Beef Fillet with Blood Plum Sauce

INGREDIENTS
750g fillet of beef
1/3 cup kecap manis
1/3 cup shao hsing wine or sherry
2 tbs soy sauce
6 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
350 g blood plums

METHOD
Marinate beef in next four ingredients with half the oil for 2 hours.
Drain and reserve marinade.
Sear beef in rest of oil and transfer to roasting pan.
Cook at high temperature, 220 for 10 minutes or so.
Pour over marinade and return to oven for another 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and cover with foil.
Halve the plums and cook in beef juices for five minutes.
Slice beef and top with plum sauce.
Season with salt and pepper.

SOURCE
Kylie Kwong

Vietnamese Salad

INGREDIENTS

125g rice vermicelli

3 green onions, sliced thinly

1 lebanese cucumber, seeded, sliced thinly

2 carrots, thin julienne

100g snow peas, trimmed, sliced thinly

1/2 chinese cabbage, thinly sliced

1/3 cup finely shredded fresh vietnamese mint

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves

1 fresh small red thai chilli, chopped finely

1/4 cup toasted crushed peanuts

Vietnamese dressing

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp palm sugar, grated (or brown sugar)

METHOD

Soak vermicelli noodles in a bowl of boiling water for 10 minutes or until soft.

Combine cucumber, carrot, green onion, snow peas, cabbage, mint and coriander in a large salad bowl.

Prepare dressing by mixing ingredients together in a small bowl.

Drain noodles and mix into salad.

Add dressing to salad, toss to coat.

Garnish with peanuts and chilli.

COMMENTS

Add cooked prawns or chicken for a tasty variation

SOURCE

AWW Party Food and Drink

Roast baby beetroot, braised leeks and fennel

INGREDIENTS
300g fresh baby beets
½ cup olive oil or olive oil spray
1 tsp sea salt
Pinch cracked white pepper
200g baby leeks
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 baby fennel
¼ cup mayonnaise

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Wash beetroot and leeks thoroughly.
Place beetroot in roasting dish with half oil (spray) and half salt and pepper.
Cover with foil and bake for 1 ½ - 2 hours.
Slice leeks lengthwise into 10cm strips.
Place in roasting dish and drizzle with rest of oil, salt, pepper and vinegars.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 mins.
Combine thinly slice fennel with mayonnaise and set aside.
Arrange beetroot and fennel on platter and top with leeks.
Pour over pan juices and dollop with 2 tbs mayonnaise.

COMMENTS
Nice with seafood

SOURCE
Kylie Kwong

Pistachio Ice-Cream Pastries with Orange & Date Salad

INGREDIENTS
1L bought pistachio (or any good-quality) ice-cream
10 sheets filo pastry
30g unsalted butter, melted
200g caster sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbs orange flower water
1/2 cup water

Orange and Date Salad
1 orange, peeled, segmented
4 fresh dates, seeds removed, slivered
2 tbs chopped pistachios

METHOD
Allow the ice-cream to soften slightly, then pack into a lamington pan lined with plastic wrap.
Refreeze until firm.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Lightly grease 2 large baking trays, then place a sheet of pastry on each tray, brush with a little butter, then place another sheet of pastry on top.
Continue layering and brushing until you have two 5-sheet stacks.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
Meanwhile, place the sugar, honey, cinnamon and orange flower water in a pan with water.
Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar, then increase heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside.
Remove the pastries from the oven and pour the syrup over each stack, reserving a little syrup to drizzle.
Set the pastries aside to cool.
Use a pastry cutter to cut out eight 6cm rounds from each pile of pastry and eight 6cm rounds from the ice-cream.
Return the ice-cream rounds to the freezer.
To make the salad, combine all ingredients in a small bowl, add a little of the reserved syrup.
Place a pastry stack on each plate, top with a round of ice-cream, then another pastry stack.
Drizzle with the reserved syrup and top with the salad.

SERVINGS
8

COMMENTS
Very sweet!

SOURCE
Delicious Let's Entertain

Lamb Tagine

INGREDIENTS
40g butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large brown onion, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1.2kg diced lamb shoulder

1 stick cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

3 cups water

1 cup dried apricots

1 cup almonds

½ cup prunes

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lime juice, or lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

lots of fresh, roughly chopped coriander to garnish

Moroccan couscous to serve

METHOD
Preheat oven to 165°C or 145°C fan-forced.

