Raspberry Jam

I dont know how anyone can buy commercially made jam!! I know we are spoilt with raspberries growing everywhere down here but its so easy to make a pot of jam that anyone can do it. Once you have made your own you will never want to eat that bought stuff again. Do yourself a favour before you start making jam...buy yourself a candy thermometer. They arent very expensive about $12 from a kitchenware shop, and it takes the guesswork out of jam making. My nana always had jars of homemade jam in her cupboard her plum jam was one of my faves but there is just something about homemade raspberry jam that is comforting and DELICOUS!!

Raspberry Jam
1.5 kg fresh raspberries 1/3 cup lemon juice 1.5 kg sugar warmed

Put the sugar in a clean pan and into an oven on low heat. Put berries and lemon juice on a low heat til berries start to break down and cook. Add warmed sugar and stir until sugar dissolved. Bring to a low boil for 5 min then simmer for 30-40 minutes. a scum will rise to the top of the berry mixture so scoop this off and throw away.Keep your eye on the jam at all times and now use your candy thermometer and the setting point for the jam is between 104 - 106 degress c
Bottle while hot and let cool naturally(overnight is best)

Tomato Relish, an oldy but a goody.

Well this is a special request from a friend. HP was living down here in tassie but has moved to warmer pastures and we both love cupcakes and baking. Last year we had a cooking day at another friends (who owns a B&B with the bonus of a commercial kitchen) and made tomato relish and also raspberry jam. So its about that time now to use up all the old tomaotes that were growing in the veggie patch. So you can dig up that patch and plant the garlic...this is my plan anyway..apart from the fact that tomates DO NOT GROW for me here. Its too cold and you definately need a hot house or a poly tunnel. On the other hand purple garlic grows FABULOUSLY and I must get it it, or my crop won't be half as good as last year.
Tomato Relish
1.5 kg ripe tomatoes 1 1/2 TBS dry mustard 500g onion 1 TBSP salt
599g sugar 2 LGE TBSP P. flour 1 lge TBSP curry powder vinegar

Get 8-10 jars washed and heated in the oven. Cut tomatoes & onions finely and sprinkle with salt, leave overnight. (this step can be left out but the relish will be tastier if you do it) Next day drain the juice off the tomato & onion mixture. Put into heavy based saucepan with the sugar and almost cover with vinegar. Bring to the boil and simmer on high until cooked(approx 3/4 hour) Turn down slightly while you , Mix flour, mustard & curry powder to a paste and mix into the tomato mixture until it thickens. Bottle while hot keeps for a good 6 months in the bottom of your dark cupboard. Once you have opened a jar keep in refrigerated.

Soup for dinner

Well it's nice to be sitting back waiting for my dinner to be cooked for me. Am I out somewhere waiting for a 3 course meal. No I am at home and having pea & ham soup made for me and also homemade sausage/savoury roll. Speaking of eating out. I had soup out at lunch today(local small town cafe in southern tassie) was a bland and insipid version of a potato soup and not up to the standard I would expect. The other small cafe in our town makes SUPERB soup but in my opinion its just not a comfortable space to sit and try and enjoy it, it's a little cramped for a meal but perfect for coffee.

Panna Cotta...recipe not for lactose intolerant people..MUST LOVE CREAM

This is a beautiful dessert and can be tweaked for anyone tastes as you can serve it with a variety of sauces or add a touch of spice to the mixture to make them a little more exotic.

Panna Cotta
4 cups of cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract(or for the adventurous use a real vanilla bean & scrape the seeds back into it..DIVINE!!)
6 TBSP sugar
Put these ingredients in a heavy based saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer.
In a small bowl put 4 tbsp water and sprinkle 4 tsp gelatine on top also sprinkle another 3 tbsp sugar on top of this mixture to help the gelatine soak into the water. When the cream mixture has almost come to the boil(watch it carefully as we all know how quickly these things boil over) add the gelatine mixture and whisk ket simmer for another minute then remove from heat. Set aside to cool for approx 10-15 minutes until you can see a skin has formed on top.
Strain the cream mixture through a sieve(DO NOT MISS THIS STEP OUT)
pour into serve size attractive glasses or bowls. It is very rich so don't make the serving glasses too big.Set in fridge for at least 2 hours. (If you have put them into a mould to turn out on a plate to serve then refrigerate overnight.)
This goes extremely well with raspberries, in fact any berries or fruit compote mixes, chocolate sauce, I have made them and then put a real fruit jelly on top and its delicous. If you like a bit of spice you can add 1/4 tsp cardomon and 1/4 tsp mixed spice and this goes really well with the chocloate sauce. Happy cooking(and eating)

Unemployed Purple Chef

Well I did what I should have probably done 2 weeks ago and I resigned today(long story short my hours got cut from 24 to approx 6 and no prep time so me no happy) so for the minute I am unemployed purple chef. I have been cooking for a long time and I have lots of things I want to post on here for budding chefs(and family and friends) out there to have a go at...in fact I think everyone should learn to cook...not open a packet and adding water cooking REAL cooking with fresh ingredients and passion for flavour and NO preservatives. You only need to learn a couple of basics and gain some confidence and you will be cooking up a storm in no time.

Aahhh Pate`...the snack for everyone...well maybe not the vegetarians

Thought I would post my Mum's new favourite recipe. She was here for a visit a couple of months ago and her one request for things to do (in her whirlwind 2 1/2 day visit) was to watch me make pate` so she could do it at home. I think she has made it about 4 times in the last 2 months and spread the word(no pun intended) about how good "real" pate is. Not that souless too firm goop that you often find in the deli section of the supermarket. I myself like the tasmanian native pepper(Diemen Pepper) to add to it but you can use any peppercorns according to your taste or leave them out if you don't like them at all.

Pate`

500g chicken livers 1/3 cup brandy 150g butter(NOT margarine) 2 rashers bacon 1 lge onion

1/2 cup cream 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp native pepper salt&pepper (approx 1/4 tsp)

Method

Cook onion and bacon in butter on medium heat in saucepan until the onions are translucent(see thru) add chicken livers and cook gently for a couple of minutes then add the brandy and cream. Let livers cook all the way through (dont over cook them as this will not give you a smooth end product) Add a little salt & pepper then taste the juice of your pate to see if you need anymore. Blend with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth and put into pate` pots or whatever you choose to serve it in. Let cool then serve with onion marmalade and mini toast or crackers. This freezes well as long as you leave it to thaw completely on its own when you get it out of the freezer. And when friends know you have made it...you WON'T need to freeze it as they will be knocking down the door to come over and eat it with you. Enjoy

Beef Bourguinon

Well in honour of my first post I thought I would make beef bourguinon...with buttery mash. I have made versions of this for years and thought maybe Julia Childs version would be spectacular...it was yummy but as good as mine ever has been.
Its done and dusted everyone eaten and happy...the dog even had a taste(we have a dog that prefers good food to dog food) Mr purple didnt like the mash(he has an aversion to butter.....WHAT THE...and I love the stuff..oh well) master purple was impressed with everything but the mushrooms(kids are funny about texture arent they)