IT`S NEARLY DONE ...AFTER 3 YEARS IN THE PLANNING .

All it needs is  an introduction , I can`t find the words tonight ....well give me a break I just settled on a title .for
a cookbook , my cookbook .
My absolute gratitude to Cheryl who without a lot of help from me accepted scraps of paper with hastily written recipes and deciphered them into an acceptable printed form .
To Meg without you non of this would be possible , your artistic design , layout and patience with me ...
Nicole and Dale for your unconditional support and never letting me lose sight of my dream .....It has been a really tough time for all of us  and last night proved how raw the memory is still  ,  but together we will get through this .
And yes an introduction will be completed by Monday afternoon .

BLACK BEAN BURGERS

Put a 400ghm tin of black beans into the bowl of a food processor , giving them a couple of pulses as you need to maintain some texture .

Heat 50gm of ghee in a medium pan and saute a large  onion finely chopped
Add 140gm of mushrooms
2 tbs of tamari / soy sauce
Fry till most of the mushroom juice has evaporated .
Stir in 1 dsp of minced garlic
A handful of freshly chopped parsley
1 spring onion finely chopped
1/2 tspf chilli flakes

Add the mashed beans
Allow the mix to cook through , stirring occasionally

Pour the mix into a bowl and allow to cool before adding the flour .

Add 4 tbs of buckwheat flour or spelt flour
1 tbs of marmite /vegemite
Black pepper to taste

Divide this mixture into 6 patties using your hands .

Fry the burgers in 3 tbs of ghee over a med heat for about 2 minutes each side , until golden brown and cooked through .

 

A FLAVOUR TIP ..CHAMOMILE CHIVES AND ONION .

In a world we our major grocery stores dedicate a whole isle to teas and coffee , I have decided to do more than drink the flavoured water the teas and coffee give us .

My 1st tip ......
Steep 7 chamomile tea bags n a 7 cups of hot water , the flavour will be strong but not bitter ..
Now boil down till you have reduced  the liquid to 1/2 .
Peel and slice 500 gms of red / white  onions with 3 sliced leeks , 5 garlic cloves peeled and slice into the chamomile liquid .
Add 4 tbs of rice bran oil  and the grated zest of 1 lemon , reduce heat and cook till the onion mix has softened and aromatic ....
Use in stir fry and stews .
You don`t  need to use any particular brand of chamomile , as long as the flavour is true .
Chamomile will enliven the onion without changing its flavour .





 

SHAVED ZUCCHINI AND PECORINO SALAD WITH ALMONDS

 

 

 

 

THE VINAIGRETTE

 

In a large bowl , using a fork , mix together 3 tbs of olive oil, 1 tbs of basalmic vinegar , 1 dsp of red wine vinegar ,  cracked black pepper to taste .

 

THE SALAD

 

Using a mandolin slice 2 small zucchinis into match sticks .

Add the zucchini to 2 cups of a green salad mix .

Toss with the vinaigrette to coat well .

Using a vegetable peeler shave aged pecorino into thin  airy curls .

Slice some toasted almonds and scatter over top.

GRILLED NECTARINES WITH SOFT CHEESE

When nectarines are ripe and juicy , cut them in half and remove the stone ,
Place the halves under a grill , brush the nectarine surfaces with rice bran oil .
Grill them till they caramelize slightly and lose a bit of their tartness .
Slice into wedges a ripe, soft cheese with a near oozing centre for example a Brie , maybe a Camembert , or a triple cream cheese like Brillat-Savarin .
Now arrange the nectarine halves on individual serving plates and place the cheese wedges alongside .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPLE CRUMBLE

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C

I use 1kg of green cooking apples ( pink lady straight from the tree )

Peel , core and slice into bite size pieces....keep in mind that fruit shrinks a bit when cooked .

Place the apple chunks in a saucepan over a low heat with a tbs of water , the juice of 1/2 orange and 50gm of sugar , also  at this time of the year I add 2 skinned and deseeded blood plums ( we have them in abundance at this time of the season in Australia ).

Cover the saucepan and cook till they just begin to soften .
Taste and add  more sugar if needed .

Pour the apples into the crumble dish ...leave them to cool while you prepare the crumble .

Mix together 60gm of almond meal, 30gm of ground flax meal, 20 gm of shredded coconut  , 50 gm of softened butter /margarine and 50gm of Demerara sugar .

Mix with your fingers until the crumble looks like breadcrumbs .

Spread this over the cooled apples .

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes , until topping is cooked and golden and the fruit is pushing through the crumble

You can substitute the apple with rhubarb , stew the fruit with sugar ( taste to judge ) and do not add water , cook until half cooked and proceed  as per recipe .

GINGER BREAD

This makes 2 loaves ......
Preheat your oven to 180 deg C

Line 2 loaf tins with baking paper .

Now you have to sieve 450gm of plain flour together with 1/2 tsp of salt , 1&1/2 tsp of ground ginger , 1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda  ( sieve the bicab through a tea strainer into the sieve ....making sure there are no lumps .)

SIEVING IS IMPORTANT TO GET SOME AIR INTO THE MIX .

Now add a handful of sultanas to the mix .

In a saucepan add 225 gm of dark muscovado sugar , 170 gm of butter / margarine and 340 gm of treacle  and slightly warm it ....you should be able to put your finger in it .

Add 300ml of unsalted almond or coconut milk and stir to mix.

Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients , then stir in 1 lightly beaten egg .

Mix everything together , but don`t overwork the dough or the cake will be tight and tough .

Divide the mixture between the loaf pans and bake for 1 hour or un til a skewer inserted comes out clean .

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins , then turn out and wrap in foil .

Then serve with butter and or honey .