Fen Celery with Walnuts and Avocado

1 bunch of fresh Fen celery, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, very thinly sliced
2oz chopped walnuts
2 large ripe avocado, peeled and sliced length ways
Lemon juice
Soured Cream or Cottage Cheese to serve
Fresh herbs to garnish

Mix the celery, spring onions and walnuts on a serving plate. Place the avocado slices in a decorative pattern on top. Sprinkle with a little lemon juice. 

Place a good dollop of the soured cream of cottage cheese in the centre.

Garnish with your favourite fresh herbs and serve.

Spiced Rhubarb Cake

Serves: 6 Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 60 mins

Ingredients



5 oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
300g self-raising flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground ginger
100g dark muscovado sugar
200g golden syrup
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs, beaten
300g rhubarb, cut into short lengths
icing sugar, for dusting


Heat oven to 180C/fan 160Cand put the kettle on. Butter and line a deep 20cm square cake tin (or loaf tin as I use).


Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in the food processor, then beat in the golden syrup.

Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 200ml boiling water, then gradually pour through the spout of the processor.


Pulse in the flour, then add the eggs, mixing briefly.


Remove the bowl from the processor, then gently stir in the rhubarb.


Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50-60 mins, until the cake feels firm to the touch and springs back when pressed.


Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.


Personally I love this with hot custard, but it is just as good with cream or evaporated milk.

Note: because of the fresh rhubarb, only lasts about three days!