Rum Bananas

Beware.........This is very rich!!.

Slice bananas in half lengthwise, then cut to manageable size across. Roll in dried coconut and sugar (brown or white). Fry in hot butter, adding a little dark rum. This may flambé if cooking over gas, adding a nice caramalised flavour. Place cooked bananas to on side but keep hot.

Add cream to pan, amount depends on servings. 300 ml will make enough for 8 people. Heat gently, adding more dark rum to taste, also sugar to taste until thickened. Pour over hot bananas and serve with ice cream.

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Apple Crumble

Peel and slice medium apples. I would use about 1½ per serving. Slice into medium pieces, discarding core.

Crumble mix is 1 part sugar to 1½ parts flour. You will need enough to cover apples to about 20 cm. White & brown sugar mixed gives a nice caramel crumble, but do use a little more as it is not quite as sweet as plain white sugar. Mix well and then work slightly softened butter or margarine into mix. When mix will just "hold" when pressed you are about right for the butter. Too much and the crumble will be more like cement, too little gives a crumbling crumble.

Place apple pieces into a baking dish (a little cinnamon sprinkled over is nice) and cover with crumble mix. Bake in moderate hot oven until golden on top. Apple will still be firm. I prefer apples slightly crunchy and also a little tart as the crumble then makes a nice counterpoint. If you like the apples softer cook slightly before adding crumble mix. Small amounts of just about any dried fruit may be added to the apples for something a little different. Also a little golden syrup drizzled over the crumble before cooking makes for an interesting topping.

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Chocolate Log

For 5 or 6 persons. Two packets of chocolate chip biscuits or gingernuts. Actually one of each would work well too. Also 600 ml whipping cream, vanilla essence, chocolate crumbs (or a block of energy chocolate) and icing sugar. Either Sherry, Port Wine or perhaps a Chocolate Liqueur.

Whip the cream with icing sugar and vanilla to taste until stiff. Spread a thin layer of cream onto a serving plate. Pour a small amount of the alcohol into a shallow dish. Dip the biscuits into the alcohol to the count of 3, then spread a layer of cream over one face of the biscuit and place upright on the layer of cream on the serving plate. This should allow the biscuit to stand on edge. Repeat, alternating if using different types of biscuits. Press each succeeding biscuit firmly into the one before. Once all the biscuits are in place carefully plaster the remaining cream over the log to finish off. Then grate the chocolate and sprinkle over to garnish. A few cherries or perhaps sugared mandarin segments would look good as well.

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"Sails Ashore" Hollandaise Sauce.

4 egg yolks, very fresh
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch salt & pepper
About half a cup of butter
A little Djion mustard ( optional )

Begin by melting the butter in the microwave on 50% power in a measuring cup. Run it for about 30 seconds and then check to see if it is done. It needs to be it melted and hot.
Heat a pan of water on the stove. When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat, and move the pan to a cool part of the stove.
In a blender mix the egg yolks, the lemon juice, mustard (to taste) and the salt and pepper. Blend this for 25 seconds and then with the motor running drizzle in the melted butter a drop at a time. Do not go too fast with the butter, or the sauce will not be creamy.
After about 1/4 cup of the butter is incorporated, pour the rest in a slow stream. Pour the mixture into a bowl and put this bowl into the pan of hot water to keep the sauce warm until use.

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"Talisker" Black Sauce

1 gallon Vinegar,
2 small tins Treacle,
1 oz Cloves,
2 lbs Brown Sugar,
2 dessert spoons Cayenne Pepper,
2 oz crushed Garlic,
1 bottle Anchovy Sauce.

Boil all together for 45 minutes, thicken with 1 cup flour, mixed with vinegar. Be careful, it may go lumpy!!. Strain & bottle. Anchovy Sauce is critical to the mixture. It is best kept for several months to mature, we work 12 months ahead.

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Red Capsicum Jelly

1kg (6 cups) seeded and chopped red Capsicums
2 cups Cider Vinegar
1 cup white Vinegar
1 cup Brown Rice Vinegar
1.32kg (6 cups) raw sugar
40g (4 sachets) powdered gelatin.

Combine capsicum with vinegars in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to food processor and process until smooth. Return juice to washed saucepan, add sugar and 1 teaspoon salt and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Gradually bring to the boil. Remove from heat, skim surface then sprinkle gelatin on mixture, stiffing to dissolve. Ladle into warm, sterilized glass containers and seal while hot.

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Rhubarb & Lemon Chutney

1 kg Rhubarb,
25 gm Ginger. (We use "John West" brand),
25 gm Garlic. ( " " " " ),
2 Lemons,
1 tablespoon Salt,
2.5 cups Malt Vinegar,
1 kg Sugar,
500 gm Sultanas.

