Kathy Kordalis is a London-based food stylist and writer. Her clients include Waitrose Food Magazine, as well as chef Bill Granger, for whom tests and develops recipes for his three Granger & Co restaurants in London. Kathy is currently completing a Masters degree in the Anthropology of Food at SOAS and leads popular Gastronomic Tours in central London for Context Travel.
Kathy and I have been friends for some time but we have never had the pleasure of meeting! Kathy has been a client of Stil for some years now - I always knew that she was a food stylist as I enjoy her Instgram page @kordalisk but I had no idea that she was an author of numerous cookbooks until her latest one landed on my doorstep. Not only is a feast for the eyes but it's full of original and delicious content. It was hard for me to choose which recipe to share with you but I chose this one as even with my cooking they are utterley delicious. Quinoa in cakes - who knew?! Serve with coffee, serve after dinner, enjoy them for afternoon tea...
Makes 12 small cakes
Ingredients
500g or 2 1/2 cups of raw caster / superfine sugar
6 Peaches, stones removed, quartered
4 tablespoons desert wine
Finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla paste
90g or 1/2 a cup of white quinoi, rinsed
4 eggs
200g or 1 3/4 sticks butter, melted and cooled
200g or 1 1/2 cups plain, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
70g or 3/4 cup of ground almonds
60g or 3/4 cup of flaked, slivered almonds plus extra for serving
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Scatter 170g/ 3/4 cup of the sugarin the base of a roasting pan large enough to hold the peaches snugly in a single layer. Place them cut side down pressing them into the sugan and then turn them over so the cut side faces up.
Mix together the dessert wine, lemon juice, zest and vanilla - drizzle over the peaches. Roast the peaches for 20/25 minutes until golden, spooning the pan juices over the peaches a few times whilst cooking. Transfer half the peaches and 50ml/ 3 1/2 tablespoons of the pan juices to a food processor and combine into a smooth puree. Set aside, and reserve the remaining peaches and juices.
Place the quinoa, remaining vanilla paste and 300ml/ 1 1/4 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the water evaporates and the quinoa is tender. Drain well and spread on a tray to dry.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C ( Gas 4 ). Whisk the eggs and remaining sugar for 6-8 minutes until pale and fluffy, add the butter and whisk to combine. Sift over the flower and baking powder, combine, add the peach puree, almonds and quinoa then spoon into the 12 prepared moulds. Scatter with flaked almonds and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cakes are golden and the centre springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool slightly then serve with the remaining roast peaches, syrup and flaked almonds. Sublime!
Follow Kathy @kordalisk
