Sunday 27 January 2013

Take a dip


Neither Ann nor I have been able to buy any Golden Circle Sweet-Sour Sauce so I’m guessing it’s not on the market anymore. So this is another brand. The beetroot and sweet potato crisps were totally yum! Anne.

Sweet-Sour Savoury Dip

Place contents of jar Golden Circle Sweet-Sour Sauce in one or two small bowls in centre of savoury tray. Surround with potato flakes, cracker biscuits, toast points and cubes of cheese on sticks.

Friday 25 January 2013

Ruby advises . . .

Ruby said “You’ll be a better cook if . . . “ “you watch your spoon measurements. When the recipe states ‘a spoonful’, a LEVEL spoonful is intended. Take a spoonful, then use a flat-bladed knife to level off the top. When a ‘rounded spoonful’ is specified, there should be roughly as much of the ingredient above the spoon as is contained in its bowl. ‘A heaped spoonful’ should be roughly piled with the ingredient.”   
                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                        

Thursday 24 January 2013

Moist Pineapple-Bread Dressing


It is supposed to be an accompaniment for roast meat, like a stuffing I guess, but tonight there were only sausages at Chez Ann.  I used a parmesan and onion batard from Coles bakery, left over from Friday’s pavlova dinner party. It had a bit more substance than ordinary white bread and while moist on the bottom was pleasingly crispy on top.  It would have been a good accompaniment to roast pork, but worked OK with the sausages.  Also a good way to use up stale bread and make the meat go further, Ann.

Moist Pineapple-Bread Dressing

440g can Golden Circle Pineapple Pieces, drained, 285ml chicken stock (or water with chicken stock cubes), 60g butter, 1 cup chopped celery, ¼ chopped onion, salt and herbs to taste. 4 cups untrimmed soft bread cubes.

Combine chicken stock, butter and celery in saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in drained pineapple pieces, salt and herbs. Bring to boiling point. Remove from stove, lightly stir in bread cubes. Spoon into buttered baking pan in shallow layer. Bake in moderate oven (190°C) until crisp and brown (about 30 minutes). Serve with hot sliced poultry, pork or lamb. Add a cooked green vegetable.


Tuesday 22 January 2013

The Australian Red Cross and Pineapple

My sister-in-law, Colleen, scanned these from a c.1945 cookbook she’s been given. It belonged to Mary Mcgorman who lived on a farm, "Bryplains", at Balldale near Corowa NSW, Anne.

"Being of Queensland in origin there have been several clippings either pasted in or loosely inserted. It’s a very well-used book so I am sure these pineapple recipes were tested by the owner." Colleen.


Pine and Apple Crumble

2 cups Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple (drained), 3 cups pie apple, ½ cup desiccated coconut, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ cups rice bubbles, ½ cup Nestle Sweetened Condensed Milk

Place apples and pineapple into a greased casserole. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix well. Sprinkle over fruits. Bake in a moderate oven (180° - 190°C) for 30 minutes. Serve hot.


Pineapple Ribbon Dessert
440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, 1 pkt red jelly crystals, 2 cups creamed rice, 3 tblspns gelatine, 1/3 cup cold water, whipped cream, crushed nuts

Soak gelatine in cold water, dissolve over hot water. Prepare jelly according to directions. Set aside to cool. Place pineapple and syrup in saucepan and heat to boiling. Remove from stove and stir in half of dissolved gelatine. Add remaining gelatine to creamed rice. Place creamed rice in mould. Chill until firm. Add pineapple layer and chill until firm. Top with jelly and chill again. Unmould onto serving dish and top with whipped cream and crushed nuts. Serve in slices. 

I poured in the jelly a little soon so it doesn't create a perfect red layer. I topped the Ribbon Dessert, which I made in a ring mould, with a mixture of berries. Anne




Some of the others are pretty wild - the 'Orange or Lemon Kiora' (Maori for well/healthy) would keep you regular with the magic ingredient of Epsom salts!" Colleen.

