Dark chocolate sponge

 Ingredients:

100 g plain chocolate, chopped
250 ml milk
275 g brown sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
100 g salted butter, softened
175 g plain flour
1 t baking powder
2 T cocoa powder

 Ganache icing:

1/3 c (80 ml) cream
200 g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. 
2. Grease two 17 cm sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper. 
3. Melt the chocolate in the saucepan with half the milk and half the brown sugar. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent the chocolate sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. 
4. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer, cream the butter with the remaining brown sugar. 
5. Whisk in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, until light and fluffy. If necessary, add 1 - 2 T of flour to the mixture when beating in the eggs to prevent curdling. 
6. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together. 
7. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the flour mixture into the creamed mixture in three batches. While the chocolate mixture is still warm, fold it into the cake mixture. 
8. Stir in the remaining milk to form a runny consistency, then divide the mixture between the two prepared sandwich tins. 
9. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven 160 degrees C (375 degrees F, gas mark 3) for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed or when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 
10. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the tins. 

 To make ganache: 

1. Stir cream and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. 
2. Cool 15 minutes before icing. 

Sandwich cakes together with ganache, then cover with more ganache.

 Notes:

•  I made one and a half times the recipe and split between three 22 cm sandwich tins. 
•  Try using 200 g white chocolate with 4 T cream to make ganache, then add food colouring if you wish to change colour of the icing.

Moroccan Lamb

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/2 cup currants
400g lamb mince
2 t cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
2 t Moroccan seasoning
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 sheets filo pastry
olive oil to brush/spray
poppy seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius.
2. Heat oil in pan, add onion and garlic, cook until soft.
3. Add pinenuts and currants. Cook until currants are plump.
4. In a bowl blend mince, egg, parsley and spices then add cooked onion mixture.
5. Lay a sheet of filo lengthways. Spray half with oil and fold over to make a long rectangular shape.
6. Place 1 T of mixture at one end and fold a corner diagonally over the filling to make a pointy end. Fold the pointed end across the filling to create a triangle shape. Keep folding until finished with a triangle.
7. Place on a non stick oven tray. Spray with oil and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
8. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden all over.

Notes:
I couldn't find lamb mince so made recipe with beef mince which was tasty.
I have used mixture to make gourmet burger patties which were very tasty but didn't stay together well. Next time I will try using half the amount of pinenuts.

Slow-cooked Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary

1 leg of lamb (that will fit in your CrockPot – if not, get the butcher to cut off the shank end) – with or without bone

1 lemon
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced or crushed
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

approx 1/2 cup wine, chicken or beef stock, tomato juice or water

On a chopping board, pat your lamb dry with paper towels. 

Finely grate about half the zest off the lemon and grind into a paste with the garlic, rosemary, oil, salt and pepper using a mortar and pestle. 

Rub the paste all over the lamb. 

If you like, let it sit on the countertop for half an hour or so, or refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Put it into the CrockPot. 

Add about half a cup of liquid. 

Squeeze the juice of the lemon overtop too. 

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Lazy Lasagne

For 4 - 6 servings:

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 x 400g can whole or diced tomatoes in juice

1 x 30g pkt tomato soup, or tomato and onion soup mix 

500g minced beef

¼ cup tomato paste

1 tsp each dried basil and oreganum

2 tsp instant beef stock

1 cup hot water

250g (about 3-4 cups) small lasagne shapes or long lasagne strips

Topping:

2 tsp cornflour

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk, sour cream, or a mixture

1 cup grated tasty cheese

paprika, optional

Method:

Turn the slow cooker on to HIGH to preheat and coat the bowl with non-stick spray.

Put the garlic and tomatoes (with any juice) into a food processor or large bowl and process or mash with a fork to break up the tomatoes. Add the soup mix, minced beef, tomato paste, herbs, stock and water, then process or mix until well combined.

