Anne Pollard (Née Morgan)

Anne grew up at Quindanning, the granddaughter of pioneering farmers in that area. She attended the tiny Quindanning State School (now the Post Office) and her secondary education was five years at Bunbury High School. After training as a nurse at Royal Perth Hospital, Anne came to work at the Boddington hospital, during which time she met and married her husband, Alex. Anne, Alex and, daughters Libby and Sandy live on the historic Pollard family property at Bannister. Anne, a former Arts Council treasurer and a current committee and Finance Committee member was “persuaded” to join the first pottery workshop held in Boddington (I think mainly to make up numbers) and, immediately became hooked. “Clay is a wonderful medium – it has a most marvellous feel and presents a fresh challenge each week”. Anne has become a skilled potter and apart from serious work produces some marvellous whimsical pieces. When hot helping out on the farm or busy in her house or lovely native garden, Ann plays golf.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

4 large onoons

60 g butter

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon flour

2 470g cans beef consommé

3 cups water

Pepper

8 slices bread

120 g grated cheddar cheese

60 g grated parmesan cheese

Method

Heat butter in a large saucepan, add peeled and sliced onions and sauce until onions are golden brown. Add sugar and flour, stir until combined. Stir in consommé and water. Bring to the boil. Simmer, covered, for thirty minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cut bread slices into 10 cm rounds and toast. Cover slices with grated cheese and put under grill until cheese is golden brown. Put one cheese slice into each bowl. pour over hot soup and serve immediately. If you are really into onions, garnish with finely chopped shallots.

Zucchini Pickles

Ingredients

10 small zucchini

2 capsicums

8 white onions

½ cup salt

5 cups white vinegar

½ teaspoon cloves

1 tablespoon celery seeds

5 cups sugar

½ teaspoon turmeric

Method

Slice zucchini, capsicums and, onions and cover with ice (at least three trays of ice), salt and water. Leave for two to three hours.

Place vinegar, cloves, celery seeds, sugar and turmeric in a large pot and bring to the boil. Boil for five minutes. Add strained vegetable mix and bring back to boil quickly. Leave for three minutes and bottle, while hot, in warm jars. Keeps well.

Pear Chutney

Ingredients

1½ kg pears

500 g onions

250 g sugar

125 g seedless raisins

3 small or 1 Largs capsicum

1 cup malt vinegar

Rind and juice of 1 lemon

Rind and juice of 1 orange

½ level teaspoon ground cloves

1 level teaspoon ground ginger

1 level teaspoon salt

Method

Peal and chop pears and onions. Place all ingredients in a large pan. Bring slowly to the boil and simmer for 2 hours until thick and smooth. Remove capsicum and pour into hot jars and seal.

Zabaglione

This makes an excellent topping for fresh fruit or poured whil still warm over icecream. Anne has accompanied this recipe with a most appropriate quote. “When the wine is the wet is out.”

Ingredients

5 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup of marsala (or any favourite liqueur)

Method

Combine egg yokes and sugar in the top of double saucepan. Beat for a few minutes off heat until well combined. Put mixture over simmering water and gradually beat in half the marsala and half the white wine. Beat well before gradually beating in the remainder of the wine and marsala.

beat mixture constantly for about 10 minutes until thick and creamy. If the mixture adheres to the side of the pan, remove from the heat immediately and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon, especially around the base. Pour into individual dishes.

Serves 4.

Recipes and Reminiscences

Recipe Index