Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

Serves 4
Prep time 10 minutes Cooking time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 Lamb Shanks
2 Tablespoons plain flour
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup (125ml) white wine
sprig of rosemary
mashed potato to serve

1.Preheat oven to 160C. Dust shanks lightly with flour, shaking off excess.
2.Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole dish on high. Cook shanks for 3-4 minutes, turning, until browned. Set aside.
3. Sauté onion in same pan for 5 minutes until golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Return shanks to pan with tomatoes, wine and rosemary.
4. Bake covered, for 2 ½ hours, until meat is very tender. Season to taste and serve with mashed potato.

Tip: Use a frying pan and transfer to casserole dish if you do not have a flameproof dish.

RICE

ABORIO
Is a white, short grain rice from Italy. It is almost round and contains much more starch than other rice. USES: Risotto, Soups, Puddings

BASMATI
Is a long grain rice from India with a nutty flavour and aroma. When it is cooked it is fluffy and separates. USES: Best used for Indian cooking.

BROWN RICE
Is a medium grain rice retaining it's bran layers. This gives it it's distinctive texture and flavour. Cooking time is about twice as long as white rice. Quick cook brown rice retains all the nutritional benefits of Brown rice, but it has been steamed to reduce cooking time by of that of Brown rice. USES: Casseroles, Meatloaves, Salads

GOLDEN RICE
Is White rice which has been steamed with the outer bran layers on. After removal, the golden colour from the bran is evident. Cooking produces more separate grains than other rices. USES: Fried Rice; Used in place of other types in recipes; Can be cooked in the fridge (see cooking Methods).

JASMINE
Is a long grain rice from Thailand with a beautiful fragrance. When it is cooked it is fluffy and separates. USES: Best with Thai food.

WHITE RICE
Is a medium grain rice produced in Australia. It is plumper and more moist than Long Grain Rice when cooked. USES: Desserts, Salads

WHITE LONG GRAIN RICE
Is distinguished by it's narrow kernel, longer than it is wide. It gives tender, fluffy, separate grains when cooked. USES: Traditional rice dishes of Asia, India & Spain; Salads

WILD RICE
Is actually the seed of and aquatic grass. When cooked it is chewy and earthy in flavour. It takes up to an hour to cook. USES: Stuffings, with Game birds, Pilaf.

NOTE: All varieties of Rice should be stored in a dark, cool, dry place.

COOKING METHODS

Absorption Method:

Bring 2 Cups of Water to the boil in a heavy based saucepan. Stir in 1 Cup of rice and salt to taste. Return to boil. Cover. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and all water absorbed. Remove lid. Fork lightly. Heat gently until any liquid evaporates. NOTE: Add 1 1/2 Cups of water for every extra cup of rice.

Exeptions: Brown rice requires about 55 minutes cooking time. Quick cook brown rice requires about 25 minutes cooking time. Golden Long grain rice requires only 1 1/2 cups of water. Wild Rice requires about 45 minutes cooking time.

Rapid Boil:

Bring 8 cups of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Stir in 1 cup of rice. Boil uncovered, 12-15 minutes. Drain well. Exeptions: Brown rice requires 30-40 minutes cooking time. Quick cook brain rice requires 15-18 minutes cooking time. Not advised for Wild Rice.

Microwave:

Place 1 cup rice in a deep casserole dish with 1 1/2 cups of water. Cover dish with lid or plate. Cook on HIGH (100%) for about 10-12 minutes, stirring once. Allow to stand covered for 5 minutes. Toss with fork. Exeptions: Brown rice requires 3 cups of boiling waer, 30 minutes cooking and 10 minutes standing. Quick cook Brown rice requires 2 1/3 cups boiling water, 15-78 minutes cooking and 10 minutes standing time. NOT recommended for Wild Rice.

Cook in Fridge:

Golden Long Grain Rice cooks in the fridge. Simply place 1 cup rice in a container with 1 cup boiling water. Cover. Refridgerate 1 hour or overnight. Quick cook Brown Rice requires 2 hours.

Baked (boiled) New Potatoes

Boil whole new potatoes, cut in half, put on baking tray, press in from the top with the handle of a spoon to crush open the top, dribble some olive oil over and in the spud and back in the oven until a little crispy on top. Garlic oil is nice as well.

