Save the children recipe challenge cookbook

THE PINK WHISK’S SAVE THE CHILDREN

Recipe Challenge Cookbook

FOREWORD

THE PINK WHISK’S SAVE THE CHILDREN RECIPE CHALLENGE COOKBOOK

It’s a way to raise awareness of the terrible effects of hunger and malnutrition on millions of children around the world today. And it’s a way to ask people to take action and make sure politicians hear that something needs to be done.

In February 2012, I spent a week with Save the Children in Rwanda. There has been progress made in reducing the number of children who die in Rwanda, thanks to the establishment of more vaccination programmes and mosquito nets.

But shockingly nearly half of all Rwandan kids are still suffering from malnutrition. Mums I met at a health centre told me that their little ones aren’t named until they are eight days old. This helps to ease the heartbreak if they don’t survive.

There is enough food in the world to feed everyone and we already know what needs to be done to fi x this crisis. All too often it is the political will that is missing.

By buying this book you have contributed directly to helping children like the ones I met in Rwanda – because all the profi ts go to Save the Children’s work. I hope you enjoy cooking these delicious recipes.

More than that, I hope everyone reading this book will recognise the urgency and importance of Save the Children’s campaign to stop children dying, and will fi nd the time to take further action. Please visit savethechildren.org.uk to fi nd out how else you can get involved.

I want to thank all of the bloggers who contributed their fabulous recipes to this book. Bloggers are becoming more and more important and infl uential in their support to save children’s lives.

Happy cooking!

RUTH CLEMENS

You are about to embark on an extraordinary journey.

This e-book doesn’t just contain recipes that will send your taste buds into overdrive.

What makes this recipe book unique is that it’s an expression of hope and inspiration.

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PHO

TO: SEBA

STIAN

RIC

H/SA

VE TH

E CH

ILDR

EN

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EDIT: SEBA

STIAN

RIC

H/SA

VE TH

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ILDR

EN

You don’t get that from most

recipe books.

Chocolate Frosted Traybake

Chocolate Frosted TraybakeBY RUTH CLEMENSBAKER EXTRAORDINAIRE (THEPINKWHISK.CO.UK)

‘Super quick, make it faster than you can say “Jack Robinson”, no mixer required’ chocolate traybake. Tastes blooming lovely, which is a shame – I promise it will be gone in next to no time too!


I’ll hold my hands up, it’s not my recipe; it’s an old American classic that I converted many moons ago. But it’s a Clemens’ family favourite and a slice of this went with me to my very fi rst The Great British Bake O� audition, so it must be all right!

method

Easy peasy, let’s get going. You’ll need a pan and an 8” (20cm) square tin (or thereabouts) lined with baking paper. No prizes here for superneat, squish in the paper and let’s go! Preheat the oven to 160°C fan /180°C/350°F/ gas mark 4.

In the pan place the butter, boiling water and cocoa powder. Warm it over a medium heat until the butter melts and begins to bubble. Simmer the mixture for 30 seconds and then take it off the heat.

Mix together the fl our, caster sugar and bicarbonate of soda. Mixing them now should stop you getting any lumps of fl our. Add this dry mixture to the pan and give it a good stir. Add the milk and egg to the pan and mix it well again. Cake mixture done! Pour it into the lined tin.

Into the oven now (that’s if it’s managed to preheat in that short time!), and bake for 20 minutes. Wash out your pan, you’ll need it for the frosting in a bit. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin. Once cooled, it’s time for the frosting. Put the butter and cocoa powder into the pan. Heat gently to melt the butter, and then allow the mixture to bubble gently for 30 seconds to zap off any extra moisture: you don’t want to be boiling it hell for leather because if it get’s too hot the butter will split. Give it a good stir and remove from the heat.

(If you do split the butter, allow it to cool slightly off the heat and then whisk it as boldly as you can – you should be able to rescue it). Stir in the milk and then add the sifted icing sugar. Mix until smooth and then pour over the cake still in the pan. Leave the frosting to set, cut into slices and then serve. Middle slices for grown-ups, smaller ones for children of course. Easiest (and probably loveliest) chocolate traybake ever.

(If I told you I doubled the

quantities and baked this in a

roasting tin would you think

badly of me?)

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:110g butter120ml boiling water2 heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder190g caster sugar130g plain fl our1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda60ml milk1 medium egg

FROSTING:100g butter2 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder2 tablespoons milk200g icing sugar, sifted

02

Maple Syrup and Walnut Layer Cake with Fudge FrostingBY KAREN S BURNS-BOOTHFOOD WRITER (LAVENDERANDLOVAGE.COM)

The cake I am submitting never fails to please: walnut and maple syrup sponge cakes that are frosted and sandwiched together with maple fudge frosting/icing – divine!


This is NOT a light airy-fairy sponge cake. It is made with soft brown sugar to enhance the fudge and maple fl avours – and it needs to be fairly robust to hold the walnuts in the cake mixture. It is, however, a soft pudding-type cake with lots of texture and an amazing taste. The cake is baked in two cake tins; the two cakes can then be cut in two again, making a three-layer cake. If you do make a three-layer cake, you may need a little more fudge frosting and fi lling.

The cake keeps very well in an airtight container for up to a week. The cake can also be frozen before icing and frosting – defrost it overnight, then assemble and ice the cake when fully defrosted. Pecans can be used in place of walnuts, but I prefer the taste of walnuts with the maple syrup. The cake takes about 50 minutes to make.

methodGrease and line two 8in (20cm) cake tins.

Pre-heat oven to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light, fl uffy and pale golden brown – this is essential to make the mixture light and helps the cake to rise. It can take up to 15 minutes by hand or 5-10 minutes with a hand-held mixer.

