Fluffy pancakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Ricotta and spinach gnocchi

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 bunch english spinach, trimmed, rinsed, shredded
350g fresh ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino
extra flour for dusting
extra 1/4 cup finely grated pecorino
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
400g cannellini beans, drained, rinsed

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Heat 2 tsp of the oil ina medium heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 mins. Add spinach and cook for 1-2 mins or until spinach is wilted. Spoon mix into a colander. Set aside to cool, the press down with a wooden spoon to squeeze out excess liquid. Transfer mix to a medium bowl.
2. Add ricotta, egg, flour, nutmeg and pecorino to spinach mixture and stir to combine. Dust hands with extra flour, then shape tblsp of mix into balls to make gnocchi. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 1-2 mins or until gnocchi floats to top. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in a ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with extra pecorino and bake for 5-6 mins.
3. Heat remaining oil in a medium heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and tomato and cook for 4-5 mins. Add beans and cook for 3-4 minutes. Serve gnocchi with tomato and bean mixture.

Red pesto pasta

3 red capsicums quartered (can use jarred chargrilled capsicum instead)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
125g blanched almonds, toasted
125g semi-dried tomatoes
extra 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
500g fresh tagliatelle or fettucine
crusty bread to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Put capsicum and garlic on prepared tray. Sprinkle with oil and vinegar, then bake for 12-15 mins. Transfer capsicum to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap, then stand for 10 mins or until cool enough to touch. Remove skin from capsicum and discard skin.
2. To make pesto, put capsicum, garlic, almonds, tomatoes and parmesan and extra oil in food processor, then process for 2-3 mins or until a coarse paste forms. Transfer pesto to a medium bowl.
3. Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling water until just tender. Drain, then return pasta to pan, leaving a little cooking water clinging to the pasta. Add pesto and toss to combine. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Apple fritters

3 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored
3 tbsp caster sugar
50ml brandy
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup plain flour
icing sugar for dusting
vanilla ice cream, to serve

Batter
2 eggs
125g caster sugar
130ml milk
60ml olive oil
2 pinches ground cinnamon
250g plain flour
1.5 tsp baking powder

1. Slice apples, into 4mm thick rings and put ina large bowl. Sprinkle with caster sugar, brandy and nutmeg and toss to combine. Set aside at room temp for 20 minutes.
2. Put vegetable oil in a deep fryer and preheat to 170C. Put flour in a shallow bowl . To make batter, put eggs, sugar, milk, olive oil and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Sift flour and baking powder over mixture, then whisk to form a batter. Dip apple slices, one at a time, in flour, shake off excess, then coat well with batter.
3. Deep fry apple slices in batches for 2-3 minutes or until batter is cooked and golden. Drain fritters on paper towel and dust lightly with icing sugar.
4. Serve fritters dusted generously with more icing sugar and accompanied with vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate mousse with coffee granita

500g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
150g unsalted butter, at room temp
6 eggs, separated
2.5 Tbsp white rum
40g caster sugar
250ml pouring cream, lightly whipped
Thickened cream to serve

COFFEE GRANITA
380ml hot espresso coffee
90g caster sugar
1 tbsp liquid glucose

1. To make granita, put coffee, sugar and glucose in a small bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour mix into a shallow plastic container and freeze for 4 hours. Once frozen, scratch surface with a fork to make granita.
2. Line and oven tray with baking paper. Melt 200g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Set aside to cool until choc thickens slightly.
3. Spoon chocolate into a piping bag. Pipe 10 spirals onto prepared tray. Set aside to cool at room temp for 1 hour then refrigerate for 15 mins to firm completely.
4. To make mousse, melt remaining choc in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Add butter, yolk and rum, and stir until smooth.
5. Whisk eggwhites and sugar until soft peaks form, then fold through choc mixture. Fold in whipped cream and stir gently until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until set firm.
6. Serve mousse in chilled glasses, topped with coffee granita, a dollop fo cream and a chocolate swirl.

Spinach and pine nut pies

900g spinach, washed or 500g frozen
30g butter
1 brown oinon, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
5 sprigs dill, finely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
265g fresh ricotta (don't use smooth ricotta as it will be too runny)
30g parmesan, grated
30g pine nuts, toasted
2 eggs
salt and black pepper to season
8 puff pastry sheets
2 tbsp sesame seeds
tzatziki, pomegranate molasses or tomato sauce to serve

1. Preheat oven to 225C. Blanch spinach in boiling water for 2 mins. Drain well into colander, pressing to squeeze out any excess moisture. Roughly chop and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add oinon and garlic, and cook for 6 minutes or until soft. Add dill and spinach, stir to combine, then add nutmeg to taste. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Add ricotta, parmesan, nuts and 1 egg to bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Put remaining egg in a small bowl and whisk to make an egg wash.
4. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Cut 4x10cm diameter circles from each pastry sheet. Brush 16 circles with egg wash. Divide spinach mix between circles, leaving a 1 cm border. Top with remaining 16 circles. Press edges together with your fingers, then press firmly with a fork. Put pies on prepared trays. Brush tops with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Bake pies for 15 mins or until golden and puffed. Cool for 5 mins, then serve with sauce of choice.

Lentil and pumpkin curry

1 cup puy lentil, washed
6 cups water
2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 cm piece ginger, shredded
1 oinon, finely chopped
2 tbsp medium curry paste
2 cups vegetable stock
500g Qld blue pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 5cm pieces
2 green apples
1/2 bunch mint leaves
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1. Put lentils in a large heavy based pan. Add water and turmeric, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy based pan over a low heat. Add garlic, ginger, oinon and tomato. Stir to combine and cook for 4-5 mins. Add curry paste, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add vegetable stock, stir to combine, bring slowly to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add lentils and pumpkin, and cook for 35 mins or until pumpkin and lentils are tender.
4. Cut apples into paper thin slices and put in a bowl. Add mint and vinegar, and toss to combine. Serve curry with apple and mint salad.

