Fruit Salad

1 cup stoned prunes                         } soak in 1 cup marsala 
1 cup dried apricots cut in halves  } for 24 hours or more
Add drained:
1 small tin diced pineapple
1 small tin mandarin segments
1 small tin black cherries

Method: Mix well. Serve with cream or icecream. May be kept for months in fridge.

Source: contributed by Mollie Ogden in The Embroiderers' Recipe Book. Compiled by members of The Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia Incorporated ([Adelaide], n.d.), p.70.

Rolled Chicken with Fruits

1 chicken, boned
salt and pepper
4 slices ham
1/2 cup fresh whole-grain breadcrumbs
chopped fresh parsley and oregano
10 soaked stoned prunes
15 soaked dried apricots
brandy to sprinkle

Method: Spread out the chicken, skin side down on a board. Cover with plastic wrap. Pound gently until even fleshed. Remove plastic. Sprinkle chicken with brandy, salt and pepper. Place ham on top. Combine the breadcrumbs with parsley, oregano and pepper. Sprinkle over the ham. Put a line of apricot halves and beside these a row of prunes down the middle. Fold in the ends and roll the whole lot up. Tie with string at regular intervals. Season with salt and pepper. Rub over with olive oil. Bake at 180°C for one hour in an oven bag. Cool. Serve, sliced thinly, with salads or freeze for Christmas.

Source: contributed by Alvena Hall in The Embroiderers' Recipe Book. Compiled by members of The Embroiderers' Guild of South Australia Incorporated ([Adelaide], n.d.), p.21.

Festival Pork Chops

6 loin pork chops
1&1/2 cups apple cider
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons beef extract
6 prunes, pitted
12 dried apricots
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon water

Method: Trim rind and fat from chips. Brown chops in deep pan for 5 minutes. Pour off any fat. Combine apple cider, sugar, salt, curry powder and beef extract. Pour over chops in the pan and place the prune and apricots on top. Cover and cook very slowly for 1/2 hour or until chops are tender. When cooked, remove from pan and place in serving dish. Spoon prunes and apricots over. Combine cornflour and water and add to the liquid in pan, stirring constantly. Bring to boil and cook until thick. Pour sauce over chops and serve.

Source: Cooking Barossa Style by the Ebenezer Community Centre (2000), p.43.

Prune Pudding

Stew 1 cup prunes, remove stones, and cut in small pieces. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and sugar to taste. Beat whites of 3 eggs stiff with 3 tablespoons of sugar. Mix well with prunes and brown in a quick oven. Serve with whipped cream.

Source: A Cooks' Tour of Recipes. Published for the Adelaide University S.R.C. [Students' Representative Council]. (Adelaide: Commercial Publications of South Australia, 1955), p.69.

Prune and Cornflake Drops

8 oz. (225g) prunes

1 lb. (450g) cornflakes

1/2 teaspoon (2.50ml) vanilla essence

8 oz. (225g) desiccated coconut

12 tablespoons (180 ml) condensed milk

Salt

Method: Set oven at 350°[F] (180°C) or mark 4. Cut the prunes into small pieces and place in a bowl. Mix in by degrees the Cornflakes, coconut and pinch of salt. Pour on the condensed milk and vanilla essence and mix all ingredients well. Shape the mixture into small balls and arrange on well greased baking sheet. Bake in pre-set oven for about 10 minutes and allow to cool before serving.

Source: contributed by Rae Williams in The Adelaide Children's Hospital Recipe Book 1982 (Adelaide: 1982), p.50.

Cold Jellied Christmas Pudding

1 packet raspberry jelly

1 teaspn cinnamon

1/4 teaspn spice

1 pint hot water

3/4 cup prunes

3/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup mixed peel

3/4 cup corn flakes (crushed)

1 tablspn brandy

Method: Combine spices with fruit and wine overnight. Partly set jelly, add all other ingredients, reset mixture. Serve with cream or ice cream.

Source: Recipes tested by time... Centenary Cookery Book from 1840 (The Historical Society of Woodville, 1980), p.40.

Festive Pork Chops

4 pork chops (1/2 in. thick)

1&1/2 cups apple juice

1&1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

6 prunes (pitted)

8 dried apricot halves

2 tablespoons cornflour

4 tablespoons water

Method: Trim fat from chops, heat trimmings in pan, remove trimmings. Slowly brown pork chops on both sides in the hot fat. Combine apple juice with sugar, salt and curry powder; pour over chops. Place dried fruit on top of chops. Cover; cook over low heat about 1/2 hour or until chops are thoroughly cooked and tender. Remove meat and fruit to a warm serving dish. Blend cornflour with water, stir into pan juices. Cook and stir until mixture thickens. Serve with pork chops and fruit.

Source: Delicious Pork Recipes. Presented by the Australian Pig Society (S.A. Branch) & United Farmers & Graziers of S.A. (Adelaide: c1968-70), n.p.

Merry Christmas!

