Almond Orange Cake

The popularity of this cake is evidenced by the many, many versions that are out there.  However, this version from Kate Lamont's cookbook "Food, Family and Friends" (published in 2000) simply works every time - even when I forget to change the water when boiling the oranges! (changing the water gets rid of the bitterness from the orange rind).  This is also one of my well-worn cookbooks, and special because it was given to me by my favourite Mum-in-law in the world - the Chookie Bat Hen. :)

Ingredients:
(Makes one large cake to fit 23 cm tin)

3 oranges (I use navel oranges, not too large)
9 whole eggs
375 gms caster sugar
375 gms almond meal (freshly ground from blanched whole almonds is best)
2 tsps baking powder

Method:

1. Boil the oranges for 2 hours, keeping the water topped up to cover the oranges.  Change the water three times, but don't stress if you forget.
2. Cool and halve the oranges, removing the seeds.
3. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.  This is crucial as if you don't, you will end up with a pudding rather than a cake.  Still delicious, but a bit messy looking and not so great in terms of presentation. Discard the juice - it's pretty bitter so you really can't use it.
4. Puree eggs and sugar in a food processor, then add oranges - pith, skin and all.
5. Pour in a bowl and fold in almond meal and baking powder.
6. Put the mixture in a very well greased 23 cm tin.  Bakeat 180 degrees C for 45 to 50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean from the middle.
7. Dust with icing sugar.  Serve as is or with ice cream or my favourite: labna (natural thick yoghurt strained through muslin for a few hours to thicken) stirred through with orange juice, grated rind, a little orange blossom water then topped with orange segments.  

Chinese Style Eggplant

This is my standby eggplant recipe which absolutely works everytime, without fail.  It's adapted from an old Charmaine Solomon recipe (one of my many food heroes!), where I opt to roast the eggplant.  There is no salting or peeling involved, and regardless of how seedy the eggplant is, it never tastes bitter.  This is originally a vegetarian recipe, but feel free to add pork and baby prawns/shrimp to this - yes Bambi, that means you!  :) And this has a bit of fame attached to it - I mentioned this recipe as part of a Chef's Challenge on the radio I participated in on 702 ABC Sydney quite a few years ago. 


Ingredients:
2-3 medium sized eggplants
olive oil for roasting
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 tbsps white vinegar
1 tbsp Chinese/Shao Xing wine or dry sherry
2 tbsps sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp ( more) chili oil - I use a Japanese brand
1-2 tsps sweet chili oil
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
peanut or olive oil for frying
chopped spring onions for garnish

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to around 200 degrees Celsius (around 400 F)
2. Slice off and discard stalk end of eggplants.  Halve lengthways then cut into wedges lengthways around an inch thick, then cut into 2 inch lengths so end up with hefty cubey wedges.
3. Put the eggplant in a big mixing bowl and slosh in olive oil generously, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Mix it up and lay in a single layer in a roasting pan. Roast for around 30 minutes until tender and golden. Give the tray a bit of a jiggle and shake halfway through the cooking.
4. In the meantime, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, chili oil and sweet chilli sauce in a small jug or bowl (a 2-cup capacity Pyrex measuring cup works well with this as you can measure and mix as you go along).
5. Heat up your wok with around 1 tbsp of the oil.  Add the ginger and garlic and stir quickly over medium heat until golden (this will only take a minute or so).  If you're adding pork or shrimp, do it now. Add the sauce mixture, bring to a boil then pop the roasted eggplants in and cook over high heat while mixing and turning until the eggplant has absorbed most of the sauce.
6. Transfer to your serving dish as soon as it's cooked as leaving it in a steel wok will give the dish a metallic taste.  Sprinkle over spring onions and serve. 

Wendy's Artichoke Dip

Of the many appetisers I make, hands down this is the most requested recipe of all them.  I should give credit where it is due - I first tasted this incredible dip from Wendy M., and it has since been one of those "chain mail" recipes where it just keeps on getting passed on!  Here's how to make this yummy dip, and a quick warning - this is not for those with already clogged arteries! There is a reason why it tastes so good, and it's called "full fat"!

Ingredients (makes one small square Pyrex dish):

1 can artichokes (not the marinated kind - I use the Nova brand), drained and rinsed
1 cup whole egg, full fat mayonnaise (this is crucial to the dish - I use the S&W brand)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped shallots/green onions (white and green parts)
2 tsp chopped garlic
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
smoked paprika for sprinkling before serving
sliced French baguette or crackers to dip

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C
2. Put all the ingredients in a food processor.  Process until completely chopped and mixed through.  Use a spatula to scrape down the sides.  Try not to overprocess as you don't want the mix to be too mushy.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour mix into your Pyrex dish and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes.  Your kitchen will start smelling really, really nice. 
4. Check the dip at 15 minutes or so.  If the top is browning too quickly or unevenly then either move the dish lower in the oven or cover with foil.
5. It is done when it is golden brown all over.  Try not to overcook as the dip can split - it's not a drama if it does, but it won't be as nice.
6. Let cool and then serve.  Or cook ahead, cool, then re-heat in microwave for 30 seconds prior to serving.  Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad - Yummy Version!