Cut the Rhubarb into small pieces, Whizz the lemons, Combine both in a saucepan with ginger, garlic and salt. Add the vinegar slowly and bring to the boil, then add sugar and sultanas. Boil very slowly until thick, taking care not to burn. Allow to cool and bottle in clean jars. If you prefer a hot chutney, add the appropriate amount of minced chili pepper (John West).

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Hot Cheese Dip

An appetiser or luncheon dish.

Cook bacon/ham separately, place on a side dish if there are Vegetarians in the group.
1 Cobb Loaf, (whole round loaf)
250 grams of Cream Cheese,
250 grams of Sour Cream,
300 grams Tasty Cheese (grated),
Small Onion or 3 Spring Onions (chopped),
Bacon or ham – 3 rashers (chopped),
Ground Black Pepper,

Slice lid off Cobb, ease fingers around the inside of the crust and lift out bread,
Slice into fingers, slice the lid as well.
Soften Cream Cheese and beat in all other ingredients, place in the loaf shell.
Filled loaf now placed on oven tray, filling tends to dribble down loaf, bake 40 minutes in oven at 150 degrees centigrade, then either place fingers around the loaf and bake further 20 minutes or arrange fingers around loaf at time of baking. Turn bread fingers occasionally to prevent burning.

Arrange cooked filled Cob Loaf on plate with fingers around the base. Guests use the bread fingers as a scoop. Beautiful and fun for all.

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Fettuccini Mushrooms

250 grams Spinach Noodles, 100 gram butter,
325 gram Mushrooms, sliced, Juice half large lemon,
Grated Cheese, Parsley,
Black Pepper

Boil noodles (instruction on packet)
Sauté mushroom in butter for a few minutes.
Add lemon juice.
Season with a little salt and lots of black pepper.
Add to noodles with cheese and parsley.

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Mix milk and flour to a cream and slowly add the rest of the seven cups of water (if using milk powder).
Stir on heat with wooden spoon until thicken.
Do not leave stove, if you do, turn off heat. Soup will curdle quick as look.
When thickened take off heat and leave 10 minutes, this makes for a creamier soup.

With the raw Oysters take off frill, strain Oyster juice.
Add about one cup of juice to the frills, microwave until boils – this forms the stock or flavour.

Reheat soup, stir constantly add strained stock, frills are thrown away.
One or one and a half cups of stock depending on your taste, make up with water if soup too thick (if using milk powder).

Half to one and a half teaspoons of fresh Chilli or chilli in a bottle or several shakes of Chilli powder. Add two tablespoons of butter. Chunky chop Oysters, add. Squeeze of lemon or splash of white wine. Do not boil. Pour in soup bowls, optional, swirl of cream or sour cream, pinch of parsley or small sprig of celery leaves.

Handy Hint Best use Oysters that are 2 to 3 days old because they have more flavour.
Our rule for oysters is:-
Up to 36 hours.....,. Raw.
Up to 48 hours....... Cooked.
48 hrs to 72..... ......Soup.                    They should be kept covered and under refrigeration.

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One cup of flour, two teaspoons of Baking Powder,
1-2 teaspoons of Turmeric, Splash of Olive or Vege Oil, Splash of Malt Vinegar.
(Turmeric for colour, Oil & Vinegar for crisp batter)
Beaten egg.
Salt & Pepper.

Mix together, add water to mixture and mix to a smooth batter.

Handy Hint:-     Batter is best made a few hours before needed. Always flour fish, oysters or other seafood before dipping in batter, this ensures batter sticks to seafood.

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The same recipe as “Talisker Batter for fish”, but substitute oyster/mussel or scallop juice for water. If the liquor is too strong then cut it with water.

Handy Hint:-     Make enough Batter for your needs, Batter improves if left for an hour or two. Any longer do not add the baking powder until use because over time it loses its potency when mixed with liquid.

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Smoked Salmon (Hot Method)

I use a very cheap ($NZ30) tin cover/tray/rack/2 burner smoker. Manuka shavings, Methylated Spirits.

Fresh or frozen (thawed) whole Salmon without head and guts. Fish should measure 30 cms or greater. Smaller Salmon use less sugar and salt.
Fillet fish and carefully recover all small pieces off the frame. These smoke well and can be placed alongside one of the fillets.
Dry salmon fillet both sides, then mix together one tablespoon of brown sugar and one tablespoon salt. Rub both sides of skin on fillet. Leave in fridge for 24 hours, if you attempt to hot smoke fish before that time you will have considerable shrinkage.

