Plum Jam

2kg blood plums, quartered, stones removed
1L (4 cups) water
80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice
1.35kg (6 cups) sugar

Step 1
Combine plums and water in large saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Step 2
Add the lemon juice and sugar to the pan and stir, without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 25-45 minutes or until the jam jells when tested (see note).
Step 3
Ladle the jam immediately into 8 clean 250ml (1-cup) jars and seal. Invert the jars for 2 minutes then turn upright and set aside to cool. Label and date the jars before storing.

This jam will keep, unopened, in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. Once opened, keep in the fridge for up to 8 weeks. To test if jam is ready to bottle, place 1 tsp of jam on a cold saucer in freezer for 1-2 minutes or until cooled to room temperature. Run your finger through jam. If surface wrinkles and jam stays in 2 portions, it is ready.
It is important to sterilize jars to prevent mould forming. Jars can be sterilized in a number of ways. Firstly, choose glass jars with an airtight lid. Remove any old labels and ensure they are free from cracks or chips. Wash in hot soapy water and rinse, then sterilize using one of the following methods:

Oven: Preheat the oven to 120C. Place jars (upright) and lids (separately) on an oven tray and heat in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and fill immediately with jam or other preserves.

Stovetop: Place jars and lids in a deep saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring water to the boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium and boil for 10 minutes. Line a baking tray with paper towel. Remove the jars using metal tongs and allow to air dry or dry with a clean paper towel.

Dishwasher: Place jars, lids and rubber seals in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle. Remove and place onto a paper towel-lined tray; the heat will dry them naturally or you can dry them with paper towel.

Baked Trout with Lime and Garlic

I love recipes that use ingredients that I have, in this case limes from my vegie delivery, and my mum's favourite herb, parsley, from her garden. I like that this recipe uses all of the lime and parsley, and its good to get a fish fix, albeit with a bit too much butter.

• 100g (4oz) soft butter (plus extra for greasing the foil)
• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley leaves, stalks reserved
• Salt and pepper, to season
• 4 whole rainbow trout, each about 300g (10oz), cleaned and de-scaled
• Runner beans, to serve
• Baby new potatoes, to serve

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 6.
2. Mix together the butter, lime zest, garlic and chopped parsley in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3. Make 3 deep slashes on one side of the trout, cutting down as far as the backbone, and push the flavoured butter into each incision. There will be too much, so reserve some for later use in the sauce.
4. Line a large roasting tin with foil, butter that well and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the trout in the tin, cut side up.
5. Squeeze the juice from the limes and reserve. Cut the lime skins into slices and stuff these into the belly of the trout with the parsley stalks.
6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 15-20 minutes at 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 6.
7. Check along the backbone of the fish to see when the fish is done; the flesh will become opaque.
8. Carefully lift the fish on to a warm serving dish. Tip the roasting tin juices into a small saucepan and add the reserved lime juice. Boil to reduce a little, then whisk in the reserved lime butter until just melted. Don’t let it boil as it will separate.
9. Remove the heads from the fish and discard, peel the skin and fins from the top side of the fish and discard these. Pour the sauce over the exposed flesh.
10. Serve with baby new potatoes and runner beans.

The trout can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours. It is not suitable for freezing.

Moroccan Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon Moroccan Seasoning
2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
6 cups vegetable stock
1 kg pumpkin, peeled and diced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup red lentils
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chives, finely sliced to garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Over medium heat add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft. Stir in the Moroccan seasoning and the ground cumin. Add the stock, pumpkin, potato and lentils. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is soft

Puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the soup into bowls and garnigh with chives. Serve with crusty bread.

Glazed Lemon Biscuits

Lemony yumminess!!
Adapted from Martha Stewart. She calls them cookies, of course

• 2 cups plain flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (113g, 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, bicarb soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until combined. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 2 cm apart, onto two baking sheets. Bake until edges are golden, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool 2 minutes on sheets, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread cookies with lemon glaze and let set, about 1 hour.

Lemon Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups icing sugar, 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, and 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice until smooth.

San choy bau

• 1 iceberg lettuce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally
• 500g pork mince
• 1 small carrot, peeled, grated
• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 small red capsicum, deseeded, finely diced
• 125g can corn kernels, drained
• 1/3 cup Oyster Sauce
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce

Method

1. With core of lettuce facing down, bang core on a flat surface. This will make it easy to remove whole core by twisting and pulling out. Remove damaged outer leaves. Discard. Separate leaves and place in a large bowl of icy cold water. Refrigerate until required.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add green onions. Cook for 1 minute. Increase heat to high. Add pork. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until browned.

3. Add carrot, zucchini, capsicum and corn. Stir well. Combine oyster sauce and tomato sauce in a jug. Add to mince mixture. Stir well. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Drain lettuce leaves. Pat dry with paper towel. Place lettuce cups on a platter. Spoon mince mixture into lettuce cups. Serve

Easter Cake!

From Taste.com.au

(this is their picture)

Photography by Ben Dearnley

This is my cake, made for my son M who had his first communion on Easter Sunday.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 350g unsalted butter, softened
• 350g caster sugar
• 6 eggs
• 350g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp pink food colouring
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbs cocoa powder

• Icing

• 500g cream cheese
• 180g unsalted butter
• 300g (2 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8-10 small chocolate eggs, to decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of two 22cm round cake pans with baking paper.

2. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Fold in the flour with a large metal spoon and divide the mixture evenly between 2 bowls. Add the pink food colouring to one bowl, and the cinnamon and cocoa to the other. Stir each to combine. Place the pink mixture in one pan and the chocolate mixture in the other, spreading each mixture evenly.

3. Bake on same shelf in the oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, to make the icing, place the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and use an electric hand beater to beat until smooth.

5. Halve the cakes horizontally by using a sharp knife to slice through centre of each cake. Spread 3 tablespoons of icing on one cake half and place a different coloured half on top. Spread with another 3 tablespoons of icing, then repeat the process. Use the remaining icing to completely cover the cake. Use a fork to make zigzag lines over the surface of the icing. Decorate perimeter of cake with eggs.

Taste was excellent! The cream cheese icing was the best part. A bit fiddley to make, but worth it. Mine was not as chocolately as the picture looked.

Pecan Balls

Can be made a week ahead

125g softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs caster sugar
1 cup (125g) finely chopped pecans
1 cup (150g) plain flour
1/2 cup (80g) icing sugar mixture

Beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in nut then sifted flour in 2 batches.
Roll 2 level teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place balls 5cm apart on ungreased oven trays. Bake in a moderate oven about 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Sift icing sugar into a bowl, roll balls in icing sugar while still hot, cool on a wire rack.
Makes 30.
Suitable to freeze.