DRUNKEN CLAMS

These are delicious with a crispy French baguette or on pasta.

PREPARATION TIME: 1hour 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Clams (asari/vongole)

1 cup White wine ( I prefer a Pinot Gris for this)

4 Cloves of garlic

4 tbsp Butter

Handful of chopped flat parsley

1/2 cup Water

METHOD

Soak the clams in salt water for 1 hour - this is so they spit out any sand inside.

Finely chop the garlic and, in a large deep pan, fry lightly in the butter. When the garlic starts to brown add in the white wine and stir. Bring to the boil to get rid of the alcohol. Add water to taste - I usually use slightly less water than wine.

Drain the clams and add to the sauce. Cover the pan and cook for a few minutes until the clams begin to open. Add the parsley, stir and cover until all clams are open.

Serve in a large bowl with plenty of the sauce.

VARIATION: DRUNKEN MUSSELS

This sauce can also be used to cook mussels.  To prepare the mussels remove the hair-like ‘tongue’ and wash.

GLAMORGAN SAUSAGES

Vegetarian sausages that were also once called Poor Man Sausages that date from the 19th century, I think. Usually this recipe calls for Caerphilly cheese which you could replace with Cheddar if you like. However, I prefer the stringy texture and the milder taste of Mozzarella when I cook these. Since I was born in Glamorgan I figure I'm allowed!

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes

COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 Large leek, finely chopped

Handful of chopped flat parsley

2 Medium sized potatoes, cooked and mashed

1 cup Breadcrumbs

2 cups Grated mozzarella cheese

1 Egg yolk (keep the white)

1/3 Nutmeg, finely grated

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Egg, whisked (add the white of the other egg)

Breadcrumbs for coating

METHOD

Add a little oil to a frying pan and gently fry the leeks until they are soft. Just before they are done, add the parsley. Once the leeks are soft and slightly browned, take the pan off the heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl combine the cold mashed potato, cheese, breadcrumbs, leeks with parsley, egg yolk, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Using your hands work the mixture into a firm ball. With a knife, cut the ball into 8 equal parts and with your hands, roll each piece into a sausage shape about 10 - 12 cm long.

Put the whisked egg in one shallow dish and some breadcrumbs in another. Roll each sausage in egg then on breadcrumbs to completely coat.

In a frying pan add enough oil to shallow fry and heat over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, cook the sausages 4 at a time turning frequently until the coating is golden brown and crispy.

Place on a plate covered with kitchen paper to remove any excess oil before serving.

Delicious with barbecue sauce.

CHOUX CREAM

Japanese style "shu cream". This recipe contains no lactose. For the original recipe, replace soy milk with full cream milk and replace margarine with butter. At the end of the process of making the custard cream, fold in half a cup of whipped cream. 

INGREDIENTS

CUSTARD CREAM

1/2 cup Flour

1/2 cup Sugar

4 Egg yolks

40g Cooking margarine (Buttery)

3 cup s Unsweetened soy milk

1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

CHOUX PASTRY

125 g Cooking margarine (Buttery)

2 1/2 cups Water

2 cup s Plain flour

6 Eggs

FINISHING TOUCHES

Powdered sugar or Vanilla dusting sugar

METHOD

CUSTARD CREAM

In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar with a whisk

Add 4 egg yolks and 50ml of soy milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining soy milk and the vanilla essence.

Stir continuously with a wooden spoon over medium heat until it thickens and bubbles start to rise to the surface.

Turn off the heat and stir in the margarine. The mixture should be a creamy custard.

Pour into a shallow bowl or tray, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

CHOUX PASTRY

Preheat the oven to 220°C  (no fan)
Place the water and the butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir until the butter has melted then remove from the heat
Add the sifted flour all at once and beat with a wooden spatula until smooth.
Return to the heat and stir constantly y until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball. You will know it is ready when a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.
Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk three of the eggs well and add them to the choux ball a little at a time until the mixture is smooth. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.
Use a piping bag to pipe 12 equal balls on baking trays covered in baking paper. Leave enough space between each ball for them to expand. Use a wet finger to prod the balls into shape if necessary.
Bake at 220°C for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°C and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
Turn off the oven.
Remove from the oven and immediately make a slit in the side of each puff with a serrated knife to allow steam to escape. 
Return to the oven (which has been switched off!) for 10 minutes so that the puffs dry out. 

FINISHING TOUCHES

With a serrated knife, slice the pastries across the middle.

Spoon the chilled custard cream into a piping bag. Fill each pastry with a generous portion of custard.

Dust the filled pastries with vanilla sugar or powdered sugar.

HAM & CHEESE MUFFINS

Very easy to make. I use Mozzarella cheese as my kids prefer the milder taste but if you like, use a mature cheddar for a tangier taste. I have also used left-over turkey or sausages instead of ham.

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 25 minutes

WET MIX

1/4 cup Butter

1 Onion, finely chopped

2 Eggs

1 cup Milk

1 tsp French mustard

1 cup Diced ham

1 cup Grated cheese

DRY MIX

2 cup s Plain flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tbsp Baking powder

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C  . Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin by rubbing butter inside the cups with a piece of greaseproof paper. Alternatively prepare 12 paper muffin cups. You will also need 2 large bowls, one for the wet mix, one for the dry mix, and a spatula for mixing.

In a frying pan, gently fry the onion in the butter until translucent. OPTION - add a minced clove of garlic if you like.

In the wet mix bowl, add the milk, eggs and mustard and gently whisk until even. Add in the ham, the cheese, the fried onions and the butter from the pan. Stir with the spatula.

In the dry mix bowl combine the flour, the salt and the baking powder. OPTION - add some pepper if you like.

