Spiced Salmon Skewers with Parsley Mint Oil. Inspired by Falastin Cookbook recipe

This is a simple make-ahead dinner with aromatic spices, inspired by recipe in Falastin cookbook. Easy to prepare ahead of time and a variety of side dishes can be served alongside - salads, beans, potatoes or rice- use ingredients you have readily to hand.

The remaining Spice Mix can be stored for next time.  Only make enough Parsley Mint Oil for immediate serving as fresh zingy flavour of herbs fades.  Fresh and delicious. Enjoy!  Colleen

    

Preparation                      Spice mix 5 minutes, Oil mix  5 minutes,  Salmon  15 minutes

Resting time - salmon     1/2 to 1 hour

Cooking                            15 - 20 minutes

Serves                               4  2 skewers each, 3 if hungry (depends on sides served too)

Ingredients

FISH SPICE MIX - I store this in an airtight container ready for next time.  I find this amount does 

2 teaspoons Ground Cardamom

2 teaspoons Ground Cumin

2 teaspoons Ground Turmeric

1 Teaspoon Paprika (not smoked)

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

generous grinds of Pepper  - approx 3/4 - 1 loose teaspoon worth

1 tablespoon Sumac

Mix together and store in airtight container.  Makes approx 3 tablespoons. Use half in recipe.

Salmon ingredients (can be prepared a day ahead)

wooden skewers soaked in tray of water - minimum 1 hour. 'satay' type, not too long.

approx 400 gram salmon fillet, skin off (usually 2 large portions) - cut into 4cm chunks 

Olive Oil  - 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons to mix with spice mix,  1 tablespoon for cooking later

2 onions - peeled and quartered. Separate the pieces.  OR use folded up green stem of shallots

150 gram (12) cherry tomatoes - halved

option - could add some slices of small zucchini if desired

1 lemon - cut into wedges for serving.

Parsley Mint Oil   Only make enough for immediate serving as fresh flavour fades

Handful Parsley leaves 

Handful Mint leaves

1 clove garlic - peeled and crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

good grind of Pepper

Olive Oil

1 Lemon - segment into supremes (ie remove from skin and membranes - use only the lemon flesh segments) and retain any juices  NB  zest the lemon first

Method

Combine the spices for the Fish Spice and set aside.  Use half for this recipe.

In a large bowl, combine (1 1/2 tablespoons approx) of the prepared Fish Spice Mix along with 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of Olive Oil - to a paste like consistency. Add oil bit at a time.

Add the salmon chunks and coat with the oily spice.  

Chill for 1 hour if possible.  Half an hour is okay.

Cook the onion quarters in splash of oil in a  medium high heat pan until onion segments soften slightly.  Remove and set aside.

Make the Parsley/Mint oil

Use a small food processor bowl to blitz the leaves, garlic , salt and pepper.

Add the oil a bit at a time until it is a thick liquid, not runny.

Pour into a bowl and add the lemon zest, 

Then add Half of the chopped up lemon supreme segments and any lemon juices saved.

Taste and add extra lemon segments if it needs it. (Lemon zing varies so much)

Then taste again and add salt and pepper to your taste.  Set aside.

Salmon Skewers

Preheat oven to 200 ℃ fan forced, and prepare a tray with baking paper

Remove wooden skewers from water.

Thread the tomato halves, onion segments, salmon chunks and zucchini rounds (if using) onto skewers - about 3 or 4 chunks of salmon per skewer.

Heat a griddle pan (brushed with splash of oil) to very hot and grill the salmon skewers in batches for 3 -4 minutes until all sides are just charred. Pop onto the baking tray and finish cooking in the oven until salmon is just cooked, approx 4 -5 more minutes.

Serve the salmon skewers with a drizzle of the Parsley Mint Oil and wedges of lemon

Delicious!   Enjoy!  Colleen

Best Burger Patties ever!

 I am not the best burger pattie maker but I have stumbled upon this recipe from "Tasteaholics" and it is the most tasty, moist burger pattie you will come across.  Perfect for those doing Keto without a bread bun or the best burger you have had if you pop it on a bun.  Burger night was a classic treat in our house with 3 boys growing up and now hubby enjoys it without the competition. 

