Garlic Potato Wedges

I think it's roasting the garlic beforehand, which gives it a lovely sweet, smoky taste, which sets this variation of my own devising apart from all the other recipes I've experimented with to try and find the ultimate Garlic Potato Wedge.

For two people:

• 1 large potato, cut into wedges (peel or leave unpeeled, as you prefer it!)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of paprika

1. Drizzle the unpeeled garlic cloves with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and bake for about 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees F, stirring occasionally, until soft.
2. Meanwhile cut the potatoes into thick wedges and cook in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse them in cold water. Dry them well and dust with flour, shaking off any excess.
3. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the rest of the olive oil (discarding the skins), mix in the paprika. Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Tip the wedges into a roasting tin and spread them out so they're not touching. Roast at 450 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden-brown, turning them over a few times so they brown evenly and don't stick. Yum!

These are good served as an accompaniment for just about anything, or piled in a bowl and shared with a partner as a movie snack :)

Warm pumpkin and chickpea salad with tahini

Ingredients

• 500g pumpkin or squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
• ½ clove garlic, crushed
• pinch ground allspice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 125g cooked chickpeas, or 1 x 200g/7oz tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ½ small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  For the tahini sauce
• ½ clove garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
• 1½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1½ tbsp tahini paste
• 1 tbsp water, to taste
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Toss the pumpkin with the garlic, allspice, olive oil and some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a tray in the oven for about 15-25 minutes or until soft. Remove and cool.
3. While the pumpkin is cooking, make the tahini sauce. Mix the crushed garlic with the lemon juice and add the tahini. Thin with water and olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. You should taste a balance between the nutty tahini and lemon.
4. To assemble the salad, place the pumpkin, chickpeas, red onion and coriander in a mixing bowl. Pour on the tahini sauce and toss carefully. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

This recipe originated on the BBC Food site

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brown Rice Risotto

Loosley based on a recipe from a book long since returned to the library, but with just about every ingredient substituted anyway to what I normally have in the cupboards. This is scribbled down from memory as I made it last night. I don't see any reason why pumpkin couldn't be used instead of butternut squash.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped, or 1 leek, sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 1 clove garlic
• 2oz mushrooms
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• olive oil
• 120g brown Basmati rice
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1" cubes
• 1 small courgette, sliced
• 1 coarsely grated carrot
• 70ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 25g Parmesan, grated
• 1/2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley

Methodology:

1. Soak the brown rice in water for 20 mins beforehand, then drain and cook in fresh water until just done, approx 20 mins.
2. Preheat oven to gas mark 5. Heat half the olive oil in an roasting tin, add the squash and half the thyme, season with black pepper and salt. Roll the squash around to get it oiled all over, and roast for 20-30 mins until soft and just starting to brown.
3. Heat half the butter and the rest of the oil in a large pan, fry the onions and garlic until soft, add the mushrooms and courgettes and cook until just going brown.
4. Add the grated carrot, stir through and cook for 2 mins.
5. Add the rice, the rest of the thyme, the parsley and the stock and cook half-covered for 5 mins.
6. Add half the Parmesan and the roasted squash and stir through. Season to taste.
7. Serve straight away with the rest of the Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Mushroom Rice

Quick, simple, reliable, and can be either a light meal or a side dish. What more can anyone want?

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound mushrooms (you can use any combination including field, button, shiitake, oyster, and portabello mushrooms)
• 2 scallions or shallots, or half an onion diced very fine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. In a large heavy saucepan, bring rice and water with salt to a boil. Stir rice once and cook, covered, over moderately low heat for 6 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat, drain off the water, and let rice stand, covered with a towel-wrapped lid, for 5 minutes (it's fine to leave it longer until you're ready to use it!)
3. Cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices and chop the scallions/shallots/onion.
4. In a skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and sauté the mushrooms with salt to taste until golden and any liquid given off is evaporated. If you're using shallots or an onion, brown those along with the mushrooms.
5. Add the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine is evaporated.
6. Fluff the rice up with a fork, stir in the mushrooms and scallions and sprinkle over the parsley before serving.

