Guacamole

Guacamole is great as a dip with corn chips or served with nachos as dinner

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 teaspoon ground rock salt
• 1 Tbsp of fresh lime juice or lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup of very finely diced red onion or thinly sliced green onion
• a pinch of fresh sliced chilli (only if you like the spice)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped
• freshly grated black pepper
• 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped finely

METHOD:
Halve your avocados and remove the flesh and place into a bowl. Roughly mash up the avocado with a fork so it is chunky mush. Add the lemon or lime juice and salt and stir together- the citrus will stop the avocados going brown.
Add the rest of your chopped ingredients, but I suggest that you add the chillies slowly and taste so you don't end up with your tongue on fire! Guacamole is great because it can be varied to your taste or what seasonal produce is available, start with this recipe and then mix it up to your taste buds.
Cover with plastic wrap until you are ready to serve (note: if you are making this ahead of time it is a good idea to leave your tomatoes out until just before serving and stir them in then because their flavour is diminished when put in the fridge.
Serve with corn chips or over nachos.

TIPS:

• For a very quick guacamole just take a 1/4 cup of salsa and mix it in with your mashed avocados.
• The most basic version of guacamole is mashed avocados with salt. Don't let the lack of availability of other ingredients stop you from making guacamole.
• To extend a limited supply of avocados, add either sour cream or cottage cheese to your guacamole dip. Purists may be horrified, but so what? It tastes great and it makes it go further- result.

Enjoy xx
A

Beef and Bacon Ciabatta Sliders

I made these one Saturday for the farmer and some friends (more farmers) and the were good, really good. They took about 5 minutes to throw together, and in terms of taste I am calling this a success. A yummy success.
This recipe makes 8 little sliders but it could easily be stretched or shrunk depending on your audience.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 standard size pieces of beef schnitzel or minute steak cut into 4 small pieces
• 4 rashers streaky bacon cut in half
• either 8 small buns or 16 slices of ciabatta 
• 8 tsp tomato relish 
• 8 slices tasty cheddar cheese
• 1 tomato sliced
• lettuce
• sprouts
• mayonnaise
• salt and pepper

METHOD:
Take the base of each slider and spread 1 tsp of tomato relish, place a slice of cheese on each. Grill this in the oven until the cheese is melted.
In a fry pan, cook your bacon rashers and beef.
Now build your slider; take the bases with grilled cheese and then add one piece of bacon, a piece of beef and your salad. Add mayonnaise and top with the other half of your bun.
Serve and enjoy!

xxA

Yo-yo biscuits

It seemed appropriate to take this picture on one of Gran's plates because she used to make the BEST yoyo's of all time, hers always looked just like the fancy magazines, not like these rather chunky ones that I have created with the icing running because i wasn't patient enough to wait for the biscuits to completely cool. But even if I say so myself, they still taste pretty darn good with a cuppa.
INGREDIENTS:

• 250g softened butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup custard powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

FOR THE ICING:

• 30g butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 Tblsp hot water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper or grease the trays. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. mix in the vanilla.
Sift over the flour, custard powder and baking powder. Mix gently to combine.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixtureinto balls and place them on the baing trays. Use the palm of your handto flatten each slightly.
Bake to yoyo's for 25-30 minutes until they are just starting to colour. Leave them to cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. To make the filling, mix all of the ingredients together until the mixture is light and creamy. Sandwich the yoyo's together with the filling.

Enjoy xx
A

Spicy Tomato Relish

Tomato relish is one of my all time favourites on toast with grilled cheese- yum-that's a combination that makes for the best lunch. This relish is a good spicy one and it goes beautifully with a good slice of cheese and cracker too!
INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5kg ripe juicy tomatoes
• 1kg onions, peeled and finely diced
• 2 Tblsp salt
• 1 kg sugar
• 2 cups vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tblsp curry powder
• 1 1/2 Tblsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

METHOD:
Cut the cores from the tomatoes, then cut a small cross through the skin at the top of each tomato. Plunge into boiling water for 1 minute and then plunge into ice-cold water to blanch. Peel away the skin.
Dice the tomatoes roughly and place in a non metallic bowl with the onions and salt. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to stand over night or for at least 8 hours.
Thoroughly strain of the salty liquid by placing the tomato mix into a colander and leaving for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Do not be alarmed at how much liquid drains off; salting is done to draw out excess moisture and therefore preserve.
Put the tomato mixture into a large jam pan or stock pot sized saucepan with the sugar, vinegar, curry and mustard powders and cayenne pepper.
Simmer for1 hour, or until it is a nice thick colour (that means deep brown/red). Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
Remove from heat and stand the pan on a heavy board. Carefully bottle into hot sterilised jars, cover with a clean tea towel and seal when cold.

TIPS:

• If you want the relish a bit thicker, you can combine a couple of tablesppons of flour with some water to make a paste and stir in right at the end of cooking, boil for at least three minutes to make sure the flour is cooked in
• Any vinegar is fine but we grew up with malt and that is the taste I most prefer- but what ever is in the cupboard is fine

The Akaroa Cooking School

We recently went to The Akaroa Cooking School as a pre hen's party girls day out- it was an awesome day and I would reccommend to anyone that it is well worth the visit.
We went for the "gourmet in a day" class with Lou Bentley, the menu was filled with fresh produce, simple but tasty ideas and all of them are recipes I will be trying at home.

