Mushroom and Onion Quiche

This beautiful recipe makes good use of the wild mushrooms I collect in the Australian autumn, usually in May. Depending on the weather, I sometimes find them as early as February. I chop them, cook them simply in olive oil, and then freeze them.

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
3/4 cup milk
1 small onion, chopped very finely
2 large eggs
250g (1/2 lb) fresh mushrooms, sliced
125g (1/4 lb) bacon, fried and drained
250g (1/2 lb) cheddar cheese, shredded
one 23 cm (9inch) pie shell, baked

Saute onion in butter 3 to 4 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; drain and cool slightly. Sprinkle crumbled bacon into pie shell. Cover with onion-mushroom mixture. Cover with grated cheese. Lightly beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 230 degrees Celsius (450 degrees Farenheit ) f0r 12 minutes. Reduce oven to 150 C (300 F) and bake for 25 to 40 minutes until set.


This recipe comes from a website called "the Kitchen of Babsonline", but it appears to have vanished from the online world.

Mocha Frosting

This quick and simple recipe makes enough frosting to sandwich two layers. Or save half the quantity for another single layer cake.

1/2 cup butter, softened
5 cups icing (powdered) sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup strong coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
milk (optional)

Cream butter at medium speed in an electric mixer. Add sugar, cocoa, coffee, and vanilla, beating until fluffy. Add enough milk, if necessary, to make frosting a spreading consistency, beating well.

Onion Tart 2

This onion tart is simple to make, and less rich than the earlier one featured in this blog. It is best if left until the following day.

4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
6 medium onions (about 900 g/1.9 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs
salt
one sheet shortcrust pastry for 23 (9 inch) cm flan tin or ceramic dish

Heat the oil or butter in a low-sided heavy-bottomed pan. Cook the onions over medium slow heat until soft and juicy. This will take about 30 minutes. Add salt and cook a few minutes more. Put into a bowl to cool. If the onions are very juicy, pour them into a strainer over a bowl to drain. Remove the liquid.
Roll out the pastry into the flan tin or ceramic dish.
Spread the onions over the dough (removing the thyme sprigs as you go).
Bake on the bottom rack of a preheated 190 C/375 F for 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown on the bottom. Slide the tart on a rack to cool. Serve warm.

Note: You may add some black olives and anchovies for more flavour, if desired.

This is an adapted recipe from Alice Waters' book, "The Art of Simple Food: Recipes, Notes and Lessons from a Delicious Revolution", 2007.

Pavlova

This classic Australian dessert looks good and tastes even better, and my guests said recently it was the best pavlova they have ever tasted!

Serves 6 to 8.

6 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch salt
2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
whipped cream for filling
fruit or other topping of your choice

If you have a gas oven, preheat it to very hot (230 C/450 F) before starting to mix pavlova. If you have an electric oven, preheat it to slow (150 C/300 F).

Beat egg whites with salt at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop beating when all sugar has been incorporated and fold in vinegar and vanilla.

Pile mixture into a greased 20 cm (8 inch) china flan dish and lightly smooth top.
OR pile mixture into a greased 20 cm (8 inch) springform tin and lightly smooth top.
OR cover a baking tray with greased foil, mark a 20 cm (8 in) circle; mould up sides with a spatula and make a slight depression on top.

If using a gas oven, turn heat to lowest temperature, put pavlova in and bake 1 1/2 hour or until crip on top and a pale straw colour.

If using an electric oven, put pavlova in and bake 45 minutes, then turn oven off and leave with door shut for 1 hour.

When pavlova is cooked, remove from oven and cool completely. Remove sides of springform tin, if using. Fill pavlova generously with whipped cream, then with your choice of topping.

NOTE: The meringue may be sprinkled with blanched, slivered almonds before baking. They will toast to a golden brown.

This recipe comes from Margaret Fulton's "Encyclopaedia of Food and Cookery", 1983.

Onion Tart

Ingredients:
one 23 cm (9 inch) shortcrust pastry base
1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) mixed butter and oil
250 g (8 oz) onions, sliced
1 cup (125 g/ 4 0z) grated Gruyere cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (125 ml / 4 fl oz) heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
6 black olives, pitted

Preparation and cooking:
Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan and gently saute the onions for 8 minutes without browning. Remove from the heat.
In a bowl, mix together the cheese, eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Stir this into the onions. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 C (400 F).
Decorate the tart with the olives and serve hot or cold.

