Mother’s Day UK recipes: three delicious ideas to make for your mum from Ravinder Bhogal
Few things say “I love you” more than an unbidden cup of tea, but if you want to show true appreciation to the maternal figure in your life this Mother’s Day, there’s nothing better than a few indulgent snacks to go with it.I love the British tradition of afternoon tea, but I find finger sandwiches in hotel lobbies a little too fussy.I would much rather a fortifying savoury sandwich, a slab of good, old-fashioned cake and buttery biscuits that crumble into a million sweet crumbs.This very simple cake can be baked in a regular cake tin, but cooking it in a bundt tin makes it much more of a showstopper.If you want to forgo the icing, serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and berries instead.
Prep 5 min Cook 55 min, plus cooling Serves 10225g softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing225g caster sugar 4 eggs 2 tbsp elderflower cordial 225g self-raising flour Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp milk 150g icing sugarElderflowers, or edible flowers, to decorate (optional)Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and generously butter the insides of a 2,4-litre bundt tin; use a pastry brush to get into every crevice,Whisk the butter and sugar with an electric whisk or in a stand mixer, until pale and fluffy,Add the eggs one at a time, whisking them in well between each addition, then whisk in a tablespoon of elderflower cordial,Finally, sift in the flour, add the lemon zest and milk, and fold in with a metal spoon.
Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, then carefully take it out of the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.To make the icing, mix the lemon juice with the remaining tablespoon of elderflower cordial, then whisk in the icing sugar a few tablespoons at the time, until smooth and runny.Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, decorate with elderflowers or edible flowers, if you like, then slice and serve.The curd lends a tart contrast to these otherwise sweet biscuits.
Prep 5 min Cook 45 min Makes 16250g softened unsalted butter60g icing sugar1 big pinch fine saltFinely grated zest of 2 limes, plus 2 tbsp juice225g plain flour 75g cornflourFor the filling60g softened unsalted butter 120g icing sugar1 pinch fine salt1 tsp lime juice 75g passion fruit curdHeat the oven to 160C (140C fan)/325F/gas 3 and line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper,Put the butter, sugar, salt and lime zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream until pale and fluffy,Beat in the flour, cornflour and lime juice until the mix just comes together; do not overbeat or you’ll end up with tough biscuits,Measure out level tablespoons of the batter, roll them into balls and arrange on the baking sheets spaced well apart,Press down gently with the tines of a fork to flatten, then bake for 15-18 minutes, swapping the trays around halfway, until pale golden.
Leave the biscuits to cool slightly on the trays, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.For the filling, beat the butter, icing sugar, salt and lime juice in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.Once the biscuits have cooled, spread half of them with the filling and top the rest with a half-teaspoon each of passion fruit curd.Sandwich the halves together and serve.Feel free to swap out the ketchup for sriracha, if you like your sandwich a little spikier.
Prep 15 min Cook 15 min Chill 2 hr Serves 450ml vodka 50ml extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar ½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground1 small banana shallot, peeled and finely sliced 1 long red chilli, split in half lengthways1 small garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon400g cooked prawns½ iceberg lettuce, shredded 4 brioche rolls, sliced open and buttered 4 large, thick slices fresh tomato Black pepper Celery saltFor the dressing6 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise 2 tbsp ketchupFinely grated zest of 1 lemonJuice of ½ lemonA generous shake of Tabasco, plus extra to serveWorcestershire sauce, to tasteIn a shallow dish, mix the vodka, olive oil, vinegar, coriander seeds, shallots, chilli, garlic, lemon zest and juice,Add the prawns, stir to coat, then chill in the fridge for two hours,Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl, then taste and adjust accordingly,Fish the prawns out of their marinade, then divide the dressing, lettuce and prawns between the buttered buns,Top each one with a slice of tomato, season the tomatoes with black pepper, celery salt and more Tabasco, if desired, and top with the bun lid.