Add the baking powder to the fl our, and the milk and maple syrup to the beaten eggs. Gently fold in a large spoon of fl our, followed by a spoon of egg mixture – mix gently but thoroughly between each addition of fl our and egg mixture.

Continue to add, fold and mix until the fl our and the egg mixture is fi nished. If the mixture is a little stiff, add some more milk.

Add the chopped walnuts and gently mix through the cake mixture evenly. You should have a fairly stiff consistency that drops easily.

Pour the cake mixture equally in to the prepared cake tins, smoothing slightly on top, with a slight indent in the middle, then bake for between 25-35 minutes in a pre-heated oven. Different ovens vary; these cakes normally take 30 minutes to bake in my oven. (They are cooked when they are well-risen, golden brown and when a wooden skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the middle of the cake).

Allow them to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before carefully taking them out of the tins and allowing them to cool completely on a wire cooling tray/rack.

While the cakes are cooling, make the fudge frosting/icing. Place all of the ingredients except the icing sugar and walnuts into a saucepan and gently heat them all together until the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool slightly and then add the icing sugar, beating to a smooth and glossy fi nish.

Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or tray (if you wish, you can cut each cake in half to make a multi-layer cake). Spread some of the frosting/icing on top of the cake and scatter some chopped walnuts over the top (if using). Place the other cake on top and pour the remaining fudge frosting/icing over the top of the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Decorate the top of the cake with walnut halves.

Serve cut into slices – it makes about 8 to 10 slices.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:6oz butter, softened6oz soft brown sugar6oz self-raising fl our1 teaspoon baking powder3 large eggs, beaten2 tablespoons milk2 tablespoons maple syrup3oz walnuts, chopped

FROSTING:3oz butter4oz soft brown sugar2 tablespoons cold strong coffee1 tablespoon maple syrup1 tablespoon milk1–2 tablespoons maple extract, to taste8oz icing sugar (golden is good)walnuts halves (for decoration)optional: chopped walnuts (for the fi lling)

Maple Syrup and Walnut Layer Cake with Fudge Frosting

03

Easy braised lamb shank recipeBY NICK COFFERFOOD WRITER & PRESENTER (MYDADDYCOOKS.COM)

Lamb shanks are such an under-rated cut of lamb. My butcher does them for under £3 each and a couple of them serve the three of us with some left over for sandwiches.


It’s a hearty, homely cut which benefi ts from slow cooking, giving you meltingly tender meat. It is also nigh-on impossible to over-cook a lamb shank, perfect for sleep-deprived brains that cannot think straight!

Simple, comforting and e� ortless, this braised lamb shank recipe is hugely popular in our house. A perfect midweek meal for tired heads and bruised souls! It serves four and takes about 10 minutes to prepare and three hours to cook.

method

Heat an oven-proof casserole dish on a high heat on the hob. Drizzle in a good glug of olive oil and throw in the butter. When it is bubbling, put the lamb shanks in. You want to brown the outsides of the shanks. Keep turning them until they are nice and golden, then set aside.

Using the same pan, fry the onions, carrot, celery and garlic for 4-5 minutes until softened and a little golden.

Stir in the fl our, the rosemary, the salt and pepper, then lay the lamb shanks on top.Pour in the red wine, give the dish a good stir then cover it with a lid and put it in an oven at about 170°C/350°F/gas mark 3.

Leave the dish in the oven for a little under three hours. You may want to turn the lamb shanks over half way through, but this is not essential.

After three hours, the lamb should be meltingly soft and the wine and vegetables will have thickened into a beautiful sauce.

NOTE: You can easily get

away without browning the

lamb shanks. To make things

even quicker, just quickly fry

the vegetables for a couple of

minutes to start softening them

Serve on freshly cooked mashed potatoes.

INGREDIENTS

EASY BRAISED LAMB:3 lamb shanksolive oilknob of butter1 onion, chopped2 sticks celery, chopped1 carrot, peeled and chopped1 clove garlica good sprinkling of chopped rosemary1 tablespoon plain fl oursalt and freshly ground pepper500ml full-bodied red wine

Easy braised lamb shank recipe

04

Vegan apple and carrot cake BY KATE(WHATKATEBAKED.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

This is a lovely, moist, gently spiced cake. Vegetable oil can easily replace the rapeseed oil. If you fancy a little icing, mix a little icing sugar with a little orange juice to create a smooth, runny consistency. This drizzled over the cake would do very nicely!


method

To begin with, place the raisins in a small bowl with the juice of the orange and set aside for at least half an hour.

To make the apple sauce, pop the apples and water into a pan and cover, heating gently until the apples become soft and mushy. Add the spices and mash gently with a fork. Set aside to cool.

Now on to the cake! Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line an 8in (20cm) square tin.

Place the fl our, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spice and sugar into a large bowl and mix together.

Create a well in the middle and add in the apple sauce, pecans, raisins (plus any remaining juice), carrots and oil. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for

10 minutes before cooling on a

wire rack.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:150g raisinsjuice of 1 orange225g plain fl our, sifted2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda1 ½ teaspoons mixed spice115g light brown sugar

180g grated carrot (roughly four medium carrots)

50g roughly chopped pecans175ml rapeseed oil

APPLE SAUCE:225g apples peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks

4 tablespoons water1 teaspoons caster sugar1 teaspoons cinnamon

Vegan apple and carrot cake

05

Kiwi and Lime Bundt Cake BY BAKING ADDICT (THEMORETHANOCCASIONALBAKER.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

This cake is not strictly a family favourite (but I’m sure it will be!) because I wanted to create my own recipe for this challenge. My dad used to study in New Zealand, which made me think of kiwis. It’s not a fruit I’ve ever baked with before so I thought it would be a good challenge.