Tip: To make this a main meal for non-veggies, you can add stir in shredded cooked chicken at the end and heat through thoroughly.

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto

This one is a great recipe if, like me, you have a vegetarian and a meat-eater in the house and don't want to be arsing about making two seperate meals. You can just make this (using vegetarian stock) up to stage 3, then add the peas in and set aside a portion to keep meat-free before adding the chicken to the rest.

Ingredients:

• Knob of butter
• 1/2 onion , finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
• 150g risotto rice
• 1 glass white wine
• 500ml chicken or vegetable stock, heated to simmering
• Handful peas, cooked
• Cooked or leftover roast chicken, torn into strips, no skin
• 25g Parmesan, grated
• 100g fresh mushrooms cleaned and sliced
• A little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
• Flat leaved parsley, chopped
• Lemon juice

Methodology:

1. Melt a knob of butter in a large pan, add the mushrooms, onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in the rice until coated with butter.
2. Add half the wine and stir until evaporated. Add the stock a ladle at a time until the rice is cooked but still with a little bite, adding in the rest of the wine with the last of the stock. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the peas and chicken in the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through.
4. When the rice is tender and the risotto is thick and creamy remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan and a squirt of lemon juice and leave to rest for about 30 seconds, before garnishing with the parsley and some shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Serves two people

Apple-Honey Scones

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, chilled
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped apple
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/3 cup honey

For the topping:

• 1 tablespoon wheat germ
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2. Combine the first seven ingredients; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Combine the apple, milk and honey, and mix into the dry ingredients until they are just moistened.
4. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface - knead gently 5-6 times. Pat into 9-inch circle.
5. Combine remaining ingredients - sprinkle over dough.
6. Cut into 10 wedges; place 1/2 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake 16-18 minutes.

Phoenician Honey Cakes (Melomakarona or Finikia)

These small honey cakes offered to callers at a Greek home at Christmas and New Year. The recipe for these cakes is said to have been brought to Greece by the Phoenicians. I don't make them often, as they are far too indulgent for an everyday kind of snack - they are a special treat! Best served with a Turkish coffee.

Ingredients

• 375 ml olive oil (use one of the light varieties)
• 375 ml unsalted butter, softened
• 125ml sugar
• 375 ml orange juice (or half retsina or dry white wine)
• 10 ml baking powder
• 125 ml brandy
• Grated orange rind
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1.3 kilos of all purpose flour
• Chopped walnuts or almonds
• Cinnamon
• A syrup made by boiling together 375 ml honey, 375 ml sugar and 375 ml water and the juice of 1 lemon for 5 minutes.

Methodology

• Preheat the oven to 180 C and lightly oil several baking sheets.
• Beat together the olive oil, butter and sugar.
• Dissolve the baking powder in the orange juice and combine in a jug with the brandy and orange rind. Beat the liquid into the oil and sugar mixture and then gradually add the flour until a soft dough is formed.
• Knead the dough lightly and form little balls the size and shape of an egg; flatten balls lightly on an oiled baking sheet.
• Bake in a moderate oven (190 C) for 15-25 minutes until they are browned. When the cakes are cooked, take them from the oven and while they are still warm, lower each one into the hot syrup for 2/3 minutes.
• Place them on greaseproof paper to cool. Sprinkle them with chopped walnuts or almonds and cinnamon.

Blackberry Muffins

At this time of year I go mad and bring home buckets of blackberries (and we don't have a freezer) and everyone ends up groaning, "Oh no, not blackberry and apple pie again!". So this is a nice alternative way of using them, and I have to say these are damned good consumed with a cup of hot chocolate in front of the wood-burning stove.

Ingredients

• 200g/7oz plain wholemeal flour
• 85g/3oz caster sugar (I usually only use 2 oz as I don't like muffins too sweet)
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 142ml/5fl oz buttermilk* or sour cream or yoghurt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 42g/1 1/2oz butter, melted
• 125g/5oz blackberries (be generous, I normally throw in a few more for good luck)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5. Grease a 6-hole muffin tin (you'll probably have more batter than just for 6 muffins, I normally get about 8 or 9)
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla essence and melted butter together.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the ingredients are just combined and the mixture is quite stiff, but be careful not to overmix - it should be lumpy!
5. Lightly fold in the blackberries, then spoon the mixture into the tins to fill the holes generously.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes until risen and pale golden on top. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Like all muffins these don't keep well and are best eaten the same day. You were going to do that anyway right?

