Egyptian Tomato Salad.....sort of

1 Shallot chopped

1 glove of garlic minced

Black pepper (ground)

750g approx of tomatoes (use at least three varieties)

good squeeze of lemon

handfull of fresh chopped parsley

2tbs olive oil

Slice the tomatoes, amd layer in a flat serving dish.

Mix the shallot, garlic, lemon juice in a small jug. Pour over the tomatoes, add a generous grind of pepper and a good pinch of sea salt.

Leave to steep for a few hours. Serve at room temperature.

Just before serving add the parsley, and toss everything together to mix up the tomato varieties.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

175g butter

175g unrefined golden caster sugar

65g walnut pieces

3 large eggs

175g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp very strong coffee

200g butter

400g icing sugar

2 tbps very strong coffee

You will also need 2 x 21cm loose-bottomed sponge tins or a 2lb loaf tin, which is what I used.

Beat the butter and sugar till it is light, pale and fluffy. Set the oven at 180°C/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, line the base tin with greaseproof paper and chop the walnuts. Crack the eggs into a bowl, break them up with a fork and add them a little at a time to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition.

Mix the flour and baking powder together and mix into the butter and sugar gently, with the mixer on a slow speed or by hand, with a large metal spoon. Stir in the coffee to the mixture. Chop the walnuts and fold gently into the cake.
Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin, smooth lightly, and bake for 40 minutes. If your using 2 round tins this will probably reduce to 25 minutes.

To make the frosting, beat the butter till soft and pale with an electric beater, then add the sugar and beat till smooth and creamy. Stir in the coffee mix it into the buttercream. Decorate with walnut halves.

Languine with chilli, and crab

2 gloves garlic

1 scant tbsp salt

1 large chilli (red)

200g white crab meat

100g brown meat

125ml extra virgin oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon

500g linguine

handfull of chopped fresh parsley

Put on a large pan of water to boil the pasta.

In a large pestle and mortar pulverise the peeled garlic cloves with the salt into a smooth paste. Add the chopped and seeded crab meat, breaking it up gently with the fork, and pour in the oil. Zest the lemon into the mortar then add the juice.

Mix together using a fork. Cook the pasta. Drain and tip into a serving bowl, pouring over the crab sauce. Toss the pasta to coat in the sauce and throw in the chopped parsley, and toss again.

This was not as fantastic as I had expected (or perhapes hoped). For my taste there was a little too much oil, and the flavour of it bebecame over poering in the dish. Should I make this again I'll cut the oil down to 100 ml's and try and find a hotter chilli!!

Lavender Biscuits

50g caster sugar

130g butter

200g self raising flour

1tbsp lavender flowers

Cream together the butter and sugar, add the four and lavender flowers, blend until it comes together. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes, then roll into little balls, and flatten. Bake for 7-8 mins at Gas mark 4.

I received the lavender from my dear friend Terry, and have been pondering for a while how best to use it. These are definately making full use of my lovely gift.

Chocolate brownies

Ingredients

200g best quality bitter chocolate

125g unsalted butter, softened

225g vanilla caster sugar

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

4 tbsp freshly made instant coffee

150g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

handful of broken walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.

Line the base and sides of a 30 x 22cm roasting pan with foil.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl set over, but not touching , hot water. While the chocolate is melting, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the whole eggs and yolk with the beaters still going. 5. Stir in the chocolate and coffee.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Fold into the mixture together with the walnuts. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the mixture comes out a bit sticky. The interior should resemble fudgy goo, not a sponge.

Leave to cool in the pan, then cut into squares.

Lasagne

Ingredients
2-3 tbsp olive oil

25g butter

2 large onion, finely chopped

3 celery sticks, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely diced

3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1kg freshly ground fatty beef, such as chuck

2 fresh bay leaves

225ml milk

1/3 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

225ml white wine,

2 400g canned plum tomatoes, chopped

9-10 sheets pre-cooked dried lasagne

90g parmasen,

salt and fresh ground black pepper
For the béchamel sauce:

600ml milk

2 fresh bay leaves

1 onion, halved

freshly grated nutmeg

60g butter

60g plain flour

salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method
Warm the oil and butter in a heavy-based casserole over medium heat. Add the onion and gently fry for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the celery, carrots and garlic, and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring to coat well.

Stir in the beef with a large pinch of salt and several grindings of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the beef has lost its raw pink look.

Add the bay leaves and milk, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the meat has absorbed the milk. Season with a pinch of nutmeg.

Pour in the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes with their juice and stir thoroughly. Cook, uncovered, at a simmer for 3 hours or more. Taste and correct the seasoning.

About 45 minutes before the meat is ready, make the béchamel sauce. Pour the milk into a saucepan with the bay leaf, onion and a generous pinch of nutmeg. Bring to just below the boiling point, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Grease a shallow baking dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Strain the milk, then gradually stir it into the flour mixture to make a thick smooth sauce. Season to taste.

Pour some béchamel into the baking dish - enough to just cover the base. Place a layer of lasagne sheets on top, followed by a layer of meat sauce, another layer of béchamel and a good handful of Parmesan. Continue with two or three more layers until both sauces are used up. Add a final sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling all over and a knife slips easily through the layers of lasagne.

I never quite manage to make Lasagne, the same twice in a row, probably because I like to switch what I put into my sauce. I sometimes like to add grated Courgettes, lots of mushrooms and olives. Whilst I'm certain an Italian Mama would be horrified, I like to think it ensures that those eating what I put in front of them know that it really is home-made!!

Spinach & ricotta cannelloni

150g butter
1 garlic, halved
½ a teacup of plain flour
600ml milk
a pinch of mixed spice
1 tbsp grated parmesan

olive oil

¼ of a carrot , grated
a couple of stems of parsley , chopped
¼ of a celery stick, chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 handful of basil leaves

500g cooked spinich (frozen is fine)
300g ricotta

1 egg , beaten
2 tbsp grated parmesan
18 cannelloni tubes

Heat the oven to 190C/170C/gas 5. Heat the butter gently, add the garlic. Add the flour, stirring all the time, then the milk. Stir until the béchamel sauce thickens. Add the spice and Parmesan. Remove garlic and season.
To make the Napoli sauce, heat some olive oil, add the garlic. Then add the carrot, parsley and celery and fry gently until brown. Then add the tomatoes. Stir in the basil and half a cup of water, simmer for 20 minutes.
For the filling, mix the spinach and ricotta with the egg and the Parmesan. Season, then spoon it into the cannelloni tubes and place in a buttered baking tray. Spoon over the béchamel sauce, then add a layer of the Napoli sauce on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes.