to cool completely .
Once cooled mix in 160gm of plain flour, 1 tbs of finely chopped parsley and 1 tbs of finely chopped basil.
Now gradually mix in 1 beaten egg ( a little at a time ) until you have a firm , smooth dough  ( you may not need the whole egg )
Divide the dough into 8 balls , then roll out each ball into a sausage shape on a lightly floured board .
Using the back of a table knife , cut the rolls slightly on the diagonal into 4cm lengths .
Now it`s time to cook the gnocchi , this must be done batches .
Firstly fill a bowl with cold water and place near your stove top .
Place a quarter of the gnocchi in the boiling water and leave them cook till they rise to the top of the surface .
Lift out with a slotted spoon and place in the cold water .
leave for a minute or so to gnocchi are cooled , then place on paper towelling to drain.
Repeat the process to cook the remaining gnocchi .
It is important to keep the water boiling in the pot
When all the gnocchi are cooked and cooled , place them in a bowl with a drizzle of  oil to keep them separate .
Cover and keep them refrigerated until they are required .
When you are ready to serve the gnocchi, heat to serve 2 tbs of oil and 50gm of marg / butter in a pan over a medium heat .
Saute the gnocchi in batches until crisp and golden on both sides .
Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven uncovered till the rest of the gnocchi are sautéed .
Serve with the tomato salsa .
TOMATO SALSA
Slice 1 packet of cherry tomatoes into quarters
1 small red onion finely chopped , add these to the sliced tomatoes.
Add 1 tbs of chopped parsley
1 tbs of chopped basil .
2 spring onions finely sliced
2 tbs of lime juice .
1 tbs of sesame oil
A healthy dash of tabasco
Salt and cracked pepper to taste .
Toss to mix .
Serve cold as a side with the gnocchi or warm gently in the same pan you used to saute the gnocchi and spoon over the top of the gnocchi to serve .....either way this is a delicious starer or main meal .



 

COOKING CLASS TUESDAY 24 TH OCTOBER .

In cooking class tomorrow we will be making herb gnocchi with tomato salsa .
I have asked the class to do a little preparation at home .
Rather than boil and mash the potatoes in the usual way for gnocchi , I have asked the class to bring to class oven baked , whole unpeeled potatoes as this give a more robust flavour and fluffier texture .
We will incorporate a little fresh parsley and basil into our gnocchi.
Then we will prepare a simple tomato salsa as a side .

JEERA RICE

Jeera means cumin seeds in Hindi
The cumin seeds give the rice an aromatic and  distinctive flavour .
Wash 300gm of rice under running water through a colander .
Then fill a bowl  with cold water , leaving the rice to soak for 30 minutes .
Heat 2 tbs of ghee in a pan , add 30 gm of cashew nuts and fry for 4 minutes .
Remove nuts from pan and set aside .
Add 1 tbs of cumin seeds to the pan with 2 bay leaves , 4 black peppercorns , 1 cinnamon stick broken in half  and 3 whole cloves ....
Fry over a medium heat until the spices become aromatic .
Then add 1 peeled and finely sliced onion to the pan , saute gently until the onion softens.
Now drain the rice and add to the pan .
Stir well to coat the rice with spices and ghee.
Pour over 400ml of water and salt to taste .
bring to the boil .
Reduce the heat and cover the pan with crumpled baking paper or a lid and let simmer till most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Turn of the heat and allow to stand with cover for another 5 minutes .
Fork through the rice to separate the grains and stir through the cashew nuts .
Serve immediately .

WHITE CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Preheat your oven to 80 deg C .
Spray and line a 23 cm springform pan
Chop 175 gm of white chocolate and melt in a saucepan over a low heat .
Remove from the heat and allow to cool .
Using your electric mixer beat 150gm of butter / margarine with 50 of castor sugar until creamy .
Gradually add 6 lightly beaten egg yolks , a bit at a time until each one is incorporated before adding the next .
Now add the cooled and melted chocolate , beating well until the chocolate is smoothly incorporated .
Add 150gm of ground almonds and 1 tsp of almond essence .
Beat until well mixed
Beat the 6 egg whites adding 50 gm of sugar , a little at a time until glossy and stiff  .
Gently add the beaten egg whites to the cake batter in three parts .
pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through .
Remember this is a dense , damp sort of a cake , but your best indicator that its cooked through is when the cake begins to come away from the sides of the tin .
If the cake surface begins to colour too quickly using the cooking process place a sheet of baking paper over the top .
When the torte is done remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack to cool completely .
This torte is best served with thickened cream and a side serve of cherries or mixed berries ...
YUMMO!

