Butternut squash, mushroom, onion and mozzarella tarte tatin, tiny roast potatoes and steamed vegetables.

 

I'm trying to use the autumnal vegetables, and not just make soups and stews (not that there is anything wrong with that), so a savoury tarte tatin with Sunday dinner veggies.  It was delicious.

Onions
Olive oil

Garlic

Butternut squash

Mixed herbs - sage, rosemary a bit of chilli

Leftover (?) wine!  rosé today

Mushrooms

Potatoes

Green beans 

Savoy cabbage

Mozzarella

Puff pastry

Soya milk

1.  Sautee chopped onion in olive oil, with a pinch of salt, in a tarte tatin pan - or heavy frying pan which can go in the oven..

2.  When quite soft add crushed garlic.

3.  Peel and chop butternut squash and add to the onion, fry off for a minute or so, then add a splash of wine and water, simmer for 10 minutes.

4.  Stir and add herbs of your choice - sage, rosemary and chilli work well.

5.  Simmer until squash is nearly soft, and most of the liquid has disappeared, add chopped mushrooms and continue cooking.

6.  Peel and cube potatoes, roast in olive oil at about 180.

7.  Prepared extra vegetables for steaming - I used green beans and cabbage - could be almost anything.

8.  When the mushrooms have cooked enough to release their moisture and the mixture has become quite dry again - turn off the heat.

9.  Sprinkle grated cheese onto the squash and mushroom mixture, cover with puff pastry.

10.  Tuck the pastry into the pan to form a rustic seal, stab the top a few times to let out steam, and brush the top with soya milk.

11.  Put the pie in to bake for 25-20 minutes.  Steam the vegetables.

12.  Chat, set the table, faff.

13.  Turn the pie out, serve the potatoes and veggies.

14.  Serve, gloat, scoff.  

A tale of two curries

Sunday, a confirmed meat eater, a vegetarian and assorted random veg in the fridge ... so - Sunday night curries.

Start the curries off at the same time, and follow the steps.  Takes about a hour start to finish.

I had some curry mixes, so based the spicing on those ... could have used individual spices obviously.

Onions
Olive oil
Garlic
Celery
Malaysian fish curry mix
Tikka masala mix
Chilli
Mushrooms
Red pepper
Butternut squash
Pork loin steaks
Water
Pork stock
Apples
Apple juice
Pilou spice mix
Basmati rice

1.  Chop onions and start 2 decent sized sautée pans going with the onions in olive oil.
2.  Add crushed garlic.
3.  Chop celery and add some to both pans.
4.  Stir in spice mixes - Malaysian for the veg and tikka masala for the pork.
5.  Chop mushrooms and add to both pans.
6. Chop red pepper and add to veggie curry.
7.  Chop pork into bite sized pieces and add to meat curry.
8.  Prep butternut squash and add to veggie curry, and stir in.  Add veg stock.
9.  Keep turning posh until lightly browned, then add cored and chopped apples.  Then add pork stock and a cup of apple juice.
10.  Simmer both curries, if they are going dry add more water - taste to check seasoning.
11.  Add pilou spices to a little olive oil and cook them for a minute or two.  Add basmati rice and water to an inch above the surface of the rice.  Stir once and bring to the boil.
12.  When rice boils turn right down and slam on the lid - it will be ready in about 15 minutes.
13.  Add a drained, rinsed, tin of chickpeas to the veggie curry.
14.  Add half a cup of coconut milk to each curry, stir in and simmer.
15. Serve, scoff ... obviously taking which option you prefer.  I had some of each ... yum

National vegetarian week: Day 2: Quorn linguine

National vegetarian week is not the veg dodger's idea of fun - but we shall plough on regardless.  Well, I did think that if I tried a meat substitute ... so that there was some mince texture about it, it might be a softer blow!  The linguine is GF, for our requirements, but it could obviously be standard linguine, spaghetti of tagliatelle.  The mix of veg is more about what was in the fridge than a particular plan.

Onion
Garlic
Olive oil
Celery
Yellow pepper
Mushrooms
Courgette
Butternut squash
Quorn mince
Italian herbs
Tin tomatoes
Oegano
Linguine (or other long pasta)
Grated cheese

1.  Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil.
2.  Prep and chop all other veg into similar sized pieces and add to the onion mixture, stirring farily frequently.
3.  In 5-10 minutes the veg will have started to soften, so chuck in the quorn mince and a good pinch of italian herbs.
4.  Turn the mixture over, the quorn will start to brown slightly - then add a tin of tomatoes and at least a tin of water ... simmer.
5.  Chuck in some finely chopped fresh oregano (optional)
6.  Cook pasta, grate cheese.
7.  Serve, scoff

Veg dodger wasn't exactly effusive in praise - but finished the lot off for supper - so it can't have been so bad!

Onion bhaji, potato and pea curry, chickpea and pumpkin curry

Another end of veg box challenge.  Onions, butternut squash and kale ... and a handful of potatoes.

Onion bhajis

3 onions, finely sliced
chili flakes
bicarb
gram flour
oil


Potato and pea curry

Diced onion
black mustard seeds
cumin seeds
turmeric
crushed garlic
oil
diced potatoes
water
frozen peas
garam masala

Chickpea and pumpkin curry

Olive oil
diced onion
fennel seeds
cumin seeds
chili flakes
crushed garlic
butternut squash
tomato puree
water
chickpeas
shredded kale

1.  Start onion bhajis - sliced onions and add salt and spices.  Leave to sit - this will draw the water out of the onions, allowing them to bond better with the gram flour forming their own batter.
2.  Start other curries by sauteeing diced onion, and the spices and garlic.
3.  Add potatoes to one pan and butternut squash to the other, cook for a few minutes.
4.  Add tomato paste to butternut squash, and water to them both.
5.  Simmer curries for about 15 minutes, add more water if they get dry.
6.  Add chickpeas to butternut squash, and then cook a little longer.
7.  Add shredded kale to butternut squash and peas to potatoes, simmer for 5 more minutes.
8.  When other curries are ready, add bicarb and gram flour to the onions for the bhajis, and mix.
9.  Fry spoonfuls of onions, drain on kitchen roll and eat.

Middle eastern lentils and rice with roast vegetables

Olive oil
Lentils
Bay leaf
Garlic
Rice
Onion
Mustard seeds
Cumin
Black sesame seeds
lemon zest, and juice
Fried onions

Butternut squash
Red pepper
Courgette
Aubergine
Garlic
Rosemary
Chili flakes

1.  Boil rice and lentils separately - add a bay leaf and a garlic clove to the lentils.
2.  Roast the veg in olive oil with bay leaves, garlic, a sprig of rosemary and a sprinkle of chili flakes.
3.  When rice and lentils are cooked, drain them and fry with softenned onion, mustard, sesame and cumin seeds.  When mixed grate in a little lemon zest and a squirt of lemon juice.
4.  Top the lentils and rice with crispy fried onions.

Delicious.  I think some lemon yogurt sauce would go very well if you want a bit of a sauce.

Caribbean roast vegetable and chickpea soup

Yesterday, a lovely wedding - this meant a night in a hotel - therefore, the compulsory full english breakfast (I'm not going to name and shame - it wasn't brilliant) - leaves you quite full, or at least wanting something tasty and nutritious and not swimming in grease.  I looked in the fridage and found the remains of the veg box (nearly) were sweet potato, butternut squash, red pepper and pak choi.  Add a tin of chickpeas, tin of tomatoes and some yogurt and tadah!


