Wombat Recipe

Right oh you little bugger! lets see what sought of tucker we can make out of ya.

As the Wombat is a huge keg of prime muscle with a high fat content, there could be a lucrative trade in raising them for the abattoir.

However farming them is difficult as if they are enclosed, they will tunnel their way to freedom. Like fellow escape artists the Kangaroo and the Echidna, any enclosure of a Wombat requires a much greater financial investment than that required of a cow, horse or sheep. Such an investment would unlikely deliver a return as so few Australians would be willing to eat them.

source:Convict Creations

Wombat Casserole

1.5kg Wombat meat
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. baby carrots
6 potatoes, quartered
1 small pkg. lentils
1 can tomato juice
Sliced celery
Onions
Green beans
Method:

Place all ingredients in casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 12 hours. Eat hearty with a bottle of Bundy.

Wombats are a protected species throughout Australia

Emu

It may seem odd to hear of a red meat being touted as a health food, but the emu industry is doing exactly that, and with good cause.

The Emu is the largest bird native to Australia. It is the second-largest bird in the world by height, after its relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia. The Emu is common over most of mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily populated areas, dense forest, and arid areas.



The soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds reach up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height. They have long thin necks and legs. Emus can travel great distances at a fast, economical trot and, if necessary, can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph) for some distance at a time.

Emus are large birds. The largest can reach up to 150 to 190 centimetres (59–75 in) in height, 1 to 1.3 metres (3.3 – 4.3 ft) at the shoulder. Emus weigh between 18 and 55 kilograms (40 and 121 lb). Females are usually larger than males by a small amount, but are substantially wider across the rump.



Emus use their strongly clawed feet as a defence mechanism. Their legs are among the strongest of any animals, allowing them to rip metal wire fences. They are endowed with good eyesight and hearing, which allows them to detect predators in the vicinity. The plumage varies regionally, matching the surrounding environment and improving its camouflage. The feather structure prevents heat from flowing into the skin, permitting Emus to be active during the midday heat.

The female Emu lays one of an average of 11 (and as many as 20) very large, thick-shelled, dark-green eggs. The shell is around 1 mm thick although indigenous Australians say that northern eggs are thinner. The number of eggs varies with rainfall. The eggs are on average 134 by 89 millimetres (5.3 × 3.5 in) and weigh between 700 and 900 grams (1.5 and 2.0 lb), which is roughly equivalent to 10–12 chicken eggs in volume and weight. The egg surface is granulated and pale green. During the incubation period, the egg turns dark green, although if the egg never hatches, it will turn white from the bleaching effect of the sun.

Farmers in India have taken to emu-farming to avail of multiple returns offered by the birds for their meat, oil, skin, feathers besides medicinal value.

Many consumers have been instructed to give up red meat because of cholesterol, but since emu is low in saturated fats, as well as being packed with the vitamins and minerals needed by those with immune deficiencies, it is an excellent health choice," said Charles Ramey, AEA president. Recognized as Heart Healthy by the American Heart Association, emu ranked best in 15 out of 20 essential nutrients in a USDA funded study at the University of Wisconsin.






Because it is very lean, there will be little to no shrinkage during cooking. A moist heat and shorter cooking time is recommended.

Emu Burgers


1 ½ lb. ground emu

½ c. non-fat dried milk

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. liquid smoke, optional

Combine all ingredients with the ground emu and mix well. Shape into patties and grill. Serves 6.



Deviled Emu Burgers

2 lb. Ground Emu

¾ cup. Italian Salad Dressing

3 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

½ cup finely chopped green onions

½ cup. emu egg or 2 chicken eggs

1 cup. plain dry bread crumbs


In a small bowl, combine the dressing and mustard. In a large bowl, combine the ground emu, onions, eggs, breadcrumbs and ½ cup of the dressing/mustard mixture. Shape the meat into 8 patties. Grill or broil burgers, turning once and brushing occasionally with reserved dressing mixture, until desired doneness is reached.

Serves 8.






Heart Healthy Meat Loaf

2 pounds ground emu
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 chicken egg
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced bell pepper
Mix all ingredients by hand in large bowl. You should have a very moist mixture. Pour into casserole and bake covered at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 10 minutes. Serves 6.

Emu Scaloppini with Mushroom Sauce

1 pound emu steaks (1/4 inch thick)
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 stick of margarine
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
Lightly pound the steaks until 1/8" thick. Sprinkle with lemon pepper. In a 12" skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of margarine over moderate heat. (Add more margarine as needed) Sear emu steaks on both sides and transfer to a platter, cover with foil and keep warm. Add remaining ingredients (except for parsley) to skillet. Bring to a boil and boil uncovered; stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and vegetables are tender. Pour over emu steaks. Serves 4.

Australian Food

Aboriginal cooking has always played a role in Australian food culture. Many native methods of cooking which we call bush tucker, include  local meats and flavours such as kangaroo, barramundi and wattle seed, are now accepted and thrive in gourmet cooking in Australia.

Over the past 40 years there has been a major shift in Australian cuisine. The food, like our society itself, has taken on a much more multi-cultural influence, especially with the arrival of immigrants from the Mediterranean and more recently South East Asia.



