Strawberry and Pepper Yoghurt Cake

Fragrant, juicy, in season strawberries are a joy so I was pleased to stumble across this David Herbert recipe. Simple to prepare and easy to make.  You use half the startup mixture as the base then add the yoghurt, eggs etc to the remaining half.  When cooked, the base forms a soft crust and the filling tastes similar to a baked cheesecake.  The aroma is so tempting – the family will gather in anticipation. I suggest serving it with a berry coulis and cream.  Decadent but yummy. Also depending on brand of baking powder this could be a gluten-free recipe.

Best eaten the same day or next day.     Enjoy!  Colleen

 

Strawberry Yoghurt Cake:Feed Your Inner Cook

Strawberry Yoghurt cake:Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    15 – 20 minutes

Cooking           50 – 70 minutes

Serves              8 – 10  

Ingredients

125 gram softened butter

225 gram Brown Sugar

350 gram Ground Almonds

Pinch salt

2 eggs

250 gram Greek yoghurt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Baking Powder.  Check brands if you need this to be Gluten Free.

250 gram Strawberries, quartered – pop in a small bowl tossing with the pepper

Freshly ground Black Pepper

Handful flaked almonds to generously sprinkle over top

1 tablespoon sugar to sprinkle over top

Icing sugar to dust (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 165-170 ˚C

and prepare a 22 -24 cm springform tin with baking paper or greased well.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and pale, approx. 3 min

Mix in the sugar, ground almonds and pinch salt.

Remove half the mixture from the mixer bowl – then gently spread that one half over the tin base.

Into the remaining half still in the mixer bowl – whisk in the eggs then yoghurt, zest and baking powder until combined.

Pour all the batter into the tin.

Scatter the peppered strawberries over the top, letting them sink into the batter a little.

Sprinkle with the flaked almonds then the sugar.

Bake for 50 – 70 minutes, until skewer comes out clean from middle.  Check at 30 minutes and turn tin around if necessary.

Allow to cool in tin for 15 minutes then remove from tin and cool on a cake rack.

Dust with icing sugar if desired (I don’t)

Serve with a berry coulis, fresh berries and cream.

                                                                   Enjoy!   Colleen

Nothing in the fridge Pasta

This was a Friday night staple when we would pack the 3 boys and Max the schnauzer into the station wagon and head to our cabin at Uki in the stunning northern New South Wales hinterland.  Just a quick visit to the vegetable garden to collect rocket, chilli and lemon and dinner was ready in no time.

Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 lemon (not waxed)

1 long red or green chilli finely diced (including seeds)

2 handfuls of baby rocket

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Parmesan cheese, finely grated, approx 1cup 

Pasta, good quality dried or fresh

Salt and pepper

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then add salt (if you add the salt first it takes longer to come to the boil).

Add enough salt to "taste like the Mediterranean"

Add pasta and cook according to directions on the packet.

Whilst the pasta is cooking arrange the remaining ingredients, I like to have them in small individual bowls ready to combine.

Zest the outside of one lemon and squeeze the juice.

Once pasta is drained (reserve 1/4 cup of cooking liquid) tip into a large serving bowl.

Add retained pasta water, olive oil (sufficient to coat), lemon juice, zest, garlic and chilli. 

Toss to combine season with a good grinding of black pepper and salt.

Add rocket and then grated Parmesan.

Serve with a simple green salad and crusty bread, and hey presto dinner is served in no time at all.

Mamma Marmalade

Pear, Maple Syrup and Cinnamon Crumble

One of my favourite Australian Cookery authors is Belinda Jeffery who lives in beautiful Northern New South Wales and shares nourishing, delicious recipes encouraging home cooking using fresh, seasonal produce. Her simple yet flavoursome fruit crumble recipe is easy to prepare and a delight to bake.  The kitchen smells so inviting and Wilbur is always happy when dessert appears. 

If you want to read more about Belinda Jeffery – check out Belinda Jeffery website – thoroughly recommend all her cookbooks too!  And another little gem , Handmade Uki  is located in lush Northern New South Wales near Mt Warning in the Uki township filled with gorgeous handmade, artisan products lovingly sourced for the perfect gift.  

Enjoy!  Colleen

Pear Crumble by Feed Your Inner Cook 

Pear Crumble by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation           10 -15  minutes including peeling fruit

Cooking                  30 – 40 minutes

Serves                      6

Ingredients

1 and a bit kilos pears (6 approx) peeled, cored and cut into 1.5cm cubes.

