Ingredients:

• fresh ripe figs
• honey
• balsamic vinegar
• creme fraiche or plain yoghurt
• vegetable oil

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 oC for 20 minutes.  (Remember I use a fan oven so you may need a hotter temperature)
2. Take your lovely fresh figs and give them a good wash
3. Now cut a deep cross shape in the top of each fig so that the bottom of the fruit remains whole, but so that you are able to push out the fruit into 4 ‘corners’, (a bit like a spiky tulip!)
4. Place the figs onto a baking tray.  I use a silicone liner sheet but this is not essential.
5. On to each fig spoon in 1 tsp of runny honey, a few drops of Balsamic vinegar (if you keep kosher make sure it is a kosher approved brand), 1/2 a tsp of vegetable oil.
6. Now bake the figs in the oven for about  20 minutes or so.
7. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche or plain yoghurt

Seven Species of Israel

To mark Tu Bishvat I shall be posting some appropriate recipes, so watch this space.

Ingredients:

• 1 roaster chicken quartered (about 4lbs)
• 4 large red peppers
• 1-2 onions
• 1 can chopped plum tomatoes (or twice the volume of fresh)
• vegetable oil (or olive oil)
• seasoning
• 2 tbsps teriyaki sauce

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 oC for at least 20 minutes
2. Take the chicken and take it to the ‘chicken spa’.  This is not remotely as glamorous as it sounds.  You have to put on rubber gloves, scold the chicken pieces with boiling water, and then (this is really gross) scrape the skin of the bird with a sharp knife to remove any yukky bits, and then  set aside.
3. Clean all utensils and kitchen surfaces really well with lots of hot soapy water.  Remember you don’t want to leave anything raw chickeny about (other than the …er… raw chicken you have set aside).
4. Clean and slice the onions and red peppers, and then lightly fry them for about 10 minutes or so to soften the vegetables.  Now how much oil you use depends on your frying pan and whether you are watching your waist line!  I use a large non-stick pan and only 1 teaspoon of oil.  If you want to use more oil it is up to you.
5. Place the fried vegetables into a large, deep casserole dish and season.  Place the chicken on top of the seasoned veg, and now season the bird.  Add the 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce over the chicken and a little water (maybe a 1/3 of a glass).
6. Cook in the middle of the oven uncovered for about 40 minutes (remember I use a fan oven so you may need to cook your chicken longer).
7. After 40 minutes test the chicken with a knife and see if the juices run clear, if not place the dish back in the oven for another 20 minutes or so and cover it.
8. Check the bird again and if the juices run clear it is ready to eat.
9. Serve simply with basmati rice and garden peas.

Wishing everyone a very Happy 2012

Wishing everyone a very 'deer' Chanukah!

… btw, due circumstances beyond my control I have been unable to post the new chicken recipe, but have no fear I shall try and remedy this as soon as I can.

I urge you all to give to BBC Children In Need 2011 as every penny raised goes straight to children all over the UK.  I had a look on the BBC website to check out some of the charities who have received money from BBC Children In Need and noticed these charities include different ethnic, social and religious backgrounds.  This charity really does help children in need (clue in the name!) so give generously.

This year I decided to give Blush Bear a bit of a makeover and sewed on some little seed beads to her bow, rather fetching don’t you think?

Ingredients:

• 100g margarine or butter
• 75g caster sugar
• 200g plain flour (I used a 50:50 mix of white to wholemeal)
• 1 large ‘dollop’ of jam (about 50g)
• 1 medium sized egg

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to about 18o oC/ Gas Mark 4 for 15 minutes.  (You may need to alter the times depending on your oven.  I use a fan oven and so need less time for it to heat up and bake the cakes).
2. Place the margarine or butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix well.  This is called creaming and you need to use a wooden spoon and ‘set your arm to no.3′ and go for it!  … Or you can use an electric whisk for a few minutes.  The fat and sugar mixture should appear pale once you have finished.
3. Now add a little of the egg and mix it in well each time.  Resist the temptation to just bung all the egg in at once because the egg won’t be be incorporated properly.
4. Now add the flour in the same way; a little at a time and mix well.  It might end up looking a bit dry but don’t stress  because now …
5. add the dollop of jam and mix again.  This will give some more moisture to the mixture and you should get a nice cake batter.
6. Now place cake papers in a baking tray and add a soup spoonful of mixture into each cake paper (this recipe makes about 12-15 depending on the size of your spoon and cake papers!).
7. Bake in the top of the oven for 15 minutes or so and then check the cakes with a knife to see if it comes out clean, if not then leave the cakes in for another 5 minutes and check again.  As I use a fan oven I place the cakes in the middle of the oven and check after 10 minutes.  You know your own oven so use your own judgement.
8. Allow the jam buns to cool on a wire rack and then they are ready to freeze or enjoy straight away with a nice cuppa.