Apple Salad

The perfect salad combination of apple, celery and cabbage with a creamy yoghurt and Dijon mustard dressing.

1 new season granny smith apple, diced
1 c shredded cabbage
1 stalk celery, diced
2 T yoghurt
1 t Dijon mustard
1 T lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 red onion, sliced (optional)
1 T parsley leaves (optional)
salt and pepper

Toss everything together and chill until serving. The salad goes well with pork sausages.

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Romancing the Stone

As Prince William weds Kate Middleton, the rest of the world dreams of fairy tale weddings and happily ever after.

On the other side of the TV screen, what about "Kaga" John of home stadium kitchen fame? Let's rewind the tape back to 23 October 2010.

As John walks excitedly past the jeweller on a very busy Saturday in a local shopping centre....

John: How would you like a wedding ring?

Noodle: That would be really nice!

John: We have to wait a bit longer, for the boys to adjust ...

Noodle: Oh, out of respect for the boys ...



On Christmas Day 2010, a box appears under the Christmas tree, wrapped with a picture of a pink "Argyle" diamond. Excitement runs high...

John: Here's a present!

Noodle: Here's something for you...

Dramatic drum roll while the gift wrappers rip.... and then ....

.... the ring is no where to be found. OK, it's customary for diamonds even if it is under 1 mm under 0.5 mm in a pendant. In the end it's the thought that counts... an "I.O.U" cruise and a lovely injet-printed pink diamond say it all .... and much more.

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Princess High Tea for a Royal Wedding

It's the eve of a Royal Wedding! Once again Royal Wedding fever is in the air as home cooks flurry around the kitchen cooking up the foods to eat while watching the greatest event on TV, the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Royal Weddings are few and far in between. Even the local supermarkets join the fever.

For example, ideas from Coles Autumn 2011 magazine, available free from the supermarket:

Princess Punch
Mini Strawberry Tarts
Tomato Pesto Palmiers
Potted Prawns with Melba Toast
Mini Lemonade Scones
Apple Teacake
Waldorf Finger Sandwiches
White Chocolate Creme Cones
Quick and Easy Toffee Fig Cheesecake

Here are the picks that make use of new season apples from the Southwest, and easy enough for the kids, while parents stay glued to the TV ...

Apple Teacake
Adapted from Coles Autumn 2011 magazine

80 g butter
1/2 c sugar, milled
1 egg, beaten
1 t lemon zest
1 t lemon juice
1 c SR flour
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c milk
2 small granny smith apples, cored and sliced
20 g butter, melted
1 T raw sugar

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Use an electric beater. It takes 20 minutes by hand with a wooden spoon.
2. Beat in egg, lemon zest and lemon juice.
3. Fold in sifted flour, cinnamon and milk until just combined.
4. Pour batter into a greased and lined cake tin.
5. Arrange apple slices over the batter. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with raw sugar.
6. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes until skewer comes out clean.

Waldorf Finger Sandwiches
Adapted from Coles Autumn 2011 magazine

1/2 c walnuts, roasted, finely chopped
1 granny smith apple, finely diced
1 t lemon juice
1/2 celery stalk, finely diced
1 x 425 g tinned tuna in oil, drained & flaked (or 1 c cooked chicken in original recipe)
1/4 c mayonnaise (see below)
12 slices white bread

1. Mix sandwich filling with aioli and season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread filling to make 6 sandwiches.
3. Trim off the crust and cut each sandwich into 3 fingers.
4. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready for serving

Mayonnaise
Oil drained from 1 x 425 g tinned tuna in oil
1 egg yolk
1 t Dijon mustard
1 t lemon juice
salt

Whisk with a stick blender until creamy. Season to taste.

Mini Lemonade Scones
Adapted from Coles Autumn 2011 magazine

2 c SR flour
1/2 t baking powder
150 mL lemonade
150 mL cream
milk for brushing
whipped cream and jam to serve

1. Sift flour with baking powder.
2. Add cream and lemonade. Mix to a soft dough with a wooden spoon. Do not overwork.
3. Place dough on a floured surface. Using floured hands, pat dough out to 2 cm thickness.
4. Cut into 5 cm rounds.
5. Place on buttered baking tray.
6. Brush with milk.
7. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes until golden and bottoms sound hollow when tapped.




Mini Victoria Sponge Sandwiches
Check out the post on Victoria Sponge Sandwich.

To make mini Victoria Sponge Sandwiches, bake the batter in 10 cm ramekin. Allow 100 g batter for each ramekin. To fill the sponges, split in the middle. Spread 1 T sour cream and 2 t jam on the bottom half. Place top half over. Dust with icing.

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ANZAC Muesli Biscuits

ANZAC Day came and went on the 25th of April. These muesli biscuits, modelled after ANZAC biscuits, are lovely as afternoon tea biscuits or a lunch box addition.



Makes 36-40 biscuits

1 c plain flour, sifted
1 c raw muesli
3/4 c (165 g) raw sugar
1/3 c (60 g) almond meal
1/2 c desiccated coconut, omitted
125 g butter
2 T golden syrup, see below
1 T water
3/4 t bicarbonate soda

1. Combine flour, muesli, sugar, almond meal and coconut in a mixing bowl
2. Combine butter, golden syrup and water in a saucepan. Heat until butter is melted.
3. Add bicarbonate soda. Allow to foam.
4. Add the foam to the dry ingredients. Mix to a dough with wooden spoon.
5. Shape dough into 2 cm ball. Place on greased and lined baking tray, 5 cm apart.
6. Bake at 170 degrees Celsius for 15-25 minutes until golden.
7. Cool on baking tray until hard enough to move to cooling racks.



Golden Syrup Substitute
180 g (3/4 c) raw sugar
60 mL (1/4 c) boiling water
1/8 t cream of tartar

1. In a glass basin, dissolve sugar in boiling water by heating in a microwave using 30 s bursts. Avoid stirring. Wash down sugar crystal with a wet pastry brush if necessary.
2. Add cream of tartar.
3. Continue to boil in the microwave in 30 s bursts until the sugar is syrupy with frothy bubbles. Be careful not to scorch. Allow around 5 minutes.

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Classic Pavlova

The classic pavlova is easier than it looks. You need a good electric mixer like a KitchenAid for perfect whipping.

2 (60 g) egg whites (from 2 x 50 g eggs)
1/4 t cream of tartar
125 g (1/2 c) sugar, milled
1 t cornflour
1 t lemon juice

1. Line a baking trace with a piece of greaseproof paper. Grease and flour the paper. Mark a 18 cm diameter circle in the flour with the aid of a saucer.
2. Place egg white in a bowl over a basin of warm water if the weather is cold.
3. Whisk to soft peak. Add cream of tartar
4. Slowly add sugar, 1 t at a time while beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Allow about 10 minutes
5. Beat in cornflour and lemon juice.
6. Spread mixture carefully into the 18 cm circle on the baking tray. Hollow out the centre to form a nest if prefer.
7. Bake at 100 degree Celsius for 90 minutes. Cool in the oven with the door open.

Serve with whipped cream and seasonal fruit like banana, kiwi fruit and passionfruit pulp. This combination is typical for an ANZAC Day dish which celebrates the Australian virtue of "mateship" as experienced at Gallipoli where soldiers from Australia and New Zealand relied on one another for survival. Such mateship was seen in recent floods and Cyclone Yasi in Queensland. So it's appropriate to throw in some bananas or pineapple from Queensland, and drizzle with lemon and ginger jam to complete the dish.



Check out this easy recipe for all-in-one method.

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Classic Lamb Roast

Roast lamb is Australia's national dish according to diehards like controversial Aussie football legend Sam Kekovich. This is the dish for which family members stay home after sacrificing a chance to meet famous actors like Tom Cruise.

The roast can be cooked as is, or perhaps with a sprinkle of salt and a splash of olive oil, and a choice of herbs like rosemary and marjoram. Place the roast in a roasting pan, and brown at 220 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, before turning down the heat to 180 degrees Celsius to finish cooking to your liking. Allow 20 minutes for every 500 g. All up, it takes around 2 hours to complete the roast to well done. In the last 40 minutes, add roasting vegetables like turnips, pumpkin, potatoes and onions.

For rare roast, roast at 250 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes or sear in a hot pan. Finish off at 150 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes. Rest for 15 minutes in a warm oven.

Slow roasting at 120-150 degrees Celsius gives a nice pink interior. Allow 2.5-3 hours cooking time. Finish off by turning up the oven to 220 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes to brown the surface.

