Victoria Sandwich

There was some interest on my Facebook page so I thought I’d write a quick blog post to share this simple glory with those of you who have never tried it before. 

There’s a simple rule of thumb when making Victoria sandwich (sponge) cakes and that is for every egg you use, you need 2oz each of flour, sugar and butter.   

As a general guideline, I usually make a four egg mixture (which uses 8oz each of flour, sugar and butter) for a nice deep sponge in two 7” diameter sandwich tins. 

To make a cake the size pictured I used : 

4 large eggs

8oz caster sugar (superfine I think in the States)

8oz butter

8oz self raising flour (cake flour)

1tsp vanilla extract 

To fill the cake :

Sandwich Tins

Small pot of double cream (heavy cream)

3 or 4 tsp raspberry jam 

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and then beat in the egg, gradually and then add the vanilla extract.  Add the flour and mix in until everything is combined. 

Grease and line two 7” sandwich tins and divide the filling between them. 

Cook in a pre-heated oven at 170^oC (325^oF/Gas 3) for approximately 30 minutes. 

Keep a close eye on them and test after 30 minutes with a skewer.  If it comes out clean then the cakes are done. If not give them a little longer but watch them closely.

Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Soften the jam a little in the microwave (it only needs seconds) before spreading over one of the sponges and then cover with the thickly whipped cream.  Turn the other sponge onto the top of the filling to sandwich, and dredge the top with icing sugar (confectioner’s/powdered sugar). 

To make it extra special I often add whole raspberries to the filling too.   

(You could use strawberry jam and use sliced or halved strawberries in the middle) 

For cricket teas I often make a five egg sponge (10oz each butter, sugar and flour) in one of these (10" x 6") oblong tins.  When cold cut the sponge in half and then split the halves through the middle.  Cut each of the four pieces into smaller squares (I think I used to get something like 30 from this tin) and spread with whipped cream and some fresh fruit – sliced strawberries or whole raspberries go down very well!

Slimmers' Chicken Leek and Mushroom

We’re trying very hard to be good and drop a few tonnes (!) before the summer gets here and I thought this would be both tasty and fairly healthy. 

I served it with some cooked spelt, but you could equally have it with barley, rice or pasta. 

For two of us : 

1 small leek (the green part only)

5 or 6 medium mushrooms

About a cup of cooked chicken

¼ pint chicken stock

2tb light Philladelphia

Salt and pepper to taste 

Slice the leek lengthways, rinse well and slice across the lengths quite thinly.  Clean and slice the mushrooms and tear the chicken into edible sized piees. 

Toss the whole lot into a sauté pan and pour over the chicken stock, season to taste. 

Simmer on a medium heat until most of the liquid in the pan is absorbed (you want some to make a sauce so don’t let the pan cook dry).  Add the Philly and stir well to combine with the contents of the pan. 

Chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle over at the last minute. 

Serve with or over your choice of side.

Risotto Primavera (Springtime Risotto)

I love March, after the long dark days of Winter it’s good to see Spring arrive and get some light back in the world.  To celebrate the arrival of warmer weather this week, and lighter evenings I thought I’d share this wonderful recipe with you all. 

Literally ‘Springtime Risotto’ it can be made with any assortment of spring vegetables that takes your fancy.  I love asparagus, and to celebrate the return of better weather (hopefully!) I thought I’d use that in my risotto. 

For two people you need : 

1 tb olive oil

1 shallot

1 clove of garlic

1 stick of celery

1 small carrot

1 bunch of asparagus (approximately 6 or 7 long spears)

¾ cup of risotto rice

2 cups of vegetable stock

1tb chopped flatleaf parsley 

As always with risotto, finely chop the shallot, garlic and celery and sweat gently in the olive oil for 5 – 10 minutes.  Dice the carrot quite small and add to the veg to sweat.   

Snap the woody stalks off the asparagus and cut the stalks into ¼” slices, keeping the tips whole, and set aside. 

Add the rice to the vegetables and stir around in what juices there are in the pan, and then add the stock.  You could stand at the stove and add the stock bit by bit until it is absorbed or do what I do – add it all in one go and stir from time to time. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Simmer gently, stirring from time to time.  You may need to add more boiling water if your rice has absorbed the stock too quickly so keep the kettle hot.  Cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice you are using (Arborio, Carnaroli or Nano) but the risotto should cook somewhere between 15 to 20 minutes.   

The consistency you are looking for is what the Italians call All’ Onda (with a wave) – it should be creamy and liquid enough so that when you draw your spoon through the pan the space fills up quickly, but it shouldn’t be sloppy.  If your risotto seems at all dry simply add a little more boiling water from the kettle and stir it through until the right consistency is achieved. 

After 5 or 6 minutes cooking time add the stems of the asparagus, and the tips for the last 5 minutes cooking time.  (I like my vegetables so have some bite, so if you like yours softer add the asparagus stems when you add the stock and the tips after 10 minutes.)

