FRENCH SOURDOUGH LOAF (STEP 2 )

The second step in preparing the sourdough is the 'sponge'. To make the sponge, pour the starter into a large non metallic mixing bowl. Stir in 140 ml of lukewarm water and add 230 gm of white bread flour. Mix with your hand to make a thick batter. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave at room temperature for 24-36 hours until it is spongy and slightly bubbly. Leaving the sponge for 36 hours the more pronounced the flavour will be.

LAMB CHOPS WITH A MINT JELLY CRUST

Mint and lamb are classic partners and the breadcrumbs added here add a crunchy texture . All I used for this dish was 8 lamb chops , 1 cup of breadcrumbs and 3 tbs of mint jelly . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Place the lamb chops on a lightly oiled flat ovenproof dish and season with salt and ground black pepper . Place the breadcrumbs and mint jelly in a small bowl and mix to combine , spoon the breadcrumb mix on top of the chops , pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon making sure the mixture sticks to the chops . Bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes , or until just cooked through . Serve immediately with baked sweet potato and steamed green vegetables .

ORKNEY BROONIE

The ingredients needed for this oatmeal gingerbread with a Norse name is a reminder of the Islands'past history ... If no buttermilk is available , you can sour fresh milk by adding 1 tbs of vinegar / lemon juice per 250ml. The ingredients you need , 175 gm of plain flour , 1 dsp of ground ginger , a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of baking powder , 175 gm of oatmeal , 75 gm of butter/ marg , 2 tbs of treacle ,100gm of soft brown sugar , 1 well beaten egg and 250 ml of buttermilk. So let's get started ... Grease and lightly sprinkle with fine polenta a 900gm loaf pan . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Mix the flour , ginger , salt and baking powder together in a bowl and then mix in the oatmeal . Use your fingers to rub in the butter/ marg into the dry ingredients to achieve a breadcrumb consistency. Melt the treacle with the sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat , once melted remove from the heat , cool slightly and add 125 ml of buttermilk and the beaten egg . Now stir with a wooden spoon into the dry ingredients and beat well , adding more buttermilk if needed to give you a batter that drops off the wooden spoon . Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 75 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean . Allow to cool and set before turning out onto a wire rack . This gingerbread can be served warm or cold , sliced and buttered .

FRENCH SOURDOUGH BREAD (STEP 1)

Come on join me ....let's make a sourdough loaf. There are 3 steps in the preparation of a sourdough loaf, the first is the starter. What is a starter? A starter is a bacterial or fungal culture used to initiate fermentation and the development of flavour. For the starter you will need 230 gm of wholemeal bread flour and 230 ml of lukewarm water. Now, place the wholemeal flour in a medium non metallic bowl and make a well in the centre and pour in the lukewarm water and mix to a very thick batter and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave at room temperature for 3 days, re dampening the tea towel each day, so the batter absorbs the natural yeasts in the air. After 3 days, the starter should be smelly, grey and only slightly bubbly. We will continue in 3 days and move onto step 2 the sponge .

GERMAN FRIENDSHIP BREAD STARTER (DAY 1 -DAY 3)

I'm a devotee of the friendship bread , it is something that I love to make and then get to share. This loaf is simple to make and delicious . The loaf takes 13 days , including 3 days to make the starter . You will end up with enough starter for your next loaf and one to bake, and still be able to share / give away two portions. This bread should be eaten within 3 days of baking , or it can be frozen for up to 3 months. To make the starter, put 280 gm of bread flour into a large non metallic mixing bowl and make a well in the centre and add 15 gm of fresh yeast (available in some supermarkets and healthfood stores)or 5gm of instant dried yeast. Pour in 455ml of water and stir, using a wooden spoon, until the liquid is smooth and you have a sticky batter. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave on your kitchen table or work bench, so the batter absorbs the yeasts naturally present in the air, stir once a day for the next 3 days, re dampening the tea towel each day ...... I will follow up in 3 days time , when the starter will be ready.

A DAY NEVER WASTED IN THE KITCHEN

I had organised a person to come and work in my garden, topping up with fresh soil in the potted garden, back and front. It didn't happen today, so I spent my time making stromboli.... All it is.... is a scone recipe, the dough being hand formed into a rectange on a lightly floured surface ( I never use a rolling pin ) about 1 cm thickness. Then spread over with tomato paste, chopped basil, minced garlic and sliced black olives. Then roll up from the wide side. Slice the dough into 9 portions, lay the portions on the prepared tray, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven . Now remove the stromboli from the oven on the tray and top the stromboli with a slice of pepperoni salami and a sprinkle of tasty cheese. Return the stromboli to the oven for 10 minutes. You can serve warm or cool. Stromboli, freezes well.

BANANA AND MIXED FRUIT UPSIDE DOWN TOFFEE CAKE

Grease a 26 cm spring form pan and line with a sheet of baking paper by placing the paper over the base then replacing and securing the sides of the pan. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. The ingredients required for the Topping , 80 gm of butter/ marg, 200gm of sugar, 100gm of soft brown sugar, the juice of 1 lemon and 2 tbs of boiling water . The ingredients for the Cake....5 firm bananas, 1 cup of granulated nuts, 1 cup of mixed fruit pieces, 250gm of butter/ marg, 250 gm of soft brown sugar, 4 eggs well beaten, 250 gm of buttermilk, 380 gm of self raising flour, 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 1 dsp of ground ginger, 1 dsp of ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg. Let's get started by making the topping first. Melt the butter / marg (80 gm ) in a frypan, then sprinkle both sugars over top. Add the lemon juice and the boiling water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until the mixture caramelises. Slice the bananas into thick diagonal pieces and add these to the caramel with the nuts and fruit. Cook over a high heat for 3 minutes to coat all ingredients with the caramel. Now spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth over gently to cover the entire base of the pan and set aside. Onto the cake... Beat the butter / marg together with the sugar with an electric beater until creamy. Mix together the all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. In another bowl mix together the beaten eggs with the buttermilk. Now using a wooden spoon add the butter mix to the buttermilk and egg mixture, incorporating with the dry ingredients until thoroughly mixed. When the batter is well mixed, pour it over the banana mixture, gently smoothing over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 75 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to stand in the pan for 5 minutes, use a spatula to separate the cake from the sides of the pan. Now to remove the cake place a flat tray or platter over the top of the pan and turn over so the cake is now the right way up . Remove the sides of the pan and gently peel the paper off the banana toffee topping. This cake can be served warm or at room temperature with thickened cream or creme fraiche. The cake will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator or can be frozen and defrosted for 4 hours before serving. Just a tip for cleaning the toffee encrusted cake pan, fill your sink with very hot soapy water and leave the pan soak, the toffee will dissolve, just be patient .. You can easily make your buttermilk by placing a dsp of white vinegar to each cup of butter required.