Ingredients

500g quality mince beef

1 bacon rasher

1 Tablespoon diced pickled jalapenos

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

1/2 roma tomato

1/4 diced onion

1 Tablespoon siracha sauce

1 Egg

2 Tablespoon butter

Spices

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon chilli flakes

1/4 Teaspoon cayenne

1/2 Teaspoon basil

Method

Knead mince meat for 3 minutes in a bowl, this will make it very sticky and keep it together when the other ingredients are added,

Dice bacon, tomato, onion and jalapenos.

Add to minced beef along with the mayo, siracha, egg and spices.

Split your ball of meat in half twice and flatten in the palm of your hand to make a very flat pattie. Add 1 Tablespoon of cubed butter to the centre of the pattie and then slap on the other no butter pattie. Seal the sided and you end up with 2 large patties.

In a preheated pan, fry your patties and flip after 5 minutes.

I finish off for 15 minutes in a preheated oven to ensure that they are cooked through.

You won't be disappointed.

Mamma Marmalade

Rice with Spinach and Tomato - a simple side dish

Here is the side dish I served with the recently blogged  Glazed Sweet Potato in Aromatic Tomato Sauce.  It is simple but tasty and doesn’t compete with the complex flavours in the sweet potato dish.  I cook a large amount of rice and freeze it in small portions, perfect for recipes like this.
Simple, flexible but tasty. You will find multiple uses for this side, especially as summer approaches.  Enjoy!   Colleen
 

      

Preparation      2 minutes, provided your rice is cooked and cooled.

Cooking            3 minutes
Serves              depends on volume used . Amount listed below makes side for 4 people
 
Ingredients

2 - 3 big palmfuls of Baby spinach leaves
1 ½ cups of Cooked rice. cooled
Splash olive oil
1 -2 diced fresh red tomatoes
Salt (I sometimes use Celery Salt)
Pepper to your taste.
Herbs – parsley, mint or chives – sliced – depends on what you want to serve rice with.
Squeeze lemon juice
Maybe a splash more olive oil

Toasted pine nuts for garnish (optional)
Method
Warm the oil in a large frypan and add the cooked rice to coat and warm.
Add the spinach leaves and allow to wilt.
Remove from heat and place in serving bowl. 
Stir through the diced fresh tomato and herbs.  Squeeze a little lemon juice over and maybe a dash more Extra Virgin Olive Oil if needed.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with toasted pine nuts.
 
Easy.  Delish.   Enjoy!   Colleen

Glazed Sweet Potato with aromatic lime and cardamom Tomato sauce

I was so happy when my postie delivered my much awaited copy of  Yotam Ottolenghi's new cookbook "Flavour" .  The pages are bursting with tempting recipes that champion vegetables in all their glory.  Sweet potato often provides the base of many of my vegetarian go-to recipes and this one is definitely being added to my ‘favourites”.  The highest praise was collecting the ‘licked clean” plates at the end of dinnertime.  All the family commented on the aroma and intensity of flavours.  The fresh lime is essential to the final flavour – I freeze organic limes whole when lovely friends give them to me.  I just allow them to defrost, zest and juice.  Wonderful for recipes like this.   Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Wilbur did!     

Enjoy!    Colleen

          

Preparation    15 minutes

Cooking           40 minutes baking Sweet potatoes, 
                          Sauce – 30 minutes but,  20 min while sweet potato bakes then final 10 mins 
Serves              4 – 6 depending on sides.
Ingredients
1 –1  ½  kg sweet potato.  Scrub if young veg  OR peel if tougher older veg. Cut into thick rounds, approx. 2 1/2cm / 1 inch thick
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon Maple Syrup
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon Salt
Few grinds of Black pepper
Sauce
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 – 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green chillies –finely chopped (deseed for less heat)  I used heaped tablespoon of my Tomato Chilli Relish (on blog)  and added ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 brown onion – grated
400 gram tin Diced Tomatoes (Italian are more intense) 
1 heaped tablespoon Tomato paste
1 ½  teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (250ml) water
2 limes.  You need the zest and also some juice, plus few wedges to serve.
2 teaspoons Dill, finely chopped.   OR  mix of mint, parsley and/or chives.
 
Method
Preheat oven to 240 ˚C and prepare 2 oven trays with alfoil and baking paper
In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, maple syrup, cardamom, cumin, salt and pepper.
Add the sweet potato rounds and massage with the oil mixture to cover all the rounds.
Tip the sweet potato onto the oven trays and cover tightly with foil.
Bake for 25 minutes covered,  then remove foil cover and cook for a further 10 minutes.
The rounds need to be cooked through and the base of the rounds browned and sticky.
Set aside.
 
