Vegetarian Archives - Page 2 of 7

5th October 2022 by Dan

The wonderfully fragant smell of onions and spices cooking at the beginning of this recipe will entice Bonfire Night revellers into the kitchen. It’s a good basic recipe using quick or easy-cook basmati rice. For meat eaters I often add cooked chicken and chorizo and for vegetarians crumbled feta, grilled halloumi cheese or extra roasted vegetables.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black onion seeds
400g quick or easy-cook basmati rice
400g diced pumpkin
800ml hot vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
125g thick Greek yogurt
100g radishes, sliced
100g roasted almonds, crushed
small bunch fresh mint and coriander, coarsely chopped
1 chilli, seeded and finely sliced

Method

Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-based pan (with tight-fitting lid). Add the onion, garlic, cumin, fennel and black onion seeds and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, add salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook, without stirring, for 10 minutes, or until all the stock has been absorbed. (if you’re using regular rice then this may take up to 20-25 minutes cooking time). At this point add any meat or vegetarian extras, remove from the heat, re-cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
Remove the lid and give the pilaf a gentle stir. Top with the yogurt, scatter with the radishes and almonds then sprinkle with the mint, coriander and chilli to serve.

Tip

Younger members of the family may not appreciate the fiery taste or heat of the chillies added at the end of this recipe. Serve them first, then add the chillies for more mature tastes to keep everyone happy.

12th October 2023 by Dan

The ESSE 990 ELX or 1000 X are perfect for baking granola as it gives such an even bake. This recipe can be seasonally adapted… cranberries for Christmas, dried blueberries and strawberries added in summer… maybe dried apricots in Spring! The added bonus of the steam vent is that it creates that delicious crunchy granola. It’s a delightful go to ‘meal’ when you are on the run, you feel you are adding goodness to your body!

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned oats, organic preferably
A handful of chopped nuts, e.g. almonds, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Turmeric
½ teaspoon ground ginger
A good grating of fresh nutmeg
1 tsp of zested orange
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup chopped dried fruit (optional)
½ cup of flaked coconut (optional)

Method

Heat oven to 180c / ESSE dial guide top end of MODERATE.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, nuts, chia seeds, spices, orange zest and sea salt until evenly combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract until combined. Pour the coconut oil mixture onto the oat mixture, and stir until evenly combined.
Spread the granola out evenly on an ESSE baking sheet or tray. Bake for 20 minutes with the steam vent open, stirring once halfway through. Then remove from the oven, add the coconut or dried fruit if using, and give the mixture a good stir. Bake for 5 more minutes, until the granola is lightly toasted and golden.
Remove from the oven and transfer the tray to a wire baking rack. Let cool until the granola reaches room temperature.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month

This recipe was created and prepared using an ESSE Electric Range Cooker by Georgina Revill of Vivaldi Catering. Georgie runs a bespoke cookery school called The Cook Shack on the Isle of Man.

20th July 2023 by Dan

This is a type of cornbread that can be made successfully gluten free and by adding some summer vegetables and store cupboard ingredients it makes a simple & delicious savoury cake. Try adding sweet potato instead of broad beans or what you have available. Perfect for taking on picnics and a nutritious snack too! You will need a 20cm spring-form cake tin, lined with parchment paper, or you can make it in a lined loaf tin.

Ingredients

110g self-raising flour or gluten free SR flour
110g polenta
50g ground almonds
110g butter, chilled
4 eggs, beaten
50g Parmesan or strong cheddar, grated
A handful of podded broad beans or peas
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ a red pepper, diced
3 – 5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
10 black olives, chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
80g canned sweetcorn
A handful of fresh herbs, ie basil, parsley, thyme
Salt and freshly black pepper

Method

If using broad beans, blanch them in boiling water for a minute. Drain and cool down quickly (to retain their emerald green colour) and skin them. Reserve a few for decoration if you wish.
Fry the red pepper, spring onions and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes. Allow to cool.
Put the flour, ground almonds, polenta into a bowl.
Cut the butter into small chunks and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips (or you can use a food processor) until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Then add the beaten eggs and all the vegetables, olives & herbs and cheese.
Season with a little salt (as the olives and cheese will provide salt) and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Mix well and spoon into the prepared tin.
Decorate with some extra podded broad beans if you wish.
Bake in the oven 180C (ESSE dial guide low end of HOT) for about 1 hour or until it is cooked and just starting to colour.

