Gather

Michele Genest is a Whitehorse-based chef and writer. She is also somewhat of a gardener. Michele has also written two books “The Boreal Feast - A Culinary Journey Through The North” and “The Boreal Gourmet - Adventures In Northern Cooking.”

BRIGHT FLAVOURS FOR SPRING

Sometimes one is organized, when preparing to be away from home for a while, and sometimes one is not

Ifind the fridge the trickiest. No matter how clever I try to be, my menu planning is never good enough that the shelves are empty on the morning I leave.

So then come the harrowing last-minute decisions: Will the Brussels sprouts last, or must they be foisted on a neighbour, or (what a waste!) composted? Will the blue cheese sprout more mould than even the most-dedicated fan of stinky cheese can countenance? Will the coffee cream curdle if I freeze it? It’s always a gamble.

While I’m gone I try to forget about the damn fridge and what it might get up to in my absence. Science experiments, do your worst! And occasionally, upon my return, I’m pleasantly surprised.

I came back home on the first day of spring, from the intense joy of a family visit in Ontario, to a happy discovery: four lemons still smiling sunnily in the crisper, and a tub of yogurt not yet past its best-before date. No furry cheese, no wilted lettuce. Cause for celebration!

Lemon yogurt cake immediately sprang to mind, suiting both the mood and the returning sun. With the addition of tangy low-bush cranberries, this cake will provide a burst of bright flavours to propel you through fridge cleaning and any other spring chores, right into the new culinary season.

LEMON-CRANBERRY YOGURT CAKE (Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe for Lemon Yogurt Loaf)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp kosher salt PHOTO: Michele Genest

Lemon-Cranberry Yogurt Cake

• 3 large eggs • 1 cup plain yogurt • 1 cup granulated sugar • 2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons) • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 cup vegetable oil • 1 cup low-bush cranberries, fresh or frozen

Syrup

• 1/3 cup lemon juice • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Topping

• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (fahrenheit). Butter and flour a 9-inch springform cake pan. 2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a larger bowl, beat the eggs until thick and lemony.

Whisk in the sugar, yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla. 3. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thoroughly combined. 4. Using a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter,

making sure it’s fully incor porated. 5. Fold in the cranberries and pour the batter into the prepared pan. 6. Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. 7. While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup: combine sugar and lemon juice in a small pot and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Alternatively, combine sugar and lemon juice in a mixing cup and microwave at high for one minute. Set aside. 8. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan, on a rack, for 10 minutes. Run a slim blade around the edge of the cake and remove the rim. 9. Place the cake on a plate and pour the syrup slowly over top, allowing it to soak in. Let the cake cool to room temperature. 10. Sift the icing sugar over top of the cake, just before serving.

Serve as is or accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream. 11. Makes one 9-inch cake, enough for 10 to 12 servings n

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