Pastels and Smudging

LEMON DELICIOUS PUDDING

by Ros Harrison

INGREDIENTS

2 level tbsp butter

4 level tbsp self raising flour

Juice and rind of 2 lemons

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk

METHOD

1. Cream butter and sugar.

2. Add eggs yolk and a little of the milk.

3. Add the flour and mix until smooth.

4. Add remainder of milk.

5. Add grated rind of one lemon and the juice of both lemons.

6. Lastly fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pure into a greased pie dish. Stand in a dish of warm water. Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes, reduce heat and bake slowly for another 25 minutes. Serve with cream or ice cream.

This was mum’s recipe that she would make for my dad. He always wanted it served with custard. This was in the days when pudding was served after every evening meal.

OVEN-BAKED MUSHROOM RISOTTO

by Maggie Spenceley

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp olive oil

1 large leek, trimmed and thinly sliced

400g mixed mushrooms (such as button and cup), sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

250g arborio rice

80ml (⅓ cup) white wine

750ml (3 cups) vegetable or chicken stock

250g broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets

20g (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Sauté leek, stirring, for two minutes or until soft. Add mushroom, garlic, and rosemary. Cook, stirring, for three to four minutes or until mushroom is soft. Add rice and cook, stirring, for one minute or until grains appear glassy. Add wine and cook, stirring, for one minute or until evaporated. Add stock and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.

2. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and bake for another five minutes or until broccoli is tender-crisp.

3. Stir in parmesan cheese. Set aside, covered, for two to three minutes. Top with extra parmesan.

This oven-baked mushroom risotto has all the flavour of a traditional risotto, but with much less stirring! Here is my tip… Add the vegetables late so they stay a little crunchy, to add more texture to this meal. If you like more vegetables, just add more. There are no rules. Recipes are okay, but I don’t really use them. Just like my mum, I like to make it up as I go.

PAVLOVA

by Denise Kretschmann

INGREDIENTS

6 egg whites

1 ½ cups caster sugar

½ cup white sugar

2 tbsp cornflour

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup cream for topping

Top with strawberries, banana & passionfruit

METHOD

1. Line baking tray with baking paper.

2. Separate eggs, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

3. Gradually add the caster sugar to the egg whites and mix until becomes thick and glossy.

4. Mix white sugar and cornflour together in a separate bowl.

5. Fold sugar mixture and lemon juice into egg white mixture.

6. Place mixture on baking tray and mould into a circle about a dinner plate size.

7. Bake at 150°C (fan forced) for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  It will be ready when it is dry to touch.  Allow to cool in the oven with the door ajar.

8. Once cool, decorate with whipped cream and topping of your choice.

I was going to use my Chicken Tetrazzini recipe but when I got to the workshop I googled ‘pastel drawing’ and came up with a great looking strawberry, so I decided to do that instead.

ROAST PUMPKIN SLICE

by Julie Bates

INGREDIENTS

Pastry:

2 cup plain flour

125g butter, chopped

⅓ cup finely grated parmesan

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chilled water

Filling:

500g pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and sliced

1 large zucchini, halved lengthways, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

120g goat’s cheese or feta, sliced and broken into pieces

2 eggs

¼ cup cream

1 bunch lemon thyme, leaves removed

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.

2. To make pastry, combine flour, butter and parmesan in food processor. Process to form fine crumbs. Add egg yolks, juice and one tbsp water. Pulse until mixture just comes together, adding more water as required. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, arrange pumpkin and zucchini in a single layer on tray. Drizzle with oil and season to taste. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through and golden.

4. Reduce oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an 11 x 34cm rectangular loose-bottomed tart case.

5. Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until it’s a 3-4mm thick rectangle. Ease pastry into pan and trim edges. Prick with a fork. Rest in fridge for 15 minutes.

6. Bake pastry case blind for 10 minutes. Remove weights and return to oven for a further five to 10 minutes, until base is golden. Arrange pumpkin and zucchini and goat’s cheese over pastry.

