Apple Turnovers

These canned fruit and frozen prepared puff pastry treats are very easy to make and taste yummy. Recipe makes 16 turnovers.

Ingredients:

4 sheets frozen pre-rolled butter puff pastry, thawed
Beaten egg, to glaze
Caster sugar, to sprinkle
Filling:
1 lb 10 oz (780 g) can pie apples
4 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sultanas

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 440 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease 2 large baking trays with melted butter.
2. For the filling, mix the pie apples to a puree in a food processor or blender. In a bowl, combine the puree with cornflour, cinnamon and sultanas. Mix well.
3. Place the pastry sheets on a lightly floured work surface. Cut each sheet into quarters to make a total of sixteen smaller squares.
4. Spread the filling equally over the center of each pastry square. Take care not to overfill each square.
5. Lightly brush the edges of each pastry square with cold water, then fold each in half diagonally, to make 16 triangles. Pinch the edges together to seal, then decorate by pressing with a fork.
6. Put the turnovers on the baking trays. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.
7. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. Serve warm sprinkled with extra caster sugar.

Tip: For homemade apple sauce, peel, core and slice 1 pound (500 g) Granny Smith cooking apples in a heavy-based pan. Add 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat; cover and stew over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until soft and fluffy. Cool slightly and puree in a food processor or beat well with a fork.

Microwave Seafood Bake

A tasty and attractive casserole of rice and shellfish, with hard-boiled egg and parsley for extra color. If you are using fresh mussels, remember to scrub them well before cooking. Recipe serves 4.

Power Setting: High (100%)

Ingredients:

2 ounces (60 g) butter
1/2 onion
8 ounces (250 g) cooked long-grain rice
8 ounces (250 g) peeled shrimp (prawns)
8 ounces (250 g) shelled cooked mussels
1 cup stock
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Method:

1. Place the butter in a shallow casserole dish and cook for 1 minute to melt.
2. Peel and chop the onion. Stir into the butter and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the rice, blending well. Mix the shrimp with the mussels and spoon over the rice mixture. Pour over the stock and sprinkle with the parsley. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
4. Serve hot garnished with sliced hard-boiled egg.

Note: The mussels should be opened in a small amount of water (or white wine) over medium-high heat, and any that refuse to open should be discarded. The liquor remaining in the pan should be included in the stock.

To freeze: Cool, cover, label and freeze.
Freezer life: 1 month.
To use: Thaw then cook for 3-4 minutes until hot.

Microwave Salmon and Lemon Burgers

In this delicious and quickly prepared lunch or dinner dish, lemon juice is combined with salmon and potato, then the mixture is shaped into patties and cooked in a browning dish. For a change, the recipe can be easily adapted to use canned tuna or mackerel. Serves 4.

Power Setting: High (100%)

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) boiled potatoes
2 tablespoons milk
1 ounce (30 g) butter
7 1/2 ounce (215 g) can of salmon
2 lemons
Salt and pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons oil
Lettuce leaves

Method:

1. Mash the boiled potatoes with the milk and butter. Drain the canned salmon and discard the skin and bones. Mash the flesh and add to the potatoes.
2. Squeeze the juice from 1 of the lemons. Add to the salmon mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and bind together with 1 of the eggs.
3. Lightly beat the remaining egg. Spread the flour and the breadcrumbs on separate plates. Divide the salmon mixture into 8 portions and shape each into a flat cake. Dip first in flour, then eggs and finally coat lightly with dried breadcrumbs.
4. Preheat a browning dish for 5 minutes or according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the fish burgers and cook for 2 minutes, turn over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until golden and cooked.
5. Remove from the dish and arrange on a serving plate. Serve immediately, garnished with lettuce leaves and the remaining lemon, cut into wedges.

To freeze: Make as Steps 1-3. Leave to dry, then open freeze until firm. Wrap and label.
Freezer life: 1 month.
To use: Thaw then proceed as from Step 4.

