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Relax with ricotta pancakes with redbelly citrus compote

Lyndey Milan delivers this unique citrus twist on a scrumptious breakfast classic! Time to prepare: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves: 3 – 4 Ingredients <ul> <li>Redbelly compote</li> <li>8 redbelly citrus (also known as blood oranges)</li> <li>1 tablespoon honey</li> <li>2 star anise</li> <li>½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract</li> </ul> Ricotta pancakes <ul> <li>2 eggs, separated</li> <li>150g (¾ cup) low-fat ricotta</li> <li>75ml low fat milk</li> <li>75g (½ cup) self-raising flour</li> <li>Pinch of salt</li> <li>Greek yoghurt to serve (optional)</li> </ul> Directions For the redbelly compote: <ol> <li>Finely zest two redbelly and reserve zest for the pancakes. Juice 2 redbelly to give approximately 100ml juice, strain and set aside.</li> <li>Cut a small slice off the ends of each remaining redbelly. Stand up on one end, and carefully, following the contour of the redbelly, cut down to remove the peel and the pith. Slice crosswise into about 6-8 pieces each. Using the tip of the knife, carefully pick out any seeds. Place in a shallow dish.</li> <li>Combine honey, 2 tablespoons of water and star anise in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow this to bubble up, then stir in redbelly juice. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour over the redbelly slices and allow it to infuse.</li> </ol> For the ricotta pancakes: <ol start="4"> <li>Whisk the egg whites in a small bowl with an electric beater. Place reserved zest, ricotta, milk, egg yolks, flour and salt in food processor and whizz until combined or beat with an electric beater. Fold in the egg whites. (Mixture can be covered and stored in the fridge for later use.)</li> <li>Melt butter in a small 15cm non-stick frying pan, over medium heat until it melts. Wipe out with a paper towel. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter mixture into the pan, tilt to cover pan. Cook for around 3 minutes or until bubbles rise to the surface. Flip over the other side and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until just cooked. Place on a plate and keep warm, either in a very low oven (with the fan turned off) or by covering with a clean cloth. Repeat with remaining mixture.</li> <li>Either ladle compote on top of pancakes and serve to the centre of the table – with extra compote and Greek yoghurt on the side – or divide pancakes between serving plates, ladle compote on top of the pancakes. Serve immediately with Greek yoghurt if desired.</li> </ol> Tips The compote is also delightful for breakfast, simply served on yoghurt with quartered fresh dates and sprinkled with chopped toasted pistachios. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/ricotta-pancakes-with-redbelly-citrus-compote.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Food & Wine

4 easy steps to get rid of stink bugs

Anyone who’s had a citrus tree will be familiar with bronze orange bugs. Also called stink bugs, they produce a foul-smelling secretion and suck the sap from stalks, causing flowers and fruit to drop. These pests need to be controlled in winter before they can build up their numbers in spring and summer. They lay eggs on the underside of leaves with the young, called nymphs, appearing in winter. The nymphs are flat, lime green and about 6mm long. 1. Know the beast <div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Nymphs can be harder to spot as their green colour helps them blend with leaves. As they mature they turn orange or bronze and become rounded, going from brown to black and reaching 25mm long as adults. 2. Get them while they are young <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide"> <div class="slide-description"> Adult stink bugs change from orange or bronze to black or brown in colour. 3. Methods of control Numbers of bronze orange bug build up rapidly, making control difficult, so take action immediately. A high population may be a sign the tree is stressed. Give it a deep watering and apply a citrus fertiliser. Wear goggles to control bronze orange bugs, as they expel a caustic liquid that can cause severe irritation. For small trees, blast them off with a jet of water from the hose then collect in a bag and squash, or drop into a bucket of methylated spirits. Large trees should be sprayed every 10 to 14 days with Eco-Oil or Confidor to kill the nymphs before they develop into breeding adults. You may also notice green bugs with sharp shoulder spines. Native to Australia they’re called spined citrus bugs. They like lemons and mandarins but suck sap from other citrus fruit. This pest causes young fruit to develop flat patches of skin and brown stains on the flesh. Treat them the same way as bronze orange bugs but you’ll have to look a little closer to find them, as their green colour helps them blend in well. 4. Organic remedy One way to treat small nymphs in winter is with a soap spray, concentrating on the underside of leaves and the lower part of the tree. To make the spray, add one tablespoon of pure soap flakes, such as grated Velvet soap, to half a bucket of warm water. When the soap has dissolved in the water, fill a spray bottle and treat leaves early in the day. TIP: Don’t use any sprays on hot days, as this can damage stressed plants even more. Written by Handyman. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.handyman.net.au/4-easy-steps-get-rid-stink-bugs">Handyman.</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Home & Garden

