Rhubarb & Berry Crumbles

In the last school holidays my boys spent lots of time at Mum and dad's farm at Fish Creek (birthplace of the Blog!).  When it was time to go and collect them, I couldn't wait to see what mum had in the garden that I could cook an Annabel recipe with!  So with "The Free Range Cook" in hand I entered the veggie patch to find beautiful rhubarb ready to pick, cook and eat! 

The individual Rhubarb & Berry crumbles were easy to make and really delicious served with vanilla ice-cream.  I made the full recipe of crumble of which you'll only use half of when using it for the crumble.  Mum froze the rest to use at a later date.

I liked the idea of mixing the cornflour and sugar together to sprinkle over the fruit  before adding the crumble.  As is so often the case with Annabel's recipes, it's so simple!  No pre-cooked fruit, just in the ramekin, sprinkle with sugar & cornflour, top with crumble and in the oven!  Couldn't be easier and couldn't be a more perfect flavour!
Catherine

Corn & Avocado Salad

This Salad is simple and beautiful.  Corn would have to be my favourite vegetable, I love it in anything and the combination of the corn with avocado, and tomato is really good.  I boiled the corn the first time I made this and then barbecued it the second time.  It was equally as nice but the barbecued version gave the salad a lovely smokey flavour. 
I made the Basil Oil and have kept it in the fridge and used it on a number of different salads and it is delicious.  Very fresh and makes it feel like Summer is just around the corner! Catherine

The Annabel Experience.....

DVD Playing in the background!

   Here we are!  Inspired by Annabel's magnificent recipes, the gang got together to create the "Annabel Experience!"  It was a magical night of beautiful food and wonderful friendship.  Everyone nominated a dish they wanted to make from Annabel's "The Free Range Cook" book and the results were nothing less than sensational.  We all just made enough for the 22 of us present to sample the dish.  With 14 courses it was truly a night of gastronomic proportions and at the conclusion everyone agreed that it was just superb!  So the dishes were all listed, some were paired up to be served together but most were just a dish on their own to be savored and enjoyed.  All the courses were photographed on their own and then with their creator for the sole purpose of being posted here on the blog.  Thanks to everyone who made the night so special!  Without further ado, here we go with the story of the Annabel Experience.........
Catherine xx

COSMOPOLITAN by Ursula 

Managed to throw it together with very little time!

ZUCCHINI, FETA and MINT FRITTERS 

By Anita

Perfect presentation Anita, what a way to start!  Very hard to stop at one!

LEMON HERB FRITTERS WITH GOAT'S CHEESE 
By Julie

Sweet Chiili sauce topped these off - very yum Julie!

SILVERBEET, FETA AND PINENUT ROLL
By Murph

Murph - went shopping for Silverbeet, came home with Spinach!

SPICY CASBAH PRAWNS

 By Bron

Happy Birthday Bron!

COUSCOUS WITH ROAST VEGETABLES 

By Timmy & Smac!
Best effort of the night with the least amount of notice!

Smile Timmy, you're on the Blog!

FISH FLAVOURED WITH CURRY BASE
By Rachael

Magnificent effort getting 22 perfect sized pieces of  fish Rach!

PEAR, HALOUMI AND WALNUT SALAD

By Michelle

Great choice of dish Michelle, hard for you to choose what to bring from the hundred recipes of Annabel's that you've already done!

BEEF WITH DOUBLE MUSHROOM SAUCE, POTATO GRATIN WITH GRUYERE & GARLIC and GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON By Catherine

Blog author does not need to comment on her own dish!

HONEY LEMON CREAM PUDDINGS

By Bomber?????

Catherine liked this photo...

.....Bomber liked this one!

STRAWBERRY CLOUD CAKE By Rachael

Who has a Strawberry Cloud Cake in their freezer ready for any occasion?

Rachael does!

PROFITEROLES By Lisa

The Great debate.  Who's Profiteroles were better, Annabel's or Lisa's?????

CHOCOLATE & CRANBERRY SLICE
By Rhonda

Lucky last!  And made with Aldi Chocolate - magnificent Ronnie!

Yum!

A great group effort in the kitchen kept the dishes under control!

A sensational evening with Annabel in the background!

Lamb, Rosemary and Apple Sausage Rolls

My little patch of herbs growing under an
olive tree growing in a wine barrel

Lots of delicious ingredients in these Sausage Rolls.  I used mince lamb (400g) and mince beef (250g) as the combination of meats and with the fresh herbs (mostly from my little herb plot!), fruit chutney and grated apple it was a real winner with the family.  I made quite big sausage rolls and we had them for dinner with vegies.

In her book Annabel suggests using the base mixture of meat, apple, egg and onion and then making a Greek version by adding olives, garlic, rosemary and feta.  Or an Italian option with sundried tomatoes and basil.  That is a real "split screen" moment Annabel - LOVE IT!  The sausage rolls I made were delicious and with the Chilli Jam I made a couple of weeks back on the side even better!  Catherine

Chilli Jam (First Try!)

Ok, so in my into to this Blog I said there would be some successes and perhaps some failures too - this isn't really a failure as it still tastes delicious, but it's just not quite right.  I'm going to have another go of this recipe as I think I cooked it a bit long so the finished product is quite dark in colour and is very thick and not easy to get out of the jar.  Having said that, the flavour is amazing!  The ginger and lime is really strong and the chilli certainly gives is a big kick and the after taste leaves a beautiful Thai feel in your mouth.  We've used it on quite a few things, including Annabel's Lamb, Rosemary and Apple Sausage Rolls and we even added it as a condiment to Will's special "2 Minute Noodle Pancakes" (have promised to post them on my Blog, so apologies to Annabel in advance!).  Anyway, the chilli jam is good but I reckon next time it will be phenomenal!  The sensational ingredients include garlic, chillies, ginger, kaffir limes leaves, sugar, lime zest, rice vinegar, fish sauce and soy sauce.  See how if might have a lovely Thai feel?!  I am looking forward to having another go at this one soon.  Catherine

Lemon Curd Tarts

These were lovely.  I still have some of the tart shells in the pantry, kids loved them and some even made their way safely to MGGS for a special tasting.  The "thumbs up" was given, I will definitely be making these again!

The pastry was really lovely, it was made with butter, caster sugar, egg, flour and polenta!  Have not used polenta in a pastry before and it was really nice, quite a grainy texture and the pastry was so crunchy and very delicious.   Mine weren't as perfectly shaped as Annabel's but I was happy with the way they turned out. Catherine