Gravy
Decant the oil from the pan juices. Place pan on the stove. Add 2-3 tablespoon of flour to the pan. Allow to brown and then slowly add 2 cups (or more) of hot stock or water while stirring. Simmer for 10-20 minutes minutes until thickened. Season to taste.

Alternatively, start the sauce in the microwave. In a microwave-safe jug, mix 2-3 tablespoon of flour to a smooth paste with equal amount of warm water. Add 1/2 t of herbs like thyme, rosemary or marjoram, pinch of paprika, and season with salt and pepper. While stirring, pour enough boiling water to make 2 cup. Cook in a microwave in 30 seconds intervals until the sauce thickens. When the lamb is ready, decant the oil from the pan juices. Place pan on the stove. Add some water to deglaze. Pour in the sauce. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

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Classic Victoria Sandwich Sponge

The internet abounds with variations of this recipe for a butter cake containing equal weight of sugar, butter, egg and flour. It is made using the creaming method to whip air into the butter. It is often baked in shallow sponge tins, filled with jam and dusted with icing.

When baked in a loaf tin, as shown here, the name commonly becomes "pound cake" since traditionally, the cake uses 1 pound each of sugar, butter, egg and flour.



For one 18 cm sponge sandwich or small loaf:

100 g sugar
100 g butter
2 x 50 g eggs
100 g SR flour
1 t vanilla, optional
3 T jam for filling, optional
icing sugar for dusting, optional

1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Use electric beaters or allow 20 minutes by hand if using a wooden spoon.
2. Beat in egg, one at a time, with a spoonful of flour to prevent cuddling in hot weather.
3. Fold in sifted flour.
4. Pour into a greased and floured tin.
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20-30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

For a sponge sandwich, bake in 2 tins, by scaling half the weight of the batter into each tin. Otherwise, bake in one tin and split. Spread jam on one sandwich half and top with the other half. Dust with icing.

Since Queen Victoria enjoyed cake with cream and jam, and a cup of tea, the cake was named in her honour.

Tip:
In cup measurements, the quantities are 1 c flour and 1/2 c each of the other ingredients.

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Raspberry Ice Cream

Delicious, creamy raspberry ice cream with a hint of lemon. Smooth and luscious.

125 mL (1/2 c) whipping cream
3 egg yolks (from 3 x 50 g eggs)
85 mL (1/3 c) milk
20 mL (1 T) raspberry cordial, or 1/2 t vanilla + 10 g sugar
20 mL (1 T) lemon curd, optional
50 g sugar
pinch salt

1. Make a custard with yolks, milk and sugar by stirring over a pot of simmering water until thickened. Do not over cook as it will curdle. Cool.
2. Add raspberry cordial, lemon curd, and a pinch of salt. Chill for 2 hours
3. Whip the cream to soft peak.
4. Stir cream into the chilled custard.
5. Churn in an ice cream machine or pour into shallow tray and stir every half hour while freezing. Allow 2.5 hours.

An alternative recipe using jam instead of cordial:

125 mL (1/2 c) whipping cream
2 egg yolks (from 2 x 50 g eggs)
85 mL (1/3 c) milk
60 mL (3 T) raspberry jam
20 mL (1 T) lemon curd, optional
30 g sugar
pinch salt

An egg-free peach melba variation

125 mL (1/2 c) whipping cream
250 mL (1 c) thick yoghurt
60 mL (3 T) apricot or peach jam
20 mL (1 T) raspberry cordial
50 g sugar
pinch salt

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Lunch Special - Fried Basmati Rice

A fragrant fried rice with the exotic taste of Chinese pork sausage combined with coriander.

