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.

Poached Apricots with Panettone

Preparation time 15 mins, plus cooking
Serves 4.

Poaching is a great way to add flavour to apricots. Poached apricots are good by themselves, with pannacotta, icecream in a pudding or with yoghurt. Increase the quantities and store leftover apricots in the fridge for up to a week. Toasted pannetone makes a delicious breakfast or dessert with any fruit either fresh or cooked. You could substitute the panettone for brioche or french toast.

Ingredients

Poached Apricots
1kg apricots
300ml water
100ml white wine
200g caster sugar
1 cinnammon stick
1 vanilla bean

4 slices panettone
marscapone

Method

Place all ingrediants, except apricots in a saucepan heat gently until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Add apricots to liquid, cut baking paper to the same size as the saucepan and cover the apricots with this (this is called a cartouche) which helps keep the apricots in the liquid.
Poach fruit for approximatly 8 minutes, until apricots are soft but still keeping their shape. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the syrup. Remove when cool gently peel skin off (optional) and open gently to remove the seed without halving the apricots.
Toast the panettone, spread with the marscapone and top with cool or reheated apricots, a little syrup and garnish with mint.

Blueberry Hotcakes

Preparation time 15 mins.
Serves 6.

Ingrediants

1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup milk
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tbsn. sugar
dash of salt
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. baking powder
1 – 2 cups blueberries or other berries, if desired

Method

Pour the milk into a mixing bowl, then add the egg yolks; mix until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Add the lemon zest and mix.
Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry peaks form. Gently fold throughout the batter, leaving some streaks of white.
Add the ricotta and mix gently (take care not to overmix as you want it to be slightly chunky).
Heat a non-stick or cast iron pan over medium heat, then grease lightly with butter or oil. Pour 1/2 cup of the batter (per hotcake) into the pan.
Sprinkle the top of the hotcake with a few berries. Cook on one side until little bubbles appear, about 2 minutes, then flip over and cook on the other side for about 1 minute.
Serve with fresh berries and icing sugar or maple syrup if desired

Apple Pancake

Preparation time 15 mins, plus 30 mins resting plus cooking.
Serves 6.

This is a German-Austrian dish. One of the reasons I got fatter when I lived in Austria! A fun dish to make with kids.

Ingredients

3 large eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup milk (can use buttermilk for a different flavour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered and sliced
Icing sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 225C.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, milk and vanilla.
Add the the baking powder to the flour, mix together and then continue to whisk into the milk mixture until smooth.
Set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day.
Meanwhile, toss apples in lemon juice. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to coat.
Heat butter in a 9-inch cast iron pan until melted and move around with a spatula so it greases the sides. Add the apples and cook until slightly soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Pour the batter over the apples and place the pan in the oven. Bake until the edges are puffy, about 16-18 minutes.(Resist the urge to open the oven. Just turn the light on to check.) Serve directly in the pan (careful not to touch the sides) or slide the pancake onto a cutting board or serving platter. Generously dust with icing sugar. Serves 6.

Baked Figs

Preparation time 5 mins, plus 5 mins cooking.
Serves 4.

This easy dish can be endlessly adapted. Substitute blue cheese for the creme fraiche or a mixture of the two. Use marscapone or good quality sour cream, substitute sweet wine or balsamic for the brandy, add walnuts, or another nut.

Ingredients

8 ripe figs
120 ml creme fraiche
45 ml good quality honey
1 tbspn water
2 stalks of thyme, with leaves attached
Few Tbspns good quality brandy or rum

Method

Heat oven to 200 C.
Cut figs in half horizontally.
Select a dish which holds the figs snugly, grease, place thyme in bottom of dish figs on top cut side up.
Pour water into the bottom of the dish.
Drizzle a few drops of brandy over each fig.
Spoon half a tspn honey over each fig followed by 1 tspn of creme fraiche.
Bake at the top of a hot oven for five minutes or until cream starts to brown.
Serve piping hot, by themselves for breakfast,or with toasted brioche.

Apples And Bircher Muesli

Preparation 10 minutes (plus overnight).
Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic rolled oats we suggest Willowvale organics
• ¼ cup good quality sultanas, try Tabletop natural sultanas
• Juice of 2 Lemons
• 1 cup Water or combination of water and fresh apple juice such as Preshafruit granny smith juice
• 2 granny smith apples
• Plain Yoghurt such as Chris Greek style yoghurt
• Runny Honey such as Blue Hills Apiary honey to taste
• Fresh or poached fruit – try bananas, any berries of choice, poached stone fruit (seasonal).

Method

1. Mix the oats, sultanas, lemon juice and water or apple juice and water together cover and soak overnight in fridge. If making that morning add warm or hot water to oats to speed up soaking time.
2. Before breakfast add freshly grated apple to the oats, along with the yoghurt and honey.
3. Keep the mixture quite wet.
4. Divide between 4 bowls and top with the fruit.