Australian food was heavily influenced by the first English settlers, who favored such foods as roasted cuts of meat, grilled steak and chops with vegetables. Despite the different influences in the past 200 or so years, much of this traditional British food has remained in Australian cuisine, particularly in Australian pub food such as the meat pie and fish and chips.

Fresh produce is readily available in Australia and is used extensively, and the trend (urged by long-term government health initiatives) is towards low-salt, low-fat healthy cookery incorporating lean meat and lightly cooked, colourful, steamed or stir-fried vegetables. With most of the Australian population residing in coastal areas, fish and seafood is popular.

People barbeque all over the world and it truly is universal, but Australians have a very special relationship with the barbecue. For us the Barbie is a part of our up bringing, and it's also our birth right. We are born with tongs in hand. We barbeque better than anyone else (sometimes depending on how many beers are consumed), and we enjoy the barbie more than anyone else on the planet (even if our sausages have been totally cremated). Australians more than most have embraced the BBQ and taken it to gastronomic levels of gourmet cooking that other races can only marvel at (and are sometimes asked are you really going to eat that?). 

Australian food features Australian seafood such as: Prawns, Southern bluefin tuna, King George whiting, Moreton Bay bugs, Mud Crabs, Jew Fish, Dhufish (Western Australia) and Yabbies. Australia is one of the largest producers of abalone and rock lobster.Australia's 11 million square kilometre fishing zone is the third largest in the world and allows for bountiful access to seafood which significantly influences Australian cuisine.

An iconic Australian food is Vegemite. Other unique or iconic national foods include the Meat pie a must at all sporting events, Macadamia nuts; Violet Crumble, a honeycomb chocolate bar; Cherry Ripe; Jaffas, chocolate with an orange-flavoured confectionery shell; the Chiko Roll, a deep-fried savoury roll similar to a spring roll; and the Dim sim, a Chinese-inspired dumpling. Other popular Australian foods include Tim Tams, a chocolate biscuit; Musk sticks; Fairy bread; Lamingtons; the Vanilla slice; and the commercial breakfast cereal Weet-Bix.

Pavalova worlds best dessert

Pavlova is a easy made meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.

The dessert is believed to have been created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years.

Pavlova is made simply by beating egg whites (and sometimes salt) to a very stiff consistency before folding in caster sugar, white vinegar, cornstarch, and sometimes vanilla essence, and slow-baking the mixture, similarly to meringue. This makes the outside of the pavlova a crisp crunchy shell, while the interior remains soft and moist.

Being polled as one of The worlds best desserts, it is a very popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of both countries, and is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals.

Ingredients


1 tablespoon cornflour

6 eggwhites

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/3 cups caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon white vinegar

200ml pure cream

Fruit of choice


Preheat oven to 200°C.



Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Add remaining 3 teaspoons cornflour with the last tablespoon of sugar. Fold through vanilla and vinegar.
Spoon meringue onto a tray with baking paper and dust with cornflour. Shape into a circle, with a slightly higher edge and a low centre. Reduce oven to 100°C. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and open oven door. Cool completely in oven (pavlova may sink during cooling).

Slide pavlova onto a serving plate. Spread with cream and top with bannana, passionfruit, strawberries, kiwi fruit or whatever fruit you have in the house.

Serve it up and watch the smiles!!

Flying Foxes bats

Flying Foxes have been blamed recently, for the spread of a virus called the Hendra virus which has been confirmed as the cause of illness or death in horses, Biosecurity Queensland will manage the situation. It will quarantine the property where the outbreak has occurred and isolate any ill animals. It will conduct a full disease investigation and take measures to care for animals, prevent the risk to people, decontaminate the environment and safely dispose of infected horses that die.

Iam not the evil one! its those damn chemicals!

If fruit bats have always carried this disease, why was the first recorded outbreak in 1994? It is possible the deaths have gone undiagnosed? Have the fruit bats become more infectious for some reason? The macadamia industry has also recently been in the news for its use of agricultural chemicals that have been blamed for fish deformities in the Noosa River — could these chemicals impact fruit bats.

The most recent and rapid expansion of the disease this year also corresponds to major rainfall events and it is hard to link this with increased interaction with fruit bats — although it is claimed that the Hendra virus or antibodies have been found in “pooled” blood collected from mosquitoes in the Hendra case paddock in 1995.

Flying foxes pose no identified risk of passing Hendra virus directly to people. All human cases have resulted from close contact with infected horses. Of 140 people with close contact with flying foxes (including bat carers, wildlife rangers and research scientists), none showed any evidence of Hendra virus infection. Nonetheless, because of the risk of contracting the invariably fatal Australian bat lyssavirus from any Australian bats, members of the general public should not handle flying foxes or any other bats.

Flying Foxes were classified as ‘Vulnerable to extinction’ in The Action Plan for Australian Bats, and has since been protected across its range under Australian federal law. As of 2008 the species is listed as 'Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

There has been much debate about the role of flying foxes in the spread of this disease. However, culling flying foxes is not an effective way to reduce Hendra virus risk according to Primary Industries. 

The following reasons are given:

Flying foxes are an important part of our natural environment

Flying foxes are widespread in Australia and, as they are highly mobile, it is not feasible to cull them

Culling or dispersing flying foxes in one location could simply transfer the issue to another location

There are far more effective steps people can take to reduce the risk of Hendra virus infection in horses and humans.

