Cookin' with Carol recipes on NBC5 - March 1998

Outback Bread

Makes 1 loaf

4 cups self-rising flour

1 cup milk

½ cup water

2 Tbs. melted butter

1 Tbs. honey

Preheat oven to 375° F. Measure flour into a medium bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour milk, water, butter, and honey into the center. Begin stirring the liquid, incorporating the flour gradually, until mixture becomes a slightly sticky dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and using your hands, knead lightly for 10-15 seconds. Shape dough into a ball and place in a 10" round cake pan (or on a baking sheet) that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Using your hands, flatten loaf slightly. Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the loaf. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Notes: This traditional bread from Australia, known as damper, goes well with any barbecued meal.

(Air Date: March 2, 1998)

Anzac Biscuits

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats

¾ cup shredded coconut

½ cup sugar

½ tsp. baking powder

½ cup butter

2 Tbs. honey

1 tsp. baking soda mixed with 2 Tbs. boiling water

Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, oats, coconut, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl, stirring with a sturdy spoon. Melt butter in a small skillet or saucepan. Stir in the honey. Add baking soda/boiling water mixture to the butter/honey mixture and stir. When mixture is foamy, pour it into the dry mixture and stir until dough is completely moistened. Drop tablespoon-size pieces of dough onto a lightly vegetable-oil-sprayed baking sheet 2 inches apart. (Depending on the size of the baking sheet, roughly 9-12 cookies at a time.) Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until cookies are golden in color.

Notes: Cookies are called biscuits in Australia.

(Air Date: March 9, 1998)

Grilled Lobster Tail

Serves 4

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. coriander seeds

1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger

1/8 tsp. turmeric

1/8 tsp. black pepper

4 whole lobster tails (about 4 oz. each)

½ cup dry white wine

Place garlic, coriander, ginger, turmeric, and black pepper in a mortar, and using the pestle, crush the spices until the mixture forms a paste; reserve. Using a sharp knife and kitchen scissors (to cut through the tough shell), cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise. Rub the reserved spice paste over the cut surfaces of the lobster tails. Place tails, cut-side-up, on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes (or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator). Preheat grill on medium-high heat. To grill lobster tails, first spray the cut sides lightly with vegetable oil spray. Place the tails, cut-side-down, on the grill. Grill for 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Turn tails over and sprinkle the surface with white wine. Close the lid (on an outdoor grill) or cover (a stove-top grill) with a lid or foil and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until lobster meat is opaque. Serve warm or chilled.

Notes: Marron is an Australian freshwater crustacean, similar to small lobsters. There is much Asian influence in Australia, and this marron recipe, prepared "on the barbie," reflects Asian flavors.

(Air Date: March 16, 1998)

Simple Meat Pie

Serves 4

1 lb. ground round

½ onion, chopped

3 Tbs. flour

2 cups beef broth

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 pie crust

1 sheet puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

Heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add ground round, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned, about 6–8 minutes. Drain away excess fat. Add onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle flour over meat and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce (and salt and pepper to taste, if desired). Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes, until mixture has thickened. Preheat oven to 425° F. Using a rolling pin, roll out and divide pie crust pastry to fit four 5" pie tins. Place pastry crusts into pie tins. Spoon meat mixture into pie crusts. Divide and cut puff pastry to fit the top of the pies. Brush the edges of the pie crusts with water and place the puff pastries on top. Cut a few slits into the top of each pie to let steam escape. Brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg. Place pies on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until pie tops are golden brown. Serve hot.

Notes: Meat pie is a traditional Australian favorite recipe.

(Air Date: March 23, 1998)

Lamingtons

Makes 16

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup boiling water

2 Tbs. melted butter

2 Tbs. honey

1 pound cake, cut into sixteen 1½"– 2" cubes

2 cups shredded coconut

Sift powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add water, butter, and honey. Stir to combine. Dip cake cubes, one-at-a-time, into the chocolate mixture (a fondue fork works well for this). Allow excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Roll the chocolate-coated cake cubes in shredded coconut. Place on waxed paper to cool and set for at least 30 minutes. Store lamingtons in the refrigerator.

Notes: These chocolate-and-coconut-coated pound cake cubes are absolutely scrumptious! They are wonderful for snacking with tea or coffee, or serve them as dessert. This recipe originated around the turn of the 20th century and was named in honor of the wife of the governor of Queensland.

(Air Date: March 30, 1998)