spaghetti with a vegetable and marinara sauce
smoked mackerel and vegetable salad
Grilled NSW rock oysters
and clams in a white wine sauce
I also shared food with other friends, one of my favourite ways of eating.
At an artists' play date we all contributed ( though, as usual, the hosts contributed the most) so had a great mixture of quiche, bread, dips, cheese, meats, olives, biscuits, icecream - sort of an antipasto type meal.
At another meal, the host prepared a beef curry
and Hainan chicken
with rice, and assorted sauces. I was very restrained, but could have eaten it all - and licked the pots! Another friend contributed sticky date pudding and cream. Again, I was restrained and did not lick out the container, or take all the sauce! I contributed chocolate peppermint icecream and banana cake.
Chocolate Peppermint Icecream Recipe.
Ingredients:
140g Peppermint Crisps
2 litres good quality vanilla ice cream
1/2 to 1 cup creme de menthe ( depends on your taste. My kids add even more)
Method:
Crush peppermint crisps. Stir it and the creme de menthe into the softened ice cream.
Put back into freezer until ready to use.
Although I don't have photos, upon request, I am giving you my recipes for two very nice biscuits. The first recipe, I forgot to put in enough sugar as I usually do and dipped them in chocolate to add a bit of sweetness, but I think the original recipe ( which follows) is best. It is great for gluten free friends.
Pistachio biscuits
Ingredients:
3/4 cup pistachios
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup almond flour
1 1/2 large eggs
1 block of chocolate
Method:
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Process 2 tablespoons sugar with pistachios. Add flour and 1 cup sugar. Process on low. Add eggs.
Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls. Flatten a bit.
Bake 10-12 minutes on greased trays.
Once cool, seal in airproof tins.
Brown sugar hazelnut biscuits based on Matthew Evan's recipe. Also gluten free. It is also good using other nuts like almonds and hazelnuts.
Ingredients:
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup almonds
Just under 2 cups of brown sugar
40 g butter
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
About 4 tablespoons icing sugar for dusting
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
Pulse nuts in food processor until crumbly
Put into small saucepan with sugar, butter, egg whites and butter and heat until butter is melted.
Cool and roll into balls.
Roll into icing sugar then place on baking paper lined trays, placing them spread apart.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until they start to change colour.
Cool and store in airproof container.
