MOM'S FRUIT COBBLER

PREP TIME: 5 Minutes

COOK TIME: 35-45 Minutes

(One-Egg Cherry Cobbler)

This is a family favourite going waayyyy back! I think Mom obtained this recipe from one of her sisters in Arkansas. It's truly a "quick-n-easy" if ever there was one. I actually make two versions of this with any number of different fruits.

The one-egg version, is fluffier and more cake-like...the two-egg version is flatter and more like a European fruit slice with a more custard-like texture to it.

In any regard, they are both wonderful with the traditional peach and/or any berry variation you want to dream up. My personal favourite though, is cherry (of course). Another nice combination is peach and blueberry together.

I do think in this recipe, canned fruit is nice to use (juice and all) but freshly stewed fruits are even better. I had a lovely large jar of Morello Cherries in my pantry yesterday and, with a friend over for a visit, I couldn't resist making this for her. I probably could have eased up on the cherries (as this one used almost double the fruit required) but why??? When more is better (when it comes to cherries anyway).

So, here we go...

FLUFFY ONE-EGG VERSION - INGREDIENTS:

75 Gm Butter (approximately 2-3 ounces or 1/3 Cup)

1 Cup Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Nutmeg

1 Cup Milk

1 Egg

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Can of Fruit of Your Choice Including the Juice/Syrup (Approximately 2-3 Cups)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to about 200C (390-400F).

Slice butter into thin pats (or smear thickly) to line the bottom of your baking dish. A 9x9 square pan or a small lasagne dish will work well. A Clear dish is best as you will be able to see the colouring and take it out of the oven just as the sugar around the edges begins to caramelize.

Sift dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl and blend together well.

Add all of the wet ingredients EXCEPT the fruit and whisk until well combined and not lumpy.

Pour batter into butter-lined baking dish then gently pour or spoon in your fruit over the top. The fruit will sink to the bottom but will bubble into the batter during the cooking process (much like with a "dump cake").

Carefully place it into the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the edges start to show good caramelization.

It's best to let this cool to almost room temperature before serving - it holds together beautifully.

TWO-EGG VERSION - only difference is that you add another egg to the batter and leave out the baking soda.

(Two-Egg Boysenberry Cobbler)

I whip up a little topping for mine with about 150 Gms of mascarpone cheese (that's about 5 ounces), a cup of icing sugar (powdered confectioner's sugar), a capful of vanilla and a few drops of lemon flavouring. A bit of lemon zest is always a nice touch too - goes especially good with boysenberries and blueberries. I would typically add amaretto flavouring for a cherry cobbler though.

Voila!!!

BEEF STEW WITH GUINNESS

When the weather turns colder and you are looking for a comfort food recipe, this is always a nice one to have handy. One nice thing about this recipe is that you can cut up everything ahead of time the night before, then get everything into the slow cooker (crock pot) first thing in the morning, and let it cook all day while you are out. No worries, mate!

One pot, one pan, healthy veggies, tasty tender beef in a rich Guinness gravy...who could turn that down? Especially if it's served up with some tasty cheese scones or homemade bread? Mmmmm....

Well, this is how I make it, but feel free to make modifications to suit your own taste.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Brown Onions, cut into med-large chunks

1 Lb (500-600 Gms) Lean Chuck Steak, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 Tbsp Flour

1 Cup Beef Stock

1 Can Guinness (Approx 2 Cups)

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Parsnips, chopped

2 Med Potatoes, diced

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

4 Cloves Garlic, crushed

2 Tsp, Oregano

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

First, heat the oil in a large pan and sweat onions with a bit of salt until they begin to soften.

Dump the onions into the crock pot and return the pan to the stovetop to quickly fry the meat off on high heat.

Cook the beef just about 2-3 minutes until browned, then add the flour and stir in for approximately half a minute.

Now put the meat into the crock pot and add the beef stock, Guinness, and all of the rest of the ingredients.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.

Taste and season with salt & pepper to taste.

I love the traditional American style buttermilk biscuits or even the Kiwi style cheese scones with this stew. The leftovers are always a hit too!

Enjoy.

NEW ZEALAND LEG OF LAMB BASTED WITH COFFEE

I know many people who have an aversion to lamb, and when asked why they aren't so keen on it, their answer is usually the same as mine used to be. It's the strong smell that permeates the place!

Well, in 1989 I had the good fortune to visit New Zealand with my family, and on a holiday farmstay in Havelock North we learned a wonderful recipe for roasting lamb without the very pungeant "lamb" smell.

(Thank you ever-so-much Mrs. MacKenzie!)

I have since added rosemary and red wine, but the outcome is still wonderful and I hope you enjoy it too!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Leg of Lamb (Approx 5 Lbs / 2 Kilos minimum)

2 Cups Strong Coffee (brewed or instant)

2 Cups Merlot (or other red wine of your choosing)

4 Cloves Sliced garlic (or 2 Tbsp crushed) more or less

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*Mustard Powder

*Salt

*Pepper

2 Onions, chunky cut

2 Carrots, sliced

2 Large Potatoes, diced

4-6 Fresh Rosemary Sprigs

* Indicates there is no precise measurement

DIRECTIONS:

First, combine coffee, wine, onions, and some of the garlic to make a marinade.

Rinse the meat and pat dry with paper towels, then use a knife to poke holes to insert garlic slivers into. If you prefer to use crushed garlic, a herb syringe can also be used to inject the full marinade into the meat.

Put the meat into a ziplock bag with the marinade and leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 170-180 C (340-360 F)

Now, take the leg out and rub with oil before sprinkling with salt, pepper and mustard powder. Make sure to season all of the surface and be generous with the seasoning.

In a roasting pan, lay a rack at the bottom first to keep the meat off the bottom of the pan (if you don't have one, use 3 or 4 whole carrots and/or celery stalks instead). Lay the rosemary sprigs crossways on the rack to prevent them going through the bars.

Now gently put the leg directly on top of the sprigs and add the veggies around the meat and pour in your marinade liquid.

Place uncovered into the oven for 35-40 minutes, then baste the meat withe the liquid in the pan.

Now cover and continue cooking until the core of the leg meat reaches 77-80 C (180 F).

Generally, it cooks about 30 minutes per pound (per half kilo) so if it is a 5 Lb (approx 2 Kilo) leg, it will need about 2 and a half to 3 hours depending on how well done you like your meat. I like mine medium, but hubby likes it well done, so I try to compromise and he gets the shank meat which cooks faster than the other end.

I had so wanted to get a really lovely photo of ours, however it was already being carved by the time I had remembered to grab my camera. Oh well, c'est la vie!

It was lovely, and even my friend's two teenage sons enjoyed it, so I must have done something right, eh? The pan liquid is great for a rich gravy, and this dish is lovely with a fresh green salad and vinaigrette dressing as well.

Bon appetite!