Olive oil
Sweet potato, peeled and chopped into biggish bits
Red pepper, chopped and deseeded
Butternut squash, peeled and prepared
blackenned cajun seasoning
garlic, lots of it, crushed and the tough peel removed (papery bits can be left)
Stock
tin of tomatoes
tin of chickpeas, drained

lemon, zest and juice
salt
natural yogurt

pakchoi
olive oil

1.  Roast prepared vegetables and garlic in olive oil, whit a good sprinkling of cajun seasonning - in a hot oven, until soft and slightly singed.
2.  Meanwhile gently soften a chopped onion in olive oil.
3.  Add roast vegetables and garlic to onion, add a pint or so of stock.
4.  Bring up to simmer.  Add 1/2 tin drained and rinsed chickpeas and a tin of tomatoes.  Heat through.
5. Zizz to a smoot soup - add more stock/water to taste.
6.  Tip in the remaining chickpeas, and heat through.
7.  Just before serving squeeze in lemon juice (1/2 lemon)

Top with yogurt, which has a big pinch of salt, the zest of the lemon, and the other half of the lemon's juice mixed in.

Top that with shredded and fried in olive oil, pak choi.

FAB-U-LOUS!

Thai butternut squash, sweet potato and chickpea curry

Another late-ish night.  The new veg box was delivered - which is great BUT I have to resist the temptation to use all the new yummy stuff and let the old stuff go off.

So, I challenged myself to use the butternut squash and sweet potato which had been knocking about - so thai red curry.



Peanut oil
Onion
garlic
Thai curry paste (yellow in this case)
yellow pepper
butternut squash
parsnip
sweet potato
tin of chickpeas
tin of coconut milk

rice
water

1.  Sautee onion in oil.
2.  Cook rice by your favourite method.
3.  Stir in other prepared veg (peeled and diced), garlic and curry paste.
4.  Add a little water to allow it to simmer.
5.  Add drained chick peas and coconut milk, simmer ... for about 30 minutes

Taste - if too hot, add a teaspoon of sugar and cook out.  If it is going dry before it's cooked - add a cup of water.

Serve, scoff.  It all looks very yellow but very tasty.

Red rice and mung beans, ratatouie(ish) and roast butternut squash

The veg box comes on a Tuesday - Sunday and Monday can get "interesting" - today became mediterranean with a little bit of moroccan and caribbean chucked in for good measure.

red rice
mung beans
fried onions
parsley
oregano
cinnamon

olive oil
butternut squash
red onion
garlic
rosemary
caribbean seasoning

onion
olive oil
red pepper
yellow pepper
aubergine
tomatoes
mixed herbs
black pepper
red wine

1.  Cook rice and simmer mung beans.
2.  When cooked, take off the heat and save until ready to serve.
3.  Five minutes before serving heat up with a little olive oil, with fried onions, sprinkle of cinnamon and chopped herbs.

4.  Peel and chop butternut squash
5.  Put into roasting tin with chunks of red onion, cloves of garlic, salt, caribbean seasoning and olive oil.
6.  Roast for about 45 minutes.

7.  Sautee chopped onion in olive oil.
8.  When onion is a bit soft and loads of garlic and diced pepper, aubergine and tomatoes.
9.  Splosh in wine, mixed herbs and seasoning.
10.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Really very nice!  Loads left of course.

Butternut squash and carrot risotto

The last of the veg box after the holiday weeks - onion, butternut squash, a few carrots and some tomatoes... so here it is - butternut squash and carrot risotto.

olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 butternut squash
4 carrots
arborio rice
cumin seeds
6 tomatoes
balsamic vinegar
turmeric
veg stock
grated parmesan

1. Saute chopped onion until a bit soft.  Add in crushed garlic, finely diced butternut squash and carrots - turn over in the olive oil.  Cook for about 5 minutes.
2.  Add rice and cumin.  Turn over in the oil.
3.  Add grated tomatoes and a splash of balsamic, and a pinch of turmeric (saffron if you have it hanging around).
4.  Keep adding veg stock and turning over, and stirring until rice is cooked - about 15-20 minutes.
5.  Chuck in grated parmesan.

