Making Sauerkraut

We have all experienced a glut of pumpkins, tomatoes or zucchini and it becomes a made rush of cooking, freezing, pickling or finding a neighbor to take some off your hands before any got to waste. So what to do with a glut of cabbage ... have you thought of sauerkraut? It is a simple process to make, with a few techniques to master in the fermentation.

If you would also like to learn to make sauerkraut or have any questions about your batch, you can contact Rose on 65695048

Roast Tomato Pasta Bake

1 packet pasta, cooked according to directions on packet
800 g really ripe tomatoes
1 head garlic
1 onion, quartered
1 onion, diced
Oil or butter, for frying
400 g canned or cooked kidney beans
1 T tomato paste
About 1 T sugar (depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes)
Herbs of choice, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste


Cut the tomatoes in half horzontally and place in a baking dish making sure you salt the bottoms and the cut edge, with the quartered onion and garlic. Cook in a moderate over for about 30 minutes.Allow to cool and blend in a food processor until the desired consistency is achieved.

Meanwhile, fry off the diced onion in a little oil or butter until translucent - don't overcook. Add the drained kidney beans. Add the tomato paste and blended tomatoes. Add the sugar and season according to taste. Cook for about 20 minutes until well combined.

Image: Pasta by karma2014

Bellingen Chillies

There is more to the world of chillis than the standard cayenne, or the burning mouth feel.

Bellingen Chillies is on a mission to introduce the palates of Australia to a range of tropical chillies ranging from the very sweet to the mildly warm and coming in all colours of the rainbow.

Grown organically in Brierfield Bellingen Chillies produces a wide range of pastes, smoked, marinated and dried products, all picked and packed weekly.

Products are available at the local markets or online and yes, they are very easy to eat.

Layered Tomato and Basil Salad

1 kg tomatoes
100 g pinenuts or macadamias, roasted
1 bunch basil
Lots of garlic, crushed or chopped very finely.
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
White balsamic vinegar

Slice tomatoes 1/4" thick and lay a third of them in a bowl. Salt. Sprinkle over a third of the pinenuts. Sprinkle over a third of the garlic. Season with pepper. Top with a third of the basil. Repeat until all of the ingredients have been used. At the end drizzle over olive oil and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. Do not stir. Refrigerate for about 2 hours. If you have time you can make the salad the night before.

Recipe by Pete Bufo

Image by Pearl

Pete's Mediterranean Risoni Salad

2 medium eggplant, cut into 1 cm slices

1 packet of risoni

Fresh herbs of choice (say basil, thyme, oregano, parskley, tarragon), chopped

Kalamata olives

Red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 – 2 tomatoes, salted (see below)

Currants

1 T butter or oil

Fresh asparagus

Haloumi

Optional, diced fresh chilli, tabasco sauce or chilli flakes

Marinade:

Juice of two limes

Amount equal to the lime juice each of balsamic vinegar and olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt

Combine marinade ingredients and set aside.

Grill eggplant slices and add to marinade. Refrigerate for 4 – 5 hours.

Prepare risoni according to the directions on the packet. Once cooked, rinse in hot water and then in cold.

Mix the eggplant, risoni, herbs, olives, cabbage and tomato.

Into a moderately hot frypan melt the butter add the haloumi. Add the heavy ends of the asparagus and after a minute or two, the tops. Fry until done.

Serve the salad topped with the hot haloumi and asparagus.  Sprinkle with chilli, if using.

Recipe by Pete Bufo

Image: "aubergine" by aGONIA89

Bunya Nut Pesto

1 bunch basil
1 C bunya nuts
4 cloves garlic
1 C olive oil
1/2 C grated Paremesan (optional)
Salt and pepper
Lime juice, to taste

Boil nuts in salted water until the shells split. Carefully remove the skins with a sharp knife.Chop roughly

Roughly chop basil. Peel and roughly chop garlic.

Put all ingredients and pulse until the desired consistency is achieved.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Recipe supplied by Pete Bufo