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150g caster sugar
150ml water
1.75kg watermelon
Finely grated rind and juice of 2 limes
Lime wedges, for serving

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, but don't boil, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into a glass bowl, cool, then chill.

Cut the watermelon into quarters, remove most of the seeds. Chop up the flesh into smaller pieces, place the flesh into a food processor and process until smooth. You can use a blender, do it in batches.
Strain the watermelon puree through a sieve into a plastic container that has a lid. Add the chilled syrup and lime rind and juice, mix well.

Cover and freeze for two hours until the mixture around the sides has started to set and thicken. Using a fork scrap the set ice off the sides, give the mixture a good mix.

Place back in the freezer, now every 30-60 minutes you will need to stir the mixture using a fork until the granita has set, with the ice crystals forming throughout the granita. Stop when you are happy with the consistency.

Scoop it into serving bowls, add some lime wedges.

The recipe can be found at www.whatscookingella.com/watermelon-granita.html
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Recipe adapted from www.epicurious.com

Serves 4

4 bunches asparagus
1 onion, chopped
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups salt reduced chicken stock
1/4 cup thick cream
Salt and pepper, to taste


Cut the tips from 12 asparagus, about 2-3cm long. Halve the tips lengthwise if they are thick. Reserve for garnish. (Now this part is optional, if I am making this for my family I wouldn't bother, as they don't care for garnishes, but for guests I would make the effort).

Cut 1-2cm off the ends of the asparagus and discard as it can be tough and woody. Now cut all the remaining asparagus stalks into 1-1.5cm pieces.

Heat a medium sized saucepan over a low to medium heat, add butter and onion, sauté, stirring regularly, for 4 minutes, or until the onion softens (Reduce the heat if the butter and onions look like they are colouring too quickly).

Add the asparagus pieces, sauté, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes. Season with a little salt and white pepper.

Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, simmer for 20 minutes, or until the asparagus is very tender.

While the soup is cooking, bring a small pot of salted water to the boil, cook the reserved asparagus tips for 3-5 minutes, until just tender, then drain.

Now if you want the soup to be perfect, puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth, place pureed soup in a bowl, then return to the pan once all is blitzed. I prefer to just use a stick blender straight in the pot, blitz until smooth (I always miss a piece of asparagus, but my family love that). Either way be careful with hot liquids. The soup should still be really hot, if not, bring back to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the cream, and stir through to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve immediately and garnish with asparagus tips. 

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Recipe adapted from a Family Circle Cookbook

Serves 6-8

3 eggplant, sliced thinly lengthwise
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, as needed

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g pork and beef mince
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400g can tomatoes

125g macaroni
1/2 cup frozen peas, optional
1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese


Grease and line the base of a deep 23cm round springform tin.

Arrange eggplant on trays, sprinkle with a little salt. Allow to stand for 20 minutes. Rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels. (This only needs to be done if your eggplant, when sliced, has a lot of black seeds inside).

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Cook the eggplant in batches in a single layer until golden on each side. They need to be cooked and pliable. Add more oil as required. Drain on paper towels.
​
Make the sauce: Add onion and crushed garlic to the same pan and stir over low heat until onion is tender. Add mince and brown, breaking up any lumps with a spoon or fork as it cooks. Add the tomato paste, stir for 30 seconds, then add the tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir well. I like to rinse the tomato tins with about 1/3 cup water and add that to the sauce. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened. You don't want a wet sauce, it needs to be thick. Set aside.

​Add macaroni to a large pan of rapidly boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, if you are not using it straight away, to ensure pasta does not clump together, if you are using it straight away, no need to oil it.

In a large bowl, place the peas, if using, macaroni, mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, egg and half of the parmesan. Use a spoon to mix, set aside.

Preheat oven to moderate 180C/160C fan forced.

Place an eggplant slice in the centre on the base of your prepared tin. Arrange three-quarters of the remaining eggplant in an overlapping pattern to completely cover the base and sides of the tin.​

Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes or until golden. ​

​Allow to rest for 10 minutes before unmoulding onto a serving plate. To unmould release the sides of your springform tin, place a rimmed plate on your eggplant, then quickly flip the over your 'cake' using your cake tin base to assist. Remove base and baking paper.