It’s very similar to my lemon and raspberry cake, which worked sowell that I decided to modify it for this. I love making smoothies with lime, kiwi and honey so I thought why not make it into a cake?

There’s whole kiwi fruit and pureed kiwi fruit in the batter. It’s quite a dense, moist sponge with the freshness of the fruit and the citrus tang from the limes. It was delicious with the glaze, but you can have it plain if you prefer. Makes one small bundt cake (as shown).

method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Butter and fl our your bundt pan or line a normal cake tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl, mix together the yoghurt, sugar, honey, eggs, vanilla extract and oil. Add in the lime juice and zest. Stir in the fl our and mix well.

Coat the chopped kiwi fruit in 1-2 tablespoons of fl our then add to the batter. Puree one kiwi fruit and stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Allow to cool on a wire rack. To make the glaze, sift the icing sugar into a bowl.

Add enough lime juice to make

a glaze of dripping consistency

and drizzle over the cake.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:150g yoghurt140g caster sugar40g honey2 eggs½ cup vegetable oil1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 limes, juice and zest180g self-raising fl our

4 kiwi fruit, peeled and chopped into eighths

1 kiwi fruit, peeled and pureed

GLAZE:50g icing sugar1-2 tablespoons lime juice

Kiwi and lime bundt cake

06

The best-ever carrot cake BY JEN WALSHAW WRITER (FRUGALICIOUSFOOD.COM)

I would like to share with you the best ever carrot cake in the world. Even people who say “oh I don’t like carrot cake”, love this cake. I guarantee once you have made one, it will become a fi rm favourite. I don’t even peel the carrots before grating them anymore and can make it in fi ve minutes.


Anyway don’t just take my word for it, try it and you too will be calling it the best carrot cake in the whole wide world. And with all those carrots in, surely it has to count as one of your fi ve a day?!

method

Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2. Oil and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper (we just use a silicone one).

Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the oil, brown sugar, grated carrots, raisins and chopped nuts.

Sift in the rest of the dry ingredients and bring the mixture together using a wooden or large metal spoon until well combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, smooth the surface and bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin for about fi ve minutes before removing. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

For the icing (this rarely gets put on in my house as everyone eats the cake before I get a chance!): beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until well combined.

Add the vanilla extract, icing

sugar and finely grated orange

zest and mix until the icing is

smooth and thick. Spread over

the cake.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:140ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing

2 eggs200g light brown sugar300g grated carrots, (grated weight)100g raisins75g chopped nuts180g self-raising fl our1 pinch salt½ tsp bicarbonate of soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg½ teaspoon mixed spice

ORANGE CREAM CHEESE ICING:50g cream cheese, chilled50g butter, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract275g icing sugar, sifted1 orange, zest only, fi nely grated

The best-ever carrot cake

07

But I’m not in love with meat. I’m in love with beans. In fact, this bean salad doesn’t try to hide, disguise or transform the beans – no blending or pureeing. It is proudly all about the beans – and that’s not a bad thing. This salad is a meal-in-one that will change your perspective on beans. The most critical part of this recipe is infusing the beans with enough fl avour. So be generous with your bean seasoning and change the spice blend to suit.

Preparation time is about 45 minutes;

bean cooking time is about 3½ hours.

Serves at least eight.

method

At least 4 hours in advance (or up to four days in advance), add boiling water, beans and cooking seasonings to a preheated slow-cooker. Cook on the medium heat settings until beans are softened to your preference (around 3½ hours), then shut off slow-cooker and drain beans.

Allow to cool to room-temperature before storing or adding to salad. Do NOT rinse beans.

With a sharp knife, slice avocados lengthwise around the pit. Twist the two halves of each avocado to separate from the pit. Remove the pit with your knife, then scoop the avocado fl esh out of the skin with a spoon.

Dice avocado into small pieces then add to a medium-sized bowl and toss with lime and lemon juice. Using a knife or pastry cutter, continue to break up avocado to make a thick and chunky paste; stir in minced garlic and set aside.

Add beans to a very large bowl with cucumber, sliced radish, bell pepper, halved grape tomatoes, fi nely diced red onion, parsley, basil and cubed cheese; toss to combine.

In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together Greek yogurt, homemade mayonnaise, smoked paprika, salt, cracked black pepper and chipotle chilli powder.

Add avocado paste and yogurt/mayonnaise dressing to bean salad and toss well to combine; check for seasonings and adjust if needed.

Guacamole Bean Salad BY JAVELINWARRIOR COOK & WRITER (COOKINWLUV.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

You don’t need meat for dinner. You don’t need chicken, fi sh or shrimp either. What you really need are beans. Look, I’m not vegetarian and I have nothing against the occasional roast chicken, the rare fi let mignon, and a good meatball from time-to-time.


INGREDIENTS

BEAN SEASONING:12 cups boiling water1 cup uncooked dry small red beans1 cup uncooked dry black beans1 dried organic bay leaf2 teaspoons ground cumin1 teaspoon smoked paprika½ teaspoon ground chipotle chilli powder

2 teaspoons sea salt1 teaspoon cracked black pepper1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon garlic powder

SALAD:½ red onion, fi nely diced2 radishes, halved and thinly sliced2 bell peppers (prefer yellow or orange), diced

1 cucumber, halved, seeded and diced1 handful of fresh fl at-leaf parsley, chopped 1 handful of fresh basil, chopped 8oz sharp cheddar cheese, small cubed1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

DRESSING:2 avocados, diced/mashed1 lime, juice of½ lemon, juice of2 garlic cloves, pressed or fi nely minced2/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt1/3 cup homemade mayonnaise1½ teaspoons smoked paprika1½ teaspoons kosher salt½ teaspoon cracked black pepper1 dash chipotle chilli powder (optional)

TOPPINGS:6 cups homemade croutons

Serve with homemade toasted

croutons or cover with plastic

wrap and chill for up to 12

hours before serving.