Flying-foxes are mammals and are members of the Pteropididae or fruit bat family. They have the largest body size of all bats. Four species of these mammals are native to mainland Australia: the Little Red Flying-fox, the Black Flying-fox, the Grey-headed Flying-fox and the Spectacled Flying-fox.

Flying-foxes are found throughout tropical and sub-tropical Asia and Australia and on islands of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. The four Flying-fox species found in Australia occur mostly in northern and eastern temperate and sub-tropical coastal areas.

Flying-foxes prefer blossom, nectar, fruit and occasionally leaves of native plants, particularly eucalypts, tea-trees, grevilleas, figs and lilly pillys. Flying foxes will also take the fruit of cultivated trees, particularly during periods of shortage of their preferred food.

Camps are places where the large flying-foxes gather during the day, sometimes in many thousands. Along the coast they may be in mangroves, further inland they are often in deep gullies or rainforest patches, and west of the Dividing Range they are usually along water-courses.

Eating and Cooking

Many species are threatened today with extinction, and in particular in the Pacific a number of flying fox species have died out as a result of over-harvesting for human consumption.

Varieties of fruit bats, including the sizable flying fox bat, are the most popular to eat. When it comes time to cook them up, ," famed chef Anthony Bourdain cautions traveling gastronomes of a particularly pungent smell that wafts from simmering bat. But the actual flavor should be far more benign. As with many mystery meats, bat reportedly tastes a lot like chicken. To rustle up one's own batty entrée, Bourdain says to season it with some peppers, onions or garlic (not unlike a roasted chicken recipe) to mitigate that strong scent.

Flying fox and Bat recipes

A big no no with cooking bats or flying foxes is to not steam or stew them they have a very pungent smell that is not pleasent when cooked these ways.


The best and tastiest way to cook bats is to throw them on a fire whole, this will burn the fur off, and give them a nice charred flavour.

Remove them from the flames and let fire burn down to just hot coals. cut the flying foxes into four or five pieces and place on wire grill over coals at this stage you can add salt or spices to your taste or just leave as is, I like just a bit of salt, cooking time is up to you, i like well done to get that crispy taste.

The heart of the Flying fox once cooked is delicious.

Enjoy

File snakes

Adults file snakes can grow up  to 8.25 ft (2.5 m) in length. They have amazingly loose skin and are known to prey on large fish, such as eel-tailed catfish. Females are usually larger than males and they have been known to give birth to up to 17 young.
The indigenous peoples of Northern Australia often hunt these snakes as they are quite common. As the snakes are near immobilized without the support of water the hunters merely throw each newly caught snake on the bank and continue hunting until they have enough, they are then thrown on hot  fire coals and buried for about 15 minutes.

Witchetty Grub

The witchetty grub also spelled witchety grub or witjuti grub is a term used in Australia for the large, white, wood-eating larvae of several moths. Particularly it applies to the larva of the cossid moth Endoxyla leucomochla, which feeds on the roots of the Witchetty bush.

The grub is the most important insect food of the desert and was a staple in the diets of Aboriginal women and children.
I’ve tried one raw, they are very gooey and eggy and quite disgusting, but they can bite your tongue if you forget to bite their heads off. When cooked some say the flavour is variously described as almond-like or similar to peanut butter. Some popular recipes include Singed Witchetty Grubs and Witchetty Grub Soup.


Barbecued  Grubs

Barbecued, witchetties are often eaten as an appetizer. They are cooked over a fire on pieces of wire, rather like shasliks or satays. It takes about two minutes each side for the meat to become white and chewy and the skin crusty. Barbecued witchetties taste quite like chicken or prawns, serve with a peanut sauce.

Kangaroo inside a emu recipe

Roasted Emu stuffed with Kangaroo 

KANGAMU

Dont go cooking lamb or beef on Australia day use Kangaroo or Emu our Aussie Coat of Arms.

Chuck some Roo or Emu on the Barbie its lean its tasty and goes great with Beer and Bundy Rum not just Beer or Rum both together remember its Australia Day you have to get smashed.

Aussie Meat Pie (Roo Pie)

1kg Kangaroo mince 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium brown onion, finely chopped

2 rashers fatty bacon, rind trimmed chopped small

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 cups salt-reduced beef stock

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

4 sheets frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, partially thawed, halved diagonally

2 sheets frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, partially thawed, quartered

1 egg, lightly beaten

Tomato sauce,

 Cook Roo mince, bacon and onion in a frying pan for 8 to 10 minutes or till brown.

Add tomato paste and flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until combined. Add stock and thyme. Stir to combine.

Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened and meat is tender. Season with pepper. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Line eight 7.5cm round pie moulds with shortcrust pastry. Trim excess.

Fill cases with kangaroo mixture. Top with puff pastry. Trim excess. Press edges together with a fork to seal.

Using a small sharp knife, cut a small cross in pie tops. Brush with egg. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Serve with tomatoe sauce

Enjoy with a shit load of Beer and a bottle of Bundy 

Emu Burgers

3 kg minced Emu

2 bacon rashers 

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

6 large onion slices

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 hamburger buns

Bbq Sauce

Beetroot

Tomatoe

Lettuce

Pineapple

8 Bundy and cokes

Combine Emu, worcestershire sauce, dry mustard and salt and pepper, mixing well. Shape into six patties and chuck on barbie with the onion and bacon. melt some cheese on the burgers when nearly cooked.

