… food

from solar plasma inferno
released again on earth
gentle heat browning
bonds melding, un-melding
fuel for life’s own slow fire
burning into earth

Ovo-lactic vegetarian recipes with metric measures

AWESOME CITRUS MARMALADE

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 2 hrs, 30 min
Total Time: 3 hrs
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4x400g jars
Source: A Being

INGREDIENTS

500ml citrus juice from:
6-8 Seville oranges
2 Lemons
(Optional: add citrus juice mix using, e.g: Oranges, Mandarins, Limes etc.)
1 cup Citrus seeds and pulp from above fruit
500ml filtered water
800g Caster sugar
extra water as required

DIRECTIONS

1) Juicing
Wash skins of fruit well. Cut citrus fruit in halves. Juice citrus - make 500mls. Filter juice through muslin/cheese cloth in into large saucepan. Keep seeds and membranes.

2) Pectin keeping
Remove muslin with pulp. Scrape membranes and any remaining seeds off juiced rinds to make about 1 cup. Place them into the muslin and make it into a bag by tying with string (citrus seeds and membranes contain pectin for setting). Place bag in saucepan.

3) Rind cutting
Cut ends off peel halves. Thinly slice remaining rind of at least 4 oranges (optionally add rind from 1 lemon/lime) to make about 100g. Place in pan with juice.

4) First cooking
Add 500ml of purified water to pan. Heat on low to moderate heat to boil slowly. Boil gently for about 2 hours or when rind should be soft/transluscent - liquid will reduce so top up with water when required. Remove muslin bag and squeeze out liquid with a spoon and sieve.

5) Sugaring
Weigh liquid mixture and make up to 800g with more water if needed. Return to low heat and add 800g Caster sugar (1:1 ratio). Dissolve sugar on low heat.

6) Second cooking
When sugar is dissolved increase heat for a steady boil - do not stir too much . Scum can be gently removed. Large bubbles should then rise up and cover the top of the mixture with frothing bubbles (foam may rise several times so avoid overflow). No need to stir at this stage. Boil for about ten to fifteen minutes and test setting with cold plate (or temp 106°C if you have a thermometer). Also, drips off spoon should solidify slightly.

7) Potting
If setting, then take off heat to cool for 15 minutes and spoon into about 4 400g sterilised jars (jars and lids previously boiled in a large pot to sterilise).

AWESOME BAKED CHEESECAKE

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1.5 hrs
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 10
Source: Margie

INGREDIENTS

250 g plain sweet biscuit crumbs
125 g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup caster sugar
3 x 250 g packets cream cheese, (full fat/light or mix of the two) softened
Lemon to taste, e.g. either
3 teaspoons grated lemon rind and
¼ cup lemon juice; or
¾ cup lemon juice
(adjust lemon to your taste as this can be too lemony for some)

DIRECTIONS

1) Crusting
Lightly grease a 22 cm springform tin. Combine biscuit crumbs and butter in a bowl. Using a glass, press crumb mixture evenly over base and side of tin. Refrigerate biscuit crust for 1 hour.

2) Filling
Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until pale and thick - alternatively combine all together in mixer. Add cheese, rind and lemon juice. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into prepared tin.

3) Cooking
Bake for 1 hour at 150° C in the oven.

4) Cooling
Cool in oven with door ajar, then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Decorate with cream and strawberries if desired.

AWESOME QUICHE

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8 (1x25cm quiche)
Source: Margie

INGREDIENTS

Pastry
1.5 cups plain flour (150 grams)
125 grams butter cut into small cubes
1 egg
1 lemon’s juice
1 pinch of salt

Filling
3 eggs
250 - 300 grams plain yoghurt - not too sour
30 - 50 ml milk
pepper to taste
fresh parsley (if possible)
dash of mixed herbs
125 grams grated parmesan cheese
75 grams pine nuts (pre-toasted in frypan)

Add a few other selected ingredients to taste, e.g. finely cut:
spinach or silver beet
small head of broccoli
medium tomato
medium field mushrooms
tinned asparagus spears
capsicum etc.

DIRECTIONS

1) Pastrying
Place pastry ingredients in food processor.
Remove when starts to form cake crumbs consistency.
Turn onto Board and press together to ball.
Roll out between sheets of baking paper.
Use large 25 cm flan dish.