Next day, dry fish both sides with paper towels, place one skin on fillet on Smoker rack. Two handfuls of wood shavings goes in the tray, the fish on rack sits on top covered by tin cover supplied with the smoker. The two burners have been half to three quarter filled with Meths. Light meths, place all other equipment on top, leave to smoke and cool for about an hour. Repeat for other fillet.

With patience all the bones may be removed with tweezers.

The amount of Meths depends on the thickness and length of the fish. Practice makes perfect.

HANDY STORAGE HINT:- For freezing the smoked Salmon I cut up the Salmon fillets in three, the tray I use is cardboard cut to size covered in aluminium foil, place a third of the fish on cardboard/foil tray then wrap well with food wrap (cling) label and freeze. Do not leave more than two months even in a good freezer.

Thaw naturally, decorate your plate with lettuce leaves, wedges of lemon, sprinkle smoked Salmon with parsley. Surround Salmon with small cracker biscuits.

Handy Hint:-  Prior to smoking sprinkle fish sparingly with a seasoning, it could be pepper or chilli powder or curry or garlic powder. It gives the fish a lift.

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Salmon, Pasta & Cheese (serves 2)

2½ cups cooked pasts spirals,
100 gms smoked salmon,
3 or 4 spring onions,
1 cup sliced mushrooms,
½ cup grated gruyere cheese,
¾ cup cream.

Sprinkle pasta over a small baking dish, flake over the salmon. Scatter over spring onions, mushrooms & cheese. Pour over cream.
Bake @ 200° C for 25 minutes or until golden.
A commercial cheese sauce may be substituted for cream & cheese.

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Sauté one Onions and 3-4 rashers of Bacon in a little oil,
Add about 2 tablespoons Pine Nuts.
Add 125mg Sour Cream to sauté mixture,
Enough Chicken Stock to thin the mixture.
Meanwhile cook one packet of ribbon noodles, drain.
Add one chopped Avocado and a handful of chopped mushrooms,
Add half a boned out smoked chicken.
Optional:- spring onions, green pepper

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Baked Chicken Breast

4 Boned Chicken Breasts,
2 tablespoons Honey,
2 tablespoons Whole grain Mustard,
Brush one side of breasts, oven bake 180 degrees C. for 15 minutes.
Turn, Brush other side with mixture,
cook further 15 minutes.

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Venison Casserole

Cut venison steaks into ½ credit sized portions, about 15 cm thick. Marinade in your favourite marinade.
We like a honey and soy mixture with ginger and garlic.
½ cup honey,
4 tblsp soy,
2 heaped tsp garlic,
2 heaped tsp chopped ginger.
We use commercially prepared garlic and ginger.

Mix and if necessary thin with a little red wine.
This is all really to taste and feel free to experiment.
Pour marinade over steak and leave for at least 12 hours.
Any juices from the steak should be combined with the marinade.

Remove steak from marinade and fry in a smoking pan with a little olive oil until cooked through. Pour marinade over steak plus more red wine, cover pan and cook very slowly until meat tender and mixture reduced. Occasionally taste the mixture and adjust wine etc.

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Steam Chicken

Place chicken pieces into roasting dish. With juice from Pineapple pieces.
Pepper and salt, teaspoon of Garlic.
Half cup of Tomato Sauce
Half cup of Honey
Quarter cup of Soy Sauce
Slice 1 or 2 onions depending on quantity

Steam altogether quietly, place top on roasting dish or aluminium foil, cook low to medium heat in oven until chicken cooked.

Remove Chicken. Place roasting dish on element, low heat, thicken mixture using corn flour and left over Pineapple Juice or add make up chicken stock with corn flour.
Add sliced Green Pepper (Optional) and Pineapple Pieces.
Place Chicken back into the gravy, heat and serve or place in a container and freeze.

NB: I use seven Chicken Pieces, any more you may need to increase the sauce ingredients.

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Lasagne

2 tablespoons of oil,
1 onion, chopped,
3 cloves garlic, crushed,
500g Mince,
100gm mushrooms, sliced (optional)
2 x 400gm cans tomatoes in juice, chopped (in season I use my own home-grown Tomatoes)
1 cup of Tomato puree or use Sundry Tomatoes in oil, whizz until pureed.
1 teaspoon Oregano
Half teaspoon Basil
1 Teaspoon of sugar
Salt and Pepper

Cheese sauce for the lasagne

50gms butter
3 tablespoons Plain Flour
One and a half cups of milk
Three quarters cups grated cheese
Salt and Pepper
375 gms packet Lasagne
2 tablespoons grated cheese (could use Parmesan)

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and cook until frothy. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming. Set aside until cool.

