Lemon Curd Loaf Cake

Today was a sunshiny lemony sort of day, you know, one of those pleasant days filled with happy events even though it's practically rained for all of it. It started with me tumbling out of bed too early, forgetting about having a Saturday lie-in, and deciding to (lemon)squeeze in a 3-mile run on the treadmill. Quick shower later, I ran to catch the bus to NYC to meet a dear friend, one of the bright sparks of our 3.5-year sojourn in Toronto. Despite the gray skies, the view of the NYC skyline put a smile on my face. However many times I see it, like an idiotic tourist, I am wowed.

Meanwhile, my husband and two boys hit the neighbourhood bookstore (takes us 30 seconds to get there on foot), where, would you believe it, Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo, is doing a reading. Him Indoors was clearly more excited than the boys as he regaled to me later how Julia asked him to play fox to her mouse in a mini dramatization of her book. Meanwhile, I had coffee, cake and chat with good old Corinne, as the boys and hubby traipsed off to meet Buzz Aldrin at Books of Wonder on West 18th St. I met them there and decided against popping in to say hello to the Nasa hero, who has been more Fuzz Aldrin lately (as in lost in space). I prefer to remember him as he was in his heyday.

Back at the ranch and still abuzz from the day's events, I brew a pot of tea and feel the need to bake. It has to be a loaf cake, and has to be lemony. I decide to add pizazz to a basic loaf cake recipe with lemon zest, juice, curd and candied peel. It was tempting to add poppy seeds but that will have to wait for another time as I couldn't recall when I'd bought the packet I found in my larder. Nothing worse than adding ingredients of dubious date-of-origin (no expiry date to boot) to an otherwise sunshiny cake with fresh ingredients.

At this stage (pre-baking), the plan is to top it off with a lemon-infused cream cheese and whipped cream frosting, lightly sweetened, over a layer of lemon curd - will decide later (it might only need a dusting of icing sugar) as one doesn't want to gild the lily.

Okay, this is 50 minutes later, the cake looks amazing! I will allow it to cool and go for the curd and cream frosting. We had it after dinner and it was so moist, warm and lemony, with a lovely crunch on top, where I'd sprinkled some caster sugar before baking. I thought the children would find it too citrusy but no, they wanted seconds. And thirds (denied). Perfect end to a perfect day.

• eggs, 3, large,
• butter, 2 sticks
• sugar, just under a cup
• baking flour, 2 cups
• baking powder, 1 tsp
• lemon, zest and juice of
• lemon curd, a few tablespoons
• candied lemon peel

1. Preheat oven to 360F, 170C
2. Cream the butter and sugar till white and fluffy
3. Add the lemon zest and eggs, beat further
4. Slowly add, in alternating tablespoonfuls, the flour (earlier sieved with baking powder) and lemon juice, till well combined
5. Stir in some candied lemon peel
6. Pour half the mixture into your loaf tin
7. Spoon some lemon curd over, then add the other half of the cake batter
8. Bake for 50 minutes or till skewer comes out clean
9. Top off as you wish - with frosting, lemon curd or powdered sugar
10. To make cream frosting, pour some whipping cream into a bowl, whip till stiff, add two tablespoonfuls of cream cheese and more lemon zest and a dash of sugar. Pour onto curd.

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Apple and Almond Tart

We are lucky to live in such a hospitable town. During the first ten weeks following our arrival here last September, even as the engine of a new school year and fresh routines began to chug in earnest, we must have had one party invite a week, sometimes two, which petered off (just a little) over the less sociable winter months. Now, in the summer, the once-weekly party habit (this week there were three - did I mention how lucky we are) seems to have resumed.

At the weekend, we were off to dinner with two other families with young kids. I was told to bring nothing, which kind of threw me. I kept busy, went for a run, took the kids swimming, did some chores, all the while struggling not to contribute in some way when .. oops, I've accidentally baked a pie. I do enjoy showing my appreciation of our generous friends by creating something with my hands. Gauging by the speed of the tart's disappearance, I don't think our hosts minded at all.