Banana, ricotta and white chocolate crepes

2 eggs
250ml milk
50g unsalted butter, melted
100g plain flour
pinch salt
zest of 1/2 lemon
olive oil spray
4 bananas, unpeeled, halved lengthways
2 tbsp brown sugar
300g fresh ricotta
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
125g blueberries
2 tbsp icing sugar
100g white choc, coarsely grated
extra icing sugar to serve

1. whisk eggs, milk and butter in a large jug. Then whisk in flour, salt and lemon zest. Rest for 5 mins.
2. Preheat a flat BBQ plate to high. Sit a non-stick bbq sheet over plate. Spray with oil, then pour enough batter onto sheet to form a 20cm round. Repeat with remaining oil and batter until you've cooked 8 crepes.
3. Preheat a BBQ grill to high. Add bananas and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until skin is blackened and fruit is caramelised. Carefully remove skin and put flesh in a large bowl. Add half the sugar and toss to coat.
4. Combine ricotta, vanilla and remaining sugar ina medium bowl. Put blueberries, icing sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, then toss to combine.
5. To assemble crepes, spread half the ricotta mixture over surface of 1 crepe. Top with 1/8 of banana mixture, and generously srinkle with chocolate. Fold in half, then half again. Repeat with remaining crepes.
6. To serve, arrange crepes on serving plates and spoon over blueberry mixture. Dust generously with icing sugar.

Black bean brownies

2 cups black beans
200g dark cooking chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp instant coffee powder
2 tbsp boiling water
1 cup macadamias, chopped
pinch salt
4 large eggs
1 cup soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
extra 1/2 cup macadamias
coocoa powder to serve

1. Put beans in a large bowl. Cover completely with water, then leave to soak overnight.
2. Drain beans, then put in a large pan. Cover with water to 5 cm above beans and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until tender. Drain, rinse in cold water and spread on a tray to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 170C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave.
4. Combine coffee and boiling water, then use a metal spoon to stir into chocolate mixture. Cool slightly.
5. Put beans, nuts and salt ina blender and roughly blend. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in the large bowl of an electric mixer for 5 mins or until combined. Gradually add choc mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in bean mix and extra nuts. Spoon evenly into prepared tray then bake for 40-45 minutes.
6. Cool brownie in tray for 20 minutes. Transfer to a board and cut into slices. Dust with cooca and serve.

Boston baked beans

500g dried haricot beans (or tinned cannelini beans)
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown oinon, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
4 whole cloves
4 rashes bacon, diced
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 carrot, roughly sliced
2 tsp dry English mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cayenne pepper
400g can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to season
crusty bread toasted and buttered to serve

1. Put beans in a large bowl, cover completely with water, then soak overnight.
2. Drain beans, the put ina large pan. Cover with water to about 5cm above beans add salt and cook over a medium heat for about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 140C. Heat oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and cloves and cook for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add bacon and cook for 4 minutes or until browned. Stir in worcestershire sauce, carrot, mustard, tomato paste, sugar, cayenne pepper, tomaotes and beans. Season.
4. Remove pan from heat. Put lid on pan and transfer to over and cook for 40 mins or until cause is thickened. Put bean mix on buttered toast, then top with extra thyme to serve.

Spiced eggplant dhal

2 tbsp medium curry powder
4 tbsp olive oil
2 large eggplants, cut into cubes
3 sprigs fresh or dry curry leaves
1 brown oinon halved, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 carrot, halved, sliced
500g dry yellow lentils, rinsed
1 L vegetable stock
270ml coconut milk
salt and pepper to season
Cooked rice, pappdums, naan and yoghurt to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Combine 1 tbsp of the curry powder and 2 tbsp of the oil in a large bowl. Add eggplant and toss to coat. Arrange eggplant on an oven tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in a large heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add curry leaves, onion, garlic, and chilli flakes, and cook, stirring witha wooden spoon, for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, remaining curry powder and carrot, and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. Stir in lentils and 600ml of the stock, the bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add remaining stock, then bring to simmer. Add eggplant, coconut milk, then season and cook for 3 mins or until hot.
3. Serve with rice, pappadums, naan and plain yoghurt.

Soybean and cauliflower fritters with pomegranate and tahini dipping sauce

Fritters
1 kg soybeans
2tbsp olive oil
1 brown oinon, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 cauliflower, roughly chopped, lightly steamed
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups wholemeal breadcrumbs
2 free-rang eggs beaten
3 tbsp plain flour
salt and pepper for seasoning
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Pomegranate and tahini dipping sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2.5 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tbsp tahini
salt and pepper to season

1. Put soybeans in a large bowl, cover completely with water and soak for 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium frying pan over a medium heat. Add oinon and garlic, and cook for 3 mins or until translucent. Add spices, and cook for a further 3 mins, stirring to coat. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool for 15 mins.
3. Drain soybeans, put in a large pan and cover with water to about 5 cm above soybeans. Add salt and bring to boil over a medium heat, then simmer for 45 mins or until tender, skimming any scum from the surface and topping up with extra water if required. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Put in food processor and roughly blend.
4. Preheat oven to 180C. Put cooled oinon mixture, soybeans, breadcrumbs, egg, flour in a large bowl. Season and then mix until combined. Shape mixture into balls, then flatten between palms of your hands. Toss patties in extra flour to lightly coat, then transfer to a plate.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add patties and cook, in batches, for 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer fritters to an oven tray and bake in oven for 15 mins to allow centres to cook. Serve fritters hot or cold with dipping sauce.
6. To make dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients together until combined.

Flourless chocolate roll

300ml thickened cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g 70% dark peppermint choc finely chopped
125g 80% dark chocolate chopped
1/4 cup cold strong black coffee
4 eggs, separated
1 cup caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
1/3 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp cocoa, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a Swiss roll tin with baking paper. Whip cream and vanilla extract in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in peppermint chocolate. Cover then refrigerate until required.
2. Melt chocolate and coffee in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Cool. Put yolks, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until thick. Stir in chocolate mixture.
3. Beat eggwhites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in yolk mix until just combined, then pour into prepared tin. Shake gently to settle. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
4. Soak a tea towel in water, squeeze out excess and ly on a flat surface. Line with baking paper and dust with combined icing sugar and cocoa.
5. Stand cake in tin on wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn onto tea towel. Stand for 20 minutes or until cool. Spread with cream mixture, leaving a 5 cm border around edges. roll up from long side. Cut into slices to serve.

Churros

1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
90g unsalted butter
1 1/3 cups plain flour
2 eggs
3 cups vegetable oil

Chocolate sauce
395g condensed milk
200g dark chocolate, chopped

1. Put sugar and cinnamon on baking paper and mix to combine. Put milk and butter in a medium heavy-based pan and cook, stirring, over a low heat until butter is metled (do not boil). Add flour and still until mixture and forms a ball. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, to warm mixture, beating well after each addition. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle. Heat oil in a large heavy based pan over a high heat. Pipe 6-8cm lengths of dough into oil. Cook, in batches, for 2-3 mins or utnil churros float to top and are golden. Remove with a slotted spoon. Toss in sugar mixture to coat well.
3. To make chocolate sauce, put condensed milk and chocolate in a small heavy based pan over a low heat. Stir with a metal spoon until smooth. Serve churros with choc sauce.

