AutoRSS Original Feed Admin

Pep up your cooking in these last days of winter with a scattering of dried fruit here and there. And please, try to buy Fairtrade

As primates, I reckon we’re pretty much hard-wired to yearn for fruit whatever the season. Call me demanding, but I need more than apples and pears to keep me going until the first gooseberry of summer, which is why I grab the year’s earliest sticks of forced rhubarb (the vegetable that thinks it’s a fruit) like a man possessed. Even so, I long for greater variety.

And that’s when I reach for dried fruit. Fat raisins, plump apricots and perfumed mangoes add a fruity lift to compotes, tea breads, cakes and muesli. And in savoury dishes, too – apricots add a juicy tang to tagines, stuffings and pilafs; raisins are delicious sautéed with radicchio in a winter salad or in a piquant pasta sauce with capers and pine nuts; and dried mango makes a great chutney.

Of course, all these ingredients are “exotic”, the very opposite of local, so are hardly stand-bys of the River Cottage repertoire, which is why we give a little thought to their sourcing. Fairtrade Fortnight starts a week on Monday, and provides a good opportunity to reflect on where our food comes from, how it’s produced and by whom. The power of the shopping basket is mighty – in 1999 we spent £21m on Fairtrade products; in 2009 it was £799m. This is a growing movement that makes a real difference to some of the world’s poorest farming communities. In all, around 7.5 million people from 58 developing countries – farmers, their families and communities – benefit from the Fairtrade system.

I know there are some who criticise Fairtrade, and I’ve heard all the arguments about protectionism ad nauseam, but the fact is, traditional trading arrangements push some of the poorest communities on our planet to the brink of destitution. And that is an irrefutable argument for change, for a fairer deal and for trading structures that encourage and foster sustainable development.

So I hope you choose Fairtrade dried fruit when shopping for today’s recipes. There’s a hearteningly wide range available, but if you have trouble tracking them down, tropicalwholefoods.com does a great range by mail order.

Dried fruit compote

This makes a great breakfast with thick, Greek-style yoghurt. It keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This makes enough for eight to 10 servings.

200g dried apricots
200g dried mangoes
100g raisins
150ml freshly squeezed orange juice
80g honey
Zest of 1 lemon, pared with vegetable peeler
Zest of ½ orange, pared with vegetable peeler
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves
1 star anise (optional)
Thick yoghurt, to serve

Pour 500ml warm water into a large bowl, tip in the dried fruit and leave to soak for an hour.

Pour 500ml water into a large saucepan along with the orange juice, honey, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, cloves and star anise (if using). Bring to a boil, then add the fruit and its soaking liquid. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has thickened slightly. Serve warm or cold, with a big dollop of thick yoghurt.

Raisin pie

You can give this homely, delicious pie a decadent kick by soaking the raisins in a slug of rum or brandy, draining and adding them to the filling. Serves six to eight.

For the pastry
225g plain flour
A pinch of salt
150g chilled butter, cut into cubes
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg yolk

For the filling
4 eggs, slightly beaten
380ml sour cream
200g caster sugar, plus a little extra
Juice of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of ½ orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
200g raisins

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Whisk the egg yolk with three tablespoons of chilled water, sprinkle over the flour and mix in with a knife. Knead very gently into a dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the dough and use it to line a 22cm x 4cm pie dish. Chill for 15 minutes. Keep the remaining dough in clingfilm.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs. (Set aside a tablespoon’s worth for glazing the top of the pie.) Now whisk them with sour cream, sugar, lemon juice and zest, orange zest, vanilla and salt. Stir in the raisins. Roll out the remaining dough into a circle large enough to cover the pie. Pour the filling into the pie, cover with the lid, seal the edges and trim with a sharp knife.

Beat together the reserved egg and a tablespoon of water, and brush this over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 10-15 minutes – the middle will still wobble a bit as the custardy filling thickens up as it cools. Serve just warm or cold.

Amaretti biscuits

Crisp on the outside and chewy in the centre, these are addictively good and very easy. Makes about 16.

180g apricot kernels (or use ground almonds)
100g caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp almond extract
1 pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 tbsp runny honey
50g flaked almonds
Icing sugar

Heat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.

Grind the apricot kernels to a fine meal in a food processor or clean coffee mill, then mix with the caster sugar, lemon zest, almond extract and salt in a bowl, ensuring the zest and extract are evenly distributed.

Whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form, then whisk in the honey. With a large metal spoon, gently fold the meringue into the kernel mixture until you have a soft dough. Roll the dough into balls the size of large walnuts, flatten each ball a little, then roll in flaked almonds. Finally, roll them in icing sugar.

Place the biscuits on the baking tray and bake for 14-18 minutes – they should turn a very light golden colour and remain soft and chewy in the centre. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then store in a sealed jar or tin.

Dried mango chutney

Dried fruit makes a delicious chutney and is a terrific stand-by when fresh fruit is in short supply. Makes five 240ml jars.

500g dried mango slices (roughly chopped, if on the large side)
4 onions, peeled and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
250g raisins
350g light muscovado sugar
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 small red chillies, halved, membranes removed, finely diced
500ml cider vinegar
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 small orange
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin

Put the mango slices in a bowl, pour over 1.5 litres of water, cover and leave to soak overnight.

Tip the mangoes and their soaking water into a large, stainless-steel saucepan or preserving pan. Add all the other ingredients and, over a low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring up to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour and a half. You should stir the mixture frequently, particularly towards the end of the cooking time, to ensure it doesn’t stick – it’s done when a spoon drawn through the centre of the chutney leaves a clear line for a second or two before the chutney comes back together.

Pour into hot, sterilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids. Store in a cool, dry place and leave to mature for eight weeks before using. Use within two years.

• Learn new skills on River Cottage’s four-day cookery courses; go to rivercottage.net for details.

guardian.co.uk

AutoRSS Original Feed Admin

It’s amazing what even quite young children can achieve in the kitchen, and the summer holidays are the perfect time to let them find their culinary feet

As a kid, the long summer holiday represented seemingly endless possibilities for aimlessly messing about. What bliss. Often, the fractionally more purposeful messing about took place in the kitchen. Mum was remarkably relaxed in giving me access to her armoury of pans, bowls and knives ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì though usually all I required was the rotary whisk, to knock up yet another soft mountain of Angel Delight.

I did get a little beyond that. In fact, I became quite the junior pastry chef. Under Mum’s guidance, I learned to knock out very respectable black forest gateaux, profiteroles, lemon mousse ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì classic 1970s sweets to follow her avocado mousse with prawns and beef wellington. We were a dinner party double act ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì except I never saw my creations being consumed, because I was in bed by then.

Cooking is still our rainy-day activity of choice in the summer hols, only now I’m the one dishing out ingredients, finding the right size bowl and wondering if I’ll have to do all the washing up. When Mum’s here, of course, she’ll take over supervision, so I can sneak off and do a bit of real nothing. And I’m reminded that I used to cook with her mum, my granny, too. Eggs, flour, sugar, butter, etc?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶ Is there any better glue for holding together the fabric of family down the generations?

My kids are not so resolutely sweet-toothed as I was at their age, so with the right kind of cajoling and suggestions, I have an outside chance of getting a remarkably well-balanced meal cooked for me. Chloe, 14, likes making huge vats of beans ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì from scratch, soaking dried beans, boiling them, and making a lovely sauce from onions, tomatoes and a bit of spice. They last for days. Oscar, 11, likes knives (understatement), and his skills and enthusiasm can be happily channelled into veg prep. Freddie, seven, does nothing by the book and is averse to taking instructions, but has taken to the blender (supervised) and is surprisingly adept at transforming fruit from our garden into pur?É?í?Ǭ©es that can be drunk as smoothies, served with ice-cream or pancakes, or frozen into lollies.

It’s impressive what even quite young children can achieve ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì small hands do very well at rolling today’s falafel or picking herbs from their stems. For kids who like to follow instructions, all this week’s recipes deliver, while for the more independent-minded, they’re starting points for experiments. The falafel, for instance, make terrific mini veggie burgers. Mix in cooked beans or peas, and spice it up with curry powder, too. And toss cooked or tinned beans, or cubed avocado, in with the salad, or chop its ingredients smaller to create a lively salsa.

All these dishes together, customised or not, make a lovely summer holiday family meal. And even if not all the kids are entirely enamoured of all the savoury items (are they ever?), the sundaes will surely leave no one disappointed.

Three quick dips

Serve one or more of these instead of hummus with the falafel, and or with a pile of fresh raw veg crudit?É?í?Ǭ©s: ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Pur?É?í?Ǭ©e or mash cooked cannellini beans with a little minced garlic, a slug of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of cumin. Add some finely chopped parsley, if you like.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Drain cooked spinach and squeeze out the excess moisture. Chop finely or pulse in a blender, and mix with cream cheese, grated parmesan, black pepper and a grate of nutmeg.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Mix thick yoghurt with a tiny amount of crushed garlic, a little salt and pepper, and plenty of chopped herbs ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì chives, plus either dill, coriander or mint work well.

Falafel

Delicious warm, but also great cold. Serve in flatbreads or pitta with salad for a main course or with a yoghurt dip for a snack. Makes about 14.

