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Little Apple Cakes

September 2nd 2010 08:26
Little Apple Cakes


Looking around our garden during the cooler season can become a little depressing. Predominately filled with fruit trees, winter is the time when they are dormant, having lost their leaves early on.

However, when the first bud swell comes along the whole area seems to brighten and you know that the new growth of spring is almost upon us.

The nashi and quince trees are ready to burst into bloom and it won't be long until the apples, apricot, cherry, pear and nuts come along as well.

When our Granny Smith begins to fruit, this recipe is going to come into high rotation. Sweet, yet with a hint of the tart Granny Smith flavour, these little apple cakes are sure to be a hit at your next dinner party. They can be made several hours ahead and placed into the oven when you sit down to the main.

Little Apple Cakes - makes 4

140g unsalter butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
grated rind 1 orange
1 cup self-raising flour
1 granny smith apple

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease 4 ramekins.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in orange rind. Fold through flour.
3. Peel and core apple, then thinly slice. Arrange apple over base of ramekins then spoon pudding batter evenly into ramekins.
4. Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes, until risen and lightly golden.

Serve with cream or custard.

39
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Five-spice beef stirfry

August 30th 2010 10:54
Five spice beef stir fry noodles


I have talked before about my love for Chinese five-spice and this recipe is a great one to highlight the delicate taste of the flavours. This is a variation on a recipe from the August edition of Australian GoodFood and highly recommended.

Five-spice beef stirfry

1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp sweet sherry
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
100g beef strips
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
100g snow peas
1 carrot julienned
5 mushrooms, sliced
100g fine rice noodles

1. Mix sauces, ginger, sherry and five spice in a bowl. Add beef and cover and marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Cook noodles according to packed direction, the drain.
3. Heat oil in a wok and stirfry beef for 2 minutes. Add other vegetables and stir fry a further 2-3 minutes until lightly cooked.
4. Add noodles and stir to coat. Serves 2


42
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Half Pound Cake

August 19th 2010 11:24
blackberry pound cake


I am still making my way through a few recipes from Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life and when a friend stayed with us for a couple of days to celebrate his birthday recently I thought it was a good chance to dust of the Kenwood and take this one off the 'must try' list.

Molly usually makes this pound cake with blueberries and raspberries, but she also recommends an alternative with blackberries, which we had in the freezer. There were only four of us, so we made a half pound cake instead (and we still had leftovers for morning tea).

Half Pound Cake with blackberries from A Homemade Life

1 cup 4 tablespoons plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
zest of 1 orange
3 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar
140g butter, diced at room temp
1 cup blackberries, rinsed and dried well

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees and butter a bunt tin.

In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup and three tablespoons plain flour, the baking power and salt and zest.

blackberry pound cake


In the bowl of a food processor, blend the eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Add the butter and blend until the mixture is fluffy. Add dry ingredients and process until just combined.

In another bowl, mix berries with the remaining tablespoon of flour. Add to the batter and fold through the mixture gently.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly across the top.

blackberry pound cake


Bake for 1 hour until a skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack.

blackberry pound cake
57
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Crispy sage chicken

August 13th 2010 09:03
Crispy sage chicken


I have talked before about what seems like the faux pas of buying chicken breast with a skin on it, but nevertheless, there are some times when it is exactly what you want


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72
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Thai beetroot soup

August 8th 2010 10:44
Thai beetroot soup


I dug up these beautiful heirloom beetroots from my veggie patch the other day. They are probably the biggest beetroots I have ever grow, though to be honest, that's not saying much. Most years I plant little seeds, and six months later I pull up hard, golf ball sized beetroots... so - this year success


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100
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Chocolate filled chocolate biscuits


A little over a year ago now I inherited a few kitchen items from my parents. As is often the way, I was filled with enthusiasm when I bought these items home, but some where along the line, life got in the way and I haven't made the time to play with most of the things


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105
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Baked mediterranean vegetables

July 31st 2010 00:33
Baked mediterranean vegetables


Like a ratatouille but without all the fuss, baked Mediterranean vegetables are a wonderful side dish for grilled meats - especially lemon and rosemary marinated lamb. Add some ricotta for a touch of your dairy intake, and you'll have a creamy, vegetable dish with plenty of flavour


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69
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Blood Orange Martini

July 20th 2010 00:09
Blood orange martini


Last week the Farmer's Market offered up some wonderful blood oranges. Always keen to take on these special cirtus with their deep red flesh, I purchased a few and took them home, wondering what I would make


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94
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Garlic and Sapphires

July 17th 2010 20:41
Garlic and Sapphires


A friend of mine lent me this book, and I have already recommended it to other people. Garlic and Sapphires in the true story of Ruth Reichl, a former New York Times food critic. As you can imagine, this book contains some wonderful descriptions of some of the best food in New York, and although the content is a little out of date (with most of the action taking place in 1990s) you can't help but feel inspired to visit and dine at some of these restaurants


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105
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salmon and parsley relish


I have to confess, I am not a big fan of fish. Terrible I know, especially when you consider I live with a great fisherman and that we are often privy to wonderful seafood donations. But, dear reader, I am trying


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