Meat Sauce:

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is golden. Increase heat. Add meat and brown well. Add mushrooms, tomatoes in juice, tomato puree, oregano, basil and sugar. Stir. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until cool.

Pasta

See packet for directions.

Place half the lasagne into a greased ovenproof dish. Spread out half of meat mixture and half of the cheese sauce. Repeat the layers. Top with grated cheese. Cook at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes or until golden and heated through.

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Root Vegetable Medley

Potatoes, Kumara, Carrot, Onions, Parsnip, pumpkin.
Cook as roast vegetables in oil, Sprinkle Balsamic Vinegar over.

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"Mini" Mushroom Pizzas

Take several large flat mushrooms and bake until half cooked. Treat as a "mini" pizza base, covering with your favourite pizza mix. Grill as for a standard pizza. A really great lunch.

An alternative is to cover with a moist chicken stuffing, bake and have with roasted chicken.

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Honeyed Roast Vegetables

Scrub your favourite veges well, leave skin on for that extra goodness. Place chopped up vegetables (potatoes, carrots, kumara, pumpkin, onions, parsnip) in a roasting dish. Add about a clove of minced garlic on chopped vegetables, also minced ginger or grated fresh ginger to taste and a heaped tablespoon of honey. I find best if vegetables cut up to quarter size of your fist.

Medium oven heat, toss vegetables every so often, will take 45 minutes or so to cook.

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I find salads very popular on board and popular with the cook because once made up at home or on board they will last up to a week refrigerated. For a charter I usually make up Pasta Salad, Carrot Salad and a Coleslaw. I find this combination popular with everyone. For variety I will add a Rice Salad and Bean Salad.

Bean Salad

Soak in enough water to cover the 500 gram packet of Mixed Beans (purchased from supermarket) overnight. Next day bring to boil for five minutes. Turn off heat and leave for one hour then pour water off, add fresh water and simmer for thirty minutes.

Pour off water once more, always rinse beans between boiling. We usually pour off and discard the soaking liquid. This removes impurities.

Brine

Half cup water 1 tsp salt
Three quarter teaspoon ginger 1 cup sugar
300mls white vinegar
Bring to boil, pour over beans

Add

2 finely chopped onions
1 cup cooked, sliced green beans
1 cup crushed Pineapple
1 chopped red/green pepper

Store Mixed Bean salad in screw top jars in fridge, keeps for ages

****** Don’t boil beans too much or else they go mushy, boil them to just beyond a denté ******

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American Chinese Coleslaw Salad

Half head Cabbage, shredded,
Quarter cup grated Carrot,
4 tablespoons Peanuts, (roasted for 5 minutes, cooled).
2 teaspoons Sesame Seeds,
1 packet instant Chicken Noodles, broken into small pieces,
4 Spring Onions,

Sauce

2 tablespoons sugar,
Half teaspoon Black Pepper,
Half teaspoon salt,
Quarter cup good cooking/salad oil,
3 tablespoons white vinegar,
1 seasoning packet from the “two minute instant noodles”
Mix altogether and pour through salad.

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“Talisker” Coleslaw

1 cup grated Carrot, Half teaspoon Celery seed,
1 Medium Onion, Half teaspoon Mustard Seed,
Half green Pepper, Third cup sugar,
Half green Cabbage (shredded) Half cup Vinegar,
Third cup Salad Oil.

Chop onion and pepper, add to cabbage and carrots. Boil sugar, vinegar and celery seed, mustard seed and salad oil. Boil two minutes. Pour over salad immediately while still hot. Before serving mix altogether and pour off excess liquid. Keeps well in fridge for two weeks.

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Rice Salad

1 cup uncooked brown rice,
2 cups water,
Quarter cup soy sauce,
Half medium chopped onion,
3 Spring Onions,
1 red pepper (or carrot) chopped,
Half cup currants or raisins,
Half cup chopped Brazil/cashew nuts,
Half cup each of roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds,

Simmer rice and water for 45 minutes until water is absorbed. Add soy sauce and onion to hot rice, mix well and leave two hours or overnight. Later add Spring Onions, pepper, currants, nuts and seeds. Toss altogether, prepare dressing as below, and mix dressing into salad.

Dressing

Quarter cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice,
1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoons lemon rind,
1 teaspoon grated root ginger 1 teaspoon honey or sugar,

Blend together in whiz or shake in screw top jar.
Refrigerate.

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Pasta Salad Number 1.

