Find your Spice

Where is Cinnamon? Where is Cinnamon?  Here I am.  One of the easiest ways to speed up your time in the kitchen is streamlining your items to quickly find the ingredients you need.

Spices and herbs are often in a jumble even when you have them in a rack on a pantry door.  I simply write on the top of the lid (I use a liquid white-out pen - easy to scratch off if you change your mind )  so when I look down on the multiple bottles I can quickly locate the one I need.  I have one small shelf for herbs and one for spices.  Because I have a steady turnover of my most-used spices, I refill a number of bottles from large packets I purchase at either a continental deli or Indian spice shop, so they are always on hand to replace an empty jar. My spice bottles are re-used over and over.  

A few spices bottles are on a top rack on the pantry door -  I name these  spices on the base of the container so when I glance up I can easily see which is which.

I hope this gives you some ideas to make your cooking easy and enjoyable!  

Cheers!  Colleen

Pecan stuffed dates

 We recently celebrated Christmas in July and I was looking for a new starter/nibble.  I came across these stuffing dates and they worked a treat. Can be done ahead, something a little different and vegetarian.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 eschallot, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

50g fresh breadcrumbs

100g pecans, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped

50 ml vegetable stock or water

12 medjool dates, pitted

12 small sage leaves

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add shalllot and pinch of salt, cook 2-3 minutes until softened, then add garlic, breadcrumbs, pecan and thyme. Cook for a further minute.  Add a splash of stock to bring the mixture together.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Cut the dates in half lengthways (don't cut all the way through). Remove the seed.

Take small amounts of the stuffing and place inside the dates, push the sides of the dates back together.

Put a sage leaf on top of each date, then put the dates on an oven tray.

You can prep the dates to this point and place in the fridge overnight to do ahead.

Brush the outside of the dates with olive oil, hen bake for 15-20 minutes until the sage leaf is crisp.

Yum

Mamma Marmalade

Email subscriber update from July 2021

 Thank you so much for supporting our blog ... "Feed your Inner Cook"

This Advice is for our existing Email  subscribers

Did you previously subscribe to our blogger email mailing list and  receive our recipes via Email?  If so, please be advised:

Our blog website, Blogger, advises they will soon stop  forwarding emails.

Therefore,  when blogger stops the email service, we plan on continuing the email service from our G-Mail address in addition to our Facebook and blog website.

If you have been receiving our Email recipes to your email inbox:

Could you please add   

  feedyourinnercook@gmail.com         

to your safe senders list.

Please look out for emails from     feedyourinnercook@gmail.com

Any queries - please contact us via email.

Thank you and happy cooking!

Cheers Colleen

Spiced Fruit Loaf - a favourite recipe from Annabel Langbein

I am surprised that I haven't posted this spiced fruit loaf from Annabel Langbein previously, as it is so rich and aromatic.  I regularly boil double the ingredients for the fruit mixture and store the other half in the freezer ready to defrost and cook next time.  You can also bake smaller loaf tin sizes and store the cooked cakes in freezer for later on.  Although it seems like a long preparation time, the actual hands-on work is only 10 -15 minutes. The mixture does not use any eggs so is a useful recipe if you are baking something for those who are avoiding eggs. Another bonus is that the cake keeps for several days if stored in an airtight container and away from Wilbur. 

     Enjoy!  Colleen

Spiced Fruit loaf. Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    10 - 15 minutes
Cooking          5 minutes boiling, 30 - 60 minutes cooling  then 1 hour bake approx.  

                       Cool cooked cake 30 minutes.

Ingredients

To Boil then cool
 1 cup sugar
50 gram butter
1 cup sultanas
1 cup dates – chopped
1 tablespoon honey or 1 tablespoon golden syrup 
1 ¼ cups water 
 Then add:
1 ½ teaspoons mixed spice
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
½- 3/4 cup walnuts - chopped.   Or use pecans
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
¼ teaspoon salt
 2 cups Plain flour  - sifted with:
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
 
Method
 
Preheat oven to 160 ˚C.
Prepare a large loaf tin (approx. 23cm x 14 cm)  Or  smaller loaf tins (cooking time will differ)
 
On the stovetop, use a medium size saucepan, add the sugar, butter, sultanas, dates, honey and water. Bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat.
TIP: Best to pour into a wide bowl to help it cool.  Leave to cool for 30  - 60 minutes.
 
