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21
Dec
Berries in Champagne Jelly
Brigita

Ingredients:

1l Champagne (or Sparkling white wine)

1 1/2Tbsp powdered gelatine

1 cup sugar

4 strips lemon zest

4 strips orange zest

250g small strawberries

250g blueberries

Fresh cream and mint leaves for decoration (optional)

Method:

Pour 500ml Champagne (or Sparkling white wine) into a bowl and let the bubbles subside. Sprinkle 1 1/2Tbsp powdered gelatine over the Champagne in an even layer and leave, without stirring, until the gelatine is spongy. Place another 500ml Champagne in a large saucepan with 1C sugar, 4 strips lemon zest & 4 strips orange zest, and heat gently, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the gelatine mixture and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool completely, then remove the lemon and orange zest. Divide 250g small strawberries, hulled and halved & 250g blueberries among eight 125ml stemmed wine glasses and gently pour the jelly over the top. Refigerate for 6 hours or overnight, or until the jelly has fully set. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

For a true Christmas look add on top a layer of fresh cream and mint leaves just before serving.

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21
Dec
Apple & Prune Stuffed Pork Roast
Brigita

Photo copyright © Michael Jensen, From Like Grandma Used to Make

Photo copyright © Michael Jensen

Ingredients:

(Makes 8 servings)

1 pork loin center rib roast (2 kg), backbone loosened

1⁄8 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

For the stuffing:

1 cup pitted prunes

2⁄3 cup water

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom

6 cups dried bread cubes

1 large tart apple, chopped

1⁄2 cup apple juice

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the roast rib side down. Cut pockets in the roast, cutting from the meaty side (tip, opposite). Sprinkle the roast with the salt and pepper.

2. To prepare the stuffing, in a small saucepan, combine the prunes and the water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until prunes are tender. Drain. Coarsely chop prunes; set aside.

3. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the brown sugar, lemon rind, cinnamon, and cardamom.

4. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture, prunes, and apple. Drizzle with the apple juice, tossing lightly until moistened. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the stuffing into each pocket of roast (tip, below). Spoon the remaining stuffing into a 11⁄2-quart casserole; cover and refrigerate.

* Stuffing a Roast:

I. Using a sharp knife, cut deep slits between the rib bones of the roast. Cut through the thickest portion of the meat about halfway to the backbone and within 1⁄2 inch of the edges to make each pocket.

II. Holding a pocket open with one hand, use a small spoon to place stuffing in the slit. Lightly pack the stuffing down and keep adding stuffing until you’ve used about 3 tablespoons.

5. Place the roast, rib side down, in a roasting pan. Roast for 13⁄4 to 21⁄4 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of roast (not stuffing) registers 70°c. (Cover the roast loosely with foil after 1 hour so the stuffing doesn’t overbrown.) Bake the covered casserole of stuffing alongside the roast during the last 30 to 40 minutes of roasting.

6. Let the roast stand for 15 minutes before carving. Serve the stuffing in the casserole with the roast.

Note: This apple-and-prune-stuffed roast is traditionally served at Christmas in Danish-American families. However, it makes a wonderful company dish any time of year.

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20
Dec
Little Christmas Cakes
Brigita

Ingredients:

(makes 25 cakes; double the basic recipe if you are making white and dark version of decoration)

* 235g (1 1/2 cups) dried pitted dates, coarsely chopped

* 2 x 100g pkts red glace cherries, halved

* 95g (1/2 cup) raisins

* 90g (1/2 cup) sultanas

* 250ml (1 cup) brandy

* Melted butter, to grease

* 200g unsalted butter, at room temperature

* 160g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar

* 3 eggs

* 150g (1 cup) plain flour

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1 tbs ground cinnamon

* 200g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

* 1 x 120g pkt dry-roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

White Decoration:

* 750g White Icing

* Ribbon, to decorate

* Silver cachous, to decorate

Dark Decoration:

* 1 cup butter

* 1 cup Dark cocoa

* 3 cups powdered sugar

* 1/2 cup milk

* Dash of rum

* Golden ribbon

* Golden dragees, edible paint or foil for decoration

Method:

1. Combine the dates, cherries, raisins and sultanas in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Stir in the brandy. Cover and set aside overnight to macerate.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 27cm (base measurement) square cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

3. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, and fold to combine. Stir in the chocolate and hazelnuts. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface (see tip 1). Tap the pan on the benchtop a few times to settle the mixture.

4. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan to cool completely.

5. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into 4cm-square pieces.

6. Soften the White icing following packet directions, if necessary. Roll out half the icing on a sheet of non-stick baking paper until 3mm thick. Cut into 7cm-square pieces. Cover a piece of cake with a piece of icing and trim if necessary (see tip 2). Wrap ribbon around the sides and use pins to secure. Repeat with the remaining cake and icing.

7. Press cachous firmly into the top of each cake to decorate.

8. For dark icing melt the butter. Stir in cocoa. Add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add rum at the end, it will help to stiffen the icing. Makes about 2 cups.

