POMEGRANATE HONEY

For this ongoing drizzly syrup ,that you can use as a spread , a marinade , a drizzle over a green leaf salad , yoghurt or ice cream . This is my gift to you. You need 1 pomegranate and 1 jar of runny honey ( around 375 gm ). The seeds / fruit of the pomegranate are called arils . Let's get started , slice the pomegranate in half around its belly , place over a shallow bowl side and hit the upturned side hard with a wooden spoon . the arils / seeds should come out easily . Repeat with the other half. Remove a couple of thin strips of the pomegranate skin with a vegetable peeler , making sure you do not take any of the white pith . Add the skin and arils to a jar of honey ,well a jar that will hold the arils and honey . Set the mixture aside on your kitchen bench . If the weather is cool , 8 /12/ 23 , leave the jar for a week before putting in the fridge. If the weather ever gets warmer , leave the the jar/s on the bench for 3 days . The honey will become a little runnier and gradually turn a little pinkish . Then place the honey in the refrigerator for as long as you want . I keep topping the same jar with honey and pomegranate when needed . The more you use it , the more uses you will find for it .

FLOURLESS BETE NOIRE

It's French and translates to 'Black Beast '... This is my idea of chocolate heaven , it is a very rich and an intensely chocolately flourless cake . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Grease and lightly sprinkle fine polenta over the base and sides of a 20cm round pan . Combine 110 gm( 1/2 cup ) of castor sugar with 1/4 cup of water in a medium saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves . Remove from the heat and add 250gm of chopped 70% cocoa chocolate and stir until smooth , then add 100gm of room temp butter/ marg and stir until melted . Remove from heat and set aside . Using your electric mixer beat together 3 eggs , 2 tbs of castor sugar and 1 tsp of vanilla extract until the mixture has tripled in size . Now fold 1/3 rd of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined , then gently fold in the remaining chocolate mixture until just combined . Pour the batter into the prepared pan . Place the cake pan in a large baking dish , fill with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the cake has risen in the centre ( slightly domed ) , the cake will be slightly soft to touch . Remove the pan from the water bath and cool to room temperature . Then place the pan in your refrigerator overnight or at least 5 hours until firm / set . Remove the cake from the pan dust with Dutch cocoa and slice with a hot dry knife and serve with raspberries and thickened cream .

COOKING TIPS

When seasoning food to taste , I like to use sea salt and cracked black pepper . Acidulated water is a mixture is a mixture of water and lemon juice , it prevents discolouration . Non reactive bowls are made from glass, ceramic or plastic . Use these in preference to metal bowls when marinating to prevent the acid in marinades reacting with the metal and imparting a metllic taste . To blanch an ingredient , cook it briefly in boiling water, then drain it . To refresh it , plunge it in a bowl of iced water , this stops the cooking process , then drain it . To dry roast spices , cook the spices in a dry pan , stirring continuously over a medium / high heat until they are fragrant . The cooking time will vary depending on what spices you are using .

POTATO AND CHOCOLATE CAKE

Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Cream 140 gm of room temperature butter/ marg with 180 gm soft brown sugar until light and fluffy . In a separate bowl beat 2 eggs until slightly thickened . You will also need 200gm of 'allrounder ' potatoes , boiled , drained , mashed and cooled. Mix together in a medium bowl mix together 45 gm of Dutch cocoa , 225gm (1 and 1/2 cups) of self raising flour . Now that you have got everything organised , let's get cracking . 1. Fold the eggs into the butter mixture . 2. Fold potato and 60gm of chopped dark chocolate into the creamed mixture . 3. Fold in the combined flour and cocoa , in 2 batches alternating 100ml of buttermilk . 4. Mix until well combined . Spoon into a buttered and lightly floured round 20cm cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer . Leave the cake stand in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack . CHOCOLATE FROSTING ... Bring 200ml of cream to a gentle boil, then pour over 150 gm of dark chopped chocolate in a bowl and stir until the mixture is smooth and chocolate has melted . Cover the bowl with cling wrap and cool at room temperature until almost set . Now add 60 gm of softened butter/ marg and use your electric beater mixing until pale . spread over the surface of the cake . Serve this cake at room temperature in an airtight container ( do not refrigerate).

POLENTA AND DRIED FRUIT CAKE

This polenta cake has a dense texture with pockets of date and apricot and is best served in thin slices with tea or coffee. Preheat your oven to 200deg C . Place 2 cups of water in a saucepan , bring to the boil , then gradually add 160 gm of polenta , stirring continuously with a wooden spoon . Add 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 and 1/2 tbs of of canola oil and stir for 30 seconds over a medium heat until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the side of the saucepan . Remove from heat , add 50 gm of butter/ marg and stir until the butter/ marg melts and is well incorporated . Add 100gm of pinenuts , 80 gm of chopped dried apricots , 1 tbs of fennel seeds , 2 eggs lightly beaten , 150 gm ( 1 cup ) of plain flour . Mix well. Now spoon the mixture in a greased and lightly sprinkled with polenta a 11x 30 cm loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Brush the 1 tbs of canola oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs . Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean . Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan for 10 minutes , then turn out onto a wire rack to cool . Serve the cake in thin slices . Cake will freeze well or keep in an airtight container for 4 days .

TAMARIND AND DATE CHUTNEY .

This is so easily prepared and a perfect accompaninment to any fried food . Place the next ingredients into the bowl of your processor ... 200gm of dried dates , roughly chopped , 1 tbs of tamarind paste , 1 tsp of ground cumin , 1tsp of chilli flakes and finally 1 tbs of tomato sauce with 200ml of water . Process untill fairly smooth . Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 3 days .

BUTTER BISCUITS

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper . Using your electric beater mix together 175 gm of room temp butter/ marg with 140 gm of castor sugar , until light and fluffy . In a separate bowl beat 1 egg , in another bowl measure out 280 gm of self raising flour , finely grate the rind of 1 lemon . Continue to use your electric beater and combine the egg , flour and lemon rind until just combined . Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth . Form the mixture into rolls the thickness of a finger . Slice each roll into 4" lengths and shape into S shapes and place on the lined baking trays, allowing for room to spread . It is optional , but you can stud each biscuit with a few flaked almonds . Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden . Cool on a wire rack . Store in an airtight container .