Recipe prepared by Philippa Vine using the ESSE 1000 X Electric Range Cooker at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen & Cookery School, East Sussex.

20th July 2023 by Dan

Cooking the whole unpeeled beetroot in the ESSE slowly until just cooked, is nutritious and gives the beetroot a rich and sweet flavour too. No need to bake the pastry blind as you cook it direct on the base of the oven. I like to add a few of the beetroot leaves, chopped to the filling, making the most of this delicious earthy vegetable!

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

225g plain flour, I use half wholemeal spelt and half plain flour
140g butter, chilled
1 large egg

For the filling:

4 beetroots, plus a few leaves, chopped
2 red onions, thinly sliced
Olive oil
100g soft goat’s cheese
3 eggs, beaten
200ml single cream
A small handful of fresh dill, chopped
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Wash the beetroot and cut off the tops (save a few leaves for the filling) and roast them in the ESSE for about 1 ½ hours (depending on the size and freshness of the beetroot).
When the beetroot is almost tender, allow to cool a little and then slip the skins off with your fingers.
While the beetroot is cooking make the pastry as you would for shortcrust and line a 24cm loose-based flan tin.
Fry the onions in a little olive oil until they begin to colour then add a splash of balsamic vinegar and seasoning. Reduce the heat and continue to cook until the onions soften a little more.
Set aside to cool and then place in the pastry case.
Dice up a couple of the cooked and peeled beetroots and scatter over the onions and add some of the green beetroot leaves if you wish.
Put the cream and eggs into a bowl and mix together, add the chopped dill and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into the pastry case.
Scatter over the goat’s cheese and quarter the rest of the beetroot and carefully place on top of the tart.
Place on the base of the oven at 170C (ESSE dial guide MODERATE) and cook for about 40 minutes or until the filling has set and just starting to colour. Allow to cool slightly in the tin before serving.

Recipe prepared by Philippa Vine using the ESSE 1000 X Electric Range Cooker at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen & Cookery School, East Sussex.

30th June 2020 by Dan

This cake is works so well using gluten free flour and is a great celebrational Summer cake perfect for Wimbledon! The sponge is a simple whisked sponge and contains no fat. Whisked sponges rise purely due to the air incorporated during the whisking process.

Serves

8-10 people

Ingredients

6 eggs
175g caster sugar
175g gluten free plain flour or plain flour
500ml double cream
500g a mix of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
Small glass of Pimm’s
2 heaped tablespoons raspberry jam (optional)
Edible flowers and fresh mint for decoration

Method

Grease and line with parchment paper 3 x 20cm cake tins.
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F, ESSE Dial Guide MODERATE, aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of MODERATE or very low end of HOT).
Whisk the eggs and sugar together with an electric whisk until the mixture becomes very pale fluffy and mousse-like.
Sift the flour over the mixture and carefully fold it in, taking care not to beat any air out of the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tins and bake in the oven until risen and golden.
When lightly pressed with your fingertips it should bounce back, about 20 minutes.
Allow to cool in the tins for a few minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool.
Sprinkle some Pimm’s over each cake. Whip the cream into soft peaks.
Carefully spread a little jam on each layer if using. Then sandwich together the 3 layers with some whipped cream and mixed berries.
Spread a layer of cream around the sides and on top of the cake.
Finally decorate with more berries and edible flowers and mint if desired!

Recipe provided by Philippa Vine of Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen. Located at Bates Green Farm, Arlington, the Bluebell Farmhouse kitchen is run by Philippa and Michael Vine. Sharing their passion for locally grown and sourced quality ingredients, Philippa runs several themed cookery courses and demonstrations every year using ESSE electric range cookers and the Ironheart wood fired cooking stove. Participants can enjoy the fruits of their labours together afterwards in the delightful country kitchen. Philippa is a professional cook and cookery writer and delights her visitors with her creative and wholesome food.