Guacamole Bean Salad

08

method

Preheat oven to 200°C/400ºF/gas mark 6. Spray a 9in x 13in pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, and sauté on both sides till nicely browned. Remove chicken from pan.

Add stock, maple syrup, thyme and garlic. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently for a couple of minutes. Add vinegar and mustard and cook for another minute. Return chicken to pan and fl ip to coat with sauce.

Maple mustard glazed chickenADAPTED FROM COOKING LIGHT BY THE MOM CHEF AND SHARED BY LIZ BERG (THATSKINNYCHICKCANBAKE.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

The original recipe calls for boneless/skinless chicken, but I used the more fl avourful bone in breasts. If you are watching the calories, use the boneless breasts and you can also reduce the sauce by half. Thanks, Mom Chef, for the delicious inspiration. This recipe serves six.


INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN:1-2 tablespoons olive oil6 bone in/skin on chicken breastssalt and pepper to taste½ cup chicken stock ½ cup real maple syrup1 heaped tablespoon fresh thyme leaves4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced2 tablespoons cider vinegar2 tablespoons stone ground mustard

Maple mustard glazed chicken

09

Place chicken in baking dish,

pour the sauce over chicken,

and bake for 30 minutes or

till chicken is cooked through.

Fresh orange cake with citrus buttercreamBY KARENS BURNS-BOOTH FOOD WRITER (LAVENDERANDLOVAGE.COM)

If there is one thing that will cheer us all up it has to be cake – a large home-made layer cake fi lled with oodles of citrus curd buttercream and brazenly decorated with hundreds and thousands as well as those little jellied lemon sweeties you can get from old-fashioned sweet shops.


method

The measurements for this recipe are equal amounts of sugar, fl our and fat to the weight of the eggs; therefore, weigh the eggs fi rst – if the eggs weigh 8 ounces, you will use 8 ounces of sugar, 8 ounces of butter or margarine and 8 ounces of fl our. If the eggs weigh 6 ounces, all the other ingredients will be 6 ounces – easy!

Set oven to 160°C (fan oven) /180°C/360°F/gas mark 4. Grease and base line the bottom of 2 x 8in sandwich/cake tins.

Cream margarine or butter together with the sugar, until light and fl uffy, then add the grated orange zest. Beat the eggs, and then add them to the mixture gradually and beating well after each addition. Sieve the fl our and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. Add orange juice to the cake mixture to loosen it, it should be soft dropping consistency.

Divide equally between the two prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes in the middle of the oven. Remove and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the tins and cool on wire racks.

To make the buttercream: add the sifted icing sugar to the softened butter and mix well until thick and creamy; add the orange juice to make a softer buttercream and then add the citrus curd, spoon by spoon, until desired consistency has been achieved.

When the cakes are cold, sandwich the cakes together with the buttercream. Spread the buttercream on the top of the cakes and decorate with jellied sweets and hundreds and thousands.

Place on an attractive cake

stand or plate, and serve in

dainty wedges with freshly

brewed tea.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:4 large eggs, weighed in their shells

butter or soft margarine, same weight as the eggs

caster sugar, same weight as the eggsself-raising fl our, same weight as the eggszest of 2 orangesjuice of 1 orange

BUTTERCREAM:4oz softened butter8oz sifted icing sugarjuice of 1 orange4–6 tablespoons St Clement’s curd

DECORATION:jellied sweets such as oranges & lemonshundreds and thousands

ALTERNATIVE MEASUREMENTS:4 eggs8oz soft margarine or butter8oz caster sugar8oz self-raising fl our

Fresh orange cake

10

method

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Begin by roasting your vegetables. Place them all in a large roasting tray along with the rosemary and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper, pour over some olive oil, and toss together to cover the vegetables well. Roast in the oven for around 40 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through, until they are tender and beginning to brown. While the vegetables are roasting prepare the two sauces. The tomato sauce is very simple. Fry the onions in the olive oil until golden. Add the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and stir together. Simmer gently for around 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste. A VERY SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCEFor the cheese sauce, place the butter, fl our and milk in a saucepan. Whisk over a gentle heat until it has thickened. Then stir in grated cheese until it has melted into the sauce. Again, season to taste.

When the vegetables are roasted, place a layer of them in the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. (Mine isn’t particularly large so I use a medium-sized one and a small one.) Make sure you pull out the thick rosemary stalks. Nobody likes chewing on twigs.

Pour some tomato sauce over the vegetables and then cover with a layer of lasagne sheets. Repeat this process until you have fi lled your dish, ending with a layer of vegetables and then sauce.

Now pour over the cheese sauce. I like to wiggle the dish from side to side a little to make sure it seeps down the sides and through all the cracks.

Finally scatter some grated Cheddar cheese over the top. Place in the oven for about 30 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly and a knife inserted goes easily through the pasta.

Perfect served with a salad and some homemade garlic bread.

Roast vegetable lasagneBY VANESTHER REES (BANGERMASHCHAT.WORDPRESS.COM)

Lasagne has always been one of my favourite foods. I loved it when my mother cooked it when I was little and I now love making it for my own children.