Whilst the sweet potato is baking, make the sauce:
Use a large sauté pan that has a lid  - think of size needed for when you later add the sweet potato-   gently fry the oil, garlic, chilli, and 1/8 teaspoon salt for 8 – 10 minutes.  Stir regularly but don’t let the garlic brown.
Add the onion and fry until soft.  5-10 minutes.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cardamom, cumin, lime zest, 1 teaspoon salt and cook for a 5 minutes, stirring regularly.  Add 1 cup water and gently simmer for further 5 minutes.
 
Place the cooked sweet potato rounds – browned side up - into the tomato sauce in the pan.
Push, pile up extras if they don’t all fit perfectly. 
Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
If it looks too watery, remove lid for final 5 minutes.
 
Serve scattered with the herbs and lime wedges on the side.
 
I served it with my Spinach and fresh tomato Rice.  (recipe will be on the blog next time)
 
Yum!    Enjoy!  Colleen

Green Mac n Cheese

 What do these 4 people have in common, my pregnant daughter in law, my elderly mother, my granddaughter and my bff?

They were all lucky recipients of a care package from Mamma Marmalade.  My favourite way to show support is to make a healthy and delicious meal.  This one comes from the Coles (Supermarket) food catalogue but for a change it was nutritious and actually involved cooking, rather than assembling pre packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

2 cups washed baby spinach leaves

1 cup flat leaf parsley, just the leaves not the stalks

1 litre of milk

400g macaroni or small pasta of choice

400g broccoli florets

60g diced butter

1 finely diced brown onion

1/3 cup plain flour

1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 3/4 cups grated cheese, (cheddar and parmesan)

Method

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius

In a food processor, combine, parsley, spinach and 1 cup of milk. Whiz until finely chopped.

Cook pasta according to packet instructions, add broccoli florets in the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Drain and refresh under a little cold water.

In a saucepan, melt butter, add diced onion for about 5 minutes until softened.

Stir in flour and stir constantly so as to not get any lumps and to "cook" the raw flour taste out. 

Once bubbling, add sufficient of remaining milk to make a creamy sauce, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens.

Stir in mustard and 1 1/2 cups of the grated cheese.

Once cheese has melted, remove from the heat.

Add the spinach mixture to the cheese sauce, mix to combine then add macaroni and broccoli. 

Season with salt and pepper, not too much salt as there is a lot of cheese.

Tip into a baking dish or several small oven proof dishes. 

You can top with cooked diced bacon (for the meat lovers) and grated cheese.

Can be wrapped and frozen at this stage or popped in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until brown and cooked through.

Mamma Marmalade

 

Greg's Tomato Chilli Relish

My friend Greg generously shared a bottle of his famous Tomato Chilli Relish and the recipe.  The final taste really depends on ripe flavoursome tomatoes so be sure to go to your local farmer's market or regional greengrocer to locate very ripe tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes.

I like to prepare the tomatoes and onions the day before, leave overnight and make the relish the next day.  The relish is so delicious with different dishes - a spoonful on the side of your plate really lifts scrambled eggs, a zucchini slice, a slice of cheese or a garden salad as well as sandwiches.  The list is endless and such a useful little jar to have in the fridge.  You can easily adjust the chilli heat to suit yourself.  Enjoy!  Colleen.     Thank you Greg!

Tomato Chilli Relish. Feed Your Inner Cook

Ingredient

1.5 kg ripe tomatoes, peeled then chopped, diced.  (see below for tips)

4 brown onions, peeled and chopped, diced.

1/2 cup  loosely scooped Salt Flakes

next day

2 cups Malt vinegar ( NB.  you use 1 cup then 1 cup later on)

2 cups Brown Sugar - firmly packed

1 teaspoon tomato paste (use if your tomatoes lack oomph flavour)

1 tablespoon fresh ginger - chopped.  ( I use heaped tablespoon)

2 fresh chillies - finely chopped.  (I use 3 large long chillies - milder)  Scrape out seeds if you want it milder. Gauge the heat by just touching slice to your tongue. Then you can adjust.

2 tablespoons Plain Flour

2 teaspsoons Curry Powder.  Greg uses 1 tablespoon.  I found it overpowered my tomatoes.

1 1/2 tablespoons Seeded Mustard.  Greg uses 1 tablespoon.  I love mustard.

