WINTER SUNSHINE

This is a mixture of coconut flakes , pineapple pieces , shredded carrot, sliced onion , pulled pork . These ingredients are mixed together along with ground coriander , cumin , minced garlic,salt and cracked pepper . Now mix through coconut milk . Place the mixture in your slow cooker along with pickled vinegar and soy sauce . Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low . You can serve as you wish ,I serve winter sunshine as a pumpkin filling or as a lattice pie. If you want the recipe you know how to contact me .

‘COUNTRY ‘COOKING CLASS ... TERM 3

I will be back in the kitchen at CNC next week and I am inviting you to join me on a food journey through a host of countries . Next week we will be preparing a deep dish apple pie and an Indonesian beef stew . If you are interested to join us at the prep table , ring CNC to book a spot ring 51203850. There is a world of dishes coming your way ....

TO CLARIFY (CLEAR ) MEAT STOCK

Allow the white of one egg and the shell of one egg to each 5 cups of stock you have . Crush the shell and mix with lightly beaten egg white . Add this mixture to the stock and gradually heat , slowly bringing up to boiling point. Boil for 2 minutes without stirring . Remove from the heat , then strain while making sure that all the egg shell has been removed.

BEEF TEA

Beef tea dates back to 1760 in Dublin . Remove the fat and finely chop 1/2 kg of gravy beef . Place the choped beef in the top of a double sauceapan and cover with cold wtaer and 1 tsp of salt . Fill the bottom of the double saucepan with water and cook for 3 hours , adding water to the boiler as it evaporates . When ready strain and remove all traces of grease . Serve hot with Melba toast .

ABOUT SOUP

Odd bits of food which many people throw away can be used for a tasty and economical soup . Trimmings from chops , steaks, fish joints ,bacon and chicken giblets , scraps of any uncooked meat , or the bones , even the left over gravy can form the base for meat stock . Brown stock is usually made with the bones or meat of any red meat while white stock is usually made fom either chicken or fish . Always break bones to allow the juices and marrow to escape freely into the soup water . Cut meat into small pieces . Long slow cooking in plenty of water is necessary to soften the tissue and disolve protein in meat and bones . Shins , shanks ,knuckles and necks make good soup . For fish soup , always use the heads , tails , backbone or any other discarded pieces that would be otherwise thrown out .

EGGS..........

EGG WHITES ... A tiny pinch of cream of tartar added to egg whites before beating makes them froth more quickly and the egg whites will be stiffer when beaaten . Egg whites will not beat well if very fresh , or taken straight from the refrigerator . Room temperature is always best . Do not beat egg whites in a plastic bowl as the bowl may retain a little grease and this will prevent the whites from whipping firmly . My eldest sons granny , Jessie Mersey taught me the benefits of cream of tartar nearly 50 years go . EGGS SCRAMBLED .... To make scrambled eggs go further , add 1 tbs of evaporated milk for every two eggs used . EGGS...KEEPING THEM FRESH .. Eggs will keep fresh for at least 3 months if rubbed with vaseline , refrigeration is not necessary but keep in a cool place . EGGS...PICKLED. Pickled eggs are excellent with cold meats etc . The eggs should be boiled hard and then shelled. Boil enough cider vinegar to cover the eggs in lidded jars you are using , add to the vinegar in the pot 1 dsp of tumeric , 1 dsp of curry powder , mustard seeds , fennel seeds and 1 dsp of chilli flakes ( optional ). Drain the vingar mixture and then pour over enough coloured and pickled vinegar to cover the boiled eggs . Secure the jars tightly with lids . Keep the eggs in an even temperature until the eggs change colour .( 1 week - 3 months ). Once opened keep in the refrigerator . My Aunt Ruby Newton used to prepare these and were always added to a cold meat salad or a sandwich I'm pretty sure she would never have used tumeric as a colouring .

FEIJOAS.......FEIJOA JAM

Thank you Robyn Grigoleit for your generous offer of feijoas . I love feIjoas , my son Dale gifted me a feijoa plant 12 months ago and it is growing well. A bowl of feijoas on your kitchen bench releases a wonderful aroma . FeIjoas are unassuming in appearance but they make a wonderful jam and also a flavoursome chutney . Chop and peel 1.5 kg of feijoas , place in a saucepan with the juice of 2 lemons and simmer for 25 minutes or until the feijoas are tender . Add 1.25 kg of castor sugar , increase the heat to medium and stir until the sugar is dissolved . Bring to a slow boil , until setting point is reached ( thickened ). Pour into jars and seal immediately . This jam does not need to sit , you eat it immediately .