Toast buns on barbie, chuck on the emu burger, bacon, bbq sauce beetroot, tomatoe, lettuce, pineapple,(leave off what you dont like) and serve with heaps of nice cold cans of Bundie and coke

Makes 6 servings.

Welcome to country ceremony

Ceremonies and protocols are an important part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Incorporating ceremonies into Australia Day activities allows the wider community to share in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and promote a stronger sense of shared nationhood. Such ceremonies include Welcome to Country to welcome visitors into a community and Smoking Ceremonies to clear impurities from the land or sea.

how to make a damper

Dampers and various types of bread were baked in the ashes. Care was taken to only use the correct type of wood from which the ashes were obtained. Some woods imparted an unpleasant taste or even caused irritation or discomfort to the users. most wattles seemed to have been successfully used for baking in the ashes, yielding a fine ash that did not cause irritation.
 
 

 
 
Wattle seed Damper
 
4 cups of self raising flour
2  teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon sugar ( If you want)
90g of butter
3 tablespoons of roasted ground wattle seed
3/4  cup of milk ( if your camping and dont have milk just use water)
3/4  cup of water

Combine all ingrediants together, then kneed the dough for a bit, then roll into a ball ,and then flatten it a bit, so it looks like a thick flying saucer.

Throw onto hot ashes and cover with ashes, damper will take about 20-30 minutes.

Spread with whatever you like when cooked.( i like heaps of butter and vegemite).


Herb and Cheese Damper ( Sheila`s Damper)

1 cup (160g) wholemeal self-raising flour

1 cup (150g) white self-raising flour
60g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup (40g) grated tasty cheese
1/4 cup chopped oregano leaves
3/4 cup (185ml) milk, plus extra to glaze
1 tbs grated parmesan


You can do this one like the one above and chuck it in the fire.

But for you sheila`s  Shape into a round loaf and place on a greased baking tray. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes in oven or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Serve warm
with a glass of champagne or a cup of tea.

How to cook a Dugong

 Dugongs are one of four living species of the order Sirenia, which also includes three species of manatees.

The dugong is the only sirenian in its range, which spans the waters of some 40 countries and territories throughout the Indo-West Pacific. The dugong is largely dependent on seagrass communities for subsistence and is thus restricted to the coastal habitats which support seagrass meadows, with the largest dugong concentrations typically occurring in wide, shallow, protected areas such as bays, mangrove channels, the waters of large inshore islands and inter-reefal waters. The northern waters of Australia between Shark Bay and Moreton Bay are believed to be the dugong's contemporary stronghold.

Most Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are legally allowed to hunt dugongs in Australian waters. To them the dugong is often more than just an important food source; it is central to their culture, economy and even religion. Hunting it is an expression of their Aboriginality - tangible evidence of their skill, knowledge and oneness with the elements of their environment.

Legend has it Dugongs were often mistaken for mermaids or mermen by the first European sailors to arrive in Australia's coastal waters. 

Hunting the dugong is still done the traditional way by the Yanyuwa people of the Borroloola region in the Gulf of Carpentaria; always two harpoons have to be thrown.

The majority of dugongs live in the northern waters of Australia between Shark Bay Western Australia and Moreton Bay in Queensland. The dugong is the only strictly-marine herbivorous mammal, as all species of manatee utilize fresh water to some degree.

The dugong has been hunted for thousands of years for its meat and oil, although dugong hunting also has great cultural significance throughout its range. The dugong's current distribution is reduced and disjunct, and many populations are close to extinction.

Cooking:

When a dugong is brought back to the land for butchering, its head


must be faced back in the direction of the sea. This is so the

spirit of the dugong can return to the sea.

The only internal organ of the dugong which is eaten is the small

intestines all other organs are removed.

Dugong meat is cooked in a ground oven. 'The ground oven


is approximately 1 metre deep, 1 to 2 metres in width and 2

metres in length. The ground oven is filled with wood which is

set alight. While the‘wood is burning, the stones are thrown into the

fire to get hot.

When the wood has burnt down to hot coals the heated stones are

removed . Green mangrove branches are laid on the bed of leaves

and the hot stones placed on top of the meat., The oven is then

covered with dirt to seal in the heat. The meat is left to cook

for approx 8 hours.



After the meat has been eaten, all the scraps and bones are


thrown back into the ground oven and burnt. The belief is that

failure to dispose of the bones correctly will result in a

cessation of successful hunting. The rib-cage sections, head,

and flippers of the dugong, are considered sacred. These are the sections

which are placed into the ground oven.

Wallaby Recipes

Eat more wallaby its good for you!

Wallabies are widely distributed across Australia, particularly in more remote, heavily timbered, or rugged areas, less so on the great semi-arid plains that are better suited to the larger, leaner, and more fleet-footed kangaroos.

Wallaby meat has a rich burgundy colour, is very tender, with subtle flavour lending itself to diverse styles of preparation. It is very low in cholesterol and very low in fat, perfect for the health conscious.

Portioned and ready to cook

Wallaby has a mild game flavour and can be used as an alternative to veal or chicken. The tenderness and flavour of wallaby meat is best enhanced when lightly cooked.

