Brandied Fig Ice Cream

An easy homemade ice cream dessert flavored with brandy and glace fruit. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

6 ounces (185 g) dessert glace figs
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1 pint (600 ml) cream
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 pound (250 g/punnet) strawberries

Method:

1. Puree figs in mincer or processor, add brandy, mix well. Heat cream, without boiling. Beat egg yolks and sugar together in electric mixer, gradually beat in cream. Return to pan, stir constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly; do not boil.
2. Add brandied fig mixture, cool to room temperature. Pour mixture into loaf tin, cover with aluminum foil, freeze several hours or until partly set. 3. Remove from tin, beat in electric mixer until smooth, return to tin, cover with foil. Freeze several hours, or overnight.

Ice cream can be cut into slices for serving, or spooned into dessert glasses. Garnish with strawberries.

Stir-Fried Nutty Spinach

A quick, simple stir-fry of fresh spinach and pine nuts, prepared in an oriental style with a crunchy character. Recipe serves 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

1 bunch English spinach
2 ounces (50 g) pine nuts
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Black pepper

Method:

1. Remove stalks from spinach leaves and discard. Wash leaves in three changes of water, drain and dry on paper towel.
2. In a large non-stick frying pan, or a wok, over high heat, toast pine nuts in sesame oil until browned.
3. Add spinach and stir for one minute.
4. Stir in nutmeg and a sprinkling of pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds or so, until spinach has softened. Serve straight from pan.

Baked Beans Deluxe

For a cheap family dinner try this easy one-pot baked bean casserole served with hot wholemeal bread or rolls. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 x 14 ounce (440 g) cans baked beans in tomato sauce
1 stick celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green capsicum (pepper), chopped
6 1/2 ounce (190 g) can champignons, drained
14 ounce (440 g) can pineapple pieces, drained
1/2 cup treacle
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco sauce
7 ounces (200 g) smoked frankfurters, sliced

Method:

1. Combine baked beans with celery, onion, green capsicum, champignons and pineapple in large ovenproof dish. Stir in treacle, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and frankfurters. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven 1 1/2 hours.

Smoked Cod and Cheesy Macaroni

A complete meal in itself, this tasty baked fish, pasta and vegetables dish can be cooked in either a conventional or microwave oven. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

7 ounce (205 g) packet Macaroni and Cheese
1 pound (500 g) smoked cod
8 ounces (250 g) zucchini, grated
1 red capsicum (pepper), chopped
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornflour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Method:

1. Cook macaroni in boiling water 10 minutes; drain. Place macaroni in ovenproof dish.
2. Place fish in frying pan, cover with water, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes (or microwave on High 5 minutes), drain. Flake fish, discarding skin and bones. Add fish to zucchini and capsicum, spoon over macaroni.
3. Place cheese sauce mix from packet in saucepan, add milk, cream and lemon juice, stir until boiling. Add cornflour blended with water, stir until mixture boils and thickens, pour over fish mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, bake, covered, in moderate oven 20 minutes, remove cover, bake further 10 minutes (or microwave on High 10 minutes).

Pork Stir-Fried with Green Snake Beans

This easy pork stir fry is extremely quick to prepare. Once cooking begins it should be ready in 5 minutes. Serve with steamed Jasmine rice. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

12 ounces (375 g) pork fillet, thinly sliced
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound (500 g) green snake beans, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) lengths
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar or palm sugar
1 teaspoon freshly chopped chili
1 tablespoon lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok or fry pan. Cook garlic and chili until garlic begins to brown. Add pork and cook 1 minute.
2. Add beans and cook for 2 minutes. Add fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Crumble Pie

This luscious fruit-filled dessert pie with easy-mix crumble topping can be served with either whipped cream or ice cream. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 cups chopped rhubarb
Icing sugar
Crumble:
4 ounces (125 g) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups wholemeal all-purpose (plain) flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons mixed spice

Method:

1. Combine sugar and water in saucepan, stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes without stirring. Add rhubarb, simmer 10 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, drain, cool to room temperature.
2. Press two thirds of crumble firmly over base and side of 9 inch (23 cm) flan tin. Spread rhubarb over base, sprinkle with remaining crumble, bake in moderate oven 40 minutes. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Crumble: Cream butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; place mixture in large bowl. Add flour, oats, walnuts and spice, rub through with fingers.

Artichokes La Polita

A delightfully easy Greek food specialty dish of gently simmered fresh globe artichoke hearts and selected mixed vegetables. Serve hot with crusty bread as a vegetarian main course. Recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:

6 globe artichoke hearts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup spring onions (scallions), chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
1 pound (500 g) baby carrots, scraped
12 pickling onions, peeled
12 small new potatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
Water
Salt, pepper
2 tablespoons arrowroot, blended

Method:

1. Prepare artichoke hearts. Strip away outer leaves, trim around base. Cut off top 1/3 of artichoke and scoop out center. Cut in half. Place in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discoloring.
2. Heat half the oil in a large saucepan. Add spring onions and dill and saute until soft.
3. Cross cut root end of onions and place in saucepan. Add carrots, potatoes, lemon juice, remaining oil, salt and pepper and enough water to cover, then cook 15 minutes.
4. Place artichoke hearts over vegetables and cook 15 minutes more or until tender.
5. Remove vegetables to a heated platter with a slotted spoon. Arrange attractively, displaying the various vegetables. Keep warm.
6. Taste cooking liquid, add salt, pepper, lemon juice and adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir in blended arrowroot and stir over heat to thicken sauce. Spoon over vegetables.