orange and cranberry torte

this cake has already become the stuff of legend. a couple of weeks ago i made it as pudding to follow spiced meatballs with feta and pomegranate couscous. i now have a diary date for march when i am instructed to bake another orange and cranberry torte so my friend’s boss can try it – he’s a cake fan and was apparently very disappointed to hear it described but not have any to sample.

so there you go – you’ll have to try it too. the cake is made with ground almonds instead of flour which makes it suitable for people with wheat or gluten allergies. it‘s flavoured with orange, cinnamon (this is surprisingly subtle despite the large quantity used in the recipe) and, of course, cranberries. i served this with cream but i think it’s better just as it is.

as for how it keeps – i’ve no idea as it didn’t make it past 24 hours!

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tapas brindisa, se1

 

tapas brindisa makes me wish i earned more. it’s not that it’s horrifically expensive but so much of the fabulous charcuterie, cured fish and cheeses that they serve are presented so simply i struggle to justify the cost. c’mon, £12.50 for a plate of ham? cheese and toast for £10.25?

ok, it’s a plate of hand carved jabugo iberico ham. or a selection of regional spanish cheeses served with that toast. i know all about the importance of impeccable ingredients and i’m sure they are delicious. but that’s the point, i don’t know! i just can’t persuade myself to order those dishes no matter how much i fancy them!

so, i end up sticking to the food where they apply their skill in creating and cooking something rather than just plating it up.

things like chickpea and chorizo stew (with a satisfyingly smokey undertone), spinach tortilla, padron peppers (i’ve yet to get a really hot one but love the russian-roulette nature of the dish) or marinated anchovie and piquillo pepper salad with walnut and cabernet sauvignon dressing (a superbly balanced combination of flavours, if only it was larger so i wouldn’t mind sharing quite so much!).

it’s not ideal but that’s the way it is. unless a pay rise is forthcoming and carries me over the hesitation-hurdle!

there is however, one item on the menu that will always keep me coming back to tapas brindisa, regardless of my bank balance - their large gordal olives with olive oil and orange. i first tried these almost a year ago and they instantly became an “oh my god i’ve never eaten anything so fabulous” food. and they remain so in my memory.

sadly, on my last visit to they didn’t have any so i had to make do with stocking up on gordal olives (which are brine-cured and have a very distinctive flavour) at the brindisa stall at borough market and attempt to make my own.

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ginger and orange clusters

 

sugar high friday is a food blogging event that i often read about but never quite manage to find the time to get involved with. sweets and puddings aren’t that high on my list of things to cook and, perhaps more to the point, people are usually intimidatingly inspired to create the most elaborate concoctions.

however, when i saw that david lebovitz was this month’s host and that the theme was chocolate, or more specifically what brand of chocolate you choose to cook with, i knew i needed to make the effort to get involved.

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