Courgette Quiche

This recipe is very versatile. Patricia was Natalie’s fairy godmother and this is very much like her: useful, and helps you be very organised. Great for pot-lucks or picnics because unlike a wobbly creamy quiche, it travels well. This recipe has now popped up in many places under labels like ‘Self-crusting Quiche’

Ingredients
 Mixture 1.
About one cup of grated or finely chopped zucchini or carrot, or a mixture of those or indeed any other suitable vegetables.
One cup grated cheese
One onion – grated or finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped bacon, ham or salami
Salt and pepper to taste.

Mixture 2
Half cup oil
Five eggs

Mixture 3
One cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Method.

1. Mix vegetables, cheese, onion and meat together.
2. Beat 5 eggs into 1/2 cup oil.
3. Add to the above mixture.(This can sog in the fridge for a day or two if required.)
4. Add The flour mixture to above just before putting into a greased quiche dish then into the oven 180ºC for 25 - 40 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Serve warm or cold. Nice with a relish or chutney, tomatoes and green salad.

Tom and Havi's Pumpkin Salad

This is the lovely more-ish salad that Havi and Tom made for us one Christmas at Ohaupo.

Ingredients
1.75kg butternut pumpkin, deseeded, cut into 2cm-thick pieces and steamed
olive oil cooking spray
1/2 cup pine nuts
200g baby spinach

For the honey and balsamic dressing:
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method
1. Preheat oven to 250°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place pumpkin in a single layer on trays. Spray with oil and turn to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast pumpkin, turning once, for 20 minutes or until golden and tender. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, heat a small, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until golden.
3. Make honey and balsamic dressing: Combine honey, vinegar and oil in a screwtop jar. Secure lid and shake to combine. Remove lid. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 10 seconds or until honey is melted. Replace lid. Shake until well combined.
4. Place spinach and pumpkin in a large bowl. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Drizzle with dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Ann and Claire’s Decadent Pumpkin Soup

In 2009, my old primary school friend Ann and her daughter Claire came to New Zealand from Germany, and based themselves with us for some months, coming and going on side-trips. They also cooked some wonderful meals. One was this wonderful, rich, superb-flavoured version of a pumpkin soup. Unforgettable!

Ingredients:

o 1 finely chopped onion

o 1 kg chopped pumpkin

o 60 gm butter

o 1 dessertspoon lemongrass cut in slices

o 1 tsp fresh grated or chopped ginger

o 1/2 chopped chili or a dash of hot chili pepper sauce

o 1 tsp mild curry powder

o 1 green cardamon

o 1 clove

o 100 ml dry white wine

o 400 ml chicken stock

o pinch sea salt

o pinch sugar

o 2-3 dessertspoon lime juice

o freshly ground nutmeg

o 2 dessertspoons coriander leaves (optional)

o water to add, depending on consistency of soup

Method:

1. Gently soften onion and pumpkin in 30 gm butter in a large pot for a few minutes, stirring continuously. Add and mix in lemongrass, ginger, chili, curry powder, cardamon and clove.
2. Add white wine and stock and season with salt, sugar, lime juice and nutmeg.
3. Gently cook without lid for 15 minutes. Puree.
4. Add the rest of the butter and water if required. Season again to taste. Serve with a sprinkling of coriander leaves.

Bean Thing

This has been made more often by you guys than by me. I’m not really keen on beans, but you really liked it, and it was a hit from the first. It is part of our history!

It’s really just Allyson Gofton’s ‘Vegetarian Lasagne’ with a few changes, but I like our name for it better.

This is the way I make it, but I know you each have your own variations. This recipe serves 4 - 8, depending on whether it’s lunch or tea.

Ingredients:

o 425 can Craig’s Four Bean Mix, well-drained.

o 400g can Wattie’s Stir-in Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce

o (1/2 can) 210 g chopped tomatoes

o (1/2 can) 210g concentrated tomato soup

o 1 1/2 cups finely diced red or green peppers

o 2 finely-chopped courgettes

o 2 finely-chopped spring onions or one very finely-chopped onion

o 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil or parsley

o 600g flat lasagne pasta, or the wide strap-shaped pasta.

Cheese topping

o 1 cup cottage cheese

o 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or some other mild melty cheese like Edam or Colby)

o 1 cup grated tasty cheddar cheese

o 1 1/4 cup milk

o 4 heaped Tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. Mix together the beans, tomato sauce, tomatoes, soup, peppers, courgettes, spring onions and basil.
2. Arrange one layer of uncooked pasta on the bottom of a large meat-dish or pasta dish. Spread over half the bean mix. Cover with a second layer of pasta, then another of bean mix, ending with a pasta layer.
3. Mix together the cheeses, milk and cornflour, and spoon-and-pour over the top of the pasta. Bake at 190ºC 40 - 50 minutes until golden.