Microwave Cod and Apples

An extremely quick dinner party or main meal fish casserole, easy to prepare but with sophisticated flavors and appearance. Recipe serves 4.

Power Setting: High (100%)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 pound (800 g) cod (tail or 2 fillets)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large onion
3 Granny Smith apples
2 ounces (50 g) butter
Salt and pepper
Pinch of brown sugar
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 pint (300 ml) good white wine
1 ounce (25 g) butter
2 tablespoons brandy

Method:

1. Rinse the fish under cold water and dry with absorbent kitchen paper. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
2. Peel and chop the onion. Wash, core and slice 2 of the apples. Place the butter in the casserole and cook for 1 minute to melt. Add the onion and apple and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste with the sugar, curry powder and flour, blending well. Cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the wine, blending well, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Place the fish on top and cook, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.
4. Peel, core and slice the third apple. Preheat a browning dish for 5 minutes or according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the butter and swirl to coat. Add the apple and cook for 2 minutes, turning over after 1 minute.
5. Remove the fish from the sauce and arrange on a warmed serving dish. Add the brandy to the sauce and pour over the fish. Garnish with the golden apple slices. Serve with rice or potatoes.

To freeze: Cook cod in its sauce to end of Step 3. Cover, label and freeze.
Freezer life: 1 month.
To use: Thaw then cook for 3-4 minutes till hot, then complete Steps 4 and 5.

Date and Fig Spread

Dates and dried figs have all the sweetness you need as a substitute for traditional sugar-laden fruit jams. Recipe makes 2 cups.

Ingredients:

1 cup seedless dates
1 cup dried figs
6 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice

Method:

1. Chop fruit finely.
2. Add to bowl, pour juice over, cover and soak overnight.
3. Spoon into blender or food processor and blend for approximately 2 minutes until smooth.
4. Store, covered, in a jar in refrigerator.

Beef Fillet with Bean Sprouts

Strips of beef combine with fresh bean sprouts and spinach in this quick and easy stir-fry. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) fillet of beef
1/2 teaspoon cornflour
1/4 cup sunflower or corn oil
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup soy sauce
5 ounces (155 g) fresh bean sprouts
3 1/2 ounces (100 g) fresh young spinach
Salt to taste
Freshly milled black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon medium sherry

Method:

1. Cut beef fillet into very thin slices across the grain. Sprinkle with cornflour.
2. Heat oil in wok until very hot, but not smoking. Add beef, slice by slice, and stir-fry briskly until browned. Remove from wok with ladle. Drain on rack or on absorbent kitchen paper.
3. Crush garlic into bowl with garlic press. Add soy sauce and mix in meat. Cover and leave to marinate.
4. Rinse bean sprouts under cold, running water. Drain thoroughly.
5. Wash spinach thoroughly to remove grit and drain. Pull leaves off stalks.
6. Add bean sprouts to remaining oil in wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add spinach to wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Moisten with stock and sherry.
7. Add beef to wok with soy sauce and ginger mixture and mix in well. Bring to boil and cook for 1 minute. Adjust seasoning to taste.
8. Serve with mixture of brown and wild rice, cooked separately then forked together.

Fresh Strawberry Jam

You can vary this easy low-sugar preserve by using other berry fruits instead of strawberries. Recipe is suitable to microwave and makes 1 cup.

Ingredients:

8 ounces (250 g) strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 level teaspoon gelatin soaked in 1 1/2 tablespoons water
2 sachets Equal or other artificial sweetener equivalent to 4 level teaspoons sugar

Method:

1. Place strawberries in saucepan with water and lemon juice.
2. Cover, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, or microwave on High for 5 minutes.
3. Mash fruit slightly and stand for 10 minutes.
4. Dissolve gelatin according to instructions on packet, add to fruit.
5. Stir in sweetener.
6. Pour into a clean hot jar. Cover, cool and refrigerate.