Early Grey Tea Cake

A cup of earl grey tea in the afternoon always picks me up. The only thing better is a slice of cake next to it – what better than a tea scented cake to really enjoy my earl grey fix.

Early grey is a black tea, scented with bergamot is great for a buttery lemon afternoon tea cake.

For this cake, use the best quality tea. My favourite is French Earl Grey. Along with bergamot it is scented with dried rose petals.

Ingredients
125g thickened cream
1 tablespoon earl grey tea leaves
180g unsalted butter, softened
250g caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
300g plain flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
125g natural Greek style yogurt, plus extra to serve

For the Syrup
juice and zest of 1 lemon
125ml water
175g caster sugar
1 teaspoon earl grey tea leaves

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 24cm spring form cake tin.

Combine the cream and tea together in small saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to just below the boiling point and turn off the heat. Leave the cream to infuse while you make the cake batter.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest together until pale and creamy.

Add the eggs, one at a time (beating between each until well combined). Add the vanilla, flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and mix to combine. Add the yoghurt and the infused cream (tea leaves included) and fold together until thick and smooth.

Spoon into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile for the syrup, combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar and take off the heat.

While hot slowly pour over the cake and leave to soak in.

Cool the cake completely in the tin.

Serve the cake with extra Greek style yoghurt (and a cup of earl grey tea).

Serves 8-10.

Roasted Capsicum Soup with Hummus

Winter is quickly coming to an end. The days are getting warmer, however the nights still have a a crisp feel to them.

Hot soups are always a favourite to enjoy on a cool night and I am making the most of them before the season changes.

Soups are an easy way to explore different flavour combinations easily. This roast capsicum and hummus soup was inspired by a tapas plate.

The smoky sweet charred capsicum matched with the smooth creamy yet nutty hummus was delicious yet complex. These flavours have transformed into a soup with texture and depth. A delicious soup to send out the winter.

Ingredients

3 ox heart tomatoes, halved
6 eschallots, skin on, halved
1 whole garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 red capsicum, halved and seeds removed
1 long red chilli, halved and seeds removed
500ml vegetable stock
Hummus, to serve
extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two large baking trays with foil.

Lay tomatoes, eshcallots and garlic on one tray. Drizzle with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Lay the capsicum and chilli, skin side up on the other tray. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season.

Roast for 1-1 ½ hours, or until the escallots are tender and the capsicums are slightly charred (one tray may take longer than the other so check after 1 hour).

Once roasted (and while still hot), place whole capsicums and chilli in a bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, carefully remove the seeds and skin.

Place the capsicum and chilli in a large saucepan.

Meanwhile remove the eschallots and garlic from their skins and add to the saucepan along with the tomato.

Add stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 20 minutes, or until all vegetables are very tender.

Leave to cool slightly before pureeing in a blender, until smooth.

Serve soup with a swirl of hummus and olive oil.

Serves 4-6.

Soup will freeze well (without the hummus) for up to 3 months.

Bon Appetite.

Eggplant and Pomegranate Salad

I have a group of friends and when ever we get together we seem to make League tables. For example the league table for the King of Nuts (after much debating it was decided that the raw almond was King, closely followed by the pinenut ... poor cashew came last).

Recently we made a League table of what the 'most female vegetable'. The gentlemen voted eggplant, however the ladies didn't agree. According to the men eggplants were 'smooth and gentle; a vegetable that carries other flavours well'.

The ladies, including me disagreed. Eggplants, although smooth, are dark and brooding. They can be meaty, smokey, robust, yet gentle, subtle and smooth.

This salad backs the ladies up.

The eggplant is smokey and rich in flavour, yet tender in texture. The dressing packs a punch – however the eggplant can carry it well.

Enjoy this salad on any anti pasta plate or mixed with grilled chicken, with hummus or on its own.

Ingredients
4 eggplants, cut into rough wedges
150ml olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
½ cup roughly chopped coriander and mint
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Method
Preheat oven to 220°C.

Toss the eggplant in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil. Lay in a single layer on a large baking tray lined with baking paper.

Roast for 50 - 60 minutes or until the eggplant is slightly charred and tender.

Remove from the oven. Place in a bowl along with any of the oil. Pour over the lime juice and pomegranate molasses and leave to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving scatter with chopped herbs and pine nuts.

Serves 4-6.
Bon Appetite