Spread one third of the meat mixture evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker bowl. Place half the lasagne noodles over the meat. Repeat the layering with another 1/3 of the meat mixture, the remaining pasta then cover with the remaining meat mixture. (You may like to keep a bit more than a third of the meat mixture for the top layer.)

To make the topping, mix together the cornflour, egg, milk (and/or sour cream) and cheese. Pour this over everything in the slow cooker and sprinkle with paprika (if using).

Turn the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8-9 hours. Serve with a green salad or cooked vegetables and garlic bread.

NOTE: 1 x this recipe, cooked in a 4.5 litre oval slow cooker, is 4-5cm deep.

To cook conventionally: Assemble the 'filling' in the same way, layering the mixture into a non-stick sprayed 25x30cm lasagne dish. Cover with foil and place in a oven preheated to 180 degrees Celcius and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and pour on the topping mixture, then bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

I cooked this recipe in the oven but plan to try the slow cook version too. I browned the mince first. Also added half a diced onion which I sauteed with garlic before combining with the meat mixture. Didn't have any soup mix or dried basil so just left those ingredients out. Added 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms. I wasn't sure about using dried lasagna shapes that weren't pre-cooked but followed the recipe and turned out fine. 

Roast pumpkin & orzo/risoni salad

4 servings

Cooking time: about an hour

Dressing:

¼ c olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 t lemon pepper seasoning

1 t honey

Salad:

500 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 red onion, cut into wedges

2 red peppers, cut into chunky pieces

1 t crushed garlic

1 t oregano

2 T olive oil

1 cup orzo/risoni or other small pasta shapes

150 g feta cheese, cut into cubes (optional)

2 T fresh baby basil leaves or chopped parsley

Method:

1. Prepare the dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
2. Place the pumpkin, red onion and red peppers in a roasting dish. Add the garlic, oregano and olive oil, and mix thoroughly. Cook in a preheated oven, 200°C, for 40 – 45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and golden brown.
3.  While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta. Add the orzo to a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 5 – 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain thoroughly. Rinse the orzo under cold running water, then drain.
4.   Combine the orzo and vegetables, and stir in the dressing. Place the mixture on a serving platter. Top with the feta cheese, if used, and the basil or parsley. Serve at room temperature as a light meal, or with meat or chicken.

TIPS:

Try pumpkin seeds in place of the feta cheese. Add ¼ cup to the vegetables 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Thai Pumpkin & Kumara Soup (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
non-stick spray oil
1 onion, chopped
2 t oil
1-2 t red curry paste
2 c vegetable or chicken stock
250 - 300 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
250 - 300 g kumara, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
400 g coconut cream or coconut flavoured evaporated milk
salt to taste
brown sugar to taste
spring onions, sliced garnish

Method:

1. Coat slow cooker with non-stick spray oil (if you remember, I often don't bother).
2. Cook onion in 2 t oil in frypan until transparent.
3. Add curry paste and about 1/2 c stock to the onion. Stir well to combine curry paste evenly.
4. Transfer to slow cooker.
5. Add remaining stock, pumpkin, kumara and sugar.
6. Cook on HIGH for 3 - 5 hours or LOW 6 - 8 hours. 
7. Add coconut cream or evaporated milk and salt. 
8. Puree until smooth.

Chicken and Filo Pie (s)

Serves 4 
You decide - make 1 large pie or 4 individual ones


Ingredients:
olive or canola oil spray
500 g skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 leek, sliced
250 g mushrooms, quartered or sliced 
1 red pepper, chopped
1 packet Maggi Chicken and Mushroom soup mix
375 ml can light and creamy evaporated milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 filo sheets
olive or canola oil spray, extra
1 t sesame seeds


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat. Add chicken and cook until browned.
3. Add leek, mushrooms and red pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring.
4. Add combined soup mix and evaporated milk. Bring to the boil, stirring. 
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 
6. Stir in parsley.
7. Spoon into 1 large or 4 individual dishes. 
8. Lightly spray filo sheets with oil and scrunch over tops of dish.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
10. Serve with a greed salad or your favourite seasonal vegetables.