The How to Book - Recipes
As spokesperson for McLean’s Run Eggs, I am always trying to use their fantastic eggs to showcase the full flavour an open range egg has. Sure, they don’t always emtail booze, but it is Christmas after all.
Ingredients:
6 McLean’s Run eggs
1-cup sugar, I like dark brown as it has a more distinct taste
½ tsp vanilla, I use Madagascan Organic Vanilla extract
¼ tsp nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cardamon pod crushed
2 cups full cream milk
2 cups thick cream
¾ cup of Brandy
1/3-cup dark rum
How to do:
Chill everything first. Beat the eggs until they get frothy then beat in sugar, vanilla and all spices. Stir in brandy and rum. Slowly stir in the milk then the cream.
Serve with grated nutmeg on top and over crushed ice (It is Christmas in Australia after all).
Don’t make the mistake of making it too early in the morning and tasting it continuously, its pretty boozy, but delicious.
Ingredients to make a 1L jug
1 1/2 tablespoon culinary lavender
1 tablespoon rose petals
1/2 cup caster sugar
4 lemons squeezed
ice cubes
This recipe is very much one of personal taste, so if you like a tart lemonade, add less sugar and more lemon juice and vice versa. Start by putting the rose and lavender into a jug and pouring over about 2 cups of boiling water, then let it steep for about ten minutes or so.
By this time you should be able to smell the fragrance and now you need to sieve the liquid into a large bowl. Mix in the sugar until dissolved. The water should be hot enough still to dissolve very quickly. Then squeeze lemons and put into bowl with the liquid. You will notice the liquid when you add the lemons will turn a pretty pink colour all of a sudden. No idea why but who cares, its lovely. Now you just need to pour the lemonade into a jug or bottle top up with cold water to make about 1L, taste and add more lemon juice if needed.
Serve in a glass with a slice of lemon and lots of ice cubes. Delightful lady drink. Add vodka for the perfect garden party cocktail!
Ingredients
1.1 kg of strawberries
900 grams of white sugar (use half jam setting sugar to ensure a good set if you are a bit nervous and half white) You can also use raw sugar or brown for a more distinct flavour but make sure you dissolve it properly it takes longer
60 ml lemon juice
60 ml rosewater
How to do it
Put a small plate into the fridge to test the jam later. Wash, hull and halve or quarter the strawberries, or mash if you don't like chunks, I love chunks. Pat the strawberries somewhat dry as you don't want any excess water in your jam. Pour in the sugar and leave for a few hours to macerate if you have time, it draws the pectin out. Put on a really low heat until sugar is dissolved entirely (avoiding brick like jam). Once dissolved, bring to a rolling boil and add lemon and rosewater. Boil gently for about 20 minutes or until set. Test by placing a teaspoon onto the plate you put in the fridge earlier, after about a minute run your finger through the jam and if it wrinkles its set. The easiest way is to use a probe thermometer and once it hits 105 degrees it is set.
Leave the jam to sit for 15-20 minutes so as the fruit settles and does not float to the top of your jars. Don't fret, it's really bloody hard, mine always floats but that's a story for another time. Then pour into sterilised jars. Come back in the morning after waking like a jam goddess (not a jam feral) and hope its set not to resemble a brick so as to have yummy jam on toast for breakfast, not cleaning up after the jam tantrum.