• pie crusts, 2 (readymade is fine)
• whole eggs, 3, plus white of another
• sugar, 1 cup
• butter, 1 stick, softened
• vanilla, 2 tsp
• ground almonds, 2 cups
• apples, 2-3, peeled and sliced thinly

1. Preheat oven to 350F, 175C
2. Prepare apples, peel and slice thinly
3. Keep apples aside in some orange juice to prevent discolouring
4. Cream sugar and butter
5. Add the eggs, one by one and beat till white and fluffy
6. Add vanilla, then the ground almonds to the batter
7. Pour the batter into the pie crusts, dividing evenly between them
8. Arrange sliced apples on top
9. Sprinkle some coarse sugar over the apple slices to help them brown while baking
10. Bake for about 50 minutes, check it's done with a skewer
11. Serve warm, dusted with sugar, or with fresh, whipped cream

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Black Bean and Corn Salad

This salad is inspired by one that a friend brought over to a potluck dinner party recently. I was wowed by the bite, colour and tanginess of it, and its fiberful promises. As I guessed at the basic ingredients and remembered only three (corn, beans, lime juice), I have ended up throwing in additional ingredients which seem to work well together. The salad would go beautifully with grilled fish. Enjoy!

• black beans, 1 can, drained and rinsed
• corn on cob, 2, microwaved 1m10s each and decobbed
• large tomatoes, 2, chopped in tiny cubes
• red pepper, 1, cubed similarly
• english cucumber, 1/2, cubed tinily
• shallot or red onion, 1, chopped finely
  

Dressing:

• chilli, 1 or 2, green, chopped finely
• garlic cloves, 3, chopped finely
• lime juice, squeezed out of 2 limes
• brown sugar, 3/4 tbsp
• olive oil, 1 tbsp
• cilantro/coriander leaves, 1 handful, chopped
• mint, handful, chopped
• salt and pepper, as needed

1. Combine all the veg and beans together in a bowl
2. Whisk salad dressing with a balloon whisk and pour over the salad
3. Give it a good grind of salt and pepper, throw in the herbs and toss
4. Perfect for a barbecue or as a summer meal accompaniment

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Watercress Soup

So glad to be home! First day back after a lovely two weeks in London on holiday. However much fun was had with family, friends, at restaurants, museums and parks, there's nothing quite like being where one's stuff is.

I had hoped to blog on the go, but this isn't easily done when one's phone provider is AT&T, who make it impossible for 3G phones to roam anywhere outside of North America without red tape, long-winded permissions and of course, astronomical added fees - all no-nos for busy mums with an eye on post-holiday and recession-trimmed budgets. So, I had no access to email, facebook, twitter or the Internet, and have to admit, felt quite lost.

Having spent the week's grocery allowance restocking the fridge and larder today, and amid a flood warning as a monsoon stormed outside (not much difference there from this trip to London), I quite fancied a soup. This is a simple watercress and spinach one which I had expected would produce tasty leftovers. Unfortunately not a drop is left - testimony, I hope, to how well it turned out.

• watercress, 1 bag (4 oz or 115g), washed and large stems removed
• baby spinach, 3 handfuls, washed and chopped
• small leek, white part chopped finely
• shallot, 1 medium, chopped
• butter, 1 1/2 tbsp
• potatoes, 2 small ones, washed, skinned and cubed
• milk, as needed (about 2 cups)
• stock, veg or chicken (about 1-2 cups)
• bay leaf
• ground coriander, 3/4 tsp
• lemon juice, about 1/2 tbsp

1. First, saute the leek and shallot in butter on low to medium heat, till softened
2. Add the cubed potatoes and some stock, stir till potato is cooked
3. Add ground coriander and bay leaf
4. Add 1 cup milk and 1 cup stock, bring to simmer
5. Add spinach, cook 1 minute, add watercress
6. Taste and adjust seasoning, cook no longer than another minute or two
7. Add lemon juice if some tang is required
8. Add more milk and/or stock as needed
9. Pour soup into a blender and whizz till creamy
10. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or yoghurt

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Summer Cool-Down Drink: Lassi Two Ways

Summer's finally here - a bit unusual to be saying this in mid-July but the weather's been a bit dicey with the relentless monsoon rains we've had recently (note the vibrant green of the lawn). Yogurt, a staple in our fridge, is the star here in lassi, a beverage made of yogurt, presented sweet or savoury. The latter may not suit the uninitiated but I find it very refreshing.

