Gourmet Salvor

Category: Recipe Reviews

• Beef Stroganoff by Julie Goodwin (24 Aug 13)

  Posted at 9:50 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 24th

  I love Beef Stroganoff. The combination of earthy mushrooms, tender beef and luscious sour cream just makes my mouth water, even now (after having already had a bowl) I want more. Whether you soak up the glorious sauce with rice, pasta or a piece of crusty bread – you have to admit, when cooked well, it is be-U-T-ful!

  

  The recipe I used is by Julie Goodwin, Australia’s First MasterChef (If you are wondering if this is the one I learnt in high school at a microwave cooking class – it’s not. I thought I would spare you the horror of nuking a good piece of steak). If you try this recipe and like it you can check out Julie’s other recipes on her blog at:

  http://www.juliegoodwin.com.au

  This recipe typifies great home cooking. It’s not fancy or fussy and tastes amazing; its simple which gives you more time with your family or in front of the TV with your favourite drama series; and it freezes well for those nights you’re just not up for cooking and would prefer to avoid another bowl of cereal for dinner (yep I do this on occasion).

  I don’t change or add anything to this recipe. It is not too heavy on the stomach, not to light in calories (because that would be a travesty)……it’s just right. Enjoy!

  Beef Stroganoff by Julie Goodwin

  Ingredients:

  • 1 kg round steak, trimmed and sliced very thinly (see note below)
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil 300g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ½ cup beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 300ml sour cream

  Method:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper and paprika.Toss the beef strips thoroughly through the mixture.
  2. In a large, non-stick chef’s pan, heat ¼ of the oil over high heat until it is just smoking.  Place 1/3 of the beef mixture into the pan and toss for 2 minutes until it is golden brown.  It is important to have a large enough pan and not to overcrowd it.  Repeat this process with remaining oil and beef mixture. Reduce the heat to medium high. 
  3. Place the last of the oil in the pan and sauté the mushrooms and garlic until softened.  Add tomato paste and stir for a further minute.  Add stock, Worcestershire sauce and sour cream to the pan.  Return the beef and stir for a minute or two until well combined and warmed through.
  4. Serve with pasta or rice, and steamed green beans or broccoli.

  Note: It is critical that the beef is sliced very thinly for this recipe.  To make this easier, place the steak flat in the freezer for half an hour to an hour, until firmed but not frozen through.  After slicing allow the meat to return to room temperature before cooking.

  Serves: 4

  Complexity Rating: – Easy peasy!

  Taste Rating: – Yummo-licious!

   

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  Posted in Main Meals, Recipe Reviews | Tagged Beef, Beef Stroganoff, Gourmet Salvor, Julie Goodwin, mushrooms, sour cream

• My logo.

  Posted at 1:29 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 10th

  I wanted to include a logo on my blog that reflected the name Gourmet Salvor. I think it is important to have a brand, something that identifies you and your blog immediatley. It is funny how ideas come to you when you least expect them. I was thinking about a logo on the train one day and started doodling on the back of a grocery receipt and this is what was produced. Of course what you see is a vast improvement on the stick like figures with masses of notes and arrows that was delivered to the graphic designer.

  This logo was designed by Mr Jason Johnson, a quietly spoken, reserved and talented graphic designer. His day job is in a publishing department within the Public Service and he is very patient, understanding and accommodating. I would like to thank him very much for transforming my terribly childish scrawling into the inspired design I now have gracing my blog.

   If you have the time, I would be interested to hear what you think of my logo.

  

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  Posted in Recipe Reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged Gourmet Salvor

• Ham and Zucchini Snacks from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine (17 Aug 13)

  Posted at 12:42 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 10th

  Morning tea is an honoured tradition in the organisation where I work. It is a gastronomic institution that occurs every pay day Thursday and the stakes are high. There is an honourable mention made by the director at every morning tea where he highlights the plate of the day. I decided these ham and zucchini snacks were just the thing I needed to produce if I was to have a chance at getting that honourable mention for myself. I do love Better Homes and Gardens magazine where this recipe came from back in 2011.

