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Monday, February 9, 2009
The Weekly Post
Char Grilled Vegetable Lasagne
3 red, I yellow and 1 orange capsicum (green doesn’t taste sweet). Grilled under griller, sweated and peeled or roasted and peeled.
2 zucchinis sliced thinly and char grilled in a proper grilling pan or roasted
1 eggplant char grilled optional
Asparagus is also nice optional
1 handful of pitted kalamata olives
4 green onions sweated/softened.
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
6 slices of provolone cheese
1 jar of passata tomato sauce. Used for topping only.
1 long red chilli
1–2 tablespoons of a good grated parmesan cheese
Latina fresh lasagne sheets
Pesto Dressing:
1 bunch of Basil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
6-8 gloves of garlic
Chop finely in a blender. First garlic then basil then salt. When done, add enough extra virgin olive oil so basil does not blacken. In other words, do not let the air get to it.
Plain Béchamel sauce: use sparingly
Lasagne instructions
Spray square thick oven proof dish. Put1 or 2 slices of capsicum at bottom of dish. This is so pasta does not stick to the bottom.
Next layer is pasta sheets.
Next layer 1- 2 tablespoons of béchamel sauce spread thinly.
Next layer is vegetables. A little of everything.
Next layer is again pasta.
Repeat 2 - 3 times.
On top layer add provolone cheese to vegetables. Then put on layer of pasta. Then spoon over passata. Then add parmesan cheese to decorate.
Place in Aluminum foil and bake for over an hour or until cooked.
This next recipe is from Alex in Aydie, South West France......
Flourless Chocolate Brownies
Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour
Ingredients
175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
175g/6oz sugar
5 eggs, separated
175g/6oz bittersweet chocolate
175g/6oz almonds, finely ground
pinch of salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas5.
2. Cream butter and sugar together.
3. Mix in egg yolks. Set aside.
4. Melt chocolate in double boiler.
5. Cool, then mix into butter mixture.
6. Mix in finely ground almonds.
7. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, then fold into batter.
8. Pour mixture into 23cm/9in square greased baking pan.
9. Bake for 45 min.
10. Cool and cut into squares.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Weekly Post
BARRIER REEF CRUISIN´ SPECIAL….
As we have cruised the Barrier Reef for 20 years doing some 40,000 miles in Liberty we developed a special routine as we trolled for fresh fish out at sea.
Cruising at about 8 to 10 knots we would troll for tuna or Dolphin fish [ not Dolphins !]….when we had a strike it was all hand to the jobs assigned.
1. fish carefully brought aboard
2. fry pan on, a little olive oil.
3. fish filleted, no skin.
4. a plastic bag with flour and Keens mustard power in it , volume based on flour being a mild colour of yellow [to taste] …
5. fillet in bag …rolled about so the fillet is nicely covered
6. fillet into the hot pan, cooked quickly 2 or 3 minutes [ depends on filet size]
7. fish to the plate , a generous squeeze of Lemon fresh juice….salt to taste…
8. Enjoy….
9. then back to the cruisin'
Cheers, Stewart Ewen (from Broke)
This is a great idea from Ruth Bridgewood in Balmain, Sydney - it sounds delicious:
This “quick and easy” sauce recipe is great for week nights. Goes well with pork or lamb fillets. Serves 2.
½ cup port
½ cup orange juice
2 tblspns Dijon mustard
Quickly cook meat in pan, remove and keep warm. Mix together ingredients in a jug and pour into pan to deglaze, reduce (over high heat) by about half or two thirds.
A bit of butter and/or salt adds a little to the flavour, for those with no weight or health concerns!
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Weekly Post
Number one is from Charlie Smith in Bovey Tracey, Devon, England. I think this might rival my Limoncello, Charlie! This is a drink for all seasons but one especially for Christmas. I will republish it again in early December just to re-remind everyone - meanwhile let's enjoy it for the rest of the year!
Charlie's Vodka
Makes 70cl
1x70cl bottle Vodka
250g dark muscovado sugar
100g mixed peel
250g sultanas
250g raisins
Rind and juice of an orange
Rind and juice of a lemon
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cloves
2 heaped teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 level teaspoon ground ginger
1 level teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 level teaspoon allspice
You will need a 2-litre Kilner jar or something similar to store the vodka in.
