Servings: 8 -10 but if you're like me then 1
Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cook Time: 1hr 30 mins
Skill level: 1
Ingredients
Loaf
200g room temperature butter300g caster sugar
4 eggs
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g ground almonds
80g Greek Yoghurt
Tsp of almond essence
Topping
1 tbsp cherry jam with bits
A handful of flaked almonds.
Method
Pre heat your oven to gas 3/160 fan and line a loaf tin (8x21cm).
1. Remove core and cut your apple into cubes, Sprinkle with 1⁄2 tsp of all-spice and 1⁄2 tsp of cinnamon powder and a tsp of caster sugar.
2. With and electric whisk or in a food processor beat the butter and sugar together until combined.
3. Add eggs, one at a time and beat together until the mixture is soft and pale.
4. Sift in your self-raising flour and baking powder into the egg mixture and fold together.
5. Add the yoghurt and ground almonds. Fold together until completely mixed.
6. Transfer the cake mixture into the loaf tin, smooth over the top.
7. Sprinkle over your spiced apples and spoon on your cherry jam.
8. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, then check the cake every 10 minutes until your skewer comes out clean from the centre of your loaf.
9. Leave it to cool completely in the tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a baking rack ready to be sliced, served and eaten immediately.
RUM PAIRINGS
To pair with your cake, I'd suggest a Caribbean pot still rum it will hold its flavour and compliment it perfectly
Recipe 2: Blackened Pork and Sweet Aubergine with Chimichurri
You'll probably call me mad for getting out the barbecue, but some things just require being cooked on the coals. so, if you get a sunny day, I suggest using it wisely my friends, crack out the coal burner and get cooking these blackened pork chops with sweet aubergine and chimichurri.
Serves: 1 but scale up for as many needed
PrepTime: 15/20minutes Cook Time: 1 hour
Skill level: 1
Heat level: Mild
Ingredients
2 pork Chops1 aubergine
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sweet soy
3 tbsp Brown sugar
1 tsp mirin
2 tbsp Black bean and garlic chilli oil
(just the paste)
1 tsp Black sesame seeds
Chimichurri
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 mild red chilli, finely chopped
3–4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3–4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
Handful of finely chopped coriander, same finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and finely chopped oregano
50ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Method
Get your BBQ lit and ready to cook. You will need to use your oven for the aubergine so get it heated on gas 3/150 fan.
1. Prepare your chimichurri by chopping or blending in a food processor and mixing all of the ingredients and set aside for the flavours to settle. Simple.
2. In a bowl mix together your sesame oil, sweet soy, mirin, sugar, black bean garlic and chilli and sesame seeds and set aside.
3. Slice two thick sections of aubergine and lightly score the flesh in a Criss cross pattern, brush both sides generously with the mixture and Place on the outer section of the barbecue and cook for five minutes each side just colouring and giving it a smoky flavour, remove and place in the oven on a lined baking tray while you cook your chops
4. Take your chops coat in the mixture and place onto the barbecue with the fat on the hottest part to give it that blackened colour they won't need long, but best to cook slower to retain the moisture in the meat.
5. Once you're happy with your chops, remove from the heat, cover and let rest. Take your aubergine from the oven you should be left with smoky, creamy, sweet flesh.
6. Plate up and cover with your chimichurri and eat immediately.
You might think that the flavours won't match and complement each other but it's actually bang on for ultimately a salty sweet taste sensation.
RUM PAIRINGS
To pair I'd suggest a pure cane-based rum or a blended pot and column still. Either will be perfect.
@notyorhaggiscooking
