Cooking Project - Recipes from Australia and New Zealand

[Chocolate Rose]

I'm still working on getting recipes together for this project and was hoping that someone has some recipes from Australia and New Zealand. About the only recipe that I'm familiar with is "Dampers".
Can anyone help??
Thanks a bunch!!

[valchemist]

well, we have some Aussies on the board, so you will get some good help, I am sure. but when I think of Australia, I think of Vegemite. Not a recipe, but something they eat (I think).

[Kayla]

Hi there

When I think of New Zealand, I tend to think of seafood and such, but regardless, here are a few recipes that look pretty good...

ANZAC Biscuits

ANZAC day is celebrated in Australia on April 25. On this day in
1915, the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landed at
Gallipoli, and suffered the worst defeat in Australian military
history. The fallen soldiers of all wars are now commemorated on
ANZAC day. Another cookbook stated that these cookies were sold to
raise money to help returned veterans.

3/4 c Fine sugar
1 ts Treacle (golden corn syrup)
1/4 lb Butter
1 ts Baking soda
3/4 c Coconut, flaked
1 c Oatmeal
3/4 c Plain flour
2 tb Boiling water

In saucepan place butter, treacle, soda, sugar and mix with boiling
water. Bring slowly to boil, remove and add dry ingredients. Mix
well. Place spoonfuls about 3 inches apart on well greased cookie
tray. Bake at 275F about 25 min.

Traditional Pavlova

The Shell:

2 egg whites
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar (or less, to taste)
Place the egg whites in a small mixing bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, draw a 10 inch circle on a piece of wax paper and place (writing-side down) on a baking sheet. Variation: Draw 10 four inch circles on the wax paper.

Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved (about 5 minutes).

Using the back of a spoon, spread meringue onto the circle, building the sides up to form a bowl.

Bake in a 300F oven for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven and let shell dry in the oven, with the door closed for one hour. Remove the shell from baking sheet and pull off wax paper. Store in an airtight container. Will keep indefinitely.

Suggested fillings:

The traditional filling is simply fresh fruit and whipped cream and topped with fruit sauce. Another good one is ice cream, nuts, fruit and sauce. You can top the Pavola with anything you desire. Have fun.

... here's a link to New Zealand food and folklore:

http://www.wasabi.co.nz/folklore.html

... and another recipe:

Coconut Cream, Coriander, Chili and Ginger

Ingredients:
16 mussels
1 tbsp. Coconut Cream
1 tsp. minced chili
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. Fresh chopped coriander

Method: On gas full, heat steamer's pot and drop in mussels. Sizzle a few seconds tossing around.

Add all other ingredients as quickly as possible and toss.

Place a well fitted lid on the pot and give a good shake. Leave 5-6 minutes without lifting lid. When you do lift the lid, check to see if mussels have all opened. Give a minute longer if they are not ready.

Serve in the steamer pot. Place all mussels open side up and pour over broth to half fill the bowl

Enjoy!

[masimmons]

I was in Australia a couple of weeks ago and one of the specialities seems to be meat pies, although they are sometimes filled with things other than meat. The ones I had were wonderful (chicken, pepper beef and potatoe & cheese). I have been looking for a recipe since I got back, but no luck so far. Maybe someone will post one here.

I tried the vegemite on toast and didn't like it. Maybe I would if I would have had it growing up.

[Kayla]

Oooh, oooh, one more link then I'm done I swear

New Zealand sweet potatos? This has some GREAT looking ideas and information:

http://www.kumara.co.nz/r_bbqmedley.shtml

[gabbyh]

Hi Chocolate Rose,

Although I'm not an Aussie, I'm married to one And I'm always calling my MIL in Australia about recipes...I have a large collection of Australian Cookbooks that came from Oz on each of our trips...so if you have any specific recipes in mind, I could look them up...but here is one of the best websites I've found...it's from the Australian Women's Weekly Magazine, and you don't have to join ninemsn to get the recipes:

http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/aww/Food/

Also, check out cookbooks by Donna Hay...she provides a good overview of Aussie food...which I've found to be simple, yet full of flavour...

Hope this helps

~Gail H.

