Spinach, Beet, Tomato and Sweet walnut salad

1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup walnut halves
200g can baby beets
small punnet Perino cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 cups baby spinach leaves

Place maple syrup in heavy based pan, add walnut halves and a small amount of salt and cook on low heat until for about 4 minutes.  Tip walnuts onto baking paper to cool.

In a large bowl, add spinach leaves, baby beets [drained], sweet cherry tomatoes and the cooled walnuts.

To make dressing, mix oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard and some salt and pepper.

Pour over dressing.

Almond Lemon Cake [Pesach Gluten Free]

Mild Olive oil for brushing pan
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups + 2 tablespoons ground almonds
1 cup castor sugar (divided into 3)
6 large eggs separated
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Grated zest of 2 lemons 

½ teaspoon salt 

½ cup flaked almonds 

Preheat oven to 175 C Grease a 21cm springform tin with olive oil and line bottom of tin Put the 2 tablespoons of ground almonds into the greased tin, shaking to coat the sides In a bowl mix together, the 2 cups ground almonds, ⅓ cup sugar and lemon zest. 

Place egg yolks into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add ⅓ cup sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 6 tablespoons olive oil slowly, then add the lemon juice, and lastly the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl place egg whites and the salt. Beat until soft peak gradually adding ⅓ cup castor sugar. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture in 3 stages, then pour mixture into prepared springform tin. 

Sprinkle flaked almonds on top of cake mixture. Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown and a tester inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from tin. Can be made a day ahead.

Salmon Leek and Potato Frittata

Olive oil spray
2 red potatoes, thinly sliced
1 leek, sliced
1/3 cup dill
185g hot smoked salmon, coarsely flaked
8 eggs, lightly whisked

Cook potato in pan with small amount of olive oil spray for 1 min each side until golden and tender.
Transfer to a plate.
Add leek to pan and cook, stirring for 5 mins or until leek softens. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Coarsely chop half the dill sprigs.
Spray pan with olive oil spray.
Arrange potato, leek and salmon over base of the pan.
Whisk eggs and chopped dill. Season.
Pour egg mixture over salmon mixture in pan.
Place pan over medium-low heat and cook for five minutes or until egg mixture is almost set.
Place under grill for five minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Set the frittata aside for two minutes, still in the pan, Cut into wedges. Sprinkle with remaining dill to serve.

Salmon Rillettes

2 portions fresh salmon
100g smoked salmon, finely chopped
2 cornichons, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tbs mayonnaise
1 tbs sour cream
2 tsp horseradish cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbs finely chopped chives
1 tbs chopped dill
Sliced bread

Cook fresh salmon until just cooked through
Remove and discard the skin, place salmon in bowl. Flake into small pieces.
Stir in the smoked salmon and all other ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in fridge for two hours.
Serve with bread or store in fridge for up to two days.

Kathy's Laksa

Pot on low heat

2 tablespoons oil
5 cloves crushed garlic
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoons tumeric
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
Cook 1 minute

Add carrot sticks, red capsicum sticks, chopped mushrooms and half a sliced red onion

Dissolve 4 cubes parev chicken stock cubes into 2 cups of boiling water and add to pot
Add six more cups hot water and stir
Add half a sweet potato chopped
Bring to boil and simmer for five minutes
Add 1 1/2 cups coconut cream
and two cups chopped bok choy

cook rice noodles in boil of hot water and then rinse in cold water

plate up with bean sprouts first, then noodles and soup

Sultana Cake

80g softened butter
2/3 cup raw sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cup milk
2 cups self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups sultanas

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until creamy. Gradually add milk and flour in alternate small quantities. Gently fold in the sultanas. Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for approx 35-45 mins.   

Chocolate Walnut Brownies

250 g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
150 g butter, cubed
165 g [3/4 cup] sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked

75g self raising flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
150 g walnuts

Grease a 16 cm x 26 cm shallow slice tin.  Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Add the  sugar and eggs to the chocolate mixture and use a whisk to stir until well combined. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the walnuts. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minute.

Spaghetti Bolognaise Sauce

1 large onion - finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves - minced or finely chopped
500g beef mince
1 can Leggo's Tomato Puree
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 carrot, finely diced

Saute onions in a small amount of olive oil for a few minutes.  Add meat and garlic, and break up the meat as it cooks until brown on all sides.
Add carrot, tomato puree and crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Bring to boil and simmer for 50 minutes.

Instant Chicken and Corn Soup

• 6 cups of water
• 2 and a half Massel chicken stock cubes 
• One can [420g]creamed corn
• One can corn niblets [drained]
• Flaked cooked BBQ'd chicken breast [great use for leftovers]
• Drop of soy sauce [optional]
• Chopped spring onions [optional]

Place all ingredients [except the spring onions] into a large saucepan and bring to boil.  Simmer for a few minutes.

Ready to serve.

Sprinkle with chopped spring onions if desired.

Hanna's Salad

ice berg lettuce
blanched, halved and toasted almonds
drained can mandarins
spring onions
thinly sliced sliced spanish onion
avocado
pomegranate seeds

dressing - blitz together 
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

500 g minced beef
1 egg
chopped parsley [optional]
2 cloves crushed and chopped garlic

1/4 cup ketchup or tomato sauce
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Combine all ingredients in large bowl and shape into small golfball size balls.
Drop into prepared sauce and cook for 45 mins on a low simmer.

Sauce:
1 onion diced
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 can Leggo's tomato puree
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Saute onion and garlic, add remaining ingredients plus half a can of water.  Bring to boil and simmer for a few minutes before adding in meatballs.


Serve with pasta, rice or mashed potato.