Oca (or sweet potato) peanut stew with kale served with rice
Victoria sponge cake
Harvest of the day
Coriander, ocas (keep leaves), tomatoes, 2 chillis, kale
Oca (or sweet potato) peanut stew with kale (serves 4)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onions – finely chopped
- 700 g ocas – tips cut off if needed and larger tubers cut in half (can substitute sweet potatoes)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 large tomatoes – chopped (or 400g chopped tinned tomatoes)
- 4 cloves garlic – finely chopped
- thumb sized knob of root ginger – finely grated
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- ½ – 1 tsp chilli powder (depending on how hot you like it)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- good grinding of black pepper
- 4 tbsp peanut butter (I prefer smooth)
- 150 g kale – tough stalks removed & leaves roughly chopped
- Coriander leaves – roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the onions gently for 5 minutes.
Add the cumin seeds and ocas. Stir and cover the pot with a lid. Cook gently for 10 minutes.
Add all the remaining ingredients, except the kale and peanut butter, together with 500ml water. Stir, bring to the boil and simmer covered for another 10 minutes.
Take some of the liquid out of the stew and mix with the peanut butter to make a pourable sauce. Add back to the stew and stir. Throw in the kale and simmer with the pot covered for a further 10 minutes. Check everything is cooked to your liking. Give the whole thing a good stir, then ladle into bowls and scatter with some chopped coriander leaves if liked.
Classic victoria sponge cake (serves 10)
Ingredients
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g softened butter
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp milk
For the filling
- 100g butter, softened
- 140g icing sugar, sifted
- drop vanilla extract (optional)
- half a 340g jar good-quality strawberry jam
- icing sugar, to decorate
Method
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
In a large bowl, beat 200g caster sugar, 200g softened butter, 4 beaten eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp milk together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed.
Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
To make the filling, beat the 100g softened butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in 140g sifted icing sugar and a drop of vanilla extract (if you’re using it).
Spread the buttercream over the bottom of one of the sponges. Top it with 170g strawberry jam and sandwich the second sponge on top.
Dust with a little icing sugar before serving. Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.
Grow Dundee 