The citrus fragrance of the lime and the spicy chilli in this pickle will enliven any
curry or rice dish…..if you love lime pickles this is a knock out. It takes a little bit
of commitment to prepare but it’s easy and so worthwhile.
To begin you need 10 little Tahitian limes. If they’re not home grown make sure you wash and wipe them clean of any residual commercial waxes and oils.
Cut the limes into quarters and salt them with 3 tablespoons of sea salt, toss them all about in a bowl and then pack into a large jar. Place the jar on a morning light window sill and shake the jar every day for 3 – 4 weeks. After this time you will have a luscious lime slurry that you are going to meld with the following ingredients to create the pickle.
300ml of Mustard Oil
400ml of Malt Vinegar
3 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger
8 garlic cloves
5 red chillies whole
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
In a large saucepan heat the mustard oil till it becomes hot then add the chilli powder – mustard seeds and the fenugreek. Stir around and when all the sizzling stops after a few minutes add in the ginger – garlic and chillies.
Drop the heat down on the saucepan and then stir in the limes and the vinegar. Over a medium heat stir this fragrant mixture for about 10minutes – your neighbours will be knocking on your door at this stage wondering if they can book in for dinner.
Have clean and sterilized jars hot and ready to receive the pickle carefully pour into jars and seal allow to cool, wipe jars clean, label and store in a dark cupboard. This pickle improves with age – leave for a couple of weeks before you start your first jar.
Lemon Delicious Pudding
A soft sponge cake pudding that sits on a warm pool of lemony custard.
3 eggs
¾ cup of white sugar
1 tablespoon of butter
I cup of milk
1 tablespoon of self raising flour
Grated rind of 2 lemons
½ cup Lemon JuiceSeparate the eggs and beat the yolks.
Beat the sugar and the butter until pale in colour –well mixed.
Gently stir in the flour – rind – milk and lemon juice.
Grease a ceramic baking or casserole dish.
Whisk egg whites till stiff and fold into the mixture.
Pour into dish and then sit the dish is a shallow pan of water and placeInto a moderate oven for 45 – 50 minutes.
CURRY LAKSA
This is a delicious noodle soup….full of delicate Asian Flavours and combinations
of crunchy and velvety textures.
A key ingredient to flavouring this soup is the Kaffir lime leaf……Serve the soup with wedges of Tahiti lime for a extra zing …this is vegetarian version of Curry Laksa.
Two garlic Generous knob of ginger peeled and grated
3-4 stems of Lemon grass – finely slice the white tender sectiongloves crushed
One small onion finely diced
400gram firm Tofu chopped into cubes
1 large eggplant peeled and diced
425 gram tin chopped tomatoes
2 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
2 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
200 grams of green beans top & tailed and cut in ½.
½ litre vegetable stock
1 litre thick coconut milk
500gram fresh rice noodles
250 gram dried rice vermicelli
Fresh bean shoots Coriander and Tahiti lime
To Create the Soup
Heat the oil in a heavy pan and fry the tofu in small batches, fry till golden brown, drain on absorbent paper.
Deep fry the eggplant until soft and tender, and drain on absorbent paper
In a fresh sloop of oil gently fry the onion, ginger, garlic and lemongrass. When fragrant and soft add in the tumeric, fry a little longer then add in the tomatoes.
Add in the dry roasted spices and black pepper.
Add the vegetables (not the eggplant) and stock bring to a rolling simmer bang on the lid and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are becoming tender.
Place Noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Lift and separate in the bowl occasionally with a fork as they gently cook.
Add in the tamarind paste to the soup, palm sugar, salt, the fried tofu and
coconut milk and the Kaffir Lime leaves that you have crushed in your hand.
Bring soup back up to heat, with out boiling. Add in the fried eggplant.
Remove from heat. Now you are ready to assemble the soup for serving.
In pre warmed soup bowls placed some drained noodles. Ladle over the soup
mixture and garnish with bean shoots and torn coriander leaves and a couple
of wedges of lime…..
MANDARIN MARMALADE
This is a gorgeous recipe that makes a most delicious marmalade.
Easy to make with no chopping required….and each little jar is topped with whiskey to give a very posh finish.
Use as many mandarins as you wish. Place the mandarins (whole) into a large saucepan ¼ filled with water.
Bring the Mandarins to the boil and gentle simmer them until they are soft and tender, keeping your eye on the water level. This may take 40mins to an hour.
When tender place the whole mandarins into a food processor and blend to a sunset coloured pulp.
Weigh the pulp and return to the saucepan with ¾’s of the weigh in sugar.
Heat and bring to the boil, dissolving the sugar and reducing the pulp to a marmalade. Cook to set this may take 30 to 40 minutes….Test.
When ready spoon hot marmalade into sterilized jars. Leave a little space at the top of the jar for the whiskey. SEAL THE JARS NOW AND LEAVE TO COOL.
The next day remove the lids and top your jar up with whiskey, replace lids and store your marmalade.
This Marmalade is a tasty spread and makes a very fragrant, citrus base for dessert sauces or add to a gravy with Poultry or Pork.
TROUT STUFFED WITH LEMON
If you are looking for a healthy quick way to cook that the freshly caught Trout, grab a couple of Lemons, a roughly plucked bunch of parsley and you’re on your way.
Clean and Scale your fresh Trout….if you are purchasing it from the fish monger this will be done for you.
Place the whole fish on a sheet of Aluminum foil, massage the fish with a little olive oil.
Cut the lemon into thickish slices and insert into the fish cavity. Top the lemon with sprigs of parsley, grind with fresh black pepper and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Place a couple more thinner slices on top of the fish before wrapping the whole bundle up in the aluminum foil.
Seal the foil well to avoid leakage
Bake in a hot oven or on a barbeque. The fish will vary in cooking times depend on
it’s size.
Usually 20-30 minutes is a reasonable time… Divine Orange Cake
served with lime infused mascapone cheese
Cake: 2 Large oranges- that you have boiled whole for approximately 1.5 or until very
soft, pulp these oranges in a food processor until pureed.
6 Eggs
250 grams of ground almonds
250 grams of white sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Line a spring form tin with baking paper.
Bake mixture in a 220 C Oven for a good hour.
This cake is very moist, it should feel firm and cooked in the centre when touched.
Squeeze the juice of 2 limes. Finely grate zest from the limes.
Fold 2 tablespoons of icing sugar into 250 grams of Mascapone cheese.
Then add in lime juice and zest. Blend gently together and leave to infuse for a
least a couple of hours…Serve with the Orange Cake…..
Carnival Cherry Cup featuring orange & lemon
1 kilo of fresh cherries (remove stones)
2 oranges
1 lemon
4 tablespoons of sugar
Sparkling wine…(Champagne if you dare)
Puree half of the cherries with the juice of the oranges and the lemon and the
sugar. Mix in the remaining half of the cherries and when ready to serve pour
over with a glass of sparkling wine…….Serve in tall glasses and eat with a
parfait spoon ….very delicious.
Roasted Chicken with lemons Wash and pat dry a lovely free range organic chicken.
Heat your oven to 200c
Wash 2 small lemons
Roll the lemons firmly on the kitchen bench to soften and then puncture the skin
of the lemon with a fork.
Insert the lemons into the chicken and truss up the cavity and legs with kitchen twine.
Rub the Chicken skin with olive oil and salt and place into a baking dish, then into
the hot oven.
Turn the chicken a couple of times through the cooking process allowing about 50
miuntes per kilo cooking time..
You do not need to add any fat or oil to the pan, this is a very moist cooking method and produces a deliciously, lemon flavoured tender chicken.