Who can resist the molten cheese on top of a big bowl

of lasagne?

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:1 small onion, peeled and quartered

3 courgettes, chopped diagonally into thick slices

2 aubergines, chopped into large chunks

1 red and 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced

6 cloves of garlic, skins removedhandful of cherry tomatoes4 sprigs of fresh rosemarysalt and pepperolive oil

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE:50g butter40g plain fl our450ml milk100g Cheddar cheese, gratedsalt and pepper

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:1 tbsp olive oil1 small onion, peeled and fi nely chopped2 x 400g tins chopped plum tomatoes2 tsp balsamic vinegarsalt and pepper

250G LASAGNE SHEETS:Extra grated cheese for sprinkling on top

Roast vegetable lasagne

11

mushroom soupBY THE FOODIE HISTORIAN (THEFOODIEHISTORIAN.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

Mushrooms are funny things. They are unappetising in colour, smell and texture, but big and tasty on fl avour. I feel a bit sorry for them in a way. This soup takes ages, but tastes wonderful. There are variations of this soup you could try.

12


Make it dairy free by using olive oil instead of butter. To make it more suitable for small children, use water instead of stock. Add a dollop of mushroom ketchup if it needs an extra kick. Sautéed fresh wild mushrooms sprinkled on top would be stunning. Blend in blue Stilton cheese or crumble on top to serve for a special treat. Serves four as a main.

method

Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for about half an hour. Stir them occasionally.Meanwhile, roughly chop the fresh mushrooms and fi nely slice the onion and garlic.

After the dried mushrooms have been soaking for half an hour, start cooking. Don’t drain the dried mushrooms!

Sauté the onions and garlic in butter until they start to turn translucent. Add the fresh mushrooms and stir in with the onion, garlic and butter to sauté a little. If they stick to the pan, add a tablespoon of hot stock.

They should start to brown, and the liquor from the mushrooms should start to come out.

Stir in the dried mushrooms, and their juice, and cover the mixture with the stock.

Simmer for 1-1½ hours with the lid on, ½ an hour with the lid o� .

Blend the soup. This will be time consuming; mushrooms have a slightly weird texture when blended. The aim is to break up all of the fi bres, to get a creamy but thick texture. If you think you need more liquid, add a tiny, tiny amount at a time.

Serve with buttery crusty bread,

a generous swirl of cream, and

a sprinkling of fresh thyme or

rosemary.

INGREDIENTS

SOUP:300g mixed dried mushrooms600g fresh mushrooms1 large onion1 clove garlic50g butter250ml hot water500ml chicken or vegetable stock

Mushroom soup

for about half an hour. Stir them occasionally.Meanwhile, roughly chop the fresh mushrooms and fi nely slice the onion and garlic.

After the dried mushrooms have been soaking for half an hour, start cooking. Don’t drain the dried mushrooms!

Victorian Spring Posy CakeBY KAREN S BURNS-BOOTHFOOD WRITER (LAVENDERANDLOVAGE.COM)

One of my recent cake inventions – a standard Victoria Sandwich Sponge with a few delicious additions. Fresh oranges and lemons, lemon curd, crystallised violets and mascarpone cheese make this basic sponge cake moist and special enough for the Easter Sunday tea-time table, or for mum on Mothering Sunday.


I used lemon curd for the icing, but orange curd would also work if you wanted a mellow fl avour. You can use any cake decorations that work for you – the object is to make a posy of fl owers on top of the cake. This cake disappeared quite quickly last time I made it, but if you have any left, it keeps well in a tin for up to one week. The sponge cakes can be frozen before icing, cutting back on time if you are going to be busy for the special event (allow to defrost for four to six hours on a cooling rack before icing and decorating). Serves 8-12, and takes approximately 50 minutes to make. methodPre-heat oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.

Grease and line two 8in sandwich/cake tins.Beat the sugar and butter together until light, fl uffy and almost white in colour (this can take up to fi ve minutes and is crucial for a light sponge cake. Add the grated zest of two oranges).

Add the beaten eggs and then GENTLY fold the fl our in with a metal spoon.

Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake for 25-35 minutes, until light golden brown and risen. To check whether the cakes are cooked, insert a skewer in the middle of the cake. It should come away clean if it is cooked.

Pour a little orange juice over the cakes slowly, allowing them to absorb the juice. (Save the rest of the juice for other cooking or to add to drinks). Allow to cool in the tins for fi ve minutes before turning out on to a rack to cool. Allow to cool completely before decorating and icing.

Meanwhile, fold the lemon or orange curd into the mascarpone cream and mix well. (Add more to taste. I sometimes add at least half a big jar!)

When the cakes are cool, spread some lemon or orange curd on to one side of both cakes: this stops the mascarpone cream from making the cakes too soggy. Place one cake on to a cake plate, curd side up and swirl some of the mascarpone cream over the cake, place the other cake, curd side down on top of the other cake, making a sandwich.

Finish decorating the top of the cake with the remaining mascarpone cream, swirling it over the top of the cake. Just before serving, decorate with crystallised violets or other preserved/sugar fl owers.

Grate some orange curls, sprinkle them over the top, and

serve the cake cut into wedges.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE:8oz butter, softened 8oz caster sugar 2 large oranges, zest and juice4 eggs, beaten 8oz self-raising fl our, sifted 8oz mascarpone cheese

8 tablespoons lemon curd or 8 table-spoons orange curd

lemon curd, to spread

crystallised violets or sugar fl owers to decorate

orange zest curls

Victorian spring posy cake

13

Cinnamon Choc- Chip Friands BY CHOCLETTE CHOCOLATE BAKER AND BLOGGER (CHOCLOGBLOG.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

I have a sneaking suspicion that friands are going to be my new passion! They are dead simple to make and really delicious. These were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.


