Waratah Park Country House - Waratah Bay

Overlooking Wilsons Promontory National Park

Recipes of the Month - The featured recipes this month were shown on                    Channel Nine's "Postcards" program.  "Floating Islands" was the feature recipe.                  The other recipes were shown visually.  Happy cooking!

FLOATING ISLAND (As featured on Channel Nine's "Postcards")

This is a new version of an old fashioned favourite!

Ingredients:

4 Eggs - whites only   (save yolks for another dish)
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1 1/2 cups Cream
2 tablespoons Honey
1 teaspoon Ground Cardamoml
3/4 cup Pistachio Nuts, shelled and coarsly chopped

Floating Islands Method:

Prehead oven to 180deg C.   Grease 6 souffle dishes (3/4 cup capacity).  Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft to medium peaks form.  Continue beating adding sugar gradually until sugar dissolves.  Divide mixture evenly between souffle dishes and level off top with a spatula.  Place dishes into a baking dish and pour boiling water into the pan until water is approximately half way up the sides of the souffle dishes. Bake uncovered in oven for approximately 12 minutes or until floating islands have risne by about a third.  Stand in baking dish for about 2 mintues while decorating serving plate.

Cardammom Cream Method:

Combine cream, cardamom and honey in a screw top lidded jar and shake until combined.  Or alternatively stir all ingredients together until combined.  Divide cream between the 6 places.   Loosen floating islands from souffle dishes with a knife and carefully turn floating islands out onto cream mixture.  Sprinkle liberally with chopped pistachio nuts and decorate as you wish.  We have picked fresh strawberries from our garden and local Ameys Track Blueberries as a garnish!

APPETISERS

CHEESE CAPSICUM AND WALNUT PARCELS

Ingredients:

  350 grams Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Tasty Cheese
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 Red Capsicum, finely chopped
Pinch Dried Rosemary
Pinch Cayenne Pepper, ground
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped Walnuts
Fillo Pastry and Melted Butter or Olive Oil Spray

Method:

In a large bowl combine ingrediatents, mixing well. Layer 4 sheets of Fillo Pastry at a time, brushing with melted butter or spraying with Olive Oil spray. Cut each sheet into 12 equal squares and place a good heapen soup spoon of filling into middle of each square.  Press sides of squares up to form a parcel.  Bake at 180 deg C for around 15-20 minutes or until pastry is lightly browned.  Serve hot.  Makes about 36 squares.

MEDITTERANEAN BRUSCHETTA

Ingredients:

  4 slices Wholemeal Multigrain Bread  (Bakers Delight Wholemeal Country Grain preferred) cut into large rounds (4 in total)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 clove Garlic, crushed or finely chopped
4 tablespoons Sun-Dried Tomato Macadmaia Nut Pesto (I make my own but a bought one is okay)
4 large slices Char-grilled Capsicum, red (can purchase this from deli if needed)
4 pitted Kalamata Olives
4 generous slices of Faudell Goats Cheese
4 large Sun-dried Tomatoes
4 tablespoons Basil Pinenut Pesto ( I make my own but a bought one is okay)
4 large Basil Leaves

Method:

Infuse oil and garlic for as long as you can.  Brush bread rounds with garlic oil and place on a baking tray.   Heat oven to 180-deg C and bake rounds turning half way through for about 15 - 20 minutes or until brown on both sides. Cool.  When cool place on serving place and top each slice with 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato pesto, spreading evenly. Then top with capsicum, olives, goats chees and sun-dried tomatoes.  Top with a generous dollop of basil pinenut pesto and a large basil leaf.  Serves 4 people.

ENTREES

CRUMBED SALT AND PEPPER CALAMARI SALAD

Ingredients:

  2 large Squid Hoods, cleaned with flaps removed, and sliced into rings
6 slices of multigrain wholemeal bread, crumbed (Bakers Delight Wholemeal Country Grain preferred)
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Milk
Sea Salt Flakes and Ground Peppercorns to taste
1/2 cup Plain Flour
Mixed Mesclun Salad Leaves
1 Red Onion finely sliced into rings
Oil for deep frying
Honey Mustard Dressing: 1 cup Light Olive Oil
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Seeded Mustard
2 tablespoons Honey
Lemon Wedges and Circles to serve

Method:

Combine egg and milk together and mix well.  Combine flour with sea salt flakes and ground black peppercorns. Dip squid hood rings into flour and coat well, then into combined egg and milk mixture.  Then coat well in the breadcrumbs.  Place on a tray and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow crumbs to "set". Meanwhile place dressing ingredients into blender and blend until well combined and thickened.  Place mesclun salad on serving plate and sprinkle with red onion rings and cherry tomatoes.   Deep fry calamari rings in hot oil for not more than 2-3 minutes and drain well.   Pile onto mesclun plate and top with lemon circles.  Serve drizzled with dressing, with extra lemon wedges. Serves 4-6 people.