25th June 2019 by Dan

These pavlovas are so versatile and can be served with many different flavour combinations. Summer fruits are a classic, but you could make a salted pistachio crème fraiche and poached apricots or crush them up on top of your favourite ice cream with some melted chocolate or caramel sauce.

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 150˚C (top end of the ‘Cool’ setting on ESSE dial) and line a baking sheet with silicon paper.

Meringue ingredients

175g caster sugar
3 large (90g) egg whites

The important thing when making meringues is to make sure your mixing bowl is clean and dry and there is no residue of fat.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks then start to add a dessert spoon of sugar at a time, whisking the sugar in well each time until all the sugar is fully blended in – the meringue mix should be smooth and shiny – not grainy.

Using a 1cm plain piping nozzle and piping bag, fill the bag with the meringue mix and pipe into nice domes on your prepared tray. If you don’t have a nozzle you can use a metal spoon to make more rustic shapes.

Place the meringues in the oven with the vent closed and turn the heat down to 140˚C (middle of the ‘Cool’ scale on ESSE dial). After 40 minutes, open the steam release vent.

Blueberry and raspberry sauce

125g raspberries
75g blueberries
30g caster sugar
1/2 juice of a lemon

Blend the blueberries and raspberries together in a liquidiser, pass through a fine sieve to remove pips, season to taste with the sugar and lemon juice.

Chantilly cream

250g double cream
50g caster sugar
1/2 a vanilla pod or a tsp vanilla essence

Whisk the cream with the vanilla and sugar to soft peaks.

To serve, pipe or spoon the cream into the centre of your serving dish, pour a small amount of the sauce around, garnish with some berries and top with a pavlova. I also used some wild sorrel I picked in the woods and dusted with some freeze-dried raspberry powder.

Recipe provided by Dominique Ashford, pastry chef

16th June 2017 by Dan

I cook all my pizzas on the floor of my ESSE’s hot oven. You get that great crisp crust that is so typical of good stone baked pizza. The key is to get the oven really, really hot.

I rate beetroot. Its fantastic colour and taste make it one of our most unique root vegetables. It has a rich, earthy depth of flavour and is silky smooth to eat.

Boiling beetroot is good, but I think roasting it is better. You can roast them skin on, this keeps in all the flavour. Garlic, thyme and olive oil are a must. This combination works well as a warm salad with some boiled eggs or sirloin steak but also makes a fitting winter pizza topping.

Serves

Six People

Ingredients

Makes six small pizzas, at least
For the dough:
250g strong white bread flour
250g plain flour
5g powdered dried yeast
10g salt
350ml warm water
About a tablespoon of olive oil
A handful of coarse flour (rye, semolina or polenta) for dusting
The topping ingredients are listed in the method

Method

Make the dough:

To knead by hand, mix the flour, yeast, salt and water in a bowl to form a sticky dough. Add the oil, mix it in, then turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Knead until smooth and silky.

To use a food mixer, add the flour, yeast, salt and water to the mixer, fitted with the dough hook, and mix on low speed. Add the oil, then leave to knead for about ten minutes, until smooth and silky.

Shape into a round, then leave to rise in a clean bowl, covered with a plastic bag, until doubled in size.

For the topping:

Wash and de-stalk a good bunch of young kale. Chop it roughly. Throw it into a pan set over a high heat with a few slugs of olive oil, 2 peeled, sliced garlic cloves and 2 dried chilli’s de-seeded and chopped.

Sweat the kale down; keep it moving around the pan, the kale has to be well wilted and all the water to have evaporated. Season the kale with salt and pepper and set aside.

Take 5 or 6 smallish beetroot and give them a really good scrub under a tap. Throw into a roasting tin with a few tablespoons of olive oil, 3 or 4 smashed garlic cloves and a generous scattering of thyme and rosemary leaves.

Season well with salt and pepper, then roast in a hot oven for 30 – 40 minutes until soft and crispy round the edges.

Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll out each on a well floured work surface as thin as is practical 2- 3 mm max.

Scatter the roast beetroot over your pizza base, tear over some decent mozzarella and 6 or so anchovy fillets. Tear the wilted chard over the pizza. Season with salt, pepper, a glug of olive oil and a few more thyme leaves.

