semi dried tomatoes

This is a really easy recipe that I found somewhere on the net and now can't find but it basically went like this.

Cut tomatoes in half and put on a wire rack over a baking tray. 

Sprinkle tomatoes with salt, pepper and fresh thyme (helps when you have some growing in the garden!)

Bake in the oven at 150C for 2 and 1/2 hrs until dried on the outside but still soft on the inside.

If you want them firmer than this leave them in for longer.

Take out of oven and leave until completely cool.

Pack in a jar and cover with extra virgin olive oil - I also packed in a few basil leaves also from the garden.

Enjoy!

lemon season

It is lemon season again and so with our tree loaded with lemons out come the lemon recipes.

As I know I posted about these last year I will just put in some links for you to look back on.

This is the link for yummy lemon tartlets - so easy we had these for morning tea today - yummo!

Here is the link for lemon butter I made a batch a couple of weeks ago and we are down to our last jar so it will soon be time to make another.

I also found a recipe for some lemon ice cream that I am going to try so when I do I will let you know how it goes.

rosella jam

There are still some rosellas available so I bought some more and thought I would have another go at the jam from my disastrous attempt many years ago.

The Girl helped me to separate them, she was so good.
You need to take the calyxes off the seed pod in the middle and cook them separately, then add them together minus the pod.
It does make your hands red but it seems to wash off pretty easy.
This time I used a sweet thermometer to get the right temperature.

 It is lovely and is now regularly gracing toast and bread at our house.
I think I need to make a batch of scones for morning tea so we can have it on them with some whipped cream.
Find the link for the rosella recipes here.

rosella chutney

When shopping for fruit and veges I saw that they still had some Rosella's so thought I would buy some and have a go at the chutney.

It is just beautiful, very nice on a cracker with a thin slice of cheese or with meat- hot or cold.

I also got it from this page.

It was supposed to have raisins in it, and I didn't even have any sultanas so I used dates instead.
I also substituted some of the herbs in the bouquet garni, but it still turned out lovely.

rosella cordial

When I was at my local fruit and veg a couple of weeks ago they had locally grown Rosellas for sale. 

They also had some recipe sheets as to what to make with them.

So I got a few to bring home to make rosella cordial with.

I was given a heap of Rosella calyxes about 12 years ago and attempted to make Rosella Jam, unfortunately I overcooked it and it became like toffee.

I always thought Rosella were native to Australia but after a but of googling found that they originate in Africa, but were planted here before European settlement and grow wild around the Northern Territory. 

They are actually classified as bush tucker.

Any way I made some lovely cordial. 

It is quite thick and is lovely poured over ice cream or pancakes.

I followed this recipe here

It also includes some other Rosella recipes that you can try, this was the sheet they had in the shop.

I wish I has bought more now so as to try some different recipes. 

I think the chutney would be lovely.

I actually reboiled the Rosellas and made a second batch but added a little more sugar, this syrup is not as thick but equally nice as cordial.

zucchini relish

This is the recipe for zucchini relish I made at Christmas.

I found it here.

It is very yummy.

Great with cold meat, or steak, lovely on a cracker with cheese.

Zucchini Relish

Ingredients

·         12 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

·         4 cups chopped onion

·         5 tablespoons canning salt

·         1 red bell pepper, chopped

·         1 green bell pepper, chopped

·         6 cups white sugar

·         2 1/2 cups white vinegar

·         1 tablespoon cornstarch

·         3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

·         1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

·         1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1.        Place the zucchini and onion in a large, non-metallic bowl, and sprinkle the salt overtop. Use your hands to evenly mix the salt throughout the zucchini. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

2.        The following day, drain the zucchini in a colander, and rinse well with cool water. Squeeze out excess water and set aside. Place the red and green bell pepper, sugar, vinegar, and cornstarch into a large pot. Add the nutmeg, turmeric, celery seed and pepper. Stir to combine, then add the drained zucchini. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes.

3.        Meanwhile, sterilize 7 one-pint jars and lids to hold relish. Pack relish into sterilized jars, making sure there are no spaces or air pockets. Fill jars all the way to top. Screw on lids.

4.        Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with boiling water. Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes.

5.        Remove jars from pot and place on cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all).

I actually halved the recipe and I didn't do the last two steps- the canning part.

I used golden zucchini because that is what I had growing but it would work just as well with green zucchini.

pickled onions

VCH made pickled onions out of some small onions in his garden, here is the recipe he used.

Pickled Onions

3kg pickling onions
250g salt
250g sugar
1L vinegar
2t ground mace
2t pepper
2t allspice
2t coriander seeds

Peel onions , cover with salt and enough water to just cover them.
Leave 24 hours, drain,pour cold water over them and drain again.
Wipe onions dry and place in dry jars.
Boil together vinegar and other ingredients for 15 minutes.
Strain, pour over onions immediately and seal.

Too easy, they taste very nice- the kids say like the shop bought ones.

strawberry jam

Today I made strawberry jam.