  

  These cheesy snacks are easy to cook and easy to eat. They have a great savoury muffin flavour but come with an added bonus – a strategically hidden vegetable (in this case zucchini). I work with a lot of men and they love ‘yellow food’ (any thing in pastry that contains MEAT, MEAT, MEAT, MEAT- such as sausage rolls, meat pies or fried protein of any description) dipped in red sauce. These ham and zucchini snacks were yellow in colour, contained meat (ham) but were healthier for them than a fried morsel. I have to admit I advertised them as cheese and ham snacks (deception is not bad if it comes from a place of good intention – my story and I’m sticking to it).

  The reaction was silence – that good silence you get when people are enjoying your food and don’t have time to talk – must eat! They were a hit and I shared the honourable mention with Doug who made these amazing meatballs with home made sweet chilli sauce.

  You can freeze these for up to two months, then reheat for 15-20 minutes. For a vegetarian option, substitute the ham with a generous handful of sun-dried tomatoes.

  Ham and Zucchini Snacks from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

  Ingredients:

  • Cooking oil spray, for greasing
  • 500g zucchini, grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 180g cheddar, grated
  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
  • 4 eggs, lightly whisked
  • sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season
  • 200g leg ham, thinly sliced, torn

  Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200oC/400 oF/gas 6. Grease a 12-hole medium muffin tin with cooking oil spray and line holes with squares of baking paper.
  2. Wrap zucchini in a clean, thin, woven kitchen cloth or muslin. Squeeze to remove excess liquid. Put zucchini in a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, then transfer to bowl with zucchini. Add cheese, flour, parsley and egg and stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Evenly divide ½ the mixture between prepared holes, then top with ham and remaining zucchini mixture. Transfer to oven and bake for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve.

  Makes: 12

  Complexity Rating:– Basically child’s play.

  Taste Rating: – Yummo-licious!

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  Posted in Recipe Reviews, Snacks | Tagged Better Homes and Gardens, cheese, Gourmet Salvor, ham, Ham and zucchini snacks, savoury muffins, zucchini muffins

• Gypsy Eggs from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine (28 Jul 13)

  Posted at 12:07 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 10th

  I have always admired this type of dish (you know the gorgeous tomato based, sausage spiked casserole topped with a beautiful egg with a beaming yolk). When I was organising my torn out magazine recipes into folders I noticed I had collected a large number of this style of dish so I thought it was time I gave it a go. This one was from Australian Better Homes and Gardens magazine from 2010 (I cut off the month when I tore it out of the magazine). I made this for friends who came to visit for the weekend and served it for breakfast.

  

  The ingredient list was enticing, it looked inviting when it came out of the oven but when I tasted it………..I was left disappointed. I didn’t like this version. It seemed to lack that x-factor and failed to deliver on the promise of a spicy explosion (you know the one that keeps you going back for more). The potential was there but it just didn’t do it for me. My guests said it was good and commented they enjoyed it but, I think it was because they didn’t want to upset me (friends do that as we all know) and really who is going to knock back a home cooked meal? In a court of law this assessment of my friend’s thoughts would be considered hearsay so I can’t really speak on their behalf with any authority.

  I used one large ovenproof dish instead of ½ cup sized dishes. I served it in the middle of the table so everyone could serve themselves and accompanied it with a salad of rocket and spinach leaves with a drizzle of oil and balsamic vinegar.

  Gypsy Eggs from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

  Ingredients:

  • 1 large red capsicum
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 chorizo, sliced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 zucchini, finely chopped
  • 2 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapenos
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • salt and cracked black pepper
  • 6 eggs
  • ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped

  Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 200oC/400 oF/gas 6.
  2. Pierce capsicum with a fork and hold over a gas flame or put under a hot grill, turning often, until skin blackens and blisters. Put into a plastic bag and allow to sweet for 15 minutes. Peel off blackened skin, then cut flesh into thin strips and set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add chorizo, onion and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring for a further 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, jalapenos and paprika and bring to a simmer. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and stir to combine.
  4. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes, then add capsicum strips and simmer for a further 10 minutes until liquid has reduced and mixture is thick.
  5. Divide mixture between 6 x 2 cup-capacity ovenproof dishes. Make a well in the centre of each and crack an egg into it. Bake for 15-20 minutes until egg whites have set. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

  Makes: 6 serves

  Complexity Rating: – Simple dimples!

  Taste Rating: – Just edible.

