Nursery wheels (aka pinwheel biscuits, whirlygig biscuits)

 Ingredients:

6 oz plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

3 oz butter

3 oz sugar

vanilla essence (a few drops)

milk (a little)

2-3 teaspoons cocoa powder

Method: 

• Cream butter and sugar 
• Add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla essence and enough milk to mix to a stiff paste.
• Divide mixture in half
• Blend cocoa powder thoroughly into one half of the mixture
• Roll out each mixture thinly to the same size and shape (a longish rectangle)
• Place the chocolate piece on top of the plain one and roll up tightly (rolling from the longer side)
• Leave the roll 1/2 hour in a cool place
• Cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
• Place slices on a greased baking tray and bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 mins
• Dust with caster sugar (optional) and cool on a wire rack.
  

Jerusalem artichokes, roasted with mushrooms and onions

 I used to believe that Jerusalem artichokes were out of bounds because they cause terrible flatulence, but I got some from waitrose recently and they were no trouble at all (and delicious). This recipe worked very well, but see the modifications below!

Serves 4. Prep 10 minutes. Cook 45 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

1 ½ lb (700 g) Jerusalem artichokes

2 onions

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

4 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 lb (450g) chestnut mushrooms (less will do)

1 oz (20g) butter

Salt and pepper etc 

 

Method (see below for advice on simplifying this)

1. Heat the oven to 230º C or gas mark 8.
2. Cut the artichokes into even sized pieces (large). Cut the onions into wedges. Put all these in a large roasting tin, in a single layer. 
3. Toss in 2 ½ tbsp of the oil. Season with salt and black pepper as you wish.
4. Roast these for 35 minutes, turning occasionally.
5. Cut the mushrooms in half. 
6. Put the mushrooms in another roasting pan with half the butter and 2 tbsp of oil. Roast for 30 minutes till golden, turning occasionally.
7. For the last ten minutes add the rest of the butter to the artichokes,
8. Throw the contents of both pans together and serve.

Alternative method.

Follow steps 1-3 as shown. 

4. Roast them for 15 minutes.

5. Add the mushrooms and all the rest of the butter and oil and roast for the remaining 30 minutes.

Serve.

Paraguayan chipa

 Recipe from Antonela

Chipá 

Ingredients:

500g of cassava flour

1 egg

300 grams of cheddar (the one actually used is Pategrás but i haven't found it in England)

150g of mozzarella

100 g of butter

A spoonful of salt

A mug of milk

Chop the mozzarella and half of the hard cheese into small cubes and grate the rest. Mix the cassava flour with the cheese and salt. Add melted butter and stir. Mix the egg and milk and add it, use your hands until you get a dough (it won't be a smooth one). Preheat the oven at 180° while you make the balls. Put the balls onto a tray with baking paper and bake for 25 minutes at 6. Depending on the oven it'll take between 20 and 30 minutes, so you might want to check them when it's been 20 minutes. Let them cool down for about 10 minutes and enjoy =)