Here’s a yummy cake recipe from Tiggy – all ingredients available from the shop!

Blackcurrant Almond Cake

This is easiest made in the food processor as you can whizz up the whole almonds in the bowl first before using it to process the rest of the mixture. You could use ground almonds but you get the brown speckled effect from the unblanched nuts and the cake is extra moist as a result. It can also be made in a rectangular 23 x 33cm Swiss roll tin and cut into squares or fingers.

• Whole unblanched almonds – 100g. Alternatively, substitute ground almonds.
• Plain flour – 100
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
• Butter – 200g, at room temperature
• Caster sugar – 200g
• Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
• Eggs – 3
• Blackcurrants – 200g
• Icing sugar to serve

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (170ºC fan bake). Butter a 25cm loose-bottomed tin and line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper.

Whizz up the almonds in a food processor for a few minutes until ground. Don’t worry if there are still small nubby bits in the bowl – they will just give some texture to the cake. Empty the almonds into a separate bowl and whisk with the plain flour and baking powder.

In the food processor, cream the butter and sugar until pale and light in colour. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs, one by one, beating in one-third of the almond/flour/baking powder mixture with each egg.

Smooth the batter into the prepared tin and scatter the blackcurrants on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden, firm and cooked through when tested with a skewer.

Before serving, sift over the icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature with some thick natural yoghurt.
Serves 8.

 

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Eat Moroccan 

Three recipes with an exotic flavour

 

Easy Chicken Tagine

Simple one-pots are perfect for the busy cook. This chicken tagine is great eaten with tabbouleh (cous cous) for something a bit more filling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients        Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil 8 skinless chicken thighs, or 4 halved if large 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 tsp grated fresh root ginger pinch Moroccan spices (ras al hanout) 1 tbsp honey 400g carrots, cut into sticks small bunch parsley, roughly chopped (optional) lemon wedges, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a large, wide pan with a lid, add the chicken, then fry quickly until lightly coloured. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, then fry for a further 2 mins.

Add 150ml water, the spice, honey and carrots, salt and pepper, then stir well. Bring to the boil, cover tightly, then simmer for 30 mins until the chicken is tender. Uncover and increase the heat for about 5 mins to reduce the sauce a little. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

 

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Tabbouleh (couscous)

This classic and well-loved Middle-Eastern dish is perfect to serve with fish, meat or chicken

Ingredients      Serves 4 

250g couscous 4 vine-ripened tomatoes half a cucumber 1 bunch spring onions, sliced 2 x 20g packs fresh parsley grated zest of a lemon 6 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 crushed garlic clove

 

Method

Prepare the couscous: Put the couscous into a large bowl. Pour over enough boiling water or stock to just cover the grains, and stir. Cover with a plate or cling film and leave to stand for 5 mins until all the liquid has been absorbed. Separate the grains by roughing them up with a fork.

Finely dice the vine-ripened tomatoes and the cucumber. Slice the spring onions and finely chop the parsley, then add everything to the couscous with the grated zest of a lemon.

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and the garlic with    plenty of seasoning and drizzle over the couscous. Toss well and serve with some grilled fish, meat or chicken.

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Hummus recipe     I     Serves 4 

 Ingredients

1 can chick peas (drained)
2 tablespoons tahini paste
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Half a teaspoon of salt
1 more tablespoon of olive oil (for decoration)

 Method

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and combine to make a smooth paste.
2. Taste. Maybe it needs more lemon juice or tahini or salt?
3. Spoon onto a flat plate and sprinkle over olive oil and maybe finely chopped parsley if you like.
4. Serve with warm flat bread or pitta and a salad.

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Simple Fool-proof Bread Recipe

(Blame Liz Cousins)

Ingredients

Bread   flour – 6 seed or French	1.5k
Warm   water	1.5   pints
Sachets   yeast	2
Salt	2   teaspoons
Sugar	1   teaspoon
Vegetable   oil	1.5   tablespoons

Method

1. Mix everything together, using dough hook if you have one.
2. Leave to rise in oiled bowl covered with cling film.
3. Once well risen divide into 3 pieces and shape into loaves.
4. Place loaves on oiled baking trays and into a hot oven 230 degrees C.
5. Bake until bottom sounds hollow when struck.
6. Leave to cool on a rack.

 

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Coping with gluts: Kate’s Damson Chutney

Serve hot as an accompaniment to roast chicken, sausages or ham, or cold with a choice of meats or cheeses.

Makes enough to accompany a meal for 6-8.

Do NOT use an aluminium pan for this….

Ingredients

Damsons	12 oz
Raisins	handful
Salt	½ teaspoon
Soft brown sugar   or Shop muscovado (good rich flavour so ideal)	1 heaped   tablespoon
Cider or cider   vinegar	3 tablespoons
Ground ginger	½ teaspoon
Garlic	1 clove finely   chopped
Allspice	½ teaspoon
Paprika or   pepper	½ teaspoon

Method

1. Simmer damsons for about  5 mins in a splash of water with the  raisins.
2. To this mix add the remaining ingredients, stir to mix and simmer for 30 minutes.
3.  Remove stones…they usually float to the top!
4. Reheat and stir to break down to a smoother texture if wished.

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