Apple & Elderflower Tea from the supermarket

If there is no time to make your own tea, here is a good alternative.It's in the middle price range. Not cheap, not too dear!

Great to drink hot or cold.

For kids and adults.

No caffeine.

No sugar.

No gluten.

The boy who bakes by Edd Kimber

Gt recipes and ideas : chocolate chestnut torte, mince scones, Parkin cake, tiramisu cupcake to name a few-yum!

Get it from ur nearest library, or google Edd online for recipes and ideas

Recipes for elderberry

Elderberry Vinegar - Good enough to drink:

Ingredients:
400g ripe elderberries
500ml red wine vinegar
700g white sugar
Method:

Put the crushed elderberries in a jar and cover with the vinegar. Cover the jar with muslin.
Leave for 5 days.
Strain the vinegar through muslin or a fine seive.
In a saucepan add the sugar to the vinegar and warm until it is dissolved, keeping stirring all the time.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Bottled in sterilised bottles, seal using a cork or plastic cap as the vinegar will corrode metal.

Why not try a shrub for fiveties tonight? Click here  for recipes Cocktail recipes that suit elderberry vinegar

Basic shrub cocktail:

1 ½ - 2 parts base spirit
1 part complementarily flavored liqueur
½ part shrub
2-4 dashes complimentary flavored bitters.
Stir it up with ice, strain it into a chilled cocktail glass or over ice, garnish with something that makes sense, and enjoy.

Elderberry antiviral jam to fight cold and flus:

Adapted from James Wong " Grow your own drugs"
To view recipe click here James Wong's easy jam recipe

Pontack sauce for dark meats - apparently delicious enough to pour over icecream:
Adapted from Pam Corbins

Ingredients:
1 lb. 2 oz. elderberries, stripped from stems
2 c. cider vinegar
4 oz. sliced onion
1 small clove garlic, sliced
tiny pinch of mace
tiny pinch of cloves
 1 T. tellecherry peppercorns
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, bruised

Method:
Place berries in a glass baking dish, and roast at 200 degrees for about 2 hours until they are soft and starting to "bleed" their juices. Strain through a sieve (I used a china cap), and transfer juice to a wide non-reactive saucepan.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer over low heat for about a half hour. Strain the sauce through a sieve.

Transfer the sauce back to a small saucepan, and bring to a rapid boil. Boil hard for 5 minutes. Pour sauce into a sterilized jar or bottle, and store in a dark, cool place.


Elderberry jelly-jam:
Adapted from Nigel Slater's Tender II makes 3 cups

Ingredients

750 grams elderberries (weight should be berries already removed from stems)
600 ml water
400 grams tart apples (I used Granny Smith, but if you have access to crab apples, even better), halved and left uncored and unpeeled
750 grams granulated sugar

Directions

1. Place elderberries, apples and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until apples are tender. Remove from heat and then place mixture in a jelly bag to drip over night. Don't squeeze the bag or its contents, as you'll end up with a cloudy jelly.

2. The next day, pour the collected juices into a dutch oven along with the sugar. If you would like fruit in your jelly, add in some of the berries from the jelly bag. Discard the rest. Bring mixture back to a boil and boil hard for 10-15 minutes, or until jelly reaches its setting point.

3. Pour into sterilized jars and process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Elderberry Syrup:  For recipe, search my blog under "elderberry syrup". There should be a recipe there already

A Temp's Perfect Fish Pie

Basic Ingredients:

1-2 Tinned tuna (smoked hapuka, or salmon if affordable)
4-5 Large waxy potatoes
1 Cup of bread crumbs
3 Eggs
Flour
Water
Butter
Parsley

Method:

Heat oven to 180 degrees celsius

Choose a number of potatoes that will be sufficient to make enough mash to fill the pie dish you have selected to use.

Boil potatoes and while you are at it, throw a couple of eggs into the water with them and cook them for ten minutes until they are hard boiled.

Butter the pie dish, take your fish and use the whole lot to cover the bottom of the dish.

Fish out the eggs, and check your potatoes if they are ready to drain.

