The Good Life
Guest Presenters
Janelle Bloom www.janellebloom.com.au
Janelle's Tips and Recipes
CWA Scones
Makes 20
- 4 cups self raising flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup pouring cream
- 375ml-400ml milk
- double cream & strawberry jam, to serve
1. Preheat oven 250°C no fan. Lightly grease large flat oven tray.
2. Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Add cream and 375ml (11/2 cups) milk. Use a flat bladed knife to stir to a soft dough adding more milk if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together.
3. Press dough out to 2cm-thick. Use a 51/2cm round scone cutter to cut as many scones from dough as possible. Press dough together gently, rolling it a 21/2cm-thick, cut more scones, repeat to get 20 scones. Place onto tray just touching each other.
4. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and well risen. Serve hot with jam and cream.
Orange Hummos
Makes 8
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2x300g cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained
- 3 large oranges, rind finely grated, juiced
- 2 tbs tahini
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1. Combine oil, chickpeas, orange rind, 1/2 cup orange juice, tahini, garlic, and 1/4 tsp of the cayenne pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth.
2.Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding the remaining cayenne pepper, if desired. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the dip and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Microwave poached eggs
1. Lightly grease a microwave-safe ramekin or teacup. Crack the egg into the ramekin or cup.
2. Pierce the yolk carefully with a toothpick (this prevents yolk membrane from popping), do not add salt.
3. Cover with a piece of damp paper towel, elevate on a microwave-safe rack or upturned plate so it sits 2cm off the turntable.
4. Cook 1 egg on Medium low/Defrost/30% for 45-60 seconds (eggs should be slightly under cooked to your liking as they will continue to cook on standing) . Allow to stand 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, serve on hot buttered toast.
Cook 2 eggs for 11/2- 2 minutes on Medium low/Defrost/30%
Cook 4 eggs for 3-4 minutes on Medium-Low/ Defrost/ 30%
Janelle's defrosting meats in microwave tips
1. Always remove food from the plastic bag or wrapping before defrosting. If left covered, as the meat begins to defrost, moisture drops to the base of the bag and starts to heat up, causing steam, its this trapped steam that starts to cook the edges of the food.
2. If meat is frozen on a Styrofoam tray, always unwrap (see above) and remove from the tray before defrosting or as soon as possible if its stuck to base. Styrofoam trays are not microwave-safe.
3. Elevate meat on a microwave-safe rack or upturned saucer over a plate when defrosting, so the food is not sitting in its own moisture as it thaws.
Fresh Ginger
Fresh ginger is described as a root but is technically a rhinezome. Known and used for both its medicinal properties and cooking use in South-east Asian, Japanese, Middle Eastern, North Africa and central Indian cuisine.
Australia is one of the worlds most important ginger producers with the majority coming from farms in Buderim Queensland.
Fresh is always best, so to store unused fresh ginger, peel and place into a clean sterilized jar. Cover with shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine made from fermented rice) which is available from Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets, alternately use sweet cooking sherry, secure the lid and refrigerate for up to 1 month. As you need fresh ginger remove from the jar and prepare following recipe. The ginger flavoured liquid can also be used in marinades, sauces and stir-fries.
Quick ideas with ginger
- Make a ginger honey drink to sooth sore throat; thinly slice a 4cm piece unpeeled ginger and place in a heatproof glass. Pour over boiling water. Stand 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey and drink warm.
- Place slices of unpeeled ginger into the cavity of a chicken before roasting.
POTATOES
With so many varieties of potatoes available is it any wonder we are all confused which to use, here are my pics.
- Chips; king Edward are my favourite but you can use Sebago (dirty ones) or golden delight.
- Mash; Use washed ones called coliban, Sebago or my pic Spunta- you will only find spunta at green grocers.
- Roast- Sebago or pontiac.
- Potato salad- Kipfler or lady crystl.
- Scallop potatoes- Pontiac & Nicola
Store potatoes in a well ventilated dark cupboard either in a basket or brown paper bag. Do not store in plastic bags as this causes them to sweat and deteriorate quickly.
AVOCADOS
Although we can buy avocado all year round but there are plenty of my favourite Hass (dark rough skin) around at the moment at good price.
Choosing ripe avocado, the skin colour is no indication of ripeness. The only way to know if avocado is ripe is to hold gently in your hand, it should be supple not soft, check the stem end by gently pressing, it should have a little give.
To speed up the ripening process place in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple at room temperature. These fruits give off natural ethylene gas which helps speed up the ripening.
Get yourself a copy of Janelle's cookbook "Fast, Fresh and Fabulous"
www.janellebloom.com.au