Buttermilk Substitute

Yeah, I never have any on hand either, and my local supermarkets only sporadically keep it. So, here's a good way to 'sour' milk to use in the place of buttermilk.

To each cup of milk, add 1 1/2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice or 1 1/3 tbsp of cider vinegar. For best results warm the milk through slightly first. Let the soured milk stand for at least five mins before using it to give it time to thicken.

Soured milk will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in a tightly covered container.

Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto with pinenuts

I love squash but finding things to do with them apart from soup can be tricky. So I was pleased to find this recipe; even better when I tried it and it worked! You could probably also do this a pumpking, though I've not tried that - yet!

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash (or half a big one)
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 7 or 8 sage leaves, chopped
• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Large knob of butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 200g arborio or other Italian risotto rice
• 1 glass white wine
• 500ml hot vegetable stock
• handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
• 30g pinenuts, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Cut the butternut squash into 4 pieces, remove the seeds and place in a roasting tray. Pound or chop the garlic and add a generous glug of olive oil, half the sage leaves, sea salt and pepper. Tip into the tray and rub over the butternut squash with your hands. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes until softened and becoming golden in colour.
3. Once the squash has cooked, cool slightly, then scrape the soft flesh away from the skin into a bowl. Lightly mash with a fork or potato masher until it is fairly chunky in texture. Scrape any sticky juices left in the roasting tray into the bowl and keep warm while making the risotto.
4. Heat the olive oil and a good knob of butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan or saute pan. Gently fry the onion until softened. Add the rice and stir for about a minute until the grains are coated with the oil and butter. Pour in the wine and stir continuously until it has cooked into the rice. Add a good ladle of hot stock and the remaining sage and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down so the stock is simmering gently. Keep adding ladles of stock as it cooks into the rice, stirring and moving the rice around in the pan. After about 15-20 minutes the rice should be soft but still have a bit of bite left in it. The texture of the risotto should be thick and creamy, but not too loose. Add extra stock if necessary.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir the roasted butternut squash into the risotto with the parmesan, the remaining butter and seasoning to taste. Add any extra stock if the risotto seems particularly thick. Cover with a lid for a couple of minutes as this will give the risotto an even creamier texture.
6. During this time, place the pinenuts in a fairly hot frying pan and toss around until golden. Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls and scatter with the pinenuts and extra parmesan.

Tip: For carnivores, you can fry a couple of slices of smoked bacon til crispy and scatter over the risotto with the pinenuts.

Serves 2

Recipe from the BBC website

Spiced Banana Rum Cake

A firm fave with the partner, for obvious reasons....

Ingredients

• 200g Light Muscovado Sugar


• 200g Plain Flour


• 175g Sultanas


• 100g Pecan Nuts, toasted and chopped


• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon


• ½ tsp Grated Nutmeg


• ½ tsp Salt


• 2 tsp Baking Powder


• 3 Ripe Bananas


• 4 tbsp Dark Rum


• 3 Eggs, beaten


• 120g Butter

Method:

1. Toss the sultanas and pecans in 2 tablespoons of the flour.


2. Cream the butter and sugar until light.


3. Mash the bananas with the rum and gradually beat into the mixture.


4. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time.


5. Sift together the dry ingredients and fold into the mixture.


6. Lightly stir in the sultanas and pecans.


7. Spoon into a greased, lined 23 cm cake tin and cook for about 1 hour, Gas 5/190°C/375°F until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.


8. Cool in the tin for a few minutes then finish cooling on a wire rack.

Armenian Nutmeg & Walnut Cake

• 110g self raising flour
• 110g plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
• 110g butter
• 110g Light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 175 ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 100g walnuts, chopped
• ground cinnamon

This whole cake can be made in a food processor, if you have one

1. Preheat the oven to Gas 5/190°C/375°F
2. Sift the flours and ½ teaspoon of the ground nutmeg into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sugar. Press half the mixture into a greased 20cm cake tin.
4. Combine the bicarbonate of soda with the milk and stir into the remaining dry ingredients with the egg, another 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and 3/4 of the walnuts, mixing well.
5. Pour into the tin and sprinkle over the rest of the nutmeg and walnuts, and some ground cinnamon.
6. Cook for about 35 minutes until golden.
7. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to become cold.

I found this recipe on Esurientes fantastic foodie blog. I've made it a few times when I know friends are coming over and it's always been a big hit.

Honey & Mustard Pork Steaks with Apple Rings

Ingredients:

• 2 pork shoulder or leg steaks
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• 1½ teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon
• 1 firm dessert apple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings

Method

1. Mix together the honey, mustard, olive oil and spice. Brush this over both sides of the steaks.
2. Cover the pork and leave in a cool place until required. Reserve any remaining honey mixture for basting the pork.
3. Place the pork over a medium hot grill and cook for approximately 8 minutes on each side or until the steaks have turned a sticky nutty brown on the outside and are thoroughly cooked in the centre. Occasionally baste the steaks during cooking with the remaining marinade.
4. A few minutes before the pork is ready to serve, fry the apple slices in a little butter until just tender and golden brown.
5. Serve each steak topped with apple rings, accompaned with baked potatoes and salad.

Serves 2

Poppy Seed, Lemon & Raisin Loaf

Ingredients

• 140g soft butter
• 140g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 140g self raising flour
• zest of 2 lemons
• 30g blue poppy seeds
• 40g walnut pieces
• 40 muscatel raisins
• 110ml milk

Method

1. Line a 900g loaf tin with greased baking parchment
2. Cream together the butter and sugar, then slowly beat in the eggs
3. Stir in the flour, lemon zest, poppy seeds, nuts and raisins
4. Add milk to make the mixture a heavy dropping consistency
5. Pour the cake mixture into the lined tin and bake at Gas 4/180°C/350°F for 40-45 mins.
6. Leave in the tin for 15mins before turning out.

Courgette Pie

Ingredients

• Shortcrust pastry
• 45g (1lb) courgettes
• 1 dessert spoon butter or margerine
• 1 dessert spoon wholewheat flour
• 275ml (1/2 pt) organic yoghurt
• 75g (3oz) grated cheese
• 1 dessert spoon fresh mint, chopped finely
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• freshly ground pepper
• beaten egg for glazing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F, gas 6). Line a pie dish with pastry.
2. Cut the courgettes lengthways 3 or 4 times, then cut into 5cm lengths and saute in melted butter until tender.
3. Stir the flour into the yoghurt and add to the pan. Cook to thicken a little and then remove from the heat.
4. Stir in the cheese, mint, lemon juice, tamari and pepper. Pile the mixture into the pastry case and cover with the remaining pastry. Trim and glaze with beaten egg. Cut two or three small slits in the top.
5. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes.

Serves: 4

This recipe is from Lizzie McPherson via the Riverford Organic Vegetables site - an excellent source of imaginative recipes for veggies!

Leek and Pasta Al Forno

This is another of those amazingly versatile baked pasta dishes! You can chuck all kinds of extras into this, such as mushrooms, chopped bacon or proscuitto, a chopped stick of celery or even a handful of lentils.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 fat garlic clove (or two skinny ones), finely chopped
• 2 medium leeks, sliced
• 1 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped flatleaf parsley, or 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 150g dried pasta
• 150g mozzarella, cut in small cubes
• Salt & pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan
• small handful of fresh breadcrumbs
• a few more drizzles of olive oil

1. Heat the olive oil and cook the onions, leeks and garlic until softened and golden.
2. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and parsley, and simmer for 30 minutes until thickened.
3. Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, and add to the sauce, mixing well. If it seems too dry add a few spoonsful of the pasta water.
4. Fold in the mozzarella cubes, and place in an oiled ovenproof dish large enough to hold the pasta mixture in a shallow layer.
5. Toss the grated Parmesan with the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil. Mix well and spread evenly over the top of the pasta with a drizzle of fresh olive oil.
6. Bake in a preheated 425 degree F. oven until bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve right away.

