BANANAS, EGG PLANT, AVOCADOS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 658, 15 February 1952, Page 22

BANANAS, EGG PLANT, AVOCADOS

commodities has lately come to New Zealand, so hete are some timely suggestions for their use. It is a good idea to preserve some, because the hurricane in Fiji has largely destroyed the plantations, and future supplies may be meagre. Bananas bottle well, and I have had letters recommending both these methods, Make a syrup in the proportion of 1 cup sugar to 2 cups water. Boil about 10 minutes. Have bananas slit down the centre and in half, or cut in thick slices, immediately before packing, so that they do not discolour. Sprinkling ‘with a little lemon-juice is a good idea, too. Have jars heated and ready, Drop prepared fruit into boiling syrup and leave 5 minutes. If left longer they will have a cooked flavour. Fill hot jars to overflowing and seal immediately, Finish one jar at a time. Pineapple may be preserved in the same way; it is left in the boiling syrup for 10 minutes. Or make the syrup as above, then pack the sliced bananas into warm jars, sprinkle with lemon juice. pour boiling syrup over and seal. Place in water-bath, bring slowly to boiling point, and keep there 30 minutes. Have the bath already warm to receive the hot jars. A comand of these three Banana and Apricot Jam Cut up fresh apricots, cover with sugar and leave 30-40 minutes, allowing 1 lb. sugar to 1 Ib. fruit. Put on to boil, ‘stirring gently and almost continuously, and when boiling add 1 mashed banana to each Ib. apricots used, Boil fast. Should take about 30 minutes. Banana Chutney’. Three pounds peeled apples, 2 Ib. peeled bananas, 1 lb. onions, 2 Ib. preserved ginger, 1 lb. raisins, 144 Ib. brown sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, cayenne to taste (about 4% teaspoon), 244 pints vinegar. Put raisins, ginger, apples, bananas and onions through mincer. Simmer all 2 hours. Egg Plant Fried: Cut a pared egg plant crosswise into % inch thick slices. Sprinkle with pepper and salt and a little flour; or dip in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs, Fry in a little hot! bacon-fat, or salad oil, to a golden tenderness on both sides 6-8 minutes. Serve with grilled ham, or lamb chops or omelet, Scalloped: One medium egg plant (about 14% Ib,), % cup minced onion, 2 teaspoons salt. Pare egg plant and cut into 1 inch cubes. Boil it with the onion and salt in an inch of water, covered, until tender, but not mushy (about-5 minutes). Drain. Spread a small cupful of crackercrumbs in a greased oven-dish; arrange ege plant and onion on top. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of pper. Top with another cup of crumbs. our carefully into the corners of the baking dish about 11% cups milk to cover the bottom. Pour 6 tablespoons

melted butter over top. Bake in moderately hot oven (375 degrees) 45 min utes. Makes 4 servings. Avocado Pears When ripe, these are mellow ana butter-soft. If under-ripe, hasten ripening by keeping in a warm room, Just before using, cut avocado: in half. lengthwise. To open, hold between palms of hands and turn halves in opposite directions. Lift out the seed. As an appetiser, serve a half of unpared, seeded avocado per person with pepper and salt and a wedge of lemon. Eat with a spoon. Avocado Salad Three grapefruit in segments, 1 large avocado pared and cut in crosswise slices, 1 head of lettuce broken up, 1 tin pineapple chunks (drained), 1% oz. blue cheese, crumbled (do what you can do about this!), 4 cup French dressing. Arrange these in alternate layers in a salad bowl. Add the French dressing. Makes 6 servings. Avocado and Crab Cocktail Use small crayfish or tinned crab. Use half and half crab-meat and cubed avocado. Serve in cocktail glasses or in avocado shells, with a little French dressing on each. Avocado Salad Plate Remove the seeds from the peeled avocados and fill centres with tomato catsup (or thick sauce). Chill. Shred lettuce and toss it with French dressing. Make a nest of this on each plate, and place an avocado half in each. Decorate with half slices of lemon, Arrange crisp wafers and cheese on sides. The cheese could be in cubes topped with a pickled onion; or balls of cream cheese, Banana Delights First make up a packet ‘of lemon jelly and leave it to set, Then chop it up and fill the dishes 1-3rd full. Cover with well mashed banana flavoured with lemon juice. Top with a large spoonful of custard, either an egg-custard, flavoured with lemon or banana essence, or one made with banana flavoured custard powder. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Banana Dessert This is made in a ring-mould. Melt 2 oz, butter with about 1 tablespoon hot water, and beat it well with a small cup of sugar. Then add a well-beaten egg and mix well; add about 4% cup milk, fold in lightly 142 cups flour and 144 teaspoons baking powder sifted with a pinch of salt. Bake in ring-mould in moderate oven, 40-45 minutes. Grease mould well. When cooked, leave a minute or two, then turn out, and fill centre with sliced bananas and passion fruit topped with whipped cream flavoured with a very little banana flavouring,