Strawberries were 66c a punnet (250g) at our local fruit and veg this week so I bought 6 punnets to make strawberry jam.
It actually only makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups of jam.
6 punnets don't go a long way.
But it is still fun to make.
The recipe I have is very simple.

Strawberry Jam
1.5 kg strawberries
2 C sugar
juice 1 lemon

Hull strawberries and then wash them,

place them into a saucepan and sprinkle over 1C sugar,

cook until sugar softens slightly, then add the rest of the sugar, warmed.

Add lemon juice and boil until jam jells when tested, usually about 1 hour.

Bottle while hot in warm sterilised jars, seal when cold.


To test jam place a small amount of jam on a cold saucer or plate that has been in the fridge or freezer. Leave for about 1 minute. push your finger through the jam if it wrinkles on the surface it is cooked and ready for bottling. this is what is meant by the term jells.

To sterilise jars wash them thoroughly in hot water and then place in an oven on a low heat for 5-10 minutes.

caramelised onions

These are a lovely accompaniment to meat, particularly, hamburgers or steak sandwiches.
They are great on pizza and a restaurant I go to always has some on their pate plates with pears and quince paste mmm.

They are easy to make and only take a few minutes. You can keep them in the fridge, but we never have any left over.

Caramelised Onions

2 red or Spanish onions thinly sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
splash olive oil
splash balsamic vinegar

Put a splash of oil in the bottom of a fry pan and put onions in, place lid on and cook over low heat for a few minutes until soft- you may need to turn the onions a few times.
Do not brown the onions.
Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved,
splash with a bit of balsamic vinegar and stir through.

tomato relish

This is another thing I make when I can get cheap tomatoes. We use it on and in many things it is very versatile. It is lovely on Jatz or other savoury crackers with a thin slice of cheese for morning tea, or with cold meat on sandwiches or with steak or lamb from the barbie.

Tomato Relish

Ingredients:
1.5kgs tomatoes
500g onions
2 cups sugar
2 ½ C vinegar
1 T flour
1 T curry powder
Pinch cayenne
1 T dry mustard
1 T salt

Method:
1. Cut up tomatoes and pour off 3/4 C of juice.(place in a colander over a bowl and let juice drip into it, you may need to shake or press a little, this does take a little time- see picture above)
2. Cut up onions finely (food processor)
3. Put in a saucepan with tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar.
4. Boil slowly until thickens (this takes about 3/4-1hr)
5. Blend flour, curry powder, cayenne, mustard, and salt with tomato juice.
6. Add to saucepan and stir until boiling
7. Cook gently for 3 minutes.
8. Bottle in warm jars and seal when cool.

tomato sauce

Whenever I can get tomatoes this cheap or cheaper or even free I make tomato sauce and tomato relish. We love it, last time I did this I made so many that I thought it would last us 6 months, I think it was lucky to last 6 weeks. It tastes so much nicer than store bought and is much more versatile, we use it on many more things than bought sauce.

Here is my recipe for tomato sauce: It comes from The Commonsense Cookery Book this was originally compiled by the NSW Public School Cookery Teachers Association. My mother had one when she went to school in the 1940's and my sister had one when she went to school in the 60's and mine is from the 80's. I am not sure they even publish them any more. I have had mine since I was about 15 and it has lost its cover and is falling apart. Every time I cook with it now I type the recipe onto the computer with any adjustments that I have made. My notes are in italics.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
3kgs ripe tomatoes
250g apples
250g onions
2 cloves garlic
1 C sugar
2 T salt
1 Chilli
½ T cloves
½ T peppercorns
1 T curry powder
2 ½ C vinegar

Method
1. Wash tomatoes and cut up roughly.
2. Peel and slice apples and onions.
3. Cut up garlic finely
4. Place in saucepan; add all other ingredients.
5. Boil gently 2 hours.
6. Strain through a course strainer ( if you let it cool slightly and then put it in the food processor this makes this part easier and less messy, if you like it chunky pour straight into bottles, for a smooth product strain into a jug which makes it easier to pour into the bottles).
7. Bottle in warm jars and seal when cool.

passionfruit butter/ lemon butter

We have been enjoying making lemon butter and now passionfruit butter.
It is quite easy, but takes a little time stirring until it thickens.
We love them both on toast, on scones, as a filling in a sponge with some whipped cream, and the passionfruit butter is also yummy on ice-cream!

Here is the recipe for lemon butter with the passionfruit variation at bottom:

Lemon Butter
Ingredients:
4 eggs beaten
4 large lemons
500g sugar
125g butter

Method:
1. Grate rind of lemons and squeeze juice.
2. Place butter and sugar in double saucepan. When butter is melted add juice and grated rind of lemons. The add eggs.
3. Stir until smooth and thickened- about 20 minutes.
4. Bottle and seal. Store in Refrigerator

Passionfruit Butter: use 10 passionfruit instead of lemons