200g dried chickpeas
1 small onion, chopped or grated
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 small bunch parsley, stalks removed, leaves finely chopped
1 small bunch coriander, stalks removed, leaves finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
?É‚Äö?Ǭº tsp chilli flakes (optional)
Salt
2-3 tbsp plain flourGroundnut oil (if frying them)
To serve
Pitta or flatbreads
Lettuce, shredded
Spring onion, finely chopped
Red peppers, finely sliced
Hummus or tahini (or one of my quick dips above)

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl, add cold water to cover by at least 6cm and soak overnight. Next day, drain, tip into a food processor and pulse the uncooked chickpeas, onion and garlic until roughly combined. Add the herbs, cumin, chilli (if using) and some salt, and pulse to a coarse paste. Sprinkle the flour over the mix and pulse until it comes together roughly into a ball. Put into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Roll the mix into balls about the size of walnuts (slightly damp hands will make this job a bit easier). To bake the falafel, heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with lightly oiled baking parchment, put the balls on the tray so they’re not touching and bake for 20-25 minutes, rattling the tin halfway through. To fry them, pour 8cm of oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan (it shouldn’t come more than a third of the way up the pan) and heat to 180C (that’s the temperature at which a cube of white bread turns golden in less than a minute). Fry in batches until golden, about four minutes, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Roll up in flatbread or stuff pitta with some falafel and salad, and serve trickled with tahini thinned with hot water, spoonfuls of hummus or any of the dips above.

Tomato and sweetcorn salad

This easy, quick salad is colourful and tasty. If you like, tumble some rocket through it, to add a little fiery bite. Serves four as a side dish.

2 sweetcorn
3 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1cm cubes
1 shallot, chopped
1 handful coriander or basil leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red-wine vinegar (or the juice of ?É‚Äö?Ǭ? lime)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

There are three ways of preparing the corn. If you grow your own and it’s very fresh, add it raw. Slightly older corn is best lightly simmered or barbecued ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì to simmer it, remove the husks and silk, plunge the corn into boiling water and simmer until tender, about five to 10 minutes, depending on how freshly picked it is; drain, refresh under cold water, then stand upright on a board and run a knife down the sides to remove the kernels. To barbecue it, peel back the husk, pull off the silk, wrap the husk back around the cob and tie at the top with cotton string. Soak in cold water for 15 minutes, then grill over the coals, turning frequently, for 12 minutes. Leave to cool, then cut off the kernels as for boiled corn.

In a bowl, mix the corn kernels with the tomatoes, shallot and herbs. Trickle over the oil and vinegar, toss gently, taste and season.

Berry sundaes with chocolate sauce

An indulgent treat. It’s fun, if messy, to assemble a bowl of berries, whipped cream and nuts, pots of ice-cream and a jug of sauce, and let everyone put together their own pud. Serves six.

200g strawberries, hulled
200g raspberries
3 tbsp caster sugar
For the sauce
200g dark chocolate, broken in pieces
150ml double cream
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
To serve
Vanilla, strawberry or chocolate ice-cream
100ml double cream, lightly whipped
1 small handful toasted almonds or pecans, chopped (optional)

Halve large strawberries lengthways and leave small ones whole. Mix in a bowl with the raspberries and sugar, and macerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the chocolate, cream and syrup in a heatproof bowl, place over a pan of barely simmering water (the water shouldn’t touch the base of the bowl) and stir gently from time to time, until everything is melted into a smooth, rich sauce. Keep warm over the pan until you’re ready to use it.

Layer berries, ice-cream and cream in sundae glasses, and finish with a trickle of sauce. Add a sprinkling of nuts, if you like.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Visiting the south-west over the summer holidays? Join us for A Taste Of River Cottage, where children under 12 get in free; rivercottage.net for details.

Guardian Life & Style

AutoRSS Original Feed Admin

American muffins don’t have to be heavy and sugary. Made well, they can be tasty, light and, best of all, a cinch. What’s more, they don’t have to be sweet, either

I feel a bit sorry for the muffin. Not the yeasty, bready, English ones ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì the centrepiece of many a jammy afternoon tea ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì but their cakey American counterparts. Too often, we associate them with the sweet, cellophane-wrapped offerings on many a coffee-chain counter, cloying with too much sugar and sticky with cheap oil, or worthily stuffed with bran and heavy enough to take out a bear at 20 paces, if you have a half-decent throwing arm.

But it doesn’t have to be so. They can be tasty, light and flavoursome, and, better yet, they’re incredibly easy to make. Personally, I’m particularly partial to a savoury muffin. You can whip up a batch in half an hour and have a perfect homemade offering to tuck into lunchboxes and picnic baskets, to enjoy as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack, or to serve with soup as a quirky alternative to a bread roll.

