Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

3 tbsp. cider vinegar
3 tbsp. honey
6 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. onion, finely minced
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup salad oil

 

Heat vinegar and honey in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until honey dissolves. Pour into bowl. Cool. Whisk in all other ingredients except oil. Mix well. Gradually whisk in oil. May be prepared 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature. Mix well before dressing salad.

 

Good with avocado and watercress salad.

Options: Make a salad with finely chopped capsicums (red, green and yellow), finely chopped snow-peas, finely chopped radicchio lettuce and baby spinach leaves.

Spicy Pumpkin and Parsnip Soup

Olive oil, knob of butter
3 onions, roughly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped
2 Massel parve chicken stock cubes
half tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt

Fry onion in olive oil/butter for a few minutes, add sliced parsnip and garlic, saute for another minute.  Add pumpkin, stock cubes, salt and cayenne pepper.  Cover with water. Bring to boil and allow to simmer for about half an hour, until vegetables are cooked through.  Puree until smooth.

Onions Never Make Me Cry....

...because I keep them in the fridge.  Cut them when they are cold, and you will never cry over an onion again.

Macaroni Cauliflower Cheese

1 small head of cauliflower
200g macaroni pasta

Cheese Sauce:
600ml milk
50g butter
50g flour
100g grated cheese
1 tablespoon English mustard

Preheat oven to 190c. Cut the cauliflower into florets, and boil with the pasta for 10 mins.

In the meantime, to make the cheese sauce, heat the butter in a pan then add the flour gradually to the melted butter. Stir vigorously for a minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in the milk. Place back on the heat and increase temperature, whisking the milk mixture continuously as it thickens. Bring to the boil, by which time it should have thickened, then stir in the cheese and mustard. Season to taste. Drain the pasta and cauliflower,   then tip them both into a baking dish. Top with the cheese sauce and grate a little extra Parmesan over the top. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.