Apple walnut cake

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 medium tart apple peeled and chopped

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugar, add the egg. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon add the mixture beating until combined. Stir in apple and walnuts. Pour into a greased 8" square baking dish bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

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Pickle

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tsp powdered mustard seeds

2 cloves

2" cinnamon stick

2 cardamom

1/2 tsp chillie powder

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup dates

1/2 cup onion

1/2 cup capsicum

1/4 cup carrot

1/2 cup pineapple

Boil vinegar add powdered mustard seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger garlic paste then the spices and sugar. Grind or chop the pitted dates and add. Simmer till the ingredients blend and thickens.

Remove from heat and add chopped onions, capsicum, carrot and pineapple to the mixture. When cool put into an air tight jar and leave for about 2 to 3 days in the fridge for the flavours to infuse although it can be used right away.

Stays for more than 6 months, use a dry spoon and leave in the fridge tightly closed.

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Going Japanese

The presentation of Japanese cuisine is very pleasing to the eye, when I started to enjoy sushi from take-outs I learned and researched on sushi. It took several attempts to make the rice the way we enjoyed and to roll the sushi. Every time I make it we try using different ingredients to roll the sushi.

Sushi rice

1 cup sticky rice

4 tbsp rice vinegar

3 to 4 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 2/3 cup water

Wash the rice and make the rice with 1 2/3 cup water and salt in the rice cooker.

Heat rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved add the hot mixture to the cooled rice and mix.

Ingredients to place inside the sushi

fish roe

imitation crab

avocado I prefer spreading it as a paste

carrots cut like a long thin stick

cucumbers discard the inner seeds and cut into thin sticks

roasted seaweed

To serve

wasabi

pickled ginger

soya sauce

Prepare the sushi mat with cling film all around it so there is no need to clean the rice that goes in between the mat.

Lay the roasted seaweed or nori the rough side up on a sushi mat and put about 3 tbsp rice and spread with a flat spoon or hands leave about 1" of the top of the seaweed without rice. It is easier to handle the sticky rice if hands are wet, so place a bowl of water to dip the hands and spread the rice.

Place ingredients that are thinly cut in the middle of the sushi and roll tight. Keep all the rolls aside. Then cut 1" rolls and serve with wasabi, pickled ginger and soya sauce.

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Fruit crisp

4 cups fruits (2 apples, 2 pears, grapes or any other)

1 orange juiced or 1/4 cup apple juice

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 375ºF. Toss fruits with juice and put into a greased 8" square baking dish.

Combine brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and mix with the ingredients until it forms a coarse crumbs texture. Combine milk and vanilla. Drizzle over crumbs while tossing with a fork. Sprinkle over fruits.

Bake at 375ºF for 35 to 40 minutes or until fruit is tender, centre is bubbly and crumbs are browned. Serve warm with cream, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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Berry muffins

Raspberry muffins with whipped cream

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup margarine melted

1 cup berries whole or sliced

Sift all the dry ingredients. Beat egg, milk and margarine. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients until combined with a wooden spoon and stir in the berries. Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups and bake at 400F for 20 minutes until golden brown.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2010 unless mentioned. Please Ask First