Provided the following simple steps are followed, cuts of Wallaby meat can be prepared in a similar fashion as all other red meats:

Brush the meat with oil (e.g. olive , peanut or seasame) prior to cooking either by pan frying, barbecue or roasting.

Place in a hot pan and quickly turn to ensure both sides are seared (browned) , seal and turn only once to retain moisture.

Roasting is an ideal cooking method for Wallaby meat. For the best results cook at controlled temperatures. It is not recommended to overcook kangaroo and Wallaby meat as the absence of fat makes the meat dry out.

Source: Yarra valley Game Meats,www.LifeStyleFOOD.com.au





Mark Olive’s Wallaby Stack

Recipe by World Famous Chef Mark Olive from The Outback Café

Mark Olive (aka the “Black Olive”) has been a chef for over twenty years - he became interested in cooking as a child, watching his mother and aunts.

He was born in Woollongong in New South Wales, but his people are the Bundjalung nation from the state's northern rivers region.

Mark was chef at Melbourne's indigenous restaurant, the Flaming Bull, and ran his own restaurant in Sydney for a time where he specialised in creating recipes using outback ingredients.

Today he cooks regularly for gatherings of hundreds of people at big corporate and public functions in Australia, bringing his signature blend of contemporary outback tastes to every occasion.




500 g Wallaby butterfly cut steaks

1 Sweet potato thinly sliced lengthways

1 Capsicum cut into 4 equal pieces

Native Mountain Pepper

3 Dessert Spoons Seeded Mustard

1 Dessert Spoon Honey

¼ cup crushed Macadamia

1.Pre-heat oven to 200°C.

2.Prepare the steaks in a butterfly cut, and coat with native mountain pepper, set aside.

3.Coat the zucchini, sweet potato, and capsicum with olive oil and cook on a hot griddle plate until tender (do not over cook).

4.During cooking sprinkle with native mountain pepper. Remove from griddle and set aside.

5.Sear both sides of the wallaby steak quickly on a very hot griddle (should be medium rare).

6.Remove from griddle and set aside to rest.

7.On a baking tray, layer the sweet potato, zucchini, capsicum and wallaby, repeat.

8.Top with crushed macadamia nuts and place in oven until nuts are golden brown.
9.To make the sauce, mix the seeded mustard and honey in a small bowl.

10.To serve, place the stack on a plate and drizzle with the honey mustard sauced. Sprinkle native mountain pepper around the plate and add some whole roasted macadamia nuts for presentation.

Aboriginal Cooking Methods

Aborigines lived as Hunter-gatherers. They hunted and foraged for food from the land.
Australian Aboriginal cooking methods are unique, most of them originating in and around outdoor fires. Boiling and barbecuing are newer techniques that they have learned.
Aboriginals ate a balanced diet before the invasion of the British Crown, including seasonal fruits, nuts, roots vegetables, wattles, other plant food, many types of meats, and seafood.


Aboriginal Cooking Methods


 Roasting on hot coals:

· The basic technique for cooking flesh, including most meats, fish and small turtles.
A further slow roasting, involving covering with coals and ashes may have then
been employed to thoroughly cook the meat or to soften an otherwise tough meat.
After cooking, the meat would be quickly consumed.
· For game, such as a kangaroo, the fur would first be singed off in the flames. As
the carcase started to swell, it would be removed from the flames, gutted and the
remains of the fur scraped off with a sharp implement. By this time the fire would
be a bed of hot coals on which the carcase would be further cooked. It is unlikely
that cooking would be complete by this method, the meat would be rare but
probably relished by all, particularly the men of the group.
· Smaller game would be more thoroughly cooked by this method.
· Shellfish would be cooked briefly on the coals at the side of a fire so that, as soon as
the contents started to froth, they were removed from the heat. This method
avoided the shellfish being overcooked and tough.

Baking in the ashes

Dampers and various types of bread were baked in the ashes. Care was taken to only
use the correct type of wood from which the ashes were obtained. Some woods
imparted an unpleasant taste or even caused irritation or discomfort to the users. most
wattles seemed to have been successfully used for baking in the ashes, yielding a fine
ash that did not cause irritation. Witchetty grubs only required to be briefly rolled in
the hot ashes to cook them. Often damper or goanna would be placed on the hot
ground beneath the ashes and covered with more ash to cook. A scooped out hollow
was often made in which to cook yams and other small vegetables by then covering
them with a further layer of ash and coals.





Steaming in a ground oven

Aboriginal cooking methods using ancient ground ovens still exist, particularly in the Wiradjuri area, along the Darling,
Murrumbidgee and Lachlan Rivers. At Lake Urana in western NSW I have seen such
ovens and only recognised them after having them explained to me. The ovens were
prepared by digging out a pit about 90 cm long and 60 cm deep, taking care to collect
any clay from the digging. The clay, usually fashioned into smooth lumps, would be
placed aside until the pit had been filled with selected firewood and then placed on
top. As the wood burned, the clay would dry quickly and become very hot. These
clay lumps, nearly red hot, would be removed from the pit using sticks for tongs, the
pit swept out and quickly lined with green leaves or grass on which small game such
as possums would be lain, covered by more green grass and weighed down by the clay lumps. All this was covered with earth from the original excavation to prevent loss of
steam. This method of cooking produced excellent results. In areas such as Arnhem Land, wrapping in moist paperbark from the Melaleuca trees is still a popular method
of cooking vegetables and meat in a ground oven. Iron particles in ground ovens
became aligned according to the magnetic field of the earth at the time the ovens were
last used – from this the age of the ovens could be calculated, a bonus for
archaeologists.