I think this would serve about 5 - and I think it cost about 80p a portion.  We had it the following night, fired as fritters with some cabbage - even more delicious.

bonfire ribs feast

 Some great mates round for fireworks dinner ... and a trip to the local fireworks extravanganza... "extrava-flipping-ganza" ... that'll be 10 minutes at a push then!

So we had to console ourselves with scoffing slow cooked spicy ribs, with baked potatoes and roasted pumpkin and pepper.

Gathered victims loved the crispy top of the ribs, and the extra marinade gravy.... and all got pretty sticky around the chops... no pics of this, as I was too busy scoffing mine.  Only the smallest victim ran to the fridge for a glass of milk, everybody else was lip smacking and licking their fingers.

Recipe

Wash and pierce potatoes, rub gently with olive oil - stick in oven.

Sticky ribs:-

Marinade
1 tsp ginger
3 cloves crushed garlic
glug olive oil
chili flakes
tomato ketchup
soy sauce (wheat free for gluten free)
dark brown sugar
Lime juice
salt, pepper
chili sauce
worcestershire sauce
tinned peaches (about 6 slices squashed)

Whisk together - taste to adjust

Sheet of pork ribs

Get the butcher to score the skin on the ribs.
Slather generously in marinade.  (If there is time leave in the fridge for a couple of hours).
Roast in a hot oven for 30 minutes, then turn down/ transfer to a medium oven for about 2 hours.
Leave to rest while you reduce the excess marinade on the hob to provide extra sauce.
Scoff

Roast vegetables

Chuck wedges of red onion, roughly chopped red pepper and peeled and chopped butternut squash and pumkin in olive oil with salt and pepper.  Add 4 chopped apples, spitzed with lime juice to prevent discolouration.  Roast for about 40 minutes.

I also chopped 2 leeks and a packet of green beans - chuck into pan with glug of olive oil and a small glass of white wine.  Bring to boil on hob, then chuck in the oven (with a lid on) to steam/braise for about 30ish minutes.

Sticky ribs, boaked potatoes and at least 5 veg --- score!  and delish.

Shame about the fireworks - so we had a little sparkler action.

lentil and couscous stuffed butternut squash

Meatless Monday, and butternut squash is one of the few vegetables still in season as we wait for the poly tunnel to start producing lots.  So cut butternut squash in half and scooped out the seeds.  Slash the flesh a little and season, drizzle on olive oil and roast for about 40 minutes.  Meanwhile, boil Puy lentils for 20 minutes until soft, chop and sautee onion, leek, garlic and mushrooms in olive oil.  Pour boiling water on couscous and leave to stand for at least 5 minutes to soak up all the water.  Mix drained lentils, couscous and softened vegetables and season well - you could also add olive oil, or a beaten egg.  Spoon into soft butternut squash and top with grated parmesan.  Back in the oven for 10 minutes.  It was very tasty, but needs the seasoning. A nice fresh salad to go with would be nice. Victim announced the presentation "challenging" but the dinner very tasty - particularly after adding chili ketchup - and scoffed the lot.  Bonus, lots of lentil mixture left to put in the fridge for salad tomorrow lunchtime.

Butternut squash, chocolate and orange cake

Butternut squash... really?  I have done beetroot chocolate cake before, but not butternut squash.  It's pretty good, but not too sweet.  The recipe has a ganache topping, but I didn't have any cream, so served it with cherry ice cream - will get some cream or something for tomorrow.  It would be good with orange cream cheese frosting, but I think that defeats the lower fat/ lower sugar - but still cake point of it all.  Recipe more or less from here http://www.bakingmad.com/recipes/cakes/butternut-squash-and-chocolate-cake but I added zest of an orange, which I think went well.

