Spiced Pecan Cake

I thought as the nights draw in and the temperatures drop I would share a bit of a treat - best served slightly warm with custard! It can be made in a traditional cake tin or loaf tin.

14 fl oz water

3 fl oz orange juice (fresh squeezed if poss)

7 oz sultanas

4 oz butter

14 oz plain flour

1/2 tsp fine ground rock salt

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

10 oz golden caster sugar

1/2 tsp nutmug

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

4 oz chopped pecans

Butter and line your cake/loaf tin with baking parchment.

Pre-heat oven to 190C

Put the water, orange juice, butter and sultanas into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Keep on a slow boil for bout 25 minutes to allow the sultanas to swell and the liquid to slightly reduce. When its ready take off the heat and allow to cool for ten minutes before using.

While the sultanas are bubbling away get a large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients. Sift the flour into the bowl, along with the bicarb, baking powder, sugar, salt and spices. Make sure everything is well mixed.

Once the sultana mix is cooled a little pour into the dry mix and mix well. Then add the eggs and pecans. Mix thoroughly before pouring into the cake tins.

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook for up to 55 minutes. Times will vary according to the efficiency of your oven, so check regularly and move around the oven if necessary to cook evenly.

Best served while still a little warm and with custard or double cream :-)

Mincemeat

Take 40 minutes out of your day and make enough mincemeat to see yourself and half your family through the mince-pie eating season! I usually keep a few jars for myself and use the rest of the mincemeat to give away as early Christmas treats. Buy some nice new jam jars (loads available online!) fill to the brim with this pretty mincemeat (the cherries and cranberries make it far more attractive than shop brought stuff). Tie a piece of ribbon around the neck and take as a gift to friends when you visit during November and December. Everyone likes unexpected gifts and it gives them a chance to use it when making their own mince-pies before Christmas.

Ingredients to make  roughly 3lb mincemeat

4 bramley apples, peeled, cored and grated

12oz light muscovado sugar

Zest and Juice of 1 orange

Zest and Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp each of ground nutmeg, cloves and allspice

4 oz dried cranberries

4oz golden raisins

4 oz sultanas 

4 oz glace cherries

3 ½ fl oz brandy

3 oz flaked almonds

4 oz vegetable suet

Put the grated apple and any juices, sugar, zests and citrus juices into a large saucepan. Bring gently  to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the spices, dried fruit and brandy. Set aside to cool.

Once cool, stir in the almonds and suet.

Divide between sterilized jars. Press down to push out any air between spoonfuls and seal.

Will keep unopened in the fridge for months, so perfect to get some Christmas cooking out of the way during Autumn!

Recipe: Imam bayildi (Fainting Imam) * Sweetly Spiced Aubergine *

There are many recipes out there for this dish and this is as it should be because its a fabulous meal! But none of the other variations I've tried have been as good as this one - the first and best one I ever came across. I can't remember where I first found it - I've had it since I took cookery class at school. Being vegetarian I always caused my tutor some problems - not 'fitting in' with the rest of the class. That, however, was my blessing as I was allowed to browse the recipe books having a go at anything I liked! Although I never much liked aubergines (egg plants to my American friends) I was intrigued by the story of this one. The legend that the Imam fainted with delight when it was brought before him. In fact there are many variations of the legend, but whatever the truth it doesn't change the fact that this dish IS worth a mild swoon at the very least!
Ingredients


6 tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Onions, very finely chopped
4 small Aubergines/Egg Plants - cut into lengthwise halves
Juice of half a Lemon
4 tinned Plum Tomatoes, finely chopped
2 ounces Sultanas
2 teaspoons Ground Mixed Spice
2 teaspoons Sugar
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed or very finely chopped
2 Bay Leaves
Parsley to Garnish

Method

Gently cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until soft and just coloured.

While keeping an eye on that, carefully scoop out most of the flesh from the aubergines. Leave enough flesh in the shell to ensure that you don't accidentally break the skin. The mixture will be served in these, so think about the condition of the fruit while you are scooping! Cut the flesh into small pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Brush inside the aubergine shells with olive oil, arrange in a baking tin and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees centigrade.

Add the chopped aubergine to the onions with the tomatoes, saultanas, mixed spice, sugar, garlic and bay leaves. Cook (covered) over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has the consistency of chutney.

It is at this point you realise where the legend may have come from! The smell while it is simmering is divine!

Remove the shells from the oven when cooked and fill with the mixture. Garnish with the parsley. Traditionally this dish is to be served cold, but I enjoy it just as much - if not more - while still warm.

This dish is so very easy to make, but the great bit is that it smells and looks so much more complicated! Happy cooking!