There was a lovely, light aroma and taste of cinnamon and the dark chocolate balanced the sweetness really well. Using only four moulds would have given a deeper cake, but I thought they worked well half fi lled.

method

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Grease six muffi n moulds. Fold in the melted butter into the egg whites. Gently stir in the icing sugar, fl our, almonds and cinnamon.Add the dark chocolate.

Divide mixture between six buttered muffi n moulds and sprinkle a few fl aked almonds on the top.

Bake at 180C for 22 minutes.Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.Dust with icing sugar.

Half filling the mould meant

there was more crispness per

cake and it meant for a daintier

portion (or do I just mean an

excuse to have a second one!)

INGREDIENTS

FRIANDS:60g unsalted butter, melted and put aside to cool a little2 egg whites, whisked until frothy but not stiff80g icing sugar, sifted30g plain fl our, sifted40g ground almonds¼ teaspoon cinnamon 35g 70% dark chocolate, chopped fl aked almonds

Cinnamon choc-chip friands

14

Easy baked chicken biryani BY BAKING ELEMENTS

(BAKINGELEMENTS.COM)

This is such a heart-warming dish, created on weekends and special occasions, when families come closer and enjoy tucking in together. Biryani is a dish combining rice, meat and various spices.


Mix the layers together before serving.

INGREDIENTS

MEAT LAYER:4 green cardamom 1 cinnamon stick½ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground mace ¼ teaspoon ground cloves½ cup oil (to fry onions – drain later)3 white onions (thinly sliced) 500g chicken pieces2 cups yoghurt (low fat) ½ teaspoon ginger paste ½ teaspoon garlic paste ½ teaspoon chilli powder2 green chillies1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper corns1 lemon (juice)Small bunch of green coriander (chopped)Small bunch of mint (chopped)

FINISHING TOUCHES:Generous pinch saffron¼ cups milk (warm) 1 teaspoon rose water

RICE LAYER:250g basmati rice 1 teaspoon salt 3 green cardamom (optional)1 bay leaf (optional)1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Easy baked chicken biryani

The rice is meant to be cooked separately before layering it with meat. This is a recipe for Hyderabadi biryani, also known as Kachi (raw) biryani, where raw meat is cooked together with parboiled rice. Normally this is cooked on a slow fl ame for an hour or so, but I decided to bake it instead as an experiment.

I call it “easy” because you don’t have to slave over the stove cooking the meat sauce. You basically have to fry the onions, and parboil the rice, and that is most of the cooking done.Marinate the meat overnight if possible. If you don’t like the idea of cooking rice and raw meat together, then you can cook the meat mixture in the same oil you used to fry the onions till meat is done. Layer the meat and rice together and cook for 30 minutes on a low heat on the stove.

Save and sprinkle some fried onions on top before serving for some crunch and decoration, and serve with mint raita and chutney. This recipe serves four.

methodPre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Soak saffron in warm milk and rose water. Set aside. Grind nutmeg, cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves and mace together. Bring water to boil in a pan with salt. You can make the rice more fragrant by adding spices like cinnamon and green cardamom to the boiling water (optional).

When water comes to the boil, add rice and cook for fi ve minutes on high heat, till it is par-boiled. You can press a grain of rice between your fi ngers to check if it is done. (This step is similar to cooking al dente pasta.) Fry the onions in oil till they are golden brown and drain the oil. Set aside, saving one third.

Marinate the chicken pieces in fried onions, yoghurt, and all other ingredients for 3-4 hours. If you are in a rush, then 30 minutes is enough.

Cover the base of a heavy based ovenproof pan with two tablespoons of oil. Layer the meat mixture at the bottom and follow with a layer of rice. Top it with the saffron mixture and some mint and coriander. Cover and place the pan on medium-high heat on the stove for about fi ve minutes to start the cooking process. Transfer to the oven and bake for one hour.

MINT RAITA:½ bunch of mint leaves1 small green chilli 1 garlic clove ½ teaspoon cumin powder salt to taste½ cup yoghurt

METHOD: Blend all together in a blender. Season to taste.

15

Chicken and broccoli bake BY RUTH ELLIS

(MAKEY-CAKEY.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK)

Tastes like being eight again! If there is one dish that reminds me of my childhood, it is this chicken and broccoli bake. It’s not that we had it that often, but I really liked it, so the times when we did stood out. And sometimes mum made it when we had a house full of visitors, so it has a whole caboodle of associated happy memories of gaggles of children running riot around the house and garden.


INGREDIENTS

SOUP:4 large cooked chicken drumsticks (or thighs)

8oz broccoli

250ml dairy free ‘condensed chicken soup’ (see recipe below) or a 10oz can of actual condensed chicken soup

2 tablespoons lemon juice 2-3 tablespoons white wine 4 tablespoons mayonnaise pepper 1oz fresh breadcrumbs

a splash of olive oil (mine was infused with lemon – you don’t need this if you’re using cheese)

1oz cheese (optional, if you’re not trying to be dairy free)

Chicken and broccoli bake

I think the recipe came originally from an old St Michael Christmas recipe book, where it went under the title of ‘Turkey Hollandaise’, but to me it has always been chicken and broccoli bake. It’s made with that 1980s kitchen staple: a tin of condensed chicken soup, which is most defi nitely not dairy-free. But not to worry, I made some substitutions and there was actually no discernible taste di� erence to what I remember growing up. But if you fancy making it, and are able to eat dairy, then I’d just go with the tin – it’s a lot less hassle! Serves four and is good with potatoes and salad. So there you go – a taste of my childhood!

methodPreheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Take the meat off the cooked chicken drumsticks. Cut the broccoli into fl orets and microwave it for two minutes to soften it slightly, then place the pieces evenly over the bottom of a casserole dish.

