Rhubarb Crumble |
Winter Simple Pleasure, Melbourne Sunday Age 1999. |
|
2 bunches Rhubarb, ends trimmed 1 tablespoon castor sugar Juice of 1 orange 75g cold butter 100g soft brown sugar 100g self raising flour 75g walnut pieces 1 teaspoon ground ginger |
Cut rhubarb into 2cm lengths. Place in a saucepan with castor sugar
and orange juice and cover with lid. Place saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 3 minutes or until rhubarb is just softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool. For the crumble, place remaining ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed and the nuts finely chopped. Spoon cool stewed rhubarb into a 20cm pie dish and top with crumble mixture. Bake in a 180C oven for 20 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and the rhubarb is bubbling at the edges. |
| Serve plain or with ice cream. | |
Roast Chicken |
Stephanie Alexander's all-time favourite, from her "The Cook's Companion" |
|
1 x 1.8 kg
chicken 1 lemon, halved 2-3 cloves of garlic, optional Salt and pepper 1 large sprig rosemary Walnut size piece of butter 2-3 red-skinned potatoes Mixed vegetables, cut into chunks Extra fresh rosemary 1/4 cup olive oil White wine, vermouth, stock or water Large baking dish Heatproof serving plate |
Preheat oven to 220C
an hour and a quarter before meal time. Rub chicken vigorously inside and out with lemon. Crush garlic with back of knife, roll in salt and pepper and insert in cavity with lemon halves, rosemary sprig and butter. Put chicken in a large baking dish. Put vegetables in a bowl and season. Add a few rosemary leaves and olive oil and toss to coat. Scatter vegetables around the chicken and massage its skin with the seasoned olive oil. Turn chicken on its side. Place roasting dish in centre of oven. After 20 minute turn chicken on its other side and carefully turn vegetables. After another 20 minutes turn chicken breast-side up, baste with juices, loosen vegetables and roast for another 20 minutes. During the final cooking time, dry and dress a large green salad. Reduce oven temperature to 160C. Transfer chicken and vegetables to serving plate and rest in oven. Discard all fat from baking dish and deglaze over heat with wine. Stir vigorously to dislodge all the cooked-on good bits, add a little more wine or stock. Joint chicken , arrange chicken and vegetables and pour over the juices. |
Rock Buns |
Alastair's favourite |
| 2 cups
self raising flour 80 g butter 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice 1 egg 2 tablespoons each:- currants, sultanas, and chopped mixed peel 4 tablespoons milk |
Grease oven trays and set oven to
200 C Sift flour, rub butter in lightly Mix in sugar and spice Add fruits and mix well Beat egg and add milk Mix with dry ingredients to a stiff dough Put small tablespoonfuls on greased oven trays Bake in hot oven 200 C for 10 - 15 minutes. |
Rum Balls |
James' special Christmas Present. |
| 250 g
sweet biscuits crushed eg Marie 1 tin condensed milk 1 cup coconut 2 level tablespoons cocoa. 4 dessertspoons rum 1 cup sultanas and glace cherries cut up Extra coconut for coating Screw top jars Labels |
Soak sultanas and cherries in the
rum Crush biscuits in a plastic bag with a rolling pin Mix all ingredients in food mixer Roll into balls approximately 2 cm diameter Toss the balls individually in the extra coconut Store in fridge in screw top jars |
| Make labels for jars if using as presents | |