Chocolate brownies

250g unsalted butter
2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups plain flour, sifted
200g dark choc chopped
extra half cup dutch cooca powder, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line base and sides of a 30x20xm rectangular tin with baking paper. Melt butter in a medium heavy-based pan over a low heat. Add suagr and stir to combine.
2. Set pan aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Add egg and vanilla, and stir to combine. Add flour, cocoa and chocolate and stir to combine.
3. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth top. Bake 30-35 mintues. Stand tin on a wire rack to cool. Dust with extra cocoa and cut into squares to serve.
This will produce a gooey centre, cook for an extra 5-7 mins for a firmer texture.

Chocolate malt truffles

400g 70% dark choc, chopped
3/4 cup thickened cream
1 cup cocoa powder
35-40 chocolate coated malt balls

1. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Put chocolate and cream ina medium heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until mixture is melted. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
2. Put cocoa on a sheet of baking paper. Roll a heaped tsp of chocolate mix around a malt ball, then roll in cocoa powder. Put on prepared tray. Repeat with remaining mix and malt balls.

Chocolate walnut cake

1.5 cups caster sugar
1 cup rice bran oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup buttermilk
1.5 tsp bicarb soda
2 tsp white vinegar
1.25 cups SR flour
extra 1.25 cups plain flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
200g milk choc, to serve
10 small milk chocolate easter eggs to serve
10 small dark chocolate easter eggs to serve

Chocolate glaze
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tbsp dutch cocoa powder
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 6-8 cup fancy fluted ring tin with melted butter then dust with flour.
2. Put sugar and oil in the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, then beat until mixture is thick and pale yellow. Put buttermilk, bicarb soda and vinegar in a jug and mix until well combined.
3. Sift flours and cocoa into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture, egg mixture and walnuts and stir to combine.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand tin on a wire rack for 10 mins before turning out to cool completely.
5.To make choclate glaze, put all ingredients in a small heavy based pan over a low heat. Cook, tirring for 3-4 mins or until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for a further 4-5 mins or until mix is thickened. Set aside to cool.
6. Put cake on baking paper over a wire rack. Spoon and brush glaze onto cake. Using a vegetable peeler, peel stirps of chocolate to form curls. Arrange curls around top edge of cake, then fill hole with easter eggs. Cut cake into wedges to serve.

3 minute sponge with jam and cream

1 cup SR flour
1 tsp cornflour
1 cup caster sugar
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp melted butter
3 eggs
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp baking powder

Filling
4 tbsp raspberry jam
200ml thickened cream, whipped
icing sugar for dusting
fresh raspberries to serve

1. Preheat oven to 190C. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins with melted butter, then line each with baking paper.
2. Sift flours into the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar, milk, extra butter, eggs and zest and whisk on high for 3 mins or until light and fluffy. Fold in baking powder.
3. Pour mixture into prepared tins. Bake 18-20 mins or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer.
4. Remove cakes from oven and leave in tins for 5 mins. Turn on to wire racks, cool.
5. Spread jam over 1 cake. Top with cream, then other cake. Dust with icing sugar and top with raspberries.

Tunisian carrot, potato and egg salad

4 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices
4 kipfler potatoes, peeled, cut into thick slices
salt and pepper to season
3 large eggs
100ml extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
5 radishes, halved
3 tbsp baby capers
1 handful kalamata olives
extra sliced green chilli to serve
hot chilli sauce to serve
lemon cheeks to serve
flat bread to serve

1. Put carrot and potato in a large pan, cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over a medium heat and cook for 10 mins or until tender. Drain, then cool slightly.
2. Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add eggs and cook for 5 mins or until semi-hard boiled. Drain. Put eggs in a small bowl of cold water to cool. Peel eggs, cut into quarters and set aside.
3. Combine oil, lemon juice, caraway seeds and chilli in a large bowl. Season. Add carrot and potato and toss to combine.
4. Put carrot mix, egg, radish, cpaers and olives on a platter. Top with extra chilli and chilli sauce. Serve with lemon and flat bread.

Banana and walnut bread

125g unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
3-4 very ripe bananas, mashed - 1.5 cups
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup walnuts, chopped
butter, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line a 22x12cm medium loaf pan with baking paper. Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer on high speed until mix is light and creamy. Beat in eggs. Fold in banana using a large metal spoon.
2. Sift in flour, baking powder and baking soda into mixture. Add sour cream and nuts, then gently fold in with metal spoon. Set aside for 2 hours so baking soda can lighten the density of the mixture and it darkens slightly.
3. Spoon into prepared tin and bake in centre of oven for 1 hour 10 mins or u ntil cooked when tested with a skewer. Slice and serve with butter.

Pastry Cream (Creme Patissiere)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk (whole or 2%)

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons (20 grams) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

1/2 tablespoon liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy, Kirsch) (optional)

For lighter pastry cream fold in 1/2 cup (120 ml) softly whipped cream to cooled pastry cream.

For Chocolate pastry cream add 2 ounces (60 grams) of finely grated bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate to the hot pastry cream. Stir until melted.

For Coffee pastry cream add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon instant espresso or coffee powder to the hot milk.

Pastry Cream: In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together. (Do let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch (corn flour) together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the milk and vanilla bean just to boiling (just until milk starts to foam up.) Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.) Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture. (The vanilla bean can be washed and dried and placed in your sugar bowl to give the sugar a vanilla flavor.) Then pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 - 60 seconds until it becomes thick. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using). (Stir in vanilla extract is using instead of a vanilla bean.) Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool to room temperature. If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Whisk or stir before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.

Makes about 1 cup (240 ml). Preparation time 20 minutes.