For 2 adults

Rice
1/2 c basmati rice
1 c boiling water
1 t olive oil
1/2 garlic finely diced

Dressing
1 T soy sauce
1 t fish sauce
1 t caramel soy sauce
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t Tabasco pepper sauce
1/2 T olive oil

Meat and Vegetables
1 Chinese pork sausage (lap cheong), sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 garlic, smashed
2 c chopped vegetables (carrot, capsicum, peas, cabbage)
1/2 t salt
1 T olive oil, as needed

For serving
2 T chopped coriander
1 sliced chilli
1/2 t seasame oil

1. To cook the rice, fry the garlic in oil until golden and then add the rice. Fry until the rice turns chalky. Add boiling water. Reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Toss the rice in the dressing and cool. Chill while preparing the meat and vegetables.
3. Gently render the sausage slices. Use some olive oil as needed. Remove the sausage when crisp on the outside.
4. Add the garlic and onion to the rendered fat. Add some olive oil if needed. Saute until garlic starts to brown.
5. Add vegetables, starting with the one that takes longest to cook. Stir fry until cooked, but still crunchy. Remove.
6. Add some olive oil. Toss chilled rice in the pan and fry until heated through.
7. Add cooked sausage and vegetables to rice.
8. Add coriander, chilli and sesame oil. Remove from heat and serve.

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Raspberry Chiffon

A superb raspberry flavoured chiffon baked in a 8 cm x 20 cm bread tin. Moist, featherlight and spongy with great flavour. It is often difficult to scale such a small cake, but this recipe produces a great result, with minimal collapse.

Batter
30 g potato starch
30 g plain flour
3/4 t baking powder
25 mL raspberry cordial
2 egg yolks (24 g from 2 x 50 g eggs)
25 mL oil (sunflower)

Foam
3 egg whites (96 g from 3 x 50 g eggs)
1/8 t cream of tartar
50 g sugar, milled
5 mL (1 t) lemon juice

1. Combine the wet ingredients for the batter. Fold in sifted potato starch, plain flour and baking powder.
2. Whisk egg white until soft peaks. Beat in cream of tartar. Gradually add icing sugar while beating. Beat until glossy and stiff. Beat in lemon juice.
3. Fold whisked egg white into the egg yolk batter.
4. Pour into an ungreased tube pan (small) or 8 cm x 20 cm loaf tin.
5. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
6. Invert the mould and cool completely.

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Eggs

Australian eggs come in the following sizes:

		Jumbo 67 g	XLarge 61 g	Large 50 g	Medium 43 g
Shell	10.5%	7.0	6.4	5.3	4.5
Yolk	31.0%	20.8	18.9	15.5	13.3
White	58.5%	39.2	35.7	29.3	25.2
Edible	89.5%	60.0	54.6	44.8	38.5

Most recipes work well with "Large" eggs. However, for recipes calling for egg white foam, such as meringues, French macarons and chiffon sponges, assume Jumbo size unless otherwise stated.

The following table is the number of eggs required for 1 cup (250 mL):

	Jumbo 67 g	XLarge 61 g	Large 50 g	Medium 43 g	Small <43 g
Yolk	11	12	14	16	18
White	5	6	7	8	9
Whole	4	4	5	5	6

Swiss Meringue
150 g egg white
300 g castor sugar

1. Warm to 38 degrees Celsius in a water bath and remove.
2. Whisk until thick and continue until cool.
3. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes.

French Meringue
150 g egg white
150 g castor sugar
150 g icing sugar

1. Whisk egg white to soft peak. Add castor sugar gradually while beating. Whisk for 10 minutes until thick and glossy.
2. Fold in icing sugar.
3. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes.

Italian Meringue
150 g egg white
65 mL water
25 g glucose
300 g castor sugar

1. Boil water, glucose and castor sugar for 10-15 minutes until the temperature is 110 degrees Celsius. Sugar temperature at "thread" stage.
2. Start whisking egg white as syrup boils to 115 degrees Celsius. Add the syrup while whisking. Continue to whisk for 15 minutes until cool.
3. Bake at 100 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes.

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Lemon Sorbet

Recipe adapted from Panasonic Ice Cream Maker

320 mL water
160 mL fresh lemon juice
zest of one lemon
150 g sugar
1 egg white, whisked (optional)

1. Combine water, lemon juice, zest and sugar. Bring to boil to dissolve sugar. Let cool.
2. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3. Fold in egg white if using.
4. Churn in an ice cream maker or freeze and then pulverise with a stick blender.

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Lemon Chiffon Cake

Beautifully moist, lemony and tangy. Just in need of a bit of fine tuning for a more flexible crumb texture.