This recipe is based on the Onion Tart recipe in Jean Conil and Fay Franklin's book, "The Flavours of France: Fabulous Vegetarian Cuisine for Every Occasion".

Manhattan Cheesecake

This cheesecake is just plain delicious, with no base.

Serves 10 t0 12.

Ingredients:
500g (1 lb) cream cheese
500g (1 lb) ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
4 large eggs
60g (2 oz) butter, melted
3 tablespoons each of flour and cornflour, sifted together
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups sour cream

Decoration:
1 cup cream, whipped
strawberries or other fresh fruit

Preparation:
Combine cheeses and beat well until creamy. Gradually add sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in melted butter, flour, cornflour and vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Spoon mixture into an ungreased 23 cm (9 inch) springform tin. Bake in centre of a preheated moderately slow oven (160 C/325 F) for 1 hour (cake will still be soft in centre). Turn off the heat and leave cake in oven for 2 hours. Remove and cool completely in tin, standing on a wire rack. When quite cold, chill for at least 2 hours before removing sides of tin and transferring to a serving plate. Decorate as wished, using whipped cream and fruit.

This recipe is from Margaret Fulton's "Encyclopaedia of Food and Cookery".

Tart Lemon Frosting

I put this frosting on lemon cake or cupcakes, or vanilla cake.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups of icing (confectioner's) sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 dash salt

Preparation:
Add lemon rind to butter, cream well. Add part of sugar gradually, blending after each addition. Add remaining sugar alternately with lemon juice, until of right consistency to spread, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add salt.

This recipe is from the Recipe Goldmine website.

Pad Thai

This is my favourite recipe for Pad Thai (or Thai Fried Noodles). The best part of making this dish is the garnish.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup small cooked prawns
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Pla)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 eggs, beaten
375g (3/4 pound) rice vermicelli, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and drained
1 cup bean sprouts

Garnish:
1 tablespoon dried prawn powder
2 tablespoons peanuts, coarsely ground
1/2 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes (or powder)
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
2 limes, very finely sliced

Cooking:
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the garlic until golden. Quickly add the prawns and stir fry until heated through. Add the sugar, fish sauce and ketchup and stir until sugar dissolves. Add the beaten eggs, letting them set slightly, then stir to scramble. Add the noodles and toss and stir for about 2 minutes. Reserving about 4 tablespoons of the bean sprouts, add the remainder to the wok. Stir over heat until the bean sprouts are barely cooked. Turn the Pad Thai onto a platter, placing the reserved, raw bean sprouts on one side.

Presentation:
Sprinkle the noodles with the garnish ingredients in the following order: prawn powder, peanuts, chilli flakes, green onions, coriander leaves. Ring the platter with the lime slices and serve.

This recipe comes from Jennifer Brennan's "The Original Thai Cookbook".

Chocolate Mud Cake

I found this recipe some years ago on a personal web site from Melbourne, Australia. That web site now seems non existent, and I don't remember the owner's name. However, when introducing his recipe he stated: "This is the mud cake recipe that has given me some sort of fame!" This marvellous recipe makes a lovely BIG cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
pinch of salt
300g butter (10 1/2 ounces), melted
300g (10 1/2 ounces) dark chocolate, finely chopped

Icing:
200g (7 ounces) dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup cream

Preparation:
Preheat over to 150 C (300 F). Spray a deep 23 cm round cake tin with non stick cooking spray.

Place sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add sifted flours, cocoa and soda. Make a well in the centre. Using a metal spoon, fold in combined eggs, buttermilk, essence and salt. Combine well.

Add butter and chocolate, mix well. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake for 2 to 2 1/4 hours or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in centre of cake. Leave cake in tin until cold, then turn cake onto a wire rack (cake will crack on top). Using knife with a serrated edge, cut a dome off the top of the cake horizontally. Turn the cake upside down and stand it on a wire rack over a paper lined tray.

Pour icing completely over the cake, smoothing top and sides with a flat bladed knife. Allow to set. Transfer the cake carefully to a serving plate. Serve in wedges with whipped cream.

To make icing:
Combine chocolate and cream in a small pan. Stir over low heat until chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool slightly.

