Sicilian Whole Orange Cake

I found this on Christina's Cucina website. DELICIOUS and so easy to make. 

(Here's a link to the GF version which substitutes cream cheese for the yoghurt and of course GF flour).

Ingredients

3 eggs

250g sugar (1 1/3 cups)

275g plain flour (1 3/4 cup)

2 1/2 ts baking powder

100g softened butter (1/3 cup)

100g plain Greek yoghurt (1/3 cup)

1 large organic orange (~300g) washed and cut into pieces (use rind and flesh but remove seeds)

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Preheat oven to 175C. 

Prepare an 8” springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper. 

(I use a silicone pan, not a springform - works fine. Recipe says spray the paper as well but I don’t)

Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy (says to use a mixer but I just use a hand whisk). 

Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time, along with the softened butter. Continue until all is added and blended, then stir in the yoghurt. 

In a food processor, process the whole orange until it is almost pureed. 

Add the orange to the cake mixture along with the vanilla essence and stir until evenly combined, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 mins (my oven takes 50 mins). Test with a skewer before removing from oven. Allow to cool for about 15 mins, then remove from the pan.

Orange glaze

Juice of an orange

100g sugar (1/3 cup)

Melt the sugar in the orange juice and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Spoon and brush over the top of the cake and allow to cool completely before cutting. 

It’s easier to cut the cake if cool. Could serve with cream.  Sicilian Whole Orange Cake

Ingredients

3 eggs

250g sugar (1 1/3 cups)

275g plain flour (1 3/4 cup)

2 1/2 ts baking powder

100g softened butter (1/3 cup) - I just soften in m/wave

100g plain Greek yoghurt (1/3 cup) - I use whatever flavour I have in the fridge

1 large organic orange (~300g) washed and cut into pieces (use rind and flesh but remove seeds)

1 tsp vanilla essence

Syrup glaze

Juice of an orange

100g sugar (1/3 cup)

Method

Preheat oven to 175C. 

Prepare an 8” springform pan by spraying with oil (or butter) and lining in parchment paper. 

(I use a silicone pan, not a springform - works fine)

(Recipe says spray the paper as well but I don’t)

Place the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy (says to use a mixer but I just use a hand whisk). 

Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the mixture in the bowl a little at a time, along with the softened butter. Continue until all is added and blended, then stir in the yoghurt. 

In a food processor, process the whole orange until it is almost pureed. 

Add the orange to the cake mixture along with the vanilla essence and stir until evenly combined, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 50-60 mins (my oven takes 50 mins). Test with a skewer before removing from oven. Allow to cool for about 15 mins, then remove from the pan.

Orange glaze

Melt the sugar in the orange juice and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Spoon and brush over the top of the cake and allow to cool completely before cutting. 

It’s easier to cut the cake if cool. Could serve with cream. 

Black Bean Balls

 A recipe by Denise Evans

The spiced black bean balls in fresh tomato-based sauce can be served with zucchini noodles or fresh pasta for a delicious dinner.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups cooked black beans or 1 15 oz can, drained and rinsed

¾ cups gluten-free oats

½ cup diced onion

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

½ tbsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

¼ tsp smoked paprika

½ tbsp chilli powder (optional)

½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

Sea salt, to taste (optional)

Tomato sauce

½ cup diced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups crushed tomatoes

¼ cup tomato paste

1 tsp dried or fresh basil

1 tsp dried or fresh oregano

1 tbsp coconut sugar

½ tsp red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Sea salt, to taste (optional)

Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Mix the ball ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Form the mixture into balls (you should get about 14-16 and cook on a non-stick oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 20 minutes, until crispy.

While the balls are in the oven, in a separate pan, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, coconut sugar, red pepper flakes (if using), and sea salt (if using). Cook uncovered, for 5-7 minutes, until slightly thickened and the flavours have infused.

Add the cooked balls to the pan and coat with sauce. Serve immediately, with noodles/pasta and garnish with fresh basil or parsley.

Vegan  |  Gluten-Free  |  Dairy-Free

Black Eyed Beans Curry

A way to use the summer crop of tomatoes... quick and easy to prepare. 