The bride to be makes some roasted apple and lemon pastries, which we now all expect if we drop in for a cup of tea with her...

No knead ciabatta- one of the definite gems of the day

Panna Cotta with mixed berry compote and glass cookie- sheet gelatine is the key to this one.

Ant Bentley slices some Akaroa Salmon- some of the finest fish in the world. Due to the fresh and fast flowing waters of the Akaroa area these fish are antibiotic free and stronger (which means leaner) than most fish available. And it tastes so good...

Smoking the salmon was easy and in 15 minutes you have a fantastic healthy tea that will impress any dinner guest

Pick a smoker with handles so that it can be easily lifted onto the flame

Ant had recently purchased this fantastic wine barrel converted into a smoker/cooker- the farmer should make/buy me one of these immediately!!

bit jelous of the pizza oven too...

Freshly smoked salmon

Hot smoked Akaroa salmon on a medley of green vegetables with preserved lemon and a horseradish & chive creme fraiche

Lou plates up the starter

Spicy corn fritters with cold smoked salmon and lemon and fennel mayonnaise

Plenty of flour under the no knead ciabatta or it will stick

Lou makes this look easy

Staz didn't make it look so easy, but made a very impressive loaf

A little dusting of flour on top makes the bread look authentic

Pan seared Lamb rump on kumura puree, beetroot relish, green beans and basil and garlic mayo

The bread comes out of the oven and smells devine- knock and if it sounds hollow it is ready!

Courgette, tarragon and parmesan soup- so good for a vege that is usually pretty ordinary but grows like a weed!

I wish you could blog taste...

A little drizzel of really good quality olive oil finished the soup with a lovely nutty flavour

The only time they were all quiet...

Peep through the window to see a hair style we thought Marilyn (mother of the bride) might want to consider for the wedding.....

Preserved lemons were a delightful surprise in this dish

Pan seared Lamb rump on kumura puree, beetroot relish, green beans and basil and garlic mayo

 

What a way to finish the day- yummo!

Thank you to lou and the team at the Akaroa Cooking School, we had a fantastic day!
Check out their website or on facebook

Go there- you will enjoy xx
A

Thick sweet homemade mint sauce

This is a really rich thick mint sauce, it is quite sweet, so you may want to use white sugar instead or less of it, but this is how Gran used to make it and it is so good with roast or stirred into shanks gravy.
Gran used to have three small milk bottles (think they must have been 250mls/ 1/2 pints) that this fitted into, would make a cute gift if you could find/buy some mini milk bottles (you see them in gift stores with screw on lids sometimes). If you have heaps of mint or more mouths to feed, simply double the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 500mls of malt vinegar
• 400g of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup mint leaves chopped finely

METHOD:

Bring the sugar and vinegar to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar. Simmer gently for 5to 10 minutes, it will reduce slightly (keep an eye on it so you don't end up with vinegar toffee!) then cool till just warm. Add mint, stir well, then bottle into sterilised bottles.

Enjoy xx

A

All-in-one pasta bolognese

Anyone that lives on a farm will know what it means to get down to the last of the cattle beast in the freezer- it means mince. No matter how good you are at balancing the good cuts with the mince, sausages and stewing cuts, you always seem to end up with mince at the end. So over the years I have found ways of using these last bags up. This is one of our favourites, it is great for a night when you don't have a lot of time or motivation, also a good one if you are catering for men/shepherds/teenagers/unexpected visitors.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic chopped/crushed
• 1 onion diced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 1 stick of celery, finely diced
• handful of green beans finely diced
• 500g beef mince
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato puree or pasta sauce
• 2 cups chicken stock or water
• 2-3 cups penne pasta
• salt and pepper
• fresh basil or parsley to garnish
• Grated tasty or parmesan cheese (optional)

METHOD:
Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat, add oil, garlic, onion, carrot, celery and beans and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add mince and cook for a further 5 to 7 minutes to lightly brown, break up the mince as it cooks.
Stir in tinned tomatoes, puree and stock or water, and bring to the boil.
Add pasta and simmer for 15 minutes, until pasta is cooked and sauce has thickened. You will have to stir it every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick together.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with basil or parsley.
Add some grated cheese on top if you want to.

Easy, delicious and one bag closer to emptying the freezer!
A

Scrambled eggs with black pudding

The farmer and I love scrambled eggs and even more so when you add some hearty ingredients to start the day. Not everyone is a fan of black pudding but I ask that you give it a try because you just might be surprised how good it is. This is a great weekend brunch to throw together, don't be restricted by what I have put in the ingredients list, anything in the fridge is fine! So boil the billy for a cuppa and cook up some of these- best start to the weekend I promise!
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 6-8 eggs per person
• 2 tsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to season
• 4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped into pieces
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 round of black pudding (optional), sliced into small pieces

METHOD:
Melt 1 tsp of the butter in a frypan, cook the black pudding, bacon and mushrooms through, once they are cooked add the spinach and turn the pan off.
In a saucepan melt 1 tsp of the butter over a medium heat. While the butter is melting, break the eggs into a small bowl.
Add the milk and a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk lightly with a fork. When the butter is bubbling reduce the heat to low.
Pour in the beaten egg and when it starts to set, stir the mixture gently with a wooden spoon until it forms soft curds and there is no runny egg left.
Tip the eggs into the frying pan with the black pudding, bacon, mushrooms and spinach and toss through. Season well with salt and pepper and serve on toast.



Enjoy xx
A