Chocolate Profiteroles

For the choux pastry

• 200 ml cold Water
• 4 teaspoons caster sugar
• 85 g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
• 115 g Plain Flour
• Salt
• 3 medium Free Range Eggs beaten

For the cream filling

• 600 ml Double cream
• 1 orange zest only

For the chocolate sauce

• 100 ml Water
• 80 g caster sugar
• 200 g good quality Dark Chocolate broken into pieces

Measurement Conversion Calculator

For the choux pastry

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place a small roasting tin in the bottom of the oven to heat.
2. For the choux pastry, place the water, sugar and butter into a large saucepan. Heat gently until the butter has melted.
3. Turn up the heat, then quickly pour in the flour and salt all in one go.
4. Remove from the heat and beat the mixture vigorously until a smooth paste is formed. Once the mixture comes away from the side of the pan, transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
5. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until the mixture is smooth and glossy and has a soft dropping consistency - you may not need it all.
6. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Using a piping bag and plain 1cm/½in nozzle, pipe the mixture into small balls in lines across the baking sheet. Gently rub the top of each ball with a wet finger - this helps to make a crisper top.
7. Place the baking sheet into the oven. Before closing the oven door, pour half a cup of water into the roasting tin at the bottom of the oven, then quickly shut the door. This helps to create more steam in the oven and make the pastry rise better. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden-brown - if the profiteroles are too pale they will become soggy when cool.
8. Remove from the oven and turn the oven off. Prick the base of each profiterole with a skewer. Place back onto the baking sheet with the hole in the base facing upwards and return to the oven for five minutes. The warm air from the oven helps to dry out the middle of the profiteroles.

For the cream filling

1. For the filling, lightly whip the cream with the orange zest until soft peaks form. When the profiteroles are cold, use a piping bag to pipe the cream into the profiteroles

For the chocolate sauce

1. For the chocolate sauce, place the water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil to make a syrup. Reduce the heat to a simmer and place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over the pan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Take the pan off the heat, pour the syrup mixture into the chocolate and stir until smooth and well combined.
2. To serve, place the stuffed profiteroles into a large serving dish and pour over the chocolate sauce. Serve hot or cold.

Blueberry pancakes

Ingredients

• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 300ml milk
• knob butter
• 150g pack blueberries
• sunflower oil or a little butter for cooking
• golden or maple syrup

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Beat the egg with the milk, make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and whisk in the milk to make a thick smooth batter. Beat in the melted butter, and gently stir in half the blueberries.
2. Heat a teaspoon of oil or small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Drop a large tablespoonful of the batter per pancake into the pan to make pancakes about 7.5cm across. Make three or four pancakes at a time. Cook for about 3 minutes over a medium heat until small bubbles appear on the surface of each pancake, then turn and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden. Cover with kitchen paper to keep warm while you use up the rest of the batter. Serve with golden syrup and the rest of the blueberries.

Grilled pear and watercress salad

Ingredients

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• 2 Tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 firm yet ripe pears, cored and cut into 6 lengthwise wedges, peel intact
• lemon juice for brushing
• Vinaigrette Dressing:
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus extra for brushing
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon minced shallot
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cups watercress sprigs, tough stems removed
• 3 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

How to make it

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• Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler.
• Away from the heat source, lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4-6 inches from the heat source.
• In a small frying pan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, water, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.
• Stir in the walnuts, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and quickly spread the nuts on a sheet of parchment (baking) paper or a plate. Set aside and let cool.
• Brush the pear wedges with lemon juice and arrange on the grill or broiler pan. Grill or broil turning once, until the pears begin to brown, 3-4 minutes total. Set aside.
• To make the vinaigrette in a small bowl, whisk together the 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, the rice vinegar, the mustard, and the shallot. Add the salt and pepper and whisk to blend. While whisking, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.
• In a large bowl, combine the watercress and blue cheese. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to mix well and coat evenly.
• To serve, divide the salad among individual plates.
• Place 2 pear wedges on each, then sprinkle with the walnuts

Traditional ratatouille

Ratatouille ingredients - B Whistler

Ratatouille is a simple combination of vegetables in a stew that is ripe for experimentation and easy for any level of cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium or large eggplant, diced
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 2 medium zucchini diced into large chunks
• add herbs as desired (try basil)
• olive oil (enough to sauté onion/garlic)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Sauté the onion and garlic until tender
• Add eggplant and tomatoes, bring to simmer
• Simmer, covered for 15 minutes
• Add zucchini
• Simmer for 10-15 more minutes until vegetables are suitably soft
• Remove from heat
• Stir in the herbs, season to taste

Serve over:

• Rice
• Egg noodles
• Pasta
• Boiled, cubed potatoes

Vienna bread recipe

Ingredients

---

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 1/2 t. sugar
• 3/4 t. salt
• 3 c. flour (bread flour)
• 3 tablespoons dry milk
• 2 teaspoons yeast

---

• In a bowl place flour, salt, sugar, dry milk.
• Blend together.
• Add water, oil and proofed yeast.
• Stir well with wooden spoon or mix in a
• kitchen mixer. Can be made in a bread machine
• if you have one. Stir dough well until your
• arm is tired then place on floured board
• and knead well. Place in greased bowl and let
• rise until double. Punch down, place in greased
• bread pan, let rise until almost double.
• Bake in 350 or 400 F. oven until done.

Cream of cauliflower soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 750g cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup cream or creme fraiche
• carrot and zucchini muffins, to serve (see related recipe)

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 7 minutes or until very soft.

2. Add coriander, cumin and chilli flakes. Increase heat to high. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add cauliflower, stock and water. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is tender. Set aside for 20 minutes.

3. Blend soup in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan. Stir in cream. Stir over low heat until hot. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with muffins.

Dry potato curry

Ingredients

1 lb potato; red skins
1 salt to taste
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 onion; finely sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 (1 inch) piece gingerroot; fresh grated
1 green chile; seeded, chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup green pepper; strips to garnish if des



Directions: How to Cook Dry Potato Curry

Cut Potatoes into 3/4 inch chunks. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 6 to 8 minutes, until just tender. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large saucepan, add mustard seeds and onions. Cook 5 minutes until onions are soft, but not brown. Stir in garlic and gingerroot; cook 1 minute more. Add cooked potatoes, chile, turmeric, cayenne and cumin. Stir well. Cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender and coated with spices. Serve hot, garnished with bell pepper strips.

Three-Onion Pie with Feta or Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 2 leeks, bulb only, sliced into rings
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fine bread crumbs
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the yellow and red onions, and saute over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, then add the leeks. Saute for another 15 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onions are golden and the leeks are limp. Remove from heat.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs with dill, tarragon, feta cheese, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir in the onion mixture.
4. Oil a 10 inch tart pan, and line the bottom generously with bread crumbs. Pour in the onion mixture. Ring the outside edge of the pie with tomato slices, and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley in the center. Sprinkle a light layer of bread crumbs over the entire top.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the mixture is set and the top is golden. Let stand for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Banana Fritters with Cinnamon Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour - sift before measuring
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 6 bananas, halved lengthwise
• oil for deep frying
• Cinnamon Sauce, below

Preparation:

Heat oil in a deep fat fryer to 370°.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, butter and baking powder; stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients.