Lastly spoon over any roasting juices left over from cooking beetroot. I use a large base form a tart tin as a peel for putting my pizzas in the oven. You really have to make sure that your peel and your surface is well floured. Semolina or polenta flour is great for this as it is courser Lift the pizza up with your dusted peel.

Carefully slide each pizza onto the floor of your very hot oven (up to max). It’s best to do 1 at a time. It wont take long to cook – 3- 4 mins and there done.

10th January 2023 by Dan

This simple but stylish salad starter is bursting with freshness and flavour and just the thing to start a Valentine’s Day meal. I think it is delicious with a little crusty ciabatta bread to soak up the juices.

Serves 2

Ingredients

100g Tenderstem broccoli
2 medium peaches, stoned and quartered
1 ½ tsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g baby spinach leaves
75g goat’s cheese log (I used Kidderton Ash), cut into thin slices
Few fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

Dressing:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Preheat a griddle pan until smoking hot…this may take up to10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, toss the Tenderstem broccoli and peach quarters in the olive oil with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the peach and broccoli mixture to the griddle and cook for about 5 minutes, turning a few times, until they are just tender and marked with griddle-lines.
Arrange the spinach leaves on a serving plate and top with the cooked peach and broccoli mixture. Add the goat’s cheese and sprinkle with the basil leaves.
Beat the extra virgin olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste to make a dressing. Drizzle over the salad and serve at once.

Tip

When available replace the peaches in this salad with 2 fresh, ripe nectarines or 4-6 fresh, ripe apricots… they are equally as delicious.

2nd December 2022 by Dan

This lovely Chilean bean, corn and squash stew proved one of the most popular recipes in River Cottage Veg Everyday. I’ve enjoyed playing with the dish since then, adding creamy beans, fresh tomatoes and basil (included in some Chilean versions), along with not-so traditional celery, which adds a savoury note. I also ring the changes with courgettes in place of the squash. You can use whichever you prefer, or go half and half. It’s an easy dish… and very more-ish.

Serves 6

Ingredients

About 500g small–medium courgettes or peeled, deseeded squash, such as butternut, Crown Prince or onion squash
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 celery sticks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
A handful of oregano leaves, roughly chopped (or you can use thyme)
1 litre vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
400g tin beans, such as kidney, borlotti or butter beans, drained and rinsed
About 200g sweetcorn kernels (you should get this from 2 medium cobs, but frozen is also fine)
300g tomatoes, roughly chopped
6–8 basil leaves, torn
Sea salt and black pepper
Dried chilli flakes, to finish (optional)

Method

If using courgettes, cut them into 1cm slices (first quartering them lengthways if they are very large). If you’re using squash, cut it into 2cm chunks.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté gently for 10–12 minutes. Add the paprika and chopped oregano (or thyme). Cook, stirring, for another minute.
Add the squash and/or courgettes, vegetable stock and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes until all the veg are almost tender.
Add the green beans, tinned beans, sweetcorn and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes or until all the veg are tender. Stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve the stew in warmed bowls, adding a pinch of chilli flakes for those who like a bit of heat.

A best-loved favourite recipe made better by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from the River Cottage good comfort cook book. Recipe prepared using his ESSE Range Cooker.

1st December 2022 by Dan

I learned to make (and to love) a French onion tart from the recipe in Elizabeth David’s classic French Provincial Cooking. This tart remains faithful to the spirit of that recipe, based as it is on lots of sweet, soft onion, but I’ve added greens, used my half-wholemeal shortcrust pastry and gone for a lighter custard based on half milk, half cream (and whole eggs, so there are no spare whites leftover for you to deal with). It’s still gorgeous. And this is an endlessly adaptable tart template.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 quantity half-wholemeal shortcrust pastry, chilled
Flour, to dust