Method

Peel tomatoes.  How to:

Remove the top core then cut a generous cross through the skin on tomato at the base. 

Have a pot of water boiling and also a bowl of iced water ready.

Add 2 -3 tomatoes at a time to the boiling water for approx 20 - 30 seconds.  You will see the cross cut skin start to shrink away.

Remove and plunge into the iced water for a minute. A large strainer spoon is helpful.

Use a paring knife and peel away the skin starting at the cross.

If skin is too tight, pop back into the boiling water for 10 seconds and repeat ice etc.

Continue with the remaining tomatoes until all tomatoes are peeled.  

Chop into small pieces and set aside.

Place the chopped tomatoes and chopped onions into a large (glass/pyrex) bowl and sprinkle over the salt.  Leave overnight at room temperature. Cover loosely with a tea-towel.

Next Day.

Drain off liquid from tomato onion. Discard liquid.

Place the drained tomatoes and onions into a large saucepan with 1 cup Malt vinegar.

Bring to boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the sugar, tomato paste, ginger and chilli.  Continue to simmer for a further 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

Use a medium bowl and mix the flour, curry powder and mustard together. Then slowly add with remaining 1 cup of Malt vinegar. I add the vinegar a bit at a time stirring well to avoid lumps.

Then stir thoroughly into the tomato mixture.  Cook for 5 minutes until begins to thicken.

Spoon the hot relish into hot sterilized jars.  (see below for tips)  You will need tongs wound with rubber bands, clean tea towel or similar to help hold the jars.  Also a wide-neck funnel, cleaned in boiling water, to avoid spills when filling.

Keeps for 3 months in properly sterilized jars in a cool dark place or refrigerator.  

How to sterilize glass jars. 

Sterilize more than you think you'll need.  (1 do about 7 small medium) If I accidentally have excess relish, I spoon into a very clean airtight container and use this first within a few days.

It is important to sterilize jars to prevent mould forming. Jars can be sterilized in a number of ways. Choose glass jars with an airtight lid and ensure they are free from cracks or chips. 

Wash your hands well with soap and water and ensure all surfaces are very clean.

Wash in hot soapy water and rinse, then sterilize using one of the following methods:

Oven: Preheat the oven to 120C fan forced. Place jars (opening is upright, like a U) and lids (separately, the open part facing up, like a U) on an oven tray and heat in the oven for 20 minutes. Keep jars well apart.  Remove and fill immediately with jam or other preserves. Don't place the preserving rubber seals in oven.

Stovetop: Place jars and lids in a deep saucepan on their sides. Cover with cold water. Bring water to boil, reduce heat to medium and boil for 15 minutes. Line a baking tray with paper towel. Remove the jars using metal tongs and allow to air dry or dry with a clean paper towel
Dishwasher: Place jars, lids (and rubber seals if using preserving type bottles) in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle. Remove and place onto a clean towel-lined tray; the heat will dry them naturally  

HOW TO : Fill jars while still hot.

As soon as the preserves are spooned or poured into the sterilized jars or bottles, they must be correctly sealed to prevent deterioration.  Use a wide neck funnel (cleaned in boiling water) to help fill jars.

Fill the hot relish into the hot dry jars to about 1/2 inch from top. Seal the jars while still hot. 

Just be careful to keep everything that touches the contents sterilized. 

Some cooks advise to turn the jar upside down for 20 minutes and then back again. 

Allow jars to cool to room temperature then store in cool, dark shelf or refrigerator.

Other Tips:

Metal lids are not suitable unless they have a protective plastic insert or liner to prevent corrosion.  You can re-use the jar and lid if you can feel the plastic circle fully intact inside the lid and there is no rust or corrosion.

Some older preserving outfits have glass lids; these can be sterilized in the same way as the jars.

Do not use aluminium foil, cellophane or paper covers for preserves; acid in the preserves will corrode foil, while paper and cellophane are not airtight enough for long-term keeping.

Enjoy!  Colleen

Ricotta Gnocchi

On a Keto or low carb regime one of the hardest aspects is not being able to eat any pasta.  Well now I have found a way to satisfy my pasta cravings without cheating on the diet.

These ricotta gnocchi are a little bit fiddly, but the light little pillows of deliciousness are well worth the effort. I found the recipe online by fellow blogger gnom-gnom.