Fill the gaps left by the broccoli with the chicken pieces.

In a bowl, whisk together the soup, mayo, lemon juice, wine and pepper, then pour it over the chicken and broccoli.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the oil (or cheese) and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 30 minutes until the breadcrumbs turn golden and crispy. And if you’re cooking the dairy-free version, then you’ll also need to make this recipe up fi rst...

Dairy-free ‘condensed chicken soup’ substitute (makes 500ml)• 2 tablespoons oil (I used rapeseed) • 2 tablespoons plain fl our • 1 tablespoon corn fl our • 500ml chicken stock

Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the fl ours and stir until well combined, then cook over a low heat for a few minutes.Add the stock a little by little, whisking after each addition. Then simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency – it took me about fi ve mins, bearing in mind it thickens more when it cools.

This makes twice as much as

you need for the recipe, but was

the amount of stock I had – if

you’re just needing it for this

recipe, feel free to half it!

16

Raspberry and almond mini macaroons BY SAM

(SAMSKITCHEN.NET)

I decided that I wanted to make something along the lines of the old teatime favourite, macaroons. Remember those almondy treats on rice paper? Well add some jam and fl aked almonds and make the size a little smaller and you get these!


INGREDIENTS

MACAROONS:Rice paper50g caster sugar60g ground almonds10g plain fl our1 egg white½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract50g raspberry jam

small amount of fl aked almonds slightly crushed to decorate with

Raspberry & almond mini macarons

They are a huge hit at my house now, so much so my daughter Frey has made them twice! I hope you like them too. This recipe makes about 15 small macaroons. Cute treat or as petit fours with co� ee. They keep for a few days in a tin if you have any left. Enjoy.

method

Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C)/325°F/gas mark 3.

Line a baking sheet with rice paper. I used 2 sheets measuring 14x18cm.

Mix together the sugar, ground almonds and fl our.

In a small bowl, lightly beat together the egg white, vanilla or almond extract and 25g of the jam.

Stir the wet into the dry and mix well.Drop teaspoonfuls of the mix on to the rice paper. Press down slightly into the centre of each to make a dent and add a little of the remaining jam and then sprinkle with crushed almonds.

Bake for about 15 minutes until

golden brown. When they are

cool, tear away the rice paper

leaving just the bottoms covered.

17

‘Health-nut’ banana bread BY TASTEFULLYJULIE DIETIAN, QUASI-VEGETARIAN AND DOMESTIC

ENGINEER (TASTEFULLYJULIE.COM)

Is it just me, or does every household have a pile of rotting bananas on the kitchen counter at all times? Someone tell me why I keep buying bananas. They have a very small window of opportunity for eating.


INGREDIENTS

CAKE:¾ cup all-purpose fl our ¾ cup white whole wheat fl our ¼ cup ground fl ax seed meal (or increase whole wheat fl our to 1 cup) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 2 eggs ¼ cup honey 2 medium rotten bananas ½ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 medium courgette, shredded 1 large carrot, shredded

CHOOSE ONE OR TWO OPTIONAL ADD-INS:¼-½ cup chopped nuts (I used 1/4 cup pecans) ½ cup chocolate chips ½ cup golden raisins

Health-nut banana bread

We only like them when they’re pure yellow, with no green and no brown spots. For that reason I’m always on the lookout for new ways to use them up (without gaining twenty pounds).I discovered the original recipe for this bread about a month ago and I’ve made it three times since then. I love that it’s relatively low in sugar and has no added fat in the preparation. The courgette and bananas keep this bread incredibly moist and fl avourful. You will never miss the butter or oil.

I also love how adaptable this recipe is. Since my kids are averse to anything ‘healthy’, I sneak in extra nutrients with the shredded carrots and ground fl ax seed. Chopped nuts give it a hearty crunch and dark chocolate chips take it to a whole other level. The one time I used chocolate chips the entire loaf was demolished before it even had time to cool o� !

methodPreheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray (an 8×4 pan would also work but you’ll have to extend the cooking time).

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the fi rst seven dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, bananas, honey, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the courgettes, carrots and optional add-ins.

Bake in the prepared pan for

about 50-55 minutes or until a

skewer inserted into the centre

comes out clean. Try not to slice

it warm like I always do.

18

method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.

Rub the fl our, butter and bicarbonate of soda together in a bowl until the mixture looks like fi ne breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar to the bowl and mix. Add the cherries, buttermilk and almond extract and mix quickly to form a dough.

If too dry, add a very small amount of milk Press, not roll, the dough on a clean lightly fl oured surface until it is approximately 3cm thick and cut out into rounds with a 5cm cutter.

Lightly fl our a baking sheet and place the dough rounds on it, leaving space for expansion.

Cherry and almond sconesBY NOVA (CHERISHEDBYME.COM)

These are a family favourite in my house and it goes without saying you should serve them warm with thick cream (my favourite is clotted cream) and jam. This recipe makes approximately 12 scones.


Brush the dough with milk.

Bake for approximately 12-15

minutes until golden.

