Warm caesar salad

Ingredients (serves 4):
8 romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
A handful of garlic croutons
8 slices bacon, cut into small dices and fried till crispy
12 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
12 grey prawns, shelled and cooked
Shaved parmesan cheese, to serve

Caesar dressing (makes 600ml):
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
Juice from 1 lemon
500ml olive oil
50g parmesan cheese
A pinch of salt

Method:
1. To make the dressing: combine egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and lemon juice in a food processor. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow steady stream until thick and creamy. Stir in parmesan cheese and season with salt to taste. (If the dressing is too thick, add a little warm water and stir well.)
2. Gently toss romaine lettuce in 200ml of the dressing until evenly coated. Divide lettuce between individual oven-proof bowls.
3. Garnish salad with croutons, bacon bits, tomatoes, prawns and shaved parmesan cheese.
4. Place salad under a salamander or oven toaster for just 5-10 seconds until the cheese topping is slightly melted. Serve immediately.

Tips:
This recipe calls for only 200ml of the dressing. Remaining dressing can be kept tightly covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Recipe source: Food and Travel magazine (Feb 2007)

Double cheese twists

Ingredients (makes 50):
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/4 cup self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
75g butter, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
1-2 tbsp water
2 tsp paprika seasoning (optional)

Method:
1. Sift combined flours and salt into a large bowl. Rub in butter. Stir in cheeses. Make a well in the centre, add egg yolk and enough water to make the ingredients cling together.
2. Knead gently on a floured surface until smooth. Cover, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Roll dough between 2 sheets of baking paper into a rectangle measuring 25 x 40cm, 3mm thick. Cut into 1 x 15cm strips. Twist each strip. Place 2cm apart onto greased trays. Sprinkle evenly with paprika seasoning.
4. Bake in a moderate oven at 180 deg C for about 10 minutes or until twists are lightly browned. After 5 minutes, transfer twists onto a wire rack to cool.

Tips:
Add water to flour and cheese mixture by the teaspoonful. The exact amount of water you need depends on the quality of flour you use.

Recipe source: Women's Weekly magazine

Barbecue biscuits

Ingredients (makes 20):
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp chicken stock powder
75g butter, chopped
2 x 50g packets barbecue-flavoured potato chips, crushed
1 egg yolk
2-3 tbsp milk
Extra 1 tbsp milk
2 tsp sweet paprika (optional)

Method:
1. Sift flour and stock powder into a bowl. Rub in butter. Stir in the chips, egg yolk and enough milk to make the ingredients cling together.
2. Knead dough lightly on a floured surface until smooth. Cover, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Roll dough between sheets of baking paper until 2.5mm thick. Cut into rounds using a 5cm fluted cutter. Place about 2cm apart onto greased oven trays. Brush with extra milk. Sprinkle with a little paprika, if using.
4. Bake in a moderately hot oven at 190 deg C for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool biscuits on trays.

Recipe source: Women's Weekly magazine

Almond crescents

Ingredients (makes 35):
250g unsalted butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup vodka (optional)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3 cups icing sugar mixture, for dusting

Method:
1. Beat butter and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, beat until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
2. Stir in sifted flour, essence, vodka if using, and almonds. Mix to a firm dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
3. Shape level tablespoons of mixture into crescents. Place about 3cm apart on greased oven trays.
4. Bake in moderate oven at 180 deg C for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. gently lift crescents onto a wire rack over an oven tray. Dust heavily with icing sugar mix. Allow to cool.

Recipe source: Women's Weekly magazine