The Australian Goanna
The Goanna is a superb climber, especially of trees and lives eating on birds, other animals and dead carcasses of animals. Their long tongue can help sense out any food. Also known as the Monitor Lizard they can grow up to 6 feet with strong claws and bodies. Goannas can be found throughout Australia's warmer regions.
The Recipes
Re-Edited & Updated December 9/07
Helpers
1 gill = 1/2 cup
Scant = Not quite full measure
Unless specified otherwise, all temps are in Fahrenheit
Flour = Unless otherwise stated, "flour" refers to plain flour.
All oven temperatures are based on the standard wood oven, gas oven and electric oven.
Special Recipes
NEW! Email in your favourite recipe for publication...Any Type.
We received the following email and delicious recipe from Rob at Bellevue Hill Australia. In a previous email from Robert he advised us, after many years, he was going back to his original love and profession.....cooking. Please enjoy his contribution to our site. (With minor editing)
Dear Irene
I adapted the roast lamb in scone dough from watching my mother and father cook the Christmas ham in scone dough. It truly tastes beautiful. Here is the recipe. I have also added a handy tip for bread bakers. I have just removed my loaf from the camp oven, I did a white Vienna with poppy seeds on top and I have sent a photo of it and my favourite cooking implement, the camp oven.
Best Wishes
Rob
Scones Mixture
Ingredients
4 cups SR Flour
1 tsp fresh ground sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
150g softened salted butter
1/2 bunch Sage
1 Tbsp butter
11/2 - 2 cups buttermilk
Method
Heat the tablespoon of butter in skillet and fry the sage till crispy. Remove sage from butter, cool, then crush it up. Sift flour and salt, stir through pepper and sage. Rub softened butter into flour still it resembles breadcrumbs. Make well in centre and add buttermilk. Using a knife cut the flour into the milk until a moderately soft dough is formed.
Lamb
Ingredients
2 1/2 kg Leg of Lamb
8 Rosemary Sprigs
8 cloves garlic
Method
Pat the leg dry. Make 8 deep pierces into the leg with knife. Into each pierce push a clove of garlic followed with a sprig of rosemary. Season leg with salt if desired.
Gently pat out prepared dough into rough circle, don't handle too much or it will toughen the dough. Place the lamb leg in centre and bring dough up to cover the lamb. A little cold water will help the dough edges stick together. Now turn the leg over so that the rough side is down.
Pick Your Cooking Method from the following:
1. Place lamb in baking dish and put into hot oven (220C, 425F or Gas Mark 7) for 20 minutes then reduce heat to 190C, 375F or Gas Mark 5 and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
2. Camp Oven (this is the best).
Pre heat oven and camp oven with lid on to 240C, 475F or Gas Mark 9.
Carefully remove camp oven from oven, remove lid.
Place the prepared leg directly onto the hot cast iron. Place hot lid on to and return to oven. Cook for 20 minutes on high heat then reduce heat to 190C, 375F or Gas Mark 5 and cook for 1 3/4 hours with lid on. Remove lid from camp oven and bake for a further 15-20 min.
This is fantastic for a Sunday lunch, especially in the winter.


Tip for Bread Bakers
Try doing your bread in the camp oven using the above method. It is fantastic and turns out the best loaf, with a lovely crunchy crust. You can prove your Loaf in a tin and place it in the camp oven with lid on for 25-30 min then remove lid and cook a further 10 min. I prefer to shape my bread before the final prove. Once the prove is complete (about 45 min) gently lift loaf from bench and place in camp oven. Put the lid on and bake for 25-30 min then remove lid and cook a further 10 min. This method simulates a true baker’s oven in terms of humidity to maximise the flavour and crust.
Always cook with love in your heart and hands, it comes through in the cooking for all to enjoy.
