Ginger and Marmalade Cake

Ingredients

• 140g chunky marmalade
• 175g soft butter
• 150g soft brown sugar
• 3 beaten eggs
• 225g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2-3 chunks of stem ginger in syrup (drained)
• 100g pecan or walnuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180c/gas 4. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin
2. Mix the marmalade in with all the other ingredients except the nuts, whisk or beat with a spoon until smooth.
3. Stir in half the nuts, spoon into tin, smooth top and scatter with remaining nuts.
4. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. If it starts to brown too quickly cover loosely with foil once the cake has risen and set.
5. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then tip out onto cooling rack.
6. To glaze (optional): Either warm 1 tbsp marmalade gently until it has melted then brush over the top of the cake to glaze or
   Sift 100g icing sugar and mix it to a smooth, slightly runny consistency with approx. 1 1/2 tbsps orange juice. Drizzle the icing over the cake, letting it run down the sides, and leave to set.

Spiced Rice

I seem to be cooking a lot of Indian meals at the moment! Maybe because the luscious warm spiciness is so wonderful on these grey, wet, dismal English spring days *grins* This spiced rice is full of colour and flavour and makes a more interesting accompaniment to a meal than just plain rice. It goes especially well with a lentil curry or tarkha dahl.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or small pierce of cinnamon stick
• Pinch of turmeric (optional: this is just for the color)
• 120 g Basmati rice
• 50 g red lentils
• Pinch of salt
• 355 ml water
• 1/2 potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or 1 small carrot, grated
• 35 g green peas
• 15 g raisins

What to do with it all:

1. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until they have softened.
2. Sprinkle in the ginger, garlic and spices. Cook for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.
3. Add the rice and saute with the spices for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Add the lentils, salt and the water and stir then add the potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Place the bell pepper or carrot, peas and raisins into the saucepan. Stir well, then cover the pan again. Cook 10 minutes more, or until the rice, potatoes, and lentils are tender.

This amount serves 2 quite generously as a side dish.

Chicken Chasseur

There's a thousand and one chicken chasseur recipes out there, but this is the one I've tweaked to suit my partner's preferences.

Ingredients for 2:

• 2 chicken breasts, skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 rasher of smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , thickly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 125g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 rounded tbsp tomato purée
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 120ml red wine
• 150ml chicken stock
• Sprig each of tarragon, marjoram and thyme (really you can use whatever combination of herbs you like best!)
  
  Optional:
• 2 tomatoes, quartered and deseeded
• 1/2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Season the chicken chunks with salt and pepper and brown in the olive oil. Remove from the pan and keep to one side.
2. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan, and cook until golden. Add the garlic and bacon, and fry til the bacon is cooked through.
3. Stir in the wine, tomato purée, stock, black pepper and herbs. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for about 30 mins until the chicken is tender.
4. If the sauce is too thin at this stage, mix 1 tbsp cornflour to a thin paste with a little of the liquid and whisk in, or reduce the amount of liquid by hard boiling without a lid.
5. To finish, add the tomatoes, if using, and simmer for a further 2-3 mins to soften them, then scatter over the flat-leaf parsley before serving.
   
   Great with either roast potatoes or mustard mash.