Sally's Seed Crackers

Ingredients

• 200g sunflower seeds
• 60g flax seeds
• 100g sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp. Psyllium Husk
• 500ml water
• 1 tsp. Himalayan sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Line 2 baking sheets with lightly oiled parchment paper or a silicone sheet.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and leave the mixture to stand until thick and pliable (about 10 minutes).
3. Spread the mixture as thinly as possible on the lined baking sheet (may require 2). The mixture should have no holes or gaps.
4. Bake for 1 hour, turning trays after 30 minutes if browning more on one side. They may need another 15 to 20 minutes until they are nice and really crispy.
5. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
6. Once cool, break into any size you like and store in an airtight container.

Rock Buns

We had a fabulous afternoon at the Cygnet Community Garden on Oct. 11th, with Costa, from Gardening Australia and about 60 people from all over the place. The Cygnet Community Gardeners cooked up a feast. Here’s my rock buns recipe. It is such an old recipe it is in ounces and I like to leave it that way.

It can easily be made gluten free by using half nut meal and half quinoa flour or buckwheat flour.

180°C fan forced

Makes 15 or so

Instructions	Ingredients
rub in	4 oz. butter 8 oz. plain flour 2 level tsp. baking powder 1 tsp mixed spice
add	4 oz. castor sugar grated rind 1/2 large lemon 4 oz. mixed dried fruit including some mixed peel /crushed nuts /ginger if you like
add	1 beaten egg 1-2 Tbl. milk and the juice of the lemon to make a stiff, crumbly mixture

Place spoonsful on a greased baking tray and cook 10-15 mins.

Leave 5 minutes before removing from the tray.

Granma's Cheese Scones

At the Cygnet Community Garden yesterday we made a fire with old prunings etc and cooked some cheese scones to make use of the heat. I love fire.... and winter.... I am sharing this original page from my recipe book. (Thanks to Maurine, Roger’s mother, the Granma we all love). The adjustments for a bigger version are made by son Hugh when he was about 10.... he still loves Granma's scones and took this photo of me yesterday at the community garden.

Wild Weed and Leaves Pesto Dip

Pesto can be made by substituting many other leaves and herbs, in place of basil so you can have it in any season. I often use rocket or chervil or parsley and even some weeds, like chickweed and dandelion. One of my favourites uses garlic scapes – those long, twirly bits that shoot up from your garden garlic in early summer. Other nuts can be substituted too, using walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and even sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, in place of pine nuts.

100g toasted pine nuts or other nuts (you may use up to 20% seeds. Don’t use more or the mixture changes texture and becomes gluggy, especially with sunflower seeds)

1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed

A handful of grated mature cheddar or Parmesan or a combination

A large handful of tasty greens, including chickweed, dandelion, self-sown rocket, baby kale, herbs, mizuna etc as above

A good olive oil (probably about ½ cup)

Juice of ½ lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend nuts and seeds, garlic, cheese and greens together, then begin trickling in the oil, while the processor runs. Stop when you have a nice purée. Taste and season as necessary with lemon juice, salt and pepper plus extra garlic. If it is too thick, add water while the machine runs.

 

Spinach and Fetta Stuffed Mushrooms

12 large flat mushrooms

500 grams of spinach, blanched, drained and chopped
1 egg
1 cup of breadcrumbs or rice crumbs
chopped oregano, thyme or marjoram
1 cup of crumbled fetta cheese
salt and black pepper

Mix filling ingredients.
Pile on to mushrooms
Bake about 10 minutes until cooked.

AZUKI BEANS AND MUSHROOM SAUSAGES

 

 

This is a slightly modified version of one of Maggie's great vegetarian sausages / patties / rissoles recipes.

Please adjust everything as you go.... I actually didn't measure any of it.

 

 

Soak a cup of azuki beans and then cook them. Mash roughly.

Gently fry                          250gr diced tasty mushrooms

Add and cook a bit             2 cloves garlic

                                        1 Tbl cumin seeds, ground

Into a large bowl place       the cooked azuki beans, the cooked mushrooms mixture

                                       2 eggs

                                       100gr fresh breadcrumbs

                                       2 Tbl flour

                                       4 Tbl parsley

                                       2 tsp thyme

                                       1 cup grated tasty cheese

Form into whatever shape you like and fry.

MUNG BEAN PATTIES

A simpler meal you could not cook... What a stupid thing to say! You could just boil an egg or some corn cobs! OK, simpler meals exist but these are definitely the simplest patties you could cook.

Makes 7 patties:
Soak 1 cup mung beans overnight or overday, like I did.... They go a pretty light green, as in the photo.
Drain them then put them in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of cumin.
Blend until pretty smoothish.
Scoop out and make into balls with your hands... they are so light and gorgeous to touch.
Fry both sides until brown.
Pick up with your fingers and dip into what you fancy.... the recipe said sweet chilli sauce but I used a little plum sauce or just have them plain, with some Asian greens.
So there it is. They held together perfectly.... and tasted great and after the soaking, the total preparation time and cooking time combined was about 10 minutes!

Chickpea and Chorizo Fritters

by Ainsley Harriott

Ingredients:
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 600ml milk, 25g unsalted butter 1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 150g chickpea flour, sifted, 2 tbsp Olive oil, 1 chorizo sausage, finely diced (about 100g in total) 1 tbsp flat-leafed parsley, chopped sunflower oil, for deep-frying, 50g Polenta or semolina, approximately salt and fresh ground black pepper soured cream and chive dip, to serve (optional)
Method 1. Heat a small frying-pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toss and toast for 1 minute until aromatic. Place in a non-stick pan with the milk, butter, chilli and garlic, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and slowly add the gram flour, stirring to combine. Cook gently for 5-6 minutes until thickened, beating occasionally with a wooden spatula.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying-pan, tip in the chorizo and fry for a few minutes until sizzling and lightly golden. Pour into the gram flour mixture along with the parsley and mix until well combined. Season to taste.

3. Line a small roasting tin or ovenproof dish with non-stick baking paper and pour in the fritter mixture, using a plastic spatula. Level the top and cover with gladwrap and chill in the freezer for about 20 minutes or until cooled and set (or overnight in the fridge is best, if time allows).

4. Turn the fritter mixture on to a work surface and peel away the paper. Cut into 7.5cm squares, then cut in half again, into triangles. Roll in the polenta or semolina to coat.
5.Deep-fry the fritters in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm with the soured cream and chive dip. OR spray with a little oil and bake in hot oven until golden.