Run the eggs under cool water, peel and cut into halves and put them aside for later.
Drain the potatoes and mash them until they are smooth.

When preparing white sauce make sure that you focus entirely on one step after the other as it easily goes wrong if you are not used to making it

First prepare a roux. Take a generous nob of butter and gently melt it in a medium size sauce pan. Stir in enough flour into the liquid butter to make a greasy ball of goo and then add a cup of boiling water.

Whisk the sauce at all times. As the sauce begins to thicken, add another cup of water and another and so forth, until you have reached the desired thickness you would like your sauce to be.

Make sure to season with S&P to taste. Depending on what type of flavour you favour, some nutmeg, chilli, black pepper, fresh parsley or chives make a markable difference and go a long way to add that "je ne sais pas quoi" element to this dish. Why not give it a punt, arrr! Well shiver me timbers, after all this is a sea dogs pie, isn't it!

The secret of making white sauces is to make sure to whisk them at all times and make sure it does not get lumpy and dry, so keep adding water as required and whisk, whisk, whisk to stop it burning.

Note that you can use milk instead of boiling water!
But because the dish has already enough dairy and protein, in order to cut back on fat, water works just as well and allows for a healthier option.

Pour white sauce over the fish then heap the mash on top of it until a half an inch off the top of the dish. Bury the eggs in the mash and make sure they are cover.

Sprinkle with bread crumps and for the crowning glory pop a few nobs of butter on the top.

Make sure to cover the dish with aluminium foil to prevent it from burning and create a nice crusty finish.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Elderflower Eyebright Tea

Start drinking plain elderflower tea by infusing dried elderflowers at least 2-3 months before you normally start getting symptoms.

Then when the hay fever season arrives, start drinking the tea.

You can just drink plain elderflower and do not need eyebright or nettles. For nettles make sure to pop off and use the very top of the plant only for tea.

Can't be bothered? Try this Twinings range. It's a lovely drink. Not sure about benefits however.

Pick elderflowers & allow to dry (like roses).Repeat for eyebright and nettles as required.

Combine 100g dried elderflowers, (150g dried eyebright and 50g dried nettles). Use 1-2 per teaspoons per cup of boiling water.  Cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes before straining, then drink.  Take a cap as often as desired.

In Southland "eyebright" is found sparingly at Waituna Lagoon,  as documented on this retired botanist's absolutely fabulous blog http://theobrominated.blogspot.co.nz/2011/08/bright-eyes.html

The elderflower will also help with keeping a regular toilet cycle. Just make sure you don't ingest too much elderflower cordial or tea, as  you may otherwise experience tummy upset and possibly a spot of diarrhea.

Reference: James Wong (BBC), Evelyn (Arrowtown)

Quiche Au Prisonier

I went to prison today for a tour. it was the most depressing thing and some place I don't think I will ever get used to. When we passed the kitchen, however, the prisoners seemed in the most normal setting and almost likeable.
At home I crossed a whole tray of leftovers (old cream and gravy to process) so naturally I transformed them into a spineless, ahem, crustless quiche ...

Ingredients
1 onions
2 carrots
1 c frozen beans (or peas, mixed vege)
3 leaves of silverbeet
1 tsp ginger
*4 eggs
*1 cup milk or cream
*1/2 c self raising flour
1/2 c gravy
Salt and pepper

Marked with an asterix are the standard ingredients for preparing a quiche. After that any thing goes and throw in whatever you like.
Soften onions, carrots and other vege
Mix cream (or milk), self raising flour, cheese
Combine


Bake at 180 degrees

Saturday Mini Muffins On Probation

My new job is at the Department of Corrections. After 70 applications to Invercargill jobs, I am totally wrapped and join the Saturday Working Club now and the lucky few of us in the club have made it a ritual to make a pot luck lunch at work each Saturday. So I am making muffins to take a long tomorrow.

If you don't have muffin tins, check out your opshops for second hand ones. They are hygenic because they are baked in so don't worry about other people's goobies too much.

These muffins make great nibbles for any occasion and are best with a bit of cream cheese. They don't take long to make either. 

The skeleton for this recipe was taken from Nigella's muffin recipe and been amended by me .

 So, the recipe goes...

Ingredients
175g plain flour
75g rye flour (for some nutty flavour)
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 c grates cheddar
Couple fo splashes of Worcester Sauce
1 egg
125ml soy milk or normal
75ml vege oil (garlic infused if you have it)
Add corn,garden chives, parsley, capers as desired

Method
Heat oven at 180 degrees.
Mix together dry ingredients.
And separately mix together cheese, egg, worcester sauce, vege oil, soy milk, and fresh herbs.
Combine the two and with teaspoon scoop modest amounts into each mould.  Because there is plenty of raising agent, don't fill the mould up to the top.
Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, check on progress as each recipe has a different bake time depending on how the cook decided to personalises recipes.

I love catering to community and what people need, and these cheesy yummy snack size muffins will make the Fri night hangover which I know some of us will be feeling after the week that was at probation!

Kale, Pumpkin, Bacon Stir-Fry

Bunch of kale from the paddock
Quarter of pumpkin, cubed
2 rashers of bacon or ham
1 onion

1. De-stem the kale and cut the leaves into coarse shreds. Submerge the leaves into a bowl of water and swish around to remove any trapped grit and dirt; set aside.
2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic oil, onion and bacon and fry for a few minutes to until light brown.

3. Add pumpkin cubes and let it soften for a few minutes. Add water to stop it from sticking to the pan. Then add the kale along with whatever water is clinging to the leaves, and saute it until the leaves deepen in color slightly; squeeze some lemon juice over the mix.
4. Season with the soy sauce and chili sauce if desired. Personally I just enjoy salt and pepper and let only the flavour of the veggies come through. Taste the kale to see if it's cooked to your liking. Serve with rice and fried chicken, beef or lamb, if desired.

Sunshine Bars For PP Who Live In The Deep Dark South...

Ingredients

100g dried ready-to-eat tropical medley or other mixed dried fruits

150g porridge oats

85g desiccated coconut

50g blanched hazelnuts or shelled peanuts or other nuts

50g sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds, whatever your preference

100g light brown sugar

125ml golden syrup

100g butter , chopped up

1.     Chop the tropical medley into pieces using kitchen scissors. Tip the oats, (cereal), coconut and fruit into a large bowl and mix well, using a wooden spoon or clean hands. Put the hazelnuts and sunflower, sesame or pumpkin seeds in a frying pan with no oil and, over a moderate heat, stir until they are lightly toasted. Leave to cool a little then tip into the bowl and mix.

2.     Put the sugar, syrup and butter in a small pan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon until melted, then simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thicker and syrupy.

3.     Quickly stir the syrup into the dry mix, stirring until it all starts to bind and there are no dry patches.

4.     Quickly tip into a 20cm square tin and press down with the back of a spoon to even out the surface. Leave to cool and set - about 2 hours. Cut the mixture into 6 one way and 3 the other to make 18 bars. Store in a tin, or wrapped tightly in foil for up to a week.

PER SERVING

Approx 190 kcalories, protein 2g, carbohydrate 22g, fat 11 g, saturated fat 6g, fibre 2g, sugar 11g, salt 0.26 g

Referencce:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3305/sunshine-bars

Egg, Butter-Free Chocolate Muffins

3 cups rye flour ( replace with rice flour for a gluten free result)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa (can use less)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons vinegar
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups water

Directions:

1
Mix dry ingredients throughly.
2
Add liquids and mix well with a fork.
Can be baked as madeleines, mini cakes, muffin, or as a cake (allow 1 1/4 hours for baking)! 
3
Bake at 180 Celcius for 12 or longer minutes. or until cooked when tested with a knife.
4
The muffins can be iced or left plain.
5
It makes a nice dessert with cream or custard.


Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/chocolate-cake-no-eggs-or-butter-339303#ixzz1spezEaM9

Classic Cornbread Recipe

This is a lovely accompaniment to a rack of lamb

12 pieces

Ingredients:

125 g polenta or cornmeal
125g white flour
2 tspoon salt
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
2 eggs
1 tsp honey
150g yoghurt
150 ml milk
25g butter

Method:
23cm baking tin
Mix together dry ingredients
Whisk together we ingredients
Add one to the other
bake at 220 degrees celsius for 20 minutes

I added Woolworth sundried tomatoes and finely chopped leek.
You can add chilli, pumpkin, kumara or whatever.

Danish bread pudding with wild elderberries (or other wild berries)

Delicious and an excellent way of using leftover food. 600 g.breadcrumbs,1 Tsp cream,100 g. sugar,the seeds from half a vanilla pod,4 eggs,1 Tsp crushed hazel nuts, 10 Tsp wild elderberries (or raspberries,blueberries,redcurrants,cranberries) Elderberry jam or other dark berry jam Pre-eat the oven to 175˚C (350˚F). Place the breadcrumbs, cream, eggs, sugar and hazel nuts in a bowl and mix to a smooth paste. Smear bottom of a greased fireproof dish with jam.Place over jam the berries. Pour the mixture on top and top with the remaining berries. Bake the pudding in the oven for 30 minutes. Check to see if it is ready by inserting a knife. If the knife comes out clean then the pudding is ready.

Indian roast potatoes and Vegetarian curry w quince paste (Slowcooker recipe)

Smallish potatoes are best for this recipe! Ones from your garden, even better! 900g potatoes, unpeeled 2 x 15ml tablespoons rice bran oil 2 tsp tumeric 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp mustard seeds, black or yellow whichever ... 1 bulb garlic 1 onion lime juice salt Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cut unpeeled potatoes into 2-3cm cubes Use mortar and pestle to grind all spices together to release flavour Put potatoe cubes into a bag with oil and spices and shake until cubes are covered in aromatic mix! Use old bread bags or supermarket plastic bags. Tip onto a baking dish and scaterr cloves of unpeeled garlic over cubes. Cook for 1 hour. Marinade thinly diced onion in lime juice. When potatoes are done sprinkle lime onions over the potatoes. Delish! Vegetarian Curry 2 x 15ml tablespoons rice bran oil 1 onion, peeled and cut into half moons salt Tsp grated ginger 1 tsp tumeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground ginger 2 x cans coconut milk 600ml Marigold vege stock, or any stock will do 1 tsp suger 1 Tsp quince paste (substitute for tamarind paste) 350g cauli, broken into florets 350g broccoli, broken into florets 100g frozen beans 125g baby corn 150g peas Add to slow cooker: oil Sliced onion salt spices coconut milk stock sugar quince paste 2 hours before serving, add cauli and broccoli florets, beans, peas and corn.

Hot spicy elderberry drink

My partner is complaining of a sore throat this morning so I went to it and tried the spicy elderberry drink spoken to me about by some ladies at the Gore Revive, Relax, Retail Expo over the weekend. Splurge of elderberry syrup Pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon Some grated fresh ginger (there is nothing wrong with using Pam's chopped ginger ina jar) Squeeze of lemon Top up with hot water

Elderberry - More recipes to come!

To come ... Elderberry pavalova Lamb rack with an elder glaze Lamb fillet rosemary/elderberry marinade Cold/ hot throat soother, and more! This site does not include any recipes that I have not tried. The above still have to be tried and errored and will go onto the website for the correct, reliable and delish recipes. Cheers

