Apple, pear and walnut salad

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 4 apples, preferably use 2 to 3 different kinds
• 2 pears, preferably red and green
• 2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a large bowl whisk together vinegar, orange juice, zest and raisins. Core and cube apples and pears. Add fruit and walnuts to a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

bbq mango cheeks

Ingredients:

• 4 mangoes, cheeks removed
• 1/4 cup marsala wine
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• Vanilla ice cream and lime wedges

Method:

• Preheat barbecue plate on medium high heat
• Score 3 vertical lines and 3 horizontal lines into each mango cheek (avoid cutting through)
• Brush cheeks generously with marsala
• Place sugar on a plate
• Dip cut side of mango cheeks into sugar to form a thick coating
• Place a sheet of baking paper on hot barbecue plate
• Place mango cheeks, sugar side down, on baking paper
• Barbecue mango for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden
• Turn mango skin inside out and place on plates
• Drizzle with caramel from paper
• Serve with ice cream and lime wedges

Grant’s Quiche

Ingredients:

• 4 courgettes (zucchinis)
• 1 large onion
• 4 rashers of bacon
• 1 cup of grated tasty cheese
• 1 ½ cups of oil (vegetable or canola)
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chives (optional)

Method:

• Slice courgettes, dice onion, cut bacon into small pieces
• Lightly beat eggs and add all other ingredients, mix well
• Place mixture into well oiled flan dish and cook for 40 minutes at 180c

You can use any vegetable in place of courgettes. Try spring onions, peas corn and so on. You can also add sliced tomato on top prior to cooking.

I like to chop a few chives and add to mixture.

Serve hot or cold, great with a nice green salad.

Bon Appétit!

Grant Cropp

Sweet Potato Soup

A timely dish for the season for all soup lovers.

Where possible buy locally grown, organic ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

• 20g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 500g fennel, chopped
• 500g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1½ cups milk
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup sour cream, for serving

METHOD

Heat butter in a large heavy-based saucepan, add onion and garlic, cook until softened. Add fennel, sweet potato and stock, simmer covered for 15-20 minutes until very tender.

Puree mixture until smooth, add milk and cheese. Season to taste. Heat gently without boiling. Adjust consistency with extra milk if required.

Ladle soup into bowls and dollop with sour cream. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Organic Lemon Butter Biscuits

Morning tea is a much loved, time honoured Australian tradition. A ‘cuppa’ and a ‘biccy’ provides family, friends and colleagues with the opportunity to rest, reflect and rejuvenate. Kennedy’s staff invite you to enjoy one of our favourite morning tea delights. Sweet and sour in taste, these delicious organic treats offer the perfect mid morning break, bound to bring out the sweet side in any boss

 

INGREDIENTS

Basic biscuit dough

250g unsalted organic butter

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 cup (160g) icing sugar, sifted

2 cups (300g) plain flour

1 organic egg white, beaten until foamy

¼ cup (55g) caster sugar

Lemon butter

2 organic eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup (110g) caster sugar

grated rind of 1 organic lemon

¼ cup (60ml) organic lemon juice

30g organic butter

 

METHOD

Preheat oven to moderate 180°C. Roll level teaspoons of chilled basic biscuit dough into balls and place on prepared trays. Press down with a fork which has been dipped in cold water to prevent sticking.

Bake for 12 minutes, until just beginning to colour. Cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.

Meanwhile, make lemon butter. Place all ingredients in a heavy based saucepan on medium heat. Stir constantly for 5-10 minutes, until thick. Try not to boil as the mixture will curdle. Remove from heat and cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Just before serving, join biscuits in pairs with ½ teaspoon of lemon butter between each.

Ingredients

4 free range egg whites (room temperature)

1 cup castor sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar

2 teaspoons cornflour

In small electric mixer bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form

Add sugar, lemon juice and sifted cornflour and beat until stiff and glossy (at least 10 minutes)

Cover a baking tray with baking paper

Pile meringue onto paper and shape into a large circle, leaving the centre slightly hollowed

Bake in a very slow oven for 1 1/2 hours or until crisp on the outside

Turn oven off and leave pavlova to cool in oven with door ajar

Decorate with fresh whipped cream and fresh Queensland strawberries