Srawberry Ricotta Cake

Brilliant cheesecake that isn't a cheesecake. Really tasty and easy to make. 

420g ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
180g golden caster sugar or soft brown
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g melted butter
180g self- raising flour

1. Preheat the oven to150 fan/ 170C/ gas mark 3 and grease and line the base of a non-stick round spring form tin, measuring about 23cm diameter.
2. Put the ricotta, eggs, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined and bubbles form on top.
3. Beat in the butter.
4. Sift in the the flour beating well.
5. Spoon into the tin and smooth out evenly making a dent in the centre.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until firm but springy.
7. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes then remove the sides.
8. When completely cool remove the paper and place on a serving place.

For the strawberry topping:
300g strawberries
2 tbsp white caster sugar
1 level tsp cornflour

1. Put the strawberries in a saucepan and sprinkle the sugar over.
2. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
4. Sieve the juice of the cooled strawberries in a pan and stir in the cornflour heat until simmering stirring well. Cool.

To finish the cake:
Use a small biscuit cutter to cut five rounds in the top of the cake and carefully lift them out using a spoon.
Spoon some of the thickened juice into each scooped out bit and place a strawberry in the middle.
Either serve the rest of the fruit with the cake or arrange on top.
Serve with cream or ice cream.

To vary:
Use other soft fruits, such as raspberries or gooseberries. Add more sugar to the gooseberries though.
Add 1 tsp of almond extract instead of vanilla and 50g chopped glacé cherries. Stir them in with the almonds.
Instead of vanilla add the juice and zest of 1 lemon.
Add 100g melted chocolate when you add the butter and 15 g of cocoa to the flour, reduce the amount of flour to 165g

For an easy topping, combine 200g ricotta with 200g icing sugar beat until smooth then spread on top of the cooled cake.

Hot Cross Buns

Makes 8
500g strong white flour
1 level tsp salt
2 level tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
50g soft brown sugar
Zest of 1unwaxed lemon
1 x7g sachet fast action yeast
110g mixed dried fruit
240ml warm water
45g melted butter
For the cross topping:
2 tbsp plain white flour
2 tbsp cold water
Honey or golden syrup to glaze


1. Sift the flour, salt and spice together in a mixing bowl.
2. Stir in the sugar, zest and yeast.
3. Mix in the dried fruit.
4. Combine the butter and warm milk and pour into the dry ingredients.
5. Mix thoroughly and knead well for 10 minutes.
6. Cover and place in a warmish place for 20 minutes
7. Shape into 8 rounds and place on a greased baking sheet. 2 baking sheets may be required.
8. Cover and leave for 30-40 minutes in a warm place to rise.
9. Heat the oven to 220C/ gas mark 7.
10. Mix the plain flour with the water to make a dough and either use a piping bag to form the the cross or roll out the dough thinly and cut into sufficient strips to make the crosses. Dampen the surface of the buns lightly before topping with the crosses.
11. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top.
12. As soon as the buns are cooked brush the tops with the honey or golden syrup to glaze.
The amount of water stated in the recipe is only a guide a little more be added if the dough is too stiff.
Milk may be substituted for water.
Some people prefer to knead the fruit into the dough after the liquid ingredients have been mixed in. Try it both ways and see which you prefer.

Tomato ketchup

Make it don't buy it!

We're a little surprised. They have slowly changed the recipe for tomato ketchup, using cheaper vinegar, corn syrup, thickening agents. It's happeniing all the time, messing with food. Soo we are on a drive to make our own, from scratch.

Here's our recipe for kechup and we'll come back to you about it with amendments.




1 Kg chopped tomatoes
400 g chopped tinned tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 finely chopped stick of celery
1 small red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
250 g white sugar
1 tsp mustard powder
200 ml white wine vinegar
1 tsp Salt and white pepper to taste
2 tbs tomato puree
Olive oil for sweating

1. Put some oil in a pan, add all the vegetables except for the tomatoes. 
2. Sweat on a low light until golden and then add all the tomatoes, bring to the boil. 
3. Simmer for five minutes and add the sugar and vinegar. Mix well.
4. Add the salt and pepper and tomato puree.
5. Cook for 25 - 35 minutes on a low simmer.  
6. Set aside to cool a little and blend with a stick blender. 
7. Bottle in sterile bottles. You can freeze it too.

Poule au pot

Poule au Pot

This recipe is the brainchild of Henry IV of France who, despite having 56 mistresses, was happily married to his second wife, Marie de Medici, who was addicted to eating globe artichokes for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities, and having ended religious wars and rebuilt French commerce and industry, turned what remained of his energies to improving the lot of the peasants of France.