Ingredients

2 cups dry Black Eyed Peas, rinse and soak in lukewarm water for 3-4 hours (not longer)

(also soak 1 tsp of fenugreek seeds or can simply add when cooking)

½ cup shredded coconut

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3-5 medium size tomatoes finely chopped

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Chopped cilantro, onion and lemon wedges for garnish

For Seasoning and spices :

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp black mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tsp garam masala (or curry powder)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red Chili powder

1 tsp raw or brown sugar, optional

Salt -adjust per taste

Instructions

Put a deep saucepan on medium heat. Add oil. Add in cumin and mustard seeds, ginger, onions, bay leaf. Sauté for few minutes till onions are tender. Add in the tomato and cook for 1-2 minutes until the tomatoes are softened.

Add coconut, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala, salt and sugar and mix well. Add pre-soaked black-eyed beans and water (ratio 1:2). Mix well. Cover and let it cook on medium heat for at least 15 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure there is enough water.

When the black-eyed peas are fork tender and soft, turn off the heat. You can mush a few beans to add to the creaminess. Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Give it a good stir so that all the ingredients are mixed well. Serve warm and enjoy.

Serve with rice (roti/naan etc)

UN-SOAKED BLACK-EYED PEAS : 3 CUPS WATER TO 1 CUP UN-SOAKED BLACK EYE PEAS, COOK FOR 30-40 MINUTES.

BEETROOT: Fudgy vegan double chocolate beet muffins

Beetroot is the hero ingredient

FUDGY VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BEET MUFFINS
(original recipe on Minimalist Baker here)

Fudgy, vegan double chocolate muffins with a secret healthy ingredient: pureed beets! Healthy, easy to make and satisfies a serious chocolate craving.
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 18 minutes
TOTAL TIME 28 minutes
Servings: 12 (muffins)
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Keeps 3-4 Days

Ingredients
2 batches flax eggs (2 Tbsp (14 g) flaxseed meal + 5 Tbsp (75 ml) water as original recipe is written here) or I used the juice of a tin of chick peas which is used as aquafaba. Aquafaba can be frozen so it's easy to get to when you want an egg replacement.
1 cup beet puree (or sub butternut squash, applesauce, or another hearty fruit puree) - I used two beets cooked in the oven and then peeled
1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (substitute honey if not vegan)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup melted coconut oil or vegan butter (such as Earth Balance)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose or GF flour)
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips (plus more for topping)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line 12 muffins with paper liners, or lightly grease (as original recipe is written // adjust number of muffins if altering batch size). I used mini muffin trays and the recipe made 34 muffins.
Prepare flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and let rest for 5 minutes or use aquafaba.
Add beet puree, melted oil, maple syrup or agave, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and whisk for 45 seconds.
Stir in the almond milk and whisk once more.
Add cocoa powder and flours and stir with a spoon or spatula until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. If the batter appears too thick, add a touch more almond milk. But it should be quite thick and NOT pourable – rather, scoopable.
Lastly, stir in chocolate chips. Then divide batter evenly in muffin tins and sprinkle with a few more chocolate chips (optional but recommended).
I baked the mini muffins for 12 minutes and cooled on a tray.
(Original recipe for larger muffins says 'bake for 17-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, remove from tins and let cool on a cooling rack. Will keep covered for several days. Freezer for longer-term storage'.

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 12 muffins)
Calories: 171 Fat: 6g Saturated fat: 4g Sodium: 233mg Carbohydrates: 27g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 12g Protein: 3g

Pear Pudding

Our favourite stall owner at the Adelaide Central Markets gave us some pears that were still firm but the skin was quite blotched.

125g butter

60g sugar

2 heaped tb golden syrup

125g SR flour

2 eggs

2 tbsp milk

2-3 pears, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2-3 tb grated fresh ginger

Grease and line a 22cm round cake tin or a square tin.
Heat oven to 180 C. 

Carefully spread the 2 tb of golden syrup on the paper in the base of the tin and arrange pear slices over the top.
Place softened butter, sugar & 60g golden syrup in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. I used an electric mixer but a whisk would be ok too.
Add one egg at a time and whisk in between both additions.
Sift flour & grated ginger into mixture and fold gently through with a metal spoon so not to loose all the air that has been beaten in.
Add the milk, the sponge should have a 'dropping consistency' at this stage.
Spoon mixture over the sliced pears in the cake tin.
Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out of the sponge clean.
Allow to cool a bit before removing from tin. Turn upside down and pull off the paper (it will come off easily and no mess in the pan) and serve with hot custard.
 

Adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe. 

LEMON: Ricotta and lemon tart (torta di ricotta e limone)

Source: SBS Food

This is a delicious, inter-regional lemon tart recipe, using fresh ricotta cheese, typical of the south, and a little mascarpone, a cream cheese of the north. Try to get sheep’s milk ricotta if you can as it is much tastier.

For the pastry
400 g ready made puff pastry
a little plain flour for dusting
1 lemon, rind finely grated

For the filling
300g ricotta
200g marscapone
200g candied peel (citron and orange preferably), roughly chopped
120g caster sugar
6 eggs separated

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface until it is 2–3 mm thick. Lay over a 25 cm loose-based tart pan, and gently push the pastry into the base and up and over the sides. There will quite a bit of overhang. Cover with a damp cloth while you make the filling.
In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, mascarpone and candied peel with 100 g of the sugar and 5 of the egg yolks.
Put all 6 egg whites in another large, clean bowl and whisk until fluffy. Add the remaining sugar and continue whisking until stiff.
Using a large metal spoon, fold the whites through the ricotta mixture, then pour into the pastry-lined tart pan.
Fold in the overhanging pastry and brush with the reserved beaten egg yolk. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden and the filling retains a slight wobble.
Leave to cool for 2 hours, then scatter with lemon rind. Serve either on its own or with roasted pears

Roasted pears in red wine
To make them, tuck 8 pears into a suitably sized dish with high sides and bake in preheated 180°C oven for half an hour until the skins start to bubble. Pour over enough good red wine to cover, sprinkle with caster sugar and bake for another half an hour, by which time the wine will have reduced to a sweet syrup.

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

ORANGE: Orange rice cake (torta di riso al profumo d ’arancio)

Source: SBS Food

 

Rice is sometimes used in cake recipes in Italy and this is certainly true in the northern regions, where it is cultivated and plentiful. This cake is extremely nutritious and filling - perfect as a teatime snack for children home from school, or even for breakfast!

Ingredients
1.7L of milk
1 vanilla pod
1/2 lemon, rind peeled
200g sugar
300g arborio rice
5 large eggs, separated
50 ml orange liqueur
40 g raisins
1 orange, zested

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 24 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the milk, vanilla pod, pieces of lemon rind and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the rice and simmer over a medium to low heat for about 20–25 minutes, until the rice is al dente and has absorbed the milk but still has a creamy consistency. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the lemon rind.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and liqueur until creamy. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Add the egg yolk mixture to the cooled rice, and then fold in the stiffened egg whites, followed by the raisins and orange zest. Pour in the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Serve warm or cold, sprinkled with a little extra orange zest to finish.

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | Cups are lightly packed. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

ORANGE: Orange and Almond cake

Source: SBS Food



A classic Passover dessert that draws on the Sephardic traditions of the Mediterranean, Morocco and the Middle East. In this recipe whole oranges are boiled for two hours and then puréed skin, pips and all. Not only is this cake incredibly moreish and moist, it is also gluten and dairy-free making it the perfect all-rounder.

Ingredients
2 oranges, washed
250 g castor sugar
6 eggs
250g almond meal
1 tsp baking powder

Bring a large pot of water to the boil, and add oranges and boil for 2 hours. Drain, allow to cool to room temperature, then puree. This step can be done ahead of time.
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 22 cm spring form cake tin with baking paper. Beat the eggs and caster sugar until well combined. Stir in the orange puree followed by the almond meal and baking powder. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and dust the top with extra caster sugar. Bake for 1-1¼ hours, until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin. Dust with icing sugar, cut into slices and serve.

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | Measures are Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | Cups are lightly packed. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Zucchini and Carrot pikelets

It's that season again when zucchinis and carrots are ready to harvest in the garden. Here's a new recipe I've found as I was considering what to serve as something healthy for a visitor for morning tea.

