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Mushroom Cocktail Strudels	Cheddar Popovers	Smoked Fish Snacks
Parmesan and Olive Biscuits	Thea Amalia's FAVA	Courgette Rissoles from Alonnisos
Marinated Mushrooms	Dolmathes (Stuffed Vine Leaves)	Persian Red Lentil Dip
Mushroom Pate	Baked Ricotta	Smoked Trout Pate
Coriander Pesto

Mushroom Cocktail Strudels

From the Kitchen of Katina

Delicious fresh mushrooms wrapped in filo pastry make an interesting change. Serve them hot or cold. They freeze also, and can be reheated. 

90 g butter 500 g mushrooms, finely chopped 2 tbsp finely chopped onion salt and pepper 2 tbsp sherry

^1/2 tsp dried tarragon ^1/2 cup sour cream 1 packet of pastry 125 g butter melted 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 180C (250F). Melt the butter and cook the onion, then the mushrooms, salt and pepper, sherry and tarragon. Cook stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has been evaporated and the mixture is mushy. 

Cool slightly and add sour cream. Using two thicknesses of pastry, brush the pastry with melted butter, sprinkle the breadcrumbs, place some of the mushroom filling along the edge and roll up. 

Brush with butter, continue as above until all the filling is used. Place the rolls on a grease tray and bake 15-20 minutes. Cut into serving portions as desired. 

Katina's Comments:

This is a Margaret Kirkwood recipe. I have adapted it. I also place them in a spiral in a dish place. To serve just cut into wedges. It is great for an entree or even for a light meal with a salad. 

Parmesan and Olive Biscuits

From the Kitchen of Katina

Makes 36 biscuits 

• 100 g (1¹/₂ cups) grated parmesan cheese
• 100g butter chopped
• 100g (0.66 cup) plain flour
• 8 Kalamata olives

1. Process butter, flour and cheese in food processor until mixture just begins to come together
2. Transfer to lightly floured board, add olive and knead lightly
3. Place mixture on baking sheet and form into 3x35cm log
4. Roll up firmly in paper
5. Refrigerate 1-2 hours till firm
6. Cut log into 8mm slices
7. Bake at 180C for 15-18 minutes

Katina's Comments:

Katina and twin brother Jim

Marinated Mushrooms

From the Kitchen of   Katina
Source: "A taste for All Seasons" by Beverly Sutherland Smith

750 g (1^1/2 lb) small button mushrooms 1^1/2 cups water 2 tsp. salt

^1/2 cup white vinegar 1 small bay leaf 1 medium-sized white onion

Cut the stalks of the mushrooms level with the caps. Place in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain but keep the liquid. Place back in the saucepan ³/₄ cup of this mushroom liquid, the salt, vinegar and bay leaf. Bring to the boil. Cut the white onion into wafer thin circles. Layer the mushrooms in a glass container with the onion circles. Pour over the hot liquid. Leave to stand for 24 hours before serving. 
Serve with small toothpicks through the centre of each one as a savoury or they are also delicious as an hors d'oeuvres. 
They can be kept refrigerated for one week. 

Katina's Comments:

 Jim Plooij

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Mushroom Paté

From the Kitchen of   Katina
Source: Squirrels Best of One and Two Vegetarian Cook Books

200g cream cheese 200g mushrooms, sliced 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed

25g butter 2 tbs. sherry, dry for preference fresh basil and tarragon salt and pepper

1. Bring the cheese to room temperature.
2. Melt the butter and fry the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and fry briskly for 2 mins. Add the basil and sherry and simmer 2 mins. Remove from the heat.
4. Whiz in a food processor until finely chopped, then beat in the cream cheese. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. Chill the pate well before serving with fresh whole-wheat bread, crackers or crisp breads.

Katina's Comments:

Cheddar Popovers

From the Kitchen of Katina
Source: Stephanie Alexander, A Shared Table

For this recipe you will need a muffin pan that makes 12 muffins. Stephanie says she also made tiny popovers that cook in 10 minutes using ovenproof eggcups. Small brioche tins would be ideal, too. 

2 x 55g eggs pinch salt ^1/2 teaspoon paprika finely grated zest of ^1/2 lemon 1 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped

2 shakesTabasco 3 tbsp plain flour 125ml milk 2 tbsp olive oil 75g Pyengana cheddar, coarsely grated

Makes 12 popovers. 

Break the eggs into a bowl, add the salt, paprika, lemon zest, parsley and Tabasco, and whisk well. Sieve in the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually stir in the milk and leave the batter to stand for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C. 

Divide the olive oil between the muffin holes and place the muffin pan in the hot oven for 5 minutes to get really hot. Carefully take it out and poor in the batter to half-fill each hole. Divide the cheese between the holes and quickly replace the tray in the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes. The popovers should be well risen, crisp and brown. Eat at once! 

Katina's Comments:

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Thea Amalia's FAVA

From the Kitchen of Katina
Source: Aunty Amalia

• 1 cup fava (yellow split peas)
• 3 cups water

1. Put into saucepan on a low heat. Skim off scum that floats to the top.
2. Add one whole  onion and another ¹/₂ glass of water, salt and pepper.
3. Stir and cook till it binds.
4. Allow to cool and it will thicken.
5. Serve on a shallow plate. 
6. Optional: top with sliced onion, sprinkle with oregano and lemon juice to taste.

Fava can be served with bar-b-q style meals or with drinks. Serve with bread. 

Katina's Comments:
Apparently Santorini is famous for its Fava. Didn't know that when we were there. 