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  Posted in Breakfast, Recipe Reviews | Tagged Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, chorizo, eggs, Gourmet Salvor, Gypsy eggs, tomatoe based breakfast meals

• From the Vault: Creamy Mustard Chicken by Steve Minahan (20 Jul 13)

  Posted at 1:34 pm by Gourmet Salvor

  May 9th

  It seems like a good time to share a recipe with you from the vault. You know that collection of recipes you regularly cook, the staples you pull out when you don’t feel like cooking but know off by heart. They are the dishes you can pretty much throw together in one saucepan, frypan or baking dish and they feed the hungry hoards with little to no complaint (the only usual complaint is that they didn’t get enough). They are not Michelin Star dishes but gee they taste amazeballs!

  This dish was made for me by a gorgeous man named Steve back in the 90’s – I know it is practically medieval cookery! When he made it for me I was impressed on a number of levels. First, I was impressed he was cooking for me and not ordering take out. Second, it tasted good (really good) and third I wanted the recipe.

  I must warn you this is not a dish you can serve every night and it will not fit into any healthy eating regime or diet (just look at the ingredient list!) but, it is the most mouth-watering, more-ish and sinfully delightful meal you can throw together in a rush. It has a great sauce and lots of it, but don’t worry it will be soaked up by the bed or rice you rest it on (be it on a plate or in a bowl). This is one of those dishes every son should know how to make – it should be a bachelor pad essential.

  

  Over the years I have adjusted and tweaked the recipe (well I just can’t help myself!). Sometimes this has been because I want to make the most of the flavours and other times it is because I didn’t have the exact ingredients in the fridge or pantry and had to improvise. And to my surprise it worked.

  My tips and additions are:

  • If you are using Dijon Mustard, double the quantity (it is such a subtle tasting mustard you need to add more to get that mustardy kick!). Sometimes I add even more but adjust it to your taste.
  • On occasion I add the following fresh herbs: 2 sprigs marjoram, 3 sprigs rosemary, 4-6 sprigs thyme and a handful of sage leaves (make sure you chop them finely and don’t include the stems).
  • I regularly substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. Thighs are cheaper and flavoursome (and we know that is because of the fat content). Not that this recipe needs any more fat or calories.
  • You can fill pre-baked vol-au-vents with the cooked mixture just cut the chicken into small pieces or omit the chicken all together – your vegetarian friends will love you. This makes a great houederve (use mini vol-au-vents) or entrée.
  • I have also browned the halved chicken breasts (don’t dice) then placed them on a couple of sheets of filo pastry topped with a spoonful or five of the sauce and then wrapped them into a neat parcel . Pre-cook the sauce as described in steps 1 and 3 of the method then bake the filo in a 180^oC oven for 15-20 mins.
  • If you don’t stir the sauce while it is simmering it will develop a skin – not attractive at all.

  Creamy Mustard Chicken by Steve Minahan

  Ingredients:

  • 1 tin Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 800g Chicken Breast, diced
  • ½ carton Sour Cream
  • 2 tablespoons French or Dijon Mustard
  • ¾ cup Egg Mayonnaise
  • 1 brown onion
  • 500g button mushrooms, sliced
  • sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

  Method:

  1. Brown onion and mushroom then remove from frypan.
  2. Brown chicken lightly.
  3. Add onion and mushrooms and remaining ingredients to frypan and bring to boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stir regularly.
  5. Serve with rice.

  Serves: 4 – 6

  Complexity Rating: – Easy peasy!

  Taste Rating: – Pleasurable!

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  Posted in Main Meals, Recipe Reviews | Tagged chicken, cream of mushroom soup, Creamy Mustard Chicken, Gourmet Salvor, mustard, sour cream, Steve Minahan

• Apple Custard Crumble Cake from Australian Women’s Weekly (29 Jun 13)

  Posted at 5:00 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 4th

  Yes apples again but, this one is like the best of apple crumble and custard combined into one glorious cake – simply brilliant! This recipe is from the Australian Women’s Weekly, May 2013 edition.

  

  This cake was a great surprise. The custard infuses into the cake and gives it an amazing silky texture and the crumble top gives you the sweet crunch with a hint of coconut. It is amazing served straight from the oven (well after the 10 minute cooling time) with a big dollop of double cream. I did cheat with this recipe. I was too lazy to brave the cold and buy more apples from the corner store so I used tin apples. It in no way affected the quality of the cake – well as far as I could tell.

