CASTLE GARDEN.......FROM LITTLE THINGS BIG THINGS GROW

25TH OCTOBER 2014

CASTLE GARDEN IS IN FULL BLOOM......

BIANCO - MANGIARE .......COLD CHICKEN PATE

This is a manuscript recipe , written in note form  , for Elizabeth David`s friend Lesly O`Malley .
The recipe is brief and to the point , ingredients , directions , temperatures and cooking times are precise .
Most importantly the recipe results in a very good cold chicken pate .
Place in a food processor
375 gm of cooked chicken  ( skinned and deboned )
2 tbs of rosewater
Scant tsp of crushed ginger ( 3 tiny slices of green ginger )
1 tsp of sugar
Pinch of salt.
Preheat your oven to 170deg C

Process to smooth
Stir in 60gm of almond meal
Beat in 2lightly beaten eggs
Fold in 150 ml of thickened cream , check for seasoning .
Place mix in a lined ( baking paper ) loaf tin .
Cover with top with foil.
Place the loaf tin inside a larger tin and fill the larger tin with warm  water .
Cook for 50 minutes on a rack below the centre of your oven .
Remove and cool.
Place the loaf tin in the fridge overnight..
Next day turnout.
Stick  pine nuts upright all over  , like a hedge hog.


 

LEMON AND GARLIC SAUCE FOR PORK FILLET ( TENDERLOIN )

An excellent Lebanese marinade , used for marinating pork to be grilled over charcoal , under a grill or on a barbeque.
For 500 gm of pork fillet you will need...
 15 gm of crushed garlic
Add 4 tbs of lemon juice
Stir in 2 tbs of a fruity olive oil.
Mix the sauce until well combined ..

You may be thinking that 15 gm of garlic is excessive , by the time the sauce has been distributed among the meat , it is by no means too strong.

Cube your pork fillet and marinate in the sauce for 2 hours and grill on skewers for 20 minutes.

This sauce also makes a great marinade for chicken that is to be grilled especially chicken breasts that have a tendency for dryness. The chicken breasts benefit by the combination of flavours as well as the action of the constituents of the marinade ....

This marinade was taken from an extract of an  unpublished paper by Elizabeth David  (1970 `s )
 

COOKING CLASS FOR TUESDAY 28TH OCTOBER

Good Morning Churchill Cooking Class ,

I have  given some thought to the butter chicken recipe for next week.
Indian food and recipes can vary greatly depending on the origin and  ingredients particular to the region .
So my decision...................
On Tuesday we will combine 2 popular Indian dishes in 1.
Singharas  ( Bengali version of Samosa ) with a butter chicken filling.

You will need to bring your JAR OF GHEE , a KNIFE and a FRYPAN .
A CONTAINER to take your samosas home , ( aluminium trays can be purchased in the Cheap shop next door to the Churchill newsagency . 4@ $2 ).
 500gm of chicken mince
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tin of diced tomatoes
Chopped almonds
garam marsala ( spice )
ground tumeric
ground cardamom
ground cloves
chilli powder.
1 . large onion.
In class Tuesday we spoke about purchasing spices .
There is a shop on the corner of Buckley  and Hoyle Street , Morwell which stocks a great selection of whole and ground spices....

Don`t forget your homework
What is the difference between a red onion and a Spanish onion ?

DEMONSTRATION......GOODNESS PIE

See you Tuesday @ 10.00 AM
Noelene
 

GOODNESS CAKE ... ( VEGAN & VEGETARIAN )

Put the ingredients listed into a food processor...
1/4 cup of goji berries
1/2 cup of macadamia nuts
1 tsp of maca powder
1/2 cup pistachio nuts
1/2 cup of almonds
3/4 cup of dates

Pulse until all the ingredients are finely chopped and resemble a fine crumble,
Line  a spring form pan with baking paper , and press the mixture into the base of the pan with your hand and then place in a freezer to set.

Clean out the food processor

Place the following ingredients into the processor to make the filling ....
3 ripe avocados
1/2 cup of coconut cream
1/2 cup of rice syrup or 1/2 cup of raw honey
2 tsp of vanilla bean paste
3/4 cup of raw cacoa powder.

Blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and smooth over the base.
Sprinkle a mix of 3/4  cup of goji berries with 3/4 cup of pistachio nuts over the top of the pie .
Place the pie back in the freezer to set for a couple of hours .
Remove and store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

PISTOU BARRAMUNDI

This was served on Monday night at Castle Garden ..................
 (Italian ....pesto / French...pistou .......made from basil, garlic , oil , nuts  and gruyere cheese . I omitted the cheese this time )
I combined 1/3 cup of fresh mint basil , 1 tbs of rice bran oil , 1/2 tsp of sea salt , 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper , 2 fat garlic cloves ( peeled ) , 1 tbs of panch phoran  ( spice mix ) in a food processor.
 Set aside..
Spray a fry pan with cooking spray and heat over a medium heat.
Rub the pistou on both sides of the  barramundi fillets  .
Place fillets in the prepared pan , cook for 3 minutes each sides .
the fillets will flake easily when tested with a fork .
Serve with lemon wedges , fresh uncooked spinach leaves and  cashew nuts.
 

GOUGH WHITLAM .....R.I.P. TUESDAY 21ST OCTOBER 2014.

Gough Whitlam Australia`s 21st Prime Minister died this morning in Sydney.
He was a visionary , who tapped into the social consciousness of Australia.
Gough Whitlam contributed to public welfare more than any other political leader.
I was able to attend a tertiary institution thanks to free tertiary education that was offered to all Australians .
He put an end to conscription.
He appointed a woman to oversee  health issues affecting women's health.
He recognised women`s rights.
He introduced Medicare a true  universal health system .
He wiped out the White Australian policy .
He initiated land rights for the true owners of Australia.
Wherever you are reading this blog , don`t dismiss the importance of the passing of this man , he knew the true meaning of reconciliation ...... down load the song by Paul Kelly ... " From little things big things grow. "
Thank you Gough Whitlam .
R.I.P.