Wrapped Pastrami with Feta, Yellow Capsicum and Eggplant

A 10 out of 10 for flavour and enjoyment,. The oily lemon moistness of the eggplant, the salty tang of the feta, the spice of the pastrami, the freshness of the lettuce and cucumber … and there is still the capsicum! The extra lemon drizzled over brings out the taste of the eggplant and feta. Extremely tasty and well balanced.

Per Serving

Quantities in wrap recipes do not have to be exactly measured, they can be determined by your own food preferences.

• One Freyas Spinnach and Garden Herb Wrap
• Pastrami, sliced
• Small amount of Feta Cheese
• Baby Lettuce leaves
• Cucumber, peeled and sliced
• Sliced Yellow Capsicum
• Two 10mm slices Eggplant, peeled and diced
• Juice of half a Lemon.

Sautee the capsicum and eggplant in a little oil until lightly browned, adding the eggplant after the capsicum has lightly browned, tossing regularly as the oil gets absorbed to prevent burning. You may add a little more oil but do not keep feeding oil to eggplant, it picks up any liquid beautifully. . Transfer to small oven dish and add the lemon juice, place in a moderate oven to soften.

To assemble the wrap, warm wrap in the oven for 40 seconds approx. Lay down the lettuce, cucumber, pastrami, eggplant and capsicum (ensure the eggplant is evenly distributed along the wrap as it  provides moisture to the recipe)

Can dress with extra lemon juice. Fold over the bottom of the wrap to seal one end, roll, eat and enjoy.

Wrapped Smoked Chicken with Asparagus, Lemon Blue Vein Sauce.

A warm dish for lunch or dinner, satisfying and filling, the Lemon Sauce complimenting the liquid smokiness of the chicken, the fresh green taste of the asparagus and the blue vein adding a richness to it all. Can be accompanied by Roast Pear and a green salad

Per Serving

Quantities in wrap recipes do not have to be exactly measured, they can be determined by your own food preferences.

• One Freyas Spinnach and Garden Herb wrap
• Smoked chicken flesh, torn into medium sized pieces
• Four asparagus spears
• Yellow Capsicum, sliced
• Butter, Flour
• Juice of one lemon
• Blue Vein cheese to crumble
• Salt

Trim the asparagus to remove the hard stalk end, peel the bottom of the stalk with a potato peeler. Blanch asparagus in boiling water until softened to your taste. Remove them from the water and reserve water for the sauce.

To make the sauce, melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour to make roux, add the asparagus water in a stream. The sauce should be thin. Stir until the consistency is stable, add lemon juice and crumbled blue vein cheese to your taste and adjust seasoning.

Sautee the yellow capsicum until softened, add the smoked chicken to warm through. Add a little of the sauce to assist warming.

To assemble the wrap, warm wrap in moderate oven for 40 seconds approx, lay down chicken and capsicum mixture and pace asparagus spears on top. Roll the wrap without tucking in the end, as this is a warm plated dish. Plate and dress with sauce.

This dish is well accompanied by Roasted Pear, and a green salad. Peel, halve and core the pears and roast in oven. The sweetness of the pear  contrasts beautifully with smokiness of the chicken and the tang of the lemon sauce.

Wrapped Sliced Sirloin in Soy Sauce with Yellow Capsicum and Eggplant.

A substantial, high quality lunch, rare sirloin and soy giving satisfaction, eggplant adding a beautiful moistness, the salad ingredients a fresh lunchtime flavour..

Per Serving

Quantities in wrap recipes do not have to be exactly measured, they can be determined by your own food preferences.

• One Freyas Roasted Capscicum and Garlic Wrap
• Rocket Lettuce
• Sirloin steak, diced, approx 100 gm
• A few thin slices Yellow Capsicum
• Diced eggplant
• Oil to sautee
• Soy Sauce

Sautee the sliced capsicum in a little oil, adding the eggplant when the capsicum has just started to brown.  Eggplant absorbs oil quickly, so turn the eggplant, allowing both sides to brown. While oil is still available. A little more oil can be added, if the pan is too dry, but do not over feed oil to eggplant. Allow it to heat along with the capsicum in a dry pan,  Add a little water when the eggplant looks seared on the outside. Transfer the eggplant, capsicum and water to a small baking  dish and place in a moderate oven. The water and capsicum juice will allow the eggplant to soften through.  Turn after a few minutes.

