Ginger Cake

120g Butter
120g Soft brown sugar
120g Sultanas
2tsp Water
300g Black treacle
1 1/2tsp Ground ginger
2 Eggs, beaten
180g Plain flour
1/2tsp Bicarbonate of soda
60g Ground almonds
*20cm x 20cm cake tin*

1. Preheat oven to 150C
2. Put the butter, sugar, sultanas, water and treacle into a pan and boil for 5 minutes. Leave aside to cool.
3. Beat in the ginger and eggs.
4. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and almonds and fold in well.
5. Put into the greased cake tin and bake for 1 hour.
6. Cool on a cooling rack.

Fragrant Curry - Sweet Potato and Mushroom

*Recipe can be done with 500g of any vegetables*

1 Bay leaf
2tsp Ground cinnamon
20 Ground black peppercorns
2 Onions, chopped
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
1tsp Chilli powder
2tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Ground turmeric
1 Can of chopped tomatoes
2tsp Tomato paste
250g Sweet potato, cubed and parboiled
250g Chestnut mushrooms, quartered
1tsp Garam masala
4tsp Coriander leaves
1inch Fresh ginger, chopped
A little olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil and add the bay leaf, cinnamon, black pepper and stir for about one minute, or until it crackles.
2. Add the onion and garlic and brown. Stir in the other powdered spices excluding the garam masala.
3. Add a pinch of salt and the tomatoes along with the tomato paste, mushrooms and sweet potato.
4. Cook on a low heat for 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with garam masala and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the coriander leaves and ginger.

Vegetable Curry

This is a fragrant curry as opposed to a hot one.


1 Large onion, chopped
200g Peas
300g Spinach
300g New potatoes, chopped into chunks and parboiled
100g Sweet potato, chopped into chunks and parboiled
2 Large courgette, chopped
2tsp Ground cumin
2tsp Ground coriander
2tsp Turmeric powder
2tsp Ground ginger
2tsp Curry powder
1 Vegetable stock cube made up to 500ml
Juice of one lime
A little olive oil


1. Heat the olive oil and soften the onion. Stir in the spices for about a minute to allow them to becomee fragrant.
2. Add the courgette, peas, potatoes and sweet potatoes and stir for a further minute to allow the vegetables to become coated in the spices.
3. Stir in the lime juice.
4. Stir in the stock. Add the fresh spinach and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to a sauce-like consistency. The spinach will steam in the pan.

Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake

300g Cream cheese
200g Strawberry fromage frais
225g Fresh strawberries, chopped
200g White chocolate (Green and Blacks)
175g Digestive biscuits (can vary the type of biscuit)
50g Unsalted butter
20cm diameter springform tin


1. Crush the biscuits and mix with the melted butter.
2. Put the biscuit mixture into the tin and refrigerate until needed.
3. Melt the chocolate over a bowl of boiling water.
4. Beat the cream cheese and fromage frais together until thick and smooth.
5. Add the chopped strawberries and chocolate.
6. Add the mixture to the biscuit base and chill for about 4 hours.

Filo Strudel with Port Wine Sauce

Strudel
1 Large courgette, cut into small cubes
1 Small aubergine, cut into small cubes
1 Clove of garlic, crushed
150g Leeks, roughly chopped
250g Ricotta cheese
250g Cream cheese
5 Tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and chopped
18 Pieces of filo pastry (23cm x 15cm)
A little olive oil
Salt and pepper to season

Sauce
2tbsp Olive oil
1 Large onion, sliced
1 Large courgette, sliced
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
100ml Vegetable stock
200ml Red wine
Good glug of port (optional)
25g Butter, cold and cubed (optional)


1. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the aubergine and courgettes with the garlic and seasoning for a couple of minutes. Drain well in a large colander.
2. Repeat the first step with the leeks. Drain them for as long as you can - this makes the filling good and solid.
3. Mix the cheeses together in a large bowl with a good amount of seasoning until smooth (it helps to warm cheese in a microwave to soften it).
4. Fold in the aubergine, courgette, leeks and tomatoes, then chill for two hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 200C
6. Lay out six pieces of pastry on a lightly floured surface, and brush with olive oil, then cover with another layer and brush again. Add a final layer, but this time only brush the edges of the pastry.
7. Divide the chilled filling among the six rectangles and place it in a sausage shape towards the bottom edge of the pastry.
8. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, tuck in the sides then roll up into a tight parcel and brush with olive oil.
9. Put the strudels on a baking tray and cook in the oven for 25 minutes.
10 To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion, courgette and garlic with seasoning until soft.
11. Add the stock and reduce down to nearly nothing.
12. Add the wine and port and reduce by at least half.
13. Just before serving, whisk in the butter to give it a really great shine. This is optional. Serve the sauce in a separate jug.

Bombay Potato

1 Onion, chopped.
500g New potatoes, cut into chunks and parboiled.
1/2 Large can of chopped tomatoes.
1/2tsp Ground cumin.
1/4tsp Cumin seeds.
1tsp Turmeric powder.
1tsp Ground coriander.
1tsp Garam masala.
1tsp Chilli powder.
1inch Ginger, finely chopped.
8 Small tomatoes, chopped.
250ml Vegetable stock.
A little olive oil.
Fresh coriander, chopped.


1. Heat the oil, ginger and spices for about one minute until fragrant.
2. Add the onion and soften.
3. Add the potatoes and coat in the spices.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in the small tomatoes and coriander.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

Aloo Gobi

1 Onion, chopped.
150g New potatoes, cut into chunks and parboiled.
1 Cauliflower, cut into chunks and slightly steamed.
2 Large cans of chopped tomatoes.
2 Cloves of garlic.
1/2-1tsp Chilli powder.
1inch Ginger, chopped finely.
1tsp Ground cumin.
1/4tsp Cumin seeds.
2tsp Turmeric powder.
1tbsp Garam masala.
125ml Vegetable stock (approx.).
A little olive oil.
A pinch of salt.
Bunch of fresh coriander, chopped.


1. Fry onion, garlic and cumin seeds until the onion is soft.
2. Add the chopped coriander stalks and turmeric. Then stir in the chilli powder and tomatoes.
3. Add the ginger, ground cumin, potatoes and cauliflower.
4. Add a few tablespoons of stock and ensure the potatoes and cauliflower are coated in curry sauce.,
5. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked, adding stock little by little.
6. Add the garam masala and chopped coriander.

Harissa Bean Stew

1 Onion, chopped.
2tbsp Harissa paste.
200g New potatoes (approx.), peeled and cubed.
1 Pepper, deseeded and chopped.
8 Small tomatoes (approx.), chopped.
2 Large cans of mixed beans, drained.
250ml Vegeatble stock.
2 Large handfuls of spinach.
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed.
Juice and zest of one lemon.
A little olive oil.


1. Fry ans soften the onion and garlic.
2. Add the harissa, potaoes,lemon zest and juice, pepper, tomatoes and stock.
3. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked.
4. Add the beans and spinach and heat through.












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Spiced Sweet Potato and Pepper Soup

500g Sweet potato (approx.), peeled and chopped.
1 Large courgette, chopped.
1 Pepper, deseeded and chopped.
1 Large onion, chopped.
2 Vegetable stock cubes, made up to 1000ml.
1tsp Garam masala.
1/2tsp Curry powder.
1/8-1/4tsp Cayenne pepper.
A little olive oil.

1. Soften the onion in the olive oil.
2. Add the spices and the chopped vegetables.
3. Add the stock plus a further 450ml of water.
4. Bring to the boil then simmer until the vegetables are soft.
5. Blend using a hand blender to desired consistency.