Heat a large ovenproof casserole pot with a lid, on stovetop.

Add butter, olive oil and onion.

Cook until onion softens.

Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Turn up heat and add the lamb, brown all sides, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Add cinnamon stick and spices. Stir to coat and distribute evenly.

Soak saffron in water, and then add water to pot. A little extra water may be necessary, to cover the lamb.

Place lid on casserole dish, transfer to pre-heated oven.

Cook 2 hours.

After 2 hours, remove pot from oven.

Add apricots, almonds, prunes, honey, juice and season.

Return pot to oven or to a low heat on stovetop.

Simmer 15-20 minutes.

Lamb should be very tender. If not, simmer a little longer.

Add coriander.

Serve with couscous.

COMMENTS

Many dried fruits can be used, including dates and preserved lemon. Olives can also be used.

SERVINGS

6

SOURCE

AWW Website

Chickpea Tomato Stew with Moroccan Flavours

INGREDIENTS
1 pound dried chick-peas (about 2 1/3 cups), picked over
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large onions, sliced thin (about 7 cups)
two 28- to 32-ounce cans whole tomatoes, drained, reserving juice, and chopped
1 cup raisins
1/3 cup chopped peel of preserved lemons
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well and drained (about 10 cups packed)
Accompaniment: couscous and crusty bread

METHOD
In a bowl soak chick-peas in water in cover by 2 inches overnight and drain (or use canned chickpeas).
In a 3-quart saucepan combine chick-peas, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and water to cover, by 2 inches and simmer, covered partially, adding more water if necessary, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until chick-peas are just tender.
Discard cinnamon.
Chick-peas may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and chilled in their cooking liquid, covered. In a large heavy kettle heat oil over moderate heat and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes with reserved juice, chick-peas with cooking liquid, raisins, preserved lemon peel, ground cumin, and coriander and bring to a simmer.
Cook stew about 45 minutes, or until chick-peas are tender and liquid is thickened slightly.
Stir in spinach, a heaping handful at a time, and cook until wilted and just tender.
Season stew with salt and pepper and serve with couscous and bread.

SERVINGS
8

SOURCE
Epicurious Website (GourmetJanuary 1996)

Parsley, Rocket and Olive Salad

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 crushed garlic clove
1 cup baby rocket leaves
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
1/4 chopped preserved lemon rind (discard the pulp)
1/4 cup pitted, sliced green olives
salt and pepper

METHOD
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a large bowl.
Add rocket, parsley and coriander.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add preserved lemon and olives.
Toss well.

SERVINGS
8

SOURCE
Delicious Let's Entertain

Feta and Yoghurt Dip

INGREDIENTS
250g mild feta cheese
250g ricotta cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 cup Greek-style yoghurt
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup pitted black olives, diced
1 small tomato, finely diced
1-2 tsp lemon rind, thinly sliced

METHOD
Puree the feta, ricotta, oil, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and half the yoghurt until smooth.
Stir in the remaining yoghurt, mint and oregano.
Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the olives, tomato and lemon rind.

SERVINGS
Makes 4 cups

SOURCE
AWW Dips and Dippers

Rice Paper Rolls

INGREDIENTS
12 large rice paper sheets (or 24 small)
400g pork mince
1 clove garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 lime, juice of
100g rice stick noodles
½ carrot, julienne
2 spring onions, julienne
½ cucumber, julienne
12 large sized baby spinach or medium bok choy leaves, or 24 small
sprouts
coriander leaves
mint leaves

METHOD
Gently saute pork mince with garlic and ginger till cooked, drain off pork fat.
Add chilli, fish and soy sauces, sugar and squeezed lime to taste (you may want to add a pinch of salt), set aside.
Place noodles in bowl, pour over boiling water to cover, place plate on top to keep in steam and leave for 10 minutes, drain.
Soak a rice paper sheet in lukewarm water for 30 seconds or until soft.
Lay flat on tea towel.
Place a spinach leaf in the centre towards the bottom of the rice paper.
Place a dessertspoonful of mince mixture on leaf, top with several julienne of carrot, cucumber and spring onion, a few coriander and mint leaves, and several noodles.
Turn up bottom of rice paper to cover filling, bring in sides and roll up.
Repeat with remaining rice paper sheets.
Serve with a dipping sauce (fish sauce, chilli sauce, lime juice and brown sugar).