Carrot and zucchini pikelets

Ingredients
1 small zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 cup S.R. Flour (can use gluten free or wholemeal SR flour if you prefer)
1 egg
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3/4 cup low-fat milk
parsley, finely chopped
(no need for seasoning but you can add if you prefer)

Method:
1. Cook zucchini and carrot with the orange juice until tender for 1-2 minutes in the microwave .
2. Add flour into a bowl and stir in sugar, egg and milk. Mix in cooked vegetables and parsley.
3. Drop tablespoons of mixture into a hot frypan and cook until bubbles appear. Turn over and cook until brown.

Serve immediately

Chicken with lemon basil sauce

It's autumn and the basil won't last much longer and there are plenty of lemons, so combined the two to make this meal. Very simple. Serve with boiled and buttered potatoes, and fresh salad and crusty bread - with a white wine if you like. Chicken with lemon basil sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves 1 lemon, grated, and then squeezed for juice 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil Heat olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown (about 5 mins each side). Transfer chicken to platter and cover with foil. Add lemon juice, garlic and lemon peel to pan. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, about 8 minutes. Mix basil into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Mango rhubarb sorbet

A mango 'on the way out' combined with some things in the garden and kitchen.

In a blender add:
cut pieces of one mango
2 sticks rhubarb, chopped and cooked with 1 tb water in microwave for 1-2 minutes
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 - 1/2 cup water (icecubes with some water added is ideal)
1 fresh lime, zested and then juiced
spring of mint (peppermint, basil mint etc)

Blend until completely smooth.
Pour into a freezer-safe bowl or container and cover.
Every 30 minutes for 4 hours, stir sorbet very well with a whisk or a hand blender.
Let sorbet freeze for 8 hours or until hard.

(Can obviously change quantity in recipe to make more)

Vegetable frittata

Vegetable frittata

Directions
Beat 8 eggs, 1 cup milk, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper.
In a food processor chop an onion or shallot finely, and 2 cloves garlic, and then add 2 slices wholemeal bread and finely crumb into a combined mixture. Add 2 cups leftover cooked vegetables eg broccoli, cauliflower, beans, potato, carrots etc. Add in herbs for taste (eg parsley).
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an ovenproof 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the egg mixture and cook 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, top with grated cheddar and cook 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then slice.

Green bean salad with lemon dressing

Beans are prolific in the garden so here's a summery way to use them in a salad.

Simple green salad with lemon dressing

Ingredients

1/2 kg green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lightly packed lemon zest
1 red or green chilli, finely sliced
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced cured pitted black olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions

Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Wben boiling, add green beans until cooked but still firm, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of iced water. Drain beans and place in ice water bath until cool. Drain and shake off excess water.

In a glass bowl, thoroughly mix olive oil, juice, zest, and chilli; season well with salt and pepper. Add green beans, shallot, olives, and parsley, and mix well; taste, adjust seasoning as needed. Salad can be served immediately though flavour improves as it sits.

Zucchini chocolate fudge cake

Zucchinis are prolific in summer. Here's a gorgeous recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Fudge Cake. I also add in a couple of handfuls of chocolate melting buds but that's optional.

Zucchini Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups aplain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups shredded zucchini (1 large)

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bi-carb soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. Stir in zucchini.
Pour into large oven baking dish or two square pans. Bake at 175°C for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Decorate with chocolate icing.

Lemon and lime (tropical) self saucing pudding

Exactly half way through winter and the limes and lemons are prolific. We've waited a while for the lime tree to fruit and it has done so with gusto! I spotted this recipe on my FB feed today from Best Recipes - for a lemon and lime self saucing pudding. Sounds delicious. Doesn't use a great deal of the produce but it's another lemon and lime gone to a good cause!

Tropical self saucing pudding

Batter base
1 cup SR flour
¼ cup dessicated coconut
pinch salt
½ cup caster sugar
½ ts lime rind
½ ts lemon rind
½ ts vanilla extract
2 tb melted butter
½ cup milk
1 egg yolk
egg whites, beaten until stiff

sauce
½ cup caster sugar
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1 lemon
¾ cup boiling water
½ ts lime rind
½ ts lemon rind

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Batter base:
Mix wet ingredients minus egg whites until well combined
Add dry ingredients. Add more milk if batter is too thick.
Fold in beaten egg whites
Pour into greased 2L pudding basin

Sauce:
Sprinkle rind and sugar over the batter. Mix the juice and water then pour over the batter over a spoon. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla icecream
http://www.bestrecipes.com.au - recipe 13084

Rhubarb berry upside down cake

Dec 26th - Boxing Day in Australia
Plenty of rhubarb flourishing in the garden and plenty of strawberries as well. Thought I'd make this cake today to enjoy for afternoon tea with family. Delicious!

