Ingredients

1kg Scotch Fillet Steak
250g button mushrooms
1 large brown onion
75g butter
1 tablespoon cornflour
300ml sour cream
2 teaspoons French mustard
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons beef stock powder
1 tablespoon ground sweet paprika

Directions

Remove any excess fat from the beef and cut into very thin strips approx 5cm long and 1cm wide. Season meat and set aside in fridge. Slice onions thinly. Clean mushrooms and slice in half. Blend together a tablespoon of sour cream and the cornflour, add the rest of the sour cream, mustard and seasoning.Melt half the butter in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add mushrooms and increase heat to medium, cooking for a further 3-4 minutes until vegetables are golden. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Increase the heat of pan to high and add the rest of the butter. Add the paprika and cook quickly for 2 minutes making sure not to burn it. Add the beef strips and cook for 3 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and return the onions and mushrooms to pan. Cook for 2 minutes until all ingredients are well combined. Pour the sour cream over and stir well to ensure all the meat is coated thoroughly. Cook, stirring for a further 5 minutes and serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Serve with rice or noodles.

PRINTABLE VERSION

200g Finely Chopped Onions
200g Diced Carrots
100g Diced Celery
100g Butter
4 Tablespoons Plain Flour
1L Fish or Seafood Stock
200ml Sherry
Star Anise
2 Bay Leaves
¼g Saffron
50g Tomato Paste
Salt and Pepper
1kg Seafood (combination of firm fleshed fish, prawns, scallops and crayfish)
Cream (for serving)

Directions

Melt the butter in a thick bottomed saucepan and gently sauté the onions, carrots and celery over a medium heat. Stir constantly to avoid colouring the vegetables as this will lead to caramelisation which gives a sweetness and depth to the soup. Add the flour and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. Gradually add the stock and sherry (and a little Pernod if desired) to obtain the correct consistency of the bisque. Add the bay leaves, saffron, star anise and seasoning to taste. Finally add the tomato paste to achieve the desired colour.

Gently simmer for 30 – 40 minutes to extract the flavours from the ingredients. Remove the bay leaves and star anise and puree the remaining mixture, either in a food processor or by using a hand-held blender. Add seafood and poach for 5 minutes until cooked through. Finish off with a dash of cream and serve with crusty bread and butter.

PRINTABLE VERSION

300g dates
450ml boiling water
125g butter softened
250g granulated sugar
2 eggs
1.5teaspoons vanilla essence
375g plain flour
1.5teaspoons baking powder

Directions

Grease 23cm ring tin with removable bottom. Soak the dates in boiling water for ½ hour.

Beat butter, sugar and eggs in medium bowl with electric mixer until light and creamy. Add vanilla, sifted flour, baking powder, bicarb and the hot water from the date mixture. Mix till smooth. Fold in the dates and pour into prepared tin.

Bake in moderate over for approx 45 – 50 minutes.

Sauce

Combine 125g butter with 250g dark brown sugar in saucepan and stir till melted. Add 150ml cream and bring to boil.

Pour sauce over warm cake and serve with vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream.

PRINTABLE VERSION