Blind bake at 220 C for 10-15 minutes

2) Filling
Dry fry pine nuts over a medium heat to brown slightly.
Fry other chosen vegetable ingredients in a little oil, evaporate excess moisture to make a moist but not overly wet mix.
Gently whisk eggs, yoghurt, cheese, pepper and herbs in a bowl; then add pine nuts and selected vegetables. Mix gently.
Spoon into pastry case.

3) Cooking
Bake for about 40 minutes at 180 C - until browning with no liquid on surface. Allow to cool.

AWESOME DOUGH

Prep Time: 15 mins, plus rising time
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 2 hrs, 45 min
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8 makes one small loaf or 2 pizza bases
Source: A Being

INGREDIENTS

1 generous metric cup about 200g Atta flour (finely ground whole wheat flour)
1 generous metric cup about 200g Plain general purpose flour
(for variation some whole grains and/or rolled oats can be added, about 20g)
about 1 1/3 cups (about 300g) Warm Water
1/2 tsp Salt (low salt)
2 tsp Instant Yeast
Dash of olive oil to grease the bread tin

DIRECTIONS

1) Doughing
Weigh flours and water.
Place flours, salt and yeast in bowl.
Mix dry ingredients in bowl.
Add 2/3 of the water to flour mix and combine, add remainder little by little mixing thoroughly until you are happy with consistency - experimentation with water may be needed for different flours. This recipe has a relatively high hydration.

2) First rising
Cover bowl and set aside in a warm place to rise - double in size - about 30 mins to 1 hour.
Option: drizzle EV Olive oil over dough.

3) Kneading
Remove dough onto clean (not floured) bench top. Knead by hand using the French method: scoop, lift, turn 90°, throw and fold. Knead dough for a minimum of 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.

4) Second rising
Shape dough to log and lightly dust with Atta flour and place in oiled bread tin (approx 9"x4", 25cmx10cm).
Cover bread tin loosely and put in a warm place.
Allow to rise to a suitable height - a small dome above top of the tin - about 1 hour.
Option: divide dough log into two to make 2 great family size Pizza bases. Then sprinkle with flour and roll-out for trays.

5) Cooking
Preheat oven to 210° C fan forced.
Place 1/3 cup of water in a pan in the bottom of oven to humidify. Place loaf tin in centre of the oven.
Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Remove from oven and leave in the tin for 2-3 mins.
Remove loaf and cool on a wire rack.
Option: If making Pizzas use min temp of 220° C for about 12-15 minutes, and no humidification.

AWESOME BANANA CAKE

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 10
Source: A Being

INGREDIENTS

2 ripe bananas
1 cup raw sugar (200g)
1 tsp vanilla paste/extract
1 tsp mixed spice
2 large eggs
150 g butter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour/flour with baking powder (200g)

DIRECTIONS

1) Lining
Double line a loaf tin with baking paper (spray oil will help it stay put).

2) Combining
All combining can be done with a fork… or better a balloon whisk
Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and spice in a bowl and combine.
Melt butter in a microwave and add to the mix and combine.
Add milk and combine.
Add S/R flour last and fold in gently.

3) Cooking
When all is combined pour batter into double lined tin and bake at 170° C (fan forced) for about 50 minutes.
After testing, if ready, leave in tin for 5 minutes and turn out on a rack to cool.

AWESOME PICKLES

Prep Time: 2 hrs
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 20
Source: A Being

INGREDIENTS

1.5kg thinly sliced small cucumbers
1 thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup salt
1 tray of ice cubes

2 teaspoons fresh dill leaves
1/2 teaspoons chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 1/2 metric cups white vinegar
1 metric cup water
1 metric cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

1) Salting
Clean cucumbers and slice thinly, place in bowl with ice and salt. Combine with thinly sliced onion halves. Set aside for 2 hours.

2) Sterilizing
Sterilize four 500 ml jars or equivalent in a large saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes.

3) Boiling
In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, water, vinegar and other ingredients. Bring to the boil and after sugar has dissolved remove from heat.

4) Bottling
Drain cucumbers of liquid and pack into jars. Carefully pour the seasoned liquid over the cucumbers in the jar. Seal immediately. Set aside for at least 1 week to pickle before serving. Store the jar at room temperature until opened.