Adapted from Orange Chiffon by Joy of Baking

Batter
40 g (2) egg yolks
40 mL (2 T) oil
40 mL lemon juice (or choice of fruit juice)

40 g sugar, optional
20 mL (1 T) milk

2 t grated lemon zest
75 g flour (half plain, half SR)

Foam
80 g (2) egg whites
60 g icing sugar
1 t lemon juice

1/4 t cream of tartar, omitted

1. Combine the wet ingredients for the batter. Fold in sifted flour.

2. Whisk egg white until soft peaks. Gradually add icing sugar while beating. Beat until glossy and stiff. Beat in lemon juice.

3. Fold whisked egg white into the egg yolk batter.

4. Pour into an ungreased tube pan (small) or 8cmx20cm loaf tin.

5. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

6. Invert the mould and cool completely.

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Pumpkin

It's autumn in Perth. Pumpkins are in season. Mellow, sweet butternut, beautiful, simply roasted with a splash of olive oil. Unbelievably scrumptious, as an accompaniment to a roast or made into a warm hearty soup.

Other pumpkin ideas:
chiffon pies
sweet or savoury tarts
ravioli
chiffon cake



Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

Adapted from Christine's Recipes

Batter

20 mL (1 T) milk

60 g (3) egg yolks

50 g cooked mash pumpkin

20 mL (1 T) walnut oil (or vegetable oil)

50 g flour (use a mixture of cornflour and plain flour)

Foam

80 g (2) egg whites
50 g sugar

pinch cream of tartar

1. Make a chiffon batter as per instructions given by Christine, following the videos on how to beat and fold egg whites.

2. Bake in a narrow loaf tin (8cmx20cm) at 160 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Do not grease the tin or the cake will not grip the sides to rise well, to almost double in volume.
3. Invert the tin over a wire rack to cool completely before un-moulding.

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Whose Cuisine Reigns Supreme?

For his "Australian Food Odyssey" tour, Rick Stein hunts down top Australian food bloggers to cook their ultimate Australian dishes which reflect the fresh local and seasonal ingredients for which Australian cuisine is known. Here are the winners:

PERTH WINNER

Mei Leong of Libertine Eats with her mouth-watering Pork & Fennel Sausage Rolls. View here.

MELBOURNE WINNER

Rebecca Nicholson of The Abbotsford Kitchen with this delicious Flathead and Bintje Pie with Lemon Myrtle Crust. View here.

BRISBANE WINNER

Harriet McAtee of The Kitchen Diary Project with her blog post about an Australian classic – ANZAC biscuits. View here

SYDNEY WINNER

Sheryl Lee of One Bite More with her heartfelt memories and scrumptious Peach Melba Parfait. View here

What is Authentic Australian Food?
"I won't be able to answer it but I'll have a jolly good try." Rick Stein

Rick Stein's Ultimate Aussie Dish
Fish and Chips!

What is Australian Cuisine?
The Great Aussie BBQ Invention & indigenous Australians' role to culinary history from ground ovens to combo steam ovens

Char-grilled Aussie Beef Burger
The 2-minute Noodle Cook's "expert" instructions on how to char meat & eat like Aussies

Read more...

Lemons

The lemon tree has faithfully yielded crops year after year. Since the gales and unseasonal long hot spell in the past few months, the fruit have shrunk to half size and look blemished. Most of them are dry and juiceless. It takes 8 lemons to produce the juice of 2.

Lemon Curd

Adapted from Australian Women's Weekly

This delicious tangy curd is made with egg yolks and is a fantastic way to use egg yolks left over from dishes like pavlova, angel cake, macaroons and chiffon sponge. For whole egg curd, check out this recipe.

8 egg yolks

150 g (2/3 c) sugar

2 t lemon rind

135 mL (1/2 c) lemon juice (2 lemons)

80 g (4 T) butter

strip of zest

1. Combine yolks, sugar, rind and juice. Whisk. Add butter and strip of zest

2. Stir over simmering water until thickened. Allow 15-25 minutes.

3. Remove the zest. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Let cool.

4. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

Lemon Meringue Tart

To make 2 dozen tartlets or one 24 cm tart, you need 2 cups of lemon curd. This recipe works well with a good mixer like Ed Charles's (@tomatom) KitchenAid giveaway.