[AmyO26]

CL actually has a recipe for the Anzac Biscuits. I have made them, and they are very good. I'm not sure how they compare to "real" Anzac Biscuits (I've only ever had the CL ones). I know that the recipe is in the '98 Annual. If you would like the recipe, let me know and I'll be happy to post it for you
Amy

[Paula H]

Originally posted by AmyO26
CL actually has a recipe for the Anzac Biscuits. I have made them, and they are very good. I'm not sure how they compare to "real" Anzac Biscuits (I've only ever had the CL ones).

I've made the CL Anzac biscuits and they taste just like the "real" ones to me!

The link Kayla gave to New Zealand food and folklore isn't actually New Zealand at all, but Japanese. So don't get any ideas from there!

The main things that pop into my head for New Zealand food are
- Anzac biscuits
- Pavlova
- Roast lamb (New Zealand lamb of course, not that awful American stuff)
- Pork bones and puha (puha is New Zealand sow thistle)
- Kumara (New Zealand sweet potato)
- Maori bread

I'm not sure if Mousetraps are New Zealand or not - something we (my nearly 30-something friends) all grew up with though. Lightly toast some white bread, smear over with marmite or vegemite (depending on which you prefer), top with a layer of sliced cheddar cheese, and put back under the grill until cheese is bubbly. Some people include tomato slices between the vegemite and cheese.

I'll keep thinking about it and let you know if I remember anything else decidedly antipodean.

[Paula H]

Was just looking on-line and discovered Afghans are a New Zealand food! For some reason I just figure everyone eats Afghans.

Afghan Biscuits

200 grams butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups cornflakes, crushed slightly

Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Sift flour and cocoa and stir into creamed mixture.
Fold in cornflakes.
Spoon mounds of mixture onto a greased oven tray (cookie sheet), pressing down gently.
Bake for 15 minutes or until set.
When cold, ice with chocolate icing. You can put half a walnut on top if you like.

(recipe from the Edmonds Cookbook - the New Zealand recipe bible)

[Chocolate Rose]

Thanks for all the suggestions!!

Kayla, the recipes look great!

AmyO26, I'd love to have the CL version of the Anzac Biscuits.

Paula, thanks for the recipe and suggestions!!

I'd appreciate more ideas/recipes if anyone has any to share!

Thanks again!!

[cherylopal]

hi!
i teach first grade and we "are in" australia right now! there is a book by mem fox called possum magic - the main characters travel around australia eating australian food. mem fox has a web site- she is australian and has posted some australian recipes there. i think its memfox.com. i'll check.

here are some from some references that i have here at work. they are both for lamingtons.

lamingtons from the usborne children's world cookbook

these coconut and chocolate cakes, named after a politician, Bruce Lamington, are very popular in Australia.

1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup self-rising flour

for the icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons coconut flakes

a cake pan- 7x11"
oven temp- 325

1. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat them together with a wooden spoon until thick and creamy.

2. Beat the eggs, then add them to the butter mixture bit by bit. Stir in the milk, and vanilla.

3. Sift the flour into a bowl. Fold it gently into the cake mixture with a metal spoon. Do not beat it.

4. Grease and line the cake pan. Pour in the mixture and smooth the top with a knife.

5. Bake the cake for 20-25 minutes, until it is a golden brown. Take it out of the oven and let it cool a little.

6. Cut the cake into 3" squares. Use a spatula to lift them onto a wire rack. Leave them to cool.

7. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a small bowl. Add the water, to make smooth runny icing.

8. Spread the icing on the top of each square. Sprinkle a little cococut over each one.


the other recipe is identical to the one i just typed in.

cheryl

[cherylopal]

g'day!

here is the web site for mem fox. she has recipes for pavlova

http://www.memfox.net/

click to enter her site- scroll down to a list of her books- click on possum magic and scroll down to find the recipes.

cheryl

[AmyO26]

Here's the recipe...

Anzac Biscuits
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup regular oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 T water
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted
2 T golden cane syrup (Lyle's Golden Syrup) or light corn syrup
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 325 and spray cookie sheets w/ cooking spray
2. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, coconut, and baking soda in a
medium bowl. Add water, margarine, and golden syrup; stir well
3. Drop by level tablespoons 3 inches apart onto sprayed cookie
sheets (cookies wil spread). Bake at 325 for about 12 minutes
or until almost set. Cool on pans 2-3 minutes or until firm.
Remove cookies from pans and cool on wire racks.

