Pear and hazelnut cake

I say it about every season when they each come around, but I DO LOVE Autumn.

The ivy on our wall is turning to all different shades of orange and pink and there are still so many figs around (maybe my favourite fruit?). Pears are excellent right now too and whenever I see them in the shop I think about this ad, which is equal parts clever and hilarious.

I decided I wanted to make a cake with some pears I bought at my local grocer, poached in a heady mixture of vanilla, sugar and cinnamon. They would be excellent on your morning’s porridge or muesli too.

The cake is VERY good with a little rye flour in there too which accentuates the actual nuttiness of the hazelnuts. Served with whipped cream, it is a must bake!

Which is where this chicken comes in. A good roast chicken has to be one of life’s most wonderful things. Here it is roasted with fennel and garlic which then meets cream and other good things. Loosely inspired by pork cooked in milk, a classic Italian dish, this chicken is incredibly tender and with the most perfect bed of tender fennel cooked in the cream.

I also had an intense desire for Macarona bil laban (Lebanese pasta with yoghurt) yesterday. My mum used to make a similar dish for us as kids and I just really felt like it. Craving satisfied!

For two people, cook 200g of pasta of your choice in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, combine 150 g full fat natural / Greek style yoghurt, 1 finely grated clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp of dried mint and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Drain the pasta and add it to the yoghurt. Toss to coat, season with sea salt and top with fresh mint.

Lately I’ve been making a version of a recipe for braised short ribs from my second cookbook, A Year Of Simple Family Food.

Instead of using ribs, I’ve been making it with diced beef and serving it with rice and a cucumber salad. The diced beef cooks in 1 - 1 1/2 hours making it more weeknight friendly. Here is the original recipe.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or cast-iron pot with a lid over a high heat. Season 1.2 kg of beef short ribs with a pinch of sea salt, then sear on all sides until golden. Remove and drain all but 1 tbsp oil from the pan. Fry 1 roughly chopped shallot, 4 cloves of bruised garlic and 1 x 3 cm piece of ginger for 3 minutes until coloured, then pour in the 250 ml of sake and simmer for 2 minutes. Add 500 ml of beef or chicken stock, 100 ml of soy sauce, 100 ml of mirin, 2 tbsp of brown sugar and 1 star anise. Stir well and return the beef ribs to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, over a low heat for 3-4 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Remove the ribs from the pan and transfer to a warmed serving bowl. Strain the sauce through a sieve/colander into a small saucepan, adding the aromatics to the serving bowl with the beef. Increase the heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes to reduce slightly. Pour the sauce over the beef to serve.

While I’m here, I HAVE to share these figs I picked on the weekend while I was away in the Grampians. Planted over 60 years ago by an Italian family at their vineyard, I was generously offered the tree to pick from. I made jam (which turned out more like a compote - not enough sugar), clafoutis, salad (figs radicchio and mozzarella is the best combination) and many were snacked on. HEAVEN!

And if you’re enjoying my substack, upgrading to a paid subscription gives you access to exclusive recipes and the full archive. A great Mother’s Day present if you ask me!

I also have FOUR lovely and practical cookbooks + a beautiful children’s book ! All good choices :)

Thanks for reading!!

Julia x