Saturday 30 September 2017

Mary Poppins and the children cook pineapple fritters

Mary Poppins in the Kitchen: A Cookery Book with a Story, P. L. Travers and Maurice Moore-Betty (culinary consultant), illustrated by Mary Shepard 1975 London



   ‘ “Where shall we begin?” said Jane.
   “At the beginning,” said Mary Poppins. “First of all you wash your hands, and then you remember three useful things. Always let me switch on the stove, keep away from steaming kettles, and never use the sharper knives unless I am standing by.”
   “Yes, Mary Poppins,” they said gravely. And then they were set to work.’




Pineapple Fritters
THE BATTER: 75g (2/3 cup) flour; ½ tsp salt; 40ml (2 tblsp) oil – salad or olive – or melted butter; 120ml beer or lukewarm water; 1 large egg white
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil or melted butter. Draw the flour in from the sides while you add the beer or water a little at a time. When half has been added, beat thoroughly and add the other half. Allow the batter to rest for an hour. Just before you want to use it, beat the egg white till stiff and fold it into the batter.
1 can of pineapple rings; 3 – 4 tblsp butter
Dry the pineapple rings in paper or a clean cloth. Heat the butter in a heavy pan and, when hot, di rings into batter to coat evenly. Cook in hot butter till golden brown – about two minutes on each side. Lift our and drain on paper.
Sprinkle with sugar and serve hot as a dessert.

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Ambrosia (pineapple) omelet

Creative Cooking for Two, edited by Jane Solmson 1988 (from the Creative Cooking Series) 


Ambrosia Omelet
“Nice for a ladies’ luncheon or a summer brunch”
Fruit topping: ½ cup yoghurt; 2 tsp sugar; ½ cup sliced strawberries; ½ cup drained pineapple tidbits; ½ banana, sliced; ¼ cup flaked coconut, toasted
Combine ingredients; set aside
Omelet: 1 tblspn butter or margarine; 4 eggs; ¼ tspn salt; ¼ tspn grated lemon peel
Melt butter in 25cm skillet or omelette pan.
Lightly mix eggs, salt, and lemon peel with fork; pour into skillet. As egg mixture sets, lift edges to allow uncooked portions to run underneath. When omelette is cooked through but still moist, top with fruit mixture.
Gently roll omelet out of pan onto warm platter. Serve at once.

Wednesday 20 September 2017

Chicken Caramba

This gem of a brooch was made for me by Jenny Trevethan of the Felt Stich Dye Garden, I love it, Anne


https://thefeltstitchdyegarden.com/



The Tasty Chicken Cookbook, edited by Geraldine McManus, Sydney 1982



Casserole Chicken: Chicken Caramba

850g can pineapple pieces; 2 chicken stock cubes, crumbled; 1 tblsp soy sauce; 1 kg chicken pieces; 1 cup sliced spring onions or shallots; 1 red capsicum, seeded and finely sliced; 2 tblsp cornflour; 2 tblsp white rum (optional)

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid. Make liquid up to 1 ½ cups, if necessary, with water. Add stock cubes and soy sauce.

Place drained pineapple pieces and chicken into a casserole dish. Pour liquid mixture into casserole. Cover and bake in a moderate oven 180°C for 45 minutes. Remove casserole, add spring onions or shallots, capsicum and cornflour blended with a little water. Return to oven 20 minutes.

If used, pour rum over casserole just before serving. Serve with rice and a crisp tossed salad.

Serves 4

Saturday 16 September 2017

Space Kitchen Pineapple

The Pineapple Princesses couldn't resist an opportunity to visit Space Kitchen in a Phillip carpark, Canberra, to taste test their "Pineapple".


A delicious concoction of pineapple cake, coconut mousse and citrus meringue.


"Space Kitchen was born out of the imagination of Canberra’s answer to Adriano Zumbo, Rick De Marco . . . From humble beginnings, the menu creations have escalated into a bevy of creative flavours, unique textures and childish fun on a plate. . . Rick has merged sweet treats and theatre into one, making dining at Space a truly special experience."

from https://www.outincanberra.com.au/venue/space-kitchen/


"Adam and Eve"
apple cheesecake with apple custard and cinnamon spiced apples
and "The Bomb"
chocolate sponge, cherry gel, vanilla crème and chocolate mousse



"Raspberry Dome"
raspberry cheesecake, passion fruit curd and shortbread



"Mushroom"
strawberry cheesecake with chocolate and hazelnut clusters,
vanilla pannacotta and coconut


"I'm a tart"
lemon curd, lavender custard and citrus meringue tart


"Cronut"


"Peach Melba"
peach custard, raspberry jelly, vanilla sponge and passion fruit curd

Tuesday 12 September 2017

Perfect mix: pineapple and pumpkin

Woman’s Day Just Desserts,1983 Sydney  



Pineapple Pumpkin Dessert Cake
Cooking time: 40 - 50 minutes; Serves 6 to 8
185g butter; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; ½ tsp baking powder; ½ tsp salt; 1 ½ tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp allspice; 2 eggs; ¾ cup cooked mashed pumpkin; ½ tsp vanilla essence; ½ cup walnuts or pecan nuts; 1 cup drained, crushed pineapple; ½ cup chopped raisins
Pumpkin icing: 1 tsp butter; 1 ½ cups sifted icing sugar; 250g cream cheese; ½ tsp vanilla essence; 2 tsps lemon juice; ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecan nuts
Preheat oven to moderate (180°C).
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift all dry ingredients together and stir into butter/margarine mixture alternately with the beaten eggs. Stir in pumpkin, vanilla essence, nuts, pineapple and raisins and mix well. Pour into a well-greased lamington tin. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool, then spread with cream-cheese pumpkin icing.
Pumpkin icing: Cream butter, sugar, cream cheese, vanilla essence and lemon juice together until light and fluffy. Mix in nuts and spread over the cooked cake.