Serve with a salad, if desired.

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1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 cup water
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice


Put the sugar and water in a medium saucepan, stirring regularly, over medium heat, bring it to the boil.

Once boiling, remove from heat, allow to cool.

Stir in the lemon juice, (I made sure there was no pips, but I didn't strain it, but you can strain it, if you like).

Pour into sterilised jars or bottles and refrigerate until needed.

Pour a little in a glass, add some ice, top with still or sparkling water, to serve.

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Adapted from a Donna Hay recipe

Serves 6

1kg potatoes
Rock salt, for baking
1/2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan (optional)
2/3 cup (100g) plain flour, sifted
Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
2 egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spread the rock salt to cover the base of a large baking tray. Place the potatoes on the rock salt and bake for 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft and cooked through. Allow to cool slightly. (I allow the salt to cool completely, then pour it into a container to use again next time).

Cut the potatoes in half. Place the potato half, flesh side down into a ricer, then press the potato half through the ricer into a large bowl, discard skin. Continue with all the potatoes. If you don't have a ricer, buy one today, they are brilliant for mashing potatoes.

While the potato is still hot, add the parmesan (if using), flour, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Add the egg yolks and keep mixing until the mixture comes together. Lightly flour a work surface and knead the potato dough for 1 minute until you have a soft dough.

Divide the dough into smaller workable balls. Roll into long sausages (you get to determine how big or small you want your gnocchi). Cut into 1.5cm long pieces and place on a lightly floured tray. Cover with a tea towel if you are not using them straight away. Also at this stage you can put the whole tray in the freezer, once the gnocchi are frozen, you can transfer them to freezer bags, to use another day.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the gnocchi in batches for 3-5 minutes or until firm and floating to the surface. I usually cook them until they float to the surface plus 1 minute once they have floated to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. Mix the gnocchi with a little of whatever sauce you are serving it with straight away, so they do not stick to one another.

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Topping is enough for 1 breadstick
​
Makes 25

30cm breadstick or Ciabatta loaf
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Tomato and Basil Topping:
3 Roma (egg) tomatoes, seeded, chopped finely
1 small (100g) red onion, chopped finely
1/4 cup finely shredded fresh basil
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Combine tomato, onion, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in bowl, mix well to combine.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced.

Trim the ends from the bread, and slice into 1 - 1.5cm slices. Place the bread slices on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until browned.

Rub garlic over one side, brush same side lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Spoon tomato and basil mix on to toasts, serve immediately.

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Recipe adapted from www.bestrecipes.com.au website

Makes 25 truffles

250g plain biscuits, crushed
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
395g sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup desiccated coconut, extra for coating


In a large mixing bowl, add the crushed biscuits, cocoa, coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well to combine.

Put the extra coconut in a small bowl.

Roll a measured tablespoon of the biscuit mixture into a ball, roll in the extra coconut to coat, place in a container. Repeat until all the biscuit mixture is used up. Refrigerate to firm up.

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Recipe adapted from Super Food Ideas magazine

Serves 10

Base:
90g unsalted butter, melted
250g plain sweet biscuits (I used Nice)

Filling:
130g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup almond meal

1/2 cup raspberry jam

Topping:
2 egg whites
2 cups shredded coconut
1/4 cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced.

For the base: Place the butter in a heatproof bowl, place bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water until the butter has melted, allow to cool 5 minutes.

Place the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until you get a fine breadcrumb consistency.

Add the melted butter to the biscuits, stir until combined. Pour the mixture into a 3cm deep, 24cm round loose-based fluted flan tin. Press it up the sides and on the base evenly. (It might feel like you need more butter, but you won't it will hold). Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beat until combined. Fold in the almonds. Spread the almond mixture over the base carefully. Smooth the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

For the topping: In a medium sized bowl add the egg whites, shredded coconut and sugar. Mix to coat all the dry ingredients well with the egg white.

Carefully spread the jam over the almond filling (it may help to heat the jam a little if thick and cold). Spoon over the coconut mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until set and golden.

Carefully remove from the tin by placing a glass until the tin, then dropping the side of the tin down. Leave the tart on the tin base.

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