LAMBS FRY WITH HERBS

Season 2 tbs of flour with salt and papper. Now coat 500gm of sliced and trimmed lambs fry. Heat 2 tbs of oil in a pan and fry the lambs fry for 2 minutes on each side, then set the lambs fry aside. Add 2 peeled and chopped onions to the pan and cook till softened , then add 2/3 rds cup of dry red wine,2/3ds cup of beef stock, 2 tbs of tomato paste ,1 dsp of dried thyme and cracked black pepper. Stir to blend and bring to the boil . Return the lambs fry back to the pan along with 2 skinned and sliced tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liver is tender. Place the liver onto warmed plates and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

BACON AND NUT RING

N.B.... For a vegetarian version of this dish , replace the bacon with cheese . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Heat 2 tbs of rice bran oil in a pan add 1 chopped onion, 1 tbs of minced garlic , 125gm of chopped bacon pieces and 2 celery sticks chopped . Fry till the celery and onion have softened . Stir through 3/4 cup of tomato juice and 1 tbs of wholemeal flour . Continue stirring until the mixture thickens . Now add 2 cups of wholemeal breadcrumbs , 125 gm of granulated nuts , 1 tbs of chopped or dried parsley , 1 lightly beaten egg and 1 tbs of rolled oats . 1 tsp of both salt and cracked black pepper , mix thoroughly . Press the mixture into a greased 19cm ring mould and cover with foil . Cook in the preheated oven for 1 hour . Turn out onto a warm serving plate and gress with baby spinach leaves . Can be served hot or cold .

OREO BIRTHDAY CAKE CHALLENGE

I had a premade mud cake in the freezer , which I had sliced into 24 squares before freezing. I was given 5 packets of oreo biscuits (133gm each )and 2 tubs of premade vanilla icing . My first thought was to make a no bake cheesecake , but I was told the birthday boy did'nt like cheesecake . So I secured the chocolate mud cake slices on the serving board with oreos placed in between the slices and made a boarder around the cake with oreos . I crumbed one packet of oreos , whipped 600 ml of cream until thickened and added the 2 tubs of premade icing . I spooned the oreo crumb through the creamed mixture . Then I piped this mixture around the base of the cake and on top of the layered oreo cake . I then added another layer of oreo biscuits on top and bagged a dob of the icing cream on top of each biscuit . Then finished off with a flaky chocolate crumb all over.

ALMOND SLICES

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Spray an 18 X 28 cm slice pan and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta and line the base with a sheet of short crust pastry . Spread 2 tbs of raspberry jam over the pastry . Using your electric beater mix together 1 and 1/4 cups of castor sugar , 1 and 1/2 cups of almond meal ,1/4 cup of rice flour and 3 lightly beaten eggs . Beat for 4 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy , spoon this mixture evenly onto the jam . Sprinkle lightly with flaked almonds . Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until golden . Cool in the pan , then cut into slices and leave in the pan until cold .

TOMATO, MUSHROOM & SPINACH PILAU

Melt 1/4 cup (60gm ) butter / marg in a pan over a medium heat . Add 2 onions peeled and finely chopped , along with 2 tbs of minced garlic . Cook these stirring occasionally until the onion softens . Now add 375 gm of button mushrooms , sliced in half and continue to cook until the mushrooms soften . Add 1 dsp of ground cinnamon , 1 dsp of ground cloves ,and 1 dsp of ground cardamon . Can you smell the aromas already ? Right now add 250 gm of pre cooked brown rice , the juice and grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 x 400gm can of diced tomatoes(optional ) and 500ml of vegetable stock . Ok now cover the pan and simmer gently until the liquid reduces ... at this stage add 300gm of fresh baby spinach leaves ...stir through until the spinach is wilted .

APPLE CRESCENTS

I used puff pastry sheets to make this very old recipe and it is so easy to prepare . Preheat your oven to 200 deg C . Cut out as many 10cm (4")rounds as possible . So as not to waste the trimmings , press them together and roll out again. Peel and core 300gm of cooking apples . Coarsley grate the apples and mix with 1 tbs of castor sugar . Place 1 tbs of the apple mixture in the centre of the pastry rounds . Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water and fold to make half circles . enclosing the apple, sealing the edges . Brush lightly with water and sprinkle with castor sugar . Place the crescents on a well sprayed and lightly sprinkled with fine polenta ,baking tray . Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown . Transfer to a wire rack and leave to completely cool . When cool carefully split the crescents along the join and pipe in whipped cream .

5 DAY CHALLENGE (5)

DAY 5...SATAY CHICKEN So here we are onto the fifth meal all evolving from my primary ingredient ...PUMPKIN . I made a simple satay sauce with peanut butter , a little chilli powder ,ground coriander mixed with soft brown sugar and 200ml of coconut milk . I heated these and stirred till the sugar dissolved and the sauce thickened slightly ....I let it cool then stirred through the cold chicken ragu and topped with chopped walnuts . This end meal is delicious , rememeber the longer a meal sits in the refrigerator the greater the flavour .