Monday 11 September 2017

A pineapple dinner at Ann's place

Ann recently presented a delicious feast of pineapple dishes beginning with a Sputnik.

Cut a thin slice off the bottom of an orange (or grapefruit) and place it on a dish. Into the orange insert toothpicks threaded with a slice of cabanossi, a pickled cocktail onion and a small square of cheddar cheese.
                                      


Bulgogi pork with pineapple
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/bulgogi-pork-pineapple/c5fe9bc2-c06f-44d5-8d44-9a0409f60a2f
                  
"Thinly sliced pork is glazed in a sticky Korean-inspired sauce made from chilli paste, soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar and sesame oil then tucked into steamed buns and served with pineapple and avocado."
Recipe by Curtis Stone.


Ingredients: 2/3 cup (160ml) salt-reduced soy sauce; 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chilli paste), plus more for serving; 3 teaspoons sesame oil; 1 teaspoon peeled ginger, finely chopped; 700g Coles Australian Pork Loin Chops, bones removed, thinly sliced; 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided; Steamed buns, to serve (see notes); 1/4 small pineapple (about 275g), peeled, cored, thinly sliced; 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced; spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally; 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

Method:

  • Step 1
    In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, sugar, sambal oelek, sesame oil and ginger. In a resealable plastic bag, combine pork and half of marinade, turning to coat meat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Reserve remaining marinade at room temperature.
  • Step 2
    Remove pork from marinade. Pat dry. Heat a wok or large heavy frying pan over high heat. Working in 3 batches, add 1 teaspoon canola oil and one-third of pork. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 min or until pork is browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add reserved marinade to wok and simmer for 2 mins or until slightly reduced. Return pork to wok and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until sauce is clinging to pork. Transfer to a bowl.                
  • Step 3
    Using a small knife, split buns and stuff with pork, pineapple, avocado, spring onions, coriander and some extra sambal oelek to taste.
Ann's variations to the recipe - "I used pork fillet instead of chops, rice paper for rolls rather than buns, and I added in snow peas."



Pineapple Magic: delicious, easy recipes for a family on the go, Golden Circle online, Queensland 2010

Thai Prawn (Duck) and Pineapple Curry

Serves 4
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste; 400ml can coconut milk; 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn; 1 tbsp grated palm sugar; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 150g green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds; 16 green prawns, peeled with tails intact; 440g can Golden Circle Pineapple Pieces in Juice, drained; 8 cherry tomatoes, halved; steamed Jasmine rice, to serve; basil leaves to garnish, optional
1. Add curry paste to a hot frying pan and cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, lime leaves, palm sugar and fish sauce and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Add green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the prawns, pineapple and cherry tomatoes and simmer for a further 2 - 3 minutes, or until the prawns are cooked through.
3. Remove lime leaves and transfer curry to serving bowls. Serve with rice and garnish with basil leaves if desired.

Ann's variations to the recipe - "I substituted duck breasts for the prawns.  I cooked the duck first (pan fried and then finished in the oven).  And I use freeze dried coconut powder to make up the milk/cream.  Also I made my own paste which makes all the difference I think."


Red Curry Paste
1 tblspn coriander seeds; 2 tspn cumin seeds; 1 tspn black peppercorns; 2 tspn dries shrimp paste; 1 tspn ground nutmeg; 12 dried or fresh red chillies, rough chopped; 1 cup French shallots, chopped; 2 tblspn oil; 4 stems lemon grass (white part only) finely chopped; 12 small cloves garlic, chopped; 2 tblspn fresh coriander roots, chopped; 2 tblspn fresh coriander stems, chopped; 6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped; 2 tspn grated lime rind; 2 tspn salt; 2 tspn turmeric; 1 tspn paprika
1. Place the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan and heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan constantly.
2. Place the roasted spices and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder and work them until they are finely ground. Wrap the shrimp paste in a small amount of foil and cook under a hot grill for 3 minutes, turning the package twice.
3. Process the ground spices, roasted shrimp paste, nutmeg and chillies in a food processor for 5 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and process for 20 seconds at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula each time, until the mixture forms a smooth paste.
Makes approximately 1 cup. 




Pineapple Choc Clusters
250g slivered almonds; 250g dried pineapple; 250g white chocolate melts

Toast the almonds until very pale golden
Chop the pineapple
Melt the chocolate
Mix all together
Drop teaspoons full onto trays lined with baking paper
Top each with a silver cachou or several
Store in fridge.

