Asparagus Mousse

2 x 16oz cans asparagus spears

3/4 pint cream

3 egg whites

2 tbs gelatine

6 tbs water

salt & pepper

green colouring

Garnish: asparagus, tomato

Method: Drain asparagus and puree, then put through a sieve. Sprinkle gelatine over water, leave 5 mins and then dissolve over low heat. Add to puree, stirring constantly. Cool until mixture begins to thicken around edges. Whip cream lightly and carefully stir into asparagus until smooth. Season to taste. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and tint a delicate green with food colouring. Pour into 3 pint mould which has been rinsed with cold water. Cover with either foil or plastic wrap and chill. For a dinner party can be set in individual serving dishes. [Serves 6]

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.30 ['Autumn Menu']

Citrus Carrot Cake

1 cup plain flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

225g mandarin segments

3/4 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1 cup grated carrot

Method: Blend all dry ingredients except nuts and carrots. Add mandarin segments drained and chopped, eggs, oil and mix for 1/2 min. Mix in carrots and nuts. Bake in greased tin 180C for 1 hour. Allow to cool in tin. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Source: contributed by K. Sumner in Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002)

Curried Tuna and Mushrooms

1 15 oz tin tuna

1 8 oz tin mushrooms

2 sliced onions

1 tblspn flour

1 tblspn margarine

1 desspn curry powder

1 desspn sugar

1 desspn sultanas

1 desspn chutney

1 small apple

2 cups stock (2 desspns Gravox)

1 teaspn salt

1/2 teaspn pepper

Method: Place shortening in fry pan and melt over low heat, add onions and apple and fry until lightly brown. Stir in flour, sugar, curry powder, mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook one minute. Add stock and stir until mixture boils. Add drained tuna, chutney and sultanas. Reheat.

Source: Recipes tested by time... Centenary Cookery Book from 1840 (The Historical Society of Woodville, 1980), p.6.

Camembert Savouries

3/4 lb. puff pastry

chopped parsley or paprika

Filling:

5.1/4 oz. can Camembert Cheese

1/4 pint cream, whipped

salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Method:: Roll out pastry into 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 1.1/2 inch squares. Place on a baking tray and chill. Bake in a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown in colour. Cool. Split and sandwich together with Camembert Filling. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or paprika.

Makes approx. 3 doz.

Filling: Mash Camembert Cheese with a fork and then cream until smooth. Combine with whipped cream. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.

Method: Memory Lane Cookbook (Rotary Club of Naracoorte, 1986), p.15.

Tomato & Apple Juice

1 lge can tomato juice

1 lge can apple juice

Method: Serve in small glasses. Half fill with tomato juice, then, tipped glass slightly, add the apple juice very slowly. It will stay on top of the tomato juice. Top with a sprig of mint. [Serves 6]

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.44 ['Winter Menu']

Coffee Mousse

Equipment Needed:

1 18cm mixing bowl

Food processor or egg beater

Measuring cup and spoons

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4 to 6 persons 

Ingredients:

1 tin evaporated milk 375 grams (chilled)

1 small cup sugar

1 tablespoon gelatine dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water

1 tablespoon sherry (optional)

1 tablespoon Nescafe

Method: Beat Milk until thick and fluffy, add coffee, sugar, dissolved gelatine and sherry. Place in refrigerator to set. Cover with whipped cream, glaced cherries and nuts. Can be set in individual dishes.

Source: Quick and Easy Desserts (Kent Town: The South Australian Country Women's Association Incorporated, 2002)

Thick Tomato Soup (Weight Watchers)

2 chicken stock cubes

2ozs hot water

12ozs tomato juice

2 tspns dried onion flakes

1lb marrow

pepper

few drops artificial sweetener (optional)

Method: Crumble stock cubes into water and stir to dissolve, place in large saucepan, add tomato juice, onion flakes and the peeled, cored and sliced marrow, bring to boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Pour the soup into a blender, set at high speed until smooth. Return to pan and re heat.

Season to taste.

Serves 2-3

Source: contributed by M. Brazier in S.C.N.H. [Southern Cross Nursing Homes] 1st Floor Cook Book No. 2 (?North Plympton; n.d.), p.10.

Tasty Dip

Philadelphia cream cheese

1 tablespoon mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon cream 

1 tablespoon horseradish sauce 

Method: Mix all together thoroughly and refrigerate. 

