yoghurt cake

We're in the pre-alpes here, at about 350 m altitude. Not sure if this is enough to make a difference to cooking sponges, or it's the cooker, or the flour, the water, or what ... but I'm still searching for a basic fool-proof cake recipe.

So I'm going to experiment with the cakes made with yoghurt that are a staple part of the chalet-ski offering.

(It's probably the fact that it's bright and sunny, with clear skies, and getting down to - 6 degrees overnight that's made me think of it.

Here's a basic recipe (found on an internet search) and a couple of variations

1 pot natural yogurt (then rinse the pot and use as measure)
3 pots flour
2 pots sugar
1 pot vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 sachet (7g) baking powder
flavouring (ie coffee, choc etc)

Beat together and cook for 30 minutes at 180C.

Here's a variation:

1 pot smooth yog (flavoured if liked) 3 SR flour, 2 sugar, 1 oil, 2 eggs, half tsp BP, 2lb loaf tin, Gas 3, 1 hr. pot size is 125gms. Ice with 6 oz icing sugar. Try it with lemon yogurt ..

Sweet crumble toppings

I usually use Delia Smith, but here are some variations on the traditional crumble mixes; usual baking temperature 190/375/gas mark 5

Crumble topping 1
85 g self-raising flour
85 g plain wholmeal flour
115 g unsalted butter
55 g demerara sugar

ginger crumble topping 2
225 g plain or wholemeal flour
115 g unsalted butter
115 g soft brown sugar
1tsp ground ginger
(with rhubarb and orange rind and juice)

hazelnut crumble topping 3
175 g wholemeal flour
50 g toasted finely chopped hazelnut
75 g brown sugar
100 g butter
(with apricots and cinammon, lightly turned in butter and brown sugar for 5 mins);
(with rhubarb, cooking apples, cinammon, rind and juice of orange, light soft brown sugar ... optional sprinkle crumble with demerara sugar)

crumble topping 4
115 g plain flour
75 g butter
25 g buckwheat flakes
25 g rice flakes
25 g sunflower seeds
50 g light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinammon
(with apple and plums, apple juice, soft light brown sugar)

crumble topping 5
115 g self-raising flour
100 g butter
5 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp finely copped hazelnut
(with pear and toffee: cook crumble spearately for 5 - 10 mins to heat through; melt 3 tbsp golden syprup with 3 tbsp dem sugar and 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp single cream and 1/2 tsp vanilla essence; simmer 5 mins; fry 4 peeled and chopped pears in 1 tbsp butter 3 mins; add toffee cream, cook 5 mins;... assemble and bake 25 - 30 mins

pistachio topping 6
115 g s-r flour
100 g butter
5 tbsp dem sugar
50 g pistachio nuts, finely chopped
(with goosberries, honey, caster sugar, orange juice and zest

other fruits:
peach, orange juice and dem sugar
figs with dem sugar, orange juice and zest, 1/2 tsp ground cloves (and raisins)
prunes, dem sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice, 1 tbsp dark rum (and sultanas)

coconut crumble 7
115 s-r flour
zest 1 lime
100 g butter
5 tbsp dem sugar
50 g dessicated coconut
(with bananas, 2 tbsp rum, sprinkle crumble with 1 of the tbsp of sugar; fine strips of lime rind to serve

chocolate crumble 8
100 g plain flour
50 g porridge oats
4 tbsp caster sugar
55 g plain or milk chocolate chips
(apple, apricots (tinned or fresh)

almond crumble 9
115 g s-r flour
100 g butter
5 tbsp dem sugar
50 g finely chopped almonds

