Garlic Puree

This fresh puree is a useful and tasty addition to soups, stews, sauces, salad dressings - especially bought or home-made mayonnaise - and as a relish with cold meat. The cooking takes away any acrid flavors and the puree is far less crude and bitter than the commercially-produced version. It is also delicious spread on toast under poached or scrambled eggs.

Ingredients:

About 50 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Simmer the unpeeled garlic cloves in lightly salted water for about 20 to 25 minutes, until soft. Drain and cool.
2. Peel the garlic cloves, cutting off the tough root end and any discolored patches.
3. Mash to a smooth, sticky paste with a fork.
4. Stir in the oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pack into a glass jar and cover securely.

This puree will keep in the fridge for 4 or 5 days, and can be frozen in cubes, using an ice-cube tray reserved for this purpose.

Red Pepper (Capsicum) Soup

You need to start making this roasted red pepper soup one or two days in advance. It can be served as an appetizer but also makes a delicious complete or vegetarian meal when served with herb bread. Recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:

4-5 large red or yellow peppers (capsicum)
2 quarts (2 litres) chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
A few drops of Tabasco sauce
4 tablespoons rice (uncooked)
1/4 bunch fresh chives
Oven bag (regular size)

Method:

1. Arrange peppers, skin side up, on foil covered baking trays. Cook under a hot grill or in the oven until skins are blistered but not blackened. Turn as necessary.
2. Place in an oven bag for 10-15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, skin. Cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) squares.
3. Bring chicken stock to the boil, add pepper, tomato paste and paprika. Season and add Tabasco sauce to taste.
4. Add rice and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until rice is tender. Cool and refrigerate for 1-2 days, or freeze until needed.
5. Warm the soup and serve with freshly snipped chives on top and herb bread.

Corn Relish

This fresh corn and vegetable relish is pleasant served with hot or cold meats or on sandwiches. However, it will only keep for 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Recipe makes 6 cups.

Ingredients:

5 cobs corn
1 1/2 cups purple onions, diced
1/2 cup green onions, diced
1/2 cup red pepper (capsicum), diced
3 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Method:

1. Cut kernels from cobs, separating any sticking together.
2. Place in a saucepan and combine with remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Transfer to sterile storage jars and refrigerate.

Carrot Cake

You will never buy carrot cake again after making this, the most simple and delicious of recipes. Serves 8.

Ingredients:

1 cup grated carrot
6 1/2 ounce (200 g) canned, crushed pineapple, drained of juice
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Icing:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces (250 g) icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). In a bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar.
2. Add eggs and oil. Mix very well. Stir in the carrot, pineapple and walnuts.
3. Pour into a baking tin lined with baking paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool before icing.
4. For the icing, place all ingredients in a bowl and beat well. If it is too thick, add a little milk.

Cauliflower Salad

This easy side salad can be served with an entree or with seafood or cold meat dishes as part of a main course. Recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower (approx. 3 pound/1.5 kg), cut into florets
2 avocados, peeled and pitted
4 eggs, hard boiled
2 ounces (60 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup green pepper (capsicum), chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Steam cauliflower until tender. Rinse immediately in cold water. Drain.
2. Slice avocados and eggs. Whisk cream cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice together until smooth.
3. Place all other ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with mayonnaise mixture until evenly coated.
4. Serve chilled.

Quick and Easy Apricot Danish

Ready-made puffed pastry makes a quick alternative to traditional Danish pastry. For a different fruit flavored pastry, replace the apricot jam with plum jam and use 12 chopped pitted prunes in place of the dried apricots. Recipe makes 12 pastries.

Ingredients:

2 sheets frozen ready-rolled butter puffed pastry, thawed
1/3 cup apricot jam or preserve
12 plump dried apricot halves, diced
Beaten egg, to glaze
1/2 cup icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 440 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place one pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface; brush lightly with cold water. Place the second pastry sheet on top and roll over lightly to seal together. Roll out the layered pastry sheets to a 16 x 12 inch (40 x 30 cm) rectangle. Trim the edges with a sharp knife and cut into twelve 4 inch (10 cm) squares.
2. Mix the jam and apricots together in a small bowl. Spoon the jam mixture evenly onto the center of the pastry squares. Fold over 2 opposite pastry corners to the center. Fold the remaining corners over to the center to enclose the filling.
3. Transfer the pastries to a non-stick or greased baking tray. Brush pastries with beaten egg, avoiding cut edges. Bake for 10 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Using an egg flip, transfer the pastries to a wire cooling rack.
4. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Stir in 2 teaspoons of warm water to make an icing thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
5. Spoon the icing over the pastries while they are still warm. Leave the icing to set.

Mushroom and Herb Stuffed Chokos

When prepared in an interesting way, even the humblest fresh vegetable comes alive. This easy baked choko (also known as 'chayotes') dish, that can be enjoyed on its own as a vegetarian meal or served as a side to accompany meat, fish or chicken dishes, provides just one example. Recipe serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.

Ingredients:

2 large chokos (approximately 1 pound/500 g each)
8 ounces (250 g) field mushrooms
2 large onions
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Pinch ground cayenne pepper
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Wash and halve chokos lengthwise.
2. Boil some salted water and cook chokos until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, cut side down. When cool enough scoop out pulp with a spoon, leaving a thick shell (about 1/2 inch/1.5 cm). Carefully peel away the skin.
3. Dice the onions and chop the mushrooms finely. Heat butter in a fry pan and saute onions until golden. Add mushrooms, herbs, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, cooking until the mushrooms are soft.
4. Remove from heat. Cool slightly and stir in the Parmesan cheese and all but 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs.
5. Fill the choko halves with the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Bake for 20 minutes or until browned. Serve hot.