Sandra's Spinach and Leek Frittata

6 large, fresh, free-range eggs
120g baby spinach leaves (roughly chopped)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
200g carton of spinach dip
2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup white onions (chopped)
1 leek-white part only (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Saute onion and leek for a few minutes, add spinach and allow to wilt, then place spinach onion and leek on base of baking pan. Whisk all the filling ingredients together and pour into the pan. Place the pan onto the middle shelf of the oven. Cook in preheated 180 oven for approx 30 minutes, until it tests done in the centre, it should be firm but not solid. The baked quiche can be eaten warm but not hot and straight from the oven, or it will fall apart. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes. The quiche can also be eaten cold, but never directly from the fridge, or it will be too hard and the flavour's dead. Always allow it to come to room temperature before serving. I made it a frittata. You can put it in a pie shell and it is a quiche!

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls

Tablespoon olive oil
500g ground beef
1 chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped

400g canned diced tomatoes
420g tomato soup
1 small white cabbage, cut into large shreds
1/2 cup uncooked rice
salt and pepper

In a large pan, saute onion until soft, add beef and garlic and cook until all meat is browned, breaking it up as you cook. Add tomatoes, rice,  salt and pepper.  Layer cabbage on bottom of baking dish, add half of the meat mixture, then cabbage and meat again, ending with cabbage. Pour tomato soup over meat mixture, then fill the can with water and pour that over as well, and bake in the preheated oven, covered, for 1 hour. Stir, replace cover and bake for another 30 minutes.

Pomegranate Chicken

4 tbsp pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp sugar  

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1kg (2lb) chicken thighs on the bone, skin on
2 red onions, cut into small wedges
80g (3oz) pomegranate seeds
30g (1 1/4oz) walnuts, bashed into a coarse rubble

Mix the pomegranate molasses, olive oil, tomato purée, sugar, cinnamon, black pepper and pinch of salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken and onions and mix well so that everything gets completely coated in the marinade. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight. 

Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Remove the chicken from the fridge and bring to room temperature while the oven heats. Tip into a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender, with no pink meat showing. 

Transfer to a serving dish and spoon over the sticky juices from the tin. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, walnuts and coriander. Serve immediately.

Asian ColeSlaw Dressing

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Add sesame seeds to slaw

Dairy Free Vegetable Frittata

12 large Eggs

7 full cups of assorted vegetables: eg asparagus, mushrooms,zucchini, onions, leeks, broccoli, spinach

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt 

Freshly Ground Black Pepper 

[Add 1/3 Cup Grated Parmesan and 1/2 Cup diced feta cheese for dairy version]

Choose three or four vegetables and dice them. Preheat oven to: 350 F. Heat olive oil in 12 inch pan. Add vegetables and sauté until onions are soft and other vegetables are tender. Stir in cheese if you are using it. Season with salt and pepper. Taste. Adjust seasoning. Beat eggs until foamy and pour over vegetables in skillet. Give the skillet a gentle shake so all the vegetables are distributed evenly under the eggs. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes. Remember handle of skillet is hot. Take a pot holder and remove skillet from oven. Allow Frittata to cool about five minutes. Loosen the edges from pan with a spatula and slip it onto a serving dish. Serve hot or at room temperature with a beautiful salad and crusty bread.

Easy Fried Eggplant Salad

Recipe from Joy of Kosher Magazine

4 small eggplants, thinly sliced into 1 inch rounds
Oil for frying
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper

Heat 1 inch of oil in medium sized frying pan and fry eggplant rounds until golden brown, set aside on paper towels.  Drain oil from frying pan, leaving about a tablespoon of oil still in the pan. Place the red pepper and garlic in the pan and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggplant rounds back into pan, adding vinegar, salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Poached Salmon

Recipe from Joy of Kosher

1 onion, thinly sliced
⅓ cup sugar
2 lemons, sliced
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt
2 bay leaves [optional]
2 cups water 4 salmon fillets

Bring all ingredients, except salmon, to a boil, lower to a simmer and add the salmon into the pot.

Cover and cook on low for twenty minutes. 

To prevent salmon from falling apart, allow to cool before transferring.

Fish Curry

2 tblspn olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup tikka paste

270ml can coconut milk

750g boneless, skinless fish fillets, cubed - perch or flathead or other firm fish

150g green beans, trimmed and halved

60g baby spinach leaves

steamed basmatic rice, pappadums to serve

In a large frying pan, heat vegetable oil on high. Saute onion and garlic 3-4 minutes, until onion is soft.

Add paste to pan, cook stirring for one minute, until fragrant.  Stir in coconut milk, bring to boil on high.

