Homemade Pasta Sauce

Once again, I find my self burdened by too many tomatoes. The tomato seeds from my compost that sow themselves in my kitchen garden, have a knack for fruiting all at the same time. This time I have decided to deal with the 'problem' by making a simple pasta sauce from the surplus fruit.

With temperatures here falling particularly low, I have found myself craving more soup and casserole style meals that need to be eaten from a bowl rather than a plate. This recipe is no different; perfect when served in huge portions with a glass of fruity red such as a Barbera, or perhaps something more full bodied to warm you up like a Cabernet/ Merlot blend.

Pasta Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes (as many as you can get rid of)
• Sugar
• Salt
• Rich, Woody Herbs (e.g.: basil, oregano, rosemary, etc)

Method:

1. Blanch tomatoes in near-boiling water until skins split. Remove from water, drain, peel and core (the seeds can be removed for a smoother sauce).
2. Place tomatoes in a food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Add sugar, salt and herbs as desired. Blend until mixed.

To serve, add to sauteed onion, garlic and diced chicken breast and mix through cooked pasta. Surplus sauce can be frozen and stored in the freezer for up to six months.

Nuncheons: Coconut Cake

Nuncheon (or nuntion) dates back to the era spanning from the Middle Ages to Shakespeare and refers to the extra meal eaten between dinner and supper. During these times, peasants were often promised nuncheons of ale and bread after a hard days work in the field.

Today, I like to call this little spell afternoon tea. While ale and bread do sound somewhat appealing, I'm much more partial to the idea of tea and cake. This afternoon I'll be indulging in this dense coconut cake (recipe below), which is heavy enough to keep me going until dinner time, but light enough to not ruin my appetite.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125g butter
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2/3 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius. Line baking tin with paper.
   
2. Rub butter into flour and baking powder to resemble breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in sugar and coconut.
4. Gradually stir in eggs and milk.
5. Turn out into tin and bake for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until firm to touch and golden.
6. Cool on wire rack.
   

Coconut cake.p."

Winter's Eve Chocolate Pudding

Last night, in my opinion, was one of the coldest that South East Queensland has had this year. To aptly finish off a warm Winter style meal of boeuf bourguignon, I decided to go for this decadent self-saucing chocolate pudding (recipe below).

Ingredients:

Pudding:

• 3/4 cup S.R. flour
• 2 tbl spoons cocoa
• 1 tbl spoon instant coffee
• 125g butter
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 2 tbl spoon milk

Sauce:

• 1 tbl spoon cocoa
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup hot water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
   
2. Sift together flour, cocoa, instant coffee.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light, gradually add eggs and vanilla and then the flour mixture, followed by the milk.
4. Spoon mixture into a buttered oven-proof dish.
5. In a small bowl mix together cocoa and brown sugar (for the sauce).
6. Stir in the hot water until sugar dissolves.
7. Pour the sauce mixture over the pudding mixture. Bake for 40 minutes.
8. Serve with ice-cream or whipped cream.
   

All that remained.