Sautee the steak to your taste, remove from heat and discard excess oil from the pan. Add soy sauce to the pan while it is still warm, allowing the sauce to caramelize slightly and to coat the steak

Warm the wrap for 40 seconds in the oven if eating immediately, if it is to be eaten later the finished wrap will be warmed through in a microwave.

To assemble the wrap, lay Rocket, steak, eggplant and capsicum, drizzle over some soy from the steak pan. Fold over the bottom of the wrap to seal one end, roll, eat and enjoy..

Wrapped Prawns with Avocado, Orange Sesame Dressing

Beautiful combination of prawns with avocado, a citrus dressing  and an appealing after taste of sesame. A classy, light lunch..

Per serving

Quantities in wrap recipes do not have to be exactly measured, they can be determined by your own food preferences.

• One Freyas Soy and Linseed Wrap
• 1 tspoon crushed ginger, more to taste
• Rocket Lettuce
• Four medium sized prawns, pre cooked.
• Cucumber, peeled and sliced.
• Avocado. Peeled and sliced.
• Sesame seeds to taste
• Salad oil for dressing
• Half an orange for squeezing
• Large sprig of parsley
• Small pinch salt

Smear centre of the wrap with crushed ginger, drizzle a little squeezed orange juice on the ginger to moisten for spreading. Heat the wrap briefly in moderate oven to warm.

Lightly sautee the peeled prawns in oil if they are precooked, warming them through.

Toast sesame seeds in a very small amount of oil, roasting in a low oven around 100C, remove from the pan as soon as they are dark enough, pat on a paper towel to remove excess oil

Prepare dressing of 4 parts oil, 3 parts orange juice, small pinch of salt. Stir into a creamy emulsion.. Add the toasted sesame seeds to the dressing.. A conventional vinaigrette of oil and vinegar could also be used, the freshness or orange juice is preferred here.

To assemble the wrap. Lay Rocket, sliced cucumber, sautéed prawns, sliced avocado, drizzle with dressing and finish with torn parsley. Fold over the bottom to seal one end, roll, eat and enjoy

Fish Soup with Chilli and Cucumber

A very  satisfying  flavor combining the warmth of the chilli paste, the freshness of cucumber with a deep fish stock. Serve with French bread croutons lightly grilled.

Ingredients

1 medium white onion, peeled, halved and sliced

Oil for sautee

• 1 tspoon  Healthy N Fresh Crushed Chilli
• 1 level dsp flour
• 1 Litre fish stock
• 75 gms telegraph cucumber, peeled and sliced
• Salt to taste, pepper if desired
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• Broccoli flowerettes, chopped small
• Ta Choy or other leafy green vegetable as desired
• 500 gms  diced firm white fish – Monk or Hapuka ideal.

 Fish Stock

Prepare as normal, simmer fish frames in water with one lemon sliced in half and a sprinkle of Rock Salt. Drain stock when ready, about 45 minutes. Add the sliced cucumber and puree in a food processor. The cucumber will become slightly frothy, pour the stock through a sieve to remove any remaining cucumber . Set aside. This can be done the day before or earlier, it freezes well.

 Assembling the Soup

Sautee the onion over low to medium heat until soft and pale, add the chilli paste, flour and stir together. Pour in fish stock.  Add diced potato and cook until potato firm but still firm but partly cooked. Coat the diced fish in flour and lightly brown in oil, seasoning as desired. Add broccoli flowerettes and the Ta Choy to the soup. Adjust seasoning and simmer for a few minutes more until the vegetables are just softened. Add the fish at the last minute, as it will cook through quickly.

Serve with lightly grilled French bread croutons

Serves two ..