  I also discovered that any leftovers will freeze very well just make sure you thaw it out slowly before eating – don’t give it a quick nuke in the microwave as it destroys the texture of the cake. I do have to reveal that I did want a slice of it for breakfast this morning when I awoke – is that wrong?

  Apple Custard Crumble Cake from Australian Women’s Weekly

   Ingredients:

  •  3 large pink lady apples, peeled, cored, sliced thinly (or 1 tin of apples and skip step 2 in the method)
  • 1/4 cup (62ml) water
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
  • 150g butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups (260g) self-raising flour
  • 2 tablespoon custard powder
  • 2/3 cup (180ml) milk

  Crumble Top

  • ¾ cup (110g) plain flour
  • ¾ cup (165g) brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (75g) shredded coconut
  • 100g butter, softened

  Method:

  1.  Preheat oven to 170^oC/150 ^oC fan forced. Grease and line a 23cm round springform pan.
  2. Lightly stew the apples by placing them in a saucepan with water, cover and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain excess liquid, cool to room temperature.
  3.  Crumble Top Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Remove from processor and set aside in a bowl.
  4. Put eggs and sugar into a food processor and process for 2 minutes until light and creamy (Note: I used a mixer and it worked just as well). Add the softened butter and process until just combined (approx. another 2 minutes).
  5. Add flour, custard powder and milk to the egg mixture and process until just combined.
  6. Pour the cake mix into the cake pan and spread out evenly. Place the stewed (or tin) apples on top, making sure to cover all the cake mix. Sprinkle the crumble over the apple.
  7. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Stand cake for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

  Tips: This is suitable to freeze (especially if you don’t want to share).

  Serves: 8-10

   

  Complexity Rating: – Simple dimples!

  Taste Rating: – scrum-didili-umptious!

   

   

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  Posted in Baking, Recipe Reviews | Tagged Apple, apple cake, apple custard crumble cake, Australian Women's Weekly, custard, custard cake, Gourmet Salvor

• Apple and Butterscotch Pie from Coles Magazine (15 Jun 13)

  Posted at 3:59 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 4th

  Winter 2013 was an apple season for me. I had a bit of an obsession with apples and wanted to cook something other than plain old apple pie (not that there is anything wrong with the classic apple pie, none whatsoever!), so I tried this one from the Coles Supermarket Magazine. I’m not sure what year this was published as the torn page didn’t have the date on it.

  

  This was just beautiful! Do you notice the butterscotch sauce dripping gloriously down the sides? It was lovely and caramelised with syrupy sweet apples and a pie crust that hugged the filling like your grandma would. I decided not to cover the entire top of the pie with pastry circles as I wanted my guests to see the glorious apple stuffing (and I secretly hoped it would increase anticipation levels).

  Most of my guests had seconds and some even thirds and I served it straight from the oven with a choice of vanilla ice cream or double cream. Nanna’s around the world would have been proud!

  Ingredients:

  • 3 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup golden syrup
  • 20 g butter
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 10 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced
  • 2 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

  Method:

  1. Grease a 20cm springform pan. Cut 1 sheet of pastry into 4 strips, lengthways. Place a strip along each edge of second pastry sheet, pressing lightly to join to make one large square. Ease prepared pastry into pan, pressing into base. Trim edges. Prick pastry with fork and chill for 30 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, place brown sugar, syrup and butter in a large saucepan. Stir on low until melted and smooth. Simmer for 2 mins. Place flour and spices in a large bowl. Add apple, toss to coat. Add to syrup. Stir to coat. Simmer for 20 mins stirring occasionally until apples are just tender.
  3. Preheat oven to 180 °C or 160 °C fan forced. Line shell with non-stick baking paper. Fill with rice. Blind bake for 15 mins. Remove rice and paper, bake for 5 mins.
  4. Spoon apples into pastry shell. Using a 4cm round cutter, cut about 30 rounds from remaining pastry. Starting from the outside edge of the pie, arrange rounds, overlapping slightly over apple filling. Brush pastry lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle over caster sugar. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden and crisp. Serve apple pie in wedges with ice cream.

  Serves: 8 (or if you cut the slices thinly 8 people several times over)

  Complexity Rating:– Definitely do-able.