Serves 2

Orange Glazed Carrots

INGREDIENTS

• 225 g baby carrots
• 30 ml orange juice
• 20 g brown sugar
• 15 g butter
• pinch salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of corn starch

DIRECTIONS

1. Place carrots in a shallow saucepan, and cover with water. Boil until only just tender. Drain, and return carrots to pan.
2. Pour orange juice over carrots, and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for
   about 5 minutes. Drain and reserve the orange juice.
3. Add the brown sugar and butter to the carrots and heat until they melt.
4. Whisk the cinnamon, salt and corn starch into the orange juice, add to the
   carrots and simmer 3-4 mins more to thicken the juices slightly.

This recipe is slightly adapted from one found at allrecipes.com

Beef Daube with Cumin and Coriander

One of my rare meat recipes. No idea where this one originates from, I 'borrowed' it from a friend and tweaked it slightly.

Ingredients:

• 500g casserole beef (beef chuck or braising steak etc) cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup broth
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley leaves
• 2 bacon slices, chopped and fried til crispy

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until beginning to brown. Transfer to a plate and keep to one side.
3. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Dust with flour; toss to coat. Brown over medium-high heat.
4. Return onion and garlic to pot. Add coriander, cumin, and pepper. Stir 2 minutes.
5. Add broth and bring to simmer. Cover and transfer to oven.
6. Braise 2 hours
7. Remove pot from oven; add wine, return to oven, and cook uncovered until sauce thickens slightly, about 40 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with the coriander and reserved bacon before serving.

Serves 2

Mushroom Stroganoff

There are a million and one recipes for mushroon strog on the 'net, so why post another? Because out of all the ones I've used, this is the one I've adapted that works for me, and I'm going to forget it or lose the scrap of paper I've scribbled it on unless I post it up here.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized onion, peeled and sliced
• olive oil
• butter
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 200g chestnut mushrooms
• small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tbsp brandy or splash of wine
• 150g creme fraiche, or 4fl oz double cream & a squirt of lemon juice

Method:

1. Cook the onions slowly in a half-tablespoon of olive oil and a thin slice of butter over a moderate heat, until soft, pale gold and translucent.
2. Peel and chop the garlic and stir in, together with the paprika, and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Tip the onion into a bowl and set aside.
3. Cut the mushrooms into manageable sizes. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan. Add the mushrooms and let them brown.
4. When the mushrooms are soft and browned, return the cooked onions to the pan and add the parsley, roughly chopped, the brandy or wine, and a decent grinding of both sea salt and black pepper.
5. Let it all bubble together for a minute, then stir in the creme fraiche or cream. Let the sauce bubble gently until the mixture is hot all the way through.

I like to serve this on grilled slices of parmesan polenta, rather than the usual boring bed of rice.

Serves 2.

Poppy Seed Cake

Ingredients:

• 110g Blue poppy seeds
• 225 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 225g butter
• 225g demerara sugar
• 3 eggs separated
• 225g plain wholemeal flour
• 1 heaped teaspoon of baking powder

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C). Line & grease an 8 inch round tin.
2. Bring the poppy seed to a boil in the milk, then turn off the heat and leave to soak for 25 minutes.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time and beat in thoroughly.
4. Fold in the flour and baking powder. Stir in poppy seeds and milk.
5. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the mixture.
6. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes,until the skewer becomes clean and the centre feels firm.

Courgette Cake

This recipe came to me on a scribbled bit of paper from the friend who'd made it for my birthday. She tells me a Nigella Lawson recipe - it's certainly good!

For the cakes:

• large handful sultanas
• 2 medium - large courgettes, grated using course side of box grater
• 2 large eggs
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 150g caster sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 sandwich tins, greased & lined

For the filling:

• good quality lemon curd with some lime juice to taste

For the icing:

• 200g tub organic cream cheese
• 100g icing sugar, sieved
• juice of 1 lime

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C
2. Grate courgettes.
3. Combine eggs, oil and sugar in bowl.
4. Sieve in flour, bicarb and baking powder and beat until well combined.
5. Stir in courgette and sultanas.
6. Pour into tins and bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and firm to touch.
7. Once cool, sandwich with lemon curd in middle.
8. Spread cream cheese icing on top and firm in fridge if necessary

Cauliflower with Saffron, Pinenuts and Raisins

This recipe is from Moro, The Cookbook. I have it as a main dish; my carnivorous partner likes it as an accompaniment to sausages, meatballs or somethink of that ilk.

