Dor's Rhubarb & Ginger Cheesecake

Dor's Rhubarb & Ginger Cheesecake

 

Rhubarb & Ginger has to be one of my favourite combinations so it wasn't too hard to figure out how to use up some of the glut of rhubarb that I had in the garden. Along with that I found 3 tubs of Philly in the fridge, I'm always tempted to buy too much when there's a supermarket offer going.

I usually make this baked Cheesecake with a digestive (Graham Cracker) base but I used Ginger Nuts to add to the ginger flavours in the topping.

The recipe will make around 12 portions but just 6 of us managed to polish this one off in one sitting. Okay we're just damn greedy but we don't eat it every day.

Here's the recipe.
You will need a 9/10" loose bottomed Springform tin, greased then lined with parchment paper to come about an inch or so above the tin.

For the base

a 300g packet of Ginger nuts crushed to a fine crumb
100g unsalted butter melted
3 tbsp.sugar

Mix well together, press into the bottom of the tin and refrigerate to set it (about 40 minutes)

For the Filling

750 gms of Philly or another good quality whipped cream cheese
300ml of sour cream or double cream if you can't get it
6 eggs separated
150g caster sugar
the zest of 1 lemon
1 dessertspoon of vanilla extract
2 tbsp. of corn flour (corn starch)
a sprinkle of sea salt ( about ½ tsp)

Using a hand whisk, place the egg whites in a bowl and whip until stiff but not dry
in another bowl place everything else and using the same whisk beat until smooth.
Fold in the egg whites making sure there's no white bits of egg white to be seen
Place the batter over the biscuit base to about 1" below the top of the tin
There may be a little too much batter so don't overfill your tins just pour it into a dish and bake later (cooks treat)

Place in the centre of a pre-heated oven 170c/325f/gas 3 for around 1& 10 mins hour. Don't be tempted to open the door, keep a keen eye on it though in case it browns too quickly. Turn the oven off and leave cheesecake in the oven for a least a couple of hours to really set up. There should be no wobble at all at this stage.
 Place on a wire rack to cool completely and leave in the baking tin until you are ready to serve it.
I left mine in the fridge well wrapped overnight and it was perfect the following day.

For the Rhubarb topping

1lb young rhubarb stalks
150g or so of caster sugar
around 2 level tsps of cornflour or arrowroot to thicken the juices
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
around 4 or 5 pieces of crystallised ginger chopped
or 1 tsp of ginger powder added to the rhubarb before cooking 

Chop around 1lb/500g washed rhubarb into about 1½"/ 3cm pieces and place in a non metallic oven dish with around 150g of caster sugar (according how sharp you like your rhubarb) and 1 tbsp of water.
Cover with foil and bake at 180c/350f/gas4 for around 30 minutes or until soft
Baked this way the rhubarb holds it's shape.
Place the rhubarb in a sieve and collect the juices. You'll find that it will keep making a little more as it sits.
Place the juices in a pan and add a little slaked corn flour/starch/arrowroot and the redcurrant jelly and cook until it starts to thicken. It should be of a thickened but still pourable consistency

To assemble

remove the cheesecake carefully from the tin and remove the parchment paper.
Place on it's serving plate
Arrange the rhubarb over the top.
Scatter over the chopped ginger
Carefully spoon over the slightly cooled thickened juices and serve.
 

    

Sultana Scones

For a perfect afternoon tea. These scones served while still warm with strawberry jam & clotted cream cannot be beaten. Omit the sultanas if you prefer a plain scone or add any other dried fruit that you prefer to the basic scone dough .

to make about 20 2" scones

400g of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
(sift these dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl)
3 tbsp caster sugar
80g soft butter
2 beaten eggs
80 gms sultanas
enough milk to form a soft but not wet dough
an egg yolk with a tbsp water whisked in for the egg wash glaze

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, mix in the sugar
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and enough milk to make a soft but not wet dough
Handle it as lightly as you can or it can become rubbery if overworked and bring together to form a ball.
Roll lightly to about 1" thick and cut into rounds using a 2" cutter.
Place on a greased oven tray
Brush with a little egg wash
Bake in a hot oven 220c/ 425f/gas 7 for around 12-15 mins until they are well risen & golden brown
Leave to cool on a wire rack
Best eaten when still warm with strawberry jam & clotted cream

Scone (Cobbler) Ring

This is a savoury version of my Scone Ring. I suppose you could call it an upside-down Cobbler where the base is baked first and then topped with what ever takes your fancy. It can be used for hot & cold fillings. A sweet version filled with lemon curd & raspberries with swirls of lightly whipped cream would be fabulous for a dessert. My friend Jo Wheatley suggested that it could be filled with a ploughman's lunch, ham, cheese & pickles now wouldn't that be fabulous.

