Winter Warmer Recipes

Keep the cold at bay with these hearty, home cooked delights!

Split Pea and Bacon Hock Soup

Ingredients
1 bacon hock
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 potatoes cubed & peeled
3 tablespoons oil
2 vegetable stock cubes
375g split peas
3 litres of water

Method
Cover bacon hock with water in deep saucepan and boil for 10 minutes. Remove hock, let rest in a bowl and discard water. Sauté onion, carrots, celery and garlic over medium heat in oil. Add the peas, potatoes, hock, stock cubes and 3 litres of water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Remove hock. Season to taste

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients
1 kg beef mince
1 onion finely chopped large
1 carrot finely chopped
1/4 tsp thyme
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 cups beef stock (liquid)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs plain flour
1/4 cup water
Topping
750 g potatoes
60 g butter
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Place mince in pan, cook over high heat, stirring until meat is well browned. Pour off excess fat and add onion and carrot. Cook until onion is transparent. Add thyme, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, stock and salt and pepper. Mix well. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 25 minutes. Stir in blended flour and water until mixture boils and thickens. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Place mixture into oven proof dish. NOTE: Other vegetables of your choice can
be added.
Topping: Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and mash potato. Add butter and milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Spread potato evenly over meat and bake at 180C for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Sticky Date Pudding

Ingredients
60 g butter softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups dates chopped
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/8 tsp vanilla essence
Sauce
1/4 cup golden syrup
125 g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup thick cream

Method
Mix the dates and bicarbonate soda in a bowl. Pour over the boiling water and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Fold in sifted flour and stir in date mixture and vanilla. Pour into a greased, rectangular, oven proof dish. Cook for 30-40 minutes at 170C or until firm when touched in the centre.
Sauce: Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup. Stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream. Cut the pudding into squares and serve with the sauce, cream and/or icecream. NOTE: Maple syrup can be used as a substitute for golden syrup.