Rhubarb Berry Upside Down Cake

Ingredients
2 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup berries (frozen or fresh)
2 ½ cups plain flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 cups castor sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Method
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Grease a large cake tin and line with baking paper.
Add rhubarb and berries and 1 cup castor sugar to bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes.
In an electric mixer, whip the 4 eggs and 1 cup castor sugar until light and fluffy for about 3 minutes.
Add the flour and baking soda to the mixture.
Add oil, milk and vanilla.
Pour rhubarb and berries into base of cake pan and pour cake batter over top. Bang it on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles and bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and upend onto serving platter. Can be served warm or cold, with custard or cream.

Seasonal salad - chick pea and celery salad with coriander (cilantro) - October

Invited to a meal tonight with the simple instructions - 'just bring a salad'. Rather than dashing down the shop to buy some 'tossed salad' ingredients, I wondered what I could use from the garden. Tomatoes and other summer salad vegetables are a long way off producing yet. So, here's what I came up with using my still productive celery and the brilliant self-sown coriander about to go to flower and seed now that the weather's warming up. And a red onion just reaching maturity. A surprisingly tasty salad!

2 cups cooked chick peas (or 1 regular tin cooked chick peas)
1 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup celery leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 small jalapeno green chilli, chopped finely
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix salad ingredients. For seasoning, shake vinegar and oil in small container and mix through salad.

Chicken, fennel and orange

I had a fennel bulb I bought from the market recently and used it in this recipe.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fennel leaves, chopped
1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 oranges (grated rind of one reserved for couscous, both juiced for sauce) or one cup juice
1 heaped teaspoon vegetable or chicken powder
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons cornflour, water to mix

Couscous
1 cup uncooked couscous
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon butter
grated orange rind

Directions:
Combine spices, salt and pepper. Season chicken to coat both sides.
Heat oil and cook chicken breasts (approx 5 minutes each side).
Remove chicken and keep warm.
Add the fennel and onions to the pan and saute for 5 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon water for moisture.
Boil two cups of water with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add couscous to water and turn off heat. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the grains before serving.
Add juice, water and stock and bring to boil, stirring. Add cornflour mixed with water. Stir until it just begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.
Add chicken and chopped fennel, re-heat for about 2 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken.
Spoon coucous onto plate, with chicken and fennel and onions. Spoon portion of sauce on top.

Really delicious!

LEMONS - golden lemon biscuits - SEPTEMBER

These biscuits are an old favourite - easy to whip up, and crisp with a hint of lemon. Today Marley and Lila helped with mixing, putting walnuts on and licking the spoons!

Ingredients
125g butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups SR flour
grated rind of one lemon

Method
Melt the butter in jug in the microwave. Place sugar in bowl and add hot butter and stir. Add egg and stir, the rind and finally the flour.
Place teaspoons on a tray - allow room for spreading. Put a walnut half on top.
Bake on 180C for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on tray.

PEARS - chocolate pear pie

I had a few small pears in the crisper that I needed to use as they were fairly ripe. This is a delicious recipe. I've just ordered a dwarf peach tree to espalier along the back fence so I'll have fresh pears from my own garden to use in the future. Need to wait till early 2011 to get the tree though.

Ingredients
125 g cooking chocolate
2 tb butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
2-3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
Pastry - 1 cup plain flour, 100g margarine, water for mixing (or use thawed pastry sheet)

Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 200C
Melt chocolate and butter in microwave (or in a bowl over boiling water)
Whisk sugar into melted chocolate mixture, then maple syrup, whisking thoroughly after each addition. Whisk eggs in one at a time, then whisk in vanilla, brandy, and flour.
Fit pastry into a 20cm pie plate. Arrange pear slices over bottom of pie crust, then pour chocolate mixture over.
Bake for 10 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 180C and bake 35-40 minutes more, until top is no longer shiny and appears set. Note: filling will set as pie cools.

Serve at room temperature.