Batch of the day

The Green Batch Cook Book by Sam Gates contains 70 vegetarian and vegan batch cook recipes for busy people. Pictures by Sam Gates

• 40g butter, melted, plus extra for cooking • Greek yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

Put the rhubarb and sugar in a wide saucepan and add two tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down and simmer for three minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to cool in the pan. Taste and add a little more sugar if needed.

To make the pancake batter, mix the flour and custard powder together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk the egg so that it begins to pull in the flour mixture, and continue whisking until you have incorporated half of the flour into the eggs.

Mix the milk with five tablespoons of water. Whisk a few spoonfuls of the milk and water mixture into the flour and egg mixture, then continue adding the milk and water gradually, whisking continuously as you draw in the rest of the flour. Keep whisking until you have a smooth batter.

Just before you start cooking, stir the melted butter into the batter.

To cook the pancakes, heat a teaspoon of butter in a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Swirl it around, and when it is sizzling, add a ladleful of pancake batter. Swirl the batter around the pan until it covers the base, then leave it to cook for 1–2 minutes until golden on the bottom. Flip the pancake and cook the other side for 1 minute. Slide onto a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter – the mixture will make about eight pancakes. Serve the pancakes with a generous quantity of poached rhubarb and a dollop of Greek yoghurt. The cooled poached rhubarb will keep for up to two days in the fridge.

To freeze the pancakes, cool them completely and place them in flat layers between sheets of greaseproof paper or reusable liners. Slide into an airtight bag and freeze.

Defrost and reheat gently in a microwave or warm oven for a few seconds before serving.

■ The Green Batch Cook Book by Sam Gates published by Robinson/

Little Brown books, £18.99. Photography by Sam Gates.