THE AUSTRALIAN
Thecountry Collection
A
bounty of delicious country favourites
THE AUSTRALIAN
Collection
the country
Contents The Country Collection 6 chapter 1
Early Rising and Brunch 8
chapter 2
Baking Up a Storm 38
chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5
Time Out 132
At the End of the Day 164
chapter 6 chapter 7
Midday 94
Campfire Classics 248
Preserving Nature’s Bounty 268
chapter 8
The Lamington Drive 298 glossary 340 conversion chart 345 index 346
5
The Lamington Drive
Collection
the country The country life has long been admired by those who live in the city. The slower pace and relaxed, laid back attitude of the locals displays a different set of priorities, one where family and the land take the lead. And you’d be hard pressed to find their sense of community and generosity anywhere else. These core characteristics permeate everything they do, especially their cooking. There is an honesty and simplicity to country food that many find appealing, and it all starts with fresh produce. But it’s not only about growing your own vegies – it’s having chooks in the yard for eggs, and livestock for meat. All you need from the garden or paddock, straight to the kitchen – harvested when they’re meant to be, when they’re ready. City dwellers are becoming more aware of this connection and the importance of fresh, organic ingredients and cooking with the best on offer each season. Country cooks have always been resourceful, making the best of their ingredients, whether in plentiful or limited supply. Everything edible is used in cooking, never wasted. Excess fruit and vegetables are bottled, then stored, to be used when they are either not at their peak or unavailable.
6
The Country Collection
Life on the land is a busy one, so it's important to start the day with a hearty breakfast. Traditionally, the country-style plate of sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms and toast is served, and supplies all the energy required. These days, it can also mean pancakes, fritters or porridge – all just at delicious, and just as substantial. Mid morning, head back to the homestead for a cup of tea (and a baked treat or two). Lunch is served at midday, and at the end of the day, sit down to a wholesome dinner with the family. But country life is not all about work. Often isolated on individual farms and properties, it's events such as school fetes and town fairs, that sees a rural community gather collectively to share their produce, freshly-baked goodies, home-made jams and preserves – as well as local news and conversation. It's a chance to connect with each other. The best thing about country cooking is that you don’t have to be in the country to take pleasure in what it offers. It’s simple, honest and most importantly welcoming. Whether you’re living in the middle of a country town or the bustling city, this collection of country-style recipes is sure to bring a piece of rural living into your home.
7
The Country Collection
g in rm 2
o k t Ba S CHA
PTER
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MiniPies Berry
cranberry and apricot Rock Cakes
prep + cook time 45 minutes makes 36
prep + cook time 35 minutes makes 30
300g (9½ ounces) frozen mixed berries ¼ cup (55g) caster (superfine) sugar 2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tablespoon water 5 sheets shortcrust pastry 1 egg white 1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar, extra
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour ¹⁄³ cup (75g) caster (superfine) sugar 90g (3 ounces) unsalted butter, chopped 1 cup (130g) dried cranberries ¹⁄³ cup (15g) flaked coconut 100g (3 ounces) white eating chocolate, chopped finely 1 egg, beaten lightly ½ cup (125ml) milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
1
Preheat oven to 200ºC/400°F. Grease three 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans. 2 Stir berries and sugar in small saucepan over heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Blend cornflour with the water; stir into berry mixture. Stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cool. 3 Cut 36 x 6cm (2¼-inch) rounds from pastry; press rounds into pan holes. Cut 36 x 4cm (1½-inch) rounds from remaining pastry. Divide berry mixture among pastry cases; top with rounds. Press edges firmly to seal. Brush tops with egg white; sprinkle with extra sugar. Make small cut in top of each pie. 4 Bake pies about 20 minutes. Stand in pan 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack. Serve warm or cold.
1
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Grease oven trays. 2 Sift flour and caster sugar into medium bowl; rub in butter. Stir in craisins, coconut, chocolate, egg, milk and extract. Do not overmix. 3 Drop heaped tablespoons of mixture about 5cm (2 inches) apart onto trays; sprinkle with demerara sugar. 4 Bake rock cakes about 15 minutes. Cool on trays.