STRAWBERRY MERINGUE LAYER CAKE

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C .

Spray and line 2 x 22cm spring form pans and lightly sprinkle fine bread crumbs over and around pans .

Place 125gm of plain flour in a bowl with 25gm of cornflour and 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder , set aside .

Use your electric mixer to beat 100gm of margarine /butter with 300gm of castor sugar until light and fluffy .

Separate 4 eggs and lightly beat the 4 yolks and add to the butter and sugar mix .

Now gently fold in the weighed out dry ingredients then stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract and 2 tbs of milk .

Divide the batter between the 2 pans .

Clean dry the bowl and beaters to your mixer and whisk the 4 egg whites until soft peaks form .

Slowly add 200gm of castor sugar in small amounts , making sure the sugar is dissolved between additions .

Spread a layer of meringue on the top of the sponge batter in each tin and sprinkle 50 gm of  flaked almonds evenly over the top .

Bake for 35 minutes or until the tops of the meringues are golden .

Remove from the pans from the oven and let them cool in the pans on a wire rack .

While the cakes are cooling , whip 400ml of cream until really thickened .

Slice 250gm of fresh strawberries that have been sliced .

To construct the cake , invert one of the cakes onto a serving plate so that the sponge face is upper most .

Pile the cream on top and then layer with the sliced strawberries .

Place the second cake on top , meringue side up .

Press down gently to secure it .

Enjoy ....

 

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN CHEESECAKE

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C.
Spray and line a 23cm springform pan .
Cream together 50gm of softened butter or margarine and 100gm of castor sugar until l;ight and fluffy .
Reduce the speed of your Kitchen Aid and add 250gm of kaymak (curd cheese /clotted cream ) . 250gm of cream cheese , 150ml of soured cream .
Now add 2 tbs of orange blossom honey , 5 egg yolks lightly beaten and 1 tbs of orange flower water .
Continue to beat until well combined .
In a separate bowl , whisk the 5 egg whites until they are stiff but not dry .
Fold the egg white mixture through the cheese mixture .
Pour into the tin and dust with cinnamon and castor sugar .
Sprinkle with flaked almonds .
Place in the preheated oven for 60 minutes , it will rise and crack and that`s ok .
Turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven for another 60 minutes , during this time the cake will sink back into the tin .
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack , before springing open the pan to serve .
Delicious !

COOKING CLASS TUESDAY 17TH OCTOBER

One year ago in class we prepared quinoa quiche .
Yesterday we celebrated Seniors Week by preparing a 2 course  luncheon for Churchill Senior Citizens that was sponsored by the Churchill Community Centre .
The meal was prepared from scratch to service within 2 hours .
You have all come such a long way , it was truly an amazing effort .
Megan and Brett prepared a deconstructed trifle using a biscuit base which was topped with a mix of blueberries and pomegranite that had been marinated in a pomegranite molasses then they folded through really thick whipped cream into an apple flavoured Greek yoghurt and spooned this over the berries , this process  was repeated finishing with the berries and pomegranite on top and dressed with a mint leaf .
Ty and Samuel , prepared the oven baked poatatoes , the gourmet cherry tomatoes stuffed with a walnut and egg cream .
Kate and Heather prepared the mandarin and mixed green leafed salad , broccoli  and prepared an amazing salad dressing with a mix of vinegar , maple syrup , mustard powder , tomato flesh and olive oil .
Robyn and Trevor , prepared a ricotta , chia and spinach gnocchi that they served drizzled with a chilli infused sauce .
The plated food looked bright ,colourful and it tasted amazing .
The combination of flavours were perfect .
Congratulations to you all.
See you next week .