Thursday 7 September 2017

Pineapple Lager!

Thanks for suggesting the Pineapple Lager at Kokomo's in Canberra, Ella, delicious,
as was the food !


 Ella also spotted this great gadget for chopping up your fresh pineapple at one of
her local supermarkets !


Monday 4 September 2017

Partying Pineapples

There have been some exciting birthday celebrations in the last month! Starting with Krystal's 21st!

In the kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes, Rosie Daley 1994 London




Fruit Kebabs

“This is an appetizing way to serve fruit – one that will appeal to youngsters as well as to adults. I like to serve fruit kebabs garnished with lime wedges at breakfast along with spiced bran muffins right out of the oven. They also make great snacks or a healthy dessert.”

8 X 30cm wooden skewers; 1 ½ fresh pineapple cubes; 8 X 1cm kiwi slices (2 kiwis); 2 cups cubed papaya (1 papaya); 2 cups cubed watermelon; 16 strawberries, hulled

Thread an assortment of fruit on each skewer with a strawberry at either end. Serve chilled.


Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book, Queensland 2nd edition 1970s


Rice and Corn Salad

1 cup long grain rice; 1 X 450g Crushed Pineapple; 1 can whole kernel corn; 60g smoked almonds; salt and pepper; 60g ham; 2 tblsp chopped parsley; 3 eggs; 2 tblsp water; 60g cheese.
Put rice in large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook 12 minutes, or until tender but still firm, drain, cool. Add drained corn, drained pineapple, half the chopped almonds, the chopped ham and parsley, toss lightly. Spoon into servig bowl.
Beat together the eggs, grated cheese, salt, pepper and water. Pour into well-greased pan, cook over low heat to make an omelette, cut into strips. Arrange on top of salad Sprinkle with remainder of chopped almonds.
Serves 6.

Ella and Les's birthdays!

Woman’s Day Just Desserts,1983 Sydney  
Pineapple and Rum Chocolate Boxes
Cooking time: 25 minutes; Serves 12
340g pkt chocolate cake mix; 450g can pineapple pieces, drained and juice reserved; 3 tblsp rum; ½ cup apricot jam; 3 tblsp water; 1 pkt rum slice biscuits or thin chocolate biscuits; 300ml carton cream, whipped; 2 slices glace pineapple; 1 punnet strawberries
Set oven temperature to moderate (180°C). Lightly grease a 28X18cm lamington tin with melted butter or margarine, then line the bas of the tin with greased greaseproof paper.
Prepare chocolate cake mix as directed on the packet. Pour into the prepared lamington tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cooked. Turn out onto a wire rack.
Finely chop pineapple pieces and measure out ½ cup of the reserved juice. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half in a baking tin and spread with chopped pineapple Top with the remaining half cake.
Prick cake all over with a skewer or fork. Add rum to the reserved pineapple juice and pour over the cake. Leave to stand for about 1 hour, or until the cake has absorbed all the juice. Leave in the fridge overnight.
Cut cake into 12 squares. Heat apricot jam with water until the mixture is smooth, then brush it around the sides of the cake squares.
Press rum slice biscuits around the side of the boxes. Pipe or spoon whipped cream into the centre of the boxes. Decorate with thin slices of glace pineapple and strawberries. Chill well before serving.

And Fran's 60th High Tea celebration!

Summer Pine Slice from Golden Circle’s website

Ingredients:
Base: 4 cups cornflakes, crushed; 150g butter, melted
Filling: 250g cream cheese, at room temperature; 375g can sweetened condensed milk; ¼ cup lemon juice; 450g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple in syrup, drained; 10 strawberries, cut in half for garnish
Method:
1. Combine cornflakes with butter and mix until crumbs are well coated and moist. Press mixture into the base of a 18cm X 28cm slice tin then refrigerate whilst preparing the filling.
2. Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until soft. On low speed, gradually add the condensed milk and the lemon juice mixing until smooth. Fold in the Golden Circle pineapple and then pour the filling over the chilled base.
3. Refrigerate for several hours until filling is firm. Slice into twenty squares and garnish with strawberry half.
Tip: This slice can be served with tropical fruit salad or a passionfruit sorbet for summer dessert option!



Heather also made a beautiful Carrot Pineapple Cake!


Friday 1 September 2017

Pineapple in the Pacific

Gelatine Home Cooking Secrets 1975 Australia

Chicken Hawaiian   
4 tspns gelatine; ½ cup hot water; 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 cups cooked chicken (cut into small pieces); 2 hard boiled eggs; 1 cup finely chopped celery; 425g can crushed pineapple; ½ cup finely chopped almonds; 2 tblspns salad oil; 2 tblspns lemon juice; salt & pepper
Chop whites of eggs. Mix with chicken, celery, pineapple & almonds. Blend oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Add to chicken mixture. Leave for half an hour. Drain off any liquid. Dissolve gelatine in hot water and add to the mayonnaise. Stir into the chicken mixture. Place in small moulds. Chill until firm. Unmould onto salads. Sieve hard boiled egg yolks over the top of the moulds with a sprinkling of parsley.