Vegetable Bean Patties

Serve this easy meatless or vegetarian main with baby new potatoes and zucchini strips. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

14-15 ounce (440- 465 g) can red kidney beans, drained
2 cups mashed potato
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 carrots, grated
4 spring onions (scallions), chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 1/2 cups packaged breadcrumbs
2 ounces (60 g) butter
Tomato Sauce:
1 1/2 cups tomato vegetable juice
3 teaspoons cornflour
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar

Method:

1. Blend or process beans. Stir in potato until smooth, add egg. Stir in carrots, spring onions and curry. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, roll each portion in breadcrumbs, mould into patties.
2. Heat butter in a large frying pan, add patties, cook on both sides until golden brown, drain on absorbent paper. Serve patties with tomato sauce.
Tomato Sauce: Combine juice in a saucepan with cornflour blended with water, add basil and sugar. Stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens.

Swiss Peach Dessert

You can use a bought Swiss roll for this easy dessert. A sponge cake layer can be substituted; cut 4 even rounds from cake. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 ounces (60 g) flaked almonds
1 Swiss roll
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 pint (300 ml) carton thickened cream
13 ounce (410 g) can peach halves

Method:

1. Toast almonds on oven tray in moderate oven for 5 minutes, cool. Cut Swiss roll into four equal slices, place each piece on serving plate, sprinkle cake evenly with combined orange juice and brandy. Spread top and side of each piece of cake with whipped cream.
2. Press almonds around side of each piece of cake. Top each with a well-drained peach half, pipe remaining cream around peaches.

Fish with Citrus Oregano Sauce

Use your favorite kind of white fish fillets for this recipe. Serve with a simple green salad for an easy summer dinner. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 white fish fillets
All-purpose (plain) flour
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Method:

1. Remove skin and bones from fish. Coat fish in flour; shake away excess.
2. Heat oil in large frying pan, add fish to pan in single layer, cook about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain fish on absorbent paper.
3. Add oregano, juices and sugar to pan, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer for about 3 minutes. Serve sauce over fish.

Creamy Yogurt Spread

Spoon yogurt spread generously onto baked potatoes or spicy dishes, or use it to make low-calorie (kilo joule) dips for fruit and sandwich fillings. Recipe makes 2-3 cups.

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) natural low-fat yogurt

Method:

1. Line a large sieve with 4 layers of dampened cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve, cover and chill for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. (The longer it drains, the thicker it becomes.) The yogurt will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

Chive or Dill Variation: Add 1/4 cup chopped, fresh chives or dill, and 1 clove crushed garlic to the Creamy Yogurt Spread. Mix well.

Sweet Variation: Add 1 mango, peeled, stoned and pureed, 2 tablespoons honey and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon to the Creamy Yogurt Spread. Mix well. Serve with a platter of freshly cut fruit.

Apple and Blackberry Pudding

Fruit for pudding can be prepared up to 3 days ahead; store, covered, in refrigerator. Serve dessert warm with cream or ice cream. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 green apples, peeled
1 pound (500 g) frozen blackberries
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon water, extra
1 cup stale white breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons caster sugar, extra

Method:

1. Chop apples into small pieces. Place apples and berries into a saucepan, add water and half the sugar. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered, 4 minutes.
2. Blend cornflour with extra water, add to berry mixture, stir until mixture boils and thickens. Spoon into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, press down lightly.
3. Combine eggs, cream, milk and remaining sugar in a bowl, spoon over breadcrumbs and sprinkle with combined cinnamon and extra sugar. Bake in moderate oven for about 15 minutes or until topping is set.