Episode 13 - Memses' Curse

The final episode of the series is not based on any Kerry Greenwood novel, but it will - presumably - complete the narrative arc of the introduced back-story of the abduction of Phryne's sister by the abominable Murdoch Foyle. 

The ABC-TV website gives this synopsis: "Murdoch Foyle is at large and has been connected with the mysterious death of Albert Monkton, antique dealer. In investigating the murder, Phryne discovers Murdoch Foyle’s involvement in a bizarre reincarnation cult, inspired by Ancient Egypt". 

Has Foyle mummified Phryne's missing sister? And does he plan to make a pair of matching female book-ends?

With no novel to provide menu ideas, tonight's dinner is white vegetable soup, tender young roast pork with sage and onion stuffing, apple sauce and gravy followed by a raspberry souffle. Apart from anything else, I want to use the leftover roast in a traditional Australian curried pork on Sunday night - complete with Keen's Curry Powder, apples and sultanas.

Raspberry Souffle

Boulestins' recipe for raspberry souffle is essentially a creme patisserie flavoured with maraschino, rum or Curacao. He adds a strawberry, not raspberry, puree and a few whole raspberries before folding in the whipped egg whites.

Instead of strawberries, I used a small punnet of raspberries, reserving four for decoration, and simmered the rest in a little sugar and pinot noir, then sieved the liquor into the creme patisserie.

My souffles turned out a little raw in the middle after 15 minutes, and required another 5 or 10 minutes in the oven.

Raspberry Souffle

125g raspberries
75ml pinot noir
280 ml milk
vanilla bean
30g plain flour
120g white sugar, plus extra for the puree and dusting the souffle dishes
4 eggs, separated

Reserve four raspberries, and in a small saucepan cook the remaining raspberries in the wine and sugar, simmering slowly until reduced to a thick liquor.

In another pan, heat the milk with a vanilla pod and keep it hot.

In the top of a double boiler on a low heat, beat together the three egg yolks, flour and sugar. Stir in the milk, little by little, whipping well until it reaches the consistency of thick cream. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Sieve the raspberry puree into the mixture.

Whip the four egg whites into a stiff froth, then fold the whites into the raspberry creme patisserie mixture.

Fill four souffle dishes, buttered and sprinkled with sugar, up to three-quarters full. Cook in a moderate oven 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes test to see if done and top with the whole raspberries.

Episode 8 - Away with the Fairies

Miss Lavender's garden apartment has a path flanked with garden gnomes leading to the door, her taste in interior design tends towards pink and fairies, and she writes and illustrates the sort of children's stories that end with a moral. No wonder she is murdered.

In the course of her investigations, Phryne Fisher takes a job at the women's magazine which published Miss Lavender's stories (because mothers expected them) and her agony aunt responses to reader's letters (who expected her grim Presbyterian rectitude).

Between writing fashion notes, interviewing Miss Lavender's fellow tenants and waiting with increasing alarm for the return of her lover Lin Chung from a silk-buying trip to Shanghai, Phryne barely has time for the occasional salad lunch at the Adventuresses Club. Her one proper dinner at home is spoiled when she learns that Lin Chung is being held hostage by pirates.

Like Phryne's dinner of soup, poulet ragout and apple charlotte, the menu for tonight's episode tends towards green and pink: 

Green Pea Soup

Poulet Saute Bourguignonne

Raspberry Souffle