Mango Lassi

• mangos, 2, skinned and cubed
• plain yogurt, 1 cup
• sugar, 1 tsp (if needed only)

1. Blend together till creamy and serve

Ginger-Lime Lassi

• yoghurt, 1 cup
• ginger, grated, 1/2 tsp
• zest of lime, 1/2 tsp
• juice of lime, 1 tbsp
• green chili, 1/2, chopped
• coriander/cilantro leaves, a few - to garnish
• salt, pinch of
• cummin, ground, 1/8 tsp

1. Whip the yogurt till creamy
2. Add all the other ingredients and serve

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Red, White and Blue(berry) Trifle

Happy July the 4th! Made this to take to our favourite neighbours' today - all at the last minute and didn't have time for a proper photo (try and ignore the missing chunk, more would be missing in another few minutes). Didn't take long at all to assemble, just make sure you've done the jelly or jello ahead of time.

• jelly, 2 packets (follow instructions and have all gelled)
• cream, 500ml
• milk, 700 ml
• egg yolks, 12
• vanilla pod, 1, seeds scraped out
• sponge fingers, about 2 packets
• strawberry jam, as needed
• sugar, 4 tbsp
• corn starch, 2 tbsp

1. To make the custard, bring the cream and milk almost to a simmer, having scraped the vanilla pod seeds into it first
2. While cream and milk heat up, whisk egg yolks together with corn starch and sugar in a separate bowl
   
3. Once cream has just started to simmer, pour it onto the egg yolk mixture, whisking all the time
4. Return this whisked egg-cream mixture to the pan on the stove and keep whisking, heat still on, until it begins to thicken
5. Take it off the stove, transfer to another receptacle and allow to cool further
6. When cool, assemble the trifle
7. Layer the sponge fingers, sandwiched together with some jam, at the bottom of a large glass bowl (for visual effect)
8. Add the cut up jelly/jello on top of the sponge fingers
9. You may add strawberries on top of the jelly/jello (I normally do)
   
10. Pour custard on top of the fruit and jelly
11. Top up with 250ml of double cream which has been whisked to the fluffy stage
12. Finally, a few handfuls of plump blueberries right on top
13. Cool and luscious on a gorgeous summer's day spent with wonderful people!
    

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Aussie Jelly Bar

I made these for my older son's birthday because they are so eye catching and, from nine years of throwing children's parties, I know how popular anything is with jelly in it. I love how pretty all the layers look once the jelly has set, and I also wanted to pay tribute to the wonderful baking traditions of Australia, and New Zealand too, where I have had the most delicious homemade-tasting slices, cakes, tarts and pies at almost every random cafe we've dropped into while travelling.

Be ready to watch the jelly bars vanish as quickly as they arrive at the table!

Biscuit layer:

• plain biscuits (like digestives or grahams), 250g
• butter, 185g, melted

1. Mix together and press into the base of a baking tin lined with parchment paper and pre-spritzed with Pam spray

Filling:

• condensed milk, 400g, or one tin
• lemons, 2, juice of
• gelatin, 2 tsp
• water, 3/4, for the gelatin

1. Dissolve the gelatin in the water, which should be freshly boiled, allow to cool
2. Mix the milk, lemon juice and dissolved gelatin well, try to minimize bubbling
3. Pour over the biscuit layer and refrigerate for at least two hours
4. Feel free to add a few tablespoons of sugar to this layer, as the entire jelly bar isn't as sweet as the image may lead one to believe
   

Topping:

• *Jello, 85g, strawberry or raspberry flavour
  
• boiling hot water, 1 cup
• cold water, 1 cup

1. Dissolve Jello in hot water, add cold water, allow to cool
2. Pour onto lemon layer which should be firm
3. Refrigerate for three hours or overnight
4. Cut into squares and serve

*or any brand of jelly. Zero-sugar jelly is fine too

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The Ducklings (Not, I Repeat Not, a Diva Food Item)

This is not a Diva posting on Food, but more on Love and Family (see my blurb on the Home page, I'm supposed to be writing on the other stuff too). Family brought home the ducklings and I fell in love. Here's what happened.

My Third Grader at Hillside worked his charm on me last week, begging to be allowed to bring home a pair of chicks or ducklings for the weekend that his class had been watching grow from pre-hatching days, courtesy of a local farm. Once the little birds get to what he aptly calls the 'leggy' stage, they're sent back to the farm, where I'm sure they are allowed to feed and run freely and live a long and carefree life, safe from insinuations of tarragon or plum sauce, or whispers of the dreaded word, "roast."