Source: Memory Lane Cookbook (Rotary Club of Naracoorte, 1986), p.15.

Avocado and Chicken

1.1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken 

1/4 cup chopped green pepper 

3/4 cup diced pineapple (tin) 

1/3 cup mayonnaise 

1 tbs lemon juice
3 medium avocadoes 

1/2 tsp salt 

lettuce leaves 

Method: Mix all ingredients together and chill. Cut avocadoes in half, brush with lemon juice. Fill halves with mixture and serve in a lettuce leaf. 

Prepare on the day of the dinner party. [Serves 6] 

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.32 ['Autumn Menu']

Happy New Year: Poppa's Punch

2 litres of fruit cup cordial

2 litres of orange cordial

4 litres of lemonade

4 litres of ginger ale

4 litre cask of St Tropez wine cooler

6 bottles of cheap champagne

1 bottle of sweet sherry

lots of chopped mint

lots of cucumber skin

banana slices, strawberries, etc.

1 bottle of gin (optional)

Method: if too sweet add more ginger ale or riesling. If not sweet enough add moselle.

Source: contributed by V. Griffith in Penneshaw Area School's Culinary Creations (1998).

From the archives.

Frozen Christmas Pudding

1 x 500g can Plum Pudding

1/2 cup Orange Curacao   )

1/2 cup sherry                      ) or just 1/2 cup brandy

1.1/2 tsp gelatine, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

2 litres vanilla ice cream.

Method: Mash pudding with sherry & curacao. Whip ice cream, add dissolved gelatine and pudding. Put into a container and freeze til hard. Serve with whipped cream and decorate with nuts and crystalized cherries.

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.68 ['Christmas Menu']

Nutty Beetroot Salad

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 x 425 g can beetroot

Method: Grill walnuts until golden brown and cool. Combine walnuts, celery and mayonnaise in a bowl; add drained beetroot and toss ingredients to combine well. Chill. Garnish with celery curls to serve.

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.68 ['Christmas Menu']

American Plum Pudding

1 lb can purple plums or 2 cups fresh cooked plums

1 pkt gingerbread cake mix

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sultanas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method: Drain plums and reserve syrup for sauce. Remove stones from plums and cut into pieces. Prepare cake mix as per packet, add salt and plum pieces. Stir in sultanas and walnuts. Pour into 6 cup cake tin (8" square). Bake uncovered at 370°F about 1 hour. Loosen edges immediately and unmould onto serving plate. (Can be made ahead and reheated when needed.)

Plum Sauce: Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbs cornflour; gradually add plum syrup. Add enough water to make up to 1.1/2 cups altogether. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually until it boils and thickens. Cook 1 min. Add 1 tbs lemon juice. (Can also be warmed later.)

Serve sauce warm over pudding slices, also serve thin cream.

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.67 ['Christmas Menu']

Florida Cocktail

Equal quantities of canned mandarin quarters and grapefruit pieces (or pineapple)

Kirsch or Sherry

Method: Combine fruit and liquor at least 2 hours ahead. Mix well, place in compote dishes and decorate with cherry and mint leaves.

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.65 ['Christmas Menu']

Little Christmas Puddings

500g mixed fruit (currants, sultantas, cherries, raisins & chopped almonds)

1 tbs cocoa

1 tbs butter, melted

1 tbs sherry

Method: Mince fruit, nuts and mix together with other ingredients. Roll into small balls. Allow to set. Drizzle with white chocolate or cut small pieces of white fondant icing to represent top of fruit pudding with custard. Place in small truffle patty cases to serve.

Source: Recommended by D. Spencer in The Wentworth Private Residential Care Cookbook (Adelaide, ?2008)

Note: this is a new find, from a local nursing home:

It refuses to turn the right way...

Festive Semifreddo

Serves 10

180g caster sugar

2 tablespoons cold water

6 egg yolks

900ml thickened cream

200g Christmas pudding, crumbled

1/2 cup red glacé cherries, cut in half

1/2 cup green glacé cherries, cut in half

1/2 cup pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

1 packet edible silver leaf (available from Indian food stores) 

Method: Line a 1.5L terrine with plastic wrap, leaving some overhanging to cover the top.

Dissolve sugar in water over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Increase heat to high and cook for 5 minutes. Be careful the syrup doesn't darken. Then allow to cool.

Beat the egg yolks until doubled in volume then gradually add sugar syrup and continue to beat until the mixture is thick.