  Taste Rating:  – exceptional!

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  Posted in Baking | Tagged Apple, Apple and Butterscotch Pie, Apple Pie, Butterscotch, Coles, Gourmet Salvor

• Handbag Cake inspired by Taste.com.au (02-03 Jun 13)

  Posted at 11:15 pm by Gourmet Salvor

  May 3rd

  This month’s challenge was a labour of love. I wanted to make a handbag cake for my friend Fiona’s birthday (I can’t mention the number because she would vote me off the island!!!). Fiona is addicted, as many women are, to handbags and I believe she would forego the basics of life to purchase a bag on her wishlist. I asked Mr Google to show me handbag cakes and was inspired by this recipe and design by Taste.com.au:

  

  http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/27690/handbag+cake

  I loved the shape but the decoration was more suited for a young girl so I decided to ‘pimp my cake’ so it was representative of a professional woman of the 21^st Century. Below is my version:

   

  

  Not only does this cake look good but it tastes good. The cake is moist, buttery and fluffy and the icing is not too sweet and balances the crumble of the cake exceptionally well. Warn your friends and family that the icing will make their tongue turn silvery purple but  according to the fashion industry this is the new black!

  Handbag Cake inspired by Taste.com.au

  Equipment:

  You’ll need a 30cm x 40cm cake board, and two 30cm pieces long thin wire (22 gauge). For the cake you will need 2 x 22cm round cake tins, 7cm deep.

  Ingredients:

  • 2 x 340g packets buttercake mix or 2 quantities Homemade buttercake (see recipe below)
  • 40 medium white sugar flowers with silver cachous centre
  • 160 large circular silver cachous
  • 1 packet Fyna 2 metres of Liquorice (this comes in a strap that you can tear into strips)
  • 1 packet soft liquorice pieces (large)

  Buttercream Icing

  • 375g butter, softened
  • 4 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
  • Violet food colouring paste
  • 1 small jar of edible liquid colour in silver (I used the Sugarflair brand)

  Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
  2. Grease two 7cm-deep, 22cm (base) round cake pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper.Make packet cakes following packet directions or homemade cakes (see recipe below). Divide batter between prepared pans.
  3. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through. Stand in pans for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  4. Make icing: Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.Tint icing violet with food colouring.
  5. Spread 1 cake with 1/2 cup icing. Top with remaining cake. Cut one-third from cake. Place cake, cut-side down, on board (it should sit up on the cut base).
  6. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining icing and dust with silver edible liquid colour. Using picture as a guide, place medium white flowers around base of cake. Thread 1 piece of wire into large pieces of soft liquorice and push together. Bend to create handle. Wrap each end of wire with sticky tape to enclose. Insert into cake top.
  7. Tear 4 x 15cm strips from liquroice strap to make a tassle. Fold each strip in half and secure with a piece of wire gauge 1 cm down from the fold. Leave a 3 cm length at one end of the wire so you can push it into the cake near the base of the handle. Wrap end of wire with sticky tape prior to placing in the cake.
  8. Using my picture as a guide, decorate cake with liquorice strips torn from liquorice 2 metre straps and silver circular cachous. I placed a Best Wishes cake decoration on one side of my cake to replicate the bag brand. Serve.

  Serves: 12

  Complexity Rating:  – This is worthy of a scout achievement badge!

  Taste Rating: – delightful!

   

  Homemade Buttercake by Taste.com.au

  Equipment:

  1  x 22cm round cake tin, 7cm deep.

  Ingredients:

  • 125g butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup caster sugar
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup milk

  Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in flour and milk until combined.Spread into prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely

  Serves: 12

  Rating:– enjoyable!

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  Posted in Baking, Recipe Reviews | Tagged Gourmet Salvor, handbag cake, homemade butter cake, taste.com.au

• Transcendent Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Cloud Icing by Fe Warbuton (20 Apr 13)

  Posted at 1:16 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 3rd

  When they talk about food from heaven, this must surely be what they are talking about. If I was marooned on a desert island and could take one food item with me this would be it! This recipe was given to me by my wonderful hairdresser Fe Warbuton (Hi Fe!) back in 2012. She told me that her husband, Alex, is not a dessert person but this cake quickly converted him.