2 cups uncooked Pasta, Boil 9 minutes until tender, drain

Sauce

Heat together:-

Quarter cup Tomato Sauce,
Quarter cup oil,
Half cup sugar,
1 teaspoon Paprika,
Half cup white vinegar,
Pepper to taste

Combine with cooked Pasta,
Add chopped onion, green or red pepper, grated carrot. Whatever you fancy

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Pasta Salad Number 2.

3 cups of Pasta, Boil 9 minutes until tender, drain

Sauce:-

Heat together:-

3 tablespoons of oil,
3 tablespoons Vinegar,
2 teaspoons sugar,
1 teaspoon curry

Pour over pasta while warm, add grated carrot, raisins, nuts, parsley etc.

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Carrot Salad

Cook two pounds (1 kilo) sliced carrots in salted boiling water till tender.
Drain and cool.
Add large sliced onion and large green pepper cut in strips.
Add 1 – 2 Celery Sticks (optional)
Can of Baby Corn

Combine:-

one can Tomato Soup (440 gram)
Three quarter cup brown or raw sugar,
Half cup Salad Oil,
Three quarter cup white vinegar,
1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Thicken with one tablespoon flour blended with a little water, bring to the boil.
Stir, when thicken pour immediately over vegetables.
Refrigerate until cool, lasts two weeks.

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Green Pea and Peanut Salad

One 500 gram of frozen minted Peas. Do not cook.
2 cups Red Roasted Peanuts,
Half cup chopped Mint.

Blend together:-

Half cup white Vinegar,
One cup Salad Oil,
Half teaspoon Salt,
Half teaspoon Dry Mustard,
Two teaspoon prepared Mustard,
1 teaspoon Sucaryl or sugar.

Pour over thawed Peas mixed with roasted Peanuts. Use hot or cold.

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Fresh Fish Salad

Cut fish into narrow wedges (5mm). Place in salted (or sea) water 15 minutes
Rinse in colander in fresh water, squeeze and put into bowl.
Squeeze lemons or limes (through colander to catch pips) onto fish.

Leave approximately 10-15 minutes.

Prepare:-

Sliced Green and/or Red pepper,
thinly sliced onion,
thinly sliced Spring Onions,
grated Carrot
crushed Garlic to taste.

After 10-15 minutes squeeze juice from fish and put fish into serving bowl.
Add above ingredients and plenty of ground black pepper and Soya Sauce.
Toss together with salad servers,
Serve as is or add Coconut Cream.

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Blue Cod Pie

Cut boned blue cod fillets into credit card sized pieces. If very thick fillets cut diagonally to keep reasonably thin. Place into a suitable baking dish. Cover with a thick white sauce. A little mushroom instant soup mix or cheese makes an interesting addition. Cover with cooked sliced potatoes and onion rings. These should be slightly under rather than over cooked. Cover with grated cheese and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake in a moderate hot oven until golden brown.

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Crust for Fish Pies

For a crust with a difference try the following,

Grate a couple of cups of cheese and mix with a handful or so of dried bread crumbs and a half cup or so of mashed potatoes. stir in sufficient eggs (3 or 4 ) to make a dryish mix and spoon directly over the fish. This will be quite lumpy, so try and get it as even as possible. It will probably flatten as it cooks.

Bake until golden brown. The topping should be quite thick and is delicious.

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Marinated Blue Cod

6 Blue Cod Fillets (Boneless)
Salt & Pepper ,
4-6 Lemons ,
2 Medium Onions,
400 ml can of Coconut Cream.
Optional:- Tomatoes, Chives, Spring Onions, Mushrooms, Peppers, Grated Carrot, Parsley.

Cut up fillets into 2 cm cubes and place into medium bowl.
Finely dice onions and add seasoning to the fish.
Squeeze the lemons and add the juice to the fish, then place the empty lemon shells on top of the fish.
Refrigerate overnight, stir contents 3 - 4 times to ensure fish marinates evenly.

Next day, drain marinade, add coconut cream, grated carrot, tomatoes, peppers, whatever you fancy to the fish.

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Cheesy Fish Cakes

Boned Blue Cod Portions.
Cooked mashed potatoes.
Salt & Pepper,
Parsley,
1 cup grated cheese.
1 beaten egg and Breadcrumbs.

Mince Raw fillets, Put minced fish into a bowl with equal amount of cooked mashed potatoes, parsley, seasoning and one cup of grated cheese. Bind together with a little of the beaten egg. Turn on to a floured board and cut into equal pieces. Form each piece into a small ball, dip in egg and breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown. Serve with Tartare Sauce.