Roast butternut squash, stuffed and stuff

Veg box revenge, or veg box at its best - you decide.  I loved it - victim (predictably) picked and moaned.  I had hoped to win with the salty feta, but apparently there was too much green in the slimy stuff....aka strips of cabbage... my point that the greener the cabbage the sweeter and more nutritious was ignored .. of course.  Recipe, such as it is - deseed butternut squash, drizzle with olive oil - roast for an hour or so.  Sautee onion and mushrooms, add a cup of water... 10 minutes before serving plonk shredded cabbage on top and steam with the lid on - add more water if it looks dry.  Chop feta and stir in at the end.  Served with steam brocolli.

Sausage casserole in giant yorkshire pudding

Victim number one - as cherished as she might be - does have a habit of ambushing recipes at the last minute.  Today is a case in point.  We had lovely italian herbed sausages in the freezer and shed loads of organic veg in the fridge.  Being Sunday, we were also due to feed the outlaws one of their few healthy meals of the week.  So - my plot - hearty sausage casserole with brown rice and cabbage.  (Sautee twice as many chopped/ sliced onions as you think reasonable, add crushed garlic, add sauages and move around until they have some colour - add chopped root (and other hardish) veg (celeriac, swede, some carrots - butternut squash), stock cube, tin of tomatoes, half a pint of water (ish) simmer)... cook rice, steam cabbage... delish.  But, I was interrupted by primary victim hankering for yorkshire puddings - ideally, start this about 40 minutes before you intend to serve. ... I managed to (amazingly), and I have to say it was an improvement on the intended brown rice - though probably nutritionally compromised! Recipe was from Nigella Lawson's "How to Eat" (referred to here ny her own people http://www.nigella.com/kitchen-queries/view/701).   Back to nutritionally compromised... - when I added up starter to pudding - victims had 13 of their 5 a day... so that can't be bad.  (Just for clarification - this wasn't the most impressive pud - (the best was round and very cloud like) but the gathered victims were too intent on tucking in for a photo shoot).

Now what do I do with all that extra brown rice?

National Vegetarian Week: Day 1: Butternut Squash and Chickpea Thai Curry

Well, victim moaned - how predictable is that - but actually it was really nice and fresh.  Briefly soften 1 onion or 2 spring onions, add garlic and Red Thai curry paste - added diced butternut squash, red pepper and chopped mushrooms.  Chuck in tin of coconut milk, and about the same of water.  Season with black pepper, and a little red chili if you like it hot.  Add drained tin of chickpeas - simmer.  After about 15-20 minutes, when the butternut squash is soft add handful of baby spinach - stir until it is just wilted - serve with Jasmine rice.

Other news - Jack - the cat has been off wandering for 2 days, which is not like him - but returned somewhat squeaky in the middle of last night.  He's still being a bit clingy, but I think he's fine - and had just got himself locked in somewhere.  Sophie and Rosemary are still resolutely broody, despite our best efforts to de-nest them. And, hurray hurray - pizza oven arrives Friday.  Have to go to a Ball Friday night, but pizza party on Saturday sounds likely.

Butternut squash, spinach and feta filo pie

Victim suggested it would be better as individual tarts - but all in all, not a bad veggie offering.  So, roasted a butternut squash with garlic with a splash of olive oil for about a hour.  Made filling by softening red onion, a clove more garlic, a grated courgette and a handful of chopped mushrooms in olive oil,  added roast squash and good amount of spinach - heated gently and mixed until spinach wilted - added cumin, more garlic, chili and whatever curry spices were to hand - looking for gentle flavouring, not heat.  Took off heat and stirred in feta.  Made pie by scuffily layering fio sheets in a kind of overlapping diamond shape - brushing with olive oil every sheet.  Dollop mix in the middle, grind on some black pepper. Top with one layer of filo, olive oil, and sprinkle on pine nuts.  Scrunch up ends of remaining filo sheets over the top of the pie.  Brush with olive oil, and sprinkle on sesame seeds.  Bake for 30ish mins... depnding on your oven (about 180C).  Salad - beetroot, spring onion, chopped carrot, cherry tomatoes - dress with balsamic vinegar and olice oil, topped with radish sprouts.  Best thing.. leftovers for lunch tomorrow.  :)