VIETNAMESE FISH CURRY

Heat 2 tbs of peanut oil in a large pan over a medium heat
Add 100gm of chopped lemon grass
Sir until heated through
Add 2 tbs of curry powder, stir through .
Pour 400ml of coconut milk and 250ml of fish stock into the lemon grass and curry .
Bring the mix to the boil .
Reduce the heat stirring often and allow the mix to thicken slightly
Add 1 kg of  basa fillets that have been sliced into pieces
Add 250 gm of whole baby beans
1 dsp of castor sugar
2 tbs of fish sauce
1 tbs of sriracha
Continue to cook until beans and fish are cooked through .
Serve with a grain of your choice

TERM 4 .....CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS

WEEK 1
CHRISTMAS PATE (1)
CHICKEN LIVER AND BRANDY PATE ....
Melt 125 gm of butter /margin a saucepan over a medium heat
Add 1 cup of chopped onion
1 tbs of minced garlic
2 tbs of bacon pieces
Stir until cooked through .
Add 250gm of chicken livers that have been trimmed .
Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally
Remove from heat .
Stir in 1 tsp of cracked black pepper
2 tbs of cream
 2 tbs of brandy
Add 30 gm of butter /marg
1/2 tsp of Italian herbs
Process to a smooth paste .
Line a container with cling film
Pour pate into container and enclose with the overhang of cling film
Place in refrigerator for 12 hours .
Allow to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving .
Serve with dry toast ,crackers or crusty bread .

CHRISTMAS PATE (2)
LIVER AND MUSHROOM PATE .
Sauté 125gm of sliced mushrooms in 30gm of butter /marg
Drain off excess liquid .
Add mushrooms to the processor long with ......
250gm of cream cheese
250gm of liverwurst
3 tbs of red wine
Blitz to a smooth paste .
Divide into individual terrines
Chill in refrigerator ..till you are ready to serve .
Serve with crackers and crisp radishes ....

We will also be preparing the robust apple and walnut cake .
Ho Ho ...welcome back to the culinary lead up to Christmas ......

CAULIFLOWER MURCIA

This is recipe uses fried bread to thicken the sauce that has been flavoured with garlic and paprika .
I am very lucky as I have always loved all vegetables and am surprised how many people turn their noses up at cauliflower .
This recipe gives the cauliflower the wow factor and can be served with meat , eggs or as a mains with grains or pasta .

 

Break 1 whole cauliflower into florets and place them in a bowl with 2 tbs of lemon juice sprinkled over them ...Set aside
Now you need 2 thick slices of crusty bread .
Heat a large pot over a medium heat with 3 tbs of rice bran oil .
Fry the bread slices till golden brown ...remove and set aside .
Add 1 dsp of Hungarian paprika to the oil and 375ml of water and bring to the boil .
then add the cauliflower florets .
Simmer with the lid on till the cauliflower is tender .
Use your processor to crush the two slices of bread with 1 and 1/2 tbs of minced garlic and 1/2 handful of flat leafed parsley ..
Add the processed ingredients to the cauliflower.
Stir and adjust the seasoning , continue to cook until the sauce blends and thickens ..
Now you are ready to serve .
 

SAVVY SAVOY

The king of cabbages , the savoy.
You will need 1 medium sized savoy cabbage .
Cut the savoy in half and cut  the stem from both halves.
Then roughly slice the trimmed cabbage .
Place the savoy cabbage in  a large saucepan with 1 cup of vegetable stock and bring to the boil .
Cover with a lid and continue to cook till the cabbage is tender .
Drain the cabbage and set aside .
Using the same pot
Melt 100gm of butter / marg and 50 gm of minced garlic .
Add 1 dsp of cumin seeds and 1 dsp of Hungarian paprika .
Heat gently for a couple of minutes , stirring to mix .
Place the savoy cabbage back in the pot and mix through thoroughly .
Keep warm till you are ready to serve .
 

SPICED CAULIFLOWER

This cauliflower recipe can be served as a vegetarian mains with grains or as an accompaniment to a curry .
Simply adding some a combination of spices and potato in the cooking of the cauliflower will have the aromas of India wafting through your kitchen .
You will need 1 medium sized cauliflower , broken into individual florets ..set aside .
Heat 4 tbs of rice bran oil over a low heat ...
Add 1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds .
Cook until the mustard seeds pop .
Wash and pat dry 4 medium sized potatoes and cut into dice .
Add these to the pan and stir fry for 3 minutes .
Add 2 tbs of minced garlic
1 green chilli , seeded and chopped .
The cauliflower florets .
1/2 tsp of ground coriander
1/2 tsp of turmeric
Now add 100 ml of water and bring to the boil , cover with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender but firm and the water has evaporated .
I spooned some flaked tuna through the spiced cauliflower and served with mixed steamed grains .
There you have it .
Enjoy .

CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY TART

Because of time constraints I used 4 sheets of shortcrust pastry.
Preheat your oven to 180 deg C .
I used  aluminium tart pans available from Smart Saver store
Spray the pans with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with fine breadcrumbs .
For the larger tart  line the pan with 1 sheet of pastry , press the pastry into the base and sides of the pan .
Allow any excess pastry to fall over the edge of the pan .
Use a large pastry cutter to cut the rounds for the small tarts , grease  and sprinkle the cases with fine bread crumbs before fitting the pastry to the pans .
Then place the cases in the refrigerator ( to firm up as this helps prevent shrinkage during cooking .) , for 20 minutes .
Remove the lined trays from the refrigerator , prick the base with a fork ,line with baking paper and fill with uncooked rice or baking beans , blind bake for 20 minutes .
now remove the baking paper and rice /baking beans and using a sharp knife trim the excess pastry around the edges, use the broad side of the knife to indent the crust .
Return the cases back to the oven and continue to bake till the pastry turns golden .
Remove from the oven and brush with beaten egg yolk .
Reduce the oven temperature to 160 deg C .
OPTIONAL ........You can purchase premade pastry flans in the larger supermarkets ..

To make the filling ....
Break up 400gm of 70 % dark Lindt chocolate in to a medium saucepan
Add 300ml of cream and 100ml of full cream milk .
Stir continually over a medium heat until the chocolate has melted and the cream is completely mixed in .
Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes .
Lightly beat 2 eggs and then add to the room temp chocolate mixture .
Mix well .
Then pour into the prepared tart cases .
Place on a baking tray in the middle of the oven and bake till the chocolate filling looks set with a little wobble when moved .
Remove from the oven , dress with maraschino cherries ....
Cool to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator until completely set .
Optional , dust with icing sugar before serving ...


 

APPLE, RHUBARB AND WALNUT CAKE

Preheat your oven to 200 deg C

Place 3 peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples in a large bowl with 100gm of roughly chopped walnuts .

Now pour into 250 gm of castor sugar and give it a good stir .

Add 2 lightly beaten eggs and stir to combine
Now add 85gm of plain flour
85gm of self raising flour
1 tsp of bi carb of soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
Stir until you get a runny , lumpy batter .

Pour the batter into a well greased pan .

Place in the well pre heated oven and bake on 200 deg C for 10 minutes . Then reduce the temperature to 180 deg C and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean .
Cool in pan and then turn out onto a wire cooking rack to cool completely .

This is a very robust cake , full of fruit , nuts and flavour .

SPLIT PEAS AND CABBAGE

This is an unusual combination of split peas and cabbage that can be served as a main dish with rice or as an accompaniment to meat .
Soak 110 gm of split peas over night in a bowl of water
Next day you will need 1/2 a sugarloaf cabbage ,  that has been cored and sliced roughly .
Now heat a large pan over a medium heat with 3 tbs of rice bran oil .
Add 1 tsp of black mustard seeds and 2 tsp of cumin seeds, heat until the mustards seeds pop .
Add 1 tbs of curry powder or 4 curry leaves and 2 whole dried chillies along with the drained lentils .
Continue to fry for 5 minutes stirring until well combined and aromatic
Add the sliced cabbage and 1 tsp of turmeric
Fry slowly until the cabbage is tender and cooked through .
Lastly season with salt and 1 handful of chopped coriander
You are now ready to serve a nutty , textured veggie dish with Indian flavourings .

PRESERVED LEMONS

WHAT ARE PRESERVED LEMONS  ?

They are fresh lemons that have been partially sliced into quarters lengthways and as many pips removed as is possible and then coarse salt sprinkled onto the flesh of the lemon .

Then close the fruit together and pack the lemons tightly into a sterilised glass jar ..

Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to cover the fruit for 6 weeks .

WHY  PRESERVE LEMONS ?

The salt draws out the juice of the lemon and softens the zest .

Now  you have zest that will liven up those spring and summer salads and a myriad of savoury dishes especially chicken dishes ....