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Blue Cod with Pineapple & Ginger

Cube 4 Boned Cod Fillets,
1 Carrot cut into fine strips,
1 Onion, chopped fine,
small chopped celery sticks,
2 Tsp grated green ginger (or 1 Tsp ginger powder).
2 Tsp Butter.

Combine all except fish in bowl and cook on high for 3 minutes.

Add half a 450gm tin drained crushed pineapple,
1 small chopped Red Pepper,
half cup cream or coconut cream,
2 Tsp Soy sauce and Fish.

Microwave on high for 7 minutes, stir at 3 minutes. Serve over pasta.

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Tuna Steaks

Steak whole tuna. Steaks should look like entire eye filet of beef. Then cut into individual steaks about 20 cm thick. Sprinkle with a little rock salt and mixed herbs. Leave stand for about ½ hour.

Heat griddled fry pan with a mix olive oil and butter. Pan MUST be smoking hot. If the pan bursts into flame when the steak added it's hot enough. Steak must be seared each side, cooking just enough to leave centre almost raw. perhaps 20/30 seconds per side.

Tuna cooked this way is to die for!!!

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Baked Tuna

Clean and scale whole tuna, removing fins and head. Stuff gut cavity with chopped onions, tomato, fruit (including tinned fruit). Place in a oven bag with 500 gm margarine and juice of tinned fruits and bake very slowly for several hours, basting often.

Eat hot or cold.

Juices make an excellent fish chowder if thickened.

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Tuna Pie (Serves 6-8 people).

A very easy luncheon dish. Freezes well.

Half cup of Milk, 3-4 Silverbeet Leaves,
2 or 3 eggs 6-8 Mushrooms (sliced),
Half cup Grated Cheese
1 cup Rolled Oats 1 large Carrot (grated),
Quarter teaspoon of Dried Herbs 1 Onion (chopped),
250 grams Cottage Cheese 2 tomatoes (optional),
185 grams Tin Tuna in Brine Half cup of grated cheese (second measure)

Lightly beat milk and eggs. Add first measure cheese, oats salt and pepper, herbs and cottage cheese. Drain and flake Tuna and add. Add All vegetables, mix thoroughly. Transfer to flat ovenproof casserole dish. Sprinkle with second measure cheese. Bake 180 degrees for 40-60 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

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Creamed Scallops

Clean Scallops carefully. We make sure we retain the "roe". It adds colour and flavour to the dish.

I coat the scallops in flour and then poach in butter and white wine. If more than a pan full, place cooked scallops to one side until all done and then remove from the heat. Add cream to pan and reduce slowly. When suitably thickened return the cooked scallops and bring all to heat.

Button mushrooms cooked with the scallops also adds a nice touch.

If desired a grated cheese top can be added and baked until brown

This dish is very rich but does retain the delicate scallop flavour.

Opening Mussels (The French Way)

Place half a gallon of mussels in a wide deep pan, add 1 shallot or very small onion, 5/6 stalks of parsley, a sprig of thyme, ¼ bay leaf, a pinch of pepper, ¼ pint dry white wine. Cover pan tightly and cook over a sharp heat for 5/6 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time. Remove from heat as soon as mussels open.

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Blue Cod Livers

Don't turn your nose up, cod livers are a real delicacy. We would cook about two cups full for two people.

Be sure to remove the bile duct when collecting.

Wash livers carefully in water, dry.

Place a small amount of butter in a sauce pan and sauté about ¼ the amount of finely diced onions as you have livers. Add livers and continue to cook. As livers change colour, add salt and pepper to taste and a small amount of vinegar, continue to cook and add flour to thicken. Livers will break down to a paste.

When cooked they make a wonderful spread on toast or as a side dish with steak. A small amount of anchovy paste may be added if desired during cooking. Omit salt in this case as anchovies are very salty.

NOTE:- Fresh Livers cannot be frozen, although do freeze quite well after cooking

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Peter's Mayo

1 egg,
1 tsp powered mustard,
sugar to taste, (from 1 tsp to 1tbsp, depending on taste),
1 tbsp vinegar, (malt, white, cider, honeygar, spiced) (honeygar is 80% cider vinegar, 20% honey)

(you may like to use either fresh or bottled lemon juice or 60/40 lemon and lime mix. You will need a little more than if using vinegar).

whizz all ingredients and then slowly whizz in good cooking oil (not olive oil, makes mayo bitter). Amount depends on thickness of mayo required.

If a "fancy" mayo or good dip is required then whizz briefly any or all of the following into the mixture.
whole seed mustard, gherkins, spring onions, chives, capers, dried tomatoes.

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French Mayo

4 egg yolks,
Vegetable Oil, (excellent quality)
Malt Vinegar,
Salt,
French Mustard.