CAESAR SALAD

Ingredients:

 1 bunch Coss Lettuce (or 2 Baby Coss) washed and crisped in fridge
4 rashers bacon, chopped and grilled (or fried if preferred)
4 hard boiled Eggs (free-range preferred)
1 cup shaved Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Garlic Croutons (I make my own but roasted garlic mini bagel crisps are okay)
4 - 6 finely chopped Anchovy Fillets, rinsed
1 cup Caesar Salad dressing (I make my own, however you may prefer a bought one)
Cracked Pepper to taste

Caesar Salad Dressing:

1 whole Egg (preferably free range)
1 clove, Garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
5 whole Anchovy Fillets, washed, drained (optional, but really necessary!)
3/4 cup Light Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Honey (or to taste)
Cracked Pepper to taste (don't need salt because of the anchovies)

Garlic Croutons:

Thick home-made Bread Sticks or Bakers Delight Low Gi/Hi Fibre White Bread
1 clove Garlic, crushed (or finely chopped)
1/2 cup Olive Oil

Method:

IIf using Coss lettuce (not baby coss) tear into pieces and place into large serving bowl.  Top with quartered hard-boiled (and cooled) egg, grilled (or fried) bacon pieces, shaved parmesan and anchovies. Sprinkle garlic croutons over top and splash with caesar dressing, topped with cracked pepper to taste.

Caesar Dressing: In a blender process egg, garlic, lemon juice, mustard and anchovies until smooth.  With the motor still running add olive oil a drop at a time (or a thin stream) until mixture thickens.  When thick enough add the honey and cracked pepper, to your taste.  Refrigerate until required.

Garlic Croutons: Infuse garlic in olive oil for as long as possible (days in fact or at least hours).  Cut home-made bread stick into 1 cm slices or cut white bread into small shapes using a decorative cutter (disgard crusts).  Liberally coat both sides of croutons with garlic infused oil and bake in a 180deg C oven for around 20 minutes (or until crisp and lightly browned).  Cool and store in airtight contained until required.  Serves 4 people. 

                                                MAIN COURSES                                               

CHAR-GRILLED FLATHEAD TAIL FILLETS WITH SPINACH, MANGO, PARMESAN, RED ONION AND SWEET CHILLI SALSA

Ingredients:

  12 Flathead Tail Fillets, skinned
4 cups Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Red Onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Mango cut into cubes
1-2 tablespoons Sweet Chilli Sauce (or to taste)
Lemon Wedges, to serve

Method:

Combine baby spinach leaves, chopped red onion, grated parmesan cheese, mango cubes and sweet chilli sauce in bowl.  Evenly divide between 4 serving plates.  Char-grill Flathead Tail fillets to taste and pile on top of salsa.  Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4 people.

PROSCUITTO WRAPPED PORK FILLET WITH PLUM SAUCE

Ingredients:

  4 whole Pork Fillets
16 slices thinly sliced Proscuitto (approx.)
2  cups Plum Sauce (I make my own which takes 1 hour to cook, but SPC brand is okay - or as a quick standby you can try this - cook 1 chopped onion, with 8 sliced plums until onion is soft, add 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder and 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce, blend in blender - mango sauce can be prepared the same way)
Chopped Spring Onion, to serve

Method:

Wrap pork fillets in proscuitto slices and bake at 180deg C for approximately 30 minutes (or until done to taste). Rest meat for 10 minutes in warm place.  Cut pork fillets in half and place attractively on serving plate. Heat sauce on stove until hot.  Drizzle pork with sauce and sprinkle with chopped spring onion.  Serves 4 - 6 people depending upon size of fillets.

DESSERT

RHUBARB AND APPLE CRUMBLE

Ingredients:

 4 Large Apples, cored, peeled and sliced
500g Rhubarb, trimmed and sliced
1 cup Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
Juice of 1 Lemon

Crumble:

2/3 cup Self-Raising Flour
100g cold Butter, chopped
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
1/2 cup Dessicated Coconut

Method:

IIn a large bowl combine apple slices, rhubarb slices, caster sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.  Grease a large souffle style dish (or 6 small ones). Place apple and rhubarb mix evenly into bowl/s and level out as much as possible.  In food processor combine all crumble ingredients and process until "crumbly".  Top rhubarb mixture with crumble mix and bake in a 180deg C oven for 30 minutes until browned.  Serves 6 people. 

                           ENJOY YOUR COOKING AND LOVE THE EATING!