Vegetable Stock

A flavoursome, fat free, aromatic vegetable cooking liquid, ideal for sauces, soups, casseroles, without adding animal products

Ingredients

A little oil for sautee

• 1 bunch celery
• 1 large brown onion, peeled and quartered
• Stem material from broccoli, quartered
• Half a large lemon, seeds removed, skin removed down to the white covering
• 2 Litres water
• A 1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 large cloves Garlic, peeled and halved
• 1 dspoon Rock Salt
• 1 dspoon Peppercorns
• 2 small tspoons Sesame Oil

Remove the base from the celery, remove the top leaf section, and lightly peel away any obvious string fibre from the outside of the stalks, using a kitchen knife to cut gently into the top of the stalk and press the string fibre against the knife with your thumb, pull down the stalk and discard the peelings.

Chop the celery stalks into manageable pieces

Warm a little oil in a stock pan, add the chopped celery stalk, onion, garlic and ginger, and sautee, stirring, constantly, to slightly soften all ingredients.

Add the water, lemon, broccoli, salt and pepper, and sesame oil.

Add the celery leaf.

Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 20 minutes, then drain through a sieve.

Chicken Soup with Kumara and Ginger

Combining sweetness from kumara with the warmth of ginger and the fresh bite of leek, a satisfying meal in itself. The soup could be served as a starter without adding the chicken breast. With the chicken breast and served with French bread croutons lightly grilled it is a delicious meal. .

Ingredients

• Chicken stock 1.5 Litres
• Orange kumara (two medium sized), peeled 300 -350 gms
• 1 medium white onion, peeled, halved and sliced
• Sesame oil 2 dspoon
• Canola or other mild oil 1 dspoon
• Healthy N Fresh Crushed Ginger 2 tspoon
• Flour 1 level dspoon
• Salt to taste, pepper if desired
• 1 leek, white and light green stem, sliced.
• Chicken breast, skin off, diced 600 gms
• Extra Flour for dusting chicken breast
• Extra oil for chicken breast.

 Chicken Stock

Prepare as normal, simmer chicken frames in water with a sprinkle of Rock Salt. Drain stock when ready, about 45 minutes. Add the diced peeled kumara, simmer until cooked and puree in a food processor. Set aside. This can be done the day before or earlier, it freezes well.

 Assembling the Soup

Sautee the onion in the sesame and canola oil over low to medium heat until soft and pale, add the ginger paste, flour and stir together. Pour in chicken  stock.  Add sliced leek and continue to simmer. Adjust seasoning.

Coat the diced chicken breast in flour and lightly brown in oil. Add to the soup at the last minute, it will cook through quickly.

Serve with lightly grilled French bread croutons

Serves three a  meal, four as a starter.

A lovely blend with the sharp green freshness of leek and celery, the warm earthy taste of potato and parsnip, natural root vegetable companions.

Ingredients

• Oil 2 tbspoon
• 1 medium onion
• Celery (1 stalk) 80 gms
• Leek, whites and pale green (two stalks) 200 gms
• Garlic, peeled 3 cloves
• Potato (two medium sized potatoes) 300 gms
• Parsnip 100 gms
• Chicken stock 2 Litres
• Chopped celery leaf 1 tbspoon
• Cloves 1/4 tspoon
• Rock salt (or season with table salt) 1 1/2 tspoon
• Cream 100 ml

Adjust Seasoning salt and pepper

Assembling the Soup

Peel and dice the potato and parsnip, slice the leeh and remove obvious string fibre from the celery stalk (cut stalk in half and then remove the newly exposed string fibre as well, catching the fibre between your thumb and a peeling knife to strip). Peel halve and slice the onion and garlic.

Saute the onion, celery, leek and garlic in the oil over a low heat until the mix appears soft and shiny.

Add the chicken stock, potato, parsnip, celery leaf, cloves and salt. This soup could take any spice of your choice, but do not overpower the delicacy of the parsnip / potato base flavours.. The leek and celery add a fresh, green sharpness of their own. This recipe is not heavily spiced

Simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

Drain the liquid through a colander / sieve, and puree the solids in a food processor using the soup liquid and a portion of the cream (it is easy to process this recipe in two portions).