Another recipe in the Beverages section (“Wassail” from 1800) worried me as I began to read the instructions “… put into a cauldron…” but I was pleased when there was no mention of “ Eye of newt, and toe of frog, Wool of bat, and tongue of dog”, Anne.

Here are a couple of the extra recipes inserted between the book's pages that use pineapple.


Saturday 19 January 2013

An iconic dessert - the Pavlova

Finally last night I made and served the Pineapple Pavlova, I had friends over for dinner. It was delicious of course. 

I made a three egg white/ ¾ cup sugar pavlova shell the evening before, left it in the oven to cool slowly overnight and in the morning quickly boxed it up before I turned on the evaporative coolers, which would have made it very soggy.  (We have had very warm weather, over 40 degrees yesterday). I made the pineapple filling according to Ruby’s recipe.  However, it was too bland and too pale so I added some lemon juice and some yellow colouring.  The filling stored OK in the fridge under cling wrap for a couple of hours, I was fearful it would be gluggy but it was fine.  Served with some whipped cream on top, I could have been more generous with the cream but I was conscious of our post-Christmas diets, Ann.

Pineapple Pavlova.

440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, 2 tblspns cornflour or arrowroot, and your favourite recipe for a 3 or 4 egg Pavlova.

Spoon Pavlova on baking tray in shape of pie shell. Bake until firm in slow oven. Cool. Empty pineapple into saucepan and heat to boiling. Thicken with cornflour or arrowroot. Cool, then spoon into meringue shell. Serve with cream or ice cream.


A controversy!

Apparently, both New Zealand and Australia claim to have invented the delicious dessert, the Pavlova. Researchers ultimately decided that it was first created in New Zealand.

A national dish in both countries it was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova in Wellington, New Zealand in 1926 and in Perth, Western Australia in 1935. Here is Anna Pavlova (1881-1931) in her signature ballet, The Dying Swan, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine in 1905.



The World's Largest Pavlova.

In August 2010, chef Aaron Campbell displayed a 50 square metre rugby-themed pavlova, with the Bledisloe Cup in the centre, in the ChristChurch Cathedral in Christchurch, to raise money for the official charity of the All Blacks.”

Apparently the All Blacks Pavlova was made from 10,000 eggs and 600 kg sugar! Anne.

Thursday 17 January 2013

Objets d’art

Today’s mail delivered this beautiful objet d’art from Kylie in Perth, thank you very much, it’s a real treasure! I especially love it because of the “Greetings from Canberra” sticker - Canberra’s my home town - but I don’t remember any pineapple plantations anywhere!




This ash tray and money box recently appeared in the window of a shop in our town, prices were a little out of my range so I thought a couple of photos would satisfy my current pineapple-mania! Anne.




Monday 14 January 2013

Accessorise . . . with pineapple!

These pretty earrings were acquired by Ann via etsy – thanks, I love them.

There have been some interesting acquisitions in our household this summer. Les has tracked down some real glamour accessories on the Internet! Ella found the bag in a recent clean up (?) of her childhood dress up box!
Thanks Ella for being such a co-operative model despite the challenges to your good taste! Anne.






Sunday 13 January 2013

Breakfast, lunch and tea


Oriental Breakfast

1 jar Golden Circle Sweet-Sour Sauce, eggs, butter, toast.

Toast sliced bread, butter and spread lightly with Sweet-Sour Sauce. Top with poached or scrambled eggs garnished with chopped parsley.

Just what you might expect from the list of ingredients – scrambled eggs with sweet and sour sauce on toast! 


Pineapple Coleslaw

440g can Golden Circle Pineapple Pieces, 1 sugar-loaf cabbage, ½ cup bottled Italian Liquid dressing, 1 tblspn brown sugar, 1 tblspn brown sugar, 1 tspn lemon juice, ½ tspn salt, ¼ tspn ground black pepper.

