St George and the Pineapple

The St George “All Electric” Cookery Book published by St George County Council, 1960s, Australia

Baked Hawaiian Charlotte

Slices of bread and butter; 6 bananas; ½ cup pineapple juice; 1 can pineapple; ½ cup breadcrumbs; 1 egg, separated; 1 tspn lemon rind; 1 tblspn lemon juice

Method: grease a mould and line with sliced bread and butter. Moisten the bread with pineapple juice. Mix the breadcrumbs, lemon rind, sliced bananas and chopped pineapple together and mix in the beaten egg yolk and lemon juice. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg white and pour into the lined mould. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs. Oven 230°C, top element off and bottom on medium – 35 minutes. Serve hot or cold with cream or custard. Auto. 230°C, reduce to 200°C.

Spiced Pineapple Punch

1 cup sugar; 4 cups pineapple juice; 1 ½ cups water; ½ cup lemon juice; 1 tspn ground cinnamon; crushed ice; 12 cloves; 1 cup orange juice

Method: Boil together the sugar, water and spices. Strain through cheese cloth and add fruit juices. Chill and pour over crushed ice.

My beautiful niece, Georgina, enjoying a glass of  Spiced Pineapple Punch on
Christmas Eve, Anne.

Pineapple for Christmas

Judging by the amount of pineapple merchandise in the shops this summer I guess the luckiest amongst you will be receiving tropical fruit ornaments this Christmas! Next summer when pineapples and pink flamingoes are deemed passé the Pineapple Princesses will still be cooking up treats from their endless supply of retro recipe books!

Merry Christmas, Ann and Anne.

Aunty Ann’s Christmas 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.

The Australian Women’s Weekly Cookery Book, Prize recipes from our £2,000 Cookery Contest, 1948

Rich Christmas Cake
(This recipe won First Prize of £25)

225g butter; 225g brown sugar; 1 tspn grated lemon rind; 1 tspn vanilla; ½ tspn almond essence; 5 eggs; 225g plain flour; 2 tblspn self-raising flour; ½ tspn each cinnamon, nutmeg, spice, salt; 450g seeded raisins; 450g sultanas; 110g each of sliced crystallised or drained cherries, dates; 2 tblspn each of chopped prunes, diced crystallised pineapple, shredded peel, chopped blanched almonds; quantity rum or sherry; 1 large green apple

Cream butter with sugar, lemon rind, and essences. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift dry ingredients 2 or 3 times, mix half with prepared fruits. Add dry ingredients alternately with floured fruit. Lastly mix in peeled, grated apple. Turn into 23cm round or square cake-tin lined with 3 thicknesses brown paper and one layer of white paper. Surface of cake should be level – a slowly baked cake rises evenly. Place in a very moderate oven (170° C), keep oven temperature steady and bake 4 ½ to 4 ¾ hours. Leave in tin, wrap in clean tea-towel, then in 3 or 4 thicknesses clean paper. Make 3 or 4 weeks before required.

Every 2 or 3 days trickle 1 or 2 tblspn rum or sherry over top off cake and allow it to soak in. If desired, this treatment may be omitted and 2 tblspn rum or sherry added to mixture.

NOTE: Quantities for cake may be doubled and mixture cooked in 25cm tin for approximately seven hours.

Pineapple slushies at the pool. Summer!

The Franciscis, taken on my phone which is not an iphone! Anne.

 

 

Pineapple pastry boats

From Pellaprat’s Great Book of French Cuisine, 1974

Pellaprat's pastry boats

Barquettes aux Fruits Divers (boat shaped pastry cases)

Line some boat shaped tartlet moulds with rich sweet pastry and bake blind (with baking paper and dried peas). When cold, brush the inside with melted chocolate and leave to harden.

Place a layer of confectioners’ custard and place fruit on top (pineapple triangles). Lightly brush the fruit with apricot puree (optional) and surround with flaked roasted almonds.

Anne's not quite boat shaped ones

And look, found at that very cool art gallery MONA in Hobart,

Tasmania!



Unusual Pineapple Dishes

During the last year several dishes using pineapple have been posted on the Unusual Coleslaw blog including these two, the first of which is certainly an unusual combination of ingredients! Thanks Vicki, did you try this one?  Jane tasted the “cocktail” with a blindfold and identified all the ingredients bar the vinegar and sugar. I think her expression says it all! Anne.

http://unusualcoleslaw.blogspot.com.au/

Watermelon Delight

Cut seeded watermelon into cubes, add thinly sliced onion and sliced orange and pineapple pieces - mint can be added for a refreshing taste. Sprinkle with a little sugar and vinegar.

Source: Oodnadatta Cookbook (Oodnadatta: 1986), p.11.

Pineapple and Cheese Spread

Equal quantities of grated cheddar cheese and crushed drained pineapple, a little milk (if required), crushed walnuts.

Method: Mix and melt cheese and pineapple in a small saucepan, adding a little milk if required. Add chopped walnuts.

Use as a spread on cracker biscuits or as a filling for crisp celery fingers.

Source: contributed by Tea Tree Gully Club in A Legacy of Recipes (Adelaide: Legacy Club of Adelaide, 1991), p.45.

Yeoval and Pineapple

Yeoval Central School Centenary Recipe Book NSW 1983

Yeoval is a wonderful little town in Central Western NSW where we lived for several years, Anne.

Chicken Waldorf Salad    

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup chopped chicken; ½ cup chopped celery; ½ cup chopped walnuts; ½ cup sour cream; 2 tblspns French Dressing; 1 tin pineapple pieces; ½ cup chopped apples; ½ cup chopped capsicum; ¼ cup mayonnaise; salt and pepper (May also be added: raisins, finely shredded cabbage).

Method:

Mix well, cover and chill. Best made day before. Serve on lettuce leaves.

 

Minted Pineapple Dip    

Ingredients:

250g cream cheese; 1 cup crushed drained pineapple; ¼ cup finely chopped mint & season to taste.

Method:

Combine all ingredients in blender.