When mixture has cooled - Stir in the spices, nuts, vanilla and salt.
Add the combined sifted flour, baking powder and bicarb. 
Stir through but do not overwork or the flour will toughen.
Pour into the prepared loaf tin
Bake for 50 min – 1 hour until skewer comes out clean. Smaller tins bake for reduced time.
Leave in pan to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
 
Option
Upon taking out of the oven, whilst still very hot baste with a little rum or brandy – a bit less than a cap full.

TIPS AND HINTS  I regularly Boil double the fruit quantity and freeze half for next time. Just defrost and continue as per recipe.  I find that half the boiled mixture should weigh approx 870 gram.

                 Enjoy!  Colleen

Belinda Jeffery Cooking Class at Burringbar

The day I had been looking forward to, had finally arrived. A picturesque drive from Uki to Burringbar through the stunning Northern New South Wales hinterland and we arrive at our destination.  As you walk through the door of the historic hall delicious aromas waft to greet you. Clive and Belinda Jeffery give you the warmest welcome and we introduce ourselves amongst the small group gathered.  For the next 5 hours we will learn, cook, chat and more importantly eat the most delicious food.

     

Click here to see Classes      -  Morning tea included 

Belinda's Fourless Almond and Coconut cake

Ingredients

180g almond meal

60 g desiccated coconut

1/4 teaspoon salt

250g caster sugar

4 x 60g organic/free range eggs

1/4 teaspoon almond essence

1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

200g melted unsalted butter, cooled

2 tablespoons of flaked almonds or coconut shards to decorate

Icing sugar to dust on top

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease with butter a loose bottom tart tin about 23-24 cm. Line tin with buttered baking paper and dust with flour.

In a medium size bowl combine, almond meal, coconut, salt and sugar, whisk with a balloon whisk for 1-2 minutes.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla and almond essence until thoroughly combined. Add the cooled melted butter and mix. Add this butter mixture to the almond mixture.

Stir to combine, scrape into the prepared tart tin.

Spread it out evenly and tip with flaked almonds.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed.

Cool the cake in the tin on a wire rack.

Remove baking paper and dust with icing sugar.

Superb !

Mamma Marmalade

Note: These freeze well, slice and wrap separately.

 PS  Colleen is very very happy Mamma Marmalade had this wonderful experience ! Luckily I am not jealous!  ... much !

One Hundred Years Young - Generosity, Kindness and Sharing Recipes. Happy Birthday to a Very Special Neighbour

I feel so grateful that a very special Lady welcomed me to the neighbourhood some years ago.  Last weekend that very dear neighbour turned 100.  

She has endured Wars, the Depression, heartbreaking family losses, widowhood and illnesses. Yet, she radiates a spirit of kindness and generosity that envelopes you.  One of my earliest recollections was watching her knit and crochet for fundraisers "to help the old people".  She worked in numerous jobs but still found time to volunteer in Legacy and other War Veteran roles. Her door was always open to anyone needing help or an ear to listen. I regularly saw people popping into her yard to say hello - who could resist her hands hugging yours and her gorgeous smile?  During the floods, her tiny kitchen produced delicious food for the volunteer "Baked Relief" project.  I have lost count of the number of times she invited me to sit at her kitchen table and have a cuppa and something she had just cooked.  We loved discussing cooking and she was always keen to explore new recipes she found.  

Her attitude of sharing and caring resonates with me and mirrors the reason for our little blog.  Recipes are meant to be shared.  Cooking is at the heart of caring for loved ones.  They say "kindness costs nothing", but I find it is truly priceless when given with the spirit of compassion and warmth that my neighbour exudes.  I  feel better just being in her presence.  

So, today I am sharing photos and recipes in her handwriting.   

100.   Happy Birthday, darling neighbour.  

So thankful that you came into my life.  Love,  Colleen.

