ELLI LUCA

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   A natural and delicious hot beverage, a wonderful pick me if you have a cold or 'flu.   Drink this with mineral or soda water for a ginger beer style drink which is thirst-quenching and refreshing. Ingredients: Organic honey, lemons, root ginger  pictured here served with San Pellegrino mineral water. INGREDIENTS 2 cups sugar 2 cups water 1 strip lime or lemon rind 1 large ginger root, chopped 2 tsp cream of tartar 2 tsp honey 1 cup lemon or lime juice METHOD Boil the water, sugar, ginger, honey, rind and cream of tartar for 5 minutes. Add the lemon or lime juice. Bring to the boil again. Take off the heat, strain and pour into a sterilized bottle. Use like ordinary cordial, either with iced water for a cooling drink, or hot water for a warming drink on a winter's night. ( Note: this cordial should last for several weeks in the fridge. However, if it bubbles or looks odd, throw it out.)

Please excuse iPhone picture. White chocolate and raspberry muffins INGREDIENTS 2 cups (300g) self raising flour 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar 3/4 cup (130g) white chocolate bits 1 1/2 cups (180g) raspberries or mixed berries 2 eggs 1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil 1/2 cup (125ml) milk METHOD Preheat oven 180 (160 fan forced) line 6 hole 'Texas' muffin or 12 muffin pan with paper cases.  Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then chop about half of the raspberries and mix both the whole and chopped berries with dry ingredients (reserve some of the whole raspberries and place in bottom of paper cases) Make a well in the centre of the bowl. Whisk eggs, oil and milk together and pour onto the dry ingredients.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. (too much mixing may result in tough muffins)  Spoon the mixture among the paper cases and bake for 15 minutes...

Please excuse iPhone picture. Today's recipe: MUFFINS: Coconut and apricot with a cinnamon crust. Cooking Time: 20 minutes Makes: 12 INGREDIENTS Melted butter, to grease 3 cups self-raising flour 1 cup dessicated coconut 1 1/2 brown sugar (for main mixture) 200g butter, melted 1/2 cup) milk 4 eggs, lightly whisked 4 1/2 tbs apricot conserve 2 tbs demarara sugar (to sprinkle on top) 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon Ground cinnamon, extra, to dust 1 Tablespoon of vanilla extract METHOD Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush six 200ml-capacity muffin pans with melted butter to lightly grease. Place the flour and caster sugar, coconut in a large bowl. Add the butter, milk and egg, and stir until well combined. Spoon two-thirds of the mixture evenly among the prepared pans. Spoon 3 teaspoons of conserve into the centre of each pan. Top with the remaining muffin mixture and smooth the surface. Combine the demarara sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the mixture....

Making different cakes all week to support the RSPCA   I am making a different type of cupcake / muffin every morning. Today's: triple chocolate cupcakes with a dark chocolate ganache. My office smells ridiculously sweet and like a chocolate factory!     Today's recipe: INGREDIENTS 100g dark chocolate 1 cup (250ml) water 125g butter, softened 1 1/4 cups (255g) brown sugar 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour 1/2 cup (75) plain flour 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder 1 Tablespoon good quality vanilla extract Chocolate sour cream ganache 300g dark chocolate 300g sour cream METHOD Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 18 x 1/3-cup (80ml) capacity muffin pans with paper cases. Combine the chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, b...

Choc chip banana muffin w/ onlooker , a photo by 1773★ on Flickr.

Over the past year I have been using this delicious ingredient quite a bit. If you haven't tried it I suggest you do. Use white balsamic vinegar for salads, pale coloured sauces, dips and with seafood to give a sweet and delicate flavour, whilst preserving the presentation of the dish. Try using white balsamic vinegar to deglaze a roasting pan and pour over the meat. Product Features A version of Balsamic vinegar that is made with white wine vinegar and grape must Used when the color of white sauces or foods will be adversely affected by the dark brown color of traditional balsamic vinegar Is milder and less sweet than regular Balsamic vinegar

Wedges Recipe here. Homemade Peri Peri aka Piri Piri recipe here.

Making the top 55 in the " Lurpak cooking Challenge"  I won: A spot prize (see photo) The Lurpak Gift Pack contains 1 x Lurpak Tea Towel, 1 x Lurpak Apron and 1 x Lurpak bamboo butter knife. An e-mail from the competition holders: As soon as the official announcement of the winners is on the website and Facebook page on Friday, 12 August, we will be in contact with the finalists. You can expect someone to contact you regarding the Woolworths voucher in the next couple of weeks. (prize is $100 WISH Gift Card)

  Served with a porterhouse; red wine reduction, garlic potatoes & steamed broccoli.  INGREDIENTS 60gsm butter. (I used Lescure Salted) ** 2 Large sized garlic cloves  1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme roughly chopped Cracked black pepper to taste. 1 tbsp Olive oil (if needing to caramelize the garlic)   1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika.  METHOD Roast and caramelize the garlic. (I keep some in the fridge as I usually roast a whole head a least once a week or so) If you need to make some: INGREDIENTS 1 Garlic head; unpeeled 1 tbsp Olive oil METHOD Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut off top quarter inch of garlic head. Drizzle oil over head. Wrap head in tin foil. Bake until golden, about one hour.    BUTTER Wait until garlic has cooled, add all of above ingredients to a blender. Pulverize for 30 seconds.  Serve in small ceramic dishes.  Refrigerate if necessary.    ** Description: ...