Ingredients

128g almond flour

14g coconut flour

210g fresh ricotta cheese

75g Parmesan cheese grated

1 egg lightly beaten

3-4 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

8-10 sage leaves

Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Method

In a medium bowl, combine the 2 flours and stir to mix through

In another bowl, combine ricotta and parmesan, mix with a spoon until combined.

Add in the flour mixture and mix well.

Season with salt and pepper and add in the egg.

The dough will be sticky but will combine into a large ball. (due to cheese having variable moisture levels, if it fails to form a ball shape, add small amounts of additional almond flour).

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour (I only managed to wait a half hour and all worked fine).

Line a tray with baking paper, remove dough from refrigerator and then with a fork break off small amounts of dough, roll into a small gnocchi shape and place on the lined tray. Continue until you make sufficient gnocchi for your meal. 

Gently press down on each with a fork, to achieve indentations and that "classic" gnocchi look.

Place tray in the freezer for 15 minutes.  Any excess can be frozen in a sealed container at this stage.

Melt butter and oil in a frypan. Add sage leaves 

Add chilled gnocchi flat-side down one at a time.  Move the pan around to keep them from sticking, baste with the melted butter. Note you will not turn the gnocchi so it is important for the butter to come over the top to cook them through.  Be gentle as they are very fragile.

Cook for about 4 minutes add garlic slices and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.  They are ready when the bases have a golden crust.

Gently lift out and top with black pepper and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan.

Serve with little meatballs made from Italian sausage.

Divine!

Lemon Posset Dessert

In citrus season in Northern New South Wales I am always on the lookout for new ways to use our bountiful crop.  Up popped Maggie Beer on FB presenting cooking demonstrations from her kitchen during the Covid 19 lockdown.

In the Middle Ages it was a hot drink made from milk and honey and flavoured with spice and a liberal dash of ale or wine. 

I admit I had never tasted a Lemon Posset and I was pleasantly surprised how extraordinarily easy it was and how sublime it tasted.

Add caption

Ingredients

2 large unwaxed lemons (I used Myer lemons)

2 cups of thickened cream

2/3 cup caster sugar

Method

Finely zest and juice the 2 lemons

Pour 1/2 cup of the lemon juice into a small saucepan.

Add the zest and sugar, stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a slow, gentle simmer and then set aside.

In a medium sized ceramic pot bring the cream to a gentle boil, using very low heat. A fast boil will split the cream and spoil it.

Once you start to see little dots/bubbles on the cream, slowly whisk in the lemon syrup.

Let the posset cool slightly and then pour into small ramekins or decorative glasses.

Leave to cool completely and then place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Decorate with fresh fruit if desired.

Enjoy

Mamma Marmalade

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

Pineapple Banana Hummingbird Cake

Don't be alarmed - no hummingbirds were baked into this cake!  The name is associated with a popular Jamaican festival cake and now is cooked around the world ... yummy flavours bringing people together.  This recipe is inspired by the Australian Women's Weekly "Cook" book - very classic! The traditional hummingbird recipe has a cream cheese icing but I was taking the cake to a picnic in a park so needed to avoid any potential health problems.   Dairy products left in the Australian sunshine are never a good idea so I substituted the cream cheese and decided to use a lemon icing glaze instead.  There wasn't much left so I reckon it was a winner.  Also, the cake remained dairy-free by using the lemon icing.  I have added my cream cheese icing recipe at the end of post.       Enjoy!   Colleen

Hummingbird cake by Feed Your Inner Cook.

Hummingbird cake by Feed Your Inner Cook.

Hummingbird cake by Feed Your Inner Cook.

Preparation                 30 minutes

Cooking                      40 minutes

Cooling before icing    allow at least 2 hours. Preferably longer.

Serves                        10 - 12

Ingredients

450 gram crushed pineapple in Syrup.   Drain well. Reserve 1/4 cup syrup

1 cup mashed bananas.  Usually 3 - 4 very ripe bananas
1 cup Plain Flour
1/2 cup Self Raising Flour
1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
small pinch salt
1 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Sultanas
1/2 cup Desiccated Coconut
2 eggs lightly beaten
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
Option: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Lemon Icing  (Dairy Free option)
1 cup Icing Sugar sifted with
1 tablespoon Cornflour
Lemon Juice - amount will depend on how dry the sugar is and how runny you want it.
(juice 1 lemon and add bit at a time)
Optional - the zest of the lemon

OR   
Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting . This won't be DairyFree
30 gram softened butter
125 gram softened Cream Cheese (this is usually half the packet)
pinch ground nutmeg 
2 - 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice (depends of strength of lemon flavour
Option:  if you don't want to use lemon   = 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 1/2 cups Icing Sugar - sifted
OR -- MY PREFERENCE   1 1/2 cup Icing Sugar - Sifted with 1 cup Milk Powder

Method 
Cake
Preheat oven to 180℃  or FanForced 160℃.  Grease and line base of 22cm square cake tin.  I have used a Bundt tin - greased, floured but no paper lining.

