Spinach risotto, apple cake and Chicken

Sorry again for the long wait. I have just been really busy, plus our internet is not working like it should be which doesnt help. But I have been cooking!

This is the 'Apple and Walnut Cake' from Nigella Lawson's How To Be A Domestic Goddess. Except after making all sort of substitutions I had really made Anna del Conte's Torta di mele. But what's for certain is that the cake is absolutely delicious! Doesnt really come across in the picture, but trust me, it was lovely. This is an excellent way of using up apples past their best.
The way I made it:
100 g raisins boiled in 75 ml water until water has evaporated (drain though in any case!)
150 ml vegetable oil
200 g caster sugar
2 eggs
350 g plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
450 g apples, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
Zest of 1 lemon

20 cm springform cake tin, buttered and floured.

Preheat oven to 180'C/Gas 4.

Beat oil and sugar together with an electric mixer, then add the eggs one by one. Fold in dry ingredients with a metal spoon, then stir in apples, lemon zest and raisins. This will be quite a stiff batter. Spoon into prepared tin and smooth the top and bake for 1 hour. Do check towards the end. Let the cake stand in the tin for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack. Lovely eaten that day, but even nicer the next!


This spinach risotto is yet another recipe from Ursula Ferrigno's Truly Italian and yet again it was yummy!



Roast Chicken with Sumac, Za'atar and lemon.

This recipe came from Ottolenghi, the cookbook. Very nice book (very very nice baking chapter should you be interested!). Flavourful dish, although we felt it could have done with some sort of sauce.

Mushroom Stroganoff and baking joy

We had our wedding anniversary recently and we're both very keen on mushrooms and so the choice fell on a most delicious dish, Mushroom Stroganoff. I turned to my very favourite cookbook - Nigella's Feast - and to the tried and tested Mushroom Stroganoff recipe in the 'Meatless Feasts' Chapter. I didn't get the chance to take a photograph when it was all dished up, but took one as it was bubbling in my beloved Le Creuset buffet pan. You can find the recipe here: http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/mushroom-stroganoff-with-basmati-rice Next up is Floyd's Daily Bread: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/mydailybread Made with a poolish it has lovely flavour and the high hydration gives a great texture.

This is my favourite Focaccia from Ursula Ferrigno's Truly Italian. That book is a real gem and a must have for any lover of the Italian Cuisine in my opinion.

I first saw this cinnamon pull apart bread on Joy the Baker's blog. http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/03/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread/

I admit that I didn't follow her recipe, but used my usual sweet dough recipe and copied her way of layering the dough.. although to be fair, hers is a little bit prettier.. what can I say, I am a rustic baker! As usual I didn't pay attention to the order I uploaded the pictures, but I think you can see what is the finished product.

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