Sore Throat "Tea"

Sore Throat "Tea"

In a jar combine lemon slices, organic honey and sliced ginger.

 

Close jar and put it in the fridge, it will form into a "jelly".

 

To serve, spoon jelly into mug and pour boiling water over it.

 

Store in fridge 2-3 months

Ginger macadamia slice

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

125g butter, plus extra to grease tin

1 cup caster sugar

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground ginger

Topping

50g butter

1 cup icing sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts, lightly toasted

 

 

Instructions

 

Heat oven to 160 degrees C fan bake.

 

Grease a 17cm x 27cm slice tin with butter.

 

Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy.

 

Sift flour, baking powder and ginger over the creamed mixture, then stir to combine.

 

Press into the base of the prepared tin.

 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes then remove to cool.

 

For the topping, place the butter, icing sugar, golden syrup and ginger in a saucepan over a medium heat until the butter melts.

 

Bring to the boil for one minute.

 

Pour topping over cooked base and scatter with chopped macadamias.

 

Cut into squares while still warm.

 

Gin Fruit and Brandy Fruit

 

 

 

Gin Fruit

 

Makes about 1 quart (4cups)

 

Ingredients

 

•             1 cup dried figs

•             1 cup plump prunes

•             1 cup dried apricots

•             1/2 cup dried cherries

•             1/2 cup raisins

•             2 teaspoons raw sugar

•             8 cloves

•             8 long strips clementine peel

•             1 cinnamon stick

•             About 375 ml gin

 

Instructions

 

In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit.

 

To a lidded 1-quart (1litre) glass jar, add 1/4 of the fruit. Add 1/4 of the sugar, cloves and clementine peel.

 

Repeat 3 more times.

 

Push the cinnamon stick into the center of the fruit.

 

Pour over enough gin to just cover the fruit.

 

Seal the jar with a lid.

 

Let sit for a week before eating, replenishing the gin as needed.

 

 

 

 

 

Brandy Fruit

 

Makes about 1 quart (4 cups)

 

Ingredients

 

•             1 cup dried figs

•             1 cup plump prunes

•             1 cup dried apricots

•             1/2 cup dried cherries

•             1/2 cup raisins

•             2 teaspoons raw sugar

•             4 star anise pods

•             8 thin slices ginger

•             8 long strips clementine peel

•             About 375 ml brandy

 

 

Instructions

 

In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit.

 

To a lidded 1-quart (1litre) glass jar, add 1/4 of the fruit.

 

Add 1/4 of the sugar, star anise, ginger and clementine peel.

 

Repeat 3 more times.

 

Pour over enough brandy to just cover the fruit.

 

Seal the jar with a lid.

 

Let sit for a week before eating.

Herbed Chicken Cutlets with Panko and Parmesan

 

 

 

Serves 2

 

 

Ingredients

 

•             1 cup panko crumbs (Breadcrumbs) (or your choice)

•             1 tablespoon chopped assorted fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary)

•             1/3 cup grated parmesan

•             Salt and pepper

•             2 eggs

•             1/2 cup flour

•             3 tablespoons vegetable oil

•             1 tablespoon butter

•             2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/4 inch thick

 

 

 

Instructions

 

In a wide shallow bowl or pie plate, stir together the panko, herbs, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

 

In another bowl, crack the eggs, add a pinch of salt and pepper and lightly beat with a fork.

 

In a third bowl, stir together the flour and a large pinch each of salt and pepper.

 

Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.

 

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet (I like to use cast iron for this) over a medium-high flame.

 

Add the butter.

 

In the meantime, coat one of the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

 

Dip the breast in the egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing them lightly so that they adhere.

 

Set on a plate and repeat with the other chicken breast.

 

When the butter just starts to turn brown, gently lay both of the chicken breasts in the pan, side by side.

 

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and crispy.

 

Gently turn the chicken over and cook for another couple of minutes, until both sides are evenly browned.

 

Remove the chicken and let it drain on the paper-towel lined baking sheet for a minute or so.

 

Serve immediately, ideally with mashed potatoes and something green.

 

Peppadew Dip

 

 

Serves 2 cups

 

Ingredients

 

•             ¼ cup peppadews (pickled)

•             ¼ cup oil packed sundried tomatoes

•             ¼ cup roasted red peppers

•             2 cloves garlic

•             ¼ cup mayo

•             1 8 oz. (250g)  package cream cheese

•             juice from half a lemon

 

 

Instructions

 

Place first four ingredients in the food processor and puree (feel free to leave it chunky if you prefer- would also be pretty tasty this way . . .)

 

Add the rest of the ingredients and whir whir whir. Done.

 

Spoon into a bowl and serve with sliced baguette or pita, chips, crudités, or anything your dipping heart desires.

 

Alternatively, pipe the dip into pepadews and serve "Peppadew stuffed Peppadews."

 

What is cuter than that?

 

Baked Surprise Bread

 

 

 

Serves 8

 

 

Ingredients

 

For the rich bread dough

 

•             2 cups all purpose flower

•             1 packet of dry yeast (1/4 oz or 7 grams)

•             ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons of milk room temperature

•             2 tablespoons butter

•             1 eggs

•             1 pinch salt (it's a small quantity because the filling, especially salami and chourizo, already have a lot of salt

 

For the Filling

 

•             6 slices of good cooked ham

•             20/30 slices of salami paper thin sliced

•             5 ounces (155g) rich, creamy, fresh cheese like Crescenza or Stracchino

•             pepper freshly ground

•             ¼ cup Scamorza (dried mozzarella) shredded thick

•             2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan

 

 

 

Instructions

 

Warm the milk to no more then 97º F.

Take the cheese, ham, salami out of the fridge, they need to be at room temperature.

Dilute the dry yeast in 1/4 cup of milk.

When well diluted add the remaining milk.

Sift the flour into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attatchment.

Make a well in the center and pour the yeast and milk, the eggs and the butter.

Start mixing on low speed until all the ingredients are mixed.

Add the salt and beat on medium speed until dough starts to unattach from sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.

The dough is very moist and sticky and will remain like that.

Change the paddle attachment to the bread hook attachment and knead for a further 10 minutes.

At this point the dough should be all together in aball around the hook attachment and not stick at all to the sides.

Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough so when it rises it doesn't stick to the tea towel.

Cover with a clean tea towel and put in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Don't put the bowl on a cold surface like marble or granite as this will prevent the dough from rising neither on top of a hot surface.

The dough should rise slowly and not be forced to rise.

If you need put a tea towel underneath the bowl so that the base is warm.

When doubled in size, push down the dough gently to deflate.

Divide the dough in 2 equal parts.

Line a deep baking pan with parchment paper or gease it with butter and put 1/2 the dough in it. Gently push the dough all over so it covers the bottom of the tray.

The dough is sticky but gradually it will spread if you pull it with both hands gently.

If you get holes pinch the dough together to close them.

Add your filling which should be at room temperature so the dough rises better: spread the ham in 2 layers, then add the salami and finally the cheese cut up in small pieces.

Grind some fresh pepper. If you have left overs, it's delicious with thin slices of roast pork or shredded roasted or braised chicken.

Once you have the filling in, gently push on it especially on the sides and corners and the dough will spread evenly underneath very easily.

Cover the filling with the remaining dough and with both hands gently pull the dough so it spreads all over the filling.

Sprinkle a little flour on the dough, cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours in a warm place, away from drafts.

Again let the dough rise slowly and not forced by a heat source.

Pre-heat the oven to 300ºF/150C with rack in the middle.

Grate the Scamorza (dried mozzarella - you can't use fresh mozzarella because it has too much water and would soak the bread dough).

Sprinkle the Scamorza and the grated Parmesan on top.

Cook the bread for about 40 minutes, until it's golden, and when you tap on it, it sounds hollow.

You cannot use the toothpick method here to test for doneness because the ingedients in the middle are moist and you probably will get cheese in the toothpick rather then uncooked dough.

Let cool, cut in squares or slices with a serated knife and serve warm or cold.

 

Mary Herbert's Triple Layer Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream

 

 

 

Serves 8 generously

 

Chocolate Cake

 

Ingredients

 

•             2½  cups all purpose flour

•             3 cups sugar

•             11/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

•             2¼ tsp baking powder

•             2¼ tsp baking soda

•             1/2 tsp salt

•             3 eggs

•             1½ cups whole milk

•             ¾ cup vegetable oil

•             1 tbsp real vanilla extract

•             1½ cups boiling water

 

 

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

 

Grease three 9-inch round cake pans.

 

Cut three pieces parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans, place in pans and spray with vegetable spray.

 

Combine flour, sugar, soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl.

 

Blend well with electric mixer on low speed.

 

While on low, add eggs one at a time until mixed well.

 

Slowly add milk, oil, vanilla and put mixer on medium and blend well.

 

Put speed on low and add boiling water in slow stream.

 

When combined, pour into the prepared cake pans and bake 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

 

Cool then remove from the pan.

 

You can wrap these individually in saran wrap and freeze for later use.

 

 

Chocolate Buttercream

 

 

Ingredients

 

•             8 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp

•             2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

•             3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

•             1/3 cup whole milk

•             2 tsp real vanilla extract

•             ¼ tsp salt

 

 

Instructions

 

Place butter and the cocoa powder in large bowl.

 

Blend on low with electric mixer til soft and well combined.

 

That takes about 30 seconds.

 

Stop mixer.

 

Put the confectioner's sugar, milk, vanilla, salt in bowl and beat with mixer on low speed til the frosting lightens and is fluffy.

 

Add more milk if it’s too thick and more confectioner’s sugar if too thin.

 

Makes plenty to fill and frost the three layer cake.