Our beautiful Preps to Year 2 students did a marvellous job cooking for the Maleny Show. They cooked sweet potato and sage scones, pikelets, lavender biscuits, orange cake, and olive and rosemary damper. It was all delicious and looked great.

The competition was high, but we came away with a first for our damper and a third for our orange cake. Well done to all the students involved. A lot of fun was had.

In Kitchen Garden we cooked the Olive and Rosemary Damper in Weeks 7 and 8 for all the children so they could sample try their first prize damper.

Here is the recipe:

Rosemary and Olive Damper

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups (525g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (85g) polenta (cornmeal)
3/4 cup (60g) finely grated parmesan
50g chilled butter, chopped
1/2 cup (75g) pitted green olives, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (75g) pitted kalamata olives, thinly sliced
1 tbs coarsely chopped rosemary
1 tbs coarsely chopped oregano
2 cups (500ml) buttermilk
Rosemary sprigs, to serve
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a 10-cup (2.5L) ovenproof casserole pan with baking paper.

Step 2
Combine the flour, polenta and 1/2 cup (40g) of the parmesan in a large bowl. Season. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the combined olive, rosemary and oregano. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Add the buttermilk and use a round-bladed knife to stir until a soft, sticky dough forms. Turn onto a well-floured work surface and gently knead until just smooth. Shape the dough into a disc and place in the prepared pan.

Step 3
Use a small sharp knife to cut a cross into the top of the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining parmesan. Bake for 45 mins or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the top.

Step 4
Serve warm or at room temperature with rosemary sprigs and oil.

Debbie Goddard, Kitchen Garden Convenor

GCC families can see all the photos on Pixevety.