Citrus-baked salmon with champagne mayonnaise

A side of salmon is an easy yet smart way to feed a crowd, and a glamorous mayonnaise makes it doubly splendid. Serves: 8-10 as a starter Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 side of salmon (about 1kg), bones removed</li> <li>1 orange, juice and zest </li> <li>1 lemon, juice and zest, plus extra lemons for serving</li> <li>1 teaspoon sesame oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon cider vinegar</li> <li>1 tablespoon soy sauce</li> <li>2 tablespoons brown sugar</li> <li>1 tablespoon flaky sea salt</li> <li>1 teaspoon cracked black pepper</li> <li>Microgreens or dill for garnish (optional)</li> <li>Baguette or similar for serving</li> </ul> For the mayonnaise: <ul> <li>2 egg yolks</li> <li>1 teaspoon cider vinegar</li> <li>1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li> <li>1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped</li> <li>1 teaspoon grated horseradish (available in jars at the supermarket)</li> <li>2/3 cup neutral-flavoured oil </li> <li>2-3 tablespoons champagne or sparkling wine</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Heat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with non-stick foil or baking paper. Place salmon on tray, skin side down. </li> <li>Combine zest and juice from orange and lemon with the sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Brush mixture over salmon then sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper, pressing these gently into the flesh. </li> <li>Bake 15-20 minutes or until the salmon flesh is just opaque. Serve on a platter, with lemon wedges for squeezing, mayo and bread on the side, and garnished with microgreens or dill if desired. </li> <li>Mayonnaise: Place egg yolks, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, garlic, horseradish and a good pinch of salt in a small food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, add oil in a thin, steady stream. Fold in champagne a little at a time, gently mixing until the mayo is light and creamy. </li> </ol> Written by Bernadette Hogg. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Image credit: Stuff.co.nz.

Food & Wine

How to deal with common winter citrus plant problems

Picking ripe citrus fruit brightens up a winter day. The peak harvest season for lemons, limes, grapefruit, tangelos and mandarins runs from June to September. Backyard trees should be laden with fruit now but wintry conditions can be a challenge for these subtropical trees. Here's how to look after your trees and save your crop. Five common problems citrus have in winter 1. Scabby marks on the skin Verrucosis or citrus scab can affect all citrus fruit. It looks unsightly but the quality of the fruit inside is not affected. If you want picture perfect lemons or lots of zest for cooking, you can spray with copper. If you're just after the juice you can let it be. 2. Brown scaly patches at the end of the fruit (not the stem end) and early fruit drop. The fruit is also often dry This is blossom-end rot. It's due to lack of calcium- either because it's lacking in the soil or there has been drought or irregular watering so the tree couldn't take up enough nutrients to support the growth of the fruit. It is a sign of malnutrition rather than disease and is easily treated - although there's nothing to be done for fruit already afflicted. The addition of lime (a handful or two per tree) around the drip line would be an effective stand-alone remedy, but you might as well cover all bases by applying citrus food too. Citrus are among the greediest plants and are always starving for one thing or another. 3. Frost damage to citrus foliage There's nothing you can do once the damage is done - and indeed doing nothing is the best course of action. Never prune off the frost-damaged stems and foliage of citrus trees. Pruning now only encourages them to produce soft new growth, which frost will attach again without mercy and that second strike often proves fatal. Keep a roll of frost cloth handy to drape over trees when frost threatens. Make a framework of stakes around the tree so there is a gap between the cloth and the leaves of the tree. Or spray citrus trees with Liquid Frost Cloth every six weeks instead. 4. Lack of fruit Citrus trees are subtropical plants but some can tolerate cooler conditions than others. 'Meyer' lemons are the most reliable variety for colder areas. We have heard recently from a reader who had a 'Meyer' lemon and a mandarin side-by-side in her Christchurch garden and the lemon was covered in fruit while there was never any fruit on the mandarin - truth is, her garden was probably too cold for it. It doesn't mean you can't grow citrus, remember it can also be grown in pots, tunnel houses or glasshouses where they thrive in the warmer conditions. 5. Yellow leaves Kate Marshall from Waimea Nurseries says citrus foliage can sometimes turn to yellow tones in winter. If the leaves are entirely yellow, this is usually just a natural process for the tree – most citrus trees are grafted onto Trifoliata or Flying Dragon rootstocks, which are deciduous on their own. Therefore, when used as a rootstock in winter the roots stop taking up nutrition, leaving the evergreen part of the tree hungry for food. Margined or mottled yellow leaves are a symptom of nutrient deficiency. Kate recommends waiting until spring to feed with general citrus fertiliser, as the deciduous rootstocks won't take up any food during the winter months. Fertilising citrus in the cooler months can be tricky, as it is best to avoid encouraging a flush of tender new growth that could easily get frosted or cold damaged. Instead feed with Dolomite lime and gypsum, which will increase trace element nutrition and improve leaf appearance without stimulating a flush. How do you look after your citrus trees in winter? Share you tips with us in the comment section below. Written by Barbara Smith. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/food-scraps-you-should-be-eating/">The food scraps you should be eating</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/how-to-make-a-no-dig-garden/">How to make a no dig garden</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/how-to-tell-what-a-plant-needs-from-leaves/">6 things your plant's leaves are trying to tell you</a>