Elderberry (or other) Turkish Delight

Turkish Delight is a candy that originated in Turkey in the 1700's. The candy was featured in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", by C.S Lewis. The White Witch tempted a character, Edmund, with Turkish Delight. This easy Turkish Delight recipe will tempt you, too!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hour, 10 minutes Total Time: 2 hour, 25 minutes Ingredients: 4 cups granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups cornstarch 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 4 1/4 cups water 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 1/2 tablespoons elderberry juice or syrup 1 cup icing sugar Vegetable oil or shortening Preparation: In a 9 inch baking pan, grease the sides and bottom with vegetable oil or shortening. Line with wax paper and grease the wax paper. In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar and 1 1/2 cups water on medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves. Allow mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and set aside. An alternate method offered to know when the sugar mixture is ready is by putting a handbowl of cold water next to the sauce pan and periodically test by pouring a drop of sugar into the cold water. If the sugar dilutes in the cold water it's not ready, if it turns to candy it is not ready, if it forms a ball is it ready! Combine cream of tartar, 1 cup corn starch and remaining water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until all lumps are gone and the mixture begins to boil. Stop stirring when the mixture has a glue like consistency. Stir in the lemon juice, water and sugar mixture. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently. Once the mixture has become a golden color, stir in elderberry. Pour mixture into wax paper lined pan. Spread evenly and allow to cool overnight. Once it has cooled overnight, sift together confectioners sugar and remaining cornstarch. Turn over baking pan containing Turkish delight onto clean counter or table and cut with oiled knife into one inch pieces. Coat with confectioners sugar mixture. Serve or store in airtight container in layers separated with wax or parchment paper. Amended from http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dessertssweetspastries/r/turkishdelight.htm

Elderberry reduction for venison, duck, pork, lamb

Ingredients
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fine diced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup crushed fresh elderberries
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup gin
1 cup rich brown sauce (use bisto or Continental gravy)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon cold butter


Directions
Lightly season the venison chops on both sides with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add the berries, sugar and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and red wine and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the gin, being careful of flames, and stir to deglaze the pan. (Alternately, remove the pan from the heat and ignite with a match.) When the flames die out, add the demi-glace and sage, and stir well.

Elderberry Syrup pamphlet

Nola's meatloaf

Treat this like Kiwi terrine! A few slices of this lovely moist, caramalised meatloaf recipe goes perfectly with a garden salad, new potatoes or fresh vege on the side beautifully. This looks like French bistro but tastes unmistakenly Kiwi.

Ingredients:
500g Dave's sausages or others (about 6 saussies normal size)
500g mince
1/4 c chopped tomatoes out of a can
3 carrots, grated
1/3 c red or white cabbage (can be substiuted by a 1/3 cup of grated zuccini)
a tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
1 onion
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Set oven at 200 degress celsius
2. Take sausage meat out of casing and mix in with meat.
3.Grate onion, carrots and thinly slice or grate the cabbage in a bowl. Add chopped tomatoes.
4. Combine the veges,meats, sweet chilli sauce and combine well until it form a nice clump.
5.Mould into a loaf like rectangle and wrap in aluminium foil.
6. Cook for an hour at 180 degrees fan bake.


Serve with fresh salad and spicy elderflower salad dressing.

Moosewood's carrot mushroom loaf for an oaf or the gluten intolerant

Feel like you've been an oaf today? Misplaced your keys? Maybe, misplaced your wallet? Forgot your brain at home before going to work?

30 minutes to assemble
45 minutes to bake

5-6 Servings

2 cups minced onion
1tbsp butter
400g mushroom
1tsp basil
1tsp thyme
1tsp dill
3-4 medium cloves of garlic
6 cups grated carrots
2 cups bred crumbs
1 cup grated cheddar
2 eggs beaten
black pepper
Optional toppings: extra dill, cheese, breadcrumbs, sprinkling of sesame seeds

Lightly oil a 9 by 13 inch baking pan, standard size fruit cake tin. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C

In a large pan saute onions in butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, salt, herbs and garlic and continue to saute for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl combine carrots, breadcrumbs, cheese, eggs and pepper. Add the sauteed mixture and mix well. Spread into the prepared pan and sprinkle with your choice of toppings. Cover the pan with foil

Bake for 30 minutes covered then uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Serve hot or warm.

For more great Mollie Katzen recipes go to and

Drink with a Valli Margherita

Large glass full of ice
1 part cointreau
4 parts Barkers Lime Cordial - diluted
5 parts grappa or Hokonui moonshine (better made with local ingredients like home distilled or hokonui)
1/4 of a lime