Simple but Delicious Dinner

A large piece of sirloin, rubbed with oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper, fresh thyme & rosemary.
Sear all over in heavy pan and then put into hot oven (about 200c) until rare-medium-rare (25 mins? depending on size of meat).
Remove from oven and cover with tin foil and let sit for approx. 15mins.

Perfectly roasted ready for tinfoil

While meat is searing, split fresh outdoor tomatoes and slip into cut some rosemary, oil, salt, pepper and sliced garlic. Add some extra garlic cloves to the dish. Pour over some oil and put into hot oven as you remove meat.

Tomatoes roasted with rosemary and garlic.

The roasted vegetable chunks take about as long as the meat, so have them chopped and sprinkled with oil and seasonings early on. Keep checking and turning over. They should be perfect at the same time as the meat is ready to be sliced.

Roasted vegetable chunks

Slice medium rare meat

Enjoy simple, flavoursome, tender dinner.

Thanks - Little and Friday

Thanks Little and Friday for publishing your delicious cookbook Treats From Little and Friday (Penguin, NZ).
This delicious Banana & Caramel cake certainly was not little and it wasn't on a Friday, but it was superb.

Rustic Plum Pie

When you have a couple of kilos of tasty fresh plums, make a short pastry (with a little bit of cinnamon for interest).
Roll it out into a rough circle, sprinkle some semonlina, sugar & lemon zest over the pastry base. Put plums cut side up on top. Fold in pastry edges, gathering together in parts, leaving a nice big piece of exposed fruit in the centre. Sprinkle over sliced almonds and a bit more sugar.
Bake for 35-40 mins at 180c fanbake or until pastry is really crisp and golden.
Dust with icing sugar before serving with mascarpone or creme freche.

Sunday Supper

Begin with a light and tasty Courgette, Garlic & Herb Soup, thanks to Ray McVinnie in Sunday Star Times Sunday 25 March.
Absolutely delicious even though didn't have any plain yoghurt to dollop in.
(ps. I added some fresh, finely chopped chilli for a little more excitement.)

Then tuck into a warm Fruit Sponge Pudding.

Stew apples gently. Put frozen blackberries on top and put in oven to thaw and heat. (approx. 20 mins at 180).





Make sponge beating butter and sugar and then adding an egg before beating further. Fold in ground almonds, flour, baking powder and a little milk. Spoon over top of hot fruit.

Bake approximately 45mins. (Use a deep enough container for it not to go over the side!)










Beware the fruit underneath the sponge is extremely hot.

Peaches and Cream?

Peaches, lots of peaches, lovely golden queens.

Gently poach in sugar syrup. Transfer with great care to sterilized, hot jars.

Make sure no air is trapped. Seal.

Store away for a cold winter's night when a hot dessert is called for. Eat with cream of course.

Tasty Capsicums

Wholemeal breadcrumbs, crumbled feta, finely chopped onion & garlic, fresh thyme and coriander all mixed with extra virgin olive oil. Pile onto pepper half and roast 175 for about 30mins.

Serve with baked potato, apple red cabbage, Harmony port & fennel sausage.