Simply put all the above ingredients into the jar and, everyday for the next two weeks, give the jar a good shake. Once the fortnight is up, shake the jar and strain the contents into a bowl through a fine sieve. Pour the liquid into a wine bottle or other bottle with a good seal. Shake the bottle before serving in chilled shot glasses. It is probably good to store in the fridge so it is nice and cold.
Remove the cloves and peel from the left over fruit and mix this fruit (slightly warmed) into softened ice cream for a very good alcoholic pudding. YUM!
Thanks to Alex Sumner in Aydie, South West France for sending in this must make cake recipe:
Orange and Lemon Syrup Cake
210g butter
210g sugar
100g almonds
3 large eggs
125g ground almonds
150g ground polenta
1 level tsp baking powder
finely grated zest and juice of a large orange
For the syrup:
A large lemon
A large orange
100g sugar
A slurp of Limoncello (optional)
Grease a 20cm cake tin (preferably spring form) and set the oven at 180c/gas mark 5
Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy
Break eggs into a small bowl and beat lightly with a fork
Pour a little of the egg mixture into the creamed butter and sugar beating thoroughly, then slowly add the rest bit by bit until all the egg is used up
Finely chop the skinned almonds or simply buy almond flakes
Add the chopped and ground almonds to the egg mixture
Stir in the polenta and baking powder which has been pre-mixed
Add the grated orange rind and juice.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then turn the oven down to 160c/gas mark 3 and continue cooking for a further 30 minutes. Cover with tin foil if the cake browns too quickly.
To make the syrup:
Finely grate the orange and lemon rinds and squeeze out the juice
Add to the sugar
Pour into a measuring jug and bring up to 250ml with water
Boil at high heat until reduced to 175ml.
Spike the cake with holes and pour over the syrup while it is still in its tin
I can't wait to make this jelly from Lesley in Rose Bay, Sydney:
Summer Jelly Salad
This recipe was one my late cousin used to make; we tried for ages to replicate it and finally worked it out. It is so simple, but delicious to accompany cold white meats in summer - chicken, turkey, pork etc.
1 pkt.pineapple jelly crystals
1 med. carrot, grated
1 handful mint, washed and finely shredded
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
Make up jelly: using only 300ml.boiling water; stir in the carrot, mint and chilli and refrigerate overnight to set.
I make this in a shallow dish and serve it set in a slightly larger dish filled with crushed ice which stops it melting at a sunny, outdoor lunch; the sweetness of the pineapple is offset by the crunch of the carrot, the freshness of the mint and the heat of the chilli.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Weekly Post
Pork Chops with Grain Mustard
This is a really simple dish to prepare. The grain mustard and yoghurt give a tangy lift to pork chops which can be a bit dry and boring on their own.
Pan fry 2 thick, continental pork chops in olive oil and a little butter until almost cooked but still a bit pink in the middle. Set aside to rest for five minutes under foil or in a warming oven while you make the sauce.
In the same pan the chops were cooked in; add three tablespoons of Maille’s grain mustard, 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt and 3 tablespoons of double cream and a good grind of black pepper. Gently warm sauce but do not allow it to boil. Pour over chops and ENJOY!
Note: If Maille is not available use Coleman’s - named after that great fellow called Ross!
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Weekly Post
This is yummy (and healthy) to use up a surfeit of cucumber:
This will serve 8
To 1kg good Greek yoghurt whisk in approx 2 cups of the FLESH ONLY of
any type of cucumber pureed with 2-4 cloves of garlic, salt and white
pepper - whisk in enough extra virgin olive oil to make a lovely rich
flavour - you may need to also whisk in a little water to make it
more "soupy". Add about 3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint, some lemon juice
to taste, dill can also be added if you like that flavour.
Thanks Anne for publishing the first recipe on The Weekly Post!
Check out Fourth Village Providore in Mosman, Sydney
- everyone is raving about it!
http://www.fourthvillage.com.au