Carrot Cake

Ingredients
−200 gr plain flour
−1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
−225gr carrots
−250 gr dark brown sugar
−150ml sunflower oil
−grated zest of 1 large orange
−2 medium sized free range eggs
−110gr sultanas
−50gr dessicated coconut
−juice of 1 small orange

Preparation

Preheat oven to 150 degress. Peel and grate the carrots (200gr left). Mix 175gr of the sugar with the oil and orange zest. Beat in the eggs, one by one. Fold in the flour until smooth, mixing it well with an electric mixer. Then add then carrots, sultanas, coconut and chopped walnuts.

Bake on an oiled loaf tin for 1h 25min.

Two options here. Either add the oranje juice to the mix for an extra sponginess, or reserve and heat it with the remaining sugar and juice from one lemon in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. When done, prick holes over the cake with a skewer and pour over the orangey syrup into the holes.

Leave to cool completely.

My Spanish omelette - 3/4 people

Ingredients
−3 big potatoes
−1 big onion (or several spring onions)
−4 eggs
−Mild olive oil

Preparation

Use a good non-sticking (very important!) medium sized frying pan. Fill with one finger of olive oil and add the peeled and chopped onions. Fry on medium heat until the onions are soft and brown. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut in dices. Once the onions are ready, add the potatoes to the pan, with salt. Leave at medium/low heat until they get soft and brown. This is more boiling in oil than frying, and it usually takes around 30 or 40 minutes.

Once ready, remove the potatoes to a big bowl, removing as much oil as possible. Beat the eggs ,salt and add to the potatoes. Heat the same pan on low fire (which is already oiled because we haven't cleaned it) and add the mixture to it. Flatten with a spoon (it should be like two fingers thick) and let it cook very slowly.

The most tricky part is to know when to turn the omelette. After a couple of minutes, shake the pan to avoid the omelette sticking to it, it should eventually move freely from side to side. Once the egg on the top starts to cook (ideally you can see small bubbles through the omelette), it's time to turn it around.

Cover the pan with a big plate so that it is well covered. Over the sink and with a quick movement, turn the pan over so that the omelette falls to the plate. Put the pan on the low fire again, and put the omelette back in the pan to cook the other side.

This side will be quicker, so two or three minutes should be enough. Get a clean big plate, and turn the omelette once again to serve.