Stir fish and beans into sauce. Cook covered for 8-10 minutes.

Stir spinach through curry for final minutes of cooking to wilt.  

Serve with steamed rice and pappadums.

Pesach Almond Macaroons

4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar

2 cups ground almonds

Beat egg yolks well. Add sugar, and beat until mixture is lemon colored. Add the ground almonds and mix thoroughly. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator. 

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Take small pieces of the mixture and shape into small balls - note, these cookies spread..  Place the macaroons on a greased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Top with half an almond. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. 

Potato Kugel

10 large potatoes
4 large onions
3 eggs
1/2 cup lite olive oil
2 tbsp flour
salt and pepper

Oil two medium sized baking trays.

Grate or process potatoes and onions.  Beat eggs and mix with grated vegies.  Add flour, salt and pepper.

Cooking uncovered for 1hr at 190 and then covered on 130 for 2-3 hrs works best!

Strawberry IceCream - Pesach

4 egg whites

750g frozen berries
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice

Separate your eggs. Reserve yolks for another recipe.

Beat your egg whites until you have stiff peaks.

Blend up your frozen fruit until you have a smooth puree.

Add your lemon juice and sweetener to your blended fruit. If using different fruit, add less lemon juice and sweetener at first, then adjust to taste.

Gently fold in the pureed frozen fruit mixture into your egg whites, and try to incorporate it as evenly as possible.

Freeze in plastic container.

Hazelnut Cake

350g hazelnut meal
6 eggs
5/8 cup caster sugar

Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale yellow.  Mix in ground hazlenuts.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.   Quickly fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixure, then add the remaining whites and fold in until no streaks remain.
Pour into a 9 inch springform. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 75 mins or until top of cake springs back when lightly tapped.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing
250g icing sugar sifted
125g butter at room temperature
100g melted chocolate
Cream butter and melted chocolate together and gradually mix in icing sugar. If too stiff add a drop of milk.

Lemon Almond Sponge Cake for Pesach

Author: Jamie Schler 

The Lemon Almond Sponge Cake 
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
Finely grated zest and juice from ½ lemon
¼ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup ground almonds
½ cup potato flour
Pinch salt + few drops lemon juice for whites
Handful slivered blanched almonds to decorate, optional

The Warm Lemon Sauce 
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
Finely grated zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 Tbs potato starch
2 Tbs butter, cubed and softened

Instructions 

Prepare the Lemon Almond Sponge Cake: 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Have ready a springform pan – I used a 7 ¼ inch-diameter x 4 inch-high springform but a regular 8-inch pan is fine, too. 

Separate the eggs; place the yolks in a large mixing bowl and the whites in a medium bowl, preferably plastic or metal. Add a pinch salt and a few drops lemon juice to the whites and set aside. 

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks for three or four minutes until thick and pale. Add the sugar and continue beating until thick and creamy. 

Beat in the zest and juice of ½ a lemon and the vanilla extract until well blended and thick. Quickly beat in the ground almonds. 

Using very clean beaters, beat the egg whites on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high; beat the whites until thick, glossy and peaks hold. Do not overbeat until the whites are dry. 

Using a spatula, gently but firmly fold the stiff whites into the lemon almond cake batter in 3 additions. Fold in the potato flour with the third addition of the whites in order to avoid overworking the batter. Fold in the whites just until all the lumps of white have disappeared. 

Gently pour the batter into the springform pan. Dust with a couple of tablespoons slivered almonds. Bake in the preheated oven 30 – 45 minutes, depending on your oven and pan size. The cake is done when puffed, set and golden. Gently press on the top of the cake and it should feel set, much like an angel or sponge cake. A tester inserted in the center should come out dry. 

Remove the pan from the oven onto a cooling rack and allow to cool before unmolding. Carefully run a long, thin blade around the sides to loosen the cake while still warm. 

Prepare the Warm Lemon Sauce by first bringing the water to a boil. 

Sift the cornstarch or potato starch into the sugar in a medium heatproof bowl and stir. Whisk in the boiling water then, when smooth, return to the pan and continue cooking over low heat, whisking or stirring, for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened to the consistency of a sauce. 

Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter a cube at a time until the buttered is melted and incorporated and the mixture is smooth. 

Strain through a mesh strainer if necessary. Store in a jar in the refrigerator; to reheat, simply put the gelled sauce in a saucepan and heat very gently over low, stirring or whisking constantly, until pouring consistency (not too runny) and warm. Strain. Serve warm.

Dairy Free Passionfruit Ice Cream

6 eggs, separated

250g caster sugar

125ml [half a cup] vegetable oil

250ml [one cup] passionfruit pulp [about 10 passionfruit]

Beat eggs whites in electric mixer until stiff, then add half the sugar and continue beating until stiff, set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar until very pale and thick, then gradually add the oil until fully mixed in.

Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.  Add the passionfruit pulp and gentle fold in with a spatula.

Pour into freezer proof container and freeze overnight.  Serves 10.

Salmon Quinoa Salad

[Serves 4]

Fresh salmon
Quinoa
Tomatoes
Parsley
Lemon juice
Olive Oil
Salt
Pumpkin/Sunflower Seeds

Flake 4 x 125g pieces of cooked fresh salmon into bite-size pieces.

In a large bowl, combine 60g mixed leaf sald, 3 cups cooked and cooled quinoa, 200g chopped tomatoes, small amount of finely chopped parsley.

Dressing: whisk together the juice of 1 large lemon, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and season to taste. Drizzle over the sald.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Garnish with pumpkin or sunflower seeds [optional]

You can make this without the salmon as a vegetarian option.

Hazelnut Cake [Pesach]

500g ground hazelnuts
8 egg yolks
180g caster sugar
8 egg whites

Preheat the oven to 165 degrees C. Grease and flour a 23cm springform cake tin.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

In a separate large bowl beat the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow in colour. Mix in the ground hazelnut mixture.

Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture then add the remaining whites and fold in until no streaks remain. Pour into the springform cake tin. Bake in preheated oven for approx 45 minutes or until top of cake springs back when lightly tapped. Cool on wire rack.

Icing:  Melt dark chocolate with a small amount of Nuttelex margarine and spread over the top, allow time to set.
Alternatively, make a chocolate butter cream and use as a filling and icing.

Pineapple Fridge Tart

Crust Ingredients: 
1 packet of tennis biscuits (crushed)
100g butter (melted)

Method: Crush the biscuits or whiz them in a food processor until broken. Add the melted butter and blend very briefly until just mixed through. Scrape the mixture into the prepared dish and spread out. Work the crumbs up the sides of the dish and flatten with the back of a tablespoon. Put in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm while you prepare the filling. 

Filling Ingredients: 
1 tin of condensed milk
125ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice
1 400 gr tin ” crushed ” pineapple (well drained)

300ml cream (whipped until thick) 

Method: Mix the condensed milk and pineapple. Add the lemon juice Fold in the cream Pour over crust and decorated with pieces of fine tennis biscuits or pineapple pieces. Put in the fridge for at least three hours or overnight.

Hamentaschen

4eggs
1 cup oil
1.25 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon baking powder
half teaspoon salt
5 cups plain flour
grated orange rind [optional]

Mix together all the liquid ingredients, then add dry ingredients.
Roll out and cut into circles.
Place a teaspoon of filling in centre and pinch together to form hamentaschen.

For fillings use any kind of jam,  poppy seed or nut mixture

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 mins.

Easy Lamb Curry

Brown 4 x forequarter lamb chops in pan
Add 500ml jar of Patak's Rogan Josh simmer sauce
Add vegetables: potatoes, carrots and peas
Simmer for 30 mins
Cover with foil, put in oven on 140C for minimum of three hours

Tami's Salad Dressing

1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Then add oil and shake again to combine.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Recipe by Jessica Seinfeld

1 head cauliflower
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 pomegranate
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

​Heat the oven (with the oven rack in the middle) to 425°F.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets and put on rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Toss to combine and spread into a single layer. Roast until charred and just tender, about 25 minutes.

In a small pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Cut the pomegranate half in half again. Over a medium bowl, slide your thumb between the skin and the seeds to loosen. Pick out the white membranes. Slice the scallions and chop the parsley and add to the bowl. Add the vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Fold in the pine nuts.

Serve the cauliflower on a platter or large plate and spoon the vinaigrette over the top. Serve at room temperature.

Mango and Lemon Curd Pavlova

6 eggwhites
330g caster sugar [1.5 cups]
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour, sifted

1 tsp vanilla-bean extract
1 jar of Lemon Curd
1 cup (250ml) thickened cream, whipped to stiff peaks
1 mango, thinly sliced
Mulberries, to serve

Preheat oven to 110°C. To make pavlova, whisk eggwhites in an electric mixer with a pinch of salt until just before stiff peaks. Add sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking constantly until thick, glossy and sugar dissolves. Fold in vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.

Draw a 20cm circle on reverse side of a sheet of baking paper and place on a baking tray. Spoon meringue over circle to create a dome. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 90°C. Cook for a further 40 minutes or until crisp and dry. Turn off oven and leave the meringue in oven, with the door ajar, for 3-4 hours until cooled completely.

Gently swirl together lemon curd and cream. Spread over meringue and top with mango and mulberries to serve.