• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
• Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a mixing bowl and wooden spoon) until pale and fluffy.
• Add the egg, scrape down the side of the bowl, then beat again until combined.
• Fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, followed by the chocolate and the dried sour cherries.
• Roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a ball and place it on one of the trays.
• Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• Gently press down on each biscuit with the back of a fork to flatten it a little.
• (Pop any remaining mixture in the fridge until you’re ready to cook a second batch, if needed.
• )
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until the biscuits have risen slightly and are firm to the touch.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

• Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
• Grease and line a 22 cm (8½ inch) square cake tin with baking paper.
• Beat the butter, sugar, orange zest and vanilla in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping every now and then to scrape down the side of the bowl.
• Add the flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt and yoghurt or buttermilk and beat for 1 minute or until well combined.
• Transfer the batter to the cake tin and smooth the top.
• Scatter the strawberries over the top and push them into the batter a little.
• Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes or until risen, pale golden and almost cooked.
• About halfway through this initial cooking time, prepare the topping.
• Combine the butter, sugar, flour and cream in a saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble and everything is melted into a gorgeous golden caramel.
• Take the cake out of the oven – it should be just pale golden on top and cooked enough to ‘hold up’ the caramel and nuts.
• Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the cake, then pour the caramel over the top.
• Gently spread the topping with a spatula so it covers as much of the top of the cake as possible.
• (Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover the cake entirely – it will spread further as the caramel cooks. )
• Return the cake to the oven and bake for a final 25 minutes or until the caramel is golden and the cake is cooked through.
• Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then lightly dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream, yoghurt or ice cream.

• Place the beans in a large saucepan of water.
• Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes or until the beans are tender.
• Drain and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the leek, fennel, garlic, fennel seeds and pepper.
• Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and translucent.
• Add the parmesan rind, if using, beans, lemon zest and 6 cups (1. 5 litres) water.
• Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour.
• Throw in the frozen peas, sugar snap peas and spinach and cook for 5 minutes or until just tender.
• Discard the parmesan rind.
• Serve the soup with lots of grated parmesan and a good dollop of salsa verde.

• Combine the shallot and red wine vinegar in a small bowl and soak for about 10 minutes.
• (This macerating step softens the harshness of the raw shallot – thank you to Samin Nosrat for this total gem of a tip.)
• Drain the shallot, reserving the vinegar, and place in a food processor with the remaining ingredients.
• Give a few pulses until you have a bright green slurry.
• Add a little of the vinegar, check the taste and add more if you think it needs it.
• You shouldn’t need extra salt with those anchovies and capers, but you do you!
• Store the salsa verde in a jar or an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

• Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to boil, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from the heat.
• Cover and allow to cool.
• Pour into a covered container for storage in your refrigerator.
• Keeps for a month or two.

Makes 1 cup.

• Preheat oven to 300-degrees.
• In a medium bowl combine flour and bakingsoda.
• Mix well with a wire wish and set aside.
• In a large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed.
• Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste.
• Scrape down sides of bowl.
• Then add egg, apricot nectar and apricot preserves; beat at medium speed until smooth.
• Add the flour mixture and apricots, and blend on low just until combined.
• Do not overmix.
• Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets 1-1/2 inches apart.
• Bake 22-24 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown at bottom edges.
• Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a cool flat surface with spatula.

• Preheat oven to 375*F.
• In a medium bowl combine oats, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
• In a large bowl combine sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed.
• Add butter and beat to form a grainy paste.
• Add egg and applesauce, and blend until smooth.
• Add the flour mixture, chocolate chips, raisins and walnuts.
• Blend at low speed just until combined.
• Drop dough by tablespoons onto lightly greased baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
• Bake 12-14 minutes or until light brown.
• Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool flat surface.

• In 3-quart saucepan, heat together apple juice and sugar until dissolved, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients except lemon-lime soda.
• Cool completely.
• Place in covered container and freeze until firm, about 6 hours.
• To serve, thaw slush at room temperature about 10 minutes.
• Portion into punch cups or bowl and fill with lemon-lime soda.
• Garnish with strawberry, if desired.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt.
• Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Combine the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of milk, stir into the flour mixture.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough out to the size of the prepared pan.
• Cover the inside of the pan with the dough.
• Spread dough with a light coating of egg white.
• Fill with sliced apples and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.
• Roll out remaining dough and place on top of apples.
• Brush with a light coating of egg white.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden.
• In a small bowl, beat together the confectioners’ sugar, salt, vanilla and milk until smooth.
• Drizzle over cooled bars, cut into squares.

• Place A Rack In The Center Of The Oven, And Preheat The Oven To 350°F.
• Wash The Beets And Wrap In Aluminum Foil.
• Place On A Rack In The Oven Or On A Baking Sheet In The Oven And Bake Until The Tip Of A Small Sharp Knife Can Slide Easily Into The Larger Beet, About 1 Hour And 20 To 30 Minutes.
• Remove The Beets From The Oven, And When Cool Enough To Handle, Open The Foil, Peel The Beets, And Cut Them Into Quarters.
• Place The Cooled, Quartered Beets In A Food Processor Fitted With A Steel Blade.
• Pulse Until They Are Chopped Finely, 10 To 12 Pulses.
• Measure Out 1 Cup And Set It Aside.
• If There Are Extra Beets, Use Them For Another Purpose.
• Grease And Flour Two 9″ Cake Pans.
• Shake Out The Excess Flour, And Set The Pans Aside.
• Place The 1 Cup Beets Back In The Food Processor Or A Blender With The Buttermilk, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, And Vanilla, And Pulse Until Smooth, 15 To 20 Seconds.
• Set Aside.
• Sift The Flour, Cocoa, Baking Powder, Salt, And Baking Soda Into A Medium-Size Bowl, And Set The Bowl Aside.
• Place The Butter In A Large Mixing Bowl, And Beat With An Electric Mixer On Medium Speed Until Soft, About 30 Seconds.
• While The Mixer Is Running, Slowly Add The Sugar, Beating Until The Mixture Is Creamy, 1 To 2 Minutes.
• Beat In The Eggs, One At A Time, Beating Just Until Combined.
• Alternately Add The Flour Mixture And The Beet Mixture To The Butter Mixture, Beginning And Ending With The Flour, And Beat On Medium Speed Just Until Each Is Incorporated.
• Scrape Down The Sides Of The Bowl.
• Divide The Batter Between The Prepared Pans, And Place The Pans In The Oven.
• Bake The Cakes Until The Top Springs Back When Lightly Pressed With A Finger And A Toothpick Inserted In The Center Comes Out Clean, 22 To 25 Minutes.
• Remove The Pans To A Wire Rack To Cool For 10 Minutes.
• Run A Knife Around The Edges Of The Pans, Give The Pans A Gentle Shake, And Invert The Cakes Once And Then Again So The Layers Are Right Side Up.
• Cool Completely, 30 To 35 Minutes.
• Prepare The Cream Cheese Frosting.
• To Assemble The Cake, Place 1 Cake Layer On A Serving Plate.
• Spread About ¾ Cup Of Frosting Over The Top Of The Cake.
• Place The Second Layer On Top.
• Spread A Thin Coating Of Frosting Over The Top And Sides Of The Cake To Seal In The Crumbs.
• Place The Cake In The Refrigerator To Chill For 15 Minutes.
• To Complete The Assembly, Spread The Remaining Frosting Generously Over The Top And Sides Of The Cake.
• This 2-Step Frosting Process Seals In The Dark Red Crumbs And Makes For A Neater Frosting Of The Cake.