(apples, pears, 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, 60 g butter, 100 ml maple syrup, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp almond ligquer, almonds to decorate)

chocolate and nut 10
115 g s-r flour
100 g butter
5 tbsp dem sugar
2 tbsp mixed nuts
50 g chopped plain chocolate
(175 g stoned cherries, 150 g cranberries, 3 tbsp sugar, 6 tbsp port

streusel topping
85 g s-r flour
1 tsp mixed spice
35 g butter
85 g demerara sugar
4 tbsp mixed nuts
(for cranberry muffins)

deep chocolate crumble
115 g s-r flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
5 tbsp dark muscovada sugar
2 tbsp chopped pecan nuts
50 g chopped plain chocolate
(apples covered with choc sauce make with cocoa, water, caster sugar, butter, and serve with rest of choc sauce)

cherry and cholocate clafoutis
450 g stoned cherries
25 g golden granulated sugar
3 eggs
55 g s-r flour
2 tbsp cocoa
150 ml double cream
300 ml milk
2 tbsp kirsch
(butter 23 cm square dish; arrange cherries and sprinkle with sugar; whisk eggs and caster sugar; sift in flour and cocoa powder, beat into eggs and whisk; add cream, then milk, then kirsch; pour batter onto cherries; cook 190 50 - 60 mins
sift over icing sugar; serve warm)

spiced cherry crumble
185 g plain four
1/2 tsp allspice
55 g demerara sugar
100 g butter melted
50 g almonds chopped
(mix flour and sugar and spice; add 1/2 melted butter; add nuts, add rest of butter; warm through 350 g stoned cherries, 1/2 tsp allspice, 40 g demerara sugar, 3 tbsp cherry brandy)

roasted peach crumble with star anise
115 g s-r flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
100 g butter
5 tbsp demerara sugar
50 g chopped cashew nuts
(poach 6 halved stoned peaches 5 mins; melt 55 g butter add 1/2 tsp ground star anise, add 25 g caster sugar and 125 mil water, cook till it starts to caramelise; add 2 tbsp kirsch; de=stone and roughly chop peaches, cover with syrup and crumble, bake 30 mins 190

plum crumble with lemon and ginger
185 g plain flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
55 g demerara sugar
100 g butter
(plums, sugar, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, grated zest 1 lemon)

apricot and ginger crumble with orange liqueur
115 gm s-r flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
100g butter
5 tbsp dem sugar
50 g chopped pistachio nuts
(apritos, dem sugar, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tbsp orange juice, zest 1 orange, 1 tbsp orange flavoured liqueur eg cointroeau

dinner for the neighbours

It's the beginning of september, so the thoughts are turning to autumn. But today's been warm. And I've actually had some time to spend some time cooking, so an easy supper has turned into:

2 chilled soups (pea with mint (nigella lawson forever summer) and leek with lemon grass (waitrose cooking witht the seasons); served with a warm twice cooked cheese souffle (variation of a delia smith summer cooking theme).

Then chicken with lemon and garlic, with greeen beans

And dessert - has to be figs; 2 variations (obviously I'm in "duo" mode; figs baked in montbazillac; and figs stewed with cassis and spices (4 spices, ginger, cinnamon) served with almond macaroons (made in the newly acquired 20 year old Kenwood Chef - so easy!) and vanilla fromage frais.

On va se regaler!

tomato, garlic and pepper coulis

The first year of a proper vegetable plot - even if it hasn't had the care and attention I would have liked to give it - nevertheless gives you ingredients to use to create sauces and resources for the freezer.

This was dead easy: from the garden I picked cherry tomoatoes, garlic, chili peppers (just 1 or 2) and yellow peppers.

I bunged them in a roasting dish, adding oil and rock salt. Roasted them for 40 mins and then I passed them through the juicer (a mouli would do as well). And that's it - a pepper coulis for the winter months to use either with fish, or as a soup, or a pasta sauce.

lemon and garlic chicken

This one is based on a Nigella Lawson "forever summer" recipe. Makes a great friday evening supper for neighbours ... you arrive in the early hours of Thursday ... go for a quick swim Thursday evening ... and invite them to dinner. Then you haven't time to go shopping so look to see what's in the fridge and freezer.

2 to 3 hours cooking - so you can bung it all in and carry on with the phone calls, emails, work stuff that might be happening - or else retire back to the shade to finish the book you're reading ...

It's perfectly easy and basically storecupboard (if the chicken joints are in the freexer) (for 6): 6 chicken joints, 2 lemons, whole head of garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, white wine.

I separate out chicken pieces into smaller parts; bung them in an oven roasting dish (no pre-frying - yeah!); chuck in the rest of the ingredients; cover with lid or foil, and slow roast at 160 for 2 hours (or 210 for an hour and a half); take the foil off and give it another 30 mins.

