Sunday 19 February 2017

A spice and pineapple mix

The Spice Exchange: A Celebration of Colours and Flavours 
 
 
 
 
“The Spice Exchange is a social enterprise initiative of Access Community Services Limited that utilises the culinary skills and traditions of refugee and migrant women to produce unique spice blends and condiments.
 
The Spice Exchange promotes multiculturalism by providing employment, training and work experience to culturally diverse women to develop their workplace skills and confidence in Australia” (from the website)
 

 
 
West Indian Jerk Spice – Pulled Pork with Banana Salsa

Ingredients for Pulled Pork: 1 cup of sea salt; 1 ¼ cups brown sugar; 2kg boned shoulder of pork, trimmed of rind, but leave fat; 4 tblspn West Indian Jerk Spice; 150ml pineapple juice; 3 tblspn treacle; 2 X 400g cans black beans, drained and rinsed well; 2 cups of Greek yoghurt; shredded lettuce, to serve

Ingredients for Banana Salsa: 3 medium bananas, peeled and cubed; 1 red onion, finely sliced; 2 avocados, diced; 5 tblspn lime juice; 1 – 2 red chillies, finely sliced (exclude if you want the dish to be mild); small bunch of coriander, finely chopped; salt and pepper

 
Directions:

1. Mix the salt and 1 cup of the sugar in a large food bag, then add the pork and coat it well. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
 
Remove the pork and wipe the meat down with a paper towel to remove any excess sugar and salt. Rub 3 tblspn of the West Indian Jerk Spice all over and sit the meat on a rack, in a roasting tin. Leave to marinate in the fridge, then 30 minutes before you start cooking, bring it out to room temperature.

3. Heat oven to 140C (120C fan/gas). Mix together the remaining sugar, remaining West Indian jerky Spice and the pineapple juice and rub half over the pork. Pour the other half into the roasting tin and roast for 6 hours. Baste the meat with the juices and roast for 1 hour more until the outside is charred and the inside is tender. Rest the pork on a platter for 20 minutes and pour any juices from the tin into a fat separating jug.

4. Put the diced banana and avocado in a bowl with the onion. Mix in the lime juice, chillies, coriander and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Heat the black beans and shred the pork with two forks. Discard the fat from the tin juices and serve the rest alongside for pouring. Serve the pork with the beans, salsa and roti bread.


 
 
As is evident from the photograph I didn't follow the recipe exactly . . . and cooked a pork fillet instead but the spices, marinade and salsa were really delicious! Thanks for the kit Ella and Rob, Anne

Wednesday 15 February 2017

Pineapple, Beautiful

Found some fabulous magazines from the 1950s that Mum had kept, one even contains a recipe for pineapple . . . Anne

Home Beautiful: Australia's How-To-Do-It Magazine, February 1956

 


 
Tropical Lamb Chops (to serve six)

Ingredients: 6 chops cut from large end of lamb loin about 2 in. (6cm) thick

Stuffing: 1 cup drained, crushed pineapple; 1 tspn grated orange rind; 2 tblspn finely chopped mint; ¼ tspn dry ginger; ½ tspn salt; 1 tblsp Soy Sauce if liked

Method: Cut pocket in fat side of chops. Mix stuffing and place 1 or 2 tablespoons in pocket of chops. Reserve remainder. Place stuffed chops in greased shallow baking pan. Bake in moderate oven, 350°F degrees (180°C), for 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Heat remainder of stuffing ingredients with ½ cup drained juice from pineapple, and 2 tablespoons wine vinegar. Serve this as sauce. This is delicious served with creamed potatoes, green beans and side salad.

Judge's comment: “Lamb chops done this way provide a joint that can be used up in one meal with no left-overs and no waste. It is a good tender nutritious cut. Its seasoning is most unusual and offers a specially welcome change for people who have a surfeit of lamb or mutton, because it gives such a piquancy to familiar ways of serving the meat. This dish is particularly suitable for a small dinner party. It can be prepared before-hand, and put in the oven until serving time.