9. Cover cakes with chocolate icing, let it set. Wrap golden ribbon around the sides and use pins to secure. Press decorations firmly into the top of each cake to decorate.

Notes & tips:

* Make it ahead: Make this recipe up to 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container in a cool dry place.

* Freezer tip: At the end of step 4, wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 of foil. Label, date and freeze for up to 6 months.

* Tip 1: To ensure the cake cooks evenly, it’s important you smooth the surface – use a flat-bladed knife or the back of a spoon.

* Tip 2: To easily cover the cakes with icing, use your hands to drape the icing over the cake and mould it to shape.

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20
Dec
Grilled Pork Loin Chops with Balsamic Thyme Cherries
Brigita

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

4 large center loin pork chops

1 clove minced garlic

Salt and pepper to season

2 cups fresh pitted cherries, quartered

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to season

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Method:

Season the chops with crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Grill the chops until fully cooked then top with the balsamic cherries.

Simmer the balsamic vinegar over medium heat until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool or immerse bottom of the pan in cold water to cool down the reduction. Toss in the other ingredients and allow to stand for about an hour or more before serving.

Note: With the summer grilling season in full swing and southern hemisphere summery Xmas, this is simple, but elegant recipe for a sweet and savoury addition to grilled pork loin chops, especially since fresh cherries are now in season.

This dish is very nice served with a peppery red wine.

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20
Dec
Holiday Sweets (Truffles&Marzipan-Stuffed Fruits)
Brigita

Delicious homemade truffles and marzipan-stuffed fruits are just the right thing to serve up with after-dinner coffee.

Rum Truffles

Preparation time 25 minutes

Standing time 10–20 minutes

Cooking time 5 minutes

Makes about 24 truffles

Ingredients:

200 g plain dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

2 tablespoons rum

60 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pouring cream

1/4 cup ground almonds

2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted

1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted, for coating

Method:

1 Melt the chocolate in the rum in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Do not allow the water to boil or the chocolate to become too hot. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat in the butter, a little at a time. Stir in the cream, ground almonds and icing sugar. Let the mixture cool, then chill for about 10 minutes, or until firm enough to handle.

2 With dampened fingertips, take teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small balls. Roll in the cocoa powder, spread on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and refrigerate until firm. Put the truffles in individual paper cases and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator – they will keep for up to 10 days. Serve after dinner with coffee.

Variations:

Orange Truffles: Add orange juice instead of rum and 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind.

Coffee Truffles: Use 1–2 tablespoons black coffee instead of the rum.

Hazelnut Truffles: Replace the ground almonds with 1/4 cup ground hazelnuts.

Marzipan-Filled Fruits

Preparation time 40 minutes

Makes about 48 filled fruits

Ingredients:

11/4 cups ground almonds

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup icing sugar, plus a little extra for rolling out

A few drops almond extract

1/2 egg white

125 g fresh dates, each slit along the top and stoned

125 g small, soft, ready-to-eat prunes, each slit and pitted

125 g each small, soft, ready-to eat dried apricots and figs, each fruit sliced in half horizontally

1/4 cup sugar

Method:

1 Put the ground almonds and sugars in a bowl. Add a few drops of almond extract and sufficient egg white to make a stiff paste.

2 Sprinkle a board or work surface with a little sifted icing sugar and roll the marzipan into a sausage shape, about 25 cm long. Cut the roll into about 48 equal pieces.

3 Shape each piece of marzipan into a neat oval and insert one piece into the centre of each fruit, gently moulding the fruit flesh around the marzipan. Roll lightly in sugar and put into individual paper cases.

These marzipan-filled fruits will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to four weeks. Serve at room temperature.

(From Like Grandma Used to Make)

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19
Dec
Duck Breasts with Apricot Chutney
Brigita

Ingredients:

(serves 12)

* 1-1/2 cups orange juice

* 2/3 cup sugar

* 200g dried apricots, chopped

* 1/2 cup dried cherries

* 1/2 cup golden raisins

* 2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot

* 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

* 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

* 2 teaspoons lemon juice

* DUCK:

* 12 duck breasts with skin

* 1-1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

* 2 tablespoons  olive oil

* ORANGE SAUCE:

* 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

* 1/2 cup marsala wine

* 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

* 1/2 cup orange juice

* 1/3 cup chicken broth

* 2 tablespoons grated orange peel

* 3 tablespoons cold butter

* 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

Method:

* For chutney, in a saucepan, combine orange juice and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Add the apricots, cherries, raisins, ginger, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and cloves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook for 10 minutes or until apricots are tender. Transfer to a bowl; stir in lemon juice. Let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

* Season both sides of duck with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, saute duck, skin side down, in oil until skin is browned; turn and cook for 1 minute. Set aside 1 tablespoon drippings.

* Place duck on a greased rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium, a meat thermometer should read 165°; well-done 180°).

