Custard Tart

Ingredients

Base
1 cup flour
90g marge
1 1/2 tbsps sugar
2 tbsps water

400 mls double cream
200 mls milk
4 eggs
70g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Cinnamon
Optional: sliced fruit

Method

Mix together the flour, marge and sugar until crumbs form, then add the water. Press the mixture into a pie dish and bake at 180 for 20 mins/
For the custard, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence. Bring the cream and milk to the boil, then slowly whisk this into the eggs. Pour into the base and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 170 for 40 - 50 mins, depending on how deep the dish is. If it starts to get dark on top, cover with foil and continue baking.
Keep refrigerated and serve cold. You can also arrange sliced fruit on top.

Serves 8

To make enough to serve 12, do 1 1/2 times the amounts for the base, and for the custard change the amount to 500mls cream, 300mls milk, 5 eggs and 100g sugar.

Nutella Swirled Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, mashed
125g peanut butter
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar (brown or a mixture)
200g sr flour (or plain + 1 1/2 tsps baking powder)
160g chocolate chips
3 tbsps Nutella

Method

Whisk together the bananas, peanut butter, oil, egg and sugar. Fold in the flour, then the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into a lined tin, drop the Nutella over the top and use a knife to swirl in.
Bake at 180 for 45 - 50 mins.

Variation: For regular banana cake, use 2 eggs and 100g margarine instead of the peanut butter.

Silan Glazed Breaded Chicken

Ingredients

800g chicken breast slices or strips
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
Paprika, ground coriander

Glaze
1/2 cup silan (or silan and sugar)
2 tbsps soy sauce
2 tbsps ketchup

Method

Place the chicken in a large bowl. Beat the egg and add it to the chicken, stirring so that the pieces are covered. Then stir in the breadcrumbs with the spices. Grease a roasting dish and place the chicken in it (it doesn't have to be a single layer). Bake at 180 for about 1/2 an hour.
Mix the ingredients for the glaze, then pour over the chicken. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until done.

Serves 10.

Iraqi Hamin

Ingredients

600g chicken breast, cubed
2 tbsps oil
1 onion, diced
2 tsps crushed garlic
2 tsps garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom
2-3 grated carrots (optional)
2 celery stalks, chopped (optional)
375g chopped tomatoes
2 cups rice
3 cups water


Method

Stir fry the chicken with the onion and spices until almost cooked through. Add the carrot, celery, chopped tomatoes, and rice, and stir until the rice is no longer translucent. Add the water, bring to the boil and cook for a couple of minutes until the water has reduced.

Turn down the heat and cook for 20-30 mins.

Variation: Transfer to a lined dish and cover. Cook in the oven at 150 for about 1 1/2 hours.

Serves 10-12

Baked Kibbe

Ingredients

1kg mince meat (beef or lamb)
1 cup bulgar
1 large onion, diced
3 tbsps fresh chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsps oil
2 tsps salt
3/4 tsp garam masala or hawaij spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
100g pine nuts or sunflower seeds

Method

Rinse and soak the bulgar for 15 minutes, then drain. Place some of the onion in a frying pan. In a large bowl, mix the meat with the rest  of the onion, and the herbs and spices. Take 1/3 of this and fry it with the onion until cooked through, then stir in the pine nuts. Mix the egg and the burgul with the other meat mixture, and layer half of it into a lined tin. Then do a layer of meat and pine nuts, then top with the rest of the mixture.
Brush with oil and bake for 40 minutes. Grill until the top is browned, then cut into diamond shapes.

Serves 12.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients

1/2 cup barley
2 cups water
550g mushrooms, diced
1.25 litres stock

Method

Put the barley in a saucepan with the water, bring to the boil, simmer for about 1/2 an hour or until soft, then drain.
Cook the mushrooms in the stock for about 15 mins. Using a hand blender, blend the mushrooms in the stock, until mostly smooth, but leaving some mushroom pieces. Stir in the barley, heat through and serve.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Brownies

Ingredients

Brownies (use this recipe, to make a 7 x 11" pan)
60g dark chocolate
100g pretzels (1 1/2 cups)

Peanut Butter Frosting
250g peanut butter
100g icing sugar
50g melted marge

Method

Make the brownies according the recipe. Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a saucepan and stir in the pretzels to coat them. Transfer to a container and leave in the fridge to set. Cream together all the ingredients for the frosting.

When the brownies are completely cool, spread the frosting over the top. Break up the pretzels into pieces and layer them on top, pressing them into the frosting. Refrigerate until the frosting sets.

Variations: Instead of brownies for the base, you could do a shortbread or chocolate chip cookie layer.
Instead of the pretzels, melt 150g chocolate, and swirl it into the frosting layer.

Caramel Pineapple Crumb Cake

Ingredients

250g sr flour
180g sugar
150g marge
2 eggs
125 mls water
1 tsp vanilla essence

8-10 pineapple rings

Glaze
1/4 cup brown sugar
15g marge
1 tbsp syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Mix the flour, marge and sugar till it forms crumbs, then remove about 100g or 3/4 cup of this and set aside. Beat in the eggs and vanilla essence, then gradually stir in the water.
Spoon into a lined cake tin, and arrange the pineapple rings on top. Then sprinkle over the crumble.
Bake at 180 for 30 mins.
Put the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and simmer for 2 mins until smooth. When the cake is done, drizzle the glaze over the top.

Optional: sprinkle coconut on top, for an extra tropical taste.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

170g marge
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups sr flour
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Caramel Glaze
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsps water*
30g marge
2 tbsps syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

Whisk marge and sugar, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Fold in flour and water.
Line a baking pan, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the bottom, then spread the batter over it. Bake at 180 for about 1/2 an hour - if you make it in a deeper dish it may take longer.

To make the glaze, put the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 2 mins until smooth.
* To make a thinner glaze, use 100 mls water

When the cake is done, drizzle the glaze over the top.

Serves 12-15.

Baked Falafel / Chickpea Burgers

Ingredients

19oz can of chickpeas, drained (about 340g)
3 tbsps breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
Salt
Coriander, parsley
Chopped shallots or onion
1 egg

Method

With a hand blender, blend all the ingredients together except for the shallots, until the chickpeas are mostly incorporated. Mix in the shallots.
Form into 4 large burgers or 8 small (with 2 per serving), and place on a lined tray. Brush with oil and grill on a high heat for about 10 mins each side.