Lemon Curd Filling

2 c lemon curd

Meringue Topping

2 egg white

1 c sugar

1 t lemon juice

1 t cornflour

1. Beat egg white until soft peaks.

2. Gradually add sugar while beating. Beat until glossy and stiff.

3. Beat in lemon juice and cornflour.

Sweet Tart Shell

125 g butter

125 g sugar

1 egg

250 g plain flour

1/2 t baking powder

1. Beat butter, sugar and egg.

2. Add flour and baking powder. Mix to a dough. Do not overwork.

3. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

4. Roll to 2 mm thick.

5. Line greased tart shell with pastry.

6. Prick with a fork.

7. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes until crisp and lightly golden.

Biscuit Tart Shell

This tart shell is an alternative to homemade pastry

185 g Granita, Marie, Nice or equivalent sweet biscuits

90 g butter, melted

1. Mix ingredients.

2. Press into a tart shell and refrigerate.

To Assemble

1. Fill tart shells with lemon curd.

2. Top with meringue.

3. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes until meringue sets and starts to brown.

4. Cool. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Lemon Curd and Yoghurt Ice Cream

A tangy ice cream with a soft, smooth texture. Ingredients yield a small batch. A Panasonic battery operated ice cream machine works well with this quantity.

1 x 200 g thick yoghurt, plain or flavoured (eg. SKI Apple and cinnamon with grains)

150 g lemon curd

2 T sugar, or to taste

pinch of salt

1. Mix everything.

2. Churn in an ice cream machine or pour into shallow tray and stir every half hour while freezing.

Read more...

KitchenAid Mixer up for Grabs!

Celebrate the sixth anniversary of Ed Charles's "Tomato M" blog, and win a lovely KitchenAid KSM150 in a colour of your choice! Head across there now for full details! Don't forget to follow @tomatom for updates. By the way, this blog turns 6 as well, so it's a double celebration!

Yellow is a great colour for the kitchen: just look at how well the KitchenAid mixers match the kitchen tiles. From left to right, colours from KitchenAid: Yellow Pepper, Buttercup, Majestic Yellow, Almond Cream.

Pick me, I'm a lemon WINNER!

Right now, life's a lemon....

- the wall tiles belong to a "lemon" of a 60's kitchen, with matching sink and upright stove.

- the lemon tree looks straggly, in a distressed mess, and produces juiceless, half-sized fruit.

- the neighbour's majestic lemon scented gum suffered severe lopping for the sake of views, never mind everybody else's privacy.

- the lemon myrtle struggles under the hot summer sun and receives burns to 30% of the leaves.

... can do with a bit of yellow from a beautiful KitchenAid to brighten the day.

But, then things can be worse, just ask Ed Charles. For instance....

- you have no kitchen to use your favourite classic red KitchenAid when a gas explosion kicks you out of your home into temporary accommodation.

- hot meals mean eating at local eateries, with dishes plated up like cow pats.

- the insurance company leaves you cold while you fume red hot, like the tomato in your blog banner.

- your backpacker neighbour, unlike the gum and myrtle, suffered more than superficial burns and cuts.

... can do with a bit of yellow from a beautiful KitchenAid to brighten the day.

And things usually get worse before they get better....

- in the almost bare 60's style pantry that houses this year's grape jam, the last jar of jam looks half empty. It's shock and disbelief that the entire bumper grape crop, from 2 vines grown over 50 year old leached drains, has vaporized. Darn, it's John the villain again, handing out jam to everyone after tweeting chirping boostingboasting of grape bunches that need two large birds crows to steal carry.

- meanwhile Ed Charles is really in a jam with his insurer not paying. He's giving away apricot and blackberry jam to his 5000 Twitter and Facebook followers to effect a solution.

... can do with a bit of yellow from a beautiful KitchenAid to brighten the day.

Then things start to look a bit different...

- the pantry isn't bare anymore since it has SPACE for a new KitchenAid mixer now that the jars of jam are gone.

- the last jam jar is really half FULL, till next year's grapes.

So, pick me, I'm a lemon already a winner!

... of the self-nominated Best Food Blog Award for the least readership.

So as to not end on a sour note over the jam war, as to who has more pantry space for a KitchenAid mixer, here's something sweet for Ed Charles. It's lemon in a tart! Yes, there is even a RECIPE with PICTURES of REAL food, sans food styling glue, real food that makes your saliva runs, to entice a RETURN visit. The food at this restaurant is 100% free! Just leave a comment as a "tip", will you?

