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Pumpkin and Walnut Cake

Here's a recipe that makes for a wonderful breakfast treat — perfect when you want something a bit special to start the day. Ingredients for 6 servings 350g raw pumpkin (peeled and deseeded). 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. 2 whole eggs. 120g cake flour. 100g rice flour. 180g sugar. 100g unsalted butter, melted in a double boiler. juice of 1 mandarin (or half an orange). 1 packet baking powder (Royal brand). a pinch of black pepper. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. 1/2 tsp vanilla powder. 1 pinch of salt. you'll also need: 1 loaf pan, 25x10cm. butter for greasing the pan. a rectangle of parchment paper. 150g walnuts (shelled). icing sugar for dusting. Preparation Grease your loaf pan with butter, then line the bottom with parchment paper. Cut the pumpkin into very small cubes... Place them in a bowl, drizzle with the tablespoon of oil, and cook (covered) in the microwave at full power for 12 minutes. Don't do it all at once — check th...

Ratatouille, Vegetable Stew






Ratatouille is a classic from French cooking, made with different vegetables slowly baked in the oven until they're tender and full of flavor.
You can serve it as a main dish, a starter, or pack it up for lunch the next day.

 

Ingredients

  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 1 large spring onion
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 large tomato
  • Salt
To serve
    • Fresh parsley
    • Fresh cheese
    • 1 tablespoon honey

    For the marinade

    • 40cc extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
    • 40cc dry white wine
    • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
    • A pinch of thyme
    • A pinch of basil
    • 1 teaspoon sugar

    Preparation

    Wash the potatoes but leave the skins on. Wrap each one in aluminum foil and bake at 200°C for about 30 minutes. You want them partly cooked but still a bit firm—they'll finish cooking with everything else later.
    Cut the eggplant into medium chunks, sprinkle with salt, and let it sit for a bit. This draws out the bitter juices.
    While that's happening, make the marinade. Put all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and whisk them together with a hand mixer until everything's well blended. Set it aside.
    Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks.
    Peel the onion and wash the rest of the vegetables, except for the tomato—save that for later. Clean out the peppers by removing the white membranes and seeds.
    Slice everything into thick rounds and add them to the bowl with the marinade. Season with salt and mix well with a wooden spoon until all the vegetables are nicely coated.
    Once everything's soaked up the marinade, transfer it all to a baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
    Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C. Start with the dish covered for the first 10 minutes. Then add the tomato, cut into large pieces, remove the foil, and continue baking uncovered for another 30 minutes at the same temperature.
    This goes beautifully with a little bowl of fresh cheese mixed with honey and chopped parsley on the side.



    Time: 70 minutes
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