* For orange sauce, saute garlic in reserved drippings for 1 minute. Add wine; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until reduced by half. In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, orange juice, broth and orange peel until blended. Stir into wine mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add butter and basil; whisk until smooth. Remove skin from duck if desired before slicing. Serve with orange sauce and chutney.

Note: It can be served as an entree, or as part of a buffet or as main with roasted seasonal vegetables.

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01
Nov
Orange Cookies
Brigita

Ingredients:

3 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

250 g butter

2 cups sugar

Grated zest of one large/two medium oranges

1 tbs fresh orange juice

1 egg

Method:

Beat soften butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg, orange juice and zest. Beat until combined.

Sift together all dry ingredients, then gradually add into butter mixture until well combined in a dough.

Rest it in a fridge to firm.

Preheat oven on 200 degrees C. Grease baking tray. Form 2 cm balls and space on a tray (3-4 cm apart). Bake until slightly brown on the edges. Immediately lift with the knife while hot, but leave in tray to cool off.

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26
Oct
Persian Jewelled Rice
Brigita

Ingredients:

* 275g Basmati Rice

* 18 – 20 saffron threads (1/2 sachet)

* 1 tbspn boiling water

* 1 rounded tspn cardamom pods

* 1 rounded tspn coriander seeds

* 3 tbspn olive oil

* 75g dried cranberries

* 110g raisins

* 50g peeled pistachio nuts

* Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method:

* Rinse the rice in cold water and drain well.

* Mix the saffron with the boiling water and leave to infuse for 10 mins.

* Add rice to large pan of salted boiling water with the cardamom and coriander.

* Bring to the boil and leave to hard simmer for 8 – 10 mins until rice is al dente (soft on outside but firm in centre). Drain in a colander.

* Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the dried fruit and nuts and sauté for 1 min to plump up.

* Stir in the rice and the saffron liquid, season to taste and stir well to combine.

* Serve.

Note:  This beautifully fragrant and slightly sweet rice dish is great served with cold cuts of turkey or a gammon joint.

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15
Oct
Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Punch
Brigita

Ingredients:

4 cups cranberry juice

1 ½ cups sugar

5 cups pineapple juice

3 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons almond extract

1 liter ginger ale

4 lemons, thickly sliced

3 baby limes, thickly sliced

Whole cloves

Mint leaves

Method:

Chill all ingredients. Slice each lemon into five thick slices, and stud the rind with about six cloves per slice. Slice one lime into thick slices. Use the remaining limes whole. Circle each lime with mint leaves by securing the leaves with cloves. Set the fruit aside.

Combine the first six ingredients in the punch bowl. Float the whole limes in the punch, and add about 10 slices of lemon and lime to the bowl. Use the remainder as glass garnishes.

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15
Oct
Chocolate Orange Cake
Brigita

Ingredients:

* 175g softened butter, plus extra for the tin

* 100g dark chocolate, minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids

* 185g self-raising flour

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 175g caster sugar

* 3 medium eggs

* finely grated zest of 2 oranges

* 1 tbsp instant coffee, diluted in 1 tbsp hot water

Filling-

* 300ml double cream

* 400g dark chocolate, minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids

* 5 medium egg yolks

* 4 tbsp caster sugar

* 4 tbsp Grand Marnier

Method:

1. Have ready a  springform cake tin.  Lightly butter the tin, line the base with a disc of greaseproof or baking paper and butter this as well. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/375F/gas 5. Break up the chocolate and melt gently in a bowl set over a pan containing a little simmering water.

2. Using a processor or in a mixing bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder, add spoonfuls of the softened butter, followed by the sugar, eggs and

orange zest, then beat everything together until thick and well blended. Beat in the melted chocolate and the coffee. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes until just springy when prodded in the middle and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

3. Allow to cool for a few minutes, unclip and remove the cake from the tin, peel off the paper base and leave to go cold on a wire rack. Wipe clean the inside of the cake tin.

4. Using a bread knife, cut the cake in half horizontally. Reserving the top half, place the bottom half back in the cake tin, leaving the clip open to allow a small gap between the cake and the sides.

5. For the filling covering, put the cream into a pan and break in the 400g chocolate. Gently heat and stir until melted.

6. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg yolks, caster sugar and orange liqueur in a heatproof bowl set over a pan containing a little simmering water, for about 5 minutes, until thick and frothy, similar to zabaglione. Remove from the heat. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

7. Pour half the filling over the cake base in the tin, pushing it down the sides and allowing a thick layer to cover the top. Sit the reserved top half of cake on the layer of filling. Pour over the remaining filling mixture (leave some for final glazing), again pushing it down the sides. Smooth the top and leave to set for 2-3 hours in the fridge.

8. To serve, warm the sides of the tin with a hot cloth, then carefully remove the cake from the tin. Use a bendy knife to smooth, glaze with remaining filling and neaten the sides as necessary. Decorate.

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