This simple little cake is big on pleasure and has the texture of a French “moelleux au chocolat” but instead of butter ricotta creates the smoothness. I took my lead from an Italian nonna classic: “torta di ricotta e cioccolato senza farina” and tweaked it just a little.
The enjoyment starts with the childish pleasure of melting chocolate in a bowl over hot water, the conjuring up of the magic that is meringue, the pop of pungent orange oil on the grater, the crunch of the toasted pistachios and then the kitchen filled with the overpowering aroma of chocolate and orange, so strong that for a few moments the world is softer, brighter, happier.
This little cake is winter comfort eaten warm with vanilla custard, a pick-me-up breakfast with a cappuccino or an elegant dessert with some fruit and mascarpone. Choose your favourite and make this clever treat a firm (but squidgy) kitchen friend!
Celebrate the arrival of Spring Asparagus and spinach with this herby frittata – Asparagus, eggs and spinach are classic food partners and here they meet in a cosy combination that I love as a warm dish served with salad or shoved between crusty bread slices for a hearty sandwich. The filling is generously filled with fresh herbs and sour cream and can be made in a non stick frying pan or baked (as here) in a flan tin.
Ingredients 4-6 servings, 20-22cm pan
Half a bunch of asparagus (8-10 spears), each spear cut in half
4 large eggs
200g sour cream 20% or thick Greek yoghurt
50g baby spinach leaves
100g grated Emmental
1 bunch spring onions – white parts and green tails separately chopped
Half a bunch of parsley – finely chopped
1/4 bunch dill – finely chopped
some olive oil for frying the asparagus stalks
2 TBSP cornflour or potato flour
salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg
How To
“Snap” the Asparagus spears at their lower end. Discard anything below this area as it will be “woody”. Look at your tin and calculate the length of the spear tips you need to arrange, all pointing inwards. Chop at that point and set aside the tips. The remaining stalk arts chop finely in discs
Gently fry the asparagus stalk rounds and the whites of the spring onions until softened
Place the Baby Spinach leaves into the tin
Pour over the softened asparagus stalks and onions with any resdual oil, which will wilt the spinach a little bit
Make the egg filling mix:
Combine in a bowl the eggs, sour cream, cornflour, grated cheese , chooped herbs and green spring onion tails. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg.
Carefully spoon the mixture into the case/tin/frying pan – the mixture should almost be level with the rim. If it is not you may want to add another egg and stir it in especially if the eggs were a little small.
Arrange the asparagus tips on top as artistically as possible. Press them down so they are coated a little in the egg mixture and are a part of the frittata not merely perched on top.
Bake at 180C until the centre puffs up and is pleasantly browned – at which point the frittata is done- approx 30-40 minutes depending on how fierce your oven is.
In a frying pan – place the asparagus tips on the base of the pan with a little olive oil and gently spoon the mixture over. Fry gently, very gently for 15-20 minutes or so until the frittata is almost done on top. Place a very large plate over the pan. Invert it and slide the frittata back into the pan. (I use a thick tea towel to protect myself when doing this)
This is my go-to January/February blues tonic. It warms, revitalizes and gives me the central heating I crave – so I glow like a “goddess”! If you are want to cleanse after the season of excess, if you are doing “Veganuary”, if you are feeling the “SAD” then this is your liquor!
The method is simplicity itself and as it thickens it becomes “dahl” to serve as a nourising and cheap meal.
Ingredients: for 6-8 generous portions
500g red lentils
1 large onion chopped lazily
5 cloves of garlic chopped in half
2 tbsp olive oil,
50g-100g ginger, peeled with teaspoons – chopped roughly
Lightly fry the onions and spices and garlic until just translucent. Do not brown. Add any veggies the stock and the lentils and the ginger.
Bring to the boil
Lower to a very gentle simmer and cook until the lentils and veggies are soft – approximately 30minutes
Take out the cardamom pods
Blitz until smooth. If it is thick – reserve a portion to eat as dahl with rice. Thin the remainder with water to serve as your soup.
I like to serve the soup garnished with olive oil and fresh coriander but thick yogurt is nice too. The dahl I serve with rice, a fresh chutney and slices of avocado.