Savoury muffins are a great way of using up the garden’s bounty, too. If you have abundant courgettes, carrots, beetroot, spinach (or even a few handfuls wallowing in the salad drawer, about to expire from neglect), whip them into a batch of muffins. I’m not saying this because it’s a good way of ensuring your five a day ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì though it is ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì but because grated or pur?É?í?Ǭ©ed vegetables are delicious and help to keep a savoury muffin moist, light and, well, savoury.

I hope you’ll try my recipes today, but I hope you’ll also use them as a blueprint to create your own. It’s kind of like fancy bread-making without all the hassle of proving dough. So, experiment with different flours ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì substitute a third of the flours used here with cornmeal, buckwheat or spelt. Toss some grated apple in with grated carrot, try them with different cheeses ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì dollops of soft goat’s cheese or cubed feta stirred into the mix work well. Add a handful of toasted nuts and be generous with the herbs. Stir in some chopped olives or strips of roasted red pepper. Roasted and pur?É?í?Ǭ©ed squash or sweet potato with a few grinds of nutmeg are delicious later in the year, too.

I have a few tips to avoid the bear-missile situation. First, and perhaps most importantly, work quickly. Fold the ingredients in with a spatula until only just combined. This will ensure the finished result is light, not rubbery. I use yoghurt or buttermilk to moisten, because it gives a good flavour and pleasing texture. If you don’t have buttermilk, just add a good squeeze of lemon juice to whole milk and leave it for 10 minutes or so before adding to the mix.

When it comes to ladling the batter into the muffin tin (you will need a proper, deep-cupped muffin tin, but they’re easy to get hold of and pretty cheap), use an ice-cream scoop if you have one. It ensures you get evenly-sized muffins that bake at the same rate. Alternatively, use a large spoon and rub it with a little cooking oil, which helps the batter slip off easily. When you get them out of the oven, leave them to cool in a tin for a few minutes, so they firm up a bit, then transfer to a rack. They’re best eaten on the day you make them ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì while they’re still warm, if possible ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì but will freeze quite well for a month, too.

Courgette and pine nut muffins

In summer, I like to toss hot pasta with saut?É?í?Ǭ©ed courgettes, pine nuts and parmesan. The combination works very well in a muffin, too. Makes 12.

200g plain flour
40g jumbo oats
2 tsp baking powder
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp bicarbonate of soda
1-2 tsp flaky sea salt (depending on how salty your parmesan is)
A few grinds of black pepper
8 large basil leaves, shredded
60g parmesan, coarsely grated, plus another 20g or so to sprinkle on top
2 eggs
250g whole milk yoghurt
4 tbsps olive or rapeseed oil
200g courgettes, coarsely grated
40g cup pine nuts, toasted
40g sultanas

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, bicarb, salt, pepper, basil and parmesan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, yoghurt and oil, pour this over the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until roughly combined ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì don’t overmix. Add the courgettes, pine nuts and sultanas, and stir just until evenly distributed.

Spoon or scoop the batter into the muffin tin and sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan. Bake for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Red onion, cheddar and bacon muffins

These strong flavours work well together, but you can always play around with the combinations. Try spring onions instead of red, pancetta instead of bacon, and any strong cheese in place of the cheddar. Makes 12.

1 tsp oil
100g streaky bacon, cut into 1cm pieces
1 red onion, finely diced
250g wholemeal self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp bicarbonate of soda
?É‚Äö?Ǭº tsp salt
2 eggs
80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
200ml buttermilk
1 tbsp finely chopped chives (optional)
150g strong cheddar, grated

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.

Warm the oil over a medium heat and fry the bacon in it until just crisp. Lift the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. In the same fat, saut?É?í?Ǭ© the onion until just softened, about five minutes, then set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. In a jug, whisk the eggs, butter and buttermilk, stir them into the flour mixture with a spatula until just combined, then fold in the cooled bacon, onion, chives, if using, and two-thirds of the cheese until just evenly distributed.

Spoon or scoop the mixture into the muffin tin, sprinkle on the rest of the cheese, and bake for about 18 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

Carrot, spinach and cumin muffins

Cumin adds great flavour to these muffins, and the seeds add a little crunch. If you don’t have pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds make a good substitute, or use a combination of the two. Makes 12.

80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 10g for frying
1 onion, finely diced
2 tsp ground cumin
150g spinach, tough stalks removed and very finely shredded
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp bicarbonate of soda
1?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp salt
2 eggs
275g whole milk yoghurt
150g carrots, grated
40g pumpkin seeds, toasted

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.