6.4g total fat (3.4g saturated fat); 489kJ (117 cal); 13g carbohydrate; 1.7g protein; 0.9g fibre nutritional count per pie
nutritional count per rock cake 4.4g total fat (2.8g saturated fat); 452kJ (108 cal); 15.3g carbohydrate; 1.7g protein; 0.7g fibre
Rock cakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
serving suggestion
Serve with thick (double) cream and fresh berries, such as blueberries and raspberries.
10
Baking Up a Storm
MiniPies Berry
cranberry and apricot Rock Cakes
Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken prep + cook time 1 hour 30 minutes (+ cooling & standing) serves 4
1.8kg (3½-pound) whole chicken 40g (1½ ounces) butter 1 large brown onion (200g), chopped finely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 4 rindless bacon slices (260g), chopped finely 1 egg, beaten lightly 1½ cups (105g) stale breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon thyme 80g (2½ ounces) butter, extra, softened ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes 12 small carrots (840g)
1
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Wash chicken and pat dry with absorbent paper. 3 Melt butter in medium frying pan; cook onion, garlic and bacon, stirring, until onion softens. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. 4 Combine bacon mixture, egg, breadcrumbs and 2 teaspoons of thyme in medium bowl. Fill cavity of chicken with seasoning. 5 Combine extra butter and 1 teaspoon of the remaining thyme in small bowl. Carefully separate the skin from the breast of chicken with your fingers; spread herb butter under skin covering breast. Secure skin over cavity with toothpicks. Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wings underneath. Rub remaining thyme and salt over skin. 6 Place chicken in oiled large baking dish; roast 20 minutes. Add carrots; roast for further 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove and discard toothpicks. 7 Serve chicken with carrots. 2
nutritional count per serving 71.9g total fat (31.3g saturated fat); 4335kJ (1037 cal); 30.3g carbohydrate; 65.1g protein; 7.3g fibre serving suggestion
Serve with roasted potatoes and steamed sugar snap peas.
12
At the End of the Day
french Onion Soup with Gruy猫re Cro没tons
French Onion Soup with Gruyère Croûtons
Roasted Vegetable Fillo Tart
prep + cook time 1 hour 10 minutes serves 4
prep + cook time 1 hour 10 minutes (+ cooling) serves 6
50g (1½ ounces) butter 4 large brown onions (800g), sliced thinly ¾ cup (180ml) dry white wine 3 cups (750ml) water 1 litre (4 cups) beef stock 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
6 medium egg (plum) tomatoes (450g), quartered 1 small red onion (100g), sliced thickly 2 small yellow capsicums (bell peppers) (300g) 2 small red capsicums (bell peppers) (300g) 100g (3 ounces) fetta cheese, crumbled 1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh basil 9 sheets fillo pastry cooking-oil spray
gruyere croutons
1 small french bread stick (150g), cut in 2cm (¾-inch) slices ½ cup (60g) coarsely grated gruyère cheese 1 2
3
4 5
1
Melt butter in large saucepan; cook onion, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until caramelised. Meanwhile, bring wine to the boil in large saucepan. Stir in the water, stock and bay leaf; return to the boil. Remove from heat. Stir flour into onion mixture; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Gradually add hot broth mixture; cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf; stir in half the thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, make gruyère croûtons. Serve bowls of soup topped with croûtons; sprinkle with remaining thyme.
Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F. tomato and onion in medium baking dish. Roast about 30 minutes or until onion softens. Remove from oven; cool. 3 Reduce oven to 200°C/400°F. 4 Meanwhile, preheat grill (broiler). Quarter capsicums; discard seeds and membranes. Roast under hot grill, skin-side up, until skin blisters and blackens; cover capsicum pieces with plastic or paper 5 minutes. Peel away skin; slice capsicum thinly. Place capsicum, cheese and basil in baking dish with tomato mixture; stir gently to combine. 5 Stack all nine sheets of fillo on an oven tray, spraying every third sheet with cooking-oil spray. Fold all four sides of fillo stack in slightly to form 18cm x 30cm (7¼-inch x 12-inch) rectangular tart shell. Fill shell with vegetable mixture; bake about 15 minutes.
gruyere croutons
2 Combine
Preheat grill (broiler). Toast bread on one side then turn and sprinkle with cheese; grill croûtons until cheese browns lightly.