1 small apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1.5cm cubes

100 ml  pure maple syrup

20 gram butter – melted

Zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ tablespoons plain flour

Crumble

120 gram plain flour

80 g sugar

¼ cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

120 gram butter – grated or cut into tiny chunks

2 teaspoons iced water

Garnish -  Handful flaked almonds

Method

Preheat oven to 190 ˚C and grease a ovenproof pudding dish approx. 24x16x5cm

Make the crumble

In a bowl or a food processor combine the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt then either rub the butter into the flour mixture or pulse to combine until it resembles crumbs.  

Don’t overprocess or   you could overdo it into a paste.

If using the food processor- tip mixture into a large bowl

Sprinkle iced water over the top and fork through gently for a few seconds until some lumps appear for the crumble

Make the fruit filling

In a large bowl, combine the pear and apple then pour over the maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, melted butter and vanilla.

Sprinkle over the flour then fork through or use hands to mix through

Tip the fruit mixture into the prepared ovenproof dish

Sprinkle with the crumble mixture to cover, let a little crumble fall between the fruit

Then toss over the flaked almonds

Bake for approx. 30 – 40 minutes until top is golden and some of the juices bubble around the sides

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly

Serve with custard or icecream

                                                    Enjoy!   Colleen

Lemon and Olive Oil Cake

I am always on the lookout for a cake recipe that doesn't require softened butter.  My mother baked every Friday, but I am a "cook on impulse" sort of girl. Which means, I don't have butter sitting at room temperature in my kitchen, when the desire to cook and eat cake hits.

This attractive cake is very easy to make and has a nice light flavour.  A small slice with a cup of tea is a treat not to be missed.  You can just as easily use a ring tin if you don't have a bundt cake tin.

Ingredients

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
150g Greek yoghurt
125g honey
150g caster sugar
finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 !/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
150g almond meal
2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup limoncello to drizzle on top
extra grated lemon zest

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Combine the oil. eggs, egg yolks, yoghurt, honey, sugar, zest, juice and vanilla in a large bowl.
Whisk until smooth.
Fold in the almond meal, and then the flour.
Pour into a greased and floured bundt tin or 23 cm ring tin.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until an inserted skewer removes cleanly.
Cool in tin for 20 minutes, then he presto! Turn out.

Drizzle with the Limoncello and more grated zest.

Mamma Marmalade

Ginger and Apricot Spiced Chicken

My freezer usually has a container of this delicious spiced marinade chicken recipe ready for a quick fuss free dinner.  Inspiration comes from Nigella’s “African Drumsticks” recipe.  The sauce has a little bit of heat but is not too hot, if you prefer mild – reduce the mustard and ginger powders a little and before you add the raw chicken, add more mustard and ginger back in until you are okay with the flavour.  I find it such a quick flavoursome marinade, I often prepare a double batch and freeze it in small portions ready to add when I have bought chicken pieces for dinner.  I definitely recommend this time-saving tip as it is so easy and great to keep on standby.  Though, please be sure to label your freezer treasures – I am guilty of discovering carefully prepared frozen packages that are a total mystery but I am trying to get my act together - 90% of the time!   Enjoy!   Colleen

Ginger Apricot Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Ginger Apricot Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    10 minutes

Marinate         2 hours or best overnight

Cooking           40 – 50 minutes

Ingredients

10 – 12 chicken drumsticks   If you are using fewer drumsticks – my recommendation is to make the marinade and pour half into a freezer safe container or bag and freeze ready for next time (just be sure to label it !)

½ large red onion – very finely chopped

1 clove garlic – crushed    (or use some garlic powder)

100 ml Worcestershire Sauce

80 ml Tomato Ketchup (this is thicker than tomato sauce)

2 teaspoons Hot English Mustard powder    (I like to use Keens)

Good pinch ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger     plus    add some fresh grated ginger if possible

1 ½ tablespoon Apricot jam

Splash of Olive Oil

Optional – 2 potatoes – cubed into very small pieces,     or    similar for sweet potato

Handful of pepitas (dried pumpkin seeds)      - added in last 5 minutes 

Some chopped parsley or coriander leaves for garnish if desired

Method

Marinade

Use a large freezer bag or suitable covered glass container and combine all the sauces, spices, mustard powder, jam, onions, and garlic together and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces and toss well to coat with the marinade.  Place in fridge and leave to marinate, preferably overnight.

Cooking

Preheat oven to 200 ˚C

Lightly oil a suitable sized ovenproof dish and arrange the chicken pieces in dish pouring remaining marinade over the pieces.   Sometimes I add some small cubes of potato or sweet potato to soak up the juices.  Toss to coat with the sauce.

Cook for approx. 40 – 50 minutes until chicken cooked and golden - being sure to baste a couple of times.

About 5 minutes before finished cooking – scatter over the pepitas for some crunch

Scatter over some chopped parsley or coriander leaves if desired before serving

Serve with veggies or salad and rice or noodles if desired.  Coleslaw is good too.

                                                         Enjoy!   Colleen