My darling Neighbour's Cheese Loaf recipe   posted on our blog  - Savoury Cheese Loaf – from my Amazing neighbour Mrs A.  perfect way to mark the occasion than to warmly share this recipe and story with you - encapsulating our blog’s philosophy perfectly.  Sharing and Caring. 

 plus this - 

and - welcome to her kitchen, a cuppa and a piece of homebaked deliciousness

Happy 100th Birthday to A Very special Lady... a story shared with love.  Colleen

Bubbly fun. Bubble mixture recipe

One of my most special childhood memories was walking to a local fete with my beloved Grandfather.  I still remember opening the newspaper wrapping from my prize at the lucky dip stall. From under the layers emerged a bright yellow little pipe shaped like a baby duckling with black eyelashes and a pouting red beak.  I was spellbound.  When we arrived home my Grandfather concocted some bubbly liquid and I blew ... Bubbles ... from this little yellow plastic pipe.  That memory makes me so happy, even to this day.

Our wonderful Brisbane City Council Library Service runs an excellent program encouraging young children to read with their Little Stars Reading Club.  One of the rewards my Grandson received was a little bubble blowing bottle.  He loves his books and he loves blowing bubbles with me.  The bubble liquid invariably ends up on the grass but it is so easy to make your own and refill these bottles again and again.   So, I urge you to visit your library .. and also ... pop into the backyard and blow some bubbles yourself ! ... it is a magical experience that shouldn't be reserved just for the little ones!   Enjoy!   Colleen

  

Blowing Bubbles Liquid Mixture  - I have posted 2 different quantities 

(although I use an eco dishwashing liquid in my kitchen, I find a 'traditional' brand concentrate works better for these bubbles) I use an old medicine cup to measure out.

25 ml   Concentrated Dishwashing Liquid  

150 ml water

10 ml   glycerine (usually in the medical section at supermarket or from your chemist)

Mix the ingredients together gently, I use the handle of a spoon. You don't want froth.

Allow to sit overnight.

Pour into your bubble bottles and blow and blow bubbles!

or 

50   ml  Concentrated Dishwashing Liquid 

300 ml  water

20   ml  glycerine 

same method as above.

Have fun!    Cheers.    Colleen

Passionfruit Curd - Tangy and Sublime.

One of my favourite childhood memories was helping my Nana cook.  Or should I say, hanging around her tiny kitchen, being a  perfect child with the eternal optimism of licking the spoon, or on rare occasions, being given a bite of some freshly baked treat.  
Nana's passionfruit butter tartlets were sublime and memorable -  a family Christmas tradition and annual indulgence.  I do wish I had paid more attention because although I remember the flavour so well, I do not remember the special knack Nana had of transforming a few ingredients into the taste of a Queensland summer. My lovely cousins unearthed her handwritten recipe but so far, I have not had much luck perfecting her method.  Therefore, I have shamelessly amended Mamma Marmalade's lemon curd technique,   no-fail-lemon-or-lime-curd   which was courtesy of Beth Dunham's blog  (Beth Dunham never-fail-lemon-curd) . Thank you for sharing!

Passionfruit Curd by  Feed Your Inner Cook

Passionfruit Curd by  Feed Your Inner Cook

Passionfruit Curd by  Feed Your Inner Cook

Passionfruit Curd by Feed Your Inner Cook

Passionfruit Curd by  Feed Your Inner Cook

 

Ingredients

6 tablespoons of softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 large free range or organic eggs & 2 egg yolks

6 passionfruit - pulp

Method
Cream butter and sugar, together for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and yolks one at a time still mixing on a low speed, continue beating for another minute or two until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add passionfruit and mix on a slow speed until incorporated it will appear curdled but have no fear it will be a success! 

Next, place curd into a small saucepan on low heat on the stove top. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is heated through and no longer appears curdled.  
Increase heat to just medium and still stirring for approximately 12 minutes or until it is the consistency of whipped cream.  

Pour into clean jars and allow to cool.

Curd will keep in the fridge for a week or freeze for later.