Filling

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
A large knob of butter
About 600g onions (red, brown or a combination), finely sliced
Nutmeg, for grating
200–250g cavolo nero, tough stalks removed, or about 300g spinach, very well rinsed
150ml double cream
150ml whole milk
3 medium eggs
50g mature Cheddar or Parmesan, grated
Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Use the chilled shortcrust pastry to line a 24cm tart tin and bake blind as per the instructions on page 143. Trim the edges. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ESSE Dial Guide MODERATE (Aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of MODERATE or very low end of HOT).
To make the filling, heat the oil and butter together in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions with some salt and pepper. Cook gently, stirring regularly, for about 30 minutes until soft, golden and tender. Grate over some fresh nutmeg, stir in and leave to cool a little.
While the onions are cooking, blanch the greens: bring a pan of water to the boil and add the cavolo nero or spinach. Return to a simmer then immediately tip the greens into a colander to drain and run under the cold tap to cool them quickly.
Now squeeze out as much moisture from the greens as you can, then chop coarsely and combine with the cooked onion. Beat the cream, milk and eggs together in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper.
Arrange the onion and greens mix in the prepared tart case and carefully pour the beaten egg mixture over them. Scatter the grated cheese over the surface.
Bake in the oven for about 30–35 minutes until the filling is just set and golden. Leave the tart to cool, at least a little, before serving warm or at room temperature.

A best-loved favourite recipe made better by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall from the River Cottage good comfort cook book. Recipes prepared using his ESSE Range Cooker

12th December 2022 by Dan

This recipe of mine doesn’t need maturing, its a simple mixture with the addition of some grated carrot. I boil mine slowly for 3 hours and then another 3 hours before serving. To flame your pudding for serving, heat about 3 tablespoons of whisky in a small saucepan on your ESSE, take your pudding to the table, carefully set light to it, away from the table and pour slowly over the pudding.

Ingredients for an 18cm pudding basin:

100g wholemeal flour or gluten free flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
100g fresh breadcrumbs or gluten free bread crumbs
50g dark muscovado sugar
100g butter, melted
400g mixed dried fruit
2 carrots, grated
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons brandy, rum or whisky
Butter for the basin

Method

Butter a pudding basin and place a disc of non-stick baking paper in the base.
Simply mix all the ingredients together and stir evenly together.
Pack the mixture into the basin. Cover with a sheet of baking paper and cover with a sheet of foil. Tie securely around and over the top of the basin to form a handle. Sit this in a large pan on an upturned old saucer, or in a steamer, pour water halfway up the sides. Bring to the boil on top of the ESSE, place a lid and simmer for 3 hours in the oven, moderately hot, aim for the dial reading to be at the low end of moderate (150C). When the pudding is cooked, lift out and remove the foil and paper and replace them with fresh ones. Wrap in foil and store in a cool place.
Simmer in the same way for another 3 hours before serving.

Recipe baked in the Ironheart wood-burning cook stove by Philippa Vine of Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen, Arlington.

Philippa is a professional cook and cookery writer and delights visitors with her creative and wholesome food. She shares her passion for locally grown and sourced quality ingredients. Philippa runs several themed ESSE cookery courses and demonstrations every year in her delightful country kitchen.

16th June 2017 by Dan

Enjoy the best of British food with ESSE range recipes with the help of River Cottage head chef, Gill Meller.

Here, Gill Meller takes us through a step-by-step demonstration recipe, cooking his favourite Winter Soup with beans and winter veg – cooked on an ESSE flued Gas range.

5th October 2022 by Dan

Wraps, filled with sticky sausages and onions, make great party fare. Children will love these as they are sweet and easy to eat. For a more adult party try other speciality and spicy sausages and perhaps add some tongue[1]tingling mustard or chilli relish to the wraps.

Makes: 6

Ingredients

12 pork chipolata sausages
2 red onions, cut into wedges
1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar
1 tbsp ordinary dark or Indonesian sweet soy sauce
6 plain or seeded tortilla wraps

Method

Preheat the oven if necessary to 220°C/ ESSE Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of HOT).
Line a roasting tin or baking tray with baking parchment or easy glide. Place the sausages and onion wedges on top.
In a small bowl, mix the oil with the tomato ketchup, honey, sugar and soy sauce. Drizzle over the sausages and onion wedges and toss to coat well. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sausages are thoroughly cooked and have browned without burning, and the onion wedges are starting to crisp.
To serve, place 2 of the sausages and some onion wedges on each wrap and fold up to enclose. Allow to cool a little then serve with napkins.

