Orange & Strawberry Victoria Sponge

...last night i went for dinner at Katie Melua's house and so I made her a cake for afters...it was inspired by Sophie Dahl, as I saw her make it on the weekend and it looked so good I had to attempt to recreate. I changed some bits and bobs (as hers was with rasberries) and made it lactose friendly (so I could try it)- so no dairy was used!

Orange infused Victoria Sponge with orange butter icing & home made strawberry jam

For the sponge

• 225g/8oz soya butter

• 225g/8oz caster sugar

• 4 eggs

• 225g/8ozself-raising flour
  

• 1 large orange - zest only

For the jam

• 300g/9oz fresh strawbs

• 2 tbsp fresh Orange Juice

• 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar

For the icing

• 250g/4oz soya butter

• 250g/4oz icing sugar

• 1/4 orange - the juice only

• 1 large orange -the zest only
  

Making the cake!

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking paper, and dust with flour.

3. Using electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugar
   

4. Gradually beat in the eggs, then add the flour and orange zest and mix
   

5. Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins, then bake in the oven for 25 mins, or until golden-brown. Empty tins and put aside cakes to cool on a wire rack

6. Next the jam, place the strawberries, oj and sugar into a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the fruit begins to look jam like!
   

7. Then the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar, oj and zest in a bowl until smooth.

8. To serve, place one sponge on plate and spread half of the icing on top. Spoon over the jam, top with the second sponge and then sprinkle top of cake with icing sugar or as I did whipped some non-dairy cream and decorated with strawberries.....
   

The wack the kettle on and enjoy with friends!


Rosie Oddie of new band BONES & Katie Melua a la cake

Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary Roast Lamb

Half shoulder of lamb

marinade:

2 1/2 cloves chopped garlic

2 1/2 sprigs rosemary

zest of 1 lemon

lug olive oil

s&p

1. rub the marinade on the lamb, put in pre-heated oven at 180 - cook to taste 

- best served medium rare, so apx 50 minutes to 1 hour cooking time..

2. when lamb in oven, par boil sweet potatoes until soft - apx 10 mins or so, 

then put them into another oven tray with a lug of olive oil, s&p, a sprig of rosemary 

and some slices of onion & 1 clove of chopped garlic. 

3. Then cut a few carrots length ways into quarters, sprinkle some cumin over and 

a teaspoon honey and place into the same tray as sweet potatoes, 

then put into oven on a high heat and cook until potatoes are crispy and 

the carrots are glazed.

4. once lamb is done take out oven and put aside to rest. 

keep the tray the lamb was cooked in and put generous lug of white wine in 

(if you have) - if not use hot water. stir and add some bisto powder to thicken.

5 mins before your ready to serve, heat your plates in the oven, boil some broccoli and peti pois.....

.....and VOILA!

Tommy G tucking in with his beer. lad

Hummus

½ can drained chick peas

sea salt to season

1/2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped as fine as u can!

1/2 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)

the juice of 1 lemon - fresh squeezed

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup water

 

Put chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt & pepper into food processor. Give it a whizz until you get the consistency you like, add salt & pepper to taste as you go along. Then in like 2 mins you have home made healthy hummus and no need to use olive oil in this recipe - which keeps it a super healthy snack for the lads!

Tom Graham necked all the hummus