Dip banana halves into the batter and carefully drop into the hot deep fat; fry just until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream and Cinnamon Sauce (below).
Banana fritter recipe makes 6 servings

Cinnamon Sauce

• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)

Heat water and cinnamon in a medium saucepan.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch. Add about one-third of the hot mixture to the egg yolk mixture slowly, then pour back into the saucepan, stirring to blend. Return sauce to a boil. Remove from heat and cool the sauce for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk or beat in the butter.
Store cinnamon sauce in refrigerator.

Leek and Potato Soup

When choosing potatoes for this soup, select those that have the flavour you like most. We served this thick, creamy soup with toasted pane di casa bread. If the soup is a little too thick, you can add some extra stock or cream when reheating.

Serves 3.

2 large leeks (about 570g total)
30g butter
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
650g potatoes, peeled and diced (we used Desiree potatoes)
500ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
60ml (3 tablespoons) cream
Extra cream, for serving
Chopped herbs, for serving

Remove the dark green tops from the leeks and discard. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and wash to remove any grit between the layers. Finely slice leeks.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and onion and stir to coat with butter. Cook for about three minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened but not browned.

Add garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for one minute. © exclusivelyfood.com.au

Add potato and stock and stir to combine.

Increase heat to high and bring mixture to the boil. Cover saucepan and reduce heat to low so that the mixture is simmering. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft, stirring occasionally.

Puree soup. If you are using a blender to puree the soup, allow the soup to cool for about 15 minutes before pureeing. When pureeing hot soup in a blender, we don't have the blender more than one third full. We also cover the lid with a clean tea towel and hold the lid down while pureeing.

Store soup in the refrigerator until required, or return soup to saucepan to reheat.

Add cream to soup and reheat over low heat without boiling. When soup is hot, pour into serving bowls, top with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of herbs.

Mussaman curry

INGREDIENTS

1.5kg diced lamb
2x400ml cans coconut milk
1 ½ (375ml) cups chicken stock
2cm cassia bark or cinnamon
2 star anise
8 dried long red chillies, deseeded
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground white peppercorns
½ teaspoon ground cloves
4 eschalots, chopped
5 small garlic cloves, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
2cm galangal, chopped
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp
2 tablespoons warm water
¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
palm sugar, to taste (approx 2 tablespoons)
fish sauce (approx 1 tablespoon)
2 large potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 green onions, sliced thinly

METHOD

Place lamb, coconut milk, stock, cassia bark and star anise in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, about 1½ hours or until lamb is tender.

Meanwhile, place chillies in small heatproof jug, cover with boiling water; stand 15 minutes, drain, chop finely.

Toast the shrimp paste by wrapping in a small amount of foil and dry-frying foil parcel in a hot wok, tossing occasionally for about 2 minutes (or waving over a naked flame for 30 seconds using tongs to hold the parcel); cool.

Dry roast ground spices in a dry wok until fragrant; remove to a plate and set aside. Add eschalots, garlic, lemongrass and galangal to the same wok and toast over high heat; tossing often until lightly browned and fragrant.

Transfer fragrant vegetables and toasted spices, chillies and shrimp paste to a mortar and pestle or small blender. Pound or process until a smooth paste forms; set aside until ready to finish curry.

Combine tamarind pulp and water in a small bowl stirring well. Strain through a small sieve - the brown liquid is tamarind water.

Heat vegetable oil in wok. Add curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add lamb and its poaching liquid, 2 teaspoons of the tamarind water, sugar, fish sauce and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until potatoes are just tender.

Sprinkle with peanuts and green onions, serve with rice.

Pancake batter

2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 c. milk
3 tbsp. oil

Mix all together. Pour 3 tablespoons batter in skillet. Brown on both sides until batter is done.

Baked Pears in Puff Pastry with Molasses Sauce

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 Beurre Bosc or Packham pears
250ml water
250ml white wine
250g sugar
1 vanilla bean scraped
1 cinnamon stick
Zest ½ orange
Zest ½ lemon
1 star anise

Ready made puff pastry
Molasses sugar, about a handful

Method

To poach pears: Peel and core pears. Combine all other ingredients (except pastry and molasses) in a saucepan then add the pears. Heat slowly until sugar is dissolved. Bring up to a simmer, reduce temperature then cover with a piece of baking paper. Cook until pears are tender about 30 to 60 minutes. Remove pears and allow to cool.

Cut the pastry into strips, joining at the ends to make strips about 50cm long. Place a pear on the end of a pastry strip, the wrap the pears with the pastry spiralling towards the top. Brush a little egg and milk mixture over the pastry then bake at 200C until golden (about 20 minutes).

For the sauce,
Use molasses sugar to make a dry caramel. Heat a saucepan and slowly add the sugar a little at a time stirring as you go, ensuring the sugar has melted each time before adding more and being really careful that it doesn’t burn. Time and temperature is critical. Keep stirring, reducing the heat until it changes and becomes caramel.

chicken enchiladas

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped (about a cup)
• Vegetable oil - grapeseed or olive
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted if you can get it
• 2 Tbsp red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup to a cup of water
• 12 corn tortillas
• Grapeseed oil, peanut oil or canola oil - a high smoke point vegetable oil
• 2-3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• Salt
• 2 cups grated cheese (about 1/3 lb)

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2 Prepare the sauce. Coat a large skillet with oil and sauté the onions on medium heat until translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic for a minute more. While the onions are cooking, purée the canned tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomatoes to the onions and garlic. Bring to a low simmer. Start adding the chili powder, one teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you get to the desired level of heat and chili flavor. For us that's around 2 Tablespoons. But it depends on your taste and how strong the chili powder is that you are using. Note that the tortillas and chicken will absorb some of the heat, so allow for that and let it be a little bit spicier than what you want in the finished dish. Add a teaspoon of sugar if necessary to cut down on the acid from the tomatoes. You want more of the taste of the chili and less of the tomatoes for this sauce. As the sauce simmers, dilute it with water to keep it from getting too thick as it simmers. Remove from heat.

Alternatively, use a prepared canned enchilada sauce, which can be perfectly fine.

3 Mix in 1/4 cup of the sauce with the cooked chicken, and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Sprinkle with a little salt. Set aside.

4 Prepare the tortillas. There are 2 basic ways to prepare the tortillas - the traditional way of dipping them in the sauce and heating them individually, and my mom's way when she is trying to cut down on the fat.

