No Refined Sugar Archives - Page 2 of 5

Whole orange, coconut and saffron cake

I have made Claudia Roden’s whole orange and almond cake in various guises and with many tweakings for years and years since I first eagerly bought her encyclopedic book “A new book of Middle Eastern Cookery” while at university – somehow the co0kery book section at “Dillons” was always more interesting than the engineering one! Glancing at the book now, I see my handwritten notes about adding in some polenta in Romania and some fine cornmeal with musky mastic while visiting the Greek island of Kefalonia for a reunion.

The recipe is a Sephardic Jewish recipe which they took from Spain and Portugal when they fled the peninsula in the Inquisition and were welcomed to Turkey and other countries of the region including Egypt, Claudia Roden’s country of birth. This inspired me to add some saffron which deepens the colour and imbues the cake with that subtle smoky sweet saffron type taste.

Apricot, Lime & Vanilla Jam (No Refined Sugar)

Scooping out Apricot pieces from tins of South African apricot jam that my grandmother used to always have is a taste of childhood and perhaps that is why apricot jam has a special place in my heart. I adore apricot jam and this version I think is glorious.

Roast Tomato Chutney

A tomato chutney that does justice to the sun ripened tomatoes we know and love in this part of the world. Spiced with hot smoked paprika, coriander, a lot of fresh ginger and a few other treats too. Golden sultanas add more sweet and the sour is provided by apple vinegar. This version is made with grape juice concentrate and fruit sugar but regular sugar will work just fine.

Its brilliant with cheddar, adds zing to a ham sandwich and gives fried eggs a little “shakshuka” treatment.

Ingredients

This makes quite a lot of chutney 15-16 small jars but it is a good use of a glut of tomatoes and so far, a very popular chutney; it just seems wrong to give smaller quantities!

2.5kgs of sun ripened tomatoes, halved, roasted until semi dried. Passed through a food mill to yield 1.5kg of tomato puree
200g of organic tomato concentrate
1 x 300g jar of organic sun dried tomatoes finely chopped or coarsely pulsed
500g of white onions
1 head of garlic – approx 8-12 cloves
200g golden sultanas
600g of grape juice concentrate and 400g fructose or 800g regular sugar
600ml apple vinegar
200g fresh ginger
Spices: 3tbsp ground coriander seeds, 2 tbsp hot smoked paprika, 2tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp turmeric, 1 tbsp fenugreek, 1tsp ground cardamon, 3tbsp Nigella seeds, salt and pepper

How To

Making chutney is a slow affair and this is no exception. First roast the tomatoes very slowly so that they lose approx half their weight. I roast mine at 90C iin a convection oven. If you do not have a food mill then take out the seeds first. (A food mill makes like a lot easier as you simply pass the tomatoes through and a fine puree results)

Make a paste of the onions, garlic and ginger by processing in a blender with a couple of tablespoons of water.

Dry fry the paste together wth all the spices to fully develop the aromas

Now add all the wet ingredients, the sultanas and the sugar/ fructose and bring to the boil. Then turn down and simmer very very gently for 3-4 hours until reduced and thickened. Leave overnight or for 1 day in the fridge.

After one day bring to the boil again and pot in sterilised hot jars.