You could be fancy and add black olives, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon and ginger and honey for a moroccan feel. But honestly - why bother? (well, then you could serve a storecupboard tabboulet mix if you want).

I then chopped up a few carrots, potatoes and onions and roasted them in a side dish; or you could do an epauture risotto; or just a salad and fresh bread.

then a local cheese that you bought alongside the bread at the local boulangerie.

And get the neighbours to bring the pudding (tonight it was my own greengages returned in the form of a crumble).


And if you've, for once, pre-laid the table, and you're still on the phone when the neighbours arrive - make sure you've left the corkscrew out and they can sort themselves out till you arrive to pull dinner out of the oven.

pork chop with quince

Marinated Grilled Pork Chop, Roasted Quinces, Grain Mustard Mash
By Richard Phillips

Ingredients:
1 pork chop, (bone cleaned and fat left on)
2 cloves garlic (blanched in milk)
100g Maldon sea salt
50g thyme
50g rosemary
100g sage (25g kept for garnish)
2 quinces (peeled, cut into quarters)
50g of butter
150g cooked mashed potato
50ml double cream
Dijon mustard

Method:
1. In a food processor blend all the picked herbs and salt together, using a knife cut inserts into the bone side of the pork chop and insert the garlic cloves. Rub the salt mix onto the fat side of the pork and marinade for 24hrs.

2. Remove the salt, rinse and pat dry. Place onto a griddle, colour on both side, then remove. Place into a frying pan, put into the oven for 10-12 mins 200 degree C, then remove from the pan and add a knob of butter. Place onto the hob and heat, add the quinces and toss until golden brown, add a tablespoon of beef / veal stock and bring to the boil.

3. Add the butter and cream to the mashed potato, season, then add the mustard.

4. Place the potato into the centre of the plate, carve the pork chop, place on top of the mash and then the roasted quinces on top of the pork, spooning over the roasting juices.

5. Garnish with deep fried sage leaves.

apple and gingerbread crumble

heston blumenthal

use any fruit for compote; and any spiced cake as long as it doesn't include dried fruit

APPLE CRUMBLE

Serves 8

For the crumble topping
225g unsalted butter
175g plain flour
140g unrefined caster sugar
100g ground almonds
125g gingerbread
Pinch of salt

For the apple compote
2 vanilla pods
6 braeburn or cox’s apples
150g unsalted butter
100g sultanas
A little ground cinnamon, to taste

To make the crumble, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a gentle heat for a couple of minutes, until slightly brown. Place all the ingredients along with the melted butter into a food processor and reduce to crumbs. Cover a large baking tray with parchment paper, add the crumb mixture and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 20 minutes until golden brown and crunchy, turning the mixture halfway through cooking. Keep an eye on it, as you don’t want it to get too crunchy.

In the meantime, make the compote.

Halve the vanilla pods, scrape out the seeds and reserve. Peel, halve and core the apples, then cut them into 1cm cubes. Heat the butter in a large pan (such as a sauté pan) over a medium-low heat until golden. Sauté the apple cubes for about 2 minutes, in batches, stirring frequently. Add the sultanas and cook for a further 3 minutes or so, then stir in the vanilla seeds and cinnamon and remove from the heat.

Place the apple compote in an ovenproof dish (about 23cm sq) and bake at 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6 for 10-15 minutes. Once the compote is cooked, sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top and serve

banana and lime eton mess

ETON MESS

Serves 4

For the meringue
100g egg whites
100g caster sugar
100g icing sugar

For the mess
4 bananas
2 tbsp lime juice
200ml double cream
Seeds of 2 vanilla pods
1 tbsp kirsch
Grated zest of 4 limes

Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (110C/ 225F/Gas Mark ) and line a baking tray with parchment. Beat the egg whites until very stiff — this is important as they must stay stiff when the sugar is added. Beat in the caster sugar, then the icing sugar. Spoon the meringue mix onto a baking tray, in 12 even shapes. Cook for 4 hours, or overnight. They should be crisp all the way through, with no colour. Turn the oven off, open the door and leave the meringues inside so they cool down slowly.

