MOCHA MERINGUES

Ingredients......1 egg white, 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar, 2 tbs of castor sugar, 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tbs of cocoa, 1/2 tsp of instant coffee powder( not granules). If you are not a fan of coffee replace the coffee powder with and extra 1/2 tsp of cocoa. Preheat your oven to 120 deg C. Beat the egg white and cream of tartar with your beater on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the castor sugar , vanilla, coffee and cocoa. Divide and drop the mixture onto a baking paper lined oven sheet in 12 portions, about 5cm apart. BBake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until firm. Now the next step must be followed for the success of your mocha meringues...... Turn off your oven and let the meringues cool in the unopened oven for one hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR while the meringues are cooling.

SALMON , TURNIP AND ZUCCHINI PATTIES

Seriously , these patties are delicious. Ingredients........2 zucchini (grated), 1 large turnip (grated), 415gm can of pink salmon (well drained and broken up), 1 dsp of finely grated lemon rind / zest, 2 lightly beaten eggs, sesame oil for frying, cracked black pepper and dried dill, some mixed salad leaves as a side. Squeeze the excess water out of the the grated zucchini and turnip, this is important as this will mean the patties will not fall apart. Preheat your oven to 100 deg C, to keep the patties warm when cooked. Now place the grated vegetables in a bowl with the salmon, lemon zest and lightly beaten eggs. Season with cracked black pepper and dried dill to taste, mix well to combine. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape each one into a patty. Heat a little seame oil in a frypan and cook half the patties over a medium heat until lightly browned on each side and cooked through. Remove the cooked patties to the warmed oven while you cook the remaining patties. Serve the patties warm dressed with mixed salad leaves and mayonnaise.

MAYONNAISE

Ingredients.......1 egg, 1 tbs of lemon juice, 1/4 tsp of salt, 185ml of sesame oil, 60ml of extra virgin olive oil. Crack the egg into a glass bowl and using a hand food processor blend on a low speed. Add the lemon juice and salt and blend for a few seconds. With the motor running slowly drizzle in the sesame oil and olive oil. Continue to blend until the mayonnaise is thickand smooth. This mayonnaise can be stored in the fridge in a sterile, sealed jar for 7 days.

SPAGHETTI WITH BABY SPINACH AND SUN DRIED TOMATO

Ingredients......500gm of spaghetti noodles, 150gm of sun dried tomatoes in oil, 80gm pine nuts, 2 small red / yellow chillies (finely chopped), 2 tbs of minced garlic, 2 tbs of olive oil, 140 gm of baby spinach leaves (finely chopped), 25gm of grated parmesan. Cook pasta in a saucepan with boiling water, uncovered, until just tender, drain and wash under cold water through a colander. Now drain the tomatoes over a small bowl and coarsley chop the tomatoes. Heat the reserved oil and the 2 tbs of olive oil in a large saucepan along with the pine nuts, chopped chilli and minced garlic , stirring until fragrant , cook over a medium heat. Add the drained pasta, chopped tomatoes and baby spinach. Toss until the spinach has just wilted and spaghetti warmed through. Serve the pasta sprinkled with the grated cheese.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TART

Ingredients........50gm of 70% cocoa chocolate, coarsely chopped, 55gm of castor sugar, 1 tbs of Dutch cocoa powder, 60gm of almond meal, 20gm of cold butter/ marg, 2 eggs, 1 dsp of apera ( a cream type sherry), 2 sheets of commercial puff pastry sheets. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line a flat ovenproof dish with lightly sprayed baking paper . Place the sugar, chocolate, cocoa, and almond meal in the bowl of your processor and process until finely chopped. Add the butter/ marg and process until the mixture comes together, add the the apera and a lightly beaten egg and continue to process to form a smooth paste. Now let's prepare the pastry..... cut one pastry sheet into a 12cmx 24cm rectangle and cutting out a 14cm x 24cm rectangle out of the remaining sheet. leaving a 2cm border along all sides. Make even slits in the centre of the larger pastry sheet at 1.5cm intervals. Place the smaller pastry sheet on the greased baking paper lined oven tray. Spread the centre of the pastry sheet with the chocolate mixture, leaviong a 2cm border all round. Brush the edges with with a little water. Top with the other pastry sheet with slits, press the edges of the pastry sheets together. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Brush the pastry with the remaining lightly beaten egg. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

MIXED GRAIN AND SEED BREAD

Ingredients.....350gm of self raising flour, 1 and 1/4 cups of mixed seeds/ grains, 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of castor sugar, 4 eggs lightly beaten, 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar, 3 tbs of rice bran oil, 3 tbs of milk, 125ml of water, sunflower seeds for the topping. # you can use any combination of seeds/ grains for this bread; fennel, caraway, linseed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and lightly sprinkle a loaf pan 20cm x 9cm. Combine the flour , mixed seeds, salt and sugar together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the lightly beaten eggs with an electric beater until pale and fluffy. Stir in the vinegar, rice bran oil, milk and water. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Scatter extra sunflower seeds over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes oiut clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. This bread keeps well at room temp for two days in an airtight container, then kept in the airtight container in your refrigerator. This bread also freezes well.

IRISH PORK CAKE (1)

Yep my search for recipes from long ago rewaded me with this 'dandy'. This recipe came from a publication ( not dated), "A COLLECTION OF OLD AND NEW RECIPES FROM MANY LANDS", tested in the kitchen of a New England housewife . Here is the recipe , hand written , the original recipe. Ingredients.....1/2 lb ground salt pork, 1 cup of strong coffee, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of molasses, 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of clove, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, 3 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp of soda, 1/2 cup of seedless raisins, 1/2 cup of currants. Pour boiling water over the raisins and currants and let stand while mixing the batter. Put the salt pork through the fine knife of the grinder twice. Pour the hot coffee over this and let cool. Add the brown sugar, molasses and the egg to the mixture and beat together. Sift the flour , spices and soda together and sprinkle over the drained raisins and currants ( this keeps the fruit from going to the bottom ). Line a greased fruit cake pan or ring pan with brown paper. Grease the paper and pour in the batter. The pork cake should be baked for 90 minutes or longer in a moderate oven ( or until a cake tester comes out clean). When it is cool, wrap the cake in a cloth moistened with sherry and store for at least a week. There you have it ...... I spent much time questioning the ingredients and method . I challenge you , take the original recipe and bring it to today with your interpretation of the recipe ... Mine will follow in a week after the cake has sat wrapped in a sherry moistened cloth.