VARIATION
As a variation, replace pork mixture with shelled, cooked prawns and slices of mango and avocado.
The pork version can also be deep fried to make spring rolls using either rice paper or spring roll wrappers.

SERVINGS
12 large or 24 small

SOURCE
Jules

Quiche Lorraine

INGREDIENTS
Pastry
1 ¾ cups plain flour
155g butter
1 egg yolk
2 tsp lemon juice, approx.

Filling
1 onion, finely chopped
3 bacon rashers, chopped
3 eggs
300ml cream
½ cup milk
¾ cup grated tasty cheese

METHOD
Pastry
Sift flour into bowl, rub in butter.
Add egg yolk and enough lemon juice to make ingredients cling together.
Knead gently on lightly floured surface until smooth.
Cover, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll pastry between two sheets of baking paper, large enough to line a deep 23cm flan tin.
Lift pastry into flan tin, gently ease pastry into side of tin, trim edges of pastry neatly.
Cover pastry with baking paper, fill the cavity with dried beans or rice.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes.
Remove paper and beans/rice carefully.
Bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool to room temperature before filling.

Filling
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cook onion and bacon in frying pan until onion is soft.
Drain away excess fat, cool before spreading into pastry case.
Beat eggs in a bowl with whisk.
Add cream, milk and cheese, and whisk until just combined.
Pour into pastry case.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until filling is set and brown.
Stand quiche 5 minutes before removing from tin.

SERVINGS
8

COMMENTS
Ready made shortcrust pastry can also be used.
Halve the recipe to make 24 mini quiches.

SOURCE
AWW

Filled Filo Squares

INGREDIENTS
100g cream cheese
130g goat’s cheese
1 tsp chopped dill
2 tsp chopped chives
2 tsp chopped parsley
10 sheets filo pastry
Olive oil
½ tsp sesame seeds

METHOD
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Combine cream cheese, goat’s cheese and herbs.
Trim filo pastry sheets to 30cm x 20cm.
Brush 5 pastry sheets with oil, stack on top of each other and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.
Spread cheese mixture over pastry stack.
Brush remaining 5 filo sheets with oil, stack and place on top of cheese layer.
Score pastry into 60 small squares.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

SERVINGS
60 small squares

SOURCE
Marie Claire Food and Drink

Stuffed Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS
18 button mushrooms
1 clove of garlic, crushed
¼ cup ricotta cheese
½ tsp finely chopped fresh marjoram
¼ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 slices proscuitto, finely sliced
2 tsp olive oil
Mozzarella, grated

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and trim their rounded tops with a sharp knife so as to give them a flat base when placed upside down.
Finely chop stems and trimmed tops, then sauté with garlic until soft, cool.
Place ricotta, herbs, proscuitto and oil in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Add sautéed mushrooms.
Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the ricotta filling into the centre of the mushrooms and place them on a baking tray.
Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and bake for 12-15 minutes.

SERVINGS
18

SOURCE
Adapted from Marie Claire Food and Drink

Tomato and Bocconcini Bites

INGREDIENTS
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
12 small bocconcini, halved
24 basil leaves
24 toothpicks
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

METHOD
Using a toothpick, secure a basil leaf between a cherry tomato half and a bocconcini half.
Repeat with remaining halves.
Drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

SERVINGS
24

SOURCE
Adapted from Donna Hay Modern Classics 1

Baked Whole Fish Kerala Style

INGREDIENTS

2.5kg whole fish

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small (80g) onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

3 tsp black mustard seeds

3 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 bunch (110g) fresh coriander

1 cup yoghurt

2 limes

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

METHOD

Cut 4 deep slits in each side of fish.

Line large shallow ovenproof dish with 2 long sheets of foil, extending foil 10cm over all 4 sides.

Place fish on foil.

Heat oil in pan, cook onion, garlic and ginger, stirring until onion is browned lightly.

Add seeds and ground coriander, cook, stirring until fragrant.

Cut and discard roots from bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chop stems and leaves.

Blend or process chopped coriander with cooled onion mixture and yoghurt until pureed.

Pour yoghurt mixture over fish, turn fish to coat on both sides.

Cover fish completely with foil then refrigerate overnight.

Stand fish at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.

Bake, covered in foil, in moderately hot oven about 1 hour or until tender.

Serve with lime wedges and extra coriander.