South Sea Noodles

Make a glorious impression with this dish. Be careful not to soak the rice noodles too long. They must not be soft before they are stir fried.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:
300g (12 oz) rice noodles
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely sliced
4 rashers bacon, cut into matchstick strips
2 tablespoons dried shrimps, soaked for 20 minutes, and drained
1 teaspoon curry powder
100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) chicken stock
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g (1 pound) uncooked prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 spring onions, cut into 1 cm (1 inch) pieces
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or coriander

Preparation:
Soak the noodles in very hot water for 2 minutes until tender (not soft). Refresh under cold water and drain. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a wok until almost smoking, add the onion, bacon and dried shrimps. Stir fry for 1 minute, then add the curry powder and fry for another minute. Pour on the stock and bring to the boil. Add the noodles. Toss together until the noodles are coated with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish.
Reheat the wok and add the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and prawns. Stir fry for one minute, then add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice wine. Pour the sauce onto the noodles, sprinkle on the spring onions and coriander. Serve immediately.

This is based on a recipe from Kenneth Lo in his book, "The Encyclopaedia of Regional Chinese Cooking", Octopus Books, 1984.

Singapore-Style Rice Noodles

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
225g (8 oz) rice noodles, rice vermicelli or rice sticks
110g (4 oz) leeks
110g (4 oz) carrots
110g (4 oz) red capsicums
4 spring onions
25g ( 1 oz) fresh chillies
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Sauce:
2 tablespoons curry paste
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
300 ml (10 fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Garnish:
Fresh coriander leaves

Preparation:
Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water for 25 minutes until they are "al dente" rather than soft. Drain in colander or sieve.
Wash and finely shred the white part of the leeks. Finely shred the carrots, capsicums, spring onions and chillies. In a small bowl, combine the eggs with the sesame oil.

Cooking:
Heat wok or large pan over a high heat, add the oil. When almost smoking, add the carrots, leeks, spring onions and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the capsicums and stir fry for about 1 minute. Put in the curry sauce ingredients and the drained noodles. Stir fry the mixture for about 5 minutes until well mixed and heated through. Then add the egg mixture, blending thoroughly. Stir fry for 1 further minute. Serve at once, garnished with fresh coriander.

Based on a recipe in "Ken Hom's Vegetable and Pasta Book".

Melting Moments

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1/3 cup icing (powdered) sugar
3/4 cup cornflour (cornstarch)
1 cup flour

Preparation:
Mix ingredients and form into small balls. Place your thumb in the middle of each one. Bake at 180 C (350 F) until the bottoms are light brown, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook.

Icing:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing (powdered) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Preparation:
Beat all ingredients until smooth. Spoon on top of each biscuit (cookie).

Glazed Five Spice Spare Ribs

Make a good impression with this dish.

Serves 3 to 4 as an appetizer. The recipe is easily doubled for serving as a main meal.

Ingredients:
750g (1 1/2 pounds) pork spare ribs

Simmer sauce:
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon five spice powder


1 1/2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
3 tablespoons oil
1 medium clove garlic, crushed and peeled
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Chop the ribs into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Put them in a small pot and marinate in the simmer sauce for 15 minutes. Add the boiling water and bring the simmer sauce to a boil. Adjust heat to medium low to maintain a strong simmer; then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning the meat now and then. Drain the simmer sauce into a bowl and set the ribs aside. (If you want to do this step ahead of time, cover meat and sauce; if you refrigerate them, bring them to room temperature before continuing.)

Measure out 1/4 cup of sauce and combine it with 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice wine.

Cooking:
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the oil, swirl and heat. Press and turn the garlic in the oil. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved. Then add the simmer sauce a little at a time (it will splatter - stand back) and stir until it puffs into thick caramel bubbles. Then pour in the ribs and tumble them vigorously until the sauce coats all of them, with the sauce reduced. Place the ribs onto a platter.

This recipe comes from Irene Kuo's "The Key to Chinese Cooking".

Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (approx 400g/16 oz), drained, reserving 1 tablespoon of the liquid
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tahini
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, using the 1 tablespoon chickpea liquid if necessary to make a smooth spread.

Szechuan-Style Aubergine

This is quite involved but glamorous. It is pictured here with Cold Peking Pork. Chill both dishes, then arrange prettily on a platter together.


