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