Margaritas for 2 people

- grate sea salt onto a plate
cut lime in a wedge and squeeze around rim of glass
dip glass rim in salt and move around until coated

75 ml tequila (white is best)
50 ml triple sec
50 ml lime cordial
1 1/2 trays ice cubes (18 cubes)

Blend all ingredients in a thermomix or blender until ice is fine and “mushy”
Pour into salt rimmed glass and enjoy!

Scallops with ginger & lime with Soba Noodles

500gms scallops approx. (more can be added)
Knob fresh ginger sliced finely or grated
Juice 1 lime
Olive Oil

Soba Noodles – 2/3 pack. Prepare as per directions.
Toss through:
Ketchup Manis (approx 3 – 4 tablespoons)
3 shallots sliced finely
250gms snow peas sliced diagonally
100 - 150mls coconut cream.

Combine ginger, lime and scallops and sear quickly in little olive oil over high heat. Toss all ingredients together and serve with bok choy or other asian vegetable that has been steamed and tossed in Oyster sauce to taste.

Ginger Soy Wasabi and Lime Dressing

Knob Ginger finely sliced or grated
½ cup Soy
Wasabi to taste
Juice 1 Lime or to taste

Combine and mix with spoon

This is a yummy recipe from our friends Di and Steve Moore.

Chocolate Chip Apricot Cake

1 packet chopped dried apricots
1 cup apricot nectar
125gms butter melted
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups coconut
1.5 cups SR flour
¾ cup white choc chips
¾ cup milk choc chips

Pour nectar over apricots & leave to stand for 45 minutes.
In separate bowl add the brown sugar, coconut, flour & eggs to the melted butter. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Add apricot mixture, stirring well to incorporate. Add choc chips last & stir through lightly. Pour mixture into a greased & lined 20cm deep round tin & cook in moderate oven for about 35 – 45 minutes. Cake is cooked when firm to touch in centre. It may take a little longer than this depending on the oven.
Remove from oven. Stand 10 minutes before turning out to cool.

May be served hot with custard, cream &/or ice cream, or dusted thickly with sifted icing sugar. Alternately I spread it with a chocolate ganache.

Choc Ganache

250gms good quality dark chocolate
150mls sour cream

Melt chocolate gently, adding cream when just about no lumps of chocolate remain. Remove from heat and stir briskly till smooth & glossy. Refrigerate about 10 – 15 minutes then spread thickly over top & sides of cake.

In hot weather refrigerate.

To make a larger cake you can make half this recipe again. (so 1.5 ) To make a really large cake it can be doubled.

It is also nice served with a chocolate sauce if dusted with icing sugar.
250gms dark chocolate
250mls – 300mls cream

Heat gently together, stirring well as they warm & melt.

Our friends Di and Steve Moore made this cake for my birthday in Broome this year. What a cake. I can't wait to make it for our family when we get home. It is delicious.

Confetti salad

¼ chinese cabbage sliced
¼ red cabbage sliced
3 shallots sliced
1 large mushroom chopped finely
1 apple sliced or chopped finely
2 sticks celery sliced
3 tablespoons pepitas (Add just before dressing)

Dressing
2 tablespoons whole egg mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Juice half a lime
Combine well in jar and chill. Pour over just prior to serving and toss well

This is a lovely fresh tasting salad. With thanks from our friends Di and Steve Moore.

Fish Cakes

1 small (70g) carrot, grated finely
375g white fish fillets
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp grated lime rind
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
3 green onions, chopped
125g green beans, chopped
plain flour
cooking oil

Cucumber and mint chutney

1/3 cup white vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 small 9130g) green cucumber, chopped finely
1 small (150g) red capsicum, chopped finely
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 small (80g) onion, sliced

Squeeze moisture form carrot. Process fish, sauce, sugar, coriander, paprika, rind, garlic, ginger and green onions until combined. (8 seconds in the Thermomix)
Transfer mixture to bowl, add carrot and beans, mix well.
Divide mixture into 8 patties. Toss patties in flour, shake away excess flour.
Heat oil in fry pan and add patties, cook until cooked through and brown on both sides.

Cucumber and Mint Chutney.
Combine vinegar and sugar in small bowl, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumber, capsicum, mint, juice and onion, mix well.

Lentil Dahl

Serves 4. Prep and cook time 40 minutes

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 Tbsp medium - hot curry paste
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed and drained
3 cups vegetable stock
2 Tbsp tomato paste
250g cauliflower, cut into small florets
250g broccoli, cut into small florets
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped
Plain yoghurt and chopped coriander, extra, for serving

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and curry paste, cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add lentils, stir well to coat.

Add stock and tomato paste, bring to the boil, cover, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.

Add cauliflower and broccoli, simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, adding peas for final 2 minutes. Stir in coriander, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, we cooked papa dams in the microwave.

Serve curry with yogurt, mango chutney, extra coriander and papa dams.

Recipe taken from May 2010 Women’s Weekly

Oriental Salad

1/2 fennel bulb sliced thinly
1/2 chinese cabbage sliced thinly
1/2 bunch mint
1/2 bunch dill
3 shallots sliced

Dressing:

1/2 tsp thyme leaves
Pepper
2 tsp honey
80 mls olive oil

To make dressing, pound thyme leaves with mortar and pestle, whisk remainder of ingredients together and add pepper to taste.

Toss all salad ingredients and dressing together and this is delicious with most fish dishes.

The last time I made this salad I didn't have mint or dill so substituted them with coriander and it tasted very nice.