Individual Cheese Quiches

Filled with a mixture of peppers, leeks, sun-dried tomatoes and Cheddar cheese, these easy mini quiches are best served with a crisp green salad and warm crusty bread and make a delicious vegetarian meal. Recipe makes 4 quiches.

Ingredients:

2 sheets frozen, ready-rolled short crust pastry, thawed
Filling:
1/2 small red pepper (capsicum)
8 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced leek
2 eggs
1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Black pepper
4 sun-dried tomato halves in coil, well drained and cut into strips
2 ounces (50 g) Cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and heat a baking tray.
2. Place the sheets of pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet in half diagonally to make 4 triangles. Line four 4 inch (10 cm) individual fluted flan tins with pastry, pressing firmly from centers to edges. Trim off excess pastry by rolling over with a rolling pin or trim off with a sharp knife. Prick bases. Line each pastry case with greaseproof paper and a layer of baking beans. Stand the tins on the hot baking tray and bake 'blind' for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Remove the seeds from the pepper. Place, skin-upwards, under a hot grill for 5 minutes, or until the skin is charred. Enclose the pepper in a clean, food storage bag for 5 minutes, then remove and peel off the skin. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice across into thin strips.
4. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, cream, oregano and pepper to taste.
5. Remove the paper and beans from the pastry cases. Return them to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the bases are light golden. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
6. Spoon the pepper, leek and sun-dried tomatoes evenly into the pastry cases. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Carefully spoon or pour over the egg and cream mixture. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden. Serve warm with salad and crusty bread.

Tip: Standing the flan tins on a preheated baking tray helps cook the bases of the pastry cases. If you do not have individual flan tins, use an 8 inch (20 cm) flan tin.

Apricot Crumble Cake

Made with dried apricots, this sweet yeast cake has a crunchy almond topping and a mascarpone filling. Recipe serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sachet rapid rise dried yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
2 ounces (50 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg yolk
Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 1/2 ounces (40 g) unsalted butter, chilled and diced
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup blanched almonds, chopped
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Filling:
1/4 cup apricot jam or conserve
8 ounces (250 g) mascarpone
8 teaspoons caster sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice

Method:

1. Grease a large baking tray. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the yeast, sugar and apricots.
2. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the milk. Leave to cool until lukewarm, then stir into the flour mixture, using a wooden spoon. Stir in the egg yolk and mix to form a soft dough, adding more milk if required.
3. Put onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until smooth. Shape the dough into an 7 inch (18 cm) round, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Place on the prepared baking tray. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
4. For the topping, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and almonds.
5. Brush the top of the dough with egg white and place the topping evenly onto the dough.
6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Using a serrated knife, slice the cake in half horizontally.
8. For the filling, spread the jam over the bottom half. Mix together the mascarpone, sugar and lemon juice. Spread over the jam. Replace the top of the cake and serve.

Tip: Sweet yeast doughs sometimes need more rising time than plain doughs.

Shrimp (Prawns) with Garlic and Wine Sauce

This recipe is quick and easy to prepare and great served with crusty bread and a squeeze of lemon. Recipe serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) large shrimp (green prawns)
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped, thinly sliced or crushed
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
1 red chili, chopped
1 bay leaf

Method:

1. Shell and remove veins from the shrimp.
2. Heat oil. Cook garlic over medium heat for 3 minutes.
3. Add the parsley, bay leaf and shrimp and cook over high heat for 2 minutes.
4. Add wine and cook for further 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Marinated Button Mushrooms

Use the whitest, freshest, small button mushrooms for this easy recipe. These are delicious served as an appetizer with pre-dinner drinks or as part of an antipasto platter. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

6 1/2 ounces (200 g) button mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1 teaspoon (prepared) freshly crushed garlic

Method:

1. Wipe mushroom caps with a damp cloth. Trim stalks. If only large button mushrooms are available and the stalks seem woody, it may be necessary to remove the stalks.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Pour over the mushrooms, mix well and serve.

Chinese Beef Stir-Fry

Oriental food is very popular. Try this authentic yet simple stir-fry. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) lean rump steak
1 small onion
3 spring onions, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) lengths
6 ounces (185 g) snow peas, stalk ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly chopped ginger
1 teaspoon freshly crushed garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/2 cup beef stock
2 teaspoons cornflour

Method:

1. Trim steak of any excess fat. Cut steak into thin strips across the grain. Peel and cut onion into sixths, separating leaves.
2. Mix soy, sherry and beef stock with cornflour, set aside.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok or fry pan. Add onion and spring onions and stir-fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add snow peas and toss over heat for further 5-7 minutes sprinkling with a little water to create steam to soften vegetables. Remove to a bowl.
4. Add remaining oil to wok or fry pan with ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Increase heat, add beef strips and stir-fry until beef changes color and is just cooked through.
5. Return vegetables to wok and toss over heat for a few seconds. Stir mixed liquids again, pour into wok contents.
6. Toss ingredients over medium heat until sauce thickens to coat meat and vegetables. Serve hot with boiled rice.

Creamy Vegetable Crown

Packed with spinach and cheese, this easy quiche makes a great meal for vegetarians. Recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups wholemeal all-purpose (plain) flour
Pinch of salt
3 ounces (90 g) butter, chilled and diced
Filling:
1 ounce (30 g) butter
1 onion, finely chopped
8 ounce (250 g) packet frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
3 large eggs
1/2 pint (300 ml) fresh cream
2 ounces (50 g) Cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Gradually add 1/4 cup cold water, mixing in with a round-bladed knife, until a soft dough forms. Compress with a cold hand, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc. Wrap in greaseproof paper and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out the pastry to a round and line a 9 inch (23 cm) pie dish. Trim the edge; cut 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) slits in from the edge, 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart. Fold in alternate strips to form a border or 'crown'. Prick the base with a fork. Line with
greaseproof paper and a layer of baking beans.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until pastry shape is set. Remove paper and beans; bake for a further 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. To make the filling, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring frequently. Stir in the spinach, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Leave to cool.
6. Beat the eggs and cream with a balloon whisk. Stir in the spinach mixture and cheese. Pour into the pastry case. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set.

Coconut Rice

The delicate coconut flavor makes this rice an excellent side or accompaniment to curry dishes. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain rice
4 cups water
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) creamed coconut
1 medium onion, quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Method:

1. Wash rice until water runs clear.
2. Place in saucepan with all ingredients. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover saucepan and simmer 20 minutes without stirring.
3. When liquid is absorbed turn off heat and stand 5-10 minutes to tenderize rice in stored heat. Fluff with a fork and serve hot.