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• pinch of saffron, infused in - 4 tbsp boiling water
• 3 tbsp pinenuts, lightly toasted
• 75g raisins, soaked in warm water
• sea salt & black pepper

Instructions

1. Put the cauliflower florets in a pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil and blanch for 1 min then drain.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook on a low heat, stirring regularly, then drain the onion and keep the oil.
3. In the saucepan reheat the oil and add the florets and the smallest leaves from the cauliflower. Fry until the cauliflower begins to colour, then add the onion, saffron water, pinenuts and drained raisins.
4. Cook for 5 minutes until the water has evaporated then season and serve.

Serves: 4

Honey Cake

INGREDIENTS

• 2 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola or corn oil
• 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups wildflower or other medium-colored honey
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup dried cranberries or sour cherries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• Sliced almonds for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt or 10-inch tube pan, tapping out the excess flour, and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, spices, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat together the melted butter, oil, and both sugars in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the honey and sour cream all at once and beat until you have a smooth batter. Beat in the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
3. Bake the cake until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and let cool. As soon as the cake is cool enough to handle, press the flaked almonds into the top. Place the cooled cake in an airtight container to ripen for 2 days before serving.

Recipe from Esurientes

Green Omelette with Feta

This is a lovely light snack for two people.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of kale, swiss chard or spring greens, stalks removed and finely shredded
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 150-200g feta cheese, diced
• 100g flour, sieved
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the chopped greens, feta and flour. Season and mix well.
2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan pour in the mixture. Cook the omlette until both sides are golden brown.

Potato, Leek & Wild Garlic Gratin

I'm fortunately enough to live in an area where wild garlic grows in mad profusion, and am always looking for ways to use it! This is an excellent recipe, and if you don't have access to wild garlic leaves, you can add some chopped cooked bacon to the gratin before you put it in the oven instead.

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 300g leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 50g butter
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large handful wild garlic leaves, sliced (optional)
• 100ml double cream
• 100ml milk
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pan, add the leeks and cook gently until soft. Add the garlic and wild garlic leaves and cook for 5 mins.
2. Season well, add the cream and milk and bring to the boil. Add half the parmesan and check the seasoning. Mix in a bowl with the potato slices, then arrange in an ovenproof dish.
3. Cover with foil and bake at 180ºC for 1 hour, until the potatoes are just cooked. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan and return to the oven until browned on the top.

Serves: 4

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables

Pork Chop and Apple Bake

One of my infrequent forays into meat cooking for my carnivorous partner! This was very simple and quick even for a non-cook and must be okay because he's asked for it again.

Ingredients:

• 2 pork loin chops
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
• vegetable oil
• 1 Granny Smith apple or other tart variety
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/3 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/4 oz raisins

Modus Operandum:

1. Season pork chops evenly on both sides with salt and sage. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Brown pork chops in hot oil on both sides; transfer pork chops to a shallow baking dish. Reserve drippings.
2. Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4-inch thick. Arrange apple slices over pork chops. Drizzle molasses over apple slices.
3. Sprinkle flour over skillet drippings; cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Slowly add water, stirring constantly, until smooth, then bring to a boil. Stir in vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and raisins; pour mixture over pork chops.
4. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes.

Serves 2.