When the risotto is cooked, wash and finely chop the parsley and use to garnish the risotto to give a final fresh green hit to the dish, finally and most importantly (!) an avalanche of parmesan will finish it beautifully. 

Actually you could do what the Italians do and add a mantecatura of 1 – 2 tbs single (light) cream and the same amount again of parmesan cheese at the very end of the cooking time.

*If you have an open bottle of white wine to hand add a glug to the rice and stir until it is absorbed before you add the stock.

Glossary : Ingredients

UK                                                                  US 

Aubergine                                                     Eggplant

Chickpeas                                                     Garbanzo Beans

Coriander                                                      Cilantro (Dhania in South Africa)

Courgette                                                      Zucchini

Rocket                                                          Arugula

Spring Onions                                              Scallions

Swede                                                          Rutabaga

Glossary : Oven Temperature Conversions

Centigrade                Fahrenheit                Gas Mark

110                             225                             1/4

120                             250                             1/2

140                             275                             1

160                             300                             2

170                             325                             3

180                             350                             4

190                             375                             5

200                             400                             6

220                             425                             7

230                             450                             8

250                             475                             9

Irish Stew (my version)

As I was away on holiday on St David’s Day I thought I’d share a recipe with you to celebrate my Celtic cousins’ Patron Saint’s day instead – St Patrick’s Day. 

Traditionally Irish Stew contains pearl barley, but I prefer it without so this is my own particular version.  Actually, the purists in Ireland don’t use barley either and the version I had when we were in Ireland (County Mayo) contained only lamb, onion and potato.  I like to add carrot to my version and I’ve given it a little Welsh twist by using leek instead of onion but you could use onion if leek isn’t easily obtainable. 

For two to three people : 

2 lamb leg steaks

1 large or two small leeks

2 medium carrots

2 medium potatoes

1 small sprig of rosemary

1 bayleaf

1tb flour

2 pints of lamb stock

1tb olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste 

Firstly cut the leg steaks into large pieces and fry in the olive oil to brown on all sides.  Remove to a plate as they are browned. 

Slice the leek/s lengthways and rinse well under running water, then cut into slices approximately ½ an inch thick.  Peel the carrots and cut into fairly big pieces and do the same with the potatoes. 

Add a little more oil to the pan if needed, and gently sweat the leek and carrot for 10 minutes.  Return the lamb to the pan and add the tablespoon of flour, stirring well to absorb any juices in the pan.  Slowly add the lamb stock, stirring well to eliminate the risk of lumps forming.  Add the potatoes then season with salt and pepper and add the chopped rosemary and the bayleaf.  Cover and cook on a very low simmer for two hours, or pop it into the oven to cook at 150^oC for two hours. 

(150^oC = 300^oF = gas mark 2)

Sausages braised in red wine with Colcannon mash

Bangers and mash is a really classic British dish, and as a treat for my hubby, and to make it a bit special since it’s Saturday I decided to braise them in red wine.   

Colcannon mash is a traditional Irish potato dish, very simple when you know how, but so delicious that I knew I’d want to share the recipe with my friends across the pond! 

For two people you need : 

6 good meaty sausages (Cumberland are my favourite)

2 rashers of bacon

6 or 8 small shallots

6 or 8 small mushrooms

1 clove of garlic

½ tb flour

1tb olive oil

½ bottle of red wine

2 bayleaves

1 sprig of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Colcannon : 

2 big potatoes

1small leek

½ a cabbage (I like savoy cabbage or spring greens best)

2tsp butter 

Firstly brown the sausages all over and set aside. 

Dice the bacon and brown in a little olive oil and then set aside with the sausages. 

Toss the shallots around in the olive oil and sauté until they are golden, adding the chopped garlic for the last few minutes.  (It isn’t necessary to use shallots, I just had some here that I wanted to use up.  You can peel and slice or dice a large onion instead.) 

Return the bacon to the shallots in the pan and add the flour, stirring to scrape up any sticky bits on the bottom of the pan.  Gradually add the red wine, stirring well to eliminate any lumps. 

Add the sausages, mushrooms and herbs to the pan and season to taste.  Pop a lid on the pan and cook in a medium oven (150^oC) for two and a half hours.  Check on it from time to time, you want to have a nice gravy with the sausages so if it starts to look at all dry add a little beef stock (or boiling water to which you have added a little Worcestershire sauce) to thin it out a little. 

For the potatoes, peel and cut into smallish chunks and boil.  Shred the cabbage and steam over the potatoes until cooked through.   

Cut the leek in half lengthways and rinse well, then shred and sauté in 1tsp butter, adding the cabbage once it has been steamed. 

When the potatoes are cooked, mash them with the other tsp of butter, then add the cabbage and leek mixture and mix well together with a wooden spoon.