Tip

Vegetarians can still be catered for with this recipe, simply replace the traditional meat sausages with Quorn sausages or Quorn fajita style strips (cooked according to the pack instructions).

5th October 2022 by Dan

These muffins have a dark side to them… from the beetroot added to give colour and flavour. Great for Hallowe’en, they provide a sweet, sticky end to the festivities!

Makes: 12 large muffins

Ingredients

200g golden syrup
200g black treacle
150g unsalted butter
125g dark brown sugar
100g stem ginger, finely chopped
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
250g pack cooked beetroot
250ml milk
2 medium eggs, beaten
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300g plain flour

Icing:

150g icing sugar
zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tbsp
lemon juice

Method

Preheat the oven if necessary to 180°C/ESSE Dial Guide MODERATE. (Aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of MODERATE or very low end of HOT). Line a large 12-hole muffin tray with cases.
Place the golden syrup, black treacle, butter, sugar, stem ginger, ground ginger and cinnamon in a pan and warm until the butter and sugar have melted.
Meanwhile, puree the beetroot with the milk, eggs and bicarbonate of soda. Add to the slightly cooled sugar mixture, mixing well.
Sift the flour into a bowl then beat in the beetroot mixture until the mixture is smooth.
Divide between the muffin cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until firm but springy to the touch. Be careful not to overcook the muffins, they are nice a little sticky. Remove from the rack tray and leave to cool on a rack.
While the muffins are cooling make the icing. Mix the icing sugar with the lemon zest and lemon juice to make a smooth paste. Drizzle over the muffins when completely cold.

Get Ahead

These muffins keep really well for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight tin.

5th October 2022 by Dan

This is a delicious vegetarian pasta dish with contrasting flavours and textures from the soft shallots and pumpkin, to the al dente pasta (with a bite) to the crunchy pumpkin seeds.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 small shallots, peeled
300g dried or fresh penne pasta
1 chilli, seeded and finely sliced
15g butter
6 tbsp water
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven if necessary to 180°C/ESSE Dial Guide MODERATE. (Aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of MODERATE or the very low end of HOT).
Peel and cut the pumpkin into bite-sized pieces, reserving the pumpkin seeds. Place the pumpkin in a pan with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for about 5 minutes until coloured on the outside. Add the shallots and cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain, rinse and keep warm. Toast the pumpkin seeds in the oven for 5 minutes.
Return a quarter of the pumpkin and shallot mixture to the pan with the chilli, butter, water and rosemary. Heat through to make a bubbly sauce. Add the remaining pumpkin mixture then finally fold in the cooked pasta.
Serve on warmed plates dusted with a little Parmesan cheese and scattered with the pumpkin seeds.

Variation

Those who miss meat might welcome the addition of come cooked and sliced spicy sausage at the end of cooking.

5th October 2022 by Dan

This superb soup has a fantastic taste, enhanced by adding the rind from the cheese as it cooks, to extract every bit of flavour. You’ll need roughly 500g butternut squash when peeled and deseeded. If you have any leftover, simply roast to serve as a vegetable with another meal.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

150g Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, with rind
25g butter 1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
900ml hot vegetable stock
150ml milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-6 slices French bread
chopped fresh parsley or thyme, to garnish

Method

Reserve the rind from the Parmigiano-Reggiano and cut into chunks, then finely grate the cheese.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and cook gently for about 3 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the squash, stock and cheese rind. Heat until the mixture is just simmering, then partially cover with a lid and cook gently for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender.
Remove the rind from the pan and discard. Purée the mixture with most of the grated cheese until smooth (reserve just a little for the garnish). Return the soup to the pan, add the milk and salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix. Reheat until piping hot.
Meanwhile, toast the bread, sprinkle with the reserved cheese and grill or bake to melt.
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each with a piece of French toast. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or thyme and serve at once

Tip

Other edible squashes can be used to make this soup. If using small round squash why not keep the scooped out shells and ladle the soup into them for serving? Takes care of the washing up too!

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