I filled this one with sauteed leeks & mushrooms, strips of seasoned chicken that I quickly fried until almost cooked, and  sweet baby tomatoes. I sprinkled over lots of Parmesan and popped it back into a hot oven for 5 minutes until everything was piping hot.

Here's how I made it

For the savoury scone mix

400g of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
(sift these dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl)
80g soft butter
2 beaten eggs
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
enough milk to form a soft but not wet dough
an egg yolk with a tbsp water whisked in for the egg wash glaze

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, mix in the chives
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and enough milk to make a soft but not wet dough
Handle it as lightly as you can or it can become rubbery if overworked and bring together to form a ball.

Half the dough

form the first half into a disc around 8/9" round and place on a greased oven tray
roll out the other half to about the thickness of a £1 coin and cut into 2" rounds.
I made around 14 .
Wet the edge of the ring with the egg wash
Place slightly overlapping rounds of scone equally around the edge
Brush the top with egg wash
Bake near the top a hot oven 220c/425f/gas 7 for around 12 minutes until cooked through & golden brown.
Remove from the oven and either leave it to cool completely or fill it straight away if serving hot and pop back in the oven until everything is piping hot and serve immediately.

If you want to make a sweet version.
omit the salt, pepper and chives
add 3 tbsp caster sugar to the mix after you've rubbed in the butter.

I will make a sweet version and add it to this post soon.

Sweet Potato Curry with Nigella Seeds

Perfect for Vegetarian alternative for a curry night. This sweet potato curry is also a great side dish for your Indian Banquet as an alternative to Bombay Potatoes.  We had this lovely dish with a really hot & spicy Beef Madras, steamed rice, lime pickle & lots of Naan to mop up all the sauces.

Ingredients to serve 3/4 portions or more  as a side dish

1lb/ 450g of sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into large dice
2  onions diced
2 chillies red or green (De seeded) finely chopped
Fresh Coriander (cilantro) around 2tbsp chopped
a spring onion to garnish chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
lemon juice to finish

The spices

5 curry leaves

½ tsp of each of the following spices
dried red chilli flakes (optional)
powdered cumin
turmeric
black onion seeds
fennel seeds
mustard seeds
Nigella seeds ( toasted & reserved to sprinkle over)

Par boil the sweet potatoes in salted water for around 8 mins until starting to go tender
Add the oil to a frying pan, heat till very hot add the curry leaves & chilli flakes and cook very quickly to a golden brown, turn down the heat  
Add the chopped onions, fresh chillies, fresh coriander and all the other spices.
Cook on a medium heat until the onions are soft
Add the par boiled sweet potatoes with a 3/4 tbsp of water
Turn the heat to it's lowest setting and continue cooking for around 10 minutes.
Turn out onto a serving dish, squeeze a little lemon juice over & scatter over the spring onions & toasted Nigella seeds.









 

Baked Cashew Nut Chicken Fillets

I'm a real nut lover and I think that Cashews could be my favourites. I use them such a lot especially when I cook a Chinese & Indian Meals. I like to buy a big bag of raw cashews when I visit the Chinese Supermarket. They're great roasted in the oven with chilli and maple syrup for a drinks party, or dry fried in a frying pan for a few minutes to ready to add to stir fries, curries and Moroccan cous cous. 

Here I have added them to this lovely crunchy coating for chicken fillets which are then baked in the oven for around 25 mins. Fabulous served hot or cold and would be great for a packed lunch or picnic. We enjoyed a couple of left over pieces served up in a tortilla wrap with salad for lunch the following day.

 I served this with a simple minted yoghurt with a little red chilli added but I'm sure the kids would enjoy it more with a dollop of tomato ketchup .