Warm the 10g of butter in a large frying pan and saut?É?í?Ǭ© the onion with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, stir for a minute, then add the spinach and stir until wilted and soft. Cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. In a jug, whisk the melted butter, eggs and yoghurt. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour and stir with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the cooled onions and spinach, the carrots and seeds. Spoon into the cases and bake for about 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Visit River Cottage in August for just ?É‚Äö?Ǭ£11 ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì go to rivercottage.net for details.

Guardian Life & Style

AutoRSS Original Feed Admin

Thyme is so ubiquitous in my cooking, but it’s rarely the star of the show. Let’s set the record straight?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶

Alas, poor thyme: always the bridesmaid, never the bride. It’s perhaps the herb I reach for most often ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì I rely on it to add flavour to stews, stocks, stuffings, p?É?í?Ǭ¢t?É?í?Ǭ©s and terrines, the bellies of baking fish ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì yet we seldom give it the starring role. It’s destined to work tirelessly in the kitchen, a culinary Cinderella, seldom given top billing like those flashy “finishing” herbs, parsley, basil, mint and coriander. But today it shall go to the ball. It’s thyme (sorry) for a change. I’m celebrating its clean, bracing pungency and putting it centre stage.

There are many different types of thyme, but the ones we use most often are common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and lemon thyme, T. citrodius. I have a particular affection for the latter and use it almost as much as T. vulgaris; in fact, I’d maybe use it more if it wasn’t such a slow grower. It’s very good with fish, shellfish, lamb, chicken and veal, and even works well in breads and biscuits (see today’s recipe). It has a gentler flavour than old vulgaris, so I often add it at the end, in a final, finishing flourish, as well as at the beginning.

Thyme’s special charm is the extraordinary concentration of scent in those tiny but fleshy leaves which are ready to eke out a living in the meagrest of soils. Thyme grows wild all over the Mediterranean, pushing itself through the rocky earth and perfuming the air with its pungent aroma.

So when you grow it at home, try to replicate these conditions as closely as you can. Plant it in well-drained, poorish soil in the sunniest spot you can find to ensure the best flavour. It grows brilliantly in pots and will put up with all kinds of harsh treatment, apart from overwatering, for which it will not thank you. Pillage your pots often ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì the more you cut, the more it will throw up those fresh, fragrant young leaves that really are the most delicious. Without frequent cutting, it can become woody, so don’t hold back. The dainty flowers are a delicious addition to drinks and fruit salads, and look wonderful scattered over cakes. Once it has flowered, though, give it a good haircut to encourage new growth.

Thyme has found its way into kitchens all over the world, from the Med to Mexico, and into dishes as diverse as casseroles, chillies and chowders. Of course, it is an essential component of bouquet garni because it stands up to long, slow cooking, giving up its mellow flavour without overpowering the finished dish.

But it’s not all about stews and stocks. Rub some thyme leaves on the crackling of your pork joint. Add a sprig or two next time you’re frying onions into creamy softness. Scatter it into the roasting tin with the potatoes, other root veg, and squashes and pumpkins, too. When you’re frying mushrooms, add a few bruised thyme leaves along with the garlic, and finish with a tiny squeeze of lemon for perfect mushrooms on toast. You can sprinkle it, very finely chopped, into bread dough (especially pizza and focaccia) and even, lightly, into yorkshire pudding batter. Next time you make a tomato salad, use young and tender thyme leaves (and flowers, too) in place of the ubiquitous basil. And use today’s gremolata by beating some into softened butter to add a final, melting element of deliciousness to a juicy steak or lamb chop.

If you’re cooking this weekend and want something extra-special, then please, take your thyme.

Lamb cutlets with thyme gremolata

These are delicious served just with boiled new potatoes and a green salad. You can grill them on the barbecue, if you like. Serves four.

2 small garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped
1 small lemon, zest finely grated
1?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tbsp lemon thyme leaves, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
12 lamb cutlets
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

First, make the gremolata. Combine the garlic, lemon zest and thyme, and put half the mixture in a bowl large enough to hold all of the cutlets. Whisk in the oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Turn the cutlets over in the mixture until well coated and leave to marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat a large griddle pan or frying pan until hot. Lift the cutlets from the marinade, season with salt and pepper, and cook for two to three minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Transfer the cutlets to a warm plate, leave to rest, then sprinkle with the remaining gremolata and serve.

Za’atar

Different versions of this classic spice blend (pictured left) appear all over the Arab world (some contain oregano, cumin, fennel and coriander seeds). Experiment to find a mix you like, though I think this one is rather good. In Lebanon, parents think that za’atar for breakfast sharpens concentration, so they encourage their children to eat some before an exam.

3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp ground sumac
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp flaky sea salt

Mix everything together in a bowl.