Cheers Rob
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An old family favourite below. Our thanks to Mrs. G. Bush from Western Australia)
Fruit Cordial
Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon citric acid
1 Tablespoon tartaric acid
3 lemons
3 oranges
2 1/2 Pints of boiling water
Method
Put sugar and acids in a large mixing basin then grate the rind of the fruit and add to sugar and acids mixture. Squeeze juice from the fruit and add to mixture. The pour the boiling water over and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool the mixture and then bottle. When serving dilute with ice cold water, mixing one part of cordial to four parts of water.
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Thank You to Brian of Canada for the following recipe.....nice for breakfast
Stuffed Eggs with Button Mushrooms
Ingredients
14 fresh eggs
8 oz button fresh mushrooms or sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup mayonnaise
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion
Salt and pepper.
Method
Boil eggs for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to set the yolks in the centre. Plunge into cold water, shell when cold. Poach mushrooms in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and cool. Select 12 good shaped mushrooms for decoration. Chop remaining mushrooms finely. Cut the 12 eggs in neat halves length-ways and carefully remove yolks. Chop the 2 remaining eggs finely. Mix egg yolks, chopped eggs, mayonnaise, anchovies, spring onion, chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into the egg halves. Place stuff eggs on a serving platter and top with reserved mushrooms.
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Thank You to Mrs Mainwaring in the U.K. for this following recipe.......
Sauer Kraut
Ingredients
One head of fresh cabbage
1 tablespoon full cream butter
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon of pepper.
Method
Cut the cabbage up into small shreds. Make the butter hot in a saucepan and add cabbage gradually, stirring till you have it all in. Add the salt and pepper then cook over a slow fire for 2 hours. When done add one tablespoon of the vinegar and then the sugar.
Thank You to Mrs Craig of the U.K. for the following Ginger Beer recipe emailed in. Was copied from an old book she has.
Real Ginger Beer
Ingredients
5 gallons of water
5 oz bruised ginger
3lb white sugar
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
Whites of 3 eggs
The juice of 6 fresh lemons
One pint of fresh yeast.
Method
Boil the ginger, sugar, thinly peeled rind of the lemons and 2 gallons of the water together for a quarter of an hour. Strain and then add the rest of the water, and let it stand till cold. Add the beaten whites of the eggs, lemon juice, yeast and cream of tartar. Put in a 5 gallon cask, cork tightly and use in 2 or 3 days. It keeps fresh for about 5-7 days.
Posted in by Annette from Brisbane Australia. Reprinted from Sandra Cabot's book - "The Liver Cleansing Diet"
Carrot Cake
Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
3/4 cup raw sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 free range eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
5 tablespoons cold pressed oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1cup grated carrot
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
400 gm can crushed pineapple
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts.
Method
Preheat the oven to 175° C. Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients except the carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Drain pineapple and discard juice. Fold in the carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Grease and flour a cake tin. Bake in the oven for 35-40 mins.
Thank You to Mrs Phelps of Taree NSW Australia
Delicious Lemon Rice
Ingredients
2 oz rice
1 pint milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 oz gelatine
1/2 pint cream
The juice of 1 lemon and the peel of 2
Pinch salt.
Method
Boil the rice in the milk and the rind of a lemon, very thinly peeled, ensure the rice is thoroughly cooked. Soak the sheet gelatine for a few minutes in a basin of water; take it out and add to the rice; whee that it is quite dissolved. Pour the rice into a basin and when nearly cold, add cream and beat well till spongy. Place in a wetted mould till set. Peel the other lemon rather thickly, and cut into shreds about 3/4 " long and boil till very tender; drain off the water and pour over the shreds a cup of fresh water, the juice of the lemon and a tablespoon of sugar. Boil for 15 minutes and let it get cold. Turn the rice on to a glass dish when cold and set; pour the syrup and lemon peel carefully over it, distributing the shreds as evenly as possible. This shape is very nice with any stewed fruit, when the lemon peel may be omitted.
Access Hundreds of Extra old Aussie recipes
From Thomas in Canada. (Formerly from Sydney, Australia) Thanks. Certainly looks an oldie....Irene
Chicken Panada
Ingredients
Half a chicken
1 tablespoon cream
1/2 teaspoon salt.