Peel the bananas. Purée 2 of them with half the lime juice. Cut the other 2 bananas into 3mm-thick slices and mix with the remaining lime juice to prevent them browning. Whisk the cream until stiff — being careful not to overwhip it — and stir into the crushed or puréed banana. Then fold in the vanilla seeds and kirsch.

Break the cool meringue into large pieces, mix with the banana cream and the sliced bananas. Spoon into a bowl and grate over the lime zest before serving.

pears poached in red wine

from Heston Blumenthal
PEARS POACHED IN RED WINE


I did this christmas 2006. An advantage was I could calmly prepare it before the hoards arrived. The added marinating time (it will hang in in the fridge for up to a week) was really useful. Because when it came to eat it - I could really appreciate it as it was ready and waiting to serve.


Serves 4

1 bottle good-quality red wine
200ml crème de cassis or blackcurrant syrup
200g sugar (or 300g if not using crème de cassis)
1 cinnamon stick
6 cloves
1 star anise
20g ginger root, peeled
25g liquorice root
Zest of 1 orange, peeled in one piece (using a sharp peeler)
Zest of 1 lemon, peeled in one piece
8-10 ripe, unblemished pears

Bring the wine to the boil in a casserole big enough to hold the pears and boil for 10 minutes to drive off the acidity. Remove from the heat, then add all the other ingredients, except the pears.

Prepare the pears. Peel them, leaving the stem intact. If you are keeping them whole, remove the core so that they cook evenly all the way through. To core them, insert the tip of a peeler into the base of the pear just on the edge of the core, push into the fruit and turn the peeler around the core, cutting it out. If halving the pears, do so lengthways. Neatly cut out the root and core.

The liquid will have cooled down a little by now. Place the prepared pears side by side in the pan and top with a disc of greaseproof paper cut to the same size as the pan. Pierce a few holes in the paper and press it down slightly so that some of the poaching liquid comes through the holes: this will keep the pears submerged during cooking. If the liquid does not cover the pears, add a little water until it does.

Place the casserole back on the heat and bring to a simmer. As soon as this happens, turn down the heat and cook at a gentle simmer — just enough to form the odd bubble on the surface of the water — for 30 minutes, or until the pears are done. Test by inserting a small pointed knife into the flesh. If it goes in with little resistance, they are ready.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool. When cold, carefully transfer the fruit to a sealable container. If you have added extra water, reduce the liquid to the required consistency and taste. If it is still too thin, thicken with a little cornflour. Reserve the zest and spices for decoration, if required. Pour the liquid over the pears in their container and store in the fridge for at least a day. The pears will keep for a week in the poaching liquid. Serve hot or cold.

fennel soup

FENNEL VELOUTE

Serves 6

2 tsp fennel seeds
1 star anise
50g butter
1kg fennel, finely sliced
2 medium onions, finely sliced
1 small potato, finely sliced
2 tbsp Pernod
750ml warm chicken stock (ideally fresh)
100ml double cream
Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste

Place the fennel seeds and star anise in a muslin bag and tie it up to make a bouquet garni. Set a large pan over a medium heat, melt the butter and cook the sliced fennel, onion and potato with the bouquet garni, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the Pernod and bring to the boil for a couple of minutes to reduce it. Now add the warm stock to the vegetables, then simmer for 10minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Blitz the soup using either a hand blender, a mouli-légumes or by putting batches in a food processor, then pass through a sieve. Return the soup to the pan, add the cream and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and serve.

from Heston Blumenthal

chilled yoghurt and cucumber soup

YOGHURT AND CUCUMBER SOUP

Prep: 10 min plus chilling

Serves 4

1 litre natural low-fat yoghurt, well chilled
500g long ridged cucumber
500ml iced water or vegetable stock
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Half tsp finely chopped mint
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
1 garlic clove, crushed
Fresh mint sprigs for serving

Method: Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard. Finely chop the flesh. Combine the yoghurt, iced water or stock, sea salt and pepper in a liquidiser or blender (more successful than a food processor, which leaves it slightly bitty). Add the dried mint, dill, garlic and all but 1 tbsp of the diced cucumber, and whiz until pale green, smooth and frothy. Chill for at least an hour and serve in small, chilled bowls.