Heat the oven to 200c/400f/gas 6

The ingredients will serve 4

4 chicken fillets cut in half lenghthwise to make 8 pieces in total
4 oz  raw cashew nuts (if you can't find them use roasted & salted but omit the salt from the recipe)
2 slices of yesterday's bread ( made into breadcrumbs)
1 spring onion roughly chopped  including all the green part
1 tbsp chopped coriander or parsley if preferred
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil

flour, spread onto a plate
2 eggs beat and place onto a plate

Squeeze of lemon to finish

Method:

To make the coating just whizz everything (except the chicken & cashews) in a food processor until well blended then add the nuts & the oil and lightly blitz to break up the nuts slightly. Place on a plate & leave to one side while you prepare the chicken.

Line 3 plates up,  1st with the flour, then the beaten eggs  then the crumb coating

Dip the chicken into the flour,  then the egg, then finally roll into the cashew nut mixture making sure it's well coated

Place each piece onto a large baking tray

Bake in a hot oven 200c/400f/gas6 for around 20 mins ( check after 15) until cooked through and golden brown.

Serve hot or cold with a squeeze of lemon sprinkled over

Chocolate Gypsy Creams

Now here's a recipe that takes me straight back to the 1970's when I just couldn't get enough of the damn things. Perfect biccie to dunk in your tea, crumbly, oatie and that lovely buttercream that would melt as it warmed up in your cuppa. Hope you try them and enjoy them as much as we have. Really easy to make as the biscuits are prepared in a saucepan. The recipe will make around 12. I'd double it if I were you as they won't last long, these disappeared within a couple of hours.

biscuit ingredients to make 12

100g/ 4 oz butter
3 level tbsp golden syrup ( use dark corn syrup if not available)
50g/2oz sugar
50g/2oz porridge oats
10g/½oz cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate)
175g/6oz flour

buttercream ingredients

150g/5oz icing sugar
50g/2oz softened butter
1tbsp milk or cream
50g/2oz melted dark chocolate

method

Pre-heat the oven to 170c/325f/gas3
brush oil onto 3 baking trays

In a large saucepan place the butter, syrup & sugar and gently melt them together
Sift the flour with the cocoa
Add the oats & flour mix to the pan and mix well together
Leave to cool slightly
Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and roll into balls with your hands,
you will need 24 for 12 biscuits
Place on the oiled baking sheets leaving lots of room between each biscuit
Flatten the balls slightly with the back of a fork.
Bake for approximately 20 mins until baked through.
Leave on the trays until completely cold before removing with a pallette knife.

While they are baking make the filling

just beat all the ingredients together using a hand held electric whisk

Sandwich two biscuits together, dust with a little icing sugar and enjoy.  



 

Spaghetti Primavera

Such a lovely dish to serve as the wonderful Spring vegetables become available. Use whatever you like but make sure it's colourful & fresh. Here I have included Ruby Chard, asparagus, mange tous, shallots & chilli, with lots of freshly chopped basil to finish.

To serve 2 good portions

275g Spaghetti cooked al-dente according to the instructions on the packet

for the sauce
1 large shallot finely diced
a 50g tin of anchovies in oil (leave them out for any vegetarians)
1 red chilli chopped ( optional)
1 large tomato chopped
the juice of 1 small lemon
1 tbsp good quality virgin olive oil

for the vegetables

I used the veg below, but just choose what you like

12 asparagus spears, woody ends removed then sliced in half lengthwise
4 large handfuls of Ruby Chard with it's stems chopped (spinach will do if you can't get it)
around 12 mange tous sliced in half lengthwise
Basil leaves chopped for garnish (around 1Tbsp)
A little glug of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to serve
Curls of Parmesan Cheese ( I used a potato peeler and ran it down the edge of the cheese)


Method

In a large frying pan gently fry the shallots & chilli in the oil until soft
Add the anchovies and break them up while cooking
Throw in the tomatoes
Squeeze in the juice of the lemon.
Season to taste ( you shouldn't need any salt if using the anchovies)

While this is cooking steam the vegetables for just around 3/4 minutes, so that they are cooked but still have a little crunch.

To assemble just add the veg to the sauce in the frying pan and stir through well
Add the spaghetti with a little of the pasta water
Mix the whole lot together well, add a little more Extra Virgin Olive oil and the chopped basil.

This was my lunch today and it was just delicious and so very simple to prepare .

Serve in warmed bowls adding the Parmesan curls to the top to garnish.