It is also easy to enlarge the number of chops for a larger party. It is a complete dish in itself, and served with potatoes, beans and salad is a complete course.”



Home Beautiful: Australia's How-To-Do-It Magazine, October 1955
 








!!!!!

Australian House and Garden May 1953
 

Australian House and Garden Annual 1959




 

Saturday 11 February 2017

Happy Pineapples

Thanks for the link to this recipe Leila and Happy Birthday to you in Queensland, the land of many pineapples!!!!
 
 
Pineapple and Turmeric Smoothie
 
"Bright, sweet and invigorating, this smoothie packs an anti-inflammatory punch."
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes (plus 4 hours freezing time if using fresh pineapple)

Ingredients: 1 cup pineapple chunks, frozen; ½ teaspoon turmeric powder; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ginger powder; pinch ground cloves; 1 cup green tea or coconut water, chilled
 
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and process until slushy. Divide between two glasses and serve.
Recipe provided by Australian Pineapples.
 
 
Leila is the creator of beautiful needlearts, here's a wonderful activity book
she has made for her granddaughter Matilda (note the pineapple on the cover)


 
 
one of Leila's glasses, her favourite no doubt !!
 
 
some fabric she spotted at Spotlight,
 
 
 
and a cloth book made, once again for Matlida, featuring that most magical of fruits !!

Monday 6 February 2017

Pineapple in Jingellic on the Murray

Jingellic Public School Centenary Cook Book NSW 1979

 
Sweet and Sour Tuna Chunks    
 
1 large onion; 1 green capsicum; 1 red capsicum; ½ cup pineapple pieces, drained; 1 cup pineapple juice; 3cm fresh ginger cut in pieces; ½ tsp salt; mixed pickles; 1 tblsp oil; ½ cup vinegar; 2 tspn tomato sauce; 2 tblsp sugar; 1 tblsp cornflour; 1 can 375g or 470g chunk style tuna, drained
 
Cut onion and capsicum into chunks. Fry onions in the oil until softened a little. Add capsicum, pineapple pieces. Cook another minute, drain and set aside. Combine vinegar, pineapple juice, tomato sauce, ginger, sugar and salt in a saucepan and heat. Blend cornflour in a little water and stir into a sauce. Bring to the boil, cook 1 minute. Add onions, capsicums, pineapple, pickles and tuna chunks and heat through. Serve with noodles or rice.
 
 
Tomato and Pineapple Salad  
 
4 medium sized tomatoes; 4 slices of fresh pineapple; ¾ cup sliced celery; 1 cup cubed cucumber; chopped parsley; lettuce leaves; ½ quantity yoghurt dressing; French dressing; pepper
 
Peel and quarter tomatoes, cut pineapple into cubes and put all in a bowl. Mix in celery, cucumber, salt and pepper, chill well. Spoon the yoghurt dressing over and toss lightly. Tear lettuce into bite size pieces, put into bowl and sprinkle with 1 dstsp French dressing. Top with tomato-pineapple mixture and a good sprinkling of parsley.


Pineapple Slaw
1 can (425g) pineapple pieces; 3 cups shredded cabbage; ¾ cup coarsely grated carrots; ½ cup sliced celery; ½ cup coleslaw salad dressing; 1 medium sized green capsicum; 1 tblsp thinly sliced shallots; pepper; salt
Combine cabbage, carrot, celery, drained pineapple pieces, capsicum and shallots, chill well. Just before serving, add salt and pepper and the dressing. Toss lightly.
 

Friday 3 February 2017

What to do with The Big Pineapple

A couple of great links here (thanks Leila) to info on The Big Pineapple in Queensland where they're planning a revamp – they're welcoming ideas from the public . . .


http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/big-plans-to-restore-big-pineapple-to-former-glory/3136450/




http://www.bigpineapple.com.au/attraction/