Five things to do with za’atar

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Fill a small bowl with extra-virgin olive oil and another with za’atar. Dip chunks of flatbread or good, country-style bread first in the oil and then in the za’atar.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Cook asparagus on a barbecue or griddle until just tender, trickle over some extra-virgin olive or rapeseed oil, and sprinkle with za’atar.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Sprinkle it over hummus.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Scatter over labneh. Alternatively, strain labneh or Greek yogurt through muslin until it is very thick, roll into balls the size of small walnuts and leave to dry for a few hours. Roll these in za’atar to make a tasty nibble to go with drinks.

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Mix some za’atar with a little honey and olive oil to make a delicious glaze to brush over chicken or lamb before roasting

Lemon thyme shortbread

The thyme adds charm to these simple biscuits. Makes 24-40, depending on the size of the cutter.

55g caster sugar
2 tsp lemon thyme leaves, finely chopped
115g butter, softened
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
170g plain flour
Extra caster sugar, for dusting (or 2 tbsp caster sugar mixed with 1 tsp finely chopped lemon thyme, for an extra hit)

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2 and set aside a buttered nonstick baking sheet. Beat the sugar, thyme, butter and lemon zest until pale and creamy (this can be done in a food processor), then scrape into a large bowl and beat in the flour until it forms a stiff dough.

Place the dough on a sheet of greaseproof paper and lay another sheet of greaseproof paper on top. Gently press down with a rolling pin and roll out thinly. Lift off the top sheet and stamp out the biscuits with a floured 4cm- or 6cm-diameter round cutter (or use any size or shape you like). With a palette knife dipped in flour, carefully lift the rounds off the bottom sheet of paper and gently transfer to the baking sheet. Lightly squidge together the dough offcuts, and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Bake in the centre of the oven for eight to 12 minutes, or until tinged a very pale brown around the edges. Transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack (take care: they will still be soft) and immediately sprinkle with extra caster sugar (or the sugar/thyme mix). Serve once cool and crisp..

Guardian Life & Style

AutoRSS Original Feed Admin

Forget all those fancy dan modern upstarts ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì where teatime treats are concerned, there is only one contender as the cake of champions

Hard though it may be for me to admit, we live in a world where even cakes, apparently, are ruled by the fickle, tyrannical hand of fashion. Whether you choose a cupcake or a macaroon, even a whoopie pie or a cake pop, says as much about you as the car you drive or the shoes you wear. Exhausting, isn’t it?

Well, today I’m standing firm against the vagaries of cake cultism, letting the baking bandwagon roll right on by, and celebrating the unsurpassed joys of the Victoria sandwich. Yes, the cake that launched a thousand afternoon teas and church fetes, and the subject of hotly contested baking competitions at many a country show.

You’ll notice in my recipe’s ingredients list that I’m a little light on numbers. This isn’t some dreadful error on my part, nor some go-as-you-please hippyishness. No, I’m following in the path of that quintessentially Victorian figure Mrs Beeton, who laid out the classic recipe for the Victoria sponge in her 1861 Book Of Household Management. In her recipe, the cake is made from equal quantities of eggs, butter, sugar and flour. You simply weigh the eggs in their shells and then measure out the same amount of butter, sugar and flour. So if the eggs just happen to weigh 250g, then you want a 250g block of butter and 250g of everything else. They won’t, of course, but you must do what the eggs tell you ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì that’s the fun of it.

If you have a reasonably accurate weighing contraption, it couldn’t be easier, or more delicious. There is a wonderful rightness about this, a simplicity reflected in the cake itself. Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate, and yet it’s one of the finest cakes ever to grace a plate.

Even better, you can use the same batter to make fairy or butterfly cakes, too. If you’d like to ring the changes a bit, add the zest of a lemon in place of the vanilla and use the lemon juice instead of milk to lighten the batter, then sandwich it together with a slick of lemon curd. You can use it as a base for coffee and walnut cake, or even my rather more exotic cardamom and orange cake.

While other cakes might come and go, usurped by more boastful, trendier confections, I can proudly say I’m glad to live in the kingdom of Victoria Regina.

Victoria sandwich

The classic. What teatime was made for. Remember, weigh the eggs first, then use the same amount of butter, sugar and flour. Makes a 20cm cake.

Unsalted butter, softened, plus a little more for greasing
4 eggs
Golden caster sugar
Self-raising flour, sieved with a pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
A little milk, if necessary
Raspberry jam
Whipping cream
Icing sugar or caster sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Lightly grease two 20cm sandwich cake tins with butter, and line the bases of each with baking parchment.