2 dozen (serving=1 cookie!) Enjoy!!!

Per Serving: 97 calories (27% from fat); 2.9 g fat; 1.1 g protein; 17.1 g carb

[Chocolate Rose]

Cheryl, thanks for the recipe and website. I've heard of Lamingtons but had no idea what they were.

Amy, thanks so much for the CL version of the Anzac biscuits.


Any more ideas??

[Paula H]

I've just realised what's been bugging me about the lamingtons - I wouldn't consider them to be a New Zealand or Australian food simply because we "imported" them from England.

While they're still seen around (mainly in tea shops aiming for, erm, the older customer) they're not as common as when I was a child. And I don't consider them to be "ours" since they weren't created downunder!

[Chocolate Rose]

So, lamingtons are really an English food that has been down-underized??

Paula, do you have a tried and true Maori bread recipe?? And is Kumara the name of a sweet potato from New Zealand or is it a sweet potato recipe??

[Paula H]

Lamingtons are the same whether you're in England or New Zealand - they all come either with chocolate coating or strawberry, and they're one of those throwbacks to our British past.

Kumara is the name of New Zealand sweet potato, not a recipe.

I haven't actually made Maori bread (also called Rewena paraoa) in years (not since primary school I think), but there's only one recipe for it (is that tried and true enough?) - first you make the rewena (like a sourdough starter) then use that to make the bread:

Maori Bread

Rewena:
2 cups flour
1 cup water
3 medium slices potato
1 tsp sugar

Boil slices of potato with water until soft. Cool to
lukewarm and mix in the flour and sugar to a paste. Cover and
stand in a warm place until the mixture has fermented.

Bread:
5 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Rewena (above)

Sift flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
Fill with rewena and sprinkle baking soda over the top. Combine
and knead mixture for about 10 minutes, adding a little water if
the mixture is too firm. Shape into loaves or place the mixture
into greased loaf tins. Bake at 450F (230C) for 45-50 minutes.

[heide]

I'm also married to an Aussie and spend a lot of time there, although I'm not Australian myself. I've made the CL Anzac biscuits and I loved them, although my husband says they're too soft, real Anzac biscuits are hard and crispy. I second Gail's suggestions for Donna Hay cookbooks. Donna Hay does classic modern Australian food that is so good and so simple.

Regarding lamingtons, in Australia they are still very popular, and although they may have been adopted from England, they are associated with Australia frequently and every school in Australia makes lamingtons for fundraisers all the time.

Pavlova is very classic Australian. I think it's my favorite dessert. It's essentially a soft merengue topped with real whipped cream and fruit, usually strawberries, kiwis, passionfruit pulp, or whatever else you have around. I really love Pavlova.

Other Aussie favorites? Rissoles (a kind of meatball/patty), meat pies, sausage rolls. Modern Australian chefs also tend to do a lot of asian fusion cooking, which I love.

Hmm, what else? I don't know, I just know that I'm ready to go back soon and eat more fresh Australian food. Yum.

[Chocolate Rose]

Paula, thanks for the recipe!!

Heide, thanks so much for the cultural info and ideas. Do you have a recipe for the Rissoles? I found a sausage roll recipe in one of the Reiman mags. that I think we'll probably make, too.

[masimmons]

Does anyone have any meat pie recipes? Or point me to a good cookbook? I have looked but had no success.

Thanks!

[heide]

Chocolate Rose, I haven't found any rissoles recipes (I just looked in all my Aussie cookbooks and many food mags, but not all) but I did find quite a few meat pie recipes. I'll take a minute to type them up later. I don't have the time at this moment. I'll keep looking for rissoles recipes, but basically they're a meatball/patty-shaped meat thing with ingredients like you'd find in meatloaf--minced meat, carrots, onions, eggs, etc. If all else fails, I'll email my MIL and see what I can get from her. She always serves them at BBQs.

[Chocolate Rose]

That would be wonderful, Heide! I really apprecieate it! Thank you!