Sift the flours, soda, spices, salt and sugar into a large bowl.
Stir in pineapple, reserved syrup, sultanas, coconut, bananas, (nuts if using), eggs and oil.
Mix to combine and carefully pour into the prepared pan.
Bake approx 40 min.  Check with a skewer at 35 minutes.
Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.
Let cake cool completely then ice and decorate as desired.

Method
Lemon Icing
Sift the icing sugar and cornflour together in a medium bowl.
Add the zest (if desired) and the lemon juice a little at a time mixing with a fork or small whisk until the icing is desired consistency.
Immediately drizzle over the cake, avoid making it too thick.

Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting
Sift the icing sugar and milk powder together. Set aside.
Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together well until light and fluffy.
Gradually beat in the combined icing sugar and milk powder into the cheese mix.
Add the lemon juice a little at a time until you are happy with the flavour. (or use vanilla)
Ensure the frosting is lump free.  It will thicken a little as it sets.
Frost the cake and sprinkle with a little nutmeg if desired.

Any leftover Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting
will freeze very successfully.  I pop in to freezer bags so it defrosts quickly for use later on.
Or alternatively - small freezer-safe containers work well too.

Cheers       Colleen

Spiced Apple Brandy PuddyCake - Pudding Cake

Apples, cinnamon and a splash of brandy are baked into a delicious Puddycake that performs equally well as an afternoon tea indulgence or a warm dessert. This is a delicious way of using apples that have just lost their crispness and are languishing in your fruit bowl and is my version of David Herbert's "French style apple cake".  Your house will be filled with comforting spiced aromas when this cake is baking - irresistible!   Enjoy!   Colleen

SpiceApple PuddyCake Feed Your Inner Cook

SpiceApple PuddyCake Feed Your Inner Cook

Spiced Apple PuddyCake by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation  10 minutes
Cooking         45 - 60 min depending on your oven and tin size

Ingredients
4 large or 6 medium apples: peeled, cored and diced approx 1. 1/2 cm
I use a mix of red apple varieties.  
a splash of lemon juice to toss over cut apples to prevent browning
125 gram Butter - melted then cooled to room temperature
125 gram Plain Flour
pinch salt
3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
2 large eggs - room temperature
150 gram sugar   PLUS a tablespoon extra to sprinkle over before baking
3 tablespoons Brandy
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Option: Flaked Almonds for topping

Method
Preheat oven to 155-160℃ fan and grease and line base of 20-22cm springform tin.
Melt butter and allow to return to room temperature. Set aside.
Dice the apples and toss with lemon juice in a medium bowl.
In a different medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and spices.

Using either an electric mixer or by hand in a large bowl - whisk the eggs til pale and foamy.
Whisk in sugar, brandy and vanilla.
Then whisk in half the sifted flour mixture.
Stir through half the cooled melted butter.
Then stir through the remaining flour mixture , then the remaining butter.
Lightly fold through the diced apples so they are coated with the batter.
Pour into prepared tin and smooth top of mixture.
Sprinkle with the additional sugar if desired  and/or flaked almonds if desired.
Bake approx 45 - 60 minutes.  Check at 45 min by inserting a skewer into centre of cake and it comes out clean meaning it is cooked.  If not, return to oven and check every 5 minutes until cooked.
Place tin on a cake rack to cool and leave for 10 minutes.
Carefully run an offset metal spatula or a knife around edge to loosen from cake tin.
Open spring and carefully remove cake from tin.  It is quite delicate at this stage.

Option:  dust with icing sugar to serve.  I don't as baked sugary crystals are sweet enough.