This is the perfect savoury slice to serve with salad for guests on the weekend.

STEAK AND KIDNEY PUDDING

by Heather Johnston

INGREDIENTS

2½ tbsp dripping or vegetable oil

2 onions, halved and sliced

1 large carrot, diced

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tsp English mustard

400g diced lean stewing steak

2 kidneys (about 150g), halved, cored and cut into chunks

200ml stout

200ml strong beef stock

Mashed potato and greens, to serve

For the suet pastry:

300g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

150g beef suet

Soft butter, for greasing

Chopped parsley (optional)

METHOD

1. Melt 1½ tbsp of the dripping in a large, non-stick pan. Fry the onions, carrot and bay leaves for 15 mins, stirring frequently, until golden.

2. Mix the flour, mustard powder and some seasoning in a large bowl, then toss in the steak and kidneys until they are coated. Remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining dripping to the pan and fry the meat until browned.

3. Stir the stout into the remaining flour left in the bowl, then pour into the pan of meat with the stock, and stir over the heat until thickened to a gravy. Return the vegetables to the pan, cover tightly and simmer for 1 hr 15 mins-1 hr 30 mins, stirring frequently, so that the flour in the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. If necessary, add a drop or two of water to loosen the consistency, but not too much as you want a thick gravy. The meat won’t be completely tender, but it will cook further in the pudding. Set aside to cool or chill overnight.

4. To make the suet pastry, put the flour, baking powder and suet in a bowl with ½ tsp salt. Pour in 150ml cold water and stir with a round-bladed knife to bring the mixture together as a dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface, knead briefly until smooth, then cut off 1/4 and set aside.

5. Very generously grease a 1.2 litre pudding basin. Roll out the biggest piece of dough to a circle large enough to line the inside of the basin right up to the rim. Press the pastry into the basin so that it is an even thickness, then spoon in the steak & kidney mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a round to fit as a lid on top of the basin. Brush round the edge with water, then place on top of the filling, wetted-side down, and seal all the way round with the sides to enclose.

6. Cover the basin with a double layer of greased baking parchment and foil, pleating them first to allow for expansion (alternatively, use muslin). Then tie with string, adding a string handle for easy lifting in and out of the pan.

7. Put an upturned heatproof saucer in the base of a large pan and put the pudding basin on top. Pour in boiling water from the kettle to come 3/4 up the side of the basin, then cover the pan tightly with a lid. If you can’t close the pan, cover tightly with foil instead and leave to simmer for 2 hrs over a low heat. If you need to, top with more boiling water, but if the seal is tight, this shouldn’t be required.

8. Remove the pudding from the pan and leave to settle for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate, scatter with parsley (if you like), and serve with mash and greens.

My mother used to make this when we were kids though I never liked it. I don’t think I ever tried it in fact. My mother passed away recently, and my husband has asked me to make it for him to try.

CANDIED YAMS (ORANGE SWEET POTATO)

Anonymous

INGREDIENTS

5 medium-sized orange sweet potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into pieces

125g butter

1 cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ to ½ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes in equal-sized pieces or slices so they cook evenly.

2. Place in an ovenproof casserole dish.

3. Melt butter over a low heat, making sure the heat stays low.

4.  Add white sugar and mix into butter.

5. Then add brown sugar to mix and stir.

6. Add spices and vanilla and mix well with a whisk. Keep heat on low simmer.

7. Once sugars have dissolved and mixture is a caramel colour, turn off the heat.

8. Pour sauce over the sweet potato.

9. Cover the dish with a lid or foil.

10. Place in a 180°C (160°C fan-forced) oven and bake for approximately one hour or until tender.

11. Check after about 30 minutes to see how they are going and stir if needed.

12. Make sure the potatoes are very tender.

This is a dish I first saw on the Donny and Marie Talk Show yonks ago. It is a heart attack on a plate, so we only make it for Christmas dinner or very special occasions. I believe it may be a traditional Thanksgiving dish. It’s a great way to make use of local sweet potatoes!