Basil-Walnut pesto

The basil was about falling over the edge of the tub and flowers developing so I cut back loads and turned those gloriously vivid green leaves into fragrant pesto.  I didn't have pine nuts so I cracked and used the last of last autumn's walnuts from NE Victoria. Yum! Good excuse to make a return trip, you think?

Ingredients
2 cups packed basil leaves (approx a lg bunch) or use rocket or spinach or a combination
1⁄3 cup olive oil
1⁄2 cup finely chopped walnuts (toasted) or substitute almonds or pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1⁄4 cup grated parmesan cheese
juice and zest 1/2 lemon
1⁄2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Method
Place basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest and salt in food processor.
Blend until thoroughly combined.
Add parmesan and blend 5-10 seconds more.
Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.
Serve over pasta with bread and salad.
Serves 6

Chook's note: if you plan to stored it, top with olive oil to slow oxidation. It freezes well. I spoon into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen pop out and bag and store in the freezer.    
Perfect for a simple bruschetta or quick pasta lunch or as a topping for homemade pizza with fetta, tomato and bacon or good ham.

​Peach and Chili chutney

I love the colour combination of the ingredients

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 red onion, sliced
700g (prepared weight) firm peaches (7- 8), peeled and diced
3 thumb-sized red chilies, finely chopped (hot ones) or 6 mild
Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
1 tbsp cumin seed
Seeds from 10 cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
½ bunch basil and a bit of fresh mint - roughly shredded
150g brown sugar
200ml cider vinegar
salt

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook for a few mins until starting to soften. Add the remaining ingredients (spices first if only to give you that wonderful blast of aroma as the spices cook), increase the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peaches have softened – this will take about 45 mins.
Transfer the chutney to hot jars, seal and leave to cool before eating. Makes about 1 L of chutney.
The chutney can be stored in a cool dry place for up to 1 year. Once opened, keep in the fridge and eat within 4 weeks.

Chock's note: I have kept it longer than 4 weeks in the fridge. It improves with age.
The chutney is not very hot but if you don't like any heat, reduce chilies to 1 or 2 sm.
I'd just give the cumin and cardamon seeds a tiny tap in the pestle to release a wee bit more flavour - but don't crush them as their wholeness is pretty in the jars.

​Peach Jam

Ingredients
1.1kg peaches (prepared fruit), firm ripe
550g white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 sm lemon
½ tsp chopped ginger
½ tsp tartaric acid

Method
Halve peaches and extract stones. Chop fruit roughly (I prefer chunks of fruit in my jam rather than a smooth puree).
Put fruit in a large stainless steel saucepan with a little of the water - you may not need to use it all - and bring slowly to a simmer until fruit is tender. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
Cut lemon into slivers (remove seeds) and add to pot. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly but with great care for about 15 minutes (until it starts to set when tested on a cold plate) - the ideal is a rolling boil that won't foam over. Take the pan off the heat immediately if this starts to happen.
Ladle into warm jars as fully as possible before sealing.
Makes ~1.5L jam

Chocks note: Invert jars immediately after sealing; this avoids the need to sterilise the lids.

Black Currant Gastrique

​Black Currant Gastrique

Not a brilliant view but I thought it looked like a dark jewel in this little cut glass jar 

This is so simple. Incidentally gastrique is simply a sweet and sour sauce. I made it with black currant jam because I have a bit of a thing for black currant jam at the moment and so I have it in the pantry. And rest of the ingredients were whatever was in the pantry and freezer. Easy peasy!

Ingredients
3/4 cup of stock - whatever meat stock you have but homemade chicken tastes best.
1 shallot (or garlic) minced
2 Tbsp verjuice or white wine vinegar (adjust to taste)
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp thick black currant jam
1 Tbsp of quince jelly - if you have any
A small knob of butter
1 tsp cornflour *to thicken if necessary

Method
Add minced shallot/garlic to stock and reduce. Splash in verjuice/vinegar and add the jam.
Cook down until consistency is to your liking.
Tweak the ingredients to taste and thicken if a thicker sauce is desired.

Chooks note: I used the dense ‘stock’/left overs from a chicken dish I had made ages ago. Keep your meat drippings to give a rich undercurrent to this sauce (meat drippings freeze perfectly well).
The quince jelly I used was one I made back in autumn when quinces were available (see October posting for savoury quince and rosemary jelly).