Thank you  Darling Nana, 
                   my Lovely Cousins, 
                   Beth Dunham 
                  and Mamma Marmalade
Enjoy!  Colleen 

Orange and Cranberry Cake with Orange Citrus Icing

Flavours and aromas bring back childhood memories. Citrus reminds me of collecting oranges, mandarins and lemons with my Grandmother in her backyard. The scent perfumed hands and of course my clothes because I routinely dropped the fruit and wiped my hands all over myself. Mucky kid.  Later in the kitchen my Grandmother would toss a few ingredients together and, as the cake baked, her kitchen transformed into a fragrant orange orchard. Sadly, that Grandmother never wrote down recipes but this sublime Orange cake by Belinda Jeffery reminds me of that aroma as it now fills my kitchen with it's warm citrus breeze of orange sunshine and memories.   Belinda Jeffery suggests you brush hot cake with Orange Glaze (at end of post) and then spoon over the icing as well.  Wow!

   Enjoy!  Colleen

Orange Cranberry Bundt by Feed Your Inner Cook

       Orange juice syrup

Orange Cranberry Bundt by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    40 minutes  (including icing preparation)

Cooking          1 Hour 15 minutes .. plus needs to cool before icing

Ingredients

6 - 10 oranges 

zest first then juice and strain - prepare syrup first (see below) 1 juicy orange should yield between 3 - 4 tablespoons juice, but I find some have been bit dry lately. Because simmering then reducing juice liquid you need to start with more juice.

NB this zest and juice is used for the cake, glaze and the icing. 
Recipe needs 10 tablespoons of concentrated juice - 3 tablespoons for cake, 4 tablespoons for glaze and 3 tablespoons in icing.  So you need to start with at least 24 - 30 tablespoons, or  1 1/2 cups to nearly 2 cups squeezed juice.
Any left over syrup can be used later - smoothies, muffins etc etc

PLUS

3 cups plain flour    (Reserve 1 tablespoon to dust cranberries)

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

tiny pinch of ground cardamom  OR  ground cloves - Optional

3 eggs - room temperature

2 cups sugar

250 gram butter - cut into small chunks, room temperature

1 cup Buttermilk    OR   3/4 cup yoghurt and 1/4 cup milk combined

100 gram dried cranberries (craisins) - Optional but lovely addition

Belinda's Orange Glaze 

1 cup Icing Sugar mixture  OR  I use 1 cup pure icing sugar sift with 1 tablespoon cornflour

1/4 cup of your prepared Orange juice syrup - see above  (or 4 tablespoons)

30 gram butter - melted.

Icing

1 cup Icing Sugar mixture  OR  I use 1 cup pure icing sugar sift with 1 tablespoon cornflour

3 tablespoons of your prepared Orange juice zest syrup - see above

Method

Preheat oven to 150 ℃ and butter and flour large bundt tin (approx 26cm)

TIPS AND HINTS Belinda Jeffery suggests to place bundt tin on top of preheating oven, with small chunk of very soft butter that will melt from warmth of heating oven.  Then use a pastry brush to thoroughly brush the melted butter really well coating inside of bundt tin.  Tip a small amount of flour into the bundt tin and thoroughly shake and wiggle the tin so the flour covers the insides.  Shake out the excess flour and set the prepared tin aside away from the warming oven.

Orange Zest and Juice Syrup

Add all the strained zest and juice to a very small saucepan.  Very gently simmer the juice stirring with a wooden spoon until quantity halves and juice thickens and flavour intensifies.  Set aside to cool.

Cake

Place the dried cranberries in a small bowl and roll with sprinkled reserved tablespoon of flour. This separates and stops fruit clumping in cake later.  Set aside.

Sift the flour, Bicarb, salt and spice into a bowl

In a food processor, whiz the eggs and sugar for 1 minute

Add the chunks of butter and whiz for another minute until thick and creamy

Add the buttermilk, 3 tablespoons of prepared orange syrup and whiz for 10 seconds.

Transfer the eggy butter orange batter into a large bowl.

Add a third of the  sifted flour mixture into the batter and gently fold in with a large metal spoon.  Add another third, fold and then the final third. Don't overbeat - just enough so the flour is incorporated into the batter.

Finally fold in the floured cranberries and stir through.

Spoon the batter into your prepared bundt tin and smooth surface.

Bake for approx 70 minutes.  Check and rotate if necessary.  Test with a fine skewer in cake middle that comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the tin on a wire cake rack for 10 minutes. 