5g total fat (2.7g saturated fat); 617kJ (147 cal); 16.7g carbohydrate; 7.3g protein; 2.5g fibre nutritional count per serving
serving suggestion
nutritional count per serving 16.7g total fat (10g saturated fat); 1522kJ (364 cal); 31.1g carbohydrate; 13.4g protein; 3.9g fibre
Serve with mixed green leaf salad. (photograph page 104)
15
Midday
Creamy Fresh Tomato Soup prep + cook time 1 hour 10 minutes serves 6
1.3kg (2¾ pounds) large tomatoes, quartered 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 medium brown onion (150g), chopped coarsely 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock 810g (1½ pounds) canned crushed tomatoes 1½ cup (375ml) pouring cream ½ cup (125ml) thick (double) cream 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives
1
cheese croutons
5
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. quartered tomatoes, half the oil and sugar in medium shallow baking dish; season. Roast about 30 minutes or until softened. Cool 20 minutes; peel tomatoes, discard skin. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in large saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add stock, undrained tomatoes and roasted tomatoes; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make cheese croûtons. Blend or process soup, in batches, until smooth. Strain soup into same pan; discard solids. Add pouring cream; stir over heat, without boiling, until soup is heated through. Serve bowls of soup topped with cream and chives, accompanied by cheese croûtons.
2 Combine
3
4
1 small french bread stick (150g), sliced thickly 1 cup (120g) coarsely grated cheddar cheese ½ cup (40g) coarsely grated parmesan cheese 6
cheese croutons
Preheat grill (broiler). Toast bread on one side then turn and sprinkle with combined cheeses; grill croûtons until cheese browns lightly.
18
Midday
51.6g total fat (29.7g saturated fat); 2748kJ (656 cal); 30.4g carbohydrate; 16.1g protein; 5.7g fibre nutritional count per serving
Master Orange Marmalade (recipe page 279)
20
Preserving Nature’s Bounty
Ginger and Lemon Marmalade Preserving Nature’s Bounty 21
(recipe page 282)
caramelised apple and Rhubarb Pie prep + cook time 1 hour 30 minutes (+ refrigeration, cooling & standing) serves 8
80g (2½ ounces) unsalted butter, chopped 10 medium apples (1.5kg), peeled, cored, sliced thickly ¹⁄³ cup (75g) firmly packed light brown sugar 4 cups (440g) coarsely chopped rhubarb ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar ¹⁄³ cup (80ml) water 2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) 1 egg, beaten lightly 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
4
Grease deep 22cm (9-inch) round springform cake pan. Roll three-quarters of the pastry between sheets of baking paper until large enough to line pan. Ease pastry into pan, press into base and side; trim edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes, along with remaining pastry and any scraps. 5 Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. 6 Spoon cold apple and rhubarb mixture into pastry case; brush edge with egg. Roll remaining pastry out until 3mm (¹⁄8-inch) thick, cut into 1cm (½-inch) strips. Twist strips, place over filling in a lattice pattern; trim ends. Brush top with remaining egg; sprinkle with demerara sugar. 7 Bake pie 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C/350°F; bake further 25 minutes. Stand 15 minutes.
pastry
1¾ cups (260g) plain (all-purpose) flour ½ cup (75g) self-raising flour ¹⁄³ cup (55g) icing (confectioners’) sugar 185g (6 ounces) unsalted butter, chopped 1 egg 1 tablespoon iced water, approximately
pastry
Process flours, sugar and butter until crumbly. With motor operating, add egg and enough of the water to make ingredients come together. Turn dough onto floured surface; knead gently until smooth. Enclose in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
1
Melt butter in large frying pan; cook apple, stirring, about 10 minutes or until apples soften. Add brown sugar; stir until caramelised. Remove from heat; cool. 2 Meanwhile, make pastry. 3 Place rhubarb, caster sugar and half the water in large saucepan; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, about 5 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. Blend cornflour with the remaining water; stir into rhubarb mixture. Stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat; fold into apple mixture. Cool 20 minutes.
29.5g total fat (18.6g saturated fat); 2608kJ (623 cal); 81.3g carbohydrate; 7.3g protein; 5.4g fibre nutritional count per serving
serving suggestion
Serve with whipped cream and ice-cream.
22
At the End of the Day
This
beautiful collection of country recipes showcases the plentiful spirit of the country cook. The outstanding features of country food are fresh produce, full flavours and
generous servings.
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