recipes | chattykathychatsandcooks

Sometimes an old fashioned, tried and true ginger cake is so comforting you wonder how it hasn’t been made for a while! Moist and delicious this is the perfect recipe, topped with Lemon Sauce and a bit of whipped cream to create an amazing bite.

Made for Auntie Brigette’s 88’s birthday dinner, this moist delicious ginger cake was delicious – thanks Vivi!

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 tsp baking soda (YES – again)
3/4 cup boiling water
1 egg, beaten

Cream together butter and sugar.
In separate bowl mix spices, salt, baking powder and flour
Beat first baking soda into molasses until foamy and add to butter mixture
Add the second 1/4 tsp of baking soda to the boiling water and stir well
Add baking soda mixture alternately with flour mixture to butter/molasses mixture
Fold in beaten egg – the mixture will be thin

Pour into greased and floured loaf pan or 8 inch round pan.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

When out of oven dust with icing sugar

LEMON SAUCE

1 lemon, grated rind and juice
1 1/4 cups boiling water
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 tbsp butter

Add lemon rind to boiling water, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. In a small bowl mix cornstarch, sugar and salt. Add water gradually – stirring constantly.

Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until thickened. Lower heat and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter. Serve warm over ginger cake.

When in Mexico, one of our favorite street foods is Tacos al Pastor. We can’t equal the flavour at home without an upright spit to grill it, but this is a close second!

A plate of pork, seasoned with Tacos al Pastor flavours and just waiting for fresh corn tortillas!

1-4 lbs pork “butt” or blade roast (just make sure it is a cheaper cut, well marbled)
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
2 ancho chiles
2 guajillo chiles
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 Tbsp adobo sauce
5 clove garlic, peeled
A few sprigs of oregano (or 1 tbsp dried oregano)
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 large onion, sliced
Slices of pineapple
4 – 6 carrots, peeled and kept whole

1. Put the ancho and guajillo chiles in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and allow the chiles to steep until they are rehydrated, about 30 minutes. Discard the seeds and stems and toss the chiles in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients, except onion.

2. Slice the roast into 3/4inch thick slices, but not all the way through.

3. I usually put on plastic gloves for this part – the marinade REALLY stains …Slather the marinade between each layer until all the meat is covered. Stack the onion and pineapple slices in between the slices of meat. Tie the roast back together. Cover it and allow it to marinade for at least 3 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 245 °C (475 °F). Put the roast on a row of carrots in the bottom of a roasting pan and add water to the bottom of the pan (this is to keep the drippings from smoking). You can use a meat rack if you want, but those carrots will be incredibly delicious if you use them for a roasting rack! Roast for 30 minutes at this temperature then turn down the heat to 160 °C (300 °F). Roast until the meat is very tender (about 3 hours).

5. After removing the meat from the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

6. Pull or shred meat apart

Out of the oven, and ready to rest for 30 minutes or so before shredding.

Serve with:

fresh corn tortillas
minced white onion
roughly chopped cilantro

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Ginger Cake with Lemon Sauce

Tacos al Pastor