Weigh the eggs in their shells and weigh out the same amount of butter, sugar and flour. In a bowl, beat the butter until creamy, then beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, adding a tablespoon of sifted flour if the mix looks as if it’s going to curdle. Beat in the vanilla extract, then gently but thoroughly fold in the flour. Now check the consistency of the batter. Scoop up a tablespoon of the mixture and hold it over the bowl. If it drops down fairly easily, it’s just right. If it sticks stubbornly in the spoon, fold a tablespoon or two of milk into the mixture.

Divide the batter equally between the two tins and gently smooth the tops with a knife. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a couple of minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

Turn one of the cakes upside down on a plate, so the flat surface is uppermost. Spread generously with raspberry jam. Spread a good layer of whipped cream on the flat surface of the second cake and sandwich the two together. If you like, dust the surface with icing sugar or caster sugar before serving.

Coffee and walnut cake

A darling of village fetes and church fairs everywhere, and with very good reason. Makes one 20cm cake.

Victoria sponge ingredients, as listed in the master recipe (above), apart from the milk
2 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 1?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tbsp hot water, or 2 tbsp espresso
100g walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
For the icing
100g unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water, or 1?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tbsp espresso
300g golden icing sugar, sieved
12 walnut halves, lightly toasted

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Lightly grease two 20cm sandwich cake tins and line the base of each with baking parchment.

Prepare the batter as in the master recipe on the previous page, adding the coffee liquid along with the vanilla and gently folding in the walnuts after the flour. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared tins, smooth the tops and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave to cool completely, as in the master recipe.

While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Beat the butter until very smooth, then beat in the coffee and icing sugar until smooth. When the cake is cold, sandwich it together with half of the icing, spread the remaining icing on top and decorate with the walnut halves..

Orange cardamom loaf cake

The addition of the orange and cardamom syrup makes this loaf cake wonderfully moist. Makes one 1kg loaf cake.

8 cardamom pods
2 small oranges, zested, plus the juice of 1 of the oranges
Victoria sponge ingredients, as listed in the master recipe (above), apart from the vanilla and milk
For the syrup
Juice and zest of 2 small oranges
6 cardamom pods, bashed
2 tsp honey
3-4 tbsp orange curd

Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and discard the husks. Chop the seeds, or pound them with a pestle and mortar, until roughly broken up. Put them in a small pan with the orange juice and warm until just simmering. Cool and strain through a fine sieve.

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Butter a 1kg loaf tin and line the bottom and sides with buttered baking parchment.

Prepare the sponge as in the Victoria sandwich recipe above, beating the orange zest into the batter along with the flour and lightening the mixture with the cardamom-infused orange juice. Spoon into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Put the orange zest, juice, cardamom and honey into a pan, simmer for three to four minutes, then leave to cool in the pan. Strain out the cardamom pods.

When you take the cake out of the oven, immediately pierce the top all over with a skewer and pour over the syrup, letting it trickle all over the surface and down the sides. When the cake is completely cold, remove from the tin and remove the paper. Cut it in half horizontally, and sandwich it together with a good layer of orange curd. Dust with caster or icing sugar, and serve in fat slices. ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢

guardian.co.uk/hughfearnleywhittingstall

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ A special offer for Guardian readers: join Mark Diacono at River Cottage HQ for his Veg Patch course on Monday 21 June for ?É‚Äö?Ǭ£130; go to rivercottage.net to book.

Guardian Life & Style

AutoRSS Original Feed Admin

There are few dishes that can’t be improved by the addition of a small handful of seeds

I’m feeling seedy today, but there’s no three-day stubble or whiff of cheap booze involved, I promise. In fact, it couldn’t be more wholesome. I’m simply hungry for the reproductive organs of plants ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì the sort of seeds you might throw into a pan or mixing bowl. These microdots of flavour punch way above their weight in the kitchen, though that’s hardly surprising when you consider that a whole future plant ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì and all of its potential, flavour and promise ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì is contained within their gritty carapaces.

The happy crunch of poppy, the aniseedy bite of fennel, the creamy sweetness of sesame are what’s preoccupying me in today’s recipes, but these aren’t the only seeds in my larder. Cumin and coriander are scattered liberally throughout some of my favourite spice blends, pastes and rubs, while pumpkin and sunflower find their way into my breads, salads and breakfast muesli.

Of course, you can sprinkle, pound and stir seeds just as they are, but their flavour is magnified by toasting. Think of coriander seeds, grassy and almost soapy in their natural state, yet given a much greater depth of flavour with the introduction of a little heat. Or, indeed, pine nuts. Raw, they’re more of a texture than a flavour. It takes toasting to bring out their true complexity and richness. To toast seeds, warm them gently in a dry frying pan until they just begin to release their aroma, then tip them on to a plate to stop them cooking. Don’t be tempted to multitask at this point. They can burn in the time it takes to turn on the dishwasher or take out the rubbish.

