Summer Berry Trifle

Ingredients (serves 10)
1 x 85g pkt Aeroplane quick-set strawberry & raspberry jelly crystals
14 bought jam rollettes, cut into 1cm-thick slices
80ml (1/3 cup) apple juice or sweet sherry
2 x 250g punnets strawberries, washed, hulled, halved
2 x 150g punnets blueberries
500ml (2 cups) Pauls premium vanilla custard
250ml (1 cup) thickened cream, whipped
Method
Prepare the jelly following packet directions. Pour into a large container and place in the fridge for 1 hour or until set. Coarsely chop.
Place half the rollettes in the base of a 3L (12-cup) capacity serving bowl. Drizzle half the apple juice or sherry over the rollettes. Top with half the jelly and one-third of the combined strawberries and blueberries. Spoon over half the custard. Repeat with the remaining rollettes, apple juice or sherry, jelly and half the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Top with the remaining custard.
Spoon the cream over the trifle and top with the remaining strawberries and blueberries. Place in the fridge until required.

Trditional Christmas Pudding

Ingredients (serves 10)
200g butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup ginger-lime marmalade
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
1 quantity All-purpose fruit mince (in related recipe Fruit mince tartlets)
brandy custard (see related recipe), to serve

Method
1. Grease an 8-cup (2-litre) pudding basin. Line base with a circle of baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and marmalade until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (don't worry if mixture curdles).
3. Sift flour, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl. Stir half of the flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir remaining flour mixture and breadcrumbs into fruit mince. Add butter mixture to fruit mixture. Mix well. Spoon into pudding basin.
4. Cover pudding top with a circle of baking paper. Cover with a double layer of foil. Secure with un-waxed kitchen string (make sure handle across the top is not too tight, or it will leave indentations). Fold the foil up over the string to ensure it doesn't touch the water during cooking.
5. Place a trivet or upturned saucer in the bottom of a large saucepan. Stand basin on top. Pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of basin. Cover saucepan with lid and boil over medium-high heat for 3 1/2 hours, adding more boiling water every 30 minutes.
6. Remove saucepan from heat and allow pudding to cool in water. Remove and wrap in a towel and store in a cool, dry, dark place. Serve pudding warm with brandy custard.

Spicy Chicken and Lentil Yoghurt Salad

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 single chicken breast fillets
2 tsp piri piri seasoning
Olive oil spray
1/4 cup (70g) reduced fat natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 x 400g cans brown lentils or chickpeas, Edgell brand, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup (45g) Sunbeam currants
1/4 cup fresh continental parsley leaves
1/4 cup shredded fresh mint
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the piri piri seasoning. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil. Heat over a medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes each side or until cooked through.
Whisk the yoghurt and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth.
Place the lentils, currants, parsley and mint in a large bowl. Stir in the yoghurt dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the chicken into thick slices and serve on the lentil salad with lemon wedges and some extra yoghurt.

Orange & date tart

Ingredients (serves 6)
250g plain flour
110g pure icing sugar
110g unsalted butter, chilled
1 egg
16 fresh dates, pitted, halved
5 egg yolks
100g caster sugar
450ml cream
1 orange, zested
Cardamom syrup
10 green cardamom pods
1 orange, zested
6 oranges, juiced
225g caster sugar
2-3 tbs brandy
Method
Preheat oven to 190°C. Place flour and icing sugar in a food processor and process to combine. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and process until a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out pastry on a floured surface and use to line a 26cm tart pan with removable base. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with rice or pastry weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights and return to oven for 10 minutes until crisp and golden. Place halved dates in pastry case.
Reduce oven temperature to 160°C. Beat egg yolks and caster sugar in a bowl until combined. Stir in cream, then strain. Stir in zest and pour over dates. Bake for 30 minutes or until just set. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, to make the syrup, use a mortar and pestle or rolling pin to lightly crush cardamom pods. Remove seeds and discard pod. Place seeds in a pan with remaining ingredients and cook over low heat, stirring, to dissolve sugar. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool before serving with the tart.

Chicken caesar baguettes

Ingredients (serves 8)
8 slices prosciutto
1 tbs olive oil
4 single chicken breast fillets, halved horizontally
1 x 45g can anchovy fillets, drained
250g (1 cup) good-quality whole egg mayonnaise
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 (about 340cm each) large baguettes (French breadsticks)
3 baby cos lettuces, leaves separated, washed, dried
80g shaved parmesan
Method
Place the prosciutto in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towel. Set aside to cool. Break into medium-sized pieces.
Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Set aside for 5 minutes to rest. Thinly slice diagonally across the grain.
Coarsely mash the anchovies. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and anchovies in a bowl.
Cut the baguettes lengthways (do not cut all the way through) and spread with the mayonnaise mixture. Divide the lettuce, chicken, prosciutto and parmesan among the baguettes. Press to close. Cut each baguette crossways into 4 portions. Use kitchen string to tie at regular intervals to secure filling. Serve.