Beat egg yolks well and then very very slowly drizzle in 1 to two cups vegetable oil while still beating. Do NOT use olive oil. Mixture should thicken. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Add a tsp French mustard, salt to taste and about a tsp malt vinegar. Keep beating until mixture very thick. refrigerate.

This requires a beater to add air to the mix. A whizz doesn't seem to work.

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Mayonnaise

Good with everything and simple to make.  meals.

In a Whizz add:-

One egg, Herbs like Parsley, chives, dill.
White Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
Soya Bean Oil (Not Olive Oil) about one cup
Drizzle oil quietly into beaten egg and herbs.
Do not beat too fast or everything will separate.

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"Honeygar" Vinaigrette

Very popular with our guests on board “Talisker” where salads are served with most,
“Honeygar” is a commercial brand for a mixture containing 80% Cider Vinegar and 20% honey.

Quantities of Garlic, Mint, Parsley, Lemon juice, Mustard seed are to taste.

Three quarters of a cup of Honeygar,
Olive Oil - 1 cup,
2 teaspoons chopped garlic,
2 tsp Mint,
Parsley to taste,
2 tablespoons Lemon juice,
2 tsp Mustard seed.

Mix all ingredients, whizz.

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Guacamole

Jar of Salsa (chunky),
Mash one Avocado,
Chunky chopped one Tomato

Looks homemade…………………

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Capsicum and Corn Dip

1 x 300gms can of Corn Kernels
1 x 125gms can of diced Capsicum
Cucumber Relish or Gherkin type Relish x 2 tablespoons
Cream Cheese x 250gms

Just mix all together and serve on crackers, very quick, easy and tasty.

 APPLE MUFFINS:

Now famous: served on our half day charters around Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island.

For 12 muffins (use muffin tin)
2 cups of flour
4 teaspoons of Baking Powder
Half cup ordinary sugar
100gms Butter
Quarter cup of dry milk powder or (one cup of fresh milk, I use milk powder)
1 egg
One cup pureed Apple

Sieve first two dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add sugar and milk powder (if using powder) In a pot or using a microwave, melt butter, remove from heat add one cup of water if using the milk powder, (add the fresh milk if using whole milk) one egg. Beat to combine the three. Combine liquid with pureed Apple and dry ingredients. Do not overmix. Mixture should be folded in using a spoon. Grease muffin tins, Three quarter fill pan.

Combine with second measure of sugar 1 tablespoon with half teaspoon Cinnamon. Sprinkle on muffins before baking. Bake 220 degrees C for 12-15 minutes until muffins spring back when pressed in the middle. Remove from oven, let stand for 2-3 minutes.

THE SECRET TO MAKING GOOD MUFFINS IS NOT TO OVER MIX.

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Chocolate Slice

2 packets of Superwine Biscuits (crushed)
250grams of Butter
2 tablespoons Cocoa
Vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of Sugar
Walnuts (optional)
Desiccated Coconut

Melt butter slowly, add everything except crushed biscuits, bring nearly to the boil then add crushed biscuits
(still have pot on a low heat).
Pour into square Sponge Roll tin ,mixture should be about 2 cm thick.

ICEING:-

Melt 50 grams of butter, add, 1-2 heaped tablespoons of Cocoa, 1 and half cup Icing Sugar and 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Half teaspoon Vanilla.
Mix to smooth, ice biscuit base when hot. Sprinkle with dry Coconut, shake out excess. Refrigerate until icing set. Cut into small portions.

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Chocolate Chip Biscuits

125 grams butter
50 grams (2 tablespoons) sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoon Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 tablespoons Chocolate Chip

Cream butter and sugar add rest of ingredients, place small biscuit size balls of mixture onto greased baking tray, flatten mixture with fork. Bake 12-15 minutes in moderate oven.

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Tararua Biscuits

250 gm Butter,
1½ cups Brown sugar
½ tin sweetened condensed milk
2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup coconut

melt butter, sugar & condensed milk together in a large pot. Add flour, rolled oats and baking powder.
Divide in half and spread each half onto a greased tray.
Spread with a knife into 30 cm squares, keeping edges neat & straight.
Cook @ 150 deg C for 10 to 15 minutes, till light golden brown.
Cut each tray into 25 biscuits (5 * 5. Gently loosen, move and leave on tray.
To harden biscuits a little more, return to oven which has been turned off and leave another 5 to 10 minutes.
When cold pack in airtight container plastic bags.
Will keep for up to a month.
½ of a cup of dried apricots, prunes, figs, sultanas, currents, nuts or seeds may be added to vary the biscuit

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Sultana Cake

500 grams sultanas (raisins or currants),
250 grams butter,
3 eggs,
350 gram sugar (one and half cups of sugar),
Half teaspoon Vanilla Essence,
350 grams flour ( three and three quarter cups),
1 teaspoons Baking Powder.