First the traditional way. Heat a small light skillet on med-high heat. Add a teaspoon of oil (high smoke point oil as indicated above, we use grapeseed oil) to coat the pan. Dip a tortilla in the sauce to coat the tortilla with sauce on both sides. Place the tortilla in the skillet and heat for a few seconds, until the tortilla begin to show some air bubbles. Use a metal spatula to flip to the other side for a few more seconds. Set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Proceed to the step 5.

For my mom's low-fat method of heating up the tortillas, she places a small amount of oil in the skillet to coat the pan. Add a tortilla, flip it to its other side. Then add another tortilla on top of the first to soak up some of the excess oil. Flip them both together and add yet another tortilla. Keep adding them wherever there seems to be some excess oil. The idea is to heat the tortillas and soften them with the minimum amount of oil. As the tortillas become soft and heated, remove them to a paper towel to soak up even more excess oil. If you find you need more oil in the pan, add it. With this method, you do NOT get the chili flavor infused in the tortillas. It is a matter of preference. I prefer the first method, excess oil or not, because it has a much richer and spicier flavor. But as my mom says, "Anything goes. This is just a guideline; do what you want."

Note that because we made this batch the low-fat way, the following photos show tortillas not coated in chili sauce, but the method is the same for if you did.

5 Assemble the enchiladas. Use an 8x12 inch pyrex baking dish. Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll it up. Place in the baking dish and repeat until all dozen of your tortillas are neatly placed in rows in the casserole dish. Cover the tortillas rolls with the remaining sauce.
Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese. Note that I recall often eating these chicken enchiladas with very little cheese on them. Instead we had probably 2/3 cup of chopped fresh onion that had been soaked in vinegar sprinkled over the top. (My mom, bless her soul, has no recollection of the chicken enchiladas without the sprinkled cheese. But she's in her 70s and sometimes doesn't remember these things. Or she remembers later and doesn't remember that she ever forgot them in the first place. But heck, I'm in my 40s and my memory isn't what it used to be either.)

6 Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Use a metal spatula to serve.

Serve with thinly sliced iceberg lettuce that has been seasoned with vinegar and salt (no oil), guacamole or avocado slices, and sour cream. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves 4.

Tomato fritters

10 to 12 small tomatoes, green or ripe, cubed or chunked into bite size pieces

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or onion flakes, optional

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup crushed cornflakes

1 tablespoon crumbled crisp bacon

1/3 cup butter or corn oil

Mix well your cut tomatoes, flour, cornflakes, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, onion, garlic, crumbled bacon and butter or corn oil. Take heaped tablespoons full of mixture.

Place into palm of hand to shape into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Place into medium preheated nonstick coated skillet.

Cook until desired golden brown. Turn only once. Serve hot as side dish or with honey or molasses.

Serves 4.

zucchini and corn fritters

Zucchini and sweet corn fritters

You need:
Zucchini, corn, cheese, flour, egg, parsley and mint.

• 400g small to medium zucchini, preferably a mix of green and yellow, and 1 or 2 zucchini flowers if available
• 1 freshly picked corn cob
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint and continental parsley (mixed according to preference). If you’ve washed the herbs, make sure they are quite dry before cutting them
• ½ cup cheese, chopped coarsely. We use marinated goats cheese such as Meredith Farm or marinated fetta from Yarra Valley Dairy because its easy to keep a jar of either of those in the fridge but you could buy a piece of fetta.
• ½ cup plain flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• olive oil for frying

Method:
Coarsely grate the zucchini without peeling it (the flecks of skin add texture and colour). Mix about ½ a teaspoon of sea salt into the zucchini and place it in a colander that you sit over a bowl for about half an hour. The zucchini will expel quite a lot of liquid and this stops the fritters becoming too watery. Discard the liquid.

Carefully peel the corn cob removing all of the silky threads and cut off the base so that it can stand flat on the table. Stand the corn cob on its base then, using a sharp knife, carefully cut the kernels from the cob. Twist the cob and repeat until most of the kernels have been removed. Warm about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the kernels and cook them for a few minutes, turning them all the time. They should quickly caramelise. Be careful. They might start to pop. Remove from the pan and allow to cool a little.

When you’re ready to make the fritters, squeeze the grated zucchini gently to remove excess fritters. Put the zucchini in a clean tea towel and roll it up. Twist both ends in opposite directions (it’s easier if two people do this) to remove more liquid. Now it should be quite dry. Add it to a clean bowl.

Add the corn, cheese, the chopped fresh herbs, chopped zucchini flower if using, and the egg. Stir the mixture gently to combine.

It’s a flexible recipe. Alone, or with a simple mint and yoghurt sauce and a few slices of ripe tomatoes or with slow-roasted tomatoes, it would make a great breakfast. With a salad, it can easily become a light lunch or dinner.

Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanouj)

Ingredients

2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down, and roast until very tender, about 35 minutes. Place the eggplant in a colander to drain and cool for 15 minutes, then scoop the flesh out of the skin.

2 Combine the eggplant, remaining olive oil (about 2 Tbsp), tahini, garlic, cumin, 2 Tbsp of the lemon juice, the salt, and a pinch of cayenne in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the eggplant is somewhat smooth but retains some of its texture.

3 Allow the baba ghanouj to sit for an hour at room temperature, then season to taste with additional lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Toss in cilantro and serve.

Serves four. Served traditionally with pita bread, and can also be served with crackers, toast, sliced baguette or celery.

Croissant

Baking the perfect croissant--golden and astonishingly light for its size, with crisply defined layers of flaky pastry--may seem beyond the reach of home bakers,

But success is at hand when you borrow secrets from professional baker Jean Lapuyade and associates at the Fabrique Delices Bakery, San Mateo, California.

For distinctive, crisp layers and high, light croissants, you need to fortify bread flour with a touch of glutten flour (both flours are available in supermarkets); this gives the dough just a little more stretch and strength. The pros also careful to keep the dough relatively moist, adding as little flour as possible when handling it; they also prefer to mis by machine rather than knead by hand to develop elasticity.

The croissant recipe given here is one of more than 190 excellent recipes for the home baker in Sunset's newly revised 128-page Breads (lane Publishing Co., 1984; $5.95). Many of the 24 color pages are devoted to clearly presented how-to-do-it instructions. Five of the seven chapters deal with yeast breads, including sourdough; one is devoted to griddle and fried breads, and one to quick breads. Special features include a troubleshooting guide, a discussion of flours and grains, and a section on baking in quantity. Croissants

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (about 110[deg.]) 3/4 cup warm milk (about 110[deg.])