Goat Recipes

Goats originally came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. Current feral goat populations are descended from these and subsequent animals that were introduced for a variety of reasons. During the 19th Century, goats were set free on islands and on the mainland by mariners to ensure emergency supplies of food.

A few years ago there were about 2.6 million feral goats in Australia but this number has fluctuated widely under the influence of extended dry periods and the effectiveness of management programs.

In Australia, feral goats have been estimated to cause losses to pastoralism of $25 million per year.
Feral goats also adversely affect conservation values and biological diversity by damaging the vegetation and competing with native fauna. Their damage is most obvious and most severe on small islands.

Australia is the largest exporter of goat meat and live goats in the world exporting:

•19,000 tonnes of meat per annum to approximately 25 countries
•50,000 live goats to 15 countries
Major markets have traditionally been the US and Taiwan for meat and Malaysia for live export.

Goat is very low in fat, which is healthy but it also means that it can dry out in the cooking process. So when you are roasting cook on low heat or even use an oven bag.

Source Feral.org.au,Wiki.





Roasted Goat

Shoulder or leg of Goat
1 tspn vegimite or Bonox
Srig of rosemary
1 tbspn olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
pepper
1 Lemon or lime rind

Cut small insertions into the leg of goat with the tip of a sharp knife. Into these holes place slivers of garlic. Next rub the surface of the meat with the vegimite. Don't make it too thick. Sprinkle lightly with pepper and Lemon or lime rind
and roughly chopped rosemary.

Pre-heat roasting dish and place tbspn of oil in bottom of pan. Next place the goat into oven and cook on low to moderate oven approx 150 c for 4 hours.

Delicious!!!


Gourmet Goat

by Sue Gauge

1 leg of Goat 1/3 cup cider
1/2 cup dried apricots tbspn olive oil
herbs and spices of own choice
salt and pepper to taste.

Wash and dry the meat. Prepare a piece of alfoil big enough to wrap the joint in. Place meat on alfoil and cover with a little oil, herbs and spices to your own taste (Sue uses:- basil, rosemary, black pepper and a little tabasco)

Place a few dried apricots on top of and under the meat and drizzle the cider over them, being careful not to 'wash' the herbs off. Wrap the alfoil loosely around the parcel and seal the seams.

Roast in a medium oven 160-180 c for 2 - 2 1/2 hours depending on the size of the leg.

Make gravy using the cider and juices out of the meat parcel while meat is resting prior to being carved.

Goanna Recipes

Goannas are a protected species throughout Australia



Goannas are found throughout most of Australia, except for Tasmania, and manage to persist in a variety of environments. Most species are known to climb trees or outcrops, there are plenty of primarily arboreal species.

It is used by the aboriginal people for bush medicine and is a stable source of food hunted by  both men and women.




Flame roasted Goanna

Source : Mjhall.org


You can catch the goanna in trees or on the ground. When they're in trees you throw a stick at them. If they're in the ground you might have to dig it out of the ground. If you want to cook the Goanna throw it on to burning flames to singe the skin. Cook them in ashes (put them over the ashes). If it is pregnant lay it on its belly so the eggs do not burst.

Buffalo Recipes

Source:The Australian Buffalo Industry Council Inc

The first buffalo arrived in the Northern Territory at Melville Island in 1825, further buffalo were introduced around that time as more outposts were set up in the Top End, a large free range population developed from buffalo that were left behind as these outposts were abandoned or escaped during relocation.

It was not until the mid 1980’s that any significant number of buffalo were sent from the NT to other Australian states.


Buffalo meat is very low in fat, less than 2% and comparatively low in cholesterol, this leanness makes buffalo meat very healthy. The fat composition in the lean meat has a higher proportion of polyunsaturated and omega 3 fatty acids than in chicken lamb or beef. Buffalo meat has been found to be very high in protein, iron and zinc content.

Buffalo Milk has

58% more calcium than cows milk!
40% more protein than cows milk!
43% less cholesterol than cows milk!

Buffalo milk is a totally natural product that can be consumed like any other milk. Time after time participants in tasting trials pick out buffalo milk in preference to cows, goats and artificially manufactured milks. They just love the taste.



Nutrition

Buffalo meat has about the same protein content as chicken, 45% more iron, 61% less saturated fat and 33% less cholesterol.

Buffalo Burger Skillet

700 grams ground buffalo
1/2 onion, chopped
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
250gms can tomato sauce
1 cup stewed tomatoes OR diced tomatoes
300gms can whole kernel corn, drained

1 1/2 cups cooked elbow macaroni

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground buffalo for 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute for 5 to 10 more minutes. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomato sauce, stewed OR diced tomatoes, corn and macaroni. Stir well and allow to heat through, about 5 to 7 minutes.