(NB Belinda Jeffery suggests you brush hot cake with Orange Glaze (at end of post) and then later on also spoon over the icing as well.  If you decide to use glaze, this it the stage to brush hot cake ,after it is removed from tin, with prepared Glaze until absorbed)

Remove the cake from the tin carefully.  Use a fine palette knife to carefully loosen around the edges and middle of cake tin.  A few gentle thumps around the outside also help to loosen the cake.  Place the cake rack on top of cake surface.  Gently invert the tin and the cake should gently drop to the cake rack.  If not, turn it back up and check where it is sticking and invert again.   Allow cake to completely cool on the rack other icing will not set properly.  

Make the icing during this time.

When cooled, place on serving plate or stand.  Spoon the prepared icing over the cake allowing it to trickle into the swirl edges.  Leave it to set.  

Belinda's Orange Glaze 

Whisk orange glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.

Brush the glaze over the still hot cake after it has been removed from tin. Place some paper under the cake rack to catch glaze drips.

Keep brushing all over the cake until all absorbed.

Leave to cool completely.  Glaze will form a fine crackly coating.  Ice cake as per recipe.

Icing

Sift the 1 cup Icing Sugar mixture  OR  I use 1 cup pure icing sugar sifted with 1 tablespoon cornflour into a medium bowl.  

Add 2 tablespoons of the Orange syrup.  Reserve the other tablespoon as different sugars absorb liquids differently.  Add the remainder a bit at a time for desired consistency.

Mix together until no lumps and add the remaining juice until icing is smooth, thick but able to be spooned onto cake and set firm.

                                          Enjoy!   Colleen

Soffritto - Sublime, Simple Freezer Stash

During this difficult Covid19 time, wherever we are on this planet, we are encouraged to wash hands, stay home and minimise the spread of this awful disease.  Listen to the Medicos. Stay home.  Stay safe. 
One of our pleasures when staying home is cooking.  We are using this time to prepare for winter meals - soups, stews and curries etc.  
An easy way to have a handy supply of starting ingredients for these basic meals is to prepare and freeze some soffritto -  which is essentially onion, carrot, celery and optional herbs softly fried.  
So many recipes from differing cuisines start with these 3 ingredients.  I tend to chop mine quite finely whilst Mamma Marmalade uses diced pieces in her soffritto.  I make some just with the key vegetables, another stash with added herbs, some are a onion garlic mix whilst the final stash is onions only.   
You can freeze your stash in freezer safe containers or freezer bags - I portion them in a bag then pop these into a named reuseable freezer zipbag.  In readiness for times when I only need a tablespoon or two - I flatten the soffritto into a freezer bag and use a chopstick or similar to create divisions that are easy to break off as needed.  However you decide to create your Soffritto Stash,  it is so satisfying to have some veggie goodness in the freezer ready to transform into nourishing hearty meals later on.    Enjoy!   Colleen 
PS the 2 books were borrowed before our Library closed due to virus restrictions.  Miss my library.  

Soffritto by Feed Your Inner Cook

Library books borrowed. Feed Your Inner Cook

Soffritto by Feed Your Inner Cook

Soffritto by Feed Your Inner Cook

Soffritto by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation and cooking - approx 20 minutes

Ingredients   - volume will depend on how much you want to cook.  Adjust as needed.

IF you finely dice one veg, then you need to finely dice all to the same size.   Keeping the same size helps with cooking, the eating experience and final meal presentation

RATIO - think of a plate divided into three with even amounts of each vegetable 

3 - 4 onions - diced  OR  very finely diced 
2 - 3 carrots, peeled.  Diced  OR very finely diced   
4 sticks of celery.  Diced  OR very finely diced.

Olive oil 

You can also add crushed garlic  and  leeks if desired.   TIP:  Mamma Marmalade tells me  cooked then frozen garlic loses it's potency so she prefers to add later when soffritto used.  

OPTIONS
You can saute your soffritto with a handful of herbs if you are planning on making a meal later with Italian flavours.  A little rosemary, thyme, parsley.,  OR a few sage leaves  or add some bay leaves during the cooking.  What you prefer.

I make some stash with the key vegetables, another stash with added herbs, another is an onion garlic mix whilst final stash is onions only.  