Chocolate Slice

Base Ingredients:

2 and a half cups self raising flour
4 table spoons cocoa
1 and a half cups coconut
1 cup castor sugar
12 table spoons butter
2 eggs....large

Base Method:

Blend all dry ingrediants while butter is melting - don't allow to boil.

Beat eggs together well in a separate bowl.

Blend eggs lightly into dry ingredients - then add melted butter

Mix it all together well.

Lightly grease a lamington tray.........and press the mixture into it firmly.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes on moderate heat.

Pour icing over top while still warm - when cool cut into squares.


Icing mixture:

2 cups icing sugar
2 x table spoons cocoa
1 tea spoon vanilla
a little hot water.

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl. Add vanilla a enough water to make a pastey mixture.

Spaghetti Boscaiola

Ingredients:

Spaghetti
Butter (a good sized Dob)
Onion (Medium sized - chopped)
Bacon (2-4 Rashers, sliced into bite sized pieces)
Eggs (2-4 Large)
Extra Dob of Butter (a good rounded teaspoon)
Cracked Pepper

Method:

Put the water on to boil the Spaghetti.

Chop onion into small pieces.
Take the rind and extra fat off the bacon and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Heat Butter in a frying pan until it is melted and just starting to bubble.
Add chopped Onion into frying pan and fry until it becomes golden and a little transparent.
Add Bacon and a dash of Cracked Pepper to frying pan and fry until cooked.

Cook Spaghetti while Onion & Bacon are frying.

Beat eggs and extra dob of butter in a bowl and set aside for now.

Remove the frying pan from the heat if Onion & Bacon are done before the Spaghetti is cooked.

Drain the Spaghetti and rinse under cold water in a colander - making sure it is well drained before adding to frying pan.

Reheat Onion & Bacon if the frying pan has been taken off the heat.

Once the Onion & Bacon are sizzling again - add well drained Spaghetti and stir everything in together well.

Turn the heat down to low.

Lightly re-beat egg and butter mixture and add to the frying pan - stirring the egg mixture through the spaghetti with a fork.

Once the egg mixture is well amongst the Spaghetti use an egg-lifter to turn the mixture over, scrapping the bottom of the frying pan to make sure the egg isn't setting only on the bottom.

Voila! Spaghetti Boscaiola!!

Sangria

Serving size: Serves 10 or more
Preparation time: Quick with advance preparation
This recipe can be prepared a day ahead. Add the lemonade just before serving.
Makes 1½ litres (6 cups)



Ingredients:

¼ cup (60ml) orange juice
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
2 medium (480g) oranges, peeled, sliced thinly
750ml red wine (such as Shiraz)
3 cups (750ml) lemonade

METHOD
+ Heat juice, sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a small saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.
+ Pour over orange slices in large bowl or jug, cover, refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
+ Remove cloves and cinnamon.
+ Add wine to the orange mixture.
+ Just before serving, add lemonade.
+ Serve in wine glasses.

Chocolate Ripple Cake

Ingredients:

300ml cream
1 tsp castor sugar
Vanilla essence
1 pack Arnott’s Chocolate Ripple Biscuits
Crushed nuts, grated chocolate or strawberries to decorate

Method:

Add sugar and a drop of vanilla essence to the cream and whip until very stiff.
Join biscuits together by standing a biscuit on its side and sandwich with the next biscuit using a generous spread of cream. Continue until all the biscuits have been used and resemble a log.
Cover the log thickly and entirely with the remaining cream.
Place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours to set.
Before serving, decorate log with grated chocolate, if desired.
To serve, cut cake at a slight angle to ensure alternate layers of chocolate biscuit and cream are in each slice.

To add extra flavour to the cake, brush the biscuits with a spirit or liqueur of choice, for example rum or Kuhlua, before sandwiching together, or add a splash of alcohol to the cream before whipping.

For something different, instead of Chocolate Ripples, try Ginger Nuts and add some fresh ginger to the whipped cream.

Apple Pie

Serves 6 - 8



Filling Ingredients:

6-7 Granny Smith Apples
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Plain Flour
1 Teaspoon Cinnomon
Pinch Salt
Pinch Nutmeg
30 grams Butter
1 Egg-white (lightly beaten)
Extra Sugar

Filling Method:

Peel and core apples and cut into thin slices. Place in a bowl and toss apples gently with sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into pastry case and dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to cover filling, and press pastry edges frimly together. Trim edges, pressing into flute shape with fingers. Brush top with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Make a few slits for steam to escape and bake in a pre-heated HOT oven (200C) for 1 1/4 hours or until pastry is crisp golden brown and apples are tender. If pastry begins to darken too much, reduce heat or cover top with foil. Serve warm with whipped cream; custard; ice cream.

Pie Crust Ingredients:

This quantity makes enough for the top and bottom crust of a 20-23cm pie plate.

2 Cups Plain Flour
Pinch Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
180 grams Butter
1 Egg-yolk
1 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Sugar

Pie Crust Method:

Sift Flour, Salt and Baking Powder in to a bowl. Rub in Butter with the fingertips until the mixture rsembles coarse breadcrumbs. Beat the Egg yolk and Sugar with the water and add to the flour mixture, mixing lightly until dough forms in to a ball. Do NOT knead, but wrap in plastic film and chill for 1 hour or so before rolling out on a lightly-floured surface. Put aside 1/3 of the pastry for the top. Roll out remaining pastry on a floured surface to fit a greased, 23cm pie dish.

Note: This quantity may seem small for a top and bottom crusted pie but I think pies are nicest when they have a large amount of filling and a crispy pastry.

(I found this recipe on a blog but have lost the URL - if it's yours, let me know so I can give you the credit for it....because it's absolutely scrumptious!)

Aloo Mattar

Vegetarian dish, Served with main course - potato with green peas.




Ingredients:

Green Peas - 200 to 250 gm
Potatoes - 2-4, medium
Tomatoes - 2
Garlic - 10 cloves
Ginger - 1 small piece
Fresh Coriander leaves - ¼
Green chillies - 1 or 2, as needed
Onion - 1, medium
Turmeric - 1 Tablespoon
Salt - to taste

Method:

Cut the potatoes into small cubes.
Grind onion, garlic, ginger, coriander leaves, tomato and green chillies.
Add salt and turmeric to the ground spices.

Heat oil in a cooking pan (preferably a pressure cooker).
Add the ground spices and fry till the oil separates.
Add the potato pieces and peas to the gravy and mix well.
Add water, lower the heat, cover and leave it for few minutes until boiled.
Garnish with few coriander leaves and sliced green chillies.

Serve hot as a side dish or with roti/naan.

Thank You - World Of Recipe - I'd been looking for this recipe for months and found it there!

Alloo Gobbi

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
4 potatoes
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 inch fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic
3/4 spoons turmeric
1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
3 tomatoes
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
2 teaspoons Coriander Powder

Directions :

Cut cauliflower into floweretts. Cube potatoes & tomatoes. Heat oil and sauté cumin
seeds for about a minute. Add chopped garlic and ginger, stir and add potatoes.
Fry, add turmeric and chili powder, and fry again. Add tomatoes and
simmer for about five minutes. Add cauliflower and high heat for about
one minute. Lower heat, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Curry should be dry and clingy (not sloppy & sauce like).

Omi's Spare Rib Sauce

150ml Red Wine
8 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
4 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 Big Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
2 Heaped teaspoons Powdered Ginger
2 Heaped teaspoons Mustard Powder
6 Cloves of garlic - crushed.
3 Teaspoons Tabasco Sauce

Mix all together - pour over ribs - pop in pre-heated oven ( Moderate )

Laurienna's Chili con Carne

A scrumptious and simple recipe from another Web Goddess - Laurienna.

Chili con Carne

50 g (3 tbsps) of butter
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
500g ( 1 lb) ground beef
2 tsps chili powder
4 tsps ground cumin
65g ( I always put more than that, like half or more of the little cans ) tomato paste
2 or 3 cans ( 400g each or 8oz )beans ( I put in at least 3 different ones: black beans, cannelini beans and kidney beans )
Beef bouillon

Melt the butter in a large pot and put in the onions and the garlic until just golden.
Add the meat and cook, stirring a bit for 10 mns.
Add the chili and the cumin to the tomato paste ( little kids love to that) and mix with the meat.
Add the beans and the bouillon so that it covers the meat and beans.

Cover and cook for 25 mns.
Serve with rice.

If you can't find chili powder use 1 tsp or less of cayenne. It's worth hunting down the chili powder though, that smoky taste is wonderful in chilis.