LEMON SLICE

INGREDIENTS ......150gm of butter/ marg, 1 cup of plain flour ,1/2 cup of icing sugar . Topping ...2 tbs of custard powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 cup of castor sugar , 1/2 cup of lemon juice ,1 tbs of grated lemon rind , 3 eggs . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Line the base of a 20cm x 30 cm of an ovenproof dish with baking paper . Melt the butter/ marg and mix in the flour and sugar . Press the dough into the base of the prepared dish / pan . Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the base is lightly golden . While baking the base ,. prepare the topping . Mix together in a bowl the custard powder ,baking powder , castor sugar , lemon juice , lemon rind and eggs until well combined . When the slice base is baked , pour the topping over and bake for a further 25 minutes or until set . Remove from the oven allow to cool completely and then cut into slices when cold .

RASPBERRY JAM

This is a very simple and succesful jam to make . You will need 3 cups of raspberries ,( fresh or frozen ), 2/3 rds of a cup of castor sugar . If using frozen raspberries let them defrost naturally . Place the raspberries in a medium pot over a medium heat and cook slowly until the juice runs clear from them . Now bring to the boil and add the sugar and stir until dissolved . Boil for 5 minutes , stirring constantly , then pour into clean ,dry jars and seal . This jam will will set after 5 days in stoage in your pantry .

KIWIFRUIT RELISH

You will need 500gm of peeled kiwi fruit , 1 peeled onion, 3 fresh chillies deseeded , 1 tbs of minced garlic ,1 cup of soft brown sugar and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar . You will also need clean glass jars with lids . (I use 230 gm jar =2/3rds of a cup ) Let's get started ... Roughly chop the peeled kiwifruit , finely chop the peeled onion and deseeded chillies . Place the kiwifruit , onion and chillies , minced ginger ,sugar and vinegar in a saucepan . Cook over a medium heat for 60 minutes or until the mixture is thick and pulpy . Spoon into clean dry jars and seal , this amount will make about 2 cups of relish .

SLOW COOKED LAMB SHANKS IN RED WINE

INGREDIENTS ......4 lamb shanks or knuckles , 4 tbs of minced garlic ,400gm of diced tomatoes ,3 tbs of tomato paste , 1 cup of red wine , 3 tbs of ground majoram , 4 peeled and thinly sliced potatoes ,2 x 300gm can of chickpeas , 2 tbs of tahini, parsley sprigs to serve . Preheat your oven to 200 deg C . Place the lamb shanks coated with the minced garlic in an oven proof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to draw out the fat . Drain on absorbent paper . Discard any liquid fat ,place the garlic coated shanks in your greased slow cooker . In a separate bowl mix together the canned diced tomatoes , the tomato paste , marjoram and red wine , adding this mixture to the shanks . Place your slow cooker on high and cook for 4 hours . Meanwhile cook your peeled and sliced potatoes in salted boiling water , until tender . Now drain , reserving a little cooking water to make a smooth creamy mixture . In a separate bowl drain the chickpeas and puree with the tahini. Mix the mashed potato and chickpea puree together until well combined . Spoon the potato and chickpea puree onto the serving plates and top with the lamb and sauce over top , dressed with a parsley sprig .

THE GARDEN COOK

Thank you Roel for the produce from your vegetable garden and Maureen for sharing , nothing goes to waste in The Manor kitchen . Ive chopped fresh silverbeet and basil , enough for tonights Roo ragout and another two meals .... Country cooking is alive and thriving ...!!!

OLIVE SODA BREAD

Ingredients you will need ....125 gm of butter/ margarine , 60 gm of castor sugar , 1 egg beaten , 185gm of plain flour ,470 gm of wholemeal self raiing flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp of bi carbonate soda , 375 ml of buttermilk / milk ,125 gm of sliced black olives , 1 dsp of poppy seeds ,1 tsp of salt flakes . Preheat your oven to 190 deg C . Line a baking tray with baking paper . Place the butter / margarine , sugar in your electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Now replace your mixer beaters with the dough hook and add the flour mix , bi carb of soda ,egg and buttermilk / milk . Mix with the dough hook until you have a soft dough . Lightly flour your work surface and knead in the drained and sliced black olives . Shape the dough into a 20 cm / 8" circle and place on the baking paper lined oven tray . Using a sharp knife , cut a cross on top . Sprinkle with the poppy seeds and salt flakes . Bake for 45 minutes in your preheated oven or until the cob is well coloured . Remove the oven tray from the oven and let the bread stand on the oven tray for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely . Sunday's are well spent baking bread and Monday's enjoying them sliced with butter/ marg .

BEER AND BASIL BREAD

INGREDIENTS.....375gm of self raising flour , 60 gm of castor sugar ,6 tbs of freshly chopped basil ,1 tsp of cracked pepper , 375ml of beer at room temperature . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Come on what is the one basic ingredient missing from this recipe , and why would it be missing ? Okay , let's get started ..... Place the flour , sugar ,basil, cracked pepper and beer in the bowl of your mixer , using your dough hook to mix to a soft dough . Place the dough in a greased and lightly sprinkled with polenta polenta 11cm x 21 cm loaf pan . Bake for 50 minutes or until the bread tested with a skewer comes out clean . Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 5 minutes , then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely . By the way any beer can be used in this recipe , low alcohol beer , zero alcohol beer or full strength . So last question what ingredient do all the above beers have in common ?