Sweet and Sour Chicken Livers

Six Persons

1/2 lb. chicken livers and giblets.

1 large cucumber.

1 onion.

Vinegar, salt and pepper.

1 tablespoon cornflour.

1/2 teaspoon Ve-tsin (gourmet powder).

Method: Quarter cucumbers lengthwise, and slice diagonally. Soak cucumber slices in a little vinegar. Fry onions, livers, and giblets. Remove from oil as soon as cooked. Put cucumbers in remaining oil and fry till three-quarters cooked. Add salt and pepper. Blend cornflour and Ve-tsin with a little water. Mix livers and giblets in pan. Pour in smooth paste of flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Source: contributed by N. Tan (Seremban) in Azhar Ilias Abbas Recipes of the Orient Selected From Easily Obtainable Ingredients (Adelaide: Rigby, 1962), p.39.

Hint

"A garlic clove put in the heel of a shoe cures whooping cough."

Source: Memory Lane Cookbook (Rotary Club of Naracoorte, 1986), p.144.

Oodles of Noodles with Ham & Cheese

1/2 of a 250g packet of egg noodles (or egg free)
200g (4 slices) lean ham
1.1/2 (150g) cups grated cheese
1.1/2 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup plain yoghurt (optional)
4 chives or a small onion, chopped
Margarine or oil for greasing
1/2 pack spinach (frozen, thawed and liquid squeezed out)

Method: Cook noodles in lots of boiling water until just tender, drain. Combine cooked noodles with all other ingredients. Pour into lightly greased baking dish and place into a moderate oven (180C) for 30 minutes or until set. Serves a family of 4-6. Suitable for freezing.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.68.

Coffee and Pear Ring

1 tin pears in natural juice (825g)
1/2 cup pear juice
1.1/2 tbsp gelatine
1 cup hot coffee using 2 tsp coffee
vanilla essence
6 tsp sugar
2 tsp cold water
300ml carton cream

Method: Soften gelatine in cold water. Add sugar and hot coffee. Stir until dissolved. Add pear juice. Arrange pears rounded side down in a ring tin or mold. Add half the mix to the pears set. Whip the cream and vanilla. Mix with remaining coffee mixtre [sic] and spoon over and set.

Source: contributed by Judy Bruce in Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002)

Kindergarten Steak

750g - 1kg round steak
2 dsp flour
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 pkt French Onion soup mix
3 dsp tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
1.1/2 - 2 cups water

Method: Place meat in a casserole dish. Sprinkle flour and soup mix on top. Combine all liquids and pour over meat. Cook at 180C for 1.1/2 hours.

Source: Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002).

Apricot Chicken Casserole

1 large chicken
2 diced rashers bacon
1 pkt. French onion soup
1 small tin apricot nectar
1 red or green pepper (optional)
2 carrots
2 sticks celery

Method: Joint chicken and place in casserole with bacon, carrots, celery both cleaned and diced, plus pepper if being used. Mix the soup with the nectar and pour into casserole. Bake in gas oven at 160C to 170C for 1&1/2 hours or if preferred over very gentle heat on hotplate. Serve with creamed potatoes and green beans (quick and easy).

Source: contributed by H. Blair in The Princess Royal Cookbook compiled by a sub-committee of The Muscular Dystrophy Association of South Australia (Kent Town: Peacock Publications, 1984 reprint of 1981 first edition; ISBN 0909209502), p.25.

Variation of French Onion Dip

1 x 200 gram Tub of Light Sour Cream
1/2 Packet French Onion Soup

Method: Mix together. Serve with raw vegetables or dry biscuits.

Source: contributed by Sharon Barrett in Cookbook: St Joseph's School, Clare (Clare: St Joseph's School, 1991), p.10.