Home & Garden

Citrus layer cake

The humble sponge cake is transformed into a moist citrusy layer cake with this recipe. I used lemon curd, but you could substitute oranges, blood oranges or grapefruit. The cake is finished with a simple lemon trickle icing and it never hurts to serve it with lashings of whipped cream. Ingredients: For the lemon curd <ul> <li>100g butter</li> <li>200g caster sugar</li> <li>Grated zest and juice of 3 lemons (you need 1⁄2 cup juice)</li> <li>3 eggs and 2 egg yolks, beaten</li> </ul> For the cake <ul> <li>3 eggs</li> <li>3⁄4 cup caster sugar</li> <li>1 cup flour</li> <li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li> <li>2 tablespoons milk</li> <li>45g butter</li> <li>Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 tablespoon juice</li> </ul> For the lemon trickle icing <ul> <li>25g butter, melted</li> <li>Grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon juice</li> <li>2 tablespoons boiling water</li> <li>2 cups icing sugar</li> </ul> Method 1. To make the lemon curd, in a heavy-based saucepan heat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest and juice over a low heat until the butter and sugar have dissolved. 2. Strain the eggs through a sieve then add to the saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon constantly until the mix thickens (about 5 minutes). Be careful not to let the curd boil or it will curdle. Makes 2 cups (you need about 1 cup for the cake). Pour into clean, sterilised jars and, once cool, store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. 3. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour 2 x 20cm round sandwich tins or a large tin (adjust the cooking time for the large tin to 25-30 minutes). 4. Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Sift the flour and baking powder, and fold gently through the egg mixture. In a small saucepan, place the milk and butter, and heat until the butter has melted, but don't let it boil. Add the orange zest and juice then fold through the batter. 5. Divide the mixture between the 2 tins, smooth the tops and bake for 15 minutes or until the sponge comes away from the sides and the top bounces back when pressed gently. 6. Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. When cold cut each cake in half horizontally. Use a palette knife to spread a generous amount of lemon curd between the layers and stack on top of each other. 7. To make the lemon trickle icing, combine all the ingredients, whisking until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the cake and allow to set. Garnish with candied peel if you wish. Written by Ginny Grant. Appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a> Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, head to the <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">abcshop.com.au</a> to order your copy now. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/watermelon-and-snow-pea-salad-with-marinated-feta/">Watermelon and snow pea salad with marinated feta</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/apple-and-blueberry-yogurt-bars/">Apple and blueberry yogurt bars</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/pecan-pie-recipe/">Pecan pie</a>

Food & Wine

Citrus soufflé

We’ve got tonight’s dessert sorted with this sweet and zesty citrus soufflé. Ingredients: <ul> <li>30g of butter</li> <li>¼ cup of caster sugar</li> <li>Zest of 1 lemon, grated</li> <li>Zest of 1 lime, grated</li> <li>2 tablespoons of plain flour</li> <li>1 cup of scalded milk</li> <li>2 separated eggs</li> <li>2 more egg whites</li> <li>1 tablespoon of lemon juice</li> <li>Icing sugar</li> </ul> White chocolate sauce: <ul> <li>½ cup of thickened cream</li> <li>100g of finely chopped white chocolate</li> <li> Zest of ½ a lemon, grated</li> </ul> Method: 1. Preheat oven to 200°C and grease four three-quarter cup soufflé dishes. 2. Combine sugar, butter and zest in a saucepan and stir over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and stir for an additional minute before removing from heat. 3. Add milk into butter mixture and whisk together. Replace saucepan to burner and stir until boiled and thick. Allow to simmer and whisk in juice and egg yolks before allowing to cool. 4. In another bowl, whisk egg whites and fold into previous mixture. 5. Place into soufflé dishes and bake until golden (15 to 20 minutes.) 6. To make chocolate sauce, heat half a cup of thickened cream on high heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and lemon zest until mixture is melted. 7. Sprinkle soufflés with icing sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce at serving. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/easy-berry-mousse/">5-minute mixed berry mousse</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/coconut-bliss-balls/">Coconut bliss balls</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/berry-clafoutis/">Mixed berry clafoutis</a>

Food & Wine

Citrus shortbread

The humble shortbread doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves. Especially when they are made with a citrus twist. These melt-in-the-mouth gluten-free ones are perfect for morning tea with a cup of tea. Be warned, they are very moreish.Ingredients:<ul><li>200 grams butter, softened</li><li>125 grams icing sugar</li><li>The grated zest of ½ orange</li><li>The grated zest of 1 lemon</li><li>The grated zest of 1 lime</li><li>350 g gluten-free flour</li><li>1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder</li><li>Sugar, to serve</li></ul>Method:1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Grease a flat baking tray, then line with a sheet of baking paper.2. Beat the butter, then cream it with the icing sugar and all the zests until light and fluffy. Fold in the flour and baking powder, then use your hands to form a dough – be sure not overmix.3. Using a cooker cutter, cut out 20 even-sized balls. Reroll any scraps and repeat.4. Put your shortbread onto the tray, then chill in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes, before baking in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until pale and crisp.5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle with sugar.STORING TIP: This shortbread will keep for up to a week in an airtight container.

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Relax with ricotta pancakes with redbelly citrus compote

4 easy steps to get rid of stink bugs

Citrus-baked salmon with champagne mayonnaise

How to deal with common winter citrus plant problems

Citrus layer cake

Citrus soufflé

Citrus shortbread

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