There are some cookbooks that you look at a few times, try some recipes and then store at the back of a cupboard. We have Sabrina Ghayour’s books, particularly Feasts and Persiana, right at the front. They are books that we go back to time and again, particularly for her stews and delicious cakes. So we were intrigued to see if her latest cookbook with only vegetarian recipes would be as enticing.
In the introduction, Ghayour makes it clear that this is not a book solely directed at vegetarians but also meat-eaters too, in fact all cooks who are hoping to make vegetables more at the centre of their diet and also – this is key – more tasty. We were particularly taken by her smaller dishes such as the Carrot, halloumi and dill balls, the broad bean and ricotta dip and the aubergine and carrot couscous and there is a wide choice on offer with the recipes are really well organised, listed under titles such as Soups & Bowl Comfort and Store-Cupboard Sustenance. As always, the recipes are straightforward with easy to get ingredients (in fact Ghayour positively encourages substituting anything that you don’t have already). We’ve already been going back to this book again and again and suspect it will sit at the top of the pile for a long time to come.
If you like the sound of the book and want to try one of the recipes for yourself, then try this one below for the delicious Spiced apple, thyme and hazelnut cake. Plus we have two copies to give away, just fill out the form and we will announce the winner after 5pm, 6th May 2019. Good luck!
Apples are so plentiful, and their delicate sweetness is delicious in salads. In a cake, I feel they need a nut element to complement them. This thyme-scented cake can easily be made a day in advance, as the apple keeps the cake moist. The hazelnut element complements the apple beautifully and adds a lovely crunch.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan), Gas Mark 4. Line a 23 or 24cm springform cake tin with baking paper.
Beat together the eggs, sugar, vanilla bean paste, thyme, cinnamon and ginger in a large mixing bowl, until evenly combined. Add the flour and baking powder and mix well, then beat in the melted butter until the batter is smooth. Stir in the hazelnuts, then carefully fold in the apple. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and use a spatula to smooth over and flatten the surface. Now scatter over the reserved hazelnuts. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove the cake fromoven and leave to cool in the tin. To make the cinnamon cream, whisk the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, using either a balloon whisk or an electric hand whisk, until the mixture is relatively stiff but still light and not overly dense. Serve the cake with a generous dollop of the cinnamon cream.