Return the pureed solids and the soup liquid to the soup saucepan, season to taste and bring back to serving temperature.

Serve with lightly grilled French bread croutons.

Cream of Cauliflower and Blue Vein Cheese Soup

Beautifully balanced. Rich and creamy with a strong but not overpowering taste of Blue Vein, this soup will impress.

Serves four people.

Ingredients

• One onion, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 700 gms cauliflower, trimmed and roughly chopped.
• 200 gms Potato, peeled and chopped.
• 100 gms Parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 1.75 Litres Chicken Stock
• 100 gms Blue Vein Cheese (a Creamy Blue is suitable).
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• 125 ml Cream

Gently sautee the onion and garlic in a little oil until the onion is softened. Add the vegetables and bring to a simmer. If you had previously added rock salt while cooking the chicken stock, the soup may not need any more seasoning.  Do not over salt as you will be adding the Blue Vein Cheese later.

Once the cauli is soft to a knife, separate the solids. Place a manageable amount of solids in the food processor, add stock, half the Blue Vein Cheese, and some cream, and process to smooth. Pour that mixture back into a clean saucepan and repeat until all the soup is processed, using the rest of the Blue Vein.

Bring the soup back to serving temperature, there is no need for this soup to boil. Adjust seasoning if you wish, and serve. You can crumble extra Blue Vein over the soup but you may not find it necessary.

Serve with lightly toasted French bread croutons.

Ginger Crunch with Walnut

This is a Ginger Crunch with real crunch, enhanced by the walnut, and an icing with ginger bite that is not overly dominated by icing sugar, soft and buttery to compliment the crunchy biscuit base.

For a slice tin approx 28 mm by 18 mm (internal dimensions)

Biscuit Base

• Butter 150 gms
• Golden Syrup 2 dsp
• Brown Sugar 120 gms
• Rolled Oats 125 gms
• Flour 150 gms
• Baking Powder 1.5 tspoons
• Mrs Rogers Naturals Powdered Ginger 1.5 tspoons
• Walnut Pieces 50 gms

Icing

• Butter 90 gms
• Golden Syrup 9 dsp
• Mrs Roberts Naturals Ground Ginger 8 tspoons
• Icing Sugar 250 gms

Line the slice tin with grease proof paper. Preheat oven to 180 C

Making the Base

In a mixing bowl, place the rolled oats, and sieve in the flour, baking powder and ginger. Chop the walnut pieces so they will combine, but not too fine. Add the walnut to the mixing bowl and combine everything well.

In a saucepan over moderate heat, combine the butter, golden syrup and brown sugar, stirring gently. When melted and to a temperature lukewarm to the back of the little finger, pour into the mixing bowl and stir through quickly. When mixture is consistent, pour it into the slice tin, and spread down to even using the back of a desert spoon run under the hot water tap.

Working with Golden Syrup

Bring the Golden Syrup to room temperature, and it will be easy to work with. If it is not at room temperature, wet a dessert spoon under hot water and use a tspoon also run under hot water to help remove the syrup from the dessert spoon. As soon as you can, soak the golden syrup saucepan in hot water, to dissolve the remaining syrup and allow easy washing.

Bake the base for 17 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Making the Icing

Chop the butter to small pieces and place in the saucepan over medium heat. Sieve in the icing sugar and ginger, add the golden syrup. Allow to melt, stir gently as required, gently to avoid beating air into the mixture. When the mixture is hot enough to have the icing sugar well dissolved, pour onto the base. The icing will spread evenly by tilting the slice tin as required, the back of a spoon run under the hot tap can also be used.

Place in the refrigerator and allow to set.

Green Eyes Smiling.

Kiwifruit Non Alcoholic Cocktail

A dry, clean and refreshing late afternoon cocktail, free of the sugary soda taste, and with real depth. You could add Vodka, but this is not necessary with this sophisticated but simple blend.

