Let The Party Begin!

Tomorrow, 11th of the 11th is my birthday! I was even born shortly after the 11th hour! Maybe that's a give-away to who I am! I won't delve too deeply into that one!

I'm throwing myself a surprise luncheon party! I haven't told myself yet! I've invited a few friends over to share my celebration! Today, I'm in the midst of preparation. The aroma of food cooking is permeating my cabin. My taste buds are being tempted and tested! While I'm having a breather from cooking, and before I start making a rich chocolate cake, and seeing it's almost the weekend, I'll share some more recipes with you. I hope you enjoy these.

Devilled Beef Ribs: Preheat oven to 220C. Cut 2 racks of pre-roasted beef ribs into serving portions. Combine 2/3rd cup English mustard with 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Using a brush, generously coat each rib with mixture. Roll in breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly. Arrange ribs rounded side up on 2 pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until nicely browned. When pre-roasting ribs...combine 2/3 cup flour, 2 large garlic cloves, crushed, 1 tablespoon paprika, salt and pepper. Rub uncut beef ribs with flour mixture. Place on rack in roasting pan, rounded side up and bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Calamari & Prawn Salad: Blanch 500g small calamari, sliced into rings, briefly in salted boiling water. Drain and cool under cold running water. Drain again and toss in a bowl with 500g medium-size cooked prawns/shrimp, shelled, leaving tails on. Add 1 large red onion, thinly sliced, 1 red capsicum, julienned, 1 Lebanese/telegraph cucumber, peeled and julienned, 1 small bunch snake beans, cut into 10cm lengths (beans par-boiled for 2 minutes). Shake juice of 1 lemon and 1 teaspoon julienned rind, 1/2 cup virgin olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon crushed green peppercorns in a glass jar. Pour over seafood mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Make a vignaigrette with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar, 1/3 teaspoon finely chopped lemon thyme, 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley and mix together well. Whisk in 1/4 cup virgin olive oil in a steady stream. Season to taste. Toss some rocket and radicchio leaves with vinaigrette and arrange on platter. Mound seafood mixture in centre and garnish with fanned radishes and slices of avocado.

Cherry Pie: Make pastry: Sift 2 cups plain flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon into a bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup caster sugar and 125g ground almonds. Rub in 185g butter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. (Always remember...use the tips of your fingers when rubbing in the butter...never the palm of your hands as the heat from your palms will make the pastry tough). Lightly work in 1 large beaten egg. Use a flat-bladed knife to do this. Roll out 2/3rds of the dough between freezer wrap and then line a lightly buttered base and sides of a deep 4-cup pie dish. Cover and refrigerate. Roll remaining pastry into a rectangle, cover and chill. Filling: Place 875g fresh cherries, stones removed, 1/3 cup caster sugar, 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Blend 2 tablespoons kirsch with 1 tablespoon cornflour together, stir into cherries and boil 1 minute. Cool completely. Brush inside of pastry shell with beaten egg white and allow to dry. Pour cherry filling into the shell and cover with pastry strips in a lattice pattern, sealing the ends to the sides with a little egg white. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 180C and continue baking for a further 40 minutes, covering the top with foil if browning too much. Serve pie hot, with lightly whipped cream.

Enjoy your weekend everyone. I'll let you know how everything turns out tomorrow! On with the motley and pop go the corks!