Buffalo Meat Loaf

1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 kg ground buffalo
3 slices bread, broken up into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and mustard powder. In a separate large bowl, combine the buffalo, bread, onion, egg, bouillon, remaining lemon juice and 1/3 of the ketchup mixture from the small bowl. Mix this well and place in a 13x23cm (5x9 inch) loaf pan. Bake at 175 degrees C (350 degrees F) for 1 hour, coat with remaining ketchup mixture and bake for 10 more minutes


Buffalo Nacho Dip

500 gms ground buffalo
1 (500gms) container salsa
1 (250gms) carton sour cream
1/2 head lettuce, finely shredded
250gms shredded Cheddar cheese


Place buffalo in a large skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until browned. Stir in salsa, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pat cooked meat into bottom of a pie plate, cover, and refrigerate. When meat is completely chilled, spread sour cream over meat. Arrange lettuce evenly over sour cream, and top with Cheddar cheese.


Onion Mushroom Burgers

2 lb. Buffalo Burger
1 cup finely chopped onions
½ cup sliced mushrooms
Fresh ground black pepper
¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce

Combine mushrooms, onions and burger in mixing bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce. Knead until mixed thoroughly. Make into six patties. Grind Pepper on each side of patties and rub into meat. Pan fry, broil, or grill.


STEWS

Mexican Style Buffalo Stew

1.5kgs boneless buffalo chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 TBS. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. ready-to-serve beef broth
1 c. prepared thick and chunky salsa
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick pieces
1 can black beans, drained (400gms.)
1/2 c. whole corn kernels, frozen
2 TBS. cornstarch dissolved in 3 TBS. water

In Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook and stir buffalo in 2 batches; brown evenly. Pour off drippings. Return buffalo to pan. Season with salt. Stir in broth and salsa. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer gently 1-1/4 hours. Stir in zucchini, beans and corn. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover tightly and continue simmering 15 to 20 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Serve with toppings, if desired. Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Quick Buffalo Stew

1kg ground buffalo
4 (500gms) cans mixed vegetables
4 (500gms) cans chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
ground black pepper
salt

In a large soup pot, cook ground meat over medium heat until browned. Add chopped onion, mixed vegetables, and tomatoes. Give it a stir. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 3 to 4 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


STEAK RECIPES

Zesty Steak Marinade

1/3 Cup Steak Sauce
1/3 Cup Barbecue Sauce br> 1 clove minced garlicbr> 1 teaspoon onion powder

Mix steak sauce, barbecue sauce, garlic and onion powder into bowl.
Use to marinate steaks in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.


Sirloin Steak Skewers

2 - 250gm. Buffalo Sirloin Steaks, about 13mm thick
1/3 cup A.1. Steak Sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1. Pound steak to 6mm thickness. Spread 2 tablespoons steak sauce over meat. Sprinkle peppers evenly over steak sauce.
2. Roll up steak from short edge; cut crosswise into 8 coiled slices. On each of 4 skewers, thread 2 steak rolls through coils to secure.
3. Grill roulades over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until done, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining 1/4 cup steak sauce. Serve immediately.


Peppery Filet Mignon in Red Wine

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 - 170mm. Buffalo Filet Mignons
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup steak Sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed

1. Sprinkle pepper over both sides of steaks, pressing into steak.
2. Brown steaks in hot oil in skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness; remove from skillet and keep warm.
3. Cook and stir onion in same skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender.
4. Stir in steak sauce, wine and marjoram. Heat to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes or until there is about 1/3 cup sauce remaining. Serve over steaks.


Honey Mustard Sirloin

1/2 cup dijon mustard
3 tablespoons apple juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
3 - 250gm. Buffalo top sirloin steaks

Cook on grill over medium heat.
Combine the mustard, apple juice, cinnamon and honey. Brush one side of the steak with the sauce. Grill and turn, adding more sauce.
Grill to desired doneness


Buffalo Sir fry and Spinach over pasta


500gm. Buffalo Sirloin steak
170gms. cooked thin spaghetti
1 pkg. fresh spinach, stems removed and thinly sliced (280gms.)
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained (250gms.)
1/4 c. green onions, sliced
2 TBS. red chili peppers, chopped

Marinade:
1/4 c. hoisin sauce
2 TBS. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 TBS. water
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Stack steaks; cut lengthwise in half and then crosswise into 1-inch wide strips. Combine marinade ingredients; add buffalo, tossing to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions; keep warm.
Remove meat from marinade. Bring marinade to a rolling boil; reserve marinade. Heat large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add buffalo (half at a time) and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until outside is no longer pink. (Do not overcook). Remove buffalo; keep warm.
In same skillet, combine pasta, spinach, water chestnuts, green onions and reserved marinade; cook until spinach is wilted and mixture is heated through, stirring occasionally. Return buffalo to skillet; mix lightly. Garnish with chili peppers. Makes 5 servings

Camel Recipes

Spidercam

Australian camels, roving in the only feral herds of their kind in the world and estimated to number 1,000,000, are descendants of camels imported into Australia, beginning in the mid-1800s, to help lay the foundations of the nation. Shipments came largely from the Indian subcontinent, but animals were also landed from Muscat, Yemen, Iraq and the Canary Islands.

Feral Camels in outback Australia

Australian camel meat can be cooked in almost any method in which you would cook lamb, (and it is a similar taste), the very best method is roasting.

