harvest | hazelnuts

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Hazelnuts stay fresher for longer whilst still in the shell. Once shelled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

What to do with glut

• To toast and peel

Place hazelnuts on a baking tray. Bake at 180C for 5-8 mins, until brown. Transfer to a clean tea towel, wrap up hazelnuts and while still hot, rub to remove skins. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks once peeled.

Hazelnut praline

Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Heat ½ cup caster sugar and 1 tbsp water in a saucepan on low, until sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer, without stirring, for 2-5 mins, until golden caramel. Add 1 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts and stir until well coated. Immediately pour onto prepared tray. Cool completely until firm. Break into pieces or pound with a rolling pin for a finer texture.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | hazelnuts

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Blueberry & hazelnut cake

1¼ cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
¾ cup ground hazelnuts
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2 x 125g punnets blueberries
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
hazelnut topping
½ cup hazelnuts, chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup plain flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 190C or 170C fan. Grease a 23cm springform pan.
2. Sift flour, sugar, ground hazelnuts, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl. Add lemon rind and 1 punnet of blueberries. Toss to combine. Whisk together milk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fill prepared pan.
3. To make topping, mix together hazelnuts, brown sugar and flour. Scatter topping and remaining blueberries over cake batter. Drizzle with oil. Bake for 50-55 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Serves 12

Tip
replace hazelnuts with pecans, almonds or macadamia nuts.

try this …….
…add toasted hazelnuts to salads, chocolate cake and brownies.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | pawpaw

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Whilst pawpaw continue to ripen once picked, the flavour is compromised when not fully tree-ripened. Once picked store in refrigerator for up to 5 days..

What to do with glut

Pawpaw lassi

500g pawpaw, peeled, seeded, chopped, plus extra to serve
1 ½ cups ice
140ml can coconut milk
¼ cup natural yoghurt
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve with extra paw paw.

Serves 4

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | pawpaw

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Pawpaw in chilli lime syrup

½ cup caster sugar
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 small red chilli, finely sliced
1 pawpaw

1. Combine sugar, lime juice and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat on low, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and simmer for 10 mins, until syrupy. Add chilli and simmer for 5 mins. Remove from heat, stir through lime rind. Cool. Refrigerate until cold.
2. Peel pawpaw and cut into wedges. Pour over syrup and serve.

Serves 4

try this …….
pawpaw salsa
Dice ½ peeled pawpaw. Place in a bowl with 2 chopped green onions (shallots), 1 tbsp shredded mint, 1 tbsp chopped coriander and 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts. Mix together 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp fish sauce, 2 tsp sugar. Pour over salsa. Serve with grilled fish, chargrilled lamb or chicken.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | eggs

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Passionfruit pavlova roulade

4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour, sifted
1 tsp white vinegar
250g mascarpone
¼ cup thick cream
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
2 passionfruit

1. Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan. Grease a 30cm x 25cm swiss roll pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, ensuring paper overhangs 5cm above rim of long sides of pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until firm peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Fold through cornflour and vinegar, until just combined. Spread meringue evenly into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 10-12 mins, until just firm. Line a clean tea towel with a piece of baking paper. Sift over extra icing sugar. Invert meringue onto paper, peel away baking paper from meringue and set aside to cool completely.
4. Place mascarpone, cream and icing sugar in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add passionfruit and mix to combine. Spread over meringue, leaving a 1 cm border around edge. Using baking paper as a guide, and starting from long side, roll meringue to form a log, using baking paper as a guide. Wrap baking paper and tea towel around roulade and refrigerate for 1 hr. Cut into slices to serve.

Serves 8

tip …….
To prevent roulade cracking ensure meringue is completely cold before filling and rolling

try this …….
Baked Custard Tart
Line a 24cm loose-based flan pan with shortcrust pastry. Blind bake at 200C or 180C fan for 20 mins, until pastry is dry and golden. Reduce oven temperature to 180C or 160C fan. Whisk together 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 2 cups cream, 1 cup milk, ¼ cup caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla paste. Pour into pastry case and bake for 50-60 mins, until just set. Sprinkle over ground nutmeg. Refrigerate until cold.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

cook | figs

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Fig & blue cheese tarts

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
100g soft blue cheese, at room temperature
6 small figs, halved
thyme sprigs, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 220°C or 200°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Cut 6 x 7.5cm rounds from each sheet of pastry. Lay on prepared trays. Score each round, 1cm from edge. Prick centre with a fork. Brush with egg and bake for 10 mins, until puffed and lightly golden.
3. Remove from oven and press centre of each pastry round down. Spoon a little blue cheese into centre of each tart shell. Top with a fig half, cut side up and a little more cheese. Bake for 10 mins.
4. Serve topped with a sprig of thyme.

Makes 12

try this …….
Fig meringue torte
Mix together 1 cup mascarpone, 1 tablespoon icing sugar and 3 roughly chopped figs. Spread between 2 large meringue discs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving.

try this …….
Top your favourite brownie recipe with fig halves before baking. Cut into squares, so that each square has a delicious piece of fig on top.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS

harvest | thyme

By MANDY SINCLAIR

Storage:

Wrap picked thyme in damp kitchen paper and place in a plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

What to do with glut

• Freeze

Place whole sprigs in a resealable plastic bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. The leaves will discolour and the flavor will be slightly more mild, however it is far superior to using dried thyme.

• Preserve

Add thyme to pickles, onion jam, vinegar and flavoured oils.

Photography by SUE STUBBS | Blog designed by RED PEPPER GRAPHICS