Lemon Tart

homemade pastry for 1 x 20 cm tart shell

2 eggs (50 g each)

1/2 c lemon juice

2 t lemon zest

1 lemon myrtle leaf, finely chopped

1/4 c thick yoghurt

1/4 c + 2 T sugar

icing for dusting

1. Blind baked pastry shell for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius

2. Mix the rest of the ingredients.

3. Strain the mixture into the pastry shell.

4. Bake at 160 degrees Celsius for 25-30 minutes until just set.

5. Cool completely.

6. Refrigerate until serving.

7. Dust with icing.

Olive Oil Pastry

Adapted from recipe by Stefano de Pieri

100 mL cold water

125 mL olive oil

300 g plain flour

1/2 t salt

1. Mix everything together to form a dough. Do not overwork.

2. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Roll out and press into tart shell.

4. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To blind bake, pierce all over with a fork. Weigh down with a flat bottom saucer. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, removing the saucer after 10 minutes.

The tart can do with a meringue topping, with the help of a KitchenAid mixer.

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Breakfast Special - Boston Baked Beans

A wholesome and delicious classic dish to start the day off. Wake up to the fresh aroma of slow cooked Boston baked beans served on toast, with a farm fresh poached egg and freshly brewed coffee or tea.

Adapted from Maggie Beer's recipe

500g dried cannelini beans, soaked overnight
2 T mustard powder
1/4 c treacle
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T balsamic vinegar
400 g tin diced tomatoes in juice
freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves
1 onion, peeled
100 g lean bacon, slivered
5 cm chorizo, halved
2 fresh bay leaves
500 mL boiling water or stock, approx, to cover beans
salt, to taste (approx 1/2 t depending on bacon & chorizo)

1. Drain and rinse the soaked beans.
2. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with water and bring to boil.
3. Gently simmer for 45 minutes, skimming off the foam.
4. Drain and cool the beans. Reserve the cooking water for later.
5. In a crockpot, combine mustard, treacle, sugar, vinegar, and tomatoes. Season with pepper.
6. Stir in the beans.
7. Stud the cloves in the onion. Push the onion into the centre of the bean mixture.
8. Add the bacon, chorizo and bay leaves. Cover with beans.
9. Pour over boiling water, stock or reserved cooking water.
10. Cook on Low overnight, or 8 hours until soft.

11. Season with salt. Serve hot.

The original recipe requires baking for 4 hours at 140 degrees celsius in a covered casserole.

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Breakfast Special - Red Lentil Pancakes

Fresh cooked from the griddle, toasted red lentil pancakes, golden crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. A wholesome, high protein and high fibre breakfast with the tantalizing aromas of onions, capsicum and fresh herbs. A low fat alternative to potato hash. Enjoy with a side of grilled tomato and a poached egg.

For instructions, follow the recipe for Red Lentil Burgers and use herbs of choice.

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Stuffed Bitter Melon

Due to the bitterness, bitter melon, or karela in Hindu, is an acquired taste. The bitter taste can be reduced by salting first, or blanching in boiling water, and removing all traces of the white piths.

To prepare whole baby bitter melon for stuffing, make a slit down the length. Plunge into boiling water and remove from heat. Allow the bitter melon to change colour. Immediately plunge into cold water. Carefully remove the pith with a knife and scrape remnants with a spoon. Rinse.

For bigger bitter melons, cut into 2 cm sections. Carefully core out the white piths. Plunge into boiling water and remove from heat. As before, allow the bitter melon to change colour before rinsing in cold water.

For vegetarians, try red lentil stuffing using the recipe for Red Lentil Burgers. Season the lentil mix as for meat filling with your own choice of herbs and spices.

The stuffed bitter melon can be cooked a number of ways, typically by frying, steaming and/or boiling. With lentil stuffing, it is best to brown the stuffed bitter melon first by shallow frying before finishing off with steaming, or simmering in a sauce for 5 minutes.

Deep fried stuffed bitter melons make a wonderful snack food, with yoghurt dip, for those prepare to overcome the bitterness to savour the delicate aroma.

A recipe for Thai Pork with Bitter Gourd (Khiew Wan Mara Yud Sai Moo) can be found in Charmaine Solomon's Thai Cookbook. Charmaine's favourite way is "thinly sliced, sprinkled with salt and turmeric and left for an hour, then wiped over and shallow-fried until golden brown."

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