Many seeds turn rancid quickly because they are so rich in oils, so buy them only in small quantities and/or store them in airtight containers in the fridge or freezer so you don’t lose a scrap of flavour.

Once you have your stash, the possibilities are limitless. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin, sunflower or sesame seeds on to salads, or enjoy them speckled over the surface of, or mixed into, the dough of your bread, bun or scone. Toss them into stir-fries or pilaffs, or scatter them over roasted or steamed veg. Pounded and mixed with chopped herbs, perhaps with some citrus zest and breadcrumbs, too, some seeds make a good coating for grilled fish or meat ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì try coriander seeds with some thyme and lemon zest on pork, or sesame seeds, breadcrumbs and lemon zest on meaty fish fillets.

Experiment, play, scatter with abandon?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¶ Some may land on thorny ground, but most will thrive and prosper. At least until you scoff them, that is.

Poppyseed lemon cake

This is a deliciously moist and tangy cake, speckled with a blizzard of poppy seeds. It keeps really well, too, if you’re the self-restrained sort. Makes one 23cm cake.

170g plain flour
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp baking powder
50g poppy seeds
Zest of 2 large lemons
170g unsalted butter, softened
170g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
170g wholemilk yoghurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the syrup
Juice of 2 large lemons
5 tbsp icing sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, pared off with vegetable peeler and cut into thin strips
1 tbsp icing sugar, for sifting

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Butter a 23cm springform cake tin and dust with flour.

Sieve together the flour, salt, bicarb and baking powder. Stir in the poppy seeds and lemon zest. Beat together the butter and 120g of sugar until light and fluffy. In a jug, whisk together the egg yolks, yoghurt and vanilla

In a scrupulously clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, beating until the meringue mix holds stiff peaks.

Beat the flour mixture and the egg mixture alternately into the butter and sugar, starting and ending with the flour (ie, flour/eggs/flour/eggs/flour). Stir about a third of the meringue mixture into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest. Spoon the cake mix into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Combine the juice, sugar and zest in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for two minutes, then remove from the heat.

Take the cake out of the oven and spike all over the top with a skewer. Pour the syrup over, letting it trickle over the top and down the sides. Leave to cool in the tin, then dust with icing sugar before serving.

Fennel meatballs

The Italians love the combination of pork and fennel, and I think they’re on to a winner. Try this mixture as meatballs, or turn it into burgers. Serves six.

200g bread from a good white loaf, crusts removed and torn into rough pieces
200ml whole milk
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted
?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tsp freshly ground black pepper
1?É‚Äö?Ǭ? tbsp salt
500g minced beef
750g minced pork, coarse if possible
1 onion, finely diced
8 tbsp minced flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano
60g parmesan, finely grated
1 egg, plus 1 yolk
2 tbsp olive oil
Tagliatelle, to serve

For the tomato sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
1 small celery stick, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 800g tins good-quality chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sugar

First make the sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat and saut?É?í?Ǭ© the onion until softened and just beginning to turn golden. Add the carrot and celery, fry for five minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more. Tip in the tomatoes, season and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, and add a pinch of sugar if it’s a touch acidic.

To make the meatballs, put the bread into a bowl, pour the milk over the top and leave to soak for 15 minutes. While it’s soaking, pound the garlic, fennel, salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar until you have a rough paste.

Mix the beef and pork in a large bowl with the bread, onion, fennel paste, parsley, oregano and parmesan until well combined. Stir in the eggs until just incorporated. Fry off a small piece of the meatball mix to test for seasoning, and adjust accordingly. Using your hands, roll the mix into meatballs of about 5cm in diameter.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Brown the meatballs well on all sides (you may have to do this in batches), then transfer them to a heavy casserole. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs, give the pan a gentle shake and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about an hour, stirring from time to time. Serve with tagliatelle.

Sesame dressing

This is great trickled over roasted, grilled or barbecued steak, chicken or asparagus.

3 tbsp tahini
Juice of ?É‚Äö?Ǭ? lemon
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp finely grated ginger
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley or coriander

In a pestle and mortar, pound the tahini, lemon juice, soy, ginger and garlic (or blitz them in a blender). Thin with about 80ml of hot water, or as much as is needed to get the mix to the consistency of double cream. Now either stir in the sesame seeds and parsley or coriander and use within a couple of hours, or store for a few days, sealed in a jar in the fridge, and add the sesame and herbs an hour or so before serving

?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭ¢ Desperate to grow your own but no space to do it in? Hugh may be able to help. Go to landshare.net for details.

Guardian Life & Style