The balsamic vinegar gives this added richness but you might also try Chinkiang vinegar (black vinegar). It has a slightly umami taste.  
You could try this with mustard and apricot jam.  For my taste, the trick is to use a 'jam' with a deep dark flavour rather than one with a light sweet note.  Be creative with this type of sauce. It’s just a matter of building the taste to suit your palate.

*You could use this as a jus with roast or grilled meat and incorporate the delicious meat dripping. Yum!

As Julia Child would say - Bon appetite!

​Maggie’s Dutch Ginger Cake

I had planned to make a swag of these to give as Christmas gifts but I have had to ration time standing (and sitting at the computer too). Jolly foot - grrr! However I did make one batch which we are not so slowly, but surely, devouring. It's delish and very short with a wonderful explosion of tang in your mouth when you bite into a piece of ginger.

Ingredients
1 & 3/4 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
140g preserved ginger, coursely chopped
1 egg (reserve a teaspoon for the glaze)
185g butter
2/3 cup castor sugar
60g whole blanched almonds

Method
Sift flour and salt, add sugar and chopped ginger.
Mix in beaten egg, reserving 1 teaspoon for glazing.
Melt butter over gentle heat, allow to cool slightly and then add to flour mixture. Mix well, using your hands to pull it together.
Press mixture into greased 22cm round tin or into a few smaller tins (lined the bottom for ease of removing). Brush top with egg glaze. Arrange almonds on top.
Bake in moderate oven (180C fan forced) for 30 to 35 mins or until cake is cooked – golden colour and firm to touch BUT not too firm. Like all short recipes it tend to firm up as it cools.
Allow to cool in tin.

Chook's note: I baked this quantity in 13cm tins, it made 3. Wrap in cellophane, tie with ribbon and a sprig of holly or the like.
Next batch I might try something a little different for a slightly novel aromatic punch. I'll add a couple of Tbsp of fresh rosemary leaves and a little lemon zest to the mix and then sprinkle with a little of the rosemary and salt flakes on top.

​Mini Christmas puds

These have been decorated with mint leaves cut in half and a jaffa.  Be creative!

There are numerous versions of these sweet morsels.  Just perfect to have with a cuppa.
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate, chopped
700g fruit cake
1/3 cup orange juice (could substitute some of this with brandy or rum)
1/2 cup icing sugar mixture, sifted
250g white chocolate melts
Assorted coloured mini jellies or silver balls

Method
Place dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Or melt in microwave.
Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add dark chocolate, 'orange juice' and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
Roll level tablespoons of cake mixture into balls. Place on baking trays lined with baking paper, flattening bases slightly so they sit on trays. Refrigerate until firm.
Melt white chocolate and drizzle over puddings to form 'custard'. Decorate a few at a time (before the chocolate melts) with 'holly' - jelly beans, cut pieces of jelly snake, spearmint leaves, cherries or simply silver balls.

​Panforte 

This version has pistachios and hazelnuts - it is not the recipe below but has the essentials 

Since I found a recipe for Panforte in a Saturday supplement in the Age ~20 years ago, I make Panforte most years. There was an error in the original ingredients list: it asked for 1/4 cup each of cocoa and nutmeg. Against my better judgement I followed the recipe and it was awful as you would have guessed.  I rang the chef to query it.  He was most apologetic.
The take home message: if things don't look right, use your own judgement.  Always cook according to your own taste and if in doubt compare a few recipes and take a middle line.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups toasted almonds coarsely chopped
¾ cup finely chopped candied citrus peel
½ cup plain flour
¼ cup cocoa
½ tsp each of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
A pinch of cloves and coriander
1/3 cup runny honey
½ cup sugar

Method
Mix together nuts and peel.
Sift flour flour, cocoa, and spices and mix through nut mixture.
Heat honey and sugar over low heat till sugar dissolves and then bring to the boil.  Boil until it reaches soft boil stage (remember you are NOT making toffee so better to be less cooked than over cooked!).
Pour over nut, fruit mixture and working quickly incorporate all the ingredients.
Turn into a greased lined 20 cm pan and press down firmly.
Bake in a cool oven  ~150C for 30-35 mins  Cool then turn out and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Cut into wedges and wrap in foil of cellophane.

Chook's notes: use edible rice paper to line pan for ease of handling after baking. I use 3 or 4 small pans if I am making this as gifts.
My son has added ginger and hazelnuts and figs to make a delicious version. The ingredients and spices are up to you.