IF YOU GO FOR THE SIMPLE LIFE - RECIPES I LIKE

For the latest recipe see the end of this page

CLASSIC CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

• 1 sugar lump
• 1-2 drops Angostura bitters
• 1 measure brandy
• 4 measures chilled champagne,orange slice, to decorate

Put the sugar lump in a cocktail glass and saturate with the Angostura bitters.
Add the brandy and fill the glass with the champagne.
Decorate with the orange slice.
Serves 1, Preparation time: 2 minutes

For more cocktails go to this site

GINGERED SORBET

• 1/3 cup sliced chrystalised ginger
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 cups chopped fruit, eg. melon, mango, apricot, peach, kiwi fruit, pine apple

Bring ginger, sugar and water to boil in small saucepan stirring untill sugar disolved.

Simmer 5 minutes, let cool.
Puree fruit and ginger syrup in food processor fitted with metal blade.
Freeze for three hours in food processing bowl with blade still in
Remove from freezer and reprocess briefly.
If frozen solid allow to sit for 5 minutes before processing.
Transfer sorbet to a sealable container and refreeze untill 10 minutes before serving.
Sorbet with wedges of real fruit.
Make 2 or 3 sorbets and serve 1 scoop of each on a white flat plate

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

• 300g lean pork, 2cm dice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• !/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sherry
• one egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Cornflower to dust meat
• Olive oil for frying (about 3 cups)
• 1 onion, cut into eights
• 1 capsicum, 2 cm dice
• 225g tin pineapple pieces
• 1 stick celery (optional), 2cm dice

SAUCE

Pineapple juice from tin

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon worcester sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons tomato chutney or tomato sauce
• About 2 teaspoons cornflour

METHOD
Mix pork with salt and pepper, sherry, egg and soy sauce and marinade 20-30 minutes
Dust pork with cornflower and deep fry for 3 minutes, or untill golden brown, drain well.
Pour off oil and clean wok.

Reheat wok till hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, stir fry vegetables for 2-3 minutes.
Add sauce and pineapple pieces. Thicken more if necessary.
Return pork to sauce and stir well.

PANCAKES

• 3/4 cup (3 onz) flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon castor sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1/2 onz butter melted

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and mix in the sugar .
Add in the whole egg and the milk and water stirring with a wooden spoon to form thin batter.
Cover and leave to stand an hour.
When ready to make the pancakes mix in the melted butter.
Pour the mixure into a jug and pour just enough into a small hot pan containing a trace of butter to cover the bottom.
When the batter has set turn and cook the other side.
Serve pancakes with golden syrup or sprinkle with sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice and roll up.

MAKES 6 - 8

To keep: stack on plate, reheat over steaming water. Filled in the oven.

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

• 500 g button mushrooms
• 1 cup (250 ml) olive oil
• 1/3 cup (85 ml) vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1. To clean mushrooms wipe with a damp cloth
• 2. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt & pepper. Mix well
• 4. Drain and serve with toothpicks

PESTO LAMB AND BUTTER BEANS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 leek sliced
• 500g diced lamb
• 1 cup of stock
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup basil pesto
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 400g can butter beans

Heat oil in a frying pan, add leek and stir over medium heat for two minutes.
Add lamb and cook over high heat for 5 minutes or untill browned turning lamb occasionally.
Add stock, wine, pesto and tomato paste, bring to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add drained butter beans and cook a further 15 minutes or untill lamb is tender.
Store or freeze in a GLAD TUCKAWAY medium container.
SERVES 4

LAMB AND MANGO SALAD

(Entree for 4, main for 2, side salad for 6)

• 500g lamb strips or sliced lamb steaks
• 2 ripe medium mangoes, sliced (when mangoes are out of season try aspergus or finely sliced tomatoes and onions or char grilled egg plant)
• 1 tbsp lime and chili sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Lettuce, crisped in iced water
• Chopped chives, coriander or parsley
• Capsicum or red pickled ginger threads or a drop of sweet chili sauce

Method:

Tear the lettuce leaves and put them in iced water in fridge until ready to assemble.
Make up the dressing by combining everything and mixing well.
Taste it.
Cut the mangoes and chop herbs
Barbeque or wok toss the sliced lamb with a little oil until cooked but not dry
Arrange the lettuce in a big bowl
Place the mango on top
Drizzle with dressing and add the lamb pieces and garnish with herbs and balance of dressing
For garnish cut red or yellow capsicum into long fine decorative strands or use some Buderin pickled red ginger
If serving as a salad toss together, if an entree, stack it on grilled Turkish bread, if a main meal, serve with rice

CHICKEN WITH WINE AND VEGETABLES

Serves 4

2 tablespoons oil
750g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and cut into pieces
250g button mushrooms, halved
2 small carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small leek, washed and sliced
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon parsly flakes

1. Heat 1/2 the oil in a saucepan. Brown chicken pieces over a medium heat. Transfer to a plate
2. Heat remaining oil. saute mushrooms, carrots, celery and leek for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Return chicken to pan. Add ine and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat.Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender.
4. Season to taste. Stir trough parsley. Serve with noodles or steamed rice.

Three recipes, click images to enlarge

Margaret's easy to make favourite recipe of Asparagus and Fettucine

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BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
Crushed dried red pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl or food processor, whisk together balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey. garlic, and red pepper. Add olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until emulsified.

OR

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 table spoons fresh lemon juice
2 table spoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3-4 garlic cloves, mashed to pulp with 1/2 teaspoon evasive salt
freshly ground pepper

combine well until fully blended
makes 3/4 cup

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OMELETS

Neat recipe for making omelets with the least amount of fuss

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SOME HANDY and HELPFUL HINTS

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Hennie van Dyk

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