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup gluten flour

2-1/4 cups bread flour

1 cup (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

Almond or fruit filling (optional)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in milk, sugar, salt, and gluten flour . Gradually add 2 cups of the bread flour; beat with a heavy-duty mixer for 5 minutes on high speed (or beat vogorously by hand for 15 minutes) until dough is elastic and pulls away sides of bowl in stretchy strands. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1-2 hours.

Srape dough out onto a lightly floured baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate untol very cold, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut butter into 1/8-inch-thich slices and place in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper. Chill until very cold.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour on a cool surface (a board or smooth counter). Roll out dough to form a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Arrange butter slices, slight Roll out dough to form a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Arrange butter slices, slightly overlapping, in center third of dough rectangle (step 1). Fold each extending side over butter and roll out again (step 2) until rectangle is about 3/8 inch thick. If necessary while rolling, turn dough over occasionally, flouring the surface lightly to prevent sticking; use as little flour as possible.

Fold dough in thirds again to make a squarish rectangle (step 3). Roll and fold dough again the same way. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Two more times, roll and fold dough as directed above, then wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Roll dough into a rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Cut into triangles about 6 inches at base and 8 inches at sides (step 4). If filling (recipes follow) is desired, center a 3-inch log of almond filling or 1 tablespoon fruit filling along base of eacg triangle. Roll triangles up from base to point (step 5) and place, point down, on 2 ungreased 14-by 17-inch baking sheets; croissants should be about 1-1/2 inches apart all around. Curve ends inward to form a crescent shape. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise in az warm place until doubled and very puffy, about 2 hours.

Brush each croissant gently with egg yolk mixture. Bake in a 400[deg.] oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot, or transfer to racks and let cool. Makes about 16 croissants.

Almond filling. In a blender or food processor whirl 1/3 cup unblanched whole almonds until finely ground. Stir in 1/3 cup each all-purpose flour and powdered sugar. Using food processor or a fork, work in 1/3 cup firm unslated butter and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.

Fill each croissant with 1 tablespoon filling rolled into a 3-inch log. After brushing croissant with egg yolk mixture, sprinkle with slice almonds.

Fruit filling. Fill each croissant with 1 tablespoon canned fruit pie filling (such as apple, cherry, blueberry, or peach). Bake as directed; if desired, sift powdered sugar over tops while still hot.

The Ultimate Croissant

To make larger, more dramatic-looking croissants, follow preceding directions, but cut 8 triangles instead of 16. Make the triangles 8 inches at the base and 10 inches on the other two sides (you'll need to piece together 2 of the croissants).

Continue as directed.

To fill with almond filling, prepare half the filling as directed, using 2-1/2 tablespoon each whole almonds, all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and unsalted butter. Use 1/8 teaspoon almond extract.

Serve croissant hot or cool. To reheat, place them on a ungreased baking sheet (11 by 14 in.) bake, uncovered, in a 325[deg.] oven until warm, about 10 minutes.

double choc muffins

Split in half and spread with raspberry jam for a desserty experience.

2 cups flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda, pressed through a sieve to remove lumps
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (miniatures work great!), divided
1 1/3 cups milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, combine the liquid ingredients and whisk until smooth. Fold into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Don't overmix. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 400°F. for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before removing from the pan.

Banana Bread

The best recipes come tried and true from friends who begged them from other friends and so on and so on. That's the wonderful thing about sharing recipes - the more good recipes we share, the better we all get to eat! This banana bread comes from my friend Heidi who years ago begged this recipe from a ski friend's mother - Mrs. Hockmeyer (parents of friends are always Mr. and Mrs. no matter how old we get). Mrs. Hockmeyer passed away years ago, but her simple but perfect banana bread lives on for all of us to enjoy.

Banana Bread Recipe

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Method

No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Yield: Makes one loaf.

Croissant

Recipe Croissant #1 -- Basic 1 cup milk 1 tbsp butter (first amount) 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1 pkg dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 2 1/2 cup unbleached flour 1 cup cold butter (second amount) Combine milk, first amount of butter, sugar and salt in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. While mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast in the water and add it to the milk. Place the liquid in a mixer and add the flour. Using the dough hook, mix until the dough is elastic and sticky. Place in a bowl, cover and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Place in refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. While recipe croissant dough is chilling, soften the remaining cold butter by pounding with a rolling pin. Roll the dough on a floured board to form a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Spread the butter over 2/3 of the rectangle closest to you. Fold the unbuttered third over the center third. Then fold the bottom 1/3 over the doubled portion. Swing the dough around a quarter turn. Roll it again into a 1/4-inch thick oblong. Fold again in thirds. Cover the dough and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more. When the dough is chilled, remove from the refrigerator and repeat the folding and turning twice more. Then roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness once more. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares then cut the squares on the bias to form two triangles. Roll each triangle beginning with the wide side, then shape the rolls into crescents. Place on baking sheets such as the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Baking Sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave enough room for each croissant to triple in size. Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking. Preheat oven to 400F. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake another 15 minutes. Remove recipe croissant from the oven. Cool and enjoy.

Recipe Croissant #2 -- an Easy Recipe

1 cup warm milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
1 cup flour
3/4 cup milk at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar (second amount)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cups melted and cooled butter
4 cups flour
1 cup cold butter (second amount)
1 egg beaten with cold water for wash

Stir warm milk and sugar together. Add yeast then let stand 10 minutes. Stir well. Add flour; beat well. Add milk, sugar and egg. Beat until smooth. Add butter; beat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, place the 4 cups of flour and the chilled butter. Cut butter into flour until pieces are the size of beans (not too small). Pour the liquid batter into the flour mixture; stir until moistened. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator. Press into a compact ball on a floured board and divide into 4 parts. Roll each into a circle 12" or 16". Cut each circle into 6 or 8 pie-shaped wedges. For each croissant, roll a wedge towards the point. Shape into a crescent and place on ungreased baking sheet. Let rise at room temperature until doubled. This could take in excess of two hours.

Brush each with egg beaten with cold water. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place croissants in oven. Lower temperature to 350 F and bake recipe croissant for 15 - 20 minutes until golden.

Recipe Croissant #3 -- Whole Wheat

2 tbsp yeast
1 1/2 tbsp honey
3/4 cup warm water (first amount)
2 cup butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 egg
1/2 cup water (second amount)
1 tbsp water

Combine yeast and warm water, stirring to dissolve yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 of flour; add water and honey; whisk until smooth. Cover bowl and let stand 1 1/2 hours.