Per Serving

• 250 ml Nekta Liquid Kiwifruit or Nekta Kiwifruit Reduced Sugar
• 1/2  tspoon Ginger paste
• 3 mm section cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 tspoons Lime juice
• Sprig of Mint leaves
• Sparkling Mineral Water

Pour Nekta Kiwifruit, Lime juice, ginger, sliced cucumber in a mixing bowl, add mint leaves and muddle. Stand in the fridge for 30 minutes, muddle again.

Sieve into a tall glass over ice, with a tspoon press down on the ginger / cucumber / mint to extract any available liquid. Top with Sparkling Mineral Water, about two thirds Kiwifruit mixture / one third mineral water. Add a slice of cucumber, garnish with mint.

Feijoa Coconut Crumble Slice

To every thing there is a season, one of the satisfying aspects of cooking. Autumn has sunshine rich and mellow, beautiful colours, and feijoas, tamarillos and pears. Feijoas are very common in Auckland, often free or sold cheaply by children in roadside stalls, as domestic trees are common. The fresh citric tang cries out for a crumble topping, running with cream

My Slice Pan                      17 mm wide by 27 mm long

Portions                              You could get 16 portions, but this is very easy to eat

Ingredients

• Butter 220 gms
• Caster sugar 250 gms (1 cup)
• Vanilla Essence 1 tspoon
• Self raising flour 350 gms 
• Desiccated Coconut 50 gms 
• Coconut Thread 50 gms 
• Feijoas, peeled and sliced into 4 or 5 slices,10 Feijoas
• Caster Sugar 60 gms 
• Cinnamon 1 tspoon
• Ground Ginger 1 tspoon
• Grease the slice pan with additional butter and line with grease proof baking paper, leaving enough paper up the sides of the slice pan to prevent crumble topping getting messy later. . Preheat the oven to 180C.

In a large mixing bowl sitting in a saucepan of shallow water on the stove element, mix the butter and the 250 gms sugar, beating well with a wooden spoon as it mixes to a pale and slightly lighter consistency. Take it off the heat as soon as the butter softens somewhat. Stir in the vanilla essence.

While the butter / sugar are melting, sieve the self raising flour into a second mixing bowl, add the desiccated coconut, and stir in well. Add this mixture to the butter / sugar mix.

   Divide this mixture in three. Combine two of the portions, and press into the slice pan, using the back of a dessert spoon run under the hot tap to smooth the mixture into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes or so until it starts to turn lightly golden. It will be starting to rise a little around the edges.

While that is baking, add the coconut thread to the remaining third mixture portion, cover in wrap and place in the fridge for 10 minutes.

With a sharp knife, top and tail the feijoas, peel, and slice into four of five slices. Place them in a smaller bowl. Sprinkle over the 60 gms caster sugar and sieve in the spices. Toss using a spatula or spoon.

Take the slice base from the oven. Arrange the feijoas in the base, pushing extra slices in and do not be afraid to double stack, using up all the fruit. Spoon the residual liquid from the fruit over the feijoas.

Take the remaining  third mixture, crumble it with finger tips but it is fine to leave some lumps, and sprinkle over the slice.

Bake for 27 minutes, approx, the crumble will have a golden colour, which may be uneven.

This is delicious hot or cold, served just with runny cream, but whipped cream would be good too.

 

Apple and Peach Crumble

Nothing says autumn more than a fruit crumble, layers of sweetness, of crisp apple bite semi caramelized, a chewy oat crumble and plenty of softly whipped cream. Who cares if winter is coming.

My Baking Dish            175 mm wide by 275 mm long, internal measurements

Ingrdedients

• Four medium Granny smith (green) apples
• 5 medium Golden Queen peaches

Crumble

• Plain flour, ¾ cup
• Rolled Oats, ¾ cup
• Caster sugar, ½ cup
• Butter, 125 gms
• Zest of 3 small to medium lemons
• Salt, ¼ tspoon

Fruit seasoning

• Caster sugar, 2 dsp
• Brown sugar, 1 dsp
• Cinammon, ½ tspoon
• Juice of half lemon
• Butter to dot apples

Grease the baking dish lightly with butter, and line with baking paper.