METHOD
Gently heat the olive oil in a wide frypan.
Saute the onions and carrots then add the celery. 
Add the bay leaves   and/ or  chopped herbs if using. Stir in the garlic if using.
Continue to stir until vegetables have softened and started to turn golden.
TIP:  Never let the soffritto burn.  It will taste bitter and ruin your dish later.

Remove from heat.  Allow to cool and place into freezer safe containers or freezer bags.  OR flatten soffritto into freezer bag, use chopstick or similar to create small portions. 
Freeze.    Thaw as required and use as the base for soup, stews etc.   Enjoy!  Colleen

Chicken and Zucchini bake

This chicken and zucchini bake is a perfect dish if you are looking to up the vege component of your meal or a low carb alternate to pasta.  I often end up with leftover Roast Chicken now that hubby and I are empty nesters, a few years back I was roasting 2 chickens for a fmily dinner.!  Now I can use up my leftovers with an easy one pot dish.

Ingredients

2 cups of shredded left over chicken (approx.)
1 cup pasta sugo sauce, pimped with 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder/ 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 large zucchini
1/2 diced red or brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano or substitute Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or substitute smoked paprika
3/4cup grated cheese
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper


Garnish
Sour cream
Pickled jalapenos

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Slice zucchini lengthways into thin strips (about 4 slices)
Heat a gridle pan
Pour a little olive oil over each strip of zucchini and season with salt and pepper
Place in hot griddle pan and cook until soft and grill marks appear
Remove and place on a plate and continue cooking until all zucchini are done.

In a large frypan, saute onion then add garlic, fry for 2 minutes then add cumin, oregano, chipotle powder,coriander, chicken and 1/4 cup of pasta sauce. Remove from the heat.

In a rectangular oven dish spoon over 1/4 cup of pasta sauce to cover the base.
Lay zucchini strips side by side
Spoon over all the chicken mix then lay zucchini on top.
Pour over remaining pasta sauce.
Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
If browning too much on top, cover with foil and then remove for the last 5 minutes.

Serve with dollops of sour cream and sliced jalapenos.

Tip: You could have this all assembled and refrigerated until time to pop in the oven.


Mamma Marmalade

Sublime Lemon Slice. Thank you Belinda Jeffery

Resistance is useless. Belinda Jeffery's Luscious Lemon Slice is true lemony lusciousness, equally tempting and indulgently satisfying.  Try just having one bite - it's impossible.  Be sure to add the lemon zest because it really enhances the sharp lemony zing. 
Mamma Marmalade gifted me some of her finger limes, grown in the serene  Northern New South Wales Tweed region  (visit the hidden Uki township when you are driving around) So, for a double citrus rainbow, I festooned a piece with some finger lime spheres, tiny bursts of extra citrus flavour.  Delicious.  Also fabulous topped with chopped pistachios or blueberries.  Keep these refrigerated and choose a piece with the baked edge.  Sublime.
Enjoy!   Colleen

Lemon Slice by Feed Your Inner Cook

Lemon Slice by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    40 - 50 minutes.  Worth every minute
Cooking         15 - 20 min for base then additional 40 minutes
Cooling          Takes a few hours to cool.  
Makes a generous trayful.  24 - 30 small serves approx. Very rich!

Ingredients
Base
1 1/2 cups Plain Flour
1/2 cup Icing Sugar 
fine zest of 1/2 a lemon
180 gram cold butter, diced
1/2 teaspoon good Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoons Iced Water

Lemon Topping     
6 eggs
3 cups castor sugar - sifted, no lumps
1/2 cup plain flour - sifted
Finely grated zest of 3 - 4 lemons
1 cup lemon juice - strained.  Might need 4 lemons.  
TIPS AND HINTS:  NO green colour  patches on lemons or juice won't set properly.  AND Roll the lemons firmly on bench top, using your palm, to help warm the lemon which helps release more juice.


to serve
icing sugar,  optional thick cream on the side  and
selection from - chopped pistachios, blueberries, raspberries, finger lime spheres

Method
Preheat oven 180 ℃.  Butter or line with baking paper -  a 32 x 24 x 5cm baking tin.  Needs this depth so topping doesn't spill over.

