Rhubarb and Ginger Sticky Cake
Please forgive me – this recipe lives in my head in “old money”, i.e. Imperial rather than metric – sorry!
- 6oz self-raising flour
- 6oz butter
- 3oz sugar
- 3oz black treacle( the secret ingredient)
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (can be substituted with cinnamon)
- 2 sticks of washed and roughly chopped rhubarb (can be substituted with seasonal fruit such as berries)
Combine all the ingredients except the rhubarb together, until smooth. You may need to warm the butter to soften before you add it.
Scrape all the mixture into a well greased and lined cake tin. The raw mixture should only come halfway up the side of the tin. Scatter the top of the uncooked cake with the chopped rhubarb and bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°c for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the cake is firm and springy to the touch. Serve warm with cream or ice cream, or just with a cup of tea!
Pork Escalopes
Bash out some pork steaks with a meat tenderiser or a stout rolling pin, or use some thin steaks cut from a joint.
Dip these in some seasoned flour, then beaten egg, then bread crumbs, and finally add straight into a moderate to hot frying pan with a little pork fat, or half vegetable oil and half butter. The animal fat helps with the flavour and the crispiness of the bread crumbs. Cook until golden brown on both sides – make sure the pork is properly cooked through. Eat as whole escalopes, or slice up into strips and serve with a mixed salad and new potatoes.
Spicy Lamb Bites
For this recipe you will need diced lamb, either ready diced or diced from a joint ( you can marinade lamb chops in the same way, but they will take a little more cooking).
Marinade the lamb in:
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 clove crushed and chopped garlic
- 1 chilli chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Marinade overnight, or at least for a few hours, then fry hard in a hot pan until the meat begins to colour on the edges, stirring just occasionally. If you are using chops grill or bake.
The diced meat is also great on kebabs for the BBQ, and you can also treat other meats (pork, beef, or chicken) the same way.
Spinach
It’s a shame to cook spinach at this time of year, but if you prefer it cooked why not gratin, lightly steam, smother in a rich cheesy sauce, and grill.
Alternatively, curry with crushed new potatoes and serve with yogurt and the spicy lamb.
Spinach is a great breakfast food in a pancake or omelette, with a little cheese if you like. I steam the spinach lightly, chop it up very small, and drain of any excess water. I then add the chopped spinach to the omelette or pancake mix and cook as normal.
Sprouting beans
Use in stir-fries or salads.