Trifle- Photos by Emma Sharp
IT'S A new year, you're sick of all the cooking you did over the Christmas season, but you still have to eat, right?
Now, normally I would not approve of taking anything out of a pre-mixed packet. I like to make everything, if possible, from scratch, and I'll favour fresh ingredients over tinned ones any day. Oh yes, I'll even search for frozen berries to make jams, and goodness knows I'd milk my own cows if I had any! As for rum and other liquors ... well, I think I'll leave that to the distilleries.
Anyway, this month is a little different from most. If you're anything like me, you've been slaving away in the kitchen over the Christmas season. While it's my pleasure and profession, I am quite sure that for most of you it has been a little tiring. Well, it's time to take some short cuts.
I have compiled a complete dinner party, for eight people, using packaged or canned food items: soup, vegetables, macaroni and cheese, salmon, cake and custard. For those of you who find culinary tasks somewhat time consuming and taxing, these are quick and easy to prepare.
I'm not saying that they in any way replace the superior quality and taste of home-made food, but these recipes are not bad at all. I have added the odd fresh ingredient simply because these do not require much preparation.
So, invite your friends over for supper one evening, but keep them in the living and dining rooms. You wouldn't want them to see you've been cheatin' in the kitchen!
Cheesy salmon and broccoli bake.
Cheesy Salmon andBroccoli Pasta Bake
INGREDIENTS
2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
8 oz broccoli, cut into small florets
2-4 tbsp freshly chopped basil or thyme
1/2 scotch bonnet, finely chopped
2 x 7 1/2 oz can of Alaska Sockeye red salmon Black pepper
2 packs Kraft deluxe macaroni and cheese dinner
METHOD
1. Gently fry the onions in olive oil until soft.
2. Add the broccoli, herbs and scotch bonnet, and cook for a few minutes.
3. Stir in the salmon and season with black pepper. Remove from the heat.
4. Cook the macaroni according to instructions, drain, and stir in the packet of cheese sauce, as well as the broccoli and salmon.
5. Serve immediately, or pour into a baking dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, at 350°F.
Asian chicken noodle soup
Emma's menu
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
Cheesy Salmon and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Steamed Cho Cho
Trifle
Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS
4 cups water
2 x 3 oz packs 'Maruchan' ramen noodle soup (roast chicken flavour)
4-6 oz chicken, cut into strips
1 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce
1 can baby corn, drained and sliced through the middle lengthways
1-2 tbsps freshly chopped mint or cilantro
A few drops of Walkerswood Fire Stick pepper sauce
METHOD
1. Bring the water to boil, add the noodles and cook for two minutes, then add the chicken and the 'flavour' sachets that come with the noodles.
2. Cook for another minute before adding the baby corn to heat through.
3. Stir in the herbs and pepper sauce, and serve immediately.
Trifle
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup raspberry or strawberry jam
4 tbsp rum
4 tbsp cream sherry
Cake
1 pack JF Mills flour
3 eggs
1/3 vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
Custard
INGREDIENTS
3 tbs Bird's custard powder (or other instant mix)
3 tbs white sugar
1 pint milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
To Decorate
1/2 pint heavy cream
Slices of fresh or tinned fruit and lime or orange zest.
METHOD
1. Mix and bake the cake according to instructions on the box.
2. Make the custard according to instructions on the packet and then stir in the vanilla. Leave to cool.
3. Slice the cake into one-inch thick slices and spread jam on each one.
4. Line a glass serving dish with half the cake, pour two tbs each of rum and sherry over the cake, and cover with 1/3 of the custard.
5. Repeat with the remaining cake, rum and sherry, and top with the remaining custard.
6. Place in the fridge to cool. Whip the cream until it holds well, and spread on the top of the trifle, using a fork to make 'peaks'.
7. Decorate with slices of fruit and zest.
