Helpful Hints for Garden Centres
DID YOU KNOW THAT THESE ARE THE SAME VARIETY?
Bartlett - Williams Bartlett
Packham - Packham Triumph
20th Century - Nijisseki
Naga Fu 2 - Red Fuji
Hi Early - Red Delicious
HOW TO PICKLE YOUR OWN OLIVES
Ingredients
Olives Black or Green
cooking salt
cinnamon bark
bay leaves
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Jars with screw top lids
Method
Pick your olives taking care not to bruise the fruit. Put olives in a bucket of clean water to rinse off dust and dirt. Measure how much water that you require to fill your jars to make the brine. To 1 litre of water add 100 grams of cooking salt ,add 1 cinnamon bark stick and 1 bay leaf. Bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Let cool. Take the olives from the clean water and fill jars to about 5cm from the top of the jar. Add 5 tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar and top up with olive oil to seal the top of the jar.
Olives prepared in this method will take approximately 2-3 months before they can be eaten. Olives suitable for this method are the following.
Manzanillo - pick green
Oliva De Cerignola(Jumbo Kalamata) - pick green
Verdale - pick green
UC136A - pick green
Kalamata - pick black
All varieties can be pickled in this method.
DRIED BLACK OLIVES
A very old method of preparing black olives which uses no salt (a good health benefit). Pick olives black. Clean off dust and dirt by washing and drying as much as possible. If you have a fruit drier put on trays and turn on to the lowest setting. If you do not have a drier put in your oven on trays on a very low heat. Be careful not to leave in too long otherwise you will get a "cooked taste" to the olive. Patience is a big help but worth it! This method should take about 24 hours in a drier and less in the oven.
When you are happy that they are dry to your liking and left to go cold, put into small zip lock freezer bags. Put into the freezer. When you are ready to use, defrost from bags and add a dressing of your liking. To a bowl of dried olives add some olive oil to coat and make a pesto with garlic and parsley or chill and garlic. Dried herbs are also good. Add salt if preferred to your liking.
All black olives can be prepared in this way but the smaller varieties are more suitable because they have less flesh to dry.
BAKED GRANNY SMITH APPLES
Ingredients
6 Granny Smith Apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
6 teaspoons butter or margarine
sultanas
Method
Remove core from apples and peel half way down leaving skin on base. Put apples on a suitable tray that has been lined with baking paper. Fill core cavity with sultanas or dried fruit to your liking. Top with the butter or margarine and bake at 180 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked. Serve with cream or warm custard. Enjoy!
PINK LADY APPLE SALAD
Ingredients
3 Pink Lady apples
salad greens
2 hard boiled eggs
2 rashes of grilled bacon
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
shaved parmesan cheese
Method
Slice apple - do not slice very thin. Place salad greens in a salad bowl. Chop up the eggs in 1/4's. Top with apple slices and chopped bacon. Add a dressing of olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss gently. Add shaved parmesan cheese. This is a good starter or light lunch dish.
UPSIDE DOWN APPLE FLAN
Ingredients
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 cup Self Raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 apples peeled
20cm cake pan
Method
In a large bowl mix together yoghurt, flour, sugar, eggs, oil, grated lemon rind, baking powder and 4 apples finely chopped. Mix well.Grease and flour the cake pan. Slice remaining apples and place on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice and a little extra sugar. Pour the cake mixture on top and cook in oven at 180 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked. Delicious served just warm with ice cream or custard. Note: any apple variety can be used for this flan.
PEARS IN RED WINE
Ingredients
4 firm pears (any variety)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup red wine
Cinnamon sugar
Method
Peel pears. Leave whole with stalk in tact if possible. Place your pears standing up in an oven proof dish, add water, sugar and wine. Sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar. Put in oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Serve with Ricotta Whip.
Ricotta Whip
Ingredients
250 grams ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon honey
Method
Beat all ingredients until smooth. Refridgerate until needed.
PEARS AND NASHI'S ARE A VERY GOOD ADDITION TO A CHEESE BOARD PLATTER
PLUM SAUCE
Ingredients
3 kg plums
1.5kg sugar
1.75 litres vinegar
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup whole cloves
6 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated ginger
Method
Remove stones from plums. Put all ingredients in a large pot and cook for approximately 1.5 hours. Strain through a colander and bottle.
PLUM SPONGE DESSERT
Ingredients
8 blood plums
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup Self Raising flour
pinch of salt
Method
Remove stone from plums and stew with 1/4 cup of sugar. Spoon into a lightly buttered serving dish. Beat eggs until thick and creamy, gradually add sugar, beat until dissolved. Fold in sifted flour and salt. Pour over hot plums. Bake in moderate over 180 degrees for approximately 30-35 minutes.Serve warm with custard or ice cream. Serves 4.
APRICOT JAM
Ingredients
1.5 kg just ripe fruit
1.25kg sugar
juice of 1 lemon
Method
Slice the fruit, sprinkle some of the sugar over the fruit and let stand overnight or until a syrup forms. Cook gently until tender and add remaining warm sugar and the lemon juice. Boil rapidly until it gels. Bottle and seal.
CHICKEN WITH FRESH APRICOTS
Ingredients
8 chicken drum sticks
4 good size just ripe apricots
2 large onions
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons seasoned flour
parsley
Method
Season chicken with the seasoned flour and brown. Transfer to an oven proof casserole dish and keep warm. Chop onions and garlic and fry in the same pan. Add chopped tomato. Fry for one minute.Add wine and chicken stock, pour over chicken. Add apricots and cover. Bake casserole for 1.5 hours approximately or until tender. Garnish with parsley. Serve with fluffy rice or mashed potatoes.
QUINCE
Preparation for sliced quinces
Peel and halve. Remove core and slice. To cook 4 quinces you will need approximately 1 cup of sugar. Put in an oven proof dish and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes. Check at this time - if they are cooked longer they will go a bright pink in colour. I think it is worthwhile to cook longer. Excellent served with stewed apples and rhubarb with cream or custard. May be stored frozen.