"They're really easy to look after," my 9-year-old assured me, "and there will be many lessons learned."

He was right about the latter and I dearly hope he learned as much as I did.

Lesson #1: What goes in must come out. A lot. The minute we walked through our door with the adorable, fuzzy 3-day-old house guests, my son announces, "Oh, by the way, all they do is poo and pee the whole time." No kidding.

Lesson #2: Never switch your NYT subscription to an online one the week you adopt ducklings. I had to rummage around for old copies of the NYT, stopping short of my souvenir ones of President Obama's inauguration. Those duckies had plenty of riveting reading material by some of the country's top journalists all weekend.

Lesson #3: Don't be a chicken about handling ducklings. I had no idea this would be challenging. They're not chubby or 'solid' like young cats or pups. Indeed, you can feel every rib under all that blanket of yellow down - a bit of a surprise if you're not used to it. So my son (an expert bird handler by now) had the job of transferring the ducks to a box while I cleaned out every last detail of their post-digested oatmeal and grits. About four or five times a day.

Lesson #4: Ducks like their oatmeal with water

Lesson #5: As much as drinking it, they enjoy sitting in their drinking water, however small the bowl

Lesson #6: Ducklings snuggle and sleep together. They are very sweet this way

Lesson #7: Ducklings do not quack. They cheep, and they do this quietly.

Lesson #8: Ducklings grow on you. No matter how much time and trouble their toilet habits caused, we all miss their quiet, snuggly, sweet sunshine-yellow presence!

Lunchbox Star: The Cheese and Chutney Sandwich

Another winner for the school lunchbox and one that easily fits into a picnic basket, too. Both my children have recently requested easy meals they can despatch with haste in order to get to the more important tasks of hanging with friends or hanging on a climbing frame (usually upside down, which can't be encouraging for any sandwich).

Layer up wholemeal bread with double brie, baby spinach and mango chutney (Trader Joe's). Slap 'em together and serve with a side of fruit. I saw not a crumb in either lunchbox after school!

Some mums might fret about the choice of cheese, but feel free to substitute low-fat (i.e. flavorless, plasticky) cheddar for it. But moi? I'll pick the full-fat one myself, thanks very much. It's not as if we have brie every day or top it off with vats of ice cream at the same sitting.

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Pistachio and White Chocolate Cookie

I love the green saltiness of pistachios against the creamy white chocolate in in this cookie. Anyone concerned about the amount of (supremely unavoidable) butter might be comforted to know that studies suggest pistachios help to reduce the bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, in your system, while raising the good (high-density lipoprotein). In other words, they're heart healthy.

They also pack a huge amount of lutein, the antioxidant found in dark, leafy veggies. Before you eat vats of the stuff, take a look at the Telegraph's story.

Add a drop of almond essence to bring out the nut in the cookie (and in you!) .

• butter, 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• white sugar, 1/2 cup
• brown sugar, 1/2 cup
• egg, 1, large
• white wholemeal flour, 1 cup
• ground pistachios, 1/2 cup
• whole pistachios, 1/2 cup
• white chocolate chunks, 1/2 to 1 cup
• baking soda, 1 tsp
• vanilla essence, 1 tsp

1. Preheat oven to 375F, 180C
2. Cream the butter and sugars together, add the egg
3. Add baking soda and flour, cream till combined
4. Fold in the pistachios and chocolate
5. Bake about 12 mins or till golden brown
6. Allow to cool and store in a tin, if the family hasn't gobbled them all up!

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Kids in a Candy Store

This admission will horrify many a grandmother, but our oldest son never knew what a sweet was until he was 6 years old. Undoubtedly my fault for attempting to sway the course of nature and avoid him inheriting my debilitating weakness for sweets. I did succeed, for by 6, his palate for smoked salmon, pesto, sushi and fresh fruit was so determined that he had no interest in candy.

While he loves chocolate now, he doesn't hanker after it in large amounts, nor does the word 'cake' quicken his pulse as much as the word 'computer.' This upsets me no end, since I am a maker and baker of the stuff (cake, not computers) and enjoy stuffing my face with it too.

On the upside, while he says No to cake elsewhere, my firstborn adds, "I only like your cakes, Mummy." Which is rather satisfying. Except I don't see him eating any.

Anyway, our second son came along and changed all that. From pre-birth days, he would kick in excitement if I so much as drank anything sugary, and, well, if I ate chocolate, there would be no sleep for me that night thanks to the in-belly gymnastics. Postnatally? He'd give up his three square meals a day for a barrel of candy any time.

So, upon persuasion by sweet-loving child #2, we made a trip recently to Dylan's Candy Bar in Manhattan which, surprisingly, went down well with both children (and both adults). The colours, the shapes, the variety, the .. CANDY! We honestly didn't know where to look in this brainchild store of Dylan, daughter of the designer Ralph Lauren.

Still, there was too much choice and my younger son came away with not very much. He grabbed a modest-sized plastic 'house' and filled it with a few jellybeans, sour gums and M&Ms, put back the giant lollipop (see photo) and that was that.

Fabulous eye candy though, even if you haven't the stomach for it!







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The Mango: Moist, Majestic and Morish

Mangoes featured very strongly in the early days of Richard's and my romance, the buds of which were planted in India, from where the fruit originates. Indeed, we all have a soft spot for the fruit and are thrilled that it's back in season again.

When I grew up in my grandmother's home in Malaysia, she had a massive, enormously fertile mango tree right in front of her house. Its branches hung low and gracefully, providing welcome shade and coolness, and inviting my brothers and I to clamber upon them and give them the adoration they deserved. As if we didn't spend enough time there, my grandfather tied a plank swing seat to one of its branches (the kind that would give anyone at Health & Safety a heart attack), and thus were spent the remaining hours of our carefree, childish days.

In the heat of the tropical summer, the tree would be heavily pregnant with fruit, leaving us awash in mangoes for months. My grandmother would give away as many as she could to the delighted neighbours, who were also the recipients of all the other fruit, veg and herbs that grew in Gran's garden - soursop, jackfruit, coconut, plantain, bananas, papayas, Lady's fingers (okra), basil, curry leaves, tomatoes.

While she had dozens of recipes for the bananas, plantain and coconut, the mangoes we ate fresh, and immediately. It didn't make sense to adorn or dilute a fruit so voluptuous, so complete in colour, taste and perfume.

Having said that, my younger son loves homemade mango smoothies or mango lassis nearly as much as he loves the fresh fruit.

My favourite mango is the Alphonso, which is grown mainly in Western India. There's no match for the perfect sweet yet tangy and firm flesh of this cultivar, along with its citrusy mango aroma and intense yellow-orange colour.

As I have yet to find these mangoes in north America, I am eternally grateful to Costco for regularly bringing in Champagne mangoes from Mexico. The taste isn't as explosive, but the colour and texture are there, along with the lack of fibrosity that separates a good mango from its lesser brethren. It might behoove you to know the average Champagne mango packs a modest 80 calories, with lots of Vitamin A, C and folate too!

How to cut the mango? This could require a video (another blog entry, another day). Take the fruit and, keeping in mind it has a large seed in the middle, cut a semi-circle off each side. With your knife, make hatches and cross-hatch them so you have little square or diamond shaped segments of flesh (see photos). Hold each half and invert them by pushing the skin upwards. To eat, use a spoon and scoop the squares off. Or just dive in, face first!

For more mango recipes, click here and here.



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Almond and Chocolate Chip Cookies

An all-time favourite for the lunch box and after school, now with added protein. They are delectably squidgy and nut-scented :)

• plain flour, 2 cups
• almond meal, 1 cup
• white sugar, 1 cup,
• dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup
• butter, 1 1/4 cup
• eggs, 2, large
• vanilla, 1 tsp
• salt, 1/2 tsp
• baking powder, 1 tsp
• chocolate chunks or chips, 1 cup

1. Preheat the oven to 375F, 170C
2. Cream the sugar and butter till light and fluffy
3. Add eggs and cream further
4. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together
5. Add flour mixture to creamed sugar/butter, in 3 parts
6. Fold in the chocolate chips
7. Bake for about 12 minutes, allow to cool on a rack

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A Gobbleworthy Turkey Sandwich

My older son has rather keen tastebuds and (thankfully) fancies few lunchmeats. I found this uncured *turkey at Trader Joe's, which both my children love. It has five recognizable ingredients (turkey, sugar, salt, spices, honey), but no nitrites, nitrates or preservatives.