Camel meat is a speciality in the Middle East

Roast Camel


In a deep roasting pan, or double pan if available, place approximately an inch (15cms) of water. Add the Camel meat roast. A sprinkle of curry powder is a good touch if the meat is not already marinated. Cover the meat with aluminium foil which will be removed in the last half hour of cooking.

By roasting in the water rather than oil, the meat will remain tender rather than drying out to which it is prone. The addition of a few peeled onions to the water will enhance the overall flavour.

Camel is often prepared as a stew. The small chopped pieces of meat tossed on plain flour before being added to a vegetable stock. With the addition of chosen vegetables and diced onion, ground black pepper and salt, and slow cooking, the stew produces a succulent melt in the mouth meal.

Camel can also be minced and used as burger meat. Once again we add chopped onion, choice of herbs, dash of curry powder, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix and cook exactly as you would with any hamburger mince. Diced bacon is an optional extra which may be added to main mix.

The camel neck is ideal for soups. It is very meaty and in a good vegetable stock will come away from the bone nicely. Diced root vegetables and onion with the addition of crushed tomatoes will make a hearty meal for a cold winters day. Enjoy!

Source:DK Mitchel at Helium.com

Crocodile Recipes

In northern Australia (which includes the top ends of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland) the Saltwater Crocodile is thriving, particularly in the multiple river systems near Darwin (such as the Adelaide, Mary and Daly Rivers, along with their adjacent billabongs and estuaries) where exceptionally large (6 meter +) individuals are not uncommon. A rough estimate states that the Australian Saltwater Crocodile population stands somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 adults.

Crocodile meat is a succulent white meat, akin to fish in both appearance and texture, but the taste of chicken and therefore best cooked in the same manner as chicken or lean pork.

Crocodile is easy to prepare and cook. It is best cooked from frozen as during the

thawing process most of the moisture runs out decreasing the flavour. It should be

cooked for two minutes on either side and then allowed to stand for a few

minutes. It is best served just cooked (in red meat terms, medium rare). Remove

excess fat after cooking. Do not use a large number of ingredients (other than

herbs or spices) - no more than three is recommended. If frying, always use butter

or olive oil as they will not impart a flavour that is unique. Do not use margarine as

the hydrogenated fats can emit an unpleasant flavour and prevent you from using

other dairy products such as cream in the recipe. Keep it plain and simple.

Crocodile kebabs

100 gm crocodile boneless tail per serve

1/4 pawpaw

60 ml white wine

Olive oil

Bananas

Slice crocodile tail fillet into 3/8-1/2 inch (10-15 mm) medallions across the grain.

Thread medallions onto wet bamboo kebab sticks. Crush pawpaw into a flat

casserole dish, adding wine and a splash of olive oil. Add the kebabs making sure

they are completely covered and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To cook, pre-heat chargrill-style BBQ, eg an open grill using rocks/coal, not a

plate. Place kebabs over coals and cook until just browned. Do not overcook. Place

on a plate in a warm place for the same amount of time it took to cook the

kebabs.

To cook bananas, allow 1 banana per serve. Use firm, just off bright yellow

bananas. Do not peel, cut lengthways and sprinkle brown sugar and nutmeg or

ginger over the sliced surface and BBQ without turning. The coating will melt and

the soft banana can be served whole. Prepare a platter with barbecued bananas

placed around a dish, place kebabs in the centre of the platter and serve

immediately with a cold cucumber and yoghurt salad with some crusty fresh bread.

Crocodile larrikin-style

100 gm crocodile boneless tail fillet per serve

15 gm butter per serve

20-30 ml lemon juice

100 ml thickened cream per serve

Pinch of crushed garlic per serve

Cutting across the grain, slice the tail fillet into medallions and, if necessary, cut

into short lengths of even dimension. Each medallion should be approximately 3/8

inch or 10 mm thick. (This stage can be pre-done and the resulting medallions laid

out separately on a suitable tray and frozen for subsequent use.) Add medallions

to the just browning butter and reduce heat to prevent the butter from burning. If

the medallions are frozen, cook a little longer. Do not turn more than once. When

cooked, place the meat in a bowl in a warm place or oven.

De-glaze pan with lemon or lime juice (a bottled variety is suitable) and

immediately add cream. Swirl and add garlic and bring to boil. Simmer till reduced,

so that the sauce will coat the spoon. Place meat on platter, add juices in bowl to

sauce, stir and pour sauce over medallions. Serve immediately, accompanied with

a fresh, cold, crisp salad as a starter. Alternatively, serve with BBQ bananas. It is

recommended that salad dressing not be used as it may clash with the sauce.

Skewered crocodile with lime and ginger sauce

Makes 4 entree portions

400 g crocodile meat, cut into 2 cm cubes

40 ml lime juice

200 ml chicken stock

30 ml honey

30 g brown sugar

5 g ginger, finely diced

30 ml olive oil

10 g cornflour

Salt and pepper to taste

8 bamboo skewers

Thread crocodile meat onto bamboo skewers, place in a flat dish, season with salt

and pepper, pour lime juice over and place in fridge for about 1 hour. Remove

skewers from refrigeration, saving residual lime juice for the sauce. Heat olive oil

in a frying pan and sauté crocodile for about 5 minutes, set aside and keep

warm. Combine lime juice, honey, brown sugar, ginger, chicken stock and

cornflour in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

Place skewers on plates, spoon sauce over meat and garnish with fresh herbs.