SERVINGS

6 to 8

SOURCE

AWW Indian

Christmas Morning Muffins

INGREDIENTS
2 cups plain flour
2 cups mixed fruit
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs

METHOD
Sift all dry ingredients then add in mixed fruit and sugar.
Stir in eggs, oil and buttermilk, but be careful not to overmix.
Place in well greased muffin tray (12).
Bake for 20 minutes at 180C with fan forced over of 190C without fan.

SERVINGS
12

COMMENTS
Delicious with brandy custard as mini Christmas puddings, or warm with egg nog for Christmas supper, or straight from the oven Christmas morning.

SOURCE
Wheel & Barrow catalogue

Glazed Ham

INGREDIENTS
1 cup blood orange juice (or regular orange juice)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup honey
1 small leg of ham (about 7kg)
whole cloves to decorate

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C.
Place juice, sugar, mustard and honey in a small saucepan over a medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glaze becomes syrupy.
Meanwhile, loosen one side of ham skin with a small, sharp knife, then ease your hand in between the skin and the fat and pull skin off.
Using the knife, make crisscross scores over the fat to create diamond shapes.
Insert a clove in the corners of each diamond.
Place ham in baking dish and pour glaze over.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden on top, basting ham with glaze from sides of dish every 10 minutes.
Remove ham from oven and allow to stand, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes before carving.

SERVINGS
6

COMMENTS
Everyone loved it!

SOURCE
Delicious mag

Granny's Shortbread

INGREDIENTS
½ pound butter
¼ pound ground rice (rice flour)
¼ pound castor sugar
¾ pound plain flour

METHOD
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Add sifted flours.
- Mix well in food processor.
- Turn onto a floured board and roll out to desired thickness.
- Cut and prick with a fork.
- Bake in a moderate oven until just cooked.

COMMENTS
The BEST shortbread!!!

SOURCE
Granny

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

INGREDIENTS
Cake
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1/4 cup milk
185g butter
1 1/2 tbsp lemon rind
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups SR flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup orange juice

Icing
500g cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp grated lemon rind
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD
Cake
Grease deep 22cm round cake pan, line with baking paper.
Combine seeds and milk in a bowl, stand 20 minutes.
Cream butter, rind and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time, beat until combined.
Stir in sifted flours, nuts, poppy seed mixture and juice.
Spread mixture into prepared pan.
Bake in moderate oven for 45 minutes.
When cool, split cake into 3 layers, sandwich layers with half the icing, then cover whole cake in remaining mixture

Icing
Beat softened cream cheese, cream and rind until smooth.
Add sifted icing sugar and juice, beat until smooth.

COMMENTS
Also makes delicious muffins!

SOURCE
AWW mag

Frangipani Pie

INGREDIENTS
450g can crushed pineapple
¼ cup cornflour
¼ cup water
2 eggs, separated
1½ cups milk
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cornflour, mixed with
¼ cup water
1 cup coconut
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp sugar
Sweet short crust pastry shell

METHOD
Pineapple Layer
- Bring crushed pineapple to the boil.
- Blend cornflour and water together, mix in egg yolks and stir into pineapple, cooking until thick.
- Set aside.
Coconut Layer
- Heat milk, sugar, and salt in saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.
- Add blended cornflour and stir until thick.
- Remove from heat and add coconut, butter and vanilla.
Meringue Layer
- Beat egg whites until stiff.
- Add 4 tablespoons of sugar, one at a time.
- Beat until stiff peaks form.

- Spoon half coconut mixture into shell
- Add pineapple mixture
- Add remaining coconut mixture.
- Pile meringue over coconut layer.
- Bake in a moderate oven for 15 minutes.

SERVINGS
12

COMMENTS
Decorate with fresh frangipani flowers

SOURCE
Granny

Sweet Short Crust Pastry

INGREDIENTS
1 cup flour
1 cup self-raising flour
125g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg yolk
¼ cup cold water or milk (approx)

METHOD
- Sift flours into a bowl.
- Rub butter through flour with fingertips, till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add sugar and mix well.
- Mix into a dry dough with egg and milk beaten together.
- Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth.
- Roll out between two sheets of baking paper.
- Bake blind in moderate oven until lightly golden.

SERVINGS
1 pastry base

COMMENTS
Don't forget to use baking paper when baking blind!

SOURCE
Granny