Best of all, the bird was raised - as all beings free of pneumonia and infections should be - without antibiotics.


Add to the generous slab of turkey some lettuce, tomato, mayo and wholewheat bread and voila, you have another healthy option for the school lunchbox!



*Wellshire uncured turkey ham steak, sold at Trader Joe's.

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The Recession-Safe Cuppa (or Caffeine-Pumped Delusion?)

In Toronto, where we last lived, we were extremely fortunate to have The Remarkable Bean at the bottom of our street - a charming neighbourhood cafe where they roasted and ground the finest coffee beans, and baked the most heavenly blueberry muffins I've ever had. It was a delight making the brief walk to savour its sights and scents on the streetcar-visited Queen St, which itself was home to a treasury of quaint shops and restaurants.


At the Bean I'd meet our stalwart family friend, Rob, and we'd dissect one of the above muffins ingredient by ingredient, later feverishly attempting to replicate them at home for the kids. We both had excellent results, although I really need one of those giant North Amerian muffin trays to get it down pat!


And so, Richard and I would get our just-ground remarkable beans and make the coffee fresh in our cafetierre, the good old low-tech way. Sadly, we have yet to spy a Bean-equivalent in our New Jersey neighbourhood and Richard's had scant time to make coffee in the morning before he joins the throng of NYC commuters. Instead, he gets one at work - a detour which puts the household budget back about $60 a month (closer to $90 with my less-regular habit thrown in) and not necessarily providing the satisfaction of a home brew.


Enter the Krups Dolce Gusto coffee maker and a handy Bloomingdale's coupon - we are now the proud owners of one of these caffeine-spouting ducks. With all the savings on offer to lure bean addicts, Richard figures the 15-bar coffeehouse-strength machine (which incidentally produces a very attractive cuppa with a layer of foam on top that's very fit to drink) will pay for itself in three months. My latte macchiato was so delicious I frantically scoured the box for its calorie content, expecting to find all my optimism ground to bean dust. Thankfully, it was a neat 90 calories.


Meanwhile, we can have a perfect latte, cappucino, cafe lungo, iced coffee or espresso (and the kids a choccacino) whenever we feel like it. A tasty deal at *25-50c a cup, I say!



*25c for the coffee pod, another 25c for milk (if using)

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Honey and Soy Salmon Fingers

My children would eat salmon every day if they could, and, they love it raw best of all. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a fishmonger from whom I can get sushi-grade salmon on a regular basis. This is one of many ways they enjoy this fish.

• honey, 1 tbsp
• soy sauce, 2-3 tbsp
• lemon juice, 2 tbsp
• sesame oil, 1/2 tsp
• garlic, 1, chopped
• ginger, 1/2 tsp, grated
• breadcrumbs, as needed egg, 1, whisked

1. Slice the salmon into suitable sized lengths
2. Whisk together the marinade ingredients and pour over the fish
3. Dip the fish into the egg mixture, then into a plate of breadcrumbs
4. Bake in a preheated 410F oven (190C) for about 10 minutes
5. Serve with veg and mashed potatoes or chips

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The Zen Way to Keep Stainless Steel Spotless

Little did I imagine when I hankered after a kitchen with sparkling stainless steel appliances what a herculean task it would be to keep them glitzy and fingerprint free. In fact, I pin all blame for my recent absence from this blog on this time-consuming conundrum.

Over the years, I have tried glass cleaner, special sprays for stainless steel appliances, a ludicrous array of lint-free cloths, and was just about to throw in the non-proverbial towel, when I discovered the answer right there in my larder.

For those of you who aren't visited on a regular basis by the chirpy cleansing crew known as Merry Maids, this might prove your salvation too.

All you need is straight-up vinegar, some inoffensive smelling oil, kitchen paper and a soft buffing cloth.