Lightly whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold half the whipped cream with the crumbed pudding and half with the egg mixture. Carefully fold the whipped cream mixtures together with the cherries and pistachios.

Spread the mixture into the terrine mould, pressing down well, then cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer overnight.

When ready to serve, invert the terrine onto a platter and top with edible silver leaf.

Source: A Taste of History Behind the Green Door 1909-2009, compiled for the Centenary of the Queen Adelaide Club (Adelaide: The Queen Adelaide Club, 2009; "not for sale to the public"), p.118.

Jellied Plum Pudding

A little something from the archives... 

Place in a saucepan and bring to boil 1&1/2 pints milk and 3 tbls cocoa. Add 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup currants, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped peel, 1/4 cup nuts, 1/2 cup dates or figs, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch salt and 1 tbls brandy. Allow to cool considerably, then add 3 dsp powdered gelatine dissolved in 1/4 cup hot (not boiling) water and add to mixture. Place into wetted mould and set firmly in a cold place. Serve with wine sauce. 

Source: contributed by M. Zwar in Booleroo Centre Primary School 1885-1985 Centenary Recipe Book (revised edition 1985 of 1970 edition), p.6.

Mock Ham

To kick off the Christmas season, a little something from the archives... 

1 pumped, corned leg of lamb or hoggett

2 bacon bones

1 large onion (studded with cloves)

2t brown sugar

parsley

1T vinegar

1/2c pineapple juice or syrup

warm water

Glaze:

1/2c pineapple juice or syrup

3T brown sugar

Method: Place meat in a large saucepan, cover with warm water. Add bacon bones, onion, brown sugar, pineapple syrup, parsley and vinegar. Cover and bring to the boil, then simmer gently until cooked, allowing approximately 40 minutes per 500g. Test with a skewer, through the thickest part of the leg. Allow to cook in the water with the lid slightly off the saucepan. Remove from pan, brush generously with pineapple glaze, which is made by heating the pineapple juice and brown sugar in a saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes.

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.14.

Curried Asparagus Soup

1 tspn butter

1 onion chopped

1 tspn curry powder

440g can cream asparagus soup

2.1/2 cups milk

340g can green asparagus spears, drained and chopped

1 tabspn dry vermouth

2 tabspns parsley chopped

Method: 

Heat butter in pan. Add onion, curry powder.

Cook until tender.

Stir in undiluted soup and milk, boil.

Stir in asparagus, boil again.

Before serving stir in vermouth and chopped parsley.

Source: S.C.N.H. [Southern Cross Nursing Homes] 1st Floor Cook Book No. 2 (?North Plympton; n.d.), p.11.

Macaroni Salad

1.1/2 cups macaroni (cooked)

300g diced ham

2 peppers chopped

1/4 cup diced onion

1 tbsp sugar

2 celery sticks diced

2 tbsp sultanas

1/4 cup oil

2 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup white vinegar

Method: Heat vinegar, oil and curry powder and pour over other ingredients after heating through. Will keep for a week if refrigerated.

Source: Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002)

Chilled Cucumber Soup

1 small onion

2 med cucumbers

sprig of mint

2 tbs cream

green colouring

1 litre (4 cups) water

3 chicken stock cubes

1 tbs cornflour

salt & pepper

extra mint for garnish

Preparation time: 1 hour, including cooking time.

Method: Bring water to boil with crumbled stock cubes, add finely chopped onion and simmer 15 mins. Peel and chop cucumbers reserving some fine slices for garnish. Add rest to stock mix, add mint, and cook gently for 20 mins. Either sieve or puree in blender and return to heat. Blend cornflour with enough water to make a smooth cream, stir in some of the hot soup; add this to the rest of the soup and bring to boil, stirring. Cook for 2 mins, stir in cream and season. Tint with 2 drops green food colouring and pour into glass serving bowl. Cover and put in refrigerator. To serve, garnish with mint and cucumber slices. [Serves 4] 

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.20 ['Summer Menu']

Fruit Slice

1 pkt Saos

1 pkt Yo Yos

1 tin condensed milk

1 cup coconut

250g butter

1 pkt dried fruit medley

Method: Melt butter and condensed mikl [sic] then mix in the dry ingredients. Press into a lamington tray and refridgerate [sic]. Ice with melted chocolate or any other icing.

Source: contributed by Kathi Sumner in Burra Kindy Cookbook (Burra, 2002)