Ingredients:
2 aubergines, about 450g (1 pound) each
450 ml (3/4 pint) vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic


Sauce:
5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4 teaspoons vinegar
4 teaspoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chilli oil (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce

Serves 6.

Preparation:
Slice off and discard the stalk end of the aubergines, but do not peel them. Cut in half lengthways, then into wedges each about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick. Cut the wedges into 5 cm (2 inch) thick lengths.

Combine the sauce ingredients and stir until sugar dissolves.

Cooking:
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or frying pan, or use a deep fryer appliance. Fry half the pieces of aubergine at a time on high heat, turning the pieces so that they are evenly browned. Let them cook to a dark golden brown, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. When all the pieces of aubergine have been fried, set them aside to cool. The oil that remains may be strained and used again.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir quickly over medium heat until they turn golden.
Add the sauce mixture, bring to the boil, then return the aubergine and cook over high heat, turning the aubergine pieces over until most of the sauce is absorbed.
Transfer to a serving dish as soon as cooking is completed (don't leave the aubergine in the wok or a metallic taste will develop). Serve warm or cold.

This is based on Charmaine Solomon's recipe in her book,"Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking".

Chinese Roast Chicken

1 roasting chicken, approximately 1 1/2 kg ( approx 3 pounds 5 ounces)
1 clove garlic
2 thick slices fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oil

Preparation:
Wash and dry the chicken, inside and out. Crush and finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the fresh ginger. Combine the garlic and and ginger with the soy sauce and oil, and blend thoroughly. Rub the chicken all over with this mixture and allow to marinate for 30 mins before cooking.

Cooking:
Roast the chicken for one hour in an oven preheated to 200 C (400 F).

This is based on a recipe from Kenneth Lo.

Chilled Sweet and Sour Onions

This is good prepared a day in advance.

Ingredients:
500g (one pound) red onions (although brown onions will do)
2 tablespoons oil
1 large clove garlic, lightly crushed and peeled

Sauce:
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Trim off the root ends of the onions and peel them. Cut each onion into 2 cm (1 inch) wide wedges and separate the layers. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Cooking:
Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirl, and heat for 30 seconds. Toss in the garlic and press it in the oil. Then stir fry the onions for 30 or 40 seconds, until they are glistening with oil and have slightly transparent look.
Splash in the sauce and, as it sizzles, stir the onions briskly a few times. Then pour immediately into a dish. Let them cool a few minutes, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Cold Peking Pork

This should be prepared one day in advance and then served cold. The pork is first blanched for a few minutes to rid it of any impurities, and then is slowly simmered in a rich liquid infused with Chinese spices. The cooked meat is removed and then braising liquid is reduced. This is then poured over the pork which is left to marinade overnight.

Serves 4 to 6.


Ingredients:
700g (1 1/2 pounds) pork leg or shoulder, in one piece, boned (ask the butcher to remove the rind but include it with the boned meat)
1 litre of chicken stock
3 slices fresh ginger
2 spring onions, whole
2 star anise
2 tablespoons wine
2 teaspoons five spice powder
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce


Cooking:
Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the rind and the pork in it for about 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, discard the liquid and chop the rind into small pieces. Rinse the pot clean and return the pork to the pot. Add all the braising liquid ingredients and the pieces of rind. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat down to a very low simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 hours.

Remove the cooked pork from the pot with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat back to high and reduce the liquid to about half. Put the pork into a bowl or deep dish. Strain the the reduced liquid and pour it over the meat. Allow it to cool and put it into the refrigerator. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving. Then slice it as thinly as possible. If the juice has jelled, arrange it as a garnish around the sliced pork, otherwise simply pour the cooled liquid over the pork slices and serve.

This recipe is from "Ken Hom's Chinese Cookery", British Broadcasting Corporation, 1984.

Mexican Bean Dip

1 x 425 can baked beans in tomato sauce
½ cup grated tasty cheese
1 teaspoon chilli powder (or more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 teapoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
dash of cayenne


Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste, and add extra chilli powder as desired. Turn into a bowl and serve as a dip with corn chips, potato chips or biscuits.

Based on Margaret Fulton’s recipe in “Creative Cookery Course: A Step By Step Guide For All Occasions”.