 Cover fruit with water, boil five minutes then strain well.
 Add the butter and stir until melted
 Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until thick and creamy and then add to fruit/butter.
 Add sifted flour and baking powder.
 Put into lined baking tin (20-22cm square)
 Bake 1.5 hours at 170 degrees C for 30 minutes. 150 degrees C for 60 minutes.

Ps You can add a 150 gram packet of mixed peel or cherries or ginger if you feel like – don’t boil.

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Paddy’s Sultana Cake

4oz or 100grams Butter
1 cup white sugar
480gm Crushed Pineapple or Pineapple Pieces crushed using a blender
1lb or 500 grams of Sultanas
1 teaspoon of Mixed Spice
1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
Boil together, add the Baking Soda last, take off heat and cool.
In a bowl add 1 cup of Standard Flour
1 cup of Self Raising Flour
Add two beaten eggs.
Mix the cooled mixture to the flour/egg mixture, fold ingredients.

Line a cake tin with baking paper, I use a 22cm x 22 cm cake tin.
Place piece of baking paper on top of cake mixture then place cake in the middle of oven,
Please make sure there is no way the paper will catch fire, keep it away form flame or hot bars. The baking paper on top of cake prevents Sultanas on the surface of the mixture burning.
Bake in oven 30 minutes on 170 degrees Centigrade then lower temperature to 150 degrees Bake a further hour,
I check the cake every 30 minutes Gas ovens seem to bake quicker .

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Neiman-Marcus Cookies

this recipe and explanation turned up as an email. neally nice biscuits, very rich  and  the story tickled us so here it is.

...........Maybe this is a little vindictive but every once in a while I have to smile when a company is taught by a thinking citizen.

Now for a snippet of background, the company I am talking about in particular is Neiman-Marcus, a big expensive store where they can sell a nice $8.00 t-shirt for $50.00.

My story

My daughter and I had just finished a salad at a Neiman-Marcus café in Dallas. We decided to round up the meal with a small dessert. We are both cookie lovers and we chose to try THE Neiman-Marcus cookie. It was delicious and I asked if they could give me the recipe. The waitress replied with a small frown “I’m afraid not, but you can buy the recipe”.
I asked how much and she responded; “only two-fifty, it’s a great deal!” I eagerly agreed to that and told them to add it to my tab.

Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement and the Neiman-Marcus charge was $285.00. I looked at it again; I remembered that I had only spent $9.95 on two salads and $20.00 on a scarf. Puzzled I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, “Cookie recipe $250.00”- That’s outrageous!

I called Neimans’ accounting department and related the misunderstanding to them, how the waitress had misleadingly told me “two-fifty”, which clearly does not mean “two hundred and fifty” by any reasonable interpretation of the phrase.

Neiman-Marcus refused to budge. They would not refund any of the money because according to them “What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the recipe. We absolutely will not refund your money at this point”

I explained to the accounting lady the criminal statues, which govern the state of Texas. I threatened to report them to the better business bureau and the Texas Attorney general General’s office for engaging in fraud.

I was basically told, “Do what you want”. Don’t bother thinking of how you can get even and don’t bother trying to get your money back.

I simply replied, “you folks got my $250, now I’m going to have $250 worth of fun” I told her I was going to make sure every cookie lover in the U.S.A with an e-mail account would have a Neiman-Marcus recipe.

She replied, “I wish you wouldn’t do this”

I said, “Well perhaps you should have thought of that before you ripped me off!” and with that slammed down the phone.

I hope you enjoy this exclusive $250 recipe and pass it onto every one you know. It would make me happy to know that they will not make another penny from this recipe.

NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES

(Recipe may be halved for domestic use) We found it a bit heavy for our mixer and put an extra egg in the half recipe.

2 cups of butter
18ozs grated chocolate bar
24 ozs chocolate chips
5 cups blended oatmeal
4 cups of flour
4 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. Baking powder
2 tsp soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
3 cups chopped nuts
2 cups sugar

Blend the oatmeal into a fine powder.
Cream the butter and both sugars,
Add the eggs and vanilla.
Mix with the flour, oatmeal; salt; baking powder and soda.
Add the chocolate chips, grated chocolate and nuts.
Roll into balls and place 2” apart on the cookie tray
Bake for ten minutes @ 375 degrees f.

Makes approx. 112 cookies