Add the reserved cucumber and top with a sprig of fresh mint.

butternut squash and ginger soup

Butternut squash and ginger soup

Serves 4
Prep 15mins
Cook 30mins

1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 small leek, roughly chopped
30g root ginger, peeled and grated
Good knob of butter
1kg butternut squash
500ml vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

METHOD

Gently cook the onion, leek and ginger in the butter until soft. Peel, seed and chop the squash and add to the pan with the stock. Bring to the boil, add salt and pepper and simmer for 20min. Blend in a liquidiser, then strain through a sieve. Reheat the soup and adjust the consistency with stock or water. Serve immediately with pumpkin seeds.

# The Simple Art of Marrying Food & Wine, Mitchell Beazley, £20.

baked endive with thyme, orange juice, garlic and butter

from Jamie Oliver, return of the naked chef

4 endive, quartered
3 knobs butter
clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
handful fresh thyme
salt and black pepper
300 ml orange juice

Oven 230 c. Fry endive in butter, garlic and thyme and seasoning for 4 - 5 minutes. Add orange juice and allow to sizzle. Pour into baking dish, cover with foil, bake covered 10 minutes; remove foil and bake further 10 mins.

baked fennel with garlic butter and vermouth

from Jamie Oliver, return of the naked chef.

3 large heads of fennel, quartered, or sliced finely
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 large knobs butter
2 wine glasses vermouth or white wine
salt and black pepper

Oven 220 c. Put all ingredients in baking dish. Scrunch piece of wetted greaseproof paper over fennel (so it will bake and steam). Cook 20 mins

gratin of celeriac

can also use Jerusalem artichokes. Adapated from a Jamie Oliver recipe in return of the naked chef.

285 ml cream or creme fraiche
juice 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
handful of fresh thyme
3 handfuls grated parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper
1kg celeriace or jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced (pencil thickness)
2 handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs
olive oil

Oven 220 c. Mix cream, lemon juice, garlic, half thyme, most of parmesan, season. Add veg and mix; place in ovenproof baking dish.

Mix breadcrumbs with rest of thyme and parmesan and salt and pepper. Sprinkle over veg and drizzle with olive oil. Bake 30 mins

baked beetroot with balsamic vinegar, marjoram and garlic

This is a great veggie dish - goes well with white fish, also as a starter.

From Jamie Oliver, return of the naked chef

1lb small fresh raw beetroot
10 cloves garlic, unpeeled and squashed
handful of fresh marjoram or sweet oregano
salt and pepper
10 tbsps balsamic vinegar
6 tbsps olive oil

Oven at 200 C. Place beetroots on double thickness foil; add all the ingredients; seal; cook for 1 hour

baked carrots with cumin, thyme and butter

carrots baked with cumin, thyme, butter and chardonnay

from Jamie Oliver the return of the naked chef

1lb carrots (preferably baby ones left whole)
1/2 tsp crushed cumin seeds
handful fresh thyme leaves
4 knobs butter
glass chardonnay
salt and black pepper

Oven at 220 C; place all ingredients in a foil parcel; seal; bake 45 mins

horseradish sauce

mix fresh peeled and grated, or preserved from a jar, horseradish with creme fraiche, white wine vinegar, and salt and black pepper.

serve with trout (yes, it's great), beef, roasted beetroot or carrot.

tomato salsa

good with tuna or swordfish. From Jamie Oliver the naked chef

2 handfuls plum tomatoes, de-seeded and finely chopped
handful of small capers, soaked and drained
2 small shallots or 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
handful parsley, finely chopped
couple of swigs of balsamic vinegar
6 - lugs olive oil
dried chili flakes (or fresh, finely chopped) to taste
1/2 cucumeber, peeled, deseeded and finely diced
salt and black pepper

mix and season to taste

chilli and fennel salsa

to serve with grilled fish or shellfish. Good with baked or grilled salmon or cod; pour sauce over cooked fish and allow to cool. serve as with boiled potatoes and salad.

from Jamie Oliver the naked chef

4 med chillies
1 bulb fennel
juice 1 - 2 lemons
handful fennel tops
8 tbsps olive oil
salt and pepper

finely chop chillies. gtrim and finely dice fennel. mix all ingredients