Posts Tagged ‘Zest’

4 medium eggs
175g light muscovado unrefined cane sugar
160ml sunflower oil
200g self-raising flour
300g purple carrots, grated
1tsp mixed spice
100g flaked almonds
25g Turkish raisins
grated zest of 1 orange

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and grease a loaf tin, then line with baking paper.

Now mix the eggs and sugar in a large bowl, whisking until thick and creamy, then gradually add in the sunflower oil. Sieve the flour into the mixture and gently blend together. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Finally, pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until firm to touch and golden brown.

For a luxurious finishing touch, ice it with cream cheese mixed with a little icing sugar once cool.

Serves: 4

12 scallops
4 rosemary stalks, leaves removed, but kept
pared zest and juice of 2 amalfi lemons
12 bay leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Thread 3 scallops onto each rosemary stalk, alternating with three pieces of lemon zest and three bay leaves. Put the skewers in a roasting tin.

Pound the rosemary leaves and oil together (in a pestle and mortar if you have one) until fine and pour over the scallops. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

Then preheat the oven to 200C. Season the rosemary skewers and put the roasting tin in the oven to bake for eight minutes only.

Enjoy!

Zaa’tar is a delicious herby mix from the Middle East.  It is perfect mixed with  a little olive oil and spread over ciabatta or used as a dip for pitta bread – you can even mix it with hummous! Also try it spread over home-made foccacia dough before making for a fantastic herby loaf.

To make this Eastern delight, you will need:

Thyme, Oregano or Marjoram
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Fleur de Sel

This mix is all about taste, so first chop the thyme with a mezzluna, add some sesame seeds and a good pinch of fleur de sel. Taste and adjust the quantities according to your taste.

The recipe varies alot according to origin and many people have their own secret recipe!

You can also add any or all of…
Savoury
Cumin
Coriander or fennel seeds
Sumac berries
Grated lemon zest

Have fun experimenting and let us know your favourite recipe!

Try our Lebanese Thyme Zaa’tar mix here

Our Amalfi lemons are tasting fantastic at the moment. Try them to make this deliciously sweet and tangy lemon curd…

Makes 4 jars

Juice and zest of 8 lemons (unwaxed)
400g golden caster sugar
200g unsalted butter
6 whole eggs
2 egg yolks

Put the zest and juice of the lemons, along with the sugar into a heatproof bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl, then place over a pan of simmering water (a bain-marie). Stir using a whisk until the butter has melted.

Lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolk in a seperate bowl, then stir into the heated mixture. Let the curd cook, regularly stirring for 10 minutes until thick.

Remove from the heat and stir now and again while it cools down. Pour the mixture into clean jars and seal. It should keep for 10 days in the fridge.

Try it spread on toast, added to Greek yoghurt or use it to make the most fantastic cheesecake -  lightly mix with mascarpone and whipped cream and spoon onto a crushed ginger biscuit base.

All our citrus fruits are tasting amazing at the moment. Now in peak season, our oranges are getting larger and juicier – perfect for this delicious orange cake. You can even try it with clementines or mandarins!

3 eggs
2 large oranges + 1 optional for decoration
200gr sugar
350gr 00 flour
100gr butter
1tsp baking powder
6 tbsp sugar optional for decoration
Icing sugar

Separate the egg yolks from the whites, beat the yolks with the sugar until white and fluffy. Add the strained juice of two oranges and the grated zest of one. All our oranges are unwaxed and untreated but make sure this is the case if buying somewhere else.  Sieve the flour a little at the time, trying to avoid lumps, then finally add the melted butter and the baking powder.

Now beat the egg whites until super firm, and carefully add to the mixture.

Pour everything into a baking mould (buttered and dusted with flour) and cook for 30-35 mins at 180*C.

While cooking, you can prepare the decoration if you like. Thinly slice the remaining orange and caramelize the slices in a pan with the sugar.

When the cake is ready, dust with icing sugar and decorate with the caramelised orange slices.