Seasonal recipe... from Peter Knighton, who runs Sacrewell Farm...
Riverford Organic is a veg box company which grows and delivers produce locally. Much of the produce is grown on the farm at Sacrewell, just outside Peterborough.
We have everything you need for the perfect Pancake Day on Tuesday, including higher welfare eggs and milk – we won an RSPCA good business award recently for the way we look after our animals – and juicy unwaxed lemons which are grown for the very best flavour.
Our lemons come from a small group of organic farmers working in the hills behind Almeria in Spain. The group is headed by Ginés Garcia, who is fiercely proud of his farm and the biodiversity it supports. He’s even inspired other farmers in the area to join up and convert to organic.The Spanish citrus season kicks off in November and runs right through until May. We try not to import anything and we never use air freight, but sometimes it is necessary to drive some items over from our carefully selected growers outside the UK.
The fact that our lemons are unwaxed means that you can use the zest in cooking. The zest and peel contain pectin and can be used to help set jams and jellies. Grated zest can also be used to flavour cakes, biscuits, mousses, custards and sauces.
A good Pancake Day tip is to roll a lemon between your hands for a couple of minutes to warm the fruit gently before using – you will be able to yield more juice.
Get all your ingredients from our website: www.riverford.co.uk/sacrewell or call 01780 789700.
Lemon Drizzle Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
l 200g unsalted butter, softened
l 200g caster sugar
l 3 eggs
l 200g self raising flour
l zest 2 lemons
For the drizzle:
l juice 2 lemons
l 75g caster sugar (or use granulated for a crunchier topping)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Grease a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin using a little butter on a piece of kitchen paper. Line the tin with baking parchment.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is light, pale and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and beat for another minute or two.
3. In a separate small bowl, break the eggs and lightly beat until the yolks and whites are combined. Gradually (a teaspoon or so at a time) add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, making sure the egg is mixed in each time before adding more. Sift the flour into the bowl and gently fold into the mixture until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
4. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and bake for approx 45-55 minutes, depending on your oven.
5. Test the cake is ready by inserting a skewer – if it comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove from the oven and prick the cake all over with a skewer or cocktail stick. Stir the lemon juice and sugar for the drizzle together in small jug. Pour over the cake in 3 or 4 batches, waiting a minute or two between each pouring.
6. Sprinkle over a pinch or two of extra caster sugar for an extra crunchy topping if you like. Leave to cool slightly then remove the cake from the tin and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
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Weather for Peterborough
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