 Mixing the Crumble

Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, add the Rolled Oats, salt and Lemon Zest. Mix the dry ingredients to combine thoroughly. Add the butter chopped into small cubes. Leave this aside, not mixing in the butter at this stage, until the fruit is prepared.

Preparing the Fruit

Cut the apples in quarters, peel and core. Cut the quarters into two pieces lengthways, and hold them in a bowl of cold water with the juice of half a big lemon, or a whole small to medium lemon, to prevent browning. Take the peaches, run the knife around the diameter, cutting into the stone, then from the middle of the peach, cut out wards to get large pieces. Cut these to approximately 20 mm pieces.

Putting Everything Together

Drain the apples, and pat dry with a paper towel. Place apple pieces into the base of the baking dish. Combine the dry seasoning, caster sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon, well, and sprinkle over the apples. When half the seasoning has been sprinkled on, squeeze the lemon juice over the apples, then sprinkle on the rest of the seasoning. Dot the apples liberally with butter. Lay the peach pieces on top of the apple.

Using your fingers and thumbs, mix the butter well into the dry crumble mixture, getting all the butter broken down and making sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated well. Sprinkle the crumble over the fruit, making sure it goes evenly into the corners. Lightly press the crumble down with your finger tips.

Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake at 180C for 45 minutes. The crumble will look golden. Serve with lightly whipped cream, or your own choice of accompaniment.

Spiced Pomegranate Sauce

 Beautifully balanced between sweet, tart and spicy notes, with the added zing of ginger, this sauce is ideal served warm over ham.

Ingredients

• 250 ml Pomegranate Juice
• Juice of 1 orange
• 4 big tspoons Golden Syrup
• ¼ tspoon salt
• ½ tspoon ground cloves
• ½ tspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ tspoon ground paprika
• 2 tspoons pickled ginger, drained off brine.

Start to warm the Pomegranate juice in a saucepan, add the Golden syrup when juice is warm enough to dissolve it, add the orange juice salt and spices, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add the pickled ginger, drained of all the pickling brine, and simmer gently for another 10 minutes.

Afghan Biscuits

Ingredients for the Biscuit

• Butter 200 gms    Softened to room temperature
• Caster Sugar 1/2 cup
• Flour 1 cup
• Cocoa Powder 1/4 cup
• Salt 1/4 tspoon
• Cornflakes 1 1/2 cups
• Vanilla Essence (optional)

Grease a baking sheet with butter and line with baking     paper.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. There are good videos on  You Tube showing how to do this using a hand held electric  beater. Add the vanilla essence to the butter sugar mix.

In another bowl, sieve the flour, salt and cocoa powder and mix these ingredients together well. Add the cornflakes to the dry ingredients last, and don’t mix them in at this stage.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter / sugar, mix in using your fingers to the get the butter  well mixed through, and the cornflakes evenly distributed

Take small handfulls of mixture, form it into a flat biscuit and place the biscuit on the baking tray, flattening it somewhat with the back of a fork.

Bake at 175 degrees Celsius. Remove the biscuits from the baking sheet to prevent the bottoms from over cooking, and leave to cool.

Chocolate Icing

• Cocoa Powder 1 1/2 dspoon
• Icing Sugar 1 1/4 cups
• Butter softened 2 dspoon (two thin sticks approx)
• Vanilla Essence 1/2 tspoon
• Boiling water  5 dspoon

Sieve the cocoa powder and icing sugar into a bowl. Add the vanilla essence to the softened butter and add both to the cocoa powder / icing sugar. Add the boiling water one spoon at a time, stirring through until the mixture becomes an icing. You want an icing that is not too thick and not too thin, and has a lovely shine.

When the biscuits have cooled, apply the icing using a dspoon run under the hot water tap.

    Garnish

• Apply walnut halves,  one per biscuit

Baklava

Very sweet, very delicious, with a lemon syrup taste that will stay with you and ask for more. This can be served warm with ice cream for a dinner party delight.

For a slice tray 270 mm by 175 mm by 4 mm deep

Honey and Sugar Syrup

Honey Syrup