JEAN'S PASTY SLICE

1 quantity Jean's shortcrust pastry
1/2 pound finely diced kangaroo / other tender, lean meat
1 each of potato, turnip / parsnip, carrot, all finely diced
1 Tbl parsley
1 tsp salt

Follow assembly directions given in the pastry recipe below.

Bake 200C 10 minutes. Reduce to 180C 10 minutes. reduce to 160C about 40 minutes, covering with foil to avoid burning. if you don't cook it long enough the vegetables will be crunchy.

JEAN'S SHORTCRUST PASTRY

These are old recipes and all the measurements are imperial. Good luck!

Crumb
4.5 ozs self-raising flour
1.5 ozs plain flour
pinch of salt
3 ozs butter
Add with a knife to form a stiff dough
1 tspn lemon juice
1 beaten egg yolk
A little cold water

For sweet pastry add 2 tsp sugar

Lightly flour a board or the bench. Roll out thinly. Use a bit more than half to line the pie tin. Tip in filling, dampen edge with water and lay top over. Press to seal. Prick top. Decorate with left over pastry cut into shapes. Glaze.

Glaze
For sweet pastry - brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar
For savoury pastry - brush with egg yolk or milk.

Harvest Stew with Fresh Herbs & Dumplings

This is a recipe from Inanna, who kindly copied this whole thing into a comment box after my post on Deb's turnips.

*1 c. pear nectar
*1 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
*1 T Dijon mustard
*3 tsp chopped fresh thyme
*1 tsp salt
*Freshly ground pepper
*1 small (1 lb) butternut squash, peeled & cu into 1-inch chunks
*3 small turnips, peeled and quartered
*2 carrots, peeled and sliced
*2 zucchini, sliced
*1 medium onion, chopped
*1/2 tart apple, cored, peeled & grated
*6 garlic cloves, chopped

DUMPLINGS *1 c. all-purpose flour*
2 tsp baking powder
*1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk
*2 T unsalted butter, melted
*1 T chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS *Whisk together pear nectar, broth, mustard, 2 tsp thyme, ½ tsp salt and pepper in a large saucepan. Add the squash, turnips, carrots, zucchini, onion, apple and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered until the veggies are just tender (about 15 minutes).*Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder and remaining ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk and butter in another bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the mixture forms a soft dough. Stir in the scallions and remaining 1 tsp of thyme.*Drop the dough by 6 heaping tablespoons onto the simmering stew. Simmer the stew, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then cover and cook until the dumplings are firm (about 10 minutes more).

JERUSALEM (F)ARTICHOKES

2kg jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed
olive oil
butter
salt and pepper
2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped
large handful of parsley, chopped

Break or cut the artichokes into walnut-sized pieces and peel, putting into acidulated water to stop them going brown. (It is tedious to peel these knobbly things and really, next time I would just scrub them well instead).

Heat plenty of olive oil in 2 pans and put the artichokes into them in a single layer. Add a good knob of butter and when melted turn the artichokes over in it, roughly. Put on the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue frying until beginning to turn golden all over (about another 10 minutes). Eat one - it should be soft inside like a potato. Throw in garlic and parsley just before serving. Don't eat too many or you will know about it in the middle of the night!

EASY LEMON TART

I can't believe I forgot to take a photo. Oh well...it looks like...a lemon tart!

Grease a shallow 25cm pie dish. Turn oven to 200C.

4 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup (or less) sugar
1 cup coconut
125g melted butter
1 cup yoghurt
3/4 cup milk
grated rind 2 lemons
1/4 cup lemon juice

Whisk eggs. Gradually whisk in the flour then the rest of the ingredients, until well combined.
Pour into pie dish. Bake about 40 minutes or until set and slightly coloured.
Serve warm or cold with cream or yoghurt.

Serves 6

DEB'S LIMONCELLO

This is best served cold from the freezer, neat or over ice.
Method:
1500ml alcohol (strongest you can get) I used vodka, Deb said Grappa is good too
15 large, thick-skinned lemons
750ml rain water
3/4 - 1 kg sugar

1. Put alcohol into a large jar
2. Clean lemons, dry and then, using a lemon peeler, peel the lemons - making sure you don't get any pith. Make the pieces as large as possible
3. Put the peels into the jar with the alcohol and stir gently. Make sure lemon is covered.
   
4. Cover tightly and put into a cool, dark place to infuse
5. On days 8, 22 and 36 gently shake or stir and return to cool, dark place
6. On day 45 dissolve sugar in water and boil 5 mins. Cool as it needs to be cold to add to lemons
7. Gently scoop out the peels with a slotted spoon
8. Filter liquid thru' a coffee filter. Repeat if not clear
9. Into a clean jar place the filtered alcohol and the sugar syrup to taste (don't taste too much!) and leave for 40 days.
10. Filter again thru' coffee filter
11. Bottle and seal well. Enjoy.
    

MUSSELS RECIPES

I love mussels and they are so cheap. ($6.90 / kg at Angelakis in the central market).
1 kg mussels in shells serves 2 - 3 people. To serve more I buy some mussel meat, rather than more in shells or you get too big a volume to cook in a pan.

THAI RED CURRY MUSSELS

2 Tbl peanut oil

1 stalk lemongrass, crushed

1 Tbl Thai red curry paste

1/2 cup white wine

1 can coconut milk

2 Tbl fish sauce

2 Tbl fresh lime juice

2 Tbl chopped corinader stems

1 kg mussels, de-bearded

2Tbl chopped coriander leaves

4 Tbl chopped Thai basil leaves/ Vietnamese mint leaves / laksa herb leaves

Into a large pan put the first 8 ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir to combine. Add mussels, cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes or until all the shells are open. Add the herbs to the liquid and cover for 1 minute more. Serve on rice or (I prefer) organic buckwheat noodles, so it is almost like a soup.

ITALIAN MUSSELS WITH PASTA

1/2 jar tasty pasta sauce (bought is fine!)
3/4 cup white wine
chilli powder or fresh to taste
1 kg mussels, de-bearded
spaghetti / fettuccine
olive oil
1/2 cup chopped parsley / other suitable herb

Cook pasta, drain, tossin the oil and parsley.
Meanwhile, place pasta sauce, white wine and chilli in a large pan and bring to the boil.
Add mussels, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until shells are all open.
Serve pasta, top with mussels and liquid. Don't forget to wear a red shirt while eating!

ENGLISH MUSSELS IN CREAM SAUCE

1 kg mussels
2Tbl butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 small stalk of celery, chopped
pepper
2/3 cup white wine
1/3 cup cream
1/3 cup yoghurt
chopped parsley

Melt butter in a large pan. Add onion, celery, pepper, wine and mussels. Cover and simmer 5 minutes until the shells are open. Remove mussels from the pan and reduce liqid to 1/2 cup.
Remove from heat and stir in cream, yoghurt and parsley. May reheat gently but do not boil.
Serve with rice or other.