January is a time to be virtuous after the excesses of Christmas. I’m drawn to vibrant, ‘green’ food to cheer myself up from the dreary drizzle outside. Thankfully my baby spinach has survived the weather in my garden. The leaves may be a little smaller and the bugs may have nibbled here and there but it’s still tasty and perfect for using up in an easy, no rise, no wait loaf.
Spinach, Cheddar and Cumin Loaf topped with a little Lurpak
You’ll need
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 55g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 sticks of celery – finely chopped
- 55g baby leaf spinach – finely chopped
- 85g mature cheddar cheese – finely grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp cumin seeds – lightly toasted
- 1 beaten egg
- 4 tbsp milk
To make it
- Preheat the oven to 190C.
- Grease a 450g (1lb) loaf tin and set aside.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and the lightly rub in the butter til it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the chopped celery, spinach, cheese and 2 tsp of the toasted cumin seeds.
- Add the egg and milk to form a soft dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently into an oblong shape which is roughly the same size as your loaf tin.
- Bake the loaf for 45 minutes until it is risen and golden brown on top.
- Leave to cool and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
This basic method also works well with
- Cheddar and walnuts
- Sundried tomato and basil
- Hazelnut and chocolate chip – omit the salt and add 2 tbsp sugar instead
- Apple and raisin
Thank you to Lurpak Lightest for commissioning this recipe.