INGREDIENTS

SCONES:450g self-raising fl our 100g cold butter1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda80g caster sugar 284ml buttermilk 200g glacé cherries 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 tablespoon milk

Cherry and almond scones

19

Cherry bakewell tarts BY EMMA

(EMMASKITCHENDIARY.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK/)

My partner asked (or rather, demanded) that I create a homemade version of the Mr Kipling cakes he used to love at 80s birthday parties. These are jammy, almondy and small enough to justify eating two (or more...).


INGREDIENTS

PASTRY:75g butter, softened25g icing sugar½ a small egg, beaten115g plain fl our

GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: substitute the plain fl our for Doves Farm gluten-free plain fl our mix and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. A little more liquid might be needed – add some more egg if the mixture does not bind together well.

ALMOND SPONGE:25g self-raising fl our½ teaspoon baking powder50g butter, softened50g caster sugar1 egg, at room temperature25g ground almonds5 drops almond extract, or to taste1 tablespoon warm water

GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: replace the self-raising fl our and baking pow-der with Doves Farm gluten-free plain fl our mix, 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum and 3/4 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder.

Cherry bakewell tarts

Spread the icing on top of

each tart and top with half

a glacé cherry.

TO FINISH:

10 teaspoons black cherry jam170g icing sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons water (add more or less, depending on how runny you’d like the icing)

Almond extract (optional) 5 glacé cherries, halved

You’ll also need a standard 12-holemuffi n tin.

And they have a cherry on top. Enjoy with party rings, iced gems and cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks for the full 80s birthday party experience. Or perhaps as part of a more sophisticated afternoon tea. Makes about 10.

method

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan)/400ºF/gas mark 6.

First, make the pastry. This is super easy: whiz the butter, icing sugar and egg in a food processor until smooth. Add the fl our (and xanthan gum, if using). Whiz again until the mixture just holds together. Wrap in cling fi lm and pop in the fridge for about half an hour. While the pastry is chilling, sift the fl our, baking powder (and xanthan gum, if using) into a large bowl.

Add all the other ingredients and beat for two minutes with an electric whisk (this will take longer using a hand whisk). If you tap a spoonful of the mixture against the side of the bowl, it should drop off easily – you’ll probably need to add about one tablespoon warm water to get the right consistency.

Roll the pastry out to 5mm thickness – try to use as little extra fl our as possible to avoid tough, chewy pastry. A good way of doing this is to place the pastry between two sheets of greaseproof paper.

Using a 9cm-diameter cutter, cut out 10 pastry circles. Place one in each muffi n hole. Add about one teaspoon of black cherry jam to each pastry case, and squidge across the base using the back of a teaspoon. Divide the almond sponge mixture evenly between the 10 pastry cases.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the sponge is shrinking from the sides of the tin and is springy to touch. Cool in the tin for two minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

To fi nish, mix the icing sugar and water to a thickish paste – you could also add a little almond extract here, depending on how almondy you like your bakewells to be.

20

A LIFE FREE FROM HUNGER


A LIFE-SENTENCE OF HUNGER

Despite real progress in stopping killer diseases, hunger is still a death sentence for millions of children. Every hour of every day 300 children die because they can’t get the food they need.

For those children who survive, the damage from malnutrition in their fi rst few years can last a lifetime.

In January 2011 we launched No Child Born to Die – our most ambitious campaign ever. Our aim: to stop children dying, once and for all.

21

NO CHILD DIE

In year one, we’ve made some major breakthroughs: inspiring huge extra investment in life-saving vaccines and more funding for health workers.

But we can’t a� ord to lose momentum now. Not when 7.6 million children under fi ve die needlessly every year.

That’s why, this year, we’re leading the biggest-ever push to end global hunger.

PHO

TO: SEBA

STIAN

RIC

H/SA

VE TH

E CH

ILDR

EN

PHO

TO: SEBA

STIAN

RIC

H/SA

VE TH

E CH

ILDR

EN

Simple solutions


Over the next two years we’ll make sure at least 2 million children get the kind of healthy food they need to grow up strong and healthy. The kind of food we’d all expect for our own kids.

But we can’t do it alone. Add your voice to ours and with your help we’ll:

• persuade governments to invest in getting help to the children and families who need it

• encourage companies to make sure millions more children get food fortifi ed with the right vitamins – just like our breakfast cereals

• give poor mothers vouchers or money so they can buy the food they need before things get desperate – a form of aid that stimulates local markets so they can keep on supplying local communities for the long term.

22

Together we can give children a life free from hunger.

Back from the brink

When she arrived at one of our clinics in Kenya, Baby Umi was on the brink of death – weighing less than 4lbs and suffering from severe malnutrition. It was touch and go, but thanks to the expert care of our health workers, she pulled through.

Within a few weeks the transformation was amazing. Umi was a smiling, healthy, even slightly plump baby. “You can’t even compare the joy I feel today to the sadness I felt three months ago,” said Umi’s mother, Amina.

Umi is just one of the millions of children we’re helping across the world, thanks to the amazing support of people like you.

PHOTO: SEBASTIAN RICH/SAVE THE CHILDREN



PHOTO: COLIN CROWLEY/SAVE THE CHILDREN

Thanks to the amazing support of people like you we helped 8.5 million children in 2011 alone: keeping them alive, getting them into school, protecting them from harm.

WE WORK IN MORE THAN 120 COUNTRIES.

WE SAVE CHILDREN’S LIVES.

WE FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS.

WE HELP THEM FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL .

SAVE THE CHILDREN WORKS IN 120 COUNTRIES. WE SAVE CHILDREN’S LIVES. WE FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS. WE HE LP THEM FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL.

Registered charity England and Wales (213890) Scotland (SC039570)

www.savethechildren.org.uk

Food

Save the children recipe challenge cookbook