Drain pineapple pieces. Wash and trim outside leaves from cabbage. Cut into quarters and remove centre cores. Shred remainder finely. Combine pineapple pieces and cabbage. Blend remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over the cabbage and pineapple. Cover, chill. Toss with 2 forks before serving.

Pineapple Sandwich Snack

440g can Golden Circle Sliced Pineapple, 3 slices bread for each sandwich, cheese, sliced boiled ham or luncheon meat, fruit chutney, butter.

Drain syrup from pineapple. Toast slices of bread one side only. Butter untoasted sides lightly. Cover one slice for each sandwich with slice of ham or luncheon meat, third with fruit chutney topped with slice of pineapple; brush pineapple with melted butter. Brown all under a griller a few minutes. Serve open faced with tomato and olives.


Braised Pocket Steak with Pineapple

440g can Golden Circle Sliced Pineapple, 1 – 1.5 kg topside steak, 2 tblspns plain flour, 2 tblspns butter, 11 ½ cups stock or water, 2 cups herb-flavoured breadcrumb stuffing.

Drain pineapple, chop 1 slice fine and add to breadcrumb stuffing. Cut large pocket in steak and fill with stuffing. Close pocket with small metal skewers. Run steak with plain flour and brown richly in melted butter. Place in casserole, add stock, cover and bake in slow oven (160° C) until steak is tender. Whole potatoes, onions and carrots can be added during the last hour of cooking. Or potatoes can be baked separately. Brown remaining pineapple slices and serve with the steak.

This photo is uninspiring – but it didn’t taste too bad.


Meringue Nests with Pineapple


44og can Golden Circle Pineapple Pieces, 2 egg whites, ½ cup castor sugar, pinch salt, vanilla, coconut.

Drain pineapple pieces, reserving syrup for making sauce. Beat egg whites till frothy then gradually beat in sugar and salt. Beat very stiff. Add vanilla. Shape into nests on foil-covered baking tray and sprinkle with coconut. Bake in slow oven about one hour. At serving time fill with drained pineapple pieces and top with whipped cream. Serve with a clear pineapple sauce. (Makes 3 to 4 servings).

I cheated and bought some meringue nests rather than make them, added fresh mango pieces to the pineapple, forgot about the pineapple sauce and garnished each with a strawberry. Delicious!



Don't worry I didn't subject all these dishes on the family today, not even the most dedicated Ruby Borrowdale follower could eat this much canned pineapple in one day, Anne.

Thursday 10 January 2013

Let it roll . . .

I love this jelly mould and Ann has found me many suitable recipes to experiment with, Anne.
Pineapple Milk Jelly
Ingredients:1 packet pineapple flavoured jelly, ½ cup boiling water, ¾ cup milk (or according to quantity of liquid specified on packet instructions).
Method: Dissolve the jelly in the water. Cool slightly and then whisk in the cold milk. Pour into a mould and allow to set. Turn out to serve.  You could garnish the plate with halved pineapple rings and fresh mint leaves.

I snuck this Marshmallow Jelly into Elsa’s Mozambiquan feast – it couldn’t compete with her fantastic Pudim Laranja.
Marshmallow Jelly
Ingredients: 1 pineapple flavoured jelly, ½ cup cut up marshmallows, ½ cup canned pineapple pieces, cut in half.                                                                                                                                                                  
Method: Make up jelly according to packet instructions (you could substitute some strained pineapple syrup from the can for an equal quantity of water). Allow to cool but not set. Add pineapple and marshmallows. Pour into rinsed mould. Turn out when set.                                                                                                                                                                

Originally the filling for a cheese cake I adapted this recipe for the mould.
Tropical Pineapple Cheese


440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, 1 packet pineapple jelly crystals, 250g Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Drain the fruit. Reserve the syrup and make up to 1 ½ cups with water. Heat. Add pineapple jelly crystals and dissolve. Beat the cream cheese til smooth and gradually blend in partially set jelly. Stir in some of the crushed pineapple and mix well. Serve garnished with more pineapple and whipped cream.

