Tropical Fruit Salad with Achacha

Preparation time 20 mins

Serves 4.

A delicious salad for anytime of the day. Experiment with different tropical fruits.

Ingrediants

2 mangoes cut into chunks we suggest Honey Gold or KP’s

1 pineapple cut into chunks

5 achacha, pulp and juice squeezed into a small seperate bowl

4 passionfruit

2 ripe bananas

2 tbspns mint, finely shredded

2 lime

1 tspn caster sugar

Method

Squeeze lime juice into the small bowl with the achacha’s pulp and juice add caster sugar and mix well then add mint leaves.

Add mango, pineapple and banana (cut into chunks at the last minute), to a bowl or platter, mix the lime and achacha into the fruit then scoop the passionfruit over the top. Leave for 15 mins for the flavours to develop. If making longer in advance add the banana just before serving.

Rockmelon & Prawn Salad

Preparation time 10 mins

Serves 4 as an entree or more as part of a selection of dishes.

A light dish which tastes of summer.

Ingrediants

1kg cooked prawns, peeled.

1 whole rockmelon seeds removed and cut into chunks

Handful of mint finely shredded

Handful of coriander finely shredded

1 small red chilli seeds removed and finely chopped

1 lime

Pepper

Method

Mix all ingrediants together, squeeze over lime juice to taste and season with pepper.

Red Lentil and Tomato Soup

Preparation time 10 mins, plus cooking.
Serves 6.

A healthy and delicious soup which freezes well.

Ingredients

1 brown onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 large red chilli halved
750ml chicken stock (we suggest Maggie Beer Chicken stock)
2 cans 400g whole tomatoes
375g red lentils (rinsed and drained)
Oil for cooking
Natural unsweetened yoghurt to taste, we suggest Country Valley yoghurt
Handful of coriander leaves chopped
Bread or flatbread, toasted to serve

Method

Heat rice bran oil or other lightly flavoured oil in a heavy based saucepan Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft, add garlic and ginger and cook for a few minutes. Add spices add cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
Add lentils, chicken stock, chilli and tomatoes.
Bring to boil reduce to low boil and cook until lentils are soft stirring occasionally. Add extra water if necessary if soup becomes too thick.
Remove from heat, cool slightly and puree using a bamix or food processor, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Return to heat until hot, plate in a bowl add a good dollop of yoghurt, add a sprinkle of coriander and serve with bread.

Plum Sauce

Plum sauce is good with chinese food, lamb and burgers. It can be added to a casserole, used as a marinade for meat or as a dip for cooked prawns.

Makes 2 litres.
Preparation time 30 mins, plus cooking.

Ingrediants

1.5kg plums
5 whole cloves
1 tspn whole allspice
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 tspn black peppercorns
500g brown sugar
2 tspns salt
2 tspns finely grated ginger
3 cups good quality white wine vinegar
Muslin, sterilised by boiling in water for 5 mins

Method

Halve plums, and remove stones reserving half the stones.
using a kitchen hammer or the flat end of a knife crack the reserved stones and place in a piece of the sterilsed muslin, tie securely.
Place spices in another piece of muslin and tie securely.
Place plums, ginger, salt, sugar and vinegar into a large saucepan with the muslin bags.
Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved,. Increase heat and boil for approximately 15-20mins until plums have collapsed.
Remove muslin bags squeezing juices out of the bags into the pan, discard bags.
Puree sauce in a food processor, or bamix and return to a cleaned pan.
Boil pureed sauce until thick enough to be still pourable, it will thicken further once cooled.
Pour sauce into sterlised jars and seal.
Leave for at least 7 days before using, sauce will keep for 9 months.

MARKET REPORT

FRUIT

Autumn fruit is starting with new season apples and pears.

Mangoes Last week for KP’s! Arguably the best eating KP’s of the season.

Apples New Season Ginger Golds, Fujis, Royal Gala’s and Red Delicious. Royal Gala our pick juicy and not too sweet.

Bananas Very affordable lots of supply around.

Pears New Season Beurre Bosc, Corella and William’s Pears. Williams the pick.

Grapes Thompson and Muscats the pick.

Stone Fruit Plums still very good. Radiance plums our pick.

Berries Organic Blueberries.

Melons Large and sweet local rockmelons. Good value watermelon.

Figs Large fruit around. Packs the pick.

Citrus Limes great value. Only imported naval oranges and mandarins.

VEGETABLES

Potatoes 12 varieties of potatoes in store. New season Russet Burbanks, Pink Eyes and Dutch Cream’s. Sebagoes very good quality and affordability.

Tomatoes All good value especially cherry truss tomato packs.

Asparagus Baby Vic Aussie asparagus.

Local Zucchini and Green Capsicum.

Red Capsicum Excellant quality and value.

Kale and Tuscan Cabbage Really popular at the moment.

FLOWERS

Tulips have started. New season Protea’s. Tuber Rose still very good.