Argentine nougat with pineapple

Antonio Seguí’s recipe in Nadime Haim’s 1988 “The Artist’s Palate”

I made a few adjustments to this recipe and have put them in (brackets) after the original ingredients, Anne

1 pound butter (200g); 1 pound superfine sugar (1 cup castor sugar); 1 pound breadcrumbs (2 cups fresh); 1 pound currants (1 cup); 1 pound roasted almonds (1/2 cup flaked almonds); 1/2 pound pine nuts (here I replaced the pine nuts with 1 cup chopped crystallised pineapple); zest of 10 lemons (I found 2 big lemons to be sufficient, the flavour was   lovely); 1/2 pound lump sugar (1/4 cup sugar); generous amount cinnamon (according to taste) (1 tspn)

Blend the butter and superfine sugar in a heavy pot over low heat until they form a thick paste.

In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients. Add in the butter and sugar paste and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the nougat becomes smooth and creamy and takes on a golden colour. 

Cook over low heat another 10 to 15 minutes. Cool before serving.

I cut the nougat into quite small pieces as it was delicious, but very rich!

Pineapple cheese cake

Advanced Cookery, School of Home Science, Department of Technical and Further Education, Sydney 1976

6 servings

Crust: 4 cups rice bubbles (coarsely crushed); 125g shortening – melted; 60g sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon

Method: Crush rice bubbles roughly, add sugar and cinnamon. Add enough shortening to bind crumbs. Line a spring form tin or press into 2 greased 20cm pie dishes and chill.

Filling: 60g gelatine; 1 cup cold water; 2 eggs; 1 tsp salt; ½ cup cream or evaporated milk; 2 cups crushed pineapple, not drained (must be canned or cooked); 500g Philadelphia cream cheese

Method: Soak gelatine in 1 cup water and dissolve. Combine egg yolks, salt, pineapple and cold water and cook over hot water until thickened. Cool slightly and add dissolved gelatine. Chill over ice stirring continually till partially set. Beat the cream cheese and lemon zest to a smooth cream adding the lemon juice gradually. Blend the pineapple mix into the cream cheese gradually. Put aside to set. Lastly fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and whipped cream. Pour into a crumb lined tin. Chill for at least 4 hrs. Top with drained pineapple jelly glaze.

Glaze: 2 tsp gelatine; ½ cup pineapple juice; ½ cup water; 1 tblsp sugar

Method: dissolve gelatine in water, combine sugar, pineapple juice and gelatine. Allow to partially set, pour over top of cake – chill.

Easy steamed pudding with pineapple

Thanks to Vicky from http://unusualcoleslaw.blogspot.com for this very light, delicious pudding recipe, Anne

Steamed Pudding (No butter, eggs, sugar or flour)

  

1 cup mixed fruit (I used crystallised pineapple, crystallised ginger, sultanas, goji berries)

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon carb.soda, mixed in 1/2 cup milk

1 mashed banana

Method: Put all in basin, steam 3 hours. Delicious.

Source: A Cooks' Tour of Recipes. Published for the Adelaide University S.R.C. [Students' Representative Council]. (Adelaide: Commercial Publications of South Australia, 1955), p.62.

Growing pineapples in Kenya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUNYp3pQGNo

This youtube is an inspiring story by resourceful Peter K Mwangi who developed 1 acre into a 20 acre organic farm producing pineapples and providing employment in Kenya.