Cherry Almond Cake

This came from a card sent to me by a friend. I've been wanting to make it for ages and we went to a friend's place for dinner on the weekend, so I didn't need any further excuse. It's quite easy and is very rich - lovely for a treat. I made half and put in a 20cm tin and it served 8 - 10, used the left over cherries for serving.

...Cherry Almond Cake...

You need:
250g butter
500g caster sugar
6 large eggs
1 tspn vanilla essence
400g plain flour
1 tspn baking powder
200g ground almonds
400g strained (pitted) preserved or tinned cherries

Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 if fan forced). Prepare a 24cm tin by greasing and flouring sides and putting baking paper on the bottom.

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and essence in the large bowl of a mixmaster and beat until sugar dissolved (5 - 10 min depending on softness of butter). Turn off mixmaster and fold through flour and almonds by hand, then last of all cherries - just enough so they're fairly evenly spread. Pour into tin and bake for 55 - 60 mins (about 45 min if making half).

Serve with extra cherries, cherry syrup drizzled over and cream.

Chicken and Spinach Pie

This is a yummy recipe I found on the ABC website some time ago from their 'Sunday Chef' program. Can't find it there now so I'm not sure who created it.
It is reasonably easy. The pastry takes a lot of punishment when being rolled out but still tasting good (pastry isn't my forte) and the cornmeal in it is quite delicious. I've made a few changes from the original.

...Chicken and Spinach Pie...

You need:
1 2/3 c plain flour
1/4 c polenta
pinch of salt
100 g butter
1 egg
2 tspn white vinegar
4 tbspn of iced water (or enough to bind)
Filling:
breasts from a cooked chook, chopped
1 bunch silverbeet or spinach, stalks removed and leaves chopped
1 tbspn olive oil
1 tbspn butter
1 clove garlic
1/4 c pinenuts
100 g chopped pancetta or bacon
2 eggs
3/4 c of cream (or ricotta)
salt, pepper, fresh herbs like thyme for seasoning

Mix the flour and polenta. Rub in the butter. Mix wet ingredients and add to dry, mixing until binds together. Divide in 2 and chill for 30 mins (or longer is OK).

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Fry garlic in oil and butter in medium frypan or large saucepan, then add bacon, then spinach. Cook until excess moisture has reduced. Add chicken and pinenuts, transfer to bowl to cool. Add eggs and cream, mix, then seasoning if desired.

Roll out pastry and line bottom of greased pie dish. Spoon in filling. Place lid over top and cut off excess. Brush with water or eggwhite and pinch sides together. Cut vents in top and bake for 45 mins. Lovely warm or cold with a green salad.

Sweet Soy Beef with Cabbage

Finally, Em, I have made time to sit down and type up my first recipe!!

This recipe comes from an interesting book called 'Zest', which a dear friend gave me last Christmas. You can buy the book here. With a little person now hanging around my legs, I am often on the lookout for quick recipes that are still tasty and healthy. This one is perfect, and said little person even enjoyed it too. Even if cabbage isn't a part of your normal shopping list you will probably enjoy this...

...Sweet Soy Beef with Cabbage...

1/4 c dry sherry (original - sake)
2 tbspn light soy sauce
1 tbspn sugar
1 tbspn grated ginger
1 tspn sesame oil
500g beef mince (see note)
1 tbspn peanut oil (original - rice bran oil)
1/4 cabbage, shredded (original - chinese cabbage, thickly sliced)
1 tbspn sesame seeds
udon noodles, cooked according to packet

Combine sherry, soy, sugar, ginger and sesame oil.

Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan on high. Stir fry the mince and sherry mixture for 4 - 5 minutes or until meat is browned. Add the cabbage and sesame seeds, stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the cabbage begines to wilt. Serve straight away with the noodles. Serves 4

Note for variation - beef strips can be used instead. Marinate in sherry mixture for 15 minutes, then drain and stir fry in oil. Add the reserved marinade when the cabbage is added.

Yum! How easy too. I served it with coriander as well. We used left overs as the base for spring roll filling the next night, and they would be yummy in wraps or similar things as well. I think the boys would like this Em, enjoy! Jules xox

Classic Mint Jelly

This is a late winter-early spring preserve for us; Granny Smith apples grown in the next shire are still plentiful and cheap, our friends and neighbours are swapping lemons for broccoli, and we have lots of fresh mint.

The recipe is from this book which I bought at a clearance sale a while ago. It's a clearly written book, with a good collection of basic preserves and detailed advice about how to troubleshoot.

~Classic Mint Jelly~
1.6kg green apples
5 cups water
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup lemon juice
about 1kg sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint, extra

Cut the apples into chunks (do not remove skin or seeds) and place in a heavy based stock pan with the mint, lemon juice (I left pulp and seeds in this), and water. Slowly bring to the boil, then simmer until the apple is very soft. Stir to squash lumps. When it is mushy, allow to cool a little.

To make a "jelly bag", place a large clean piece of muslin or thin cotton (I used old sheeting) in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Line a large seive with the wet fabric and place over another large bowl. Gently pour in the apple mixture and allow it to drain into the bowl.

When the pulp has drained most of the liquid, tie the corners of the fabric together, poke a long wooden spoon under the tied corners, and lift the "bag" out of the seive. Place a bowl inside a clean bucket and position the spoon so that it is across the top of the bucket - allowing the bag to hang freely from the spoon and drip into the bowl below.

Or if you own a jelly bag, simply use this to drain the liquid from the pulp.
Allow the bag to drain overnight and do not squeeze or force liquid out. If you do, the jelly will be cloudy. Our liquid looked cloudy, but it cleared on boiling. Store the drained liquid in the fridge overnight.

When you are ready to boil up, place 2 small plates in the freezer. Sterilise your jam jars. I wash them in hot soapy water then place in a 110 C oven for around 20 min. I pour boiling water over the clean lids just before sealing.

Discard the pulp from the bag. Measure the final amount of liquid. We had 1.75L. Pour the liquid into a large heavy based pan, and add 1 cup sugar to every cup of liquid. Heat gently, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil and boil steadily for around 15 minutes, stirring often and skimming any scum from the surface.

Test for the setting point by pouring a spoonful onto one of the chilled plates. A skin will form on the surface - setting point is reached when the jelly wrinkles as you push your finger through it. When it is setting as you want, remove from heat and stir through the extra mint. Allow it to continue cooling a little and keep stirring every few minutes - when the mint leaves stay suspended in the jelly, instead of floating to the top, it is ready to pour into jars.

Pour boiling water over any of the equipment you use to transfer the jelly from the saucepan to the sterilised jars. Fill the jars to leave 1/2cm space at the top. Seal the jars immediately and turn upside down for 2 minutes. Invert and allow to cool.

Store in a cool dry place for 6-12 months. Refridgerate after opening.

Braised Silverbeet

Writing this down reminds me of Michael Caton in The Castle.
"What do you call this love?"
"It's rissoles darling. Rissoles."

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But it's here for the days my brain is like custard and I need to stir it together without any thought.

~Braised Silverbeet~
3-4 large leaves silverbeet
1 garlic clove, crushed
slurp olive oil
1 scant teaspoon brown sugar
good pinch salt
large slurp of sweet balsamic vinegar or white balsamic condiment
chunk of butter, if you like

Wash and devein silverbeet. Finely chop the stems and leaves and keep seperated.

Heat a large heavy based pan on low, and saute garlic and silverbeet stems. When softened, add all the other ingredients and let it cook down until the silverbeet leaves are softened and the liquid is syrupy.

Serve as a side dish or eat a big pile on its own :) This amount serves 3 as a small side.