| Lemon Cake from Woman's Hour |
[May. 12th, 2006|01:56 pm] |
Link to the page where you can listen to ther radio piece.
The history of this cake is unclear, but it crops up consistently in bakery shops and old Irish cookery books and is often associated with weekend shooting, fishing or hunting parties. Its sharp distinctive flavour awakens a jaded palate and it makes an excellent pudding served with cream, but I admit to liking it best, sliced and eaten with a cup of tea at teatime.
You will need:
175g / 6oz butter
Grated zest of one large lemon
175g / 6oz caster sugar
2 extra tablespoons caster sugar
3 large eggs
Juice of one large lemon
175g / 6oz self raising flour
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
Serves 6-8
What to do:
Cream the butter and sugar together and add the eggs and flour alternately, a tablespoon at a time, beating in gently.
Finally add the lemon zest (reserving a remainder of the lemon) and pour the cake mixture into a greased and lined 900g / 2lb loaf tin.
Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown and firm to touch. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
Meanwhile strain the juice of the lemon and add it to the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar in a small saucepan.
Boil the mixture together for 2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the cake from the oven and leaving it in the tin, prick the surface lightly with a fine skewer.
Pour the lemon syrup over the cake, leaving it to become cold before turning onto a plate to serve. |
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| T n T - Vegetable Strata (Savoury Bread Pudding) |
[May. 12th, 2006|01:58 pm] |
200g / 8oz of bread, cut into cubes or torn into bits (makes little difference but some folks are pernickity)
200 ml whipping cream
1/2 pt of milk
1 tblsp of mustard (English is nice, Dijon is less harsh)
3 eggs
Whatever vegetables or meat you want in the middle of the strata (about 200g or so but you can go hog wild and stuff it full of goodies if you fancy it)
Cheese to grate over the top, 75g+ (depends if you're a cheese fiend)
Take the bread, put it in a bowl. Take a jug, whisk the milk, cream, mustard and eggs together in it. Pour the mix over the bread. Leave for 30 minutes. Switch the oven on, about a Gas 6 or 180C. Take a wooden spoon to the mix and make sure it is well 'smooshed', it won't look desperately attractive now but it will when it's cooked. Put half the bread mix in a casserole dish. Add all your sliced veggies and meat in one glorious layer. I layered mine with slices of: a courgette, a red pepper, a couple of mushrooms, a couple of big, fat tomatoes, a good handful of spinach and some farmhouse ham. Then cover with the rest of the bread mix. It might not cover right to the corners but it'll be fine. Cover with grated cheese. Cook in oven for 30 minutes, until it bubbles and goes slightly brown.
I liked it with ham but actually think this is a brilliant vegetarian dish that meat could be added to rather than a dish that needs it. This is now going to be one of my staples. :) |
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