Handmaiden

Tons of Tomatoes

I have been waiting for the right price at the market and at 99c a kilo I couldn't resist these vey ripe tomatoes.

Tomato Sauce

6kg ripe tomatoes, chopped

8 medium onions, peeled and sliced

2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped

( I added some chillies)

175g soft brown sugar ( I made some substitution with pomegranite molasses)

1/2t dry mustard

7.5cm piece of cinnamon stick

1T allspice

1T whole cloves

1T ground mace

1T celery seeds

1T black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 garlic clove

500ml cider vinegar

salt to taste

paprika to taste (optional)........I added sumac instead

Combine the tomatoes, onion and peppers in a large pot over medium heat and simmer until very soft.....at least an hour. Sieve and return to heat with sugar and mustard. Tie the spices and garlic in a square of muslin and add to sauce. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring often until it has reduced by half. Remove spice bag. Stir in the cider, salt and paprika to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring for the next 10 minutes.

Cool, then pour through a funnel into sterilised bottles and preserve with heat.

Sharon

 

Best Of Friends

I celebrated a special birthday of one of my BF's on the weekend. We have known each other over 30 years and even though I have travelled far and wide we have kept the friendship going. I made her a silver freshwater pearl bracelet and popped it in a Cherry Blossom. She loved it.

The table was set

Flowers for the occasion - Water Lillies and Lillies

and the menu included my favourite Raspberry, Ricotta and Almond Tart

Delicious

Sharon
  

  
 
 

 

 

Tea Time Birthday

Happy 86th Mum

Cinderella for a day

Sharon
 
 
 

Green Papaya Salad

Since coming back from Singapore I have really missed eating some favourite salads. One in particular is Green Papaya Salad

Its best to use a mortar and pestle but I cheat and use a small food processor.

Shred half a green papaya and cut some beans into small pieces. Use a mortar and pestle and pound 1 clove garlic, 2 shallots (or 1/2 small purple onion) and 1-2 birds eye chillie (depends on how hot and whether you keep seeds). Add 1T fish sauce, 1T palm sugar (or brown) and then beans and pound gently so that beans dont lose shape. Add papaya shreds and pound lightly or just mix through. Add lime juice to taste.

To finish process some dried shrimp in processor until very fine. Add some crushed peanuts and then mix in and sprinkle over salad.  

I had this last night with crispy fried flathead tails. Delicious

Sharon
 

Walnut Syrup Cake

This cake/dessert is delicious. I make alot of tagines and other middle eastern food and its great to theme the dinner with a middle eastern dessert.

Its delicious warm or cold with yoghurt or cinnamon icecream and even better the second day.

Sharon

The Best Gluten Free Orange Cake

I made this fabulous flourless orange cake as a birthday cake for my sister. She is a coeliac so I am always looking for great recipes so that she feels included in family parties.

It is deliciously moist and the topping turns it into something special that is more of a dessert.

2 medium oranges

3 eggs

250g sugar

1t baking powder

265g ground almonds

1. Srub oranges and put them whole into a saucepan with enough water to cover add lid. simmer for 1-2 hours or until completly tender. You may way want to change the water upto 3 times to ensure the skins are not bitter.

2.Grease 20cm tin and dust with almond meal. Cut out round of parchment paper for base of tin. Preheat oven to 180C.

3. Puree the ornage flesh and peel in food processor. Beat the eggs and sugar in mixer until pale, light and soft, approx 2 minutes. Combine baking powder and ground almonds and fold gently into egg mixture. Fold in orange puree.

4.Bake for 1 hour

Optional Topping (or just dust with pure icing sugar)

50g caster sugar

250g mascarpone

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

Mix the mascarpone and sugar, juice and rind and spread over the cake.

Enjoy Sharon

 

Kimono House Online Shop and Workshops

Have you seen Kimono Houses's new online shop including buying sashiko supplies 

or some great workshops on Temari balls

or Seasonal Flower Pouches

Enjoy

Sharon

 

Add An Avo

Avocados are just delicious at the moment. I love them added to salads or just in a wrap with some chicken. More recipes here

1. Shrimp, avocado, pink grapefruit and cotton candy melon salad with grapefruit, jalapeno vinaigrette, 2. Avocado Salad Roll, 3. Millefeuille Avocado Shrimp Grapefruit, 4. Millefeuille Avocado Shrimp Grapefruit

Enjoy

Sharon

Time for Tea

Sunday afternoon......homemade apple and cinnamon teacake

Delicious with a cup of tea

Sharon

Game Bird

Recently we went to Prahran Market for a leisurely shop. We were keen to buy some game meats and were so pleased to buy a pheasant and venison steaks. We used to eat these meats quite regularly in London where they were easy to buy.

So we used Maggie Beer's way of cooking pheasant which worked a treat...only 30 mins in the oven after browning on the cook top. This reminds me of Mr Bean and his Christmas turkey episode. For the last 10 minutes you stand the pheasant on its end.

 

I barracked from the sidelines and Gregg did everything. He made a chestnut, pancetta and herb stuffing along with a shitake mash and beetroot jam. I am not a fan of beetroot but did not mind this too much. It really felt like christmas dinner with the colours and the wintry feel.

 

It was delicious and moist.

Sharon