Method
Take 1/2 a thoroughly clean tender chicken, and cut the flesh from the bones with a sharp knife. Put the pieces of chicken into a jar (or gourmet boiler), sprinkle the salt over them, and stand the jar in a saucepan with boiling water coming halfway up. The jar must be covered with a close fitting lid or buttered paper, so that the steam does not escape. It is a good plan to put a piece of clean calico over the mouth of the jar before putting on the cover. Let it simmer for 2 hours, then take out the pieces of chicken with a spoon; do not lose any of the liquor. Pound the chicken in a mortar to a pulp; then rub through a hair sieve, pouring a little of the liquor into the pulp to make it pass through more easily; then add the cream; reheat and serve. Chicken broth may be made from the bones. Put them in a saucepan with a scant pint of cold water and let it simmer for 3 hours; add salt and pepper, according to the taste of the patient.
Thank you for this delicious old Aussie recipe to Mrs Olsen of Newcastle Australia.
Small Batter Pudding
Ingredients
1 fresh egg
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 gill of milk
One pinch of salt.
Method
Mix the plain flour smoothly with a little of the milk then heat the rest of the milk and when at boiling point, pour it over the flour, stirring all the time, carefully there are no lumps. Beat the egg well, add to the mixture, and pour into a buttered cup. Cover with a buttered paper, and stand in a saucepan of boiling water, the water to come halfway up the cup. Then steam for about 20 minutes. Turn carefully on to a hot plate, and serve a small roll of butter and sugar separately.
Thank You Phil.
Old Style Ginger Beer with Sultanas
Ingredients
12 cups hot water
12 cups cold water
3 cups sugar
4 tablespoons powdered ginger
1 teaspoon tartaric acid
Juice of 2 lemons
18 sultanas
6 (or equivalent to) one-litre plastic bottles with screw lids. Do not use glass bottles.
Method
Mix ingredients except for sultanas. Place three sultanas in each bottle before capping. Pour the liquid into the bottles and cap. Leave around 1-2 weeks before you drink. Sultanas will ferment and give the brew its gas.
Thank You to Mrs Grenfell in Canada.
Crown Roast of Pork
Ingredients
1 crown roast of pork (12 cutlets)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 cup chicken stock.
Sage and onion stuffing (optional)
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper.
Method
Have the butcher prepare the crown roast. Rub surfaces with salt and pepper. Fill centre with stuffing, if used, or place a jar or crumpled foil in the centre to keep crown shape. Cover bare rib bones with aluminium foil to prevent burning. Place on a rack in a roasting dish and roast in a moderately slow oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove pork; place on a carving platter and keep warm. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from dish, stir in flour over medium heat until browned. Add stock and stir until gravy thickens and boils. Season to taste and strain into gravy boat. Remove foil and place a cutlet frill on each bone. Carve by cutting between each cutlet. Serve with gravy, apple sauce, roast potatoes and pumpkin and a green vegetable.
Sage and onion stuffing – Sauté onion in butter until soft, add to breadcrumbs with sage. Bind with egg and season to taste.
Thank You to Rose in Auckland NZ
Roast Wild Duck
Ingredients
2 wild ducks
Salt and pepper
1 apple
1 orange
1 onion, chopped
4 bacon rashers, halved
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 cup combined orange and lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons port.
Method
Clean ducks well and singe end feathers over a flame. Rub cavities with salt and pepper. Leave peel on orange and apple and chop roughly. Combine with onion and place into cavities. Truss ducks and rub surfaces lightly with salt and pepper. Place bacon over the breast of each bird and place on a rack in a roasting dish. Cook in a moderately hot oven for 45 minutes. Remove bacon and cook until skin is crisp and brown, turn and brown other side. Lift ducks onto serving platter and keep warm. Skim most of the fat from pan drippings, stir in flour and heat on top of stove. Cook for a few minutes and stir in juice and stock. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Blend in port, adjust seasoning and strain into sauce boat. Carve ducks and serve with the sauce.
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