Dolmathes (Stuffed Vine Leaves)

From the Kitchen of Katina

^3/4 cup rice olive oil 1^1/2 cups hot water 1 bunch dill 1 bunch spring onions

pine nuts mint Salt and pepper vine leaves, either fresh or tinned

1. Finely chop spring onions.
2. Cook onions together with dill in olive oil. Add rice and stir until grains are coated.
3. Add ¹/₂ cup hot water and cook for 5 mins. stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and mint.
5. Vine leaves should be blanched in hot water.
6. Use the filling to make dolmathes.
7. Pack tightly in frying pan lined with vine leaves.
8. Add remaining water.
9. Cook slowly for 45 minutes.

Serve with tzatziki. 

Katina's Comments:
I found this recipe very successful.

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Baked Ricotta

From the Kitchen of Katina
Source:

• 2 cups of fresh ricotta
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• paprika

To Serve:

• dry salted black olives
• baked red capsicum
• pide (Turkish bread)

Mix the ricotta with the egg whites and place the mixture in a buttered deep, ovenproof dish. Pour over the olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and bake in a 180C oven for 30 minutes. The ricotta should rise, then settle. Set aside but do not refrigerate. Shortly before serving, carefully turn out the baked ricotta and pour over the pan juices. Cut into slices and serve with dry salted black olives, baked red capsicum and pide.

Serves 6

Katina's Comments:

Smoked Fish Snacks From the Kitchen of Katina Source: Strother Fish Pty Ltd, Private Bag 11, Meningie  1 40cm french bread stick 2 tomatoes 125g mozzarella cheese, chopped 125g smoked fish flesh, chopped finely 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, finely chopped salt and pepper to taste ^1/2 tsp minced garlic Cut the French bread stick diagonally into 4cm thick slices. Combine tomatoes, cheese, smoked fish, basil, oil and juice in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place bread slices onto an oven tray; cook under a hot grill until lightly browned on both sides. Scrape garlic thinly onto one side of each bread slice. Just before serving, top with the smokes fish mixture; and place under hot grill until warm. SERVES 4 Katina's Comments: up

Courgette Rissoles from Alonnisos From the Kitchen of Katina Source: Rena Salaman 500 g courgette cut into 4 cm lengths ^1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion finely chopped 2 spring onions, white and green parts, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 3 medium slices of "real" bread toasted crumbed in a food processor 2 eggs, lightly beaten 200 g feta cheese, crumbled ^1/2 cup parmesan, grated 3 - 4 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried oregano ^1/2 cup plain flour salt and pepper lemon wedges to serve SERVE: can be served as a meze, or as part of a light meal with salad. Bring pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Drop courgette pieces in. Cover and cook until soft. Drain and let cool completely. Heat oil in pan - add 3 tbsp oil, add onions and cook till transparent. Add garlic and cook till aromatic. Remove from heat. Squeeze courgettes to remove as much water as possible. Place in a large bowl and add onion mixture. Add crumbs, feta, parmesan, eggs. Stir in dill, salt and pepper. Mix everything well so that mixture is combined evenly. Make a rissole shape out of about 1 tbsp of mixture. Coat rissoles in flour and dust of any access. Fry rissoles in remaining oil. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve with lemon wedges. Katina's Comments:

Persian Red Lentil Dip

From the Kitchen of Katina
Source: Epicure, The Australian

MAKES 3 CUPS
Serve red-hot with dollops of lemony yogurt* and crisped pita bread for scooping up. Or refrigerate for tomorrow's lunch.

2 tbsp virgin olive oil ^1/2 cup onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced ^1/4 red chilli, finely minced 1 cup organic red lentils 1 cup sweet potato, diced 2 tbsp bulgur wheat

1 tbsp sweet paprika 3 cups water 1 tbsp sea salt 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp coriander, chopped 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1. In a heavy pot, lightly fry the onion, garlic and chilli in a tablespoon of olive oil. Once soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes), add the lentils, sweet potato, bulgur, sweet paprika and top with water. Bring to a boil, lower, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. When lentils are done, whisk with a wooden spoon, or puree in the food processor, adding salt, lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Remove and stir in the fresh herbs.

Katina's Comments:
* Put some lemon rind in the yogurt.
You can use this as a vegetable accompaniment for other food, e.g. bbq meat, or as a vegetarian dish rolled up in pita bread with some salad.

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Smoked Trout Pate

From the Kitchen of Katina
Source: via Joy Young

Ingredients

• ¹/₂ cup sour cream
• 2 tbs mayonnaise
• 1 tbs water
• 3 teas lemon rind
• 4 teas lemon juice
• 2 tbs chopped dill
• 1 large smoked mackerel or rainbow trout

Mix all the ingredients together. This can be served as a dip with crackers. Or it can be put in pastry shells.

Katina's Comments:
Joy gave me this recipe. She makes shells out of wonton wrappers. Use muffin tins - very small (also used for friends) - spray each muffin hole, place a wrapper in each. Bake for 8 - 10 min at 180C. Keep an eye on them while they are cooking or they will burn.

Coriander Pesto

From the Kitchen of Katina
Source:

MAKES 250 ML (9 FL / 1 CUP)

• 60g (2¹/₄oz / 2 cups) fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 80g (2³/₄oz / ¹/₂ cup) cashew nuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped
• olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Mix the coriander, cashew nuts, garlic, ginger and chilli in a food processor until well blended. With the motor running, add olive oil a little at a time until the pesto has a smooth consistency. Add the lime juice and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon into a sterilized jar and keep in the fridge. Once you've opened the jar, pour a thin layer of oil over the top of the pesto to keep it fresh

TIP: Sterilize your jars by washing in hot soapy water, or in the dishwater, and then rinsing well. Place the jars and lids on a baking tray and dry in a warm oven for at least 20 minutes - don't use a tea towel. Leave to cool before using.

Katina's Comments:

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