Recipe came originally from here

Quinoa And Butter Beans

I've had this recipe for ages - it was copied out for me by a friend who'd made it, but I'd not actually tried making it myself before last week. It came out pretty good, and made a nice change from the only other tasty recipe I know of for quinoa *laughing*

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Quinoa
• 2 tbsp Margarine
• 3/4 cup Finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp Minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 cup Orange juice
• 2/3 cup -Water
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp Ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp Ground nutmeg
• 1 cup Diced sweet potato (1/2" pieces)
• 1 cup Diced butternut squash (1/2" pieces)
• 1 1/2 cup Cooked/canned butter beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup Chopped cranberries

Directions

1. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa by placing it in a large bowl and filling the bowl with cold water. Drain the quinoa and repeat the rinsing and draining 4 more times; set aside.
2. Melt the margarine in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ginger, and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened.
3. Stir in the orange juice, water, honey, salt, coriander, cardamom, and nutmeg; bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the sweet potato and squash; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, 7 minutes.
5. Stir in the butter beans and quinoa, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the cranberries; simmer, covered, 5 minutes longer.

The recipe originated in Wholesome Harvest by Carol Gelles, I'm told!

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

This has a beautiful, dark rich color- yum! It's also a great way of using up those raw beetroot your pal with the allotment gave you and you were too polite to refuse... ;)

Ingredients

• 75g cocoa powder or powdered drinking chocolate
• 180g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 225g caster sugar
• 250g cooked beetroot
• 3 large eggs
• 200ml sunflower oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C / 335˚F / Gas 4.
2. Sift the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder into a bowl.
3. Puree the beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs, one at a time and next add the vanilla and oil, and blend until smooth. Add the sugar to the mixture.
4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the beetroot mixture and lightly mix.
5. Pour into a greased and lined 9 inch cake tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is firm when pressed with a finger.
6. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables

Chocolate and Orange Potato Cake

It may sound a bit weird, but it tastes fantastic! I defy anyone to know what's in it if you don't tell 'em ;)

Ingredients:

• 120g potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
• 225g demerara sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 175g butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 110g plain chocolate, melted
• grated rind and juice of 1 orange

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180C and grease and line a 24cm cake tin.
2. In a large bowl cream the mashed potato, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and gradually stir in the melted chocolate and juice and rind of an orange.
4. Lightly fold in the cocoa powder and flour and pour the mixture into the cake tin.
5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Recipe from Riverford Organic Vegetables

Honey Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 4 fl.oz cold strong black coffee
• 2 eggs
• 2 oz sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 lb honey
• 1/2 lb wholemeal flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp marmalade

1. Beat the oil, sugar and eggs together in a mixer.
2. Mix the coffee and honey together.
3. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the oil/sugar mixture alternately with the coffee/honey mixture.
4. Add the marmalade and lemon juice.
5. Bake for approx 45 mins at Gas Mark 4

Paneer Achari

Paneer is a completely vegetarian Indian cheese, which has a firm texture and doesn't melt in cooking. If you can't find it (and can't be bothered to make it yourself) you can substitute firm tofu.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup paneer, cubed
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 5-6 fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon onion seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon asafetida powder
• 1 cup onions, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black salt
• 3/4 cup yogurt
• 1 teaspoon plain flour
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon oil
• salt

Modus Operandum:

1. Mix the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, onion seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida in a small bowl.
2. Heat the oil and add the seed mixture.
3. When they crackle, add the onion and sauté till it turns translucent.
4. Add the paneer, turmeric, chilli powder, black salt and stir together well.
5. Add the yogurt, sprinkle in the plain flour and mix well.
6. Add the cilantro and salt and bring to a boil.
7. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Tarka Dal

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red split lentils or chana dhal (yellow split peas)
• 3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon level salt
• 1 small onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 4 tablespoon melted ghee
• 1 pinch turmeric
• tiny pinch asafoetida
• pinch cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger or ginger paste
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 tbsp chopped coriander

1. Wash the lentils then place into a saucepan with the water and salt and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes skimming off the froth that collects at the top.
2. Now partly cover the pan. Cook for a total of an hour stirring now and again. Just as the lentils start to get soft, add the ginger. At the end of the hour you should have a pale yellow soup like mixture.
3. While the dal is cooking fry the onion and garlic in the ghee until they are brown and crispy. Be careful not to burn the garlic as this will add a bad flavour to the dish! Then add the asafoetida, turmeric and garam masala. Stir-fry very briefly. Stir the onion mixture into the cooked lentils.
4. Serve hot sprinkled with chopped tomato and green coriander.

Serves 2