PROSCIUTTO AND CHEESE ASPARAGUS

This is a really popular starter or at my place a side dish to a seafood mains . You will need 10 slices of prosciutto( 150gm ), 10 spears of asparagus ( woody end trimmed). I halve 5 slices of Gouda cheese and wrap each halve diagonally around each asparagus spear. The finish off wrapping 1 prosciutto slice over the cheese around the asparagus . Place under your grill until the prosciutto is crsp on both sides ...

COCONUT MACAROONS

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Separate 1 egg . Beat 1 egg yolk with 55 gm ( 1/4 cup )of icing sugar in a small bowl until creamy. Stir in 120 gm ( 1 and 2/3 rds cup) of shredded coconut . Now beat the egg white in a clean dry bowl , until firm peaks form , gently stir into the coconut mixture . Drop heaped tsp of the mixture on to baking paper lined oven trays . Bake for 15 minutes , then reduce your oven temp to 120 deg C and bake for about 30 minutes or until the macaroons are golden . remove from oven and cool on oven trays . Macaroons when cooled can be stored in air tight containers and they are also suitable for freezing .

GINGER AND ALMOND SLICE

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Grease a slice pan ( 18cm X 28 cm ) and line it with baking paper . Beat 175 gm of butter/ marg with 220gm ( 1 cup )of sugar , until thick and pale .Add 2 tbs of milk with 1 lightly beaten egg and 225 gm ( 1 and 1/2 cups )of plain flour . Now using a wooden spoon stir in 100gm of almond meal , 1 tsp of ground ginger ,125 gm of chopped glace ginger . Place the mixture in the prepaed pan and pat down with the back of a spoon for a smooth surface . Sprinkle over 70 gm of flaked almonds. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean . Cool the slice in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely . Dust with icing sugar and slice into fingers ( approx 16 ) .

LENTIL AND SPINACH EN CROUTE

This one is for you Cindy Kearns . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C Heat a little rice bran oil in a pan over a medium heat . Cook 250 gm of sliced mushrooms until slightly softened . Add 100gm of baby spinach leaves , 150 gm of drained , roasted and sliced capsicum , along with 2 X 400gm cans of drained lentils , 1 dsp of bush curry and 2 tbs of fruit chutney . Season with siracha ,mince garlic and a tsp of minced ginger . Cook until the spinach has wilted , stirring all the while . Remove from the heat and let the mix cool completely . Line a baking tray with baking paper . Lay out one sheet of puff pastry Spread 1/2 the lentil mixture down the centre , top with 60 gm of grated cheese , then top with the remaining lentil mixture .. Place top of the pastry sheet over a lightly floured board , spread half the lentil mix down the centre and top with 60 gm of grated cheese then top with the remaining lentil mix. Brush the pastry edges with water , then fold over to enclose the mixture. Press the edges to seal . Place on the oven tray seam side down . Brush with a lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with extra cheese . Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden .

A RUSSIAN FISH PIE

Preheat your oven to 200deg C . You need an 800 gm skinless salmon fillet . Line baking tray baking paper . Steam 1/4 cup of brown rice , remove from steamer and cool completely . Heat 1 tbs of rice bran oil and 1 dsp of butter in a pan over a medium heat . Add 1 large onion peeled and chopped , cook stirring until the onion has softened . Add 150 gm of swiss mushrooms ( chopped ) and cook until tender . Stir in 1 dsp of turmeric and toss to coat . Now add the cooled rice , 1/3 rd cup of dried dill , 1/3 rd cup of chopped parsley , 1 dsp of siracha , 1 tbs of rinsed and chopped capers , the grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 hard boiled eggs chopped and 2 tbs of minced garlic . Ok season the mixture with cracked black pepper and a little salt . Join 2 puff pastry sheets together at the seam with your fingers . Place the pastry sheet over the prepared baking tray and place the salmon filet/s over top. Top the salmon with the rice and egg mixture . Enclose the salmon and filling with the pastry and trim to give your pie an edge and press to seal . Brush the pastry edges with a beaten egg . Use a little of the left over pastry and shape as you like to top your pie . Bake for 30- 40 minutes until golden .. Serve warm .

BAKED CUSTARD WITH STRAWBERRIES

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. You will need a 6 cup capicity ovenproof dish ( casserole ) . Lightly spray the dish with cooking oil . Now let's make the custard . Use a large bowl and add 600ml of cream , 300l of milk , 3 tbs of castor sugar , 3 beaten eggs , 1 dsp of vanilla extract and 1 tsp of ground nutmeg . Beat well until the sugar is dissolved . Pour the well prepared mixture into the prepared dish . Place the dish into a roasting tray and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of custard dish . Bake for 1 and 1/4 hours or until the custard is set and slightly wobbly . Remove from the oven . Let the bath with the custard dish in it cool . Remove the custard dish from the bath and place in the fridge and chill until you need to serve . Add fresh srawberries ( sliced ) and sprinkled with icing sugar . Serve with whipped cream .

CLAFOUTIS AUX CERISES

I first published this recipe for calfoutis in September 2018 . There are many versions of this recipe but this is the one I always use . It is so simple . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Place in a bowl 50 gm of almond meal , 15 gm of plain flour , 1/4 tsp of salt . In the bowl of your mixer beat together 3 egg yolk and 2 eggs with 100gm of castor sugar until pale and fluffy . Add the dry ingredients until you have a smooth batter . Spray cooking oil in and around 4 oven proof ramequins or 1 medium sized 4 cup casserole . Divide 300 gm of pitted cherries between the 4 ramequins or over the base of the casserole . Now pour over the batter . place the dishes in the preheated oven or until golden , risen and the middle has set . If not cover with a sheet of baking paper and bake until set . Oven bake for 45 minutes Check the clafoutis with skewer to check that it is set in the middle . If not bake for another 5 minutes . Clafoutis can be served hot , warm or cold with a good sprinkling of icing sugar and a healthy dollop of thickened cream or mascarpone .