INGREDIENTS Juice of 1 blood orange Juice of 1 lime 1 cup Campari** 1 sprig of mint to serve METHOD Juice orange & lime, straining the pulp from the juice if necessary. Add Campari, Serve with a sprig of mint. ** (you may also use soda water / vodka / or lemonade if you like it sweet) Campari , a bright red bitter aperitif is comprised of a still top secret recipe and the taste is nearly impossible to describe. It's distinctively not sweet, though not particularly savory either and surprisingly refreshing.

Fresh Sriracha (aka, home made 'Rooster') inspiration: (thanks j.b) Serves 1 1/2 cups INGREDIENTS 250gsm red fresno chiles, coarsely chopped 4 garlic cloves 1 teaspoon fleur de sel 1 cup distilled white vinegar 4 tablespoons palm sugar 1/4 tsp sweet paprika METHOD Place all the ingredients except the sugar & paprika in a jar and let sit overnight to mellow the heat of the peppers. Place the mixture and sugar in small saucepan with paprika & sugar Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until is very syrupy & thick. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer to a blender and puree for about 5 minutes, until a smooth, orange-red mixture forms. Run through a strainer and smush out as much juice as possible. Once refrigerated, the sauce should have the same consistency and texture as the 'Rooster', but less salty and a whole lot fr...

My love of chilli can be seen in the picture above. (click for larger) I made my own Rooster sauce over the weekend, I plan on posting the photos / recipe later this week.

Served with garlic roti - recipe here INGREDIENTS 1 Tablespoon of finely chopped palm sugar 1 Tablespoon of fish sauce 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce 1 Tablespoon of coconut vinegar Juice of 1 lime 2 teaspoons of finely grated fresh ginger 1 crushed garlic clove 600g of eye fillet steak a handful of cherry tomatoes chillies to taste 1 onion, red or regular Thai basil, coriander, Vietnamese Mint, cucumber, shredded kafir lime leaves, rocket or baby spinach(to taste) METHOD Whisk together fresh lime juice, finely chopped palm sugar, fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, fresh ginger, coconut vinegar, crushed garlic clove. Marinate the meat in half the dressing covered by plastic wrap in the fridge for a couple of hours. Grill the beef & onions, cut beef into strips. Add to a salad of tomatoes, chillies, red onion, Thai basil, coriander, cucumber and shredded kafir lime leaves. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Found this old photo & recipe of mine from 2007. It is interesting to see how ones cooking evolves and tastes refine through the years  This method is still one of my favorite ways to roast a bird. Great fresh food doesn’t need a lot of fuss to taste brilliant.  This chicken  dish is incredibly simple but will satisfy every taste bud. Corn fed free range organic chicken roasted in a bag. INGREDIENTS I rubbed the outside with: Garlic Sage Thyme A little Butter Salt & Pepper Brush butter over chicken skin and season with salt and pepper. Stuffed with : Phillipa's crumbs Sage Oregano Thyme Salt & Pepper. Chopped Shallots x 3 A little melted butter & water to bind stuffing (all depends on size of bird)  Then I tossed in the bag: Place remaining lemon slices,  thyme, and garlic in oven bag.  2 Shallots Some cloves of garlic (whole) 1/2 a lemon  sliced a few sprigs of thyme ...

  Source: Wendy MacNaughton is an artist and illustrator living in San Francisco. Her illustrated column, “Meanwhile,” appears in the online literary journal The Rumpus.

Baked banana tart: w/ pistachio ice cream Serves : 8 INGREDIENTS 375ml full cream milk 125ml single cream Seeds from 8 green cardamom pods, cracked ½ vanilla bean 4 egg yolks 100g castor sugar 150g roasted and shelled fresh pistachios 100g dark palm sugar METHOD In a saucepan bring to a boil the milk, cream, cardamom seeds and vanilla beans and remove from the heat. Whisk together yolks and sugar, and add strained milk mixture until combined and place in double boiler over low heat. Continue to stir until it coats the back of a wooden spoon Remove from heat and continue to stir over ice until cool. In food processor or pestle and mortar pound together nuts and palm sugar and add chilled ice cream base to ice cream machine and churn until firm.   source for recipe