This is his recipe, which de dictated saying,

If I were granted more years to live I would make it so every family in the Kingdom could have a chicken for dinner each Sunday.

Poule au pot is cooked in a large pot, in boiling water for 90 minutes. It takes 2 litres of water, and the result is copious quantities of brilliant stock, amazing flavoured sauce, plus cooked vegetables and chicken with a flavour you wouldn’t believe.

Boiling is so much more efficient than roasting, allowing us to stuff the bird safely, something frowned upon in more conventional cooking. The downside: roasted chicken skin, which I love, but to be honest, there are so many wonderful flavours in this meal I didn’t miss it that much.

The meat

A 1.8 Kg chicken and a few slices of belly pork, around about 500 g, which are both boiled together.

The vegetables

There are two sets of vegetables for this dish. The first is to flavour the stock and the second to serve at table. The first consists of all those vegetables at the bottom of the fridge, the old onion, the green tops of leeks, some cabbage, overly large and split carrots.

The second are whatever you want from potatoes to turnips. Once the chicken is cooked, the whole lot is removed from the stock, and the new vegetables are allowed to cook in the stock until they are tender.

Forcemeat

The origin of the word forcemeat comes from the action – you force the meat into the cavity, in other words to stuff.

Ingredients

300 g breadcrumbs

2 garlic cloves

100 g gherkins

1 tbs Dijon mustard

3 rashers bacon

100 g belly pork

1 chopped onion

1/4 tsp Pepper

This stuffing is based around breadcrumbs, and all the ingredients are minced in a food processor.

Force all the stuffing into the cavity, really pushing it home with the spoon. Then pull the skin from the vent into position and it is time to truss the bird.

Cooking the poule au pot

Place the chicken into a large stock pot. Liberally cover the bird with cold water and add all your collected vegetables. The more the merrier really. If you have enough garlic, cut the whole bulb in half and add both halves, as well as about 500 g belly pork.

Bring to the boil and cook for 90 minutes on a low but steady simmer.

Around about an hour into the cooking, test for seasoning.

The sauce

Take about a third of the stock and reduce by about half by gentle simmering. Add about 30 ml white wine. You can thicken with a little cornflour if you prefer, or if you wish to be terribly English, make a full on gravy.

 

Cold-busting Chicken stew

By Rebecca Wright


This dish is perfect for chasing away Winter colds. It is flavoured with sumac, which is a North African spice made from dried sumac berries crushed to give a light, lemony flavour that adds depth to any chicken dish.

Serves 4-5

2kg chicken thighs with bones and skin on

4 rashers of smoked bacon, chopped

4 carrots

1 leek

1 large onion

1 red pepper

5-7 chestnut mushrooms

7 garlic cloves

1 chilli

2 tablespoons lentils

Tablespoon olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Teaspoon thyme

Plenty of oregano

Tablespoon sumac

500ml chicken stock or stock cube

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200C

2. Chop all vegetables into large pieces (the carrots into discs 5-7mm thick) and spread over the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the bacon over the top evenly.

3. Crush the garlic but leave the cloves whole and place in the pan. Chop the chilli finely and sprinkle over the veg.

4. Sprinkle lemon zest, oregano, thyme and sumac over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.

5. Place the chicken thighs over the top of the veg evenly. Season with salt, pepper and sumac.

6. Carefully pour the chicken stock around the chicken, taking care not to splash the skin. The stock should coat the bottom but not cover the chicken, so as to ensure a crisp skin.

7. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes at 200C and then serve in bowls with fresh bread.

Greengage Jam

This is a deliciously, golden jam and it makes a change from plum jam. They are , however tricky to get hold of so if you know anybody that grows them or you grow them yourself, then get making this lucious jam. Sometimes they can be quite a dry fruit, so a little extra water may be needed to compensate for this. Check on the texture when halving and stoning the gages if they look dry, add a further 240ml/8fl oz water when cooking the fruit.

Makes 5kg/10lb

3kg/6lb greengages, halved and stoned, quarter if you prefer smaller pieces of fruit

3kg/6lb sugar

560ml/1 pint water, or more if necessary, see above

12 kernels, removed from stone and blanched in boiling water

Method

1.Place the prepared fruit in the pan with the water and kerels, simmer until gages are soft, this will take about 20 minutes if the fruit is quartered or 30 minutes if it is halved. Stir, gently, occasionally.

2.When the fruit is soft, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 4 minutes, stirring constantl. Test for setting, continue to boil for another minute if not ready and test again.

3.When setting point is reached, allow to cool for 10 minutes to allow the fruit to settle, stir gently and pour into jars.

This jam should keep for 8-9 months unopened.