Great Australian Food

The Pavolova was first created in 1935 by Chef Herbert Sachse of the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, Western Australia, to celebrate the visit of the great Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova.

It has been suggested (mainly in New Zealand) that this enticing dessert was originally created in the South Island of New Zealand, but let me assure you that the Pavlova is definitely an Australian invention.

4 egg whites
1 cup superfine sugar (granulated)
1 tablespoon corn flour (cornstarch)
half pint whipped cream (one cup)
strawberries or your choice of fruit such as passion fruit, kiwi fruit...

Place egg whites in a clean glass bowl. Beat slowly until frothy, then increase the speed and beat until stiff.

GRADUALLY add the sugar, beating well after each addition. (When all the sugar has been added, the mixture should be shiny, very stiff, and should stand in peaks.) Gently fold in the corn flour with a metal spoon.

Line a cookie sheet with brown paper and grease it lightly. Pile the meringue mixture on it

Slow-bake the mixture at 150°C (300°F) to dry all the moisture and create the meringue, approximately 45 minutes. This leaves the outside of the Pav a crisp crunchy shell, while the interior remains soft and moist.

When cooked, turn off the oven and leave the door open to let the Pav cool on the oven shelf - this helps to prevent the middle of the Pav from collapsing (although if it does collapse, generous application of cream hides any mistakes)

When cold, peel off the paper and transfer to a serving platter.

Slice the strawberries in half. and roll in icing sugar (confectioners sugar), and refrigerate.

Cover top of the Pav with whipped cream about 1 hour before serving.

N.B. Turn the Pav upside down before decorating with cream and fruit because the bottom is less crispy than the top after cooking and, unless you serve it immediately after decorating, the "top" absorbs moisture from the cream.

2 large ripe mangoes
1 large cucumber
2 to 3 teaspoons lime juice
1 level tablespoon sugar
1 to 2 level teaspoons freshly grated green ginger (or more if you fancy ginger)

Slice cheeks from mangoes, skin and slice flesh into strips.

Skin and remove seeds from cucumber (or be daring and leave the seeds in), slice and mix with mango.

Shake the rest of the ingredients together, pour over salad and serve.

A perfect and traditional accompaniment to the Australian Christmas lunch table.

Also gorgeous with a sliced banana added to the mango

Bush Tucker isn't just witchetty grubs, although Wijuti are incredibly high in protein and free for the eating, but all of our unique native foods.

How about smoked kangaroo steak rolled in kurrajong flour, seasoned with wild lime and lemon myrtle, lightly tossed in macadamia nut oil and served with bush tomatoes, native cranberries and warrigal greens. Followed by wattle seed ice cream, lilly pilly berries in native honey and stewed quandongs.

Deeeeelicious!

500 grams shelled green prawns (roughly 1 lb)
1 Tablespoon soya sauce
1 Tablespoon sherry
1 Teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic minced finely
About 1 inch long stem of green ginger minced finely

Place the prawns in a single layer in a flat bowl.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the prawns, stirring to ensure all prawns are coated.

Cover and refrigerate for an hour, turning the prawns over a couple of times.

Heat up the Barbie to medium and lightly oil the plate.

Throw the prawns on

Cook for about 2 minutes then turn and cook for another 2 minutes. Do NOT overcook!

Spoon over any remaining marinade while cooking.

Serve and scoff!

The white meat of the Crocodile is slightly higher in cholesterol than other meats, but is low in fat, high in protein, and a good source of niacin and vitamin B12.

Crocodile is simple to cook, and takes hardly any preparation time. The choicest cut is the tail fillet and the best way to cook it is frozen. The flavour is lost during any thawing process.

Crocodile has a delicate flavour so strong marinades aren't recommended, and don't use a large number of other ingredients which will mask the taste.

Believe me, with crocodile, the simpler the better.

It's difficult to get away from lamb!

However the drought has affected the supply of lamb and various cuts we would have used as soup stock are discovered to be delicious

1 lamb shank
1 sprig rosemary
1 garlic clove, bruised
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1/2 cup tablespoons red wine
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Put shank in a bowlwith all of the ingredients and leave to marinate overnight (12 hours).

When ready to cook place the shank and the marinade liquids into a baking dish and cook for about an hour. Turn over halfway through the cooking time.

Let it stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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