COFFEE ALMOND BISCUITS

Ingredients......1 tbs of instant coffee granules, 360gm of almond meal, 220 gm of castor sugar, 3 egg whites lightly beaten. Preheat your oven to 160 deg C. Grease and line oven trays with baking paper. Dissolve coffee in 2 tbs of boiling water. Place the 3 egg whites in the bowl of your electric mixer along with the sugar and beat until slightly thickened. Now add the almond meal and the coffee. Continue to beat until you have a firm paste. Roll level tbs of the mixture into balls and place on the prepared trays 3 cm apart, flatten evenly with your hand. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cool the biscuits on a wire rack. Simple and delicious.

STEAMED SALMON WITH BEURRE BLANC

Ingredients......60ml of dry white wine, 1 tbs of lemon juice, 60 ml of cream, 125 gm of cold butter/ marg, 4 x 200gm salmon fillets with skin on. Place the salmon fillets in a large steamer set over a large saucepan of simmering water. Steam, covered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the buerre blanc sauce. Combine the wine and juice in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil without stirring until reduced by 2/3 rds. Add the cream, return to the boil and then reduce heat immediately. Whisk in the cold butter/marg, piece by piece, whisking in between addiotions, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Place the fillets on serving plates and pour over the prepared sauce. Serve with asparagus or a side of your choice.

VALE…..PETER RUSSELL- CLARKE 4 TH JULY 2025.

A country boy who had no formal seconadary education, who went on to become a chef, an author, a TV presenter long before it was necessary to be pretentious and self obsessed to be a success. Peter Russell-Clarke was a witty, caring chef who promoted the use of simple fresh ingredients who shared recipes with the community which could be easily reproduced in the home kitchen. Some time ago I was very fortunate to acquire a copy of Peter Russell- Clarkes Food Encyclopedia from Churchill's Lifeline shop. I feel really honoured to have been influenced by the written words of the likes of Peter Russell- Clarke and the late Margaret Fulton.

HASH BROWNS

Ingredients......1 kg of potatoes, unpeeled, ( sebago are best, they have a smooth light brown / white skin and white flesh), 1 small onion (approx 90 gm ) finely chopped, 1 dsp of finely chopped fresh rosemary, 60 gm of ghee. preheat your oven to 120 deg C. Scrub the potatoes. Boil , steam or microwave the potatoes until just tender. Cool for 10 minutes. Slice the potatoes into 1 cm cubes. Combine the potatoes in a large bowl with the onion and rosemary. Heat a 1/3rd of the ghee in a medium heavy based frying pan, place 4 greased egg rings in the pan. Spoon a 1/4 of the potato mixture into each egg ring, spread the mixture evenly to fill the ring. Cook pressing with a spatula until browned, turn each ring to brown the other side. Drain on absorbent paper,sprinkle lightly with crack black pepper,( optional). Place in the preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture to make 12 hash browns.

GREEK YOGHURT CAKE

Ingredients......125gm of butter/ marg, softened, 220gm of castor sugar, 3 eggs, separated, 300gm of self raising flour, 1/2 tsp of bi carb of soda, 40gm of granulated nuts, 280gm of Greek yoghurt. This recipe makes 1 x 30cm x 20cm square cake or 12 muffins. Depending on your choice grease and line a pan with baking paper or line your 12 hole muffin pan with muffin wraps. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Beat the butter/ marg and sugar in a large bowl with your electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the lightly beaten egg yolks and beat well till incorporated. Mix together the flour and soda and add to the egg mixture, beat till just combined. Add the yoghurt and granulated nuts. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a hand held electric beater until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the yoghurt mixture. Either spread the mixture in the prepared pan or divide between the muffin wraps. Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean or bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until tested with a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the cake or the muffins in their pans for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Optional .... dust with sifted icing sugar over top to serve.

FRITTATA MUFFINS

1 cup of plain flour, 1 dsp of baking powder, 1 tsp of salt, 4 medium cold, cooked potatoes, 2 cups cold, cooked mixed vegies, 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, 4 eggs lightly beaten, 1/2 cup of milk, cracked black pepper. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Lightly grease your large holed muffin pan with cooking spray or line with muffin wraps. MIx the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Cut the potatoes, and other vegetables into small pieces, cut the tomatoes roughly. MIx the eggs and milk together. Now add the vegetables and egg mixture to the dry ingredients, mix quickly till just combined. Three quarters fill the prepared muffin pan with the mixture. Sprinkle the cracked black pepper on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until tested with a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, these muffins can also be served hot/ warm.

CLASSIC FISH CURRY

Ingredients.....6 white fish fillets with skin on, 6 tbs of lemon juice, 1 and 1/2 tsp of salt, 4 tbs of minced garlic, 2 tbs of chilli flakes, 3 ripe tomatoes, 1 dsp of ground cumin, 1 tbs of apple cider vinegar, 1 dsp of sugar,3 tbs of canola / rice bran oil, 1 small onion chopped, 225gm of tomato paste, slices of fresh tomato and red chilli to garnish. Marinate the fish fillets in a bowl with the lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt for 20 minutes. Place the garlic, chilli flakes, tomatoes, cumin, remaining salt and sugar in your food processor and process to a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions until lightly browned. Add the prossessed curry paste to the onions and fry for 2 minutes until aromatic. Now add the tomato paste, stir through to combine. Add the fish fillets and enough water to almost cover the fish fillets. Bring the mixture to a simmer then cover the pan and continue to simmer till the fish is tender. If the curry gets dry add a little water and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Serve in bowls with steamed rice/ mixed grains and garnish with fresh coriander, chilli and tomato slices.