Add the wet mix to the dry mix and stir roughly with the spatula until combined. Do not over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan. Bake for 25 - 30 mins.

CHICKEN POTATO PIE

A warming winter pie containing chicken in a creamy white wine sauce



PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes

COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 Pieces of skinned, boned chicken thigh, diced

1 Onion, halved and sliced into thin half rings

5 Mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tbsp Plain flour

1/2 cup Milk

Small glass of white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

2 Large potatoes, very thinly sliced

Olive oil for frying

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan-forced)

Put the sliced potatoes on a plate, sprinkle with salt and microwave for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a frying pan, fry the onion in a little olive oil. When the onion starts to soften add the chicken and fry until sealed. Add the mushrooms and stir for a minute, then add the flour, still stirring. Slowly stir in the milk until a sauce begins to form, then add enough wine to form a thick but liquid sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tip the chicken and sauce into an oven proof dish. Layer the potatoes over the top to form the pie top. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 25 mins until potatoes are crisp.

VARIATION: CHICKEN POT PIE

Instead of covering with potatoes, cover the dish with a sheet of frozen puff pastry

PUMPKIN PIE

This is a vegetarian pie with a Moroccan style seasoning.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Smallish butternut pumpkin

Pinch of salt

Olive oil

1 tbsp Cumin seed

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 Stick of cinnamon

1/2 Nutmeg, grated

1 Small onion, sliced thinly lengthwise

1/2 Red capsicum, seeds removed, sliced thinly lengthwise

1 Egg

1 tsp Poppy seeds

Flour for dusting

2 Sheets of frozen puff pastry

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220°C  . Peel and de-seed the pumpkin and cut into cubes. Arrange in a single layer on a baking tray covered in baking paper. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and place the pumpkin in a large bowl.

While the pumpkin is cooking heat a frying pan. Add the whole cumin, coriander and cinnamon into the hot, dry pan and pan roast the seeds, tossing frequently. As the seeds are roasting, grate the nutmeg into the pan.

Remove from the heat. Put the spices into a grinder and reduce to a powder. Alternatively hand grind with a pestle and mortar.

Add some oil to the frying pan and fry the onion and capsicum until lightly browned. Add in the spices and cook through.

Add the spiced onion and capsicum to the bowl containing the pumpkin. With a fork gently combine the vegetables, part mashing the pumpkin.

On a lightly floured board, lay out the puff pastry and allow it to defrost so that it is malleable. Whisk the egg in a small bowl for glazing the pie. On one sheet of pastry, arrange some of the pumpkin mix in the centre so that there is 2-3 cm clear around the edge to attach the top layer of pastry.

Brush the egg around the edge of the bottom layer of pastry, then add the top layer. With a fork push down gently around all the edges to seal the pie. Brush the top of the pie with the egg. With a knife pierce a hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle the pie with poppy seeds.

Transfer the pie to a baking tray covered with baking paper. Bake for 25mins until golden brown.

Alternatively make smaller individual pies by cutting the puff pasty in half and folding the pastry over the pumpkin mix.

BARA BRITH

This is a Welsh tea cake. Bara brith means speckled bread. No two Welsh cooks will agree on the recipe! Variations include adding a spoonful of marmalade or treacle to the tea and fruit mixture. Usually served sliced and buttered.

PREPARATION TIME: 5 hours 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup Mixed dried fruit

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Boiling water

3 Tea bags

A pinch of all spice

1 Egg

1 & 1/2 cups Self raising flower

METHOD

In a large bowl, combine the mixed fruit and the sugar and add a pinch of all spice. In a measuring jug, put 3 tea bags into 1 cup of boiling water. When the tea is nice and strong, add to the fruit mixture and stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave to stand for a minimum of 5 hours, or overnight until the fruit has expanded.

Add the self raising flour and mix with a spatula until you have a stiff cake mixture (it will pour, but slowly). If your mixture is not stiff enough, add a little more flour.

Pre-heat the oven to 170C (or 150C fan forced). Pour the mixture into a greased bread/cake tin (mine is approx 25cm X 10cm). Cook towards the top of the oven for 1 & 1/2 hours. Turn out and allow to cool.

Slice thinly and butter to serve.

BANANA CHOC MUFFINS

This is an easy muffin recipe - prepare the dry mix and the wet mix separately and then combine. 
Replace half the chocolate with chopped walnuts if you feel nutty!



PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes

COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

60 g Melted butter

2 cups Self raising flour

1/2 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 cup Milk

2 Bananas, mashed with a fork

1 cup Dark chocolate chips

Extra butter and greaseproof paper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan forced). Using a piece of greaseproof paper, lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tray with butter.

DRY - In a large bowl, sift the flour and sugar, mix and make a well in the centre.

WET- In a different bowl, whisk together the butter, milk and eggs. Add the banana.

Add the WET to the DRY and mix gently with a wooden spoon until just combined - DO NOT over-mix. Add the chocolate chips and stir.

Spoon the mixture into the 12 cups of the muffin tray. Bake for 20 mins. Remove carefully from muffin tray after cooling for about 3 minutes.

BATTERED PRAWNS

Great with coleslaw or a pasta salad! 

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes

COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

500 g Raw, peeled prawns - tail still on

Beer batter (follow recipe for FISH NUGGETS)

Oil for deep frying

METHOD

Heat the oil.

Prepare the prawns by slicing into (not through) the back of the prawns to let the batter get into the flesh a little. Test the oil by dripping a drop of batter into the oil. It should sizzle, but not burn and bob to the top of the oil.

Holding the tail of a prawn, dredge it through the batter until all but the tail is covered, then drop into the oil. Quickly do the same for enough prawns to fill the pan but not stick together. Turn the prawns so that they cook evenly. They should only take 2 minutes to cook. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Cook any remaining prawns.