(source)

Quick Nibbles - Bacon Wraps

Prunes wrapped in bacon

Scallops or any seafood in bacon

Broccoli or Cauli wrapped in bacon

Small Frankfurts wrapped in bacon

Freshly blanched Asparagus in bacon

Method: Wrap in bacon any of the above, secure with toothpicks and grill until bacon is cooked.

Source: contributed by Kate Eldredge in Cookbook: St Joseph's School, Clare (Clare: St Joseph's School, 1991), p.8.

Stuffed Prunes

1lb. prunes

1 small grated onion

parsley

1/2 tspn. curry powder

1 pkt. cheddar cheese

chopped mint

chives

mayonnaise

Method: Mix all together and fill stoned prunes. Another variation is whipped cream and walnuts.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.10.

Jellied Plum Pudding

1/2 lb prunes, 2 cups water, small stick cinnamon, 3 tspn gelatine, extra 1/2 cup cold water, 4 oz chopped dried figs, 3 oz seedless raisins, 1/2 cup sugar, juice of 3 oranges and 2 lemons, 3 tbspn sweet sherry, 2 oz chopped glace cherries, 2 oz chopped blanched almonds.

Method: Place prunes, cinnamon stick and water in saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender. Remove stones and chop prunes. Reserve 3/4 cup hot prune juice. Soften gelatine in extra cold water and dissolve by pouring on reserved hot prune juice. Combine prunes and gelatine with all remaining ingredients, mix well, pour into 3 pint pudding mould. Chill until set, overnight if possible.

Source: contributed by Vera Hentschke in Blyth Recipe Book: Favourite Tested Recipes of the Blyth Trinity Lutheran Ladies Guild (Blyth Womens Guild, 1972), p.25.

source

Hot Bobs

The following fillings may be rolled in bacon and secured with a toothpick. - Prunes, dried apricots, pineapple, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, capsicum, "potato gems".

Cook on a plate 2-4 mins. on High or Med-high, depending on the quantity, until bacon is cooked. Sprinkle with a mixture of grated tasty cheese. Microwave 1 minute med-high or until cheese melts. Serve on another attractive plate or bowl. Garnish with parsley or another green herb.

Source: contributed by M. Bennett in Our Jubilee Year Recipe Book [Ascot Park Uniting Church Friendship Group] (Adelaide, 1986), p.23.

Pumpkin and Prune Cake

250 g butter

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

1 cup castor sugar

3 eggs

1/4 cup orange juice

3/4 cup cold mashed pumpkin

1/2 cup finely chopped mashed prunes

2 cups self-rising flour

1/3 cup milk

Method:

1. Cream butter, orange rind and sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Stir in orange juice, pumpkin and prunes, then sifted flour alternately with enough milk to give a soft consistency.

4. Spread into greased deep 20 cm round cake tin with base lined with greaseproof paper, oven 1 to 1.1/4 hours.

5. Stand 5 minutes, turn onto wire rack to cool.

Serves 4 (Sweet)

Source: Taste the World: Thebarton Senior College. A Multicultural Recipe Book produced by DOYAN A Young Achievement Australia Company (Thebarton [Adelaide], n.d.).

Hors d'oeuvres

Method: Slit a prune and remove the seed, fill with a piece of marzipan and top with an almond. Always have dried apricots (small ones best) soaking in brandy, they will keep for years like that and when needed; drain and place a nodule of Philly cheese on each half and top with a piece of walnut.

Source: contributed by A. Voight in Lutheran Jubilee 150 Cook Book 1838-1988 Vol 2 by St. Paul's Congregation, Yorketown (1988), p.7.

Stuffed Prunes

Prunes
Preserved ginger
Non-fat cottage cheese

Method: Remove stones from prunes and spoon cottage cheese into the cavity. Top each piece with a piece of ginger.

Source: contributed by Mrs. P. Thomas in Gulnare Gourmets (Adelaide: Gulnare Primary School Welfare Club, 1984 [2nd edition]), p.7.

Tropical Bacon

1.5kg piece of boiling bacon

Combine in a bowl:

1/4c fresh breadcrumbs
1T chopped walnuts
4-6 chopped prunes
2T chopped, dried apricots
2T sherry

1 small can apricot nectar
2t cornflour blended with 2T water
1c sherry
1c apple cider
1c water

Method: Remove mesh from bacon. Slice bacon lengthwise without cutting right through, to form a pocket. Place stuffing in pocket and tie securely with string. Boil in sherry, cider and water for 1 hour or until tender. Transfer to baking dish, pour over apricot nectar and cover. Bake in moderate gas oven for 40 minutes. Remove bacon from pan and remove string. Thicken nectar with blended cornflour and stir until boiling. Serve over sliced bacon.

T=level metric tablespoon
t=level metric teaspoon
c=level metric cup

Source: Festive Fair: Christmas Menus (Adelaide: South Australian Gas Company, 'From the Home Service Department'; n.d. [early 1980s?]), p.16.