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.

Roasted Ocean Trout with Walnut and Coriander Salsa

*This recipe is from Gourmet Traveler's November 2008 issue.

Ingredients:
whole fillets of ocean trout - pinboned
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil

For the salsa:
140 g walnut halves
1/2 cup chopped coriander
3/4 of a whole preserved lemon, pith only, chopped
2 tbsp each of chopped flat-leaf parsley and mint
100 ml of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp of sumac

lemon wedges to serve

Procedure:

1. To roast the ocean trout, pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C. Cook the fillets one at a time, unless you plan to serve both fillets at the same time. Sprinkle the fillet with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Roast for 30-35 mins or until the flesh flakes easily.
2. For the salsa, roast the walnuts first for 5-10 minutes until slightly golden. Chop finely by hand - don't be tempted to use the food processor as the walnuts will become crumbs or worse, powdery, and you do not want this. You want a chunky-ish texture to the salsa.
3. Mix the chopped walnuts with all the herbs, the olive oil and sumac. Season to taste with a bit more sea salt and ground pepper.
4. To serve, platter the fish, spoon the salsa down the centre, and serve lemon wedges on the side.

Most-Requested Couscous Salad #1

All right, all right, here it is. Probably next to the artichoke dip, this is one of the most requested recipes in my repertoire. I can't take the credit for it as I learned it from an old work colleague (hi Mandy!) years and years ago, and as you can tell, I haven't stopped making it! This recipe serves around 8 people so feel free to halve the recipe as needed.

Ingredients:

Salad:
2 cups couscous
1 to 2 avocados, cubed
2 to 3 tomatoes, cubed
(or use a punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size)
1 yellow or red capsicum, seeded and cubed
3-4 green spring onions, sliced
50 g slivered almonds, toasted
½ bunch coriander, chopped
½ bunch basil, chopped

Dressing:
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tsps seeded mustard
Juice of 1 lemon (a bit more if you like it lemony)
3 tsps honey
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper

Procedure:

1. To make the couscous, place the couscous in a heat proof bowl and cover with 2 cups of boiling water (from the kettle is fine). Make sure the couscous is just covered with the water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and stand for 5 to 10 minutes (even longer if you need to, just keep it warm). Once done, pour a teaspoon or so of oil into the couscous and fluff it up with a fork or using your fingers.
2. Mix in all the chopped veggies and herbs in with the couscous (mix in the almonds just before serving). Be gentle to keep the soft stuff like avocado for mushing too much.
3. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a screwtop jar; give it a good shake then pour dressing over couscous. Give it one more mix, sprinkle the almonds in and serve.

Salsa Verde - Jamie Oliver Inspired

I've been making this sauce since it was featured in Jamie Oliver's "The Naked Chef" cookbook and is one of my all-time favourites. Fabulous with any roasted or grilled meat or seafood. Try it!

Ingredients
*amounts are indicative and based on what you have to hand and how herby/tarty/salty you want your salsa verde to be

basil - half bunch or so, leaves picked
flat leaf parsley - same as above
mint - around a quarter or a bunch or 3-5 sprigs
1-2 tsps salted capers, rinsed
1-2 flat anchovies, chopped roughly
1-2 pickled gherkins
1-2 tsps Dijon mustard
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
extra virgin olive oil - to taste and texture; I tend to put in anywhere from 2 tbsps to 1/4 cup
red wine vinegar - 2 tsps or so
sea salt an fresh ground black pepper to taste

Equipment
a small food processor or blender

Procedure
Place all ingredients in food processor or blender. Whizz until well mixed and incorporated. Add more olive oil to taste and for texture (the more olive oil, the runnier the sauce will be). Taste and season with salt and pepper. Best served immediately or up to 24 hours from making - keep in fridge.

Rachey's Mom's Christmas Ham Recipe

Okay Tom, here's the ham recipe you asked for tonight. And yes, it's fine to cook this even if it isn't Christmas!

Ingredients:

• 1 smoked ham, preferably on the bone, rind on
  (the size of the ham depends on the size of your pot; it's a good idea to measure your pan and take your tape measure when buying the ham - and yes, I have learned the hard way!)
• unsweetened pineapple juice in cans - around a litre per kilo of ham is a good measure
• lemonade softdrink - yes, the fizzy kind! I quite like the flavour of Sprite but any lemonade would work; again, around a litre per kilo of ham so it's the same amount as the juice
• 1 bottle of beer - a nice ale or even a porter would be lovely; try not to use a crap beer please!
• brown sugar for caramelising and glazing the ham
• cloves, pineapple rings or orange slices to decorate your ham

Equipment:

big pot (enough to fit the ham and liquids)
big tongs for taking out the ham of the pot (and an extra pair of strong hands and arms!)
kitchen blowtorch for glazing ham
serving tray for the ham


Procedure:

1. Put ham in pot.
2. Pour over the pineapple juice and lemonade. Bring to boil and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours.
3. Take out ham of pot and put on serving tray.
4. Pour in beer into pot. Boil .liquid until well reduced to a syrup - this can take up to 2-3 more hours. Check the pot every half hour or so. Don't worry if it's taking too long - it really does take a while. Once the liquid turns into a deep brown molasses colour and coats the back of a wooden spoon, taste the syrup - it should be quite complex, and be quite sour, sweet and a tiny bit bitter from the beer. You can now turn off the hear and let the liquid cool in the pot. Transfer liquid into jars or other containers.
5. To glaze ham, carefully take off rind first and score fat in a diamond pattern. Pat brown sugar and paint on some of the reduced ham syrup, Glaze using kitchen blowtorch until nice and brown and shiny. Decorate ham with cloves, pineapple rings or orange slices.
6. To serve, heat ham syrup in a small pot - if the syrup still looks a bit runny, feel free to boil and further reduce the syrup prior to pouring into a gravy boat. Slice ham and pour some ham syrup over slices and have extra syrup handy. Enjoy!