Aussie cooking

[Woftam]

Damper

Damper can be baked on the open fire or in a regular oven although you are not going to get the authentic smoky bush taste from a regular oven. As is typical of hand-me-down recipes, there are as many versions as there are bush babies. As kids we used to wrap the dough around a stick and cook over an open fire guaranteeing a damper that was black on the outside and raw in the middle.

2 cups self-rising flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the butter until fine crumbs form. Add milk to make a soft dough. Knead lightly on floured board until smooth. Shape into round loaf, brush with milk, and bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped.

Usually served hot with butter and either jam or honey.

Variations

Cattleman’s Damper

3 parts self-raising flour to 1 part full cream powdered milk

1/2 teaspoon of salt

6 cans of beer (use one can for the damper and drink the others!)

Mix dry ingredients together. Add one can of beer while continuously mixing (and drinking) until a soft bread-like dough forms. Shape into a large ball and place in the well greased camp oven. Place the camp oven amongst the coals or heat beads ensuring an even spread on the lid and leave to cook for about 20 minutes. Then keep checking progress.

Your damper should have a golden brown colour and should sound hollow when tapped (the same sound as your head if you've knocked off the other five cans). If not, replace the lid and keep cooking (and drinking) remembering to check from time to time if by then you are still interested in cooking a damper.

NOTE: Increasing the number of cans of beer may not affect the damper, but.......

Cheese Damper

Add ½ to 1 cup of grated cheddar before adding milk.

Goes well with vegemite

[Aughnanure]

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