Base  (ps whilst base cooking, you need to make the lemon topping)
In a food processor - whizz the flour, icing sugar and lemon zest (saves sifting)
Add butter cubes using the pulse button until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Whilst processor is still on, add vanilla and iced water.  Mixture will form a ball around blade.
Blop dough over the base of baking tray. Press dough evenly to fit tray and smooth top.
Bake approx 18 minutes until pale golden and edges start to colour.
Remove from oven and place on cake rack.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Lemon Topping
Use a large bowl, or electric mixer -  whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined and sugar dissolved well. Test a drop between your fingers that no graininess remains.
Whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
Dust the sifted flour over the top then whisk again to ensure mixture is smooth.  Set aside.
But you will need to re-whisk just before pouring into tray.

As base cools for 5 minutes, reduce oven to 150 ℃.

Re-whisk the lemon topping and gently pour over the base.
Bake for approx 35 - 40 minutes until topping is set.
Leave to cool in the tin on a wire cake rack.

It takes quite a while to cool, but once cool remove from tray and cut into slices.
Serve and decorate as desired.
Store in fridge in airtight container.  I find topping softens if not refrigerated. So keep cool prior to serving.
Completely lemony delicious.
  Thank you Belinda Jeffery .. again!   

Enjoy!  Colleen

Ginger and Sake roasted Salmon

We love a midweek meal that feels like a special occasion.  My version of an Annabel Langbein recipe works so well with salmon portions and takes only a few minutes to prepare and cook.  If you want to make it even easier - prepare a couple more marinating sauces and pop in the freezer ready for next time!  And thanks to Mamma Marmalade for some of her sublime homegrown finger limes! They really added a zingy pop of citrus to the salmon! Yum!                 Enjoy!  Colleen

Sake Ginger Salmon by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    5-10 minutes plus 6 hours or overnight marinating
Cooking         10 minutes

Ingredients

4 x 100 gram salmon portions, de-boned, skin on preferably

Marinade  (you can double this if you like for more generous marinade)
1/4 cup sake
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup - (but a bit less)  Soy Sauce (or Tamari) - taste and add remainder if you want
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
couple of drops of sesame oil  (just a tiny tiny amount)
tiny pinch of ground white pepper

1 Lebanese cucumber - shaved into ribbons or sliced.  Don't use the seeds in this.

2 ripe lovely tomatoes - sliced
mint leaves - torn

Drizzle for tomatoes  (optional)
1 teaspoon Rice wine vinegar  (or White wine vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon Sesame Oil  (optional)
1 teaspoon Rice bran Oil 
cracked black pepper
tiny shake dried chilli flakes (optional)
few grains or grind of sea salt.   Always taste first and adjust to your preference
You might want to add a tiny splash more vinegar or oil, taste and see.

Garnish 
White and black sesame seeds
sliced shallots
Finger Lime caviar   (Thanks to Mamma Marmalade!)  Or wedge of lime or lemon

serve with a few roasted veggies or salad

Method
Whisk all the marinade ingredients together with a fork and pour into a shallow container just big enough for the fish pieces to fit.
Add the fish pieces flesh side down, cover and chill in fridge for 6 hours or preferably overnight.  NB Turn the fish onto sides a few times to help marinade seep in.

TIP: Make up a couple more marinating sauce mixtures and pop into freezer proof containers ready for next time.  It mightn't freeze completely hard and might need a little more ginger oomph after de-frosting but still is a handy standby for busy times!

Cooking salmon:
Take salmon from fridge at least 15 minutes before cooking.
Preheat oven to 210-220 ℃
Place salmon skin side down on prepared (oiled or bakepaper) shallow baking tray.
Brush with a little marinade and scatter over some white and black sesame seeds.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve with veggies or salad.

Leftover Marinade  (optional)
If you like, mix any remaining marinade in a small saucepan with a little water.
Boil for 5 minutes.  It has had raw fish contact.
Add a little more water as needed.  Adjust flavours to your taste.
Spoon a little on to side of serving plates if desired.

Tomato
Whisk the drizzle ingredients together in a cup using a fork.  Taste and adjust if needed.
Arrange slices of tomato on plate, scatter with torn mint leaves and use some of the drizzle over the tomatoes.

Serve the salmon with the cucumber ribbons, tomatoes  and a little finger lime flourish.
Delicious with roasted vegetables or salad.
                          Enjoy!   Colleen