Note: This beautiful Queensland souvenir tablecloth was brought back as a Queensland souvenir by my good friend Sue, thanks, I love it!
Jelly Whip is very fluffy and light, easy to eat!

Jelly Whip
440g can Golden Circle Pineapple Pieces or Fruit Salad, 1 packet pineapple jelly crystals, 1 cup boiling water, 1 cup chilled Carnation Evaporated Milk.
Dissolve jelly crystals in boiling water, cool until the consistency of unbeaten egg whites. Whip chilled Carnation Milk until thick, add jelly mixture and continue whipping until thick. Stir in the fruit. Set In refrigerator. Decorate as desired.

Tuesday 8 January 2013

Two disappointments

Well, what can I say?  I reheated it for lunch, hoping it had improved overnight but alas no.  Ruby, you have let us down with this one, I certainly won’t be repeating it. Even with a generous grating of parmesan it was barely palatable. Ann.


Continental Veal Ragout with Spaghetti.


440g can Golden Circle Pineapple Pieces, 250g thin spaghetti, 1 tblspn butter, ¼ cup red capsicum, 1 kg boneless veal, 3 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 onion, 1 cup chopped skinned tomatoes, ½ cup dry white wine, ½ cup  veal stock or water.

Drain pineapple pieces and brown in butter. Cook and drain spaghetti, add pineapple pieces and butter. Line heat-proof serving dish with this. Cook chopped carrots, celery and onion in oil until beginning to brown. Add cubed veal, season to taste with salt, pepper and chopped marjoram. Add tomatoes, wine and stock. Simmer until veal is tender. Thicken if you wish with 1 tblspn cornflour blended in ¼ cup cold water. Serve very hot over the hot pineapple and spaghetti. Sprinkle veal with chopped parsley.
Note: The fabulous pineapple keyring


Ruby said “You’re a magician with quick, sunny sweets when your frig holds cans of Golden Circle’s vitamin-rich Tropical Pineapple.” 
I think she would have been disappointed with the can of fruit salad I bought for this recipe – it was mostly crushed pineapple with a little chopped pear, and I counted one passionfruit seed in the whole can! However it was fun to prepare with Raffeallu, the orange halves made great little dishes and the jelly was enjoyed! Anne.


Jewel Islands.


Encourage young people to eat what’s good for them. Serve Golden Circle Tropical Fruit Salad in a scooped-out orange with bright chopped jelly garnish.



Note: The beautiful glass dessert dish!

Sunday 6 January 2013

‘Pátria Amada’ (‘Beloved Homeland’) is the anthem of which African republic?



Golden Circle Pineapple made a recent appearance at a wonderful feast cooked at our place by Elsa Licumba from Mozambique (who caters in the Newcastle NSW area elsalicumba@gmail.com) Anne.

Friday 4 January 2013

A different kind of recipe ...

I’ll bet there’s not another woman on the planet whose husband bought her balls of green and yellow wool, knitting needles and a pattern for a pineapple tea cosy this Christmas!  Anne.



Tuesday 1 January 2013

Happy New Year . . . pineapple drinks 3

Kathy Walz who took this wonderful photograph at Rincón de Guayabitos, Mexico, passed away in January 2011. Her daughter, Michelle, said that we can use it on this blog.

Chuck Diesel also said we can use his fabulous photo from the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn 2012.

Two great experiences – involving pineapple! Thanks Michelle and Chuck!

And here are two refreshing drinks from Ruby Borrowdale’s  Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book.

Golden Spice.

Golden Circle Pineapple and Grapefruit Drink, ripe pawpaw pieces, ice cubes, and a garnish of lemon and crystallised ginger.

Orange-Pineapple Punch Bowl.

Empty 2 x 1 litre chilled Golden Circle Pine Orange cartons into a punch bowl. Add large bottle chilled ginger ale. Float slices of banana and seedless orange on top. At serving time add large tray of ice cubes. Garnish each serving cup with half a slice of orange.

Thanks to the lovely Francisci children for helping to make and drink the punch!