Serve warm as a dessert with your choice of cream, custard or ice-cream
or
allow to cool and serve slices for afternoon tea.
                                    Enjoy!   Colleen

Cardamom Chicken with Caramelised Onion and Rice

The flavours and spices in this recipe are soft and warming. It is a one pot meal and although the preparation time may seem a bit long, most of the preparation can be done whilst the onions are cooking.  
I have changed a few of the ingredients as I sometimes serve this at family meals and worry about not fishing out all the cloves etc before little childen find them.  Here is link to the  original Chicken with caramelized onion and cardamom rice recipe  as printed inYotam Ottolenghi's "Jerusalem CookBook" .            Enjoy!  Colleen

Cardamom Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Cardamom Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Cardamom Chicken by Feed Your Inner Cook

Preparation    20 minutes  (most can be done whilst onions cook)
Cooking         15 mins for onions, 10 min sear chicken, 30 min cook, 10min stand.
Serves            4 - 5 

Ingredients
1/2 cup loosely packed Barberries   OR  (I use) Cranberries   OR  Currants
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground Sumac  (optional)
1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice  
Olive oil
3 large onions - finely sliced
1 kg chicken pieces, skin on and bone-in,  I use 2 thigh cutlets and 4 drumsticks 
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cardamom
1  teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
Salt
Pepper
1 -  1/1/2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
500 ml boiling water  OR chicken Stock (my preference)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley  (PLUS more for garnish later)
1/3 cup (loosely packed) chopped dill
1/4 cup coriander OR mint (my preference) -chopped (PLUS more for garnish later)
1/4 - 1/3 cup Greek Yoghurt 
2 tablespoons approx  lemon juice
option: Toasted pine nuts for garnish
option: lemon wedges to serve, chopped mint or parsley to garnish

Method
First, rinse and soak your basmati Rice.  Rinse it a few times and allow to soak. You will need to drain it before adding to pot later.

Secondly, soak cranberries or currants in lemon juice and sumac then set aside.

Use a large saute pan that has a tight-fitting lid to use for covering later on.

Toast the pinenuts (for garnish later). Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat some olive oil in pan and cook onions til golden, stir regularly, approx 15 min.

Whilst onions are cooking:
In a medium bowl, mix the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, dried mint, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. (You re-use the bowl for reserved cooked onions)

In a large bowl, add the chicken pieces and sprinkle with the spices and mix to coat evenly.

When the onions are soft and golden, remove from pan - pop into the used spice bowl.

Add a little more oil to the pan and place chicken pieces skin side down.  Sear for 5 minutes then turn and cook on other side for a further 5 minutes. (This helps part-cook chicken).
Remove the chicken pieces from pan and return them to the large bowl.

Add the splash of sherry to the pan to help deglaze.  Scrap the crunchy bits off base of pan but leave in the pan ready for next step.

Add the DRAINED Basmati rice to the pan. 
Stir in the cooked onions, soaked cranberries plus 1 teaspoon Salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix through the rice well.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan, pushing them into the rice.
Pour the boiling stock around the sides of the chicken pieces.
Cover the pan with the lid and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

After the 30 minutes, turn off heat. Taste rice and ensure it is cooked.
Quickly place a clean tea-towel over the pan and replace the lid over the towel on pan.

After 10 minutes, remove the towel. Stir the fresh herbs through the rice and chicken.
Taste.  Add extra salt and pepper if needed.

Sprinkle with the toasted pinenuts and reserved chopped fresh mint/parsley garnish
Serve with a drizzle of the lemony yoghurt. Add extra lemon wedges if desired.
                                    
                                                                 Enjoy!   Colleen

It's our Birthday - Ginger cake and golden ginger cream

Happy Birthday to us, our first blog was back in July 2012. Amazing to think we have been continuously posting , 407 in all!  I hope along the journey we have provided a little inspiration for your cooking pleasure.

To celebrate we have baked a cake and thanks to our long time friend Robyn for the recipe, it is super easy and simply irresistible.

Ingredients

250g butter, chopped

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2/3 cup golden syrup

12cm (60g) fresh ginger, finely grated

1 cup plain flour

1 cup self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup thickened cream 

Golden ginger cream

300ml thickened cream

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 teaspoons ground ginger

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Grease a deep 22cm round cake tin (I split the mixture into 2 cake tins, reduce cooking time)

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, add sugar, syrup and ginger.

Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool 

Whisk in combined sifted flours, bi carb soda, eggs and cream.

Pour mixture into prepared cake tin, bake for approx. 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted, comes out clean (for smaller tins check at about 30 minutes)

Leave cake in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on a rack to cool

Meanwhile, beat all ingredients for golden ginger cream until soft peaks form.

Serve cake with cream.