Prawn Fried Rice

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)
500g (2 1/2 cups) long-grain rice
1 tbs peanut oil
800g peeled green prawns
6 bacon rashes, rind removed, coarsely chopped, about 1.5cm pieces
3 eggs, lightly whisked
8 green shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced diagonally
100g (1 1/2 cups) bean sprouts, ends trimmed
80ml (1/3 cup) soy sauce
Method
Cook the rice following packet directions or until tender. Spread the rice over a baking tray. Place in the fridge overnight to cool completely.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until the prawns curl and change colour. Transfer to a plate. Add the bacon and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Transfer to the plate.
Add the egg and swirl slightly. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until almost set. Use a wooden spoon to stir and break up the egg. Add prawns, bacon, rice and soy sauce and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the rice is heated through.
Add the shallot and bean sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute or until combined.

Enjoy
Chef Nathan

Ricotta and lime pancakes

Ingredients (serves 2)
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons low-fat ricotta
200ml skim milk
1 small lime, rind finely grated, juiced
olive oil cooking spray
1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt
1 tablespoon honey
2 passionfruit, halved
lime wedges, to serve

Method
Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre. Whisk egg yolk, ricotta, milk, lime rind and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a bowl until well combined. Add to flour and whisk until batter is smooth. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes to rest.
Whisk eggwhite in a bowl until firm peaks form. Fold gently into batter.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray with oil. Pour 1/3 cup batter into centre of pan and tilt to spread. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes or until small bubbles appear on surface.
Carefully turn and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying pan with oil before cooking each pancake.
Place 3 pancakes on each plate. Top with yoghurt and drizzle with honey. Spoon over passionfruit pulp. Serve with lime wedges.

Barramundi with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 zucchini, chopped
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon caster sugar
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
4 (700g) barramundi fillets
olive oil cooking spray
lemon wedges,
crusty bread
Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes, or until soft. Add zucchini, capsicum, eggplant, tomatoes and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Stir through basil. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Spray both sides of fish with oil. Cook for 3 minutes each side, or until light golden and cooked through. Place vegetables onto serving plates. Top with fish. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.
Notes & tipsNote: Perch or ling are also suitable white-fleshed fish suitable for pan frying.

Sausage risoni

Ingredients (serves 4)
1/4 cup olive oil
500g gourmet peppered
beef sausages (see tip)
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 green capsicum, thinly sliced
700g bottle Italian tomato passata sauce (see note)
500g packet risoni pasta
1 tablespoon oregano leaves, chopped
80g baby rocket
25g parmesan cheese, shaved
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sausages. Cook, turning often, for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Slice sausages.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and capsicum. Cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add tomato passata and 4 cups cold water. Bring to the boil.
Add risoni and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until risoni is just tender. Add oregano and season with salt and pepper. Stir sausages through warm risoni. Cover to keep warm.
Toss rocket, parmesan and remaining 1 tablespoon oil together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon risoni mixture into bowls. Top with rocket salad and serve.
Notes & tips
Tip: Chicken, pork or chorizo sausages would all be suitable in this recipe.
Note: Tomato passata is a concentrated sauce made from sieved tomatoes, available from the supermarket.
SourceSuper Food Ideas - June 2006 , Page 69

BBQ Time of year

Asian Style Lemon Grass Chicken

Ingredients:
* 1 free-range chicken approx 1.6 kg
* Approx 1 cup of coriander leaves
* Small bunch (about 5-6 stalks) of spring onions
* Thumb sized knob of ginger, chopped
* 1/2 stalk of lemon grass chopped
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* Juice of 3 lemons/limes/seville oranges
* 1/4 cup soy
* 4-5 cloves chopped garlic (about 1 heaped tablespoon)
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp curry powder (or more to taste)
* 1 Throne (a beer can, any type will do!)
Method:
Put ingredients in a blender and blend to a paste. Taste and then adjust seasonings to your taste.
Marinate chicken in rub for at least 2-3 hours and barbecue “on a throne” (an open beer can) till done.

Sweet Plumb Pork Fillet Steaks with Zucchini

1 Whole Pork Fillet(s) Large 
1 Whole Spring onion(s) Large, cut into 8 segments 
4 Whole Zucchini Medium, cut into thirds lengthways 
2 Tbsp Olive Oil 
1 Whole Red Chilli Medium, seeded and finely diced 
1 Cup(s) MasterFoods Sweet Plum Marinade 
Directions
Slice the pork into 1 ½ cm thick medallions and marinate in half the Sweet Plumb marinade and the chilli, covered in the fridge for two to twelve hours. 

Brush the zucchini strips with one tablespoon of oil and char grill. 

Fry the onion segments in the remaining oil on the flat grill over medium heat. 

Char grill the marinated pork at the same time. 

Place three zucchini strips on four plates and top with the onions and pork. 

Drizzle over remaining marinade (that has not been in contact with the meat).


ENJOY YOUR BBQ

Chef Nathan

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