Combine remaining flour with butter, and flatten butter pieces. Pour yeast batter into flour mixture; fold together with spatula; just moisten flour without breaking butter pieces.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Pat dough down and roll into a 18" x 12" rectangle; if too sticky, sprinkle with flour. Use a metal spatula to fold 1/3 of dough toward center; then fold from other side, 1/3 of dough over first 1/3. Lift folded dough off work surface, and scrape surface clean. Sprinkle work area with flour and repeat, rolling and folding 3 more times. Dough must be hard; if not, freeze for 45 minutes.

Pat dough into rectangle. Cut into 6 equal parts. Each part will make 4 croissants. You will work with one piece at a time, and hold others in refrigerator until ready to use. Roll each piece individually into 5 1/2" x 14" rectangles. Cut into two 5 1/2" x 7" pieces. Cut each piece diagonally to form 4 triangles; roll from wide end to point. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Curve ends to crescent shape.

Beat egg with water to form a wash; brush croissants with this and set them aside 1 hour. Wash again with the egg/water mixture. Bake at 375 degrees until puffed and brown. Let cool and serve.

Toasted bircher style museli

1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
250g plain yoghurt
2 tbsp honey
2 cups good quality toasted museli
1/4 cup craisins
160ml apple juice
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp ground cinamon
2 green apples, cut into matchsticks
150g blueberries, halved
extra plain yoghurt to serve
extra honey to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Put hazelnuts on an oven tray and roast for 5 minutes or until slightly golden. Allow to cool completely on tray.
2. Combine yoghurt, honey, museli, dried fruit, apple juice, lemon juice and cinnamon in a med bowl and set aside. Put apple and hazelnuts in a small bowl and mix well.
3. Divide museli between small serving bowls and top with spoonfuls of apple mixture and blueberries. Serve with extra yoghurt and honey.

Yoghurt pannacotta with raspberries and home made honeycomb

250ml of milk
400ml pouring cream
130g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 leaves of gelatine
280g thick greek style yoghurt
125g fresh raspberries
100g home made honeycomb

1. Put milk, cream and sugar in a med pan over low heat and cook until gently simering (do not boil). Remove from heat, then add vanilla.
2. Put gelatine leaves in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak until soft. Remove from bowl, squeeze out excess water, then add immediately to mixture. Stir to dissolve. Strain mixture into a clean bowl and let cool.
3. Stir in yoghurt, then pour into 6x 150ml dariole moulds. Refrigerate for 4 hours until set.
4. To serve, quickly dip moulds, 1 at a time, into hot water and turn out onto serving plates. Put raspberries in a bowl and bruise slightly with the back of a spoon. Scatter raspberries over panna cotta and sprinkle with crushed honeycomb.

Home-made honeycomb

3 tbsp water
50g raw sugar
250g caster sugar
100g glucose
4 tbsp honey
15 g bicarb soda, sifted

1. Line a 40x60x4cm tray with baking paper. Set a large stainless steel heavy-based pan over a low heat. Add water, sugars, glucose and honey, and cook until sugars dissolve. Increase heat to medium and cook for 8 mins or until liquid reaches 150C on a sugar thermometer ant turns a medium caramel colour with no large bubbles.
2. Remove pan from eat and quickly whisk in bicarb (the toffee will swell like molten lava). Pour quickly into prepared tray and allow to set for 20 mins.
3. Crack honeycomb into shards to serve. Store in an airtight container or freezer.

Mango chutney

1 tbsp olive oil
1 oinon, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3cm piece of ginger, finely grated
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
4 mangoes, cheeks removed and chopped
2 granny smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
2 small red chillies, seeded, finely chopped
salt and pepper to season

1. Heat olive oil in a deep heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add oinon and cook for 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and ginger, and cook for 1 minute. Add sugar and vinegar, then stir until sugar is dissolved and mix comes to the boil.
2. Add mango, apple and chilli. Stir until combined and mix comes to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until mix thickens and is reduced by a third. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and cool. Spoon chutney into sterilised jars and process.

Chewy fruit and nut bar

1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup malt powder
100g dried mangoes (or other dried fruit), roughly chopped
100g dates, roughly chopped
1 tbsp wholemeal flour
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup hot water
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 21cmx21cm slice tin with baking paper. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, water, honey and oil. Pour over dry mix and stir thoroughly until combined.
2. Spoon mix into tin and press down firmly all over. Bake for 25 mins or until golden. Stand to cool for 1 hr.
3. Trim edges and slice evenly into bars to serve.

Slow roasted eggplant with chermoula rub and moghrabieh salad

2 med eggplants, cut in half lengthways
150ml olive oil
30ml cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp mayonaise
salt and pepper
150g greek style yoghurt to serve

Chermoula rub
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp preserved lemon, finely chopped
150ml olive oil
salt and pepper to season

Mograbhieh salad
200g mograbhieh*
600ml of water
50g raisins
4 spring oinions, sliced diagnoally
1 handful of mint leaves, torn
1 handful of flat-leaf parsely, roughly chopped
60g almonds, roughly chopped, roasted
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1. To make chermoula rub, blend all ingredients in a food processor or combine with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 180C. Line baking tray with baking paper. Score eggplant flesh to make a diagonal criss-cross pattern. Spread chermoula liberally over eggplant halves then put on prepared tray. Bake for 40 mins or until tender.

3. To make dressing, combine oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard and mayo in a small bowl. Season and set aside.

4. To make salad, put moghrabieh in a medium pan, add water and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 mins or until tender (top up with more water if needed). Strain into medium bowl and cool. Add raisins, spring oinon, herbs, almonds and tomato. Pour over dressing.

5. Allow eggplant to cool slightly. Top each half with moghrabieh salad and dollop of yoghurt to serve.

*Moghrabieh is also known as pearl or giant couscous. It can be found in middle eastern supermarkets or Greek delis

Pastry Cream

Pastry cream is used to fill many varieties of pastries including eclairs.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Pastry Cream

• 300ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 2 egg yolks
• 60g caster sugar
• 30g corn flour
• 30g butter

Method

1. Place the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pod. Place the saucepan over a moderate heat and bring it to the simmer. Then remove it from the heat.
2. Place the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour in a bowl and whisk them together until well combined.
3. Add the milk to the bowl and whisk the ingredients together until well combined. Return the mixture to the saucepan and return it to a moderate high heat. Whisking it constantly bring it to the boil (be thorough with the whisking or you will end up with lumps and burnt pastry cream). When the pastry cream is thick remove it from the heat and mix in the butter.
4. Remove the pod from the pastry cream and place the pastry cream in a large bowl to cool. When it is warm cover it with cling film and leave it to cool. When it has cooled refrigerator until ready to use.