   

  This recipe challenges the conventions of baking – who puts a cake in the freezer once it is cooked? Well you will when you make this amazing banana cake. It uses the best ingredients of cake making; brown sugar, butter, eggs, flour and vanilla bean paste but demands you freeze the cake straight from the oven and before you ice it. Your patience will be rewarded with the most deliciously moist, fudgy and more-ish banana cake imaginable.

  Fe did indicate in her recipe to use low-fat cream cheese and rice bran oil instead of butter but come on, this is not a cake that deserves low-fat anything! I used the full fat version of everything and it was the best decision I could have made.

   I am sure you can tell by my description of this recipe that it is well worth your effort.

  Transcendent Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Cloud Icing by Fe Warbuton

  Ingredients:

  For the Cake

  • 180g butter
  • 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 free range eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 3 cups plain flour
  • 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups buttermilk (or sour the equivalent of low-fat milk with a teaspoon of white vinegar)
  • 1½ cups mashed over-ripe bananas

  For the Icing

  • 125g butter, softened
  • 200g cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

  Method:

  For the Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to very low, 135^oC. Make room in your freezer to accommodate the hot cake pan, moving all your precious frozen food to another space in the freezer in anticipation. Grease and line a 22cm round spring form cake pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla bean paste.
  4. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the mashed banana.
  5. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  6. Remove the hot cake from the oven and place it, pan and all, directly into the freezer for 45 minutes (I placed mine on a chopping board so it would damage my freezer drawer).

  For the Icing:

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla bean paste.
  2. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until icing is whipped into a fluffy smooth cloud.
  3. Spread on cooled cake, swirling into attractive peaks and then down the sides. You can decorate it with gold leaf, crystallised violets or whatever takes your fancy.
  4. Chill in the fridge for half an hour. Slice and serve, and as Fe would say, prepare to swoon.

  Serves: 12

  Complexity Rating: – Time is required.

  Taste Rating:  – Scrum-didili-umptious!

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  Posted in Baking | Tagged Banana, Banana Cake, Fe Warbuton, Gourmet Salvor, vanilla bean, vanilla bean icing

• Corn and Ricotta Fritters from Home Beautiful Magazine (16 Mar 13)

  Posted at 12:33 am by Gourmet Salvor

  May 3rd

  You have probably gathered by now that I have a bit of a sweet tooth and I tend to lean towards the sugary delights of life. I thought it was time I did something savoury so I chose this great Corn and Ricotta Fritter from the October 2008 edition of Home Beautiful Magazine. The recipe indicates it makes enough to serve 4 people but to be honest I think it could feed 6 for breakfast.

  

  These fritters were really tasty and I loved them as a hearty breakfast alternative. I used gluten free flours and it in no way affected the taste or quality of the fritter – so if you have a gluten intolerance or are trying to reduce the gluten in your diet these fritters are a great breakfast or snack option.

   The recipe requires little effort and is easy to throw together from ingredients most people would have in their pantry and fridge. It may sound odd but I even tried one fritter with maple syrup and it was very tasty (I do prefer the butter and salt option suggested in the recipe though).

  Corn and Ricotta Fritters from Home Beautiful Magazine

  Ingredients:

  • 1 cup plain flour (I used gluten free plain flour)
  • ¾ cup self-raising flour (again I used the gluten free alternative)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1¼ cups of full cream milk
  • 310g can of creamed corn
  • 250g crumbled ricotta cheese
  • Salt and ground white pepper
  • Butter for frying
  • Shave leg ham (optional)

   Method:

  1. Sift plain and self-raising flours into a bowl.
  2. Whisk together the eggs and milk and add to the flour mixture with the creamed corn.
  3. Stir in ricotta and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Grease a non-stick frying pan with a little butter and put over a medium heat. Cook ¼ cupfuls of the mixture until the top of the batter begins to bubble. Turn over and cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden. Repeat with remaining batter.
  5. Stack the fritters and cover to keep warm.
  6. Serve sprinkled with sea salt and top with shaved leg ham. Add a little butter on top if desired.

  Serves: 4

  Complexity Rating: -Like fishing with dynamite!

  Taste Rating: – yummo-licious!

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  Posted in Breakfast | Tagged Breakfast, Corn, Fritters, Gluten Free, Gourmet Salvor, Home Beautiful Magazine, Ricotta

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