Yes, it is possible to make quinoa yummy!  Here's a basic recipe that you can have a play with - I think the secret is to have a citrus-based dressing that's nicely balanced to be sweet and tart (bit like me, really).  It's also nice to have some texture with the ingredients, hence the nuts and the variety of veggies. This is perfect with any grilled or roast meat, poultry or fish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
(serves 4, halve to serve 1-2)

For the salad:
1 cup quinoa (normal or red, black or mixed)
handful or more cherry tomatoes, halved
2-3 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/2 avocado, cubed
1/2 red or yellow capsicum, diced
1/4 cup lightly toasted nuts - pistachios, cashews, almonds work really well
handful each of variety of herbs (2-3 types): flat-leaf parsley, mint, coriander, basil - finely chopped

For the dressing:
juice from 1-2 lemons (around 2 tbsps worth)
1/4 cup or less extra virgin olive oil (to your taste and health)
1 tbsp honey
1-2 tsps seeded mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Place the quinoa and twice its volume of water (that is, 2 cups) in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.  To add more flavour, feel free to drop in a chicken or veggie stock cube. Bring down to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and/or the quinoa is tender. Set aside to cook slightly.
2. Prepare all the salad ingredients and put in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine all the dressing ingredients and mix very well.
4. Mix quinoa with the rest of the salad ingredients and dressing, and serve.  To gild the lily, you can also serve the salad with a dollop of Greek-style yoghurt flavoured with some garlic, cumin and lemon.

Yummy Non-Alcoholic Punch

This punch made its debut at the Exotic-Erotic-Aquatic party for Can Too in October.   I actually got more compliments for this than the alcoholic punch. I'll definitely make it again next time I have a crowd!

2.4 litres (½ gallon) cold tea (strained)

900g (2 lbs) sugar

juice of 12 lemons (well strained)

2.4 litres (½ gallon) grapefruit juice

2 x 450g (16oz) cans pineapple juice

750 ml fruit cup or mixed fruit juice

1.2 litres (2 pints) lemonade

4.5 litres dry ginger ale


Boil the sugar and strained tea, then allow it to cool. Add the remaining ingredients, adding the, preferably chilled, lemonade and gingerale last.

Planter's Punch

*I've had this recipe since 2003, when it appeared in the December issue of delicious magazine. This is very well road-tested, and be warned: it is lethal! It doesn't taste it, but trust me, it is. As a responsible host, make sure you warn your guests in case they think it's just lolly water! And as with all good punches, feel free to add more or less of the ingredients to suit your taste.

Ingredients:
1 bottle dry white wine (recent vintage)
1 litre orange juice
1 litre pinepple juice
2 cups (500 ml) lime juice (the squeeze bottle variety is fine)
1 bottle white rum
1 1/2 cups of dark rum
1/2 cup grenadine
1x 2 kg bag of ice
handful of chopped and whole fresh mint

Procedure:
Add all this to a punch bowl, or in the case of the half-warming, it was in a stainless steel pail. Stir and ladle into cups.

Great with vodka-cured watermelon too (Jamie Oliver-inspired from The Naked Chef 2) - simply put a funnel through a whole watermelon and feed it with vodka or champagne over a few days. Use a long metal skewer to create channels through the watermelon and encourage the alcohol to spread. However, note that the vodka has a tendency to pool in one place in the watermelon, and in our case, the watermelon fermented because we had a few very hot days and the watermelon wasn't in the fridge while we were feeding it. Putting the cubed watermelon in the punch was an inspired idea by the Hubby! He's not just a good shag... ;)

Ajo Blanco - White Gazpacho

*I was determined to serve this in shot glasses, but obviously didn't want to buy 40 shot glasses just for the party! Thank God for discount shops - 40 plastic disposable shot glasses for $2. I bought lots!

Ingredients:
Makes around 1.5 litres unstrained, around 1litre with all chunky bits taken away

200 grams of day-old white sourdough bread, crusts off, then chopped into manageable chunks
400 grams blanched almonds, whole
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
sherry vinegar to taste
sea salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste
small bunch of seedless green grapes, halved if small, or sliced if big
almond oil (optional) for drizzling

Procedure:

1. In a blender put in the bread, almonds, garlic, olive oil and 1 litre of water. And yes, you want the blender, not the food processor, even though the blender might labour slightly depending on how hard your bread is. Yes, I speak from experience and a very wet food processor! Add water to help the mix along, and do it in batches if you have a small blender.
2. Once the mix is all blended and creamy, season to taste with sherry vinegar - I find around 2-3 tbsps is good. Season also with sea salt and white pepper - at a cinch, you can use pre-ground white pepper, but fresh ground is best. Keep that black pepper grinder away!!
3. If you like it chunky and nutty, don't strain the soup. But if you want a smoother texture or are worried that people might construe the nutty bits as more like sandy, then strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer. Chill for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
4. To serve, line up your shot glasses, pour in the soup, and top with the grape - sliced bit up if using halves. Drizzle with almond oil if using - I have not used almond oil so far with this recipe and everyone still raves about it.