1. First, wipe the surface thoroughly with a jay cloth or kitchen paper dipped in a bowl of vinegar. This will eradicate any kitchen grease. The task will smell pretty rotten but it should open up your sinuses and it beats having streaks and fingerprints all over your fridge.
2. Then, pour a little oil (canola is scent-free and works beautifully) into a small bowl. Into this bowl, dip a clean sheet of kitchen paper and wipe the surface again - and thoroughly.
3. Before your eyes, stains will disappear, the sheen will reappear, your sanity will be restored, and your fridge will thank you for the absence of trans fat and cholesterol in the canola oil.
4. Polish with the buffing cloth and pour yourself a martini
5. Call your friends and have a dinner party before those mysterious fingerprints reappear!

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Chocolate Roulade

Possibly to make up for the fact that the birthdays of my youth mostly came and went with minimal fuss, underlined with an invisible cake (hear the violins), my kids get to have two birthday cakes each. This is cake No. 1 for my oldest's recent 9th birthday, in his favourite flavour, chocolate.

The second gateau (gateaux, rather, as they were cupcakes) made their debut at his garden party with 9 mates. The recipes for those will follow soon!


For the sponge cake layer:

• cocoa, 3 tbsp, heaped
• eggs, 3, large
• brown sugar, 3/4 cup
• salt, pinch of
• flour, 1/2 cup

1. Preheat oven to 375F, 180C
2. Prepare a roulade pan by spraying with Pam or spreading with butter and lining with parchment
3. Beat eggs and sugar till mixture becomes pale and fluffy
4. Add flour at the end and mix further
5. Fold in sifted cocoa and salt gradually
6. Pour into pan and bake 10 minutes or till done
7. On a clean muslin, sift fine sugar over and turn the done cake onto it
8. Carefully roll up with the muslin (without removing the parchment)
9. Allow to cool for 1-2 hours

For the filling:

• dark chocolate, 4 squares of, or 4 ounces
• brown sugar, 1/2 cup
• vanilla, 1 tsp
• heavy cream, 1 cup
• icing sugar

1. Melt the chocolate in short bursts in the microwave on High
2. Stir some cream in to the chocolate, add vanilla and sugar to combine. Allow to cool
3. Whip the remaining cream till stiff
4. Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream in as few strokes as needed to combine
5. Unroll the roulade, remove the parchment paper
6. Spread the chocolate cream and roll it up again
7. Place on a serving dish
8. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow roulade to hold better together ;)
9. Before serving, dust with icing sugar

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Corn Muffins

Last day of Passover and I am ready to welcome bread and other leavened grains with open arms and mouth! Thankfully, corn isn't a prohibited grain and cornbread muffins are possible, with minor adjustments.

• cornmeal, 1 cup
• matzah cake meal, 1/3 cup
• egg, 1
• buttermilk or water, 1 cup
• sugar, 1/2 cup
• baking powder, 1 tsp
• baking soda, 1/2 tsp
• salt, pinch of
• canola oil, 2-3 tbsp

1. Preheat oven to 425F or 200C
2. Mix the wet ingredients together
3. After sifting the dry ingredients, add them to the wet, mixing till just combined
4. Scoop into a 12-cup muffin tray which has been oiled
5. Bake 14-15 minutes, or till a finger pressed into the middle leaves no dent
6. Stuff several, buttered, into mouth immediately!

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Carrot and Cummin Soup

The texture and colour of this soup is so appealing that I return to it often, whatever the season. Beef it up with some lentils and leave half the vegetables unpureed for a hearty meal with chunky bread. It's easy to make and to vary, and I am finally attempting to pin it down in writing before I forget what's gone into it!

• carrots, 500g worth, tipped, skinned, sliced
• tomato paste, 1 small can
• lemon juice, of 1/2 lemon, plus zest
• ground cummin, 3/4 tbsp
• ground coriander, 1 tsp
• leeks, 3, sliced
• celery, 3, chopped
• veg stock, about 600ml
• tomatoes, 2, skinned and chopped
• coriander leaves, handful
• seasoning

1. In about 2-3 tbsp of butter or olive or canola oil, saute the leeks and celery till tender
   
2. Add the ground spices, stir till fragrant
3. Add the carrots and tomatoes and a little stock, allow to soften
4. Add stock and tomato paste
   
5. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the veg are cooked
6. Bung most of the soup's solids, including half the coriander leaves, into a blender and puree
7. Return to the pan, keep warm till it's served
8. Drizzle with oil or add a dollop of sour cream on top of each bowl of soup, and, if you wish, some chopped coriander.

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