Highlander Mayonnaise

Intro

This was the only salad dressing I can remember growing in NZ in the 1970s. Its kind of weirdly sweet and is total nostalgia whenever it appears on a bbq table (which is not often these days). In my memory it is the 'only' accompaniment for salmon souffle. 

Recipe

• 1 tin highlander condensed milk
• 1/2 tin of malt vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• salt and pepper

Stick everything in a jar with a screwtop lid and shake it up. Keeps for a few days in the fridge. This is the thick version for dolloping on stuff. Thin with 1/2 tin water or milk (or to desired consistency). It does tend to thicken in the fridge.

Lemon Souffle

Intro

I don't know where this recipe came from but it is one of my Mums. Its more of a mousse so I don't know why we call it a souffle ... but we do.

For our family Christmas lunch would not be complete at all without a big glass bowl of this light as a feather gorgeous dessert. We usually don't decorate it at all - just plain - and serve it with big fragrant strawberries or raspberries. On a whim once I added tequila, on the assumption that tequila improves pretty much anything, and while it was nice I wouldn't mess with the recipe too much. Its perfection just as it is.

Recipe

• 4 separated eggs
• 8 tablespoons caster sugar
• 2 and a half lemons - finely grated zest and juiced
• 2 teaspoons gelatine soaked in 5 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 pint cream

Place the egg yolks, sugar, lemon rind and juice in a basin over hot water on the stove and whisk until the sugar dissolves and mixture thickens a little. Remove from the heat, place in a cold water bath and whisk until it is cooled and thickened. Take the dissolved gelatine and stir into the egg yolk mixture. Whip cream until thick and fold gently into yolk mixture. Its much easier to get a smooth dessert if you don't over whip the cream. Whip the egg whites until stiff - again not too stiff - and fold through gently. Pour into serving bowls, 1 big or individuals, cover with gladwrap, refrigerate overnight and and serve.

Fruit Muffins

Intro

Having made this recipe twice in as many weeks it is clearly time to get up online. This is one of my sister Jackie's recipes and is totally adaptable - use any fruit you fancy :) 

Recipe

Sift together

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• quarter teaspoon salt

Stir in

• 1.5 cups fruit (tinned, fresh, frozen or dried)

Mix together

• 100g melted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg

Add liquid to dry ingredients, stir quickly and lightly then spoon into greased muffin tins. Cook 12 - 15 mins at 220 degrees celcius. Variation: half fill muffin tins, make an indentation in the mixture, put a teaspoon of Lemon Honey in middle and then fill the muffin tins. Sprinkle crumble on top then bake as usual.