Light red wines for spring drinking
Can wine ever be good for you? The question has surely occurred to most of us after a night on the chȃteau de migraine, especially if we’ve read the increasingly dire warnings on alcohol consumption. Still, as with chocolate, a lot depends on what type of alcohol you drink. After all, a 90% cocoa solids situation is probably going to do less harm than, say, a family tub of Celebrations, and, while all alcohol is, I hate to break it to you, alcohol, there are definitely better choices you can make.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link
Rachel Roddy’s recipe for risotto in bianco | A kitchen in Rome
Parmigiano reggiano, grana padano, lodigiano, trentingrana and the other members of the grana-type cheese family (there are many, and all are worth seeking out) are far from cheap. Which is why it is important to use every last bit, including the rind with the last few millimetres of cheese still attached. That functions as a sort of highly flavoured and fatty stock cube that can be added to soups and stews. The best place to keep your precious rinds is in a plastic bag or airtight container in the freezer, which also preserves flavour and stops them drying out, until they’re pulled out and added directly to whatever needs a boost, or to make one of the nicest, most delicately flavoured and cheesy broths, which in turn makes a lovely risotto.I have written about risotto many times here, with each version a new favourite, and providing lessons in a dish that, regardless of how much I learn and practise, I am always chasing: the right proportions of rice to broth, as well as a pleasing consistency and texture
‘Highly problematic behavior’: Noma residency in LA starts with PR crisis
It was always going to be an indulgence for René Redzepi, the Danish-Albanian chef of Noma fame, to bring his exacting, innovative vision of haute cuisine to Los Angeles and spend several weeks tickling the palates of well-heeled diners at a hilltop estate once dubbed “the most beautiful home in Hollywood”.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.The timing has certainly been unfortunate, since the US is now fighting a destabilizing war in the Middle East and food prices are climbing so steeply that many ordinary Americans can no longer afford to eat at McDonald’s, much less contemplate the counterintuitive delights of tacinga cactus, bougainvillea petals, mealworms and giant tuna eyes
Before sunrise: while Sydney sleeps, suhoor meals attract a lively social scene during Ramadan
Suhoor – the pre-dawn meal – is typically shared at home. But in Sydney customers also queue outside food trucks, restaurants and cafes with extended trading hoursIt’s just after midnight in an industrial courtyard in Auburn in Sydney’s west and a glow of string lights and the constant sizzle of a grill signal one of Ramadan’s newest late-night rituals. A food truck specialising in halal steak sandwiches has attracted a small crowd and a queue begins to form.The rest of the city is largely asleep but here the courtyard hums with life as young Muslims arrive in waves after evening taraweeh prayers, chatting and checking their phones as the clock edges closer to suhoor – the pre-dawn meal eaten during Ramadan before the day’s fast begins.Inside The Meat Up, a Lebanese husband-and-wife duo move quickly over the grill
How to use up limp herbs in a flavoured butter – recipe | Waste not
Compound butter is simply butter that’s been mixed with flavourings, both sweet and savoury, and is a tasty and easy way to give a small bunch of tired herbs new life. It can be melted over vegetables, stirred through pasta, grains or pulses, basted over meat or fish, spread on toast, or frozen in slices to use a little at a time. Think of this less as a recipe and more as a framework: taste as you go and decide whether you want something bold and explosive or a more gentle experience.Long before the TikTok revival, compound butter was something most home cooks admired on restaurant plates rather than made themselves. But it’s a really simple way to save a few tired herbs and give a meal a welcome boost, adding both serious flavour and visual impact
Chicken wings and soup: Helen Graves’ spring onion recipes
March is a tricky pin in the seasonal calendar, with energising winter citrus fading and spring’s stars yet to emerge. It’s a time when I find pleasure in reappraising ingredients that are routinely overlooked. Spring onions, say, which are often considered a garnish, but which are good for so much more. Their contrasting colourway is a clue to their varying intensity, with the white roots holding pungency and the greens more akin to especially bolshie chives. Today’s recipes harness the properties of both, bridging the gap between the current need for comfort and the warmer weather ahead
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