Spiced and Simple Carrot Tatin

We’re probably very lucky not to have been battered too badly by the winds and storms that have been raging around the UK for the last few days, even if the noise of the wind did keep us awake last night!

The bad weather has been coming and going rather than relentless, so we did get out on Monday for a walk on Chobham Common, a rare example of lowland heath in Surrey.

But there has also been a lot of time spent inside, huddling by a log fire and indulging my liking for a good crime novel!  This, of course, is also the perfect time to try out a new recipe, and this recipe from Abel and Cole was ideal, being seasonal and satisfying.  I made the recipe by simply swapping gluten free flour for the white flour, which worked well, and I added a red pepper to the carrots for an extra splash of colour.  The original recipe used dates as part of the topping, but I left these out, just because I didn’t have any in!  The recipe came with a photo of perfectly evenly placed carrots in the original, but hey, I like my rather more haphazard arrangement!

Stunning, Spiced & Simple Carrot Tatin

For the top:

• 3 large carrots
• 1 red pepper
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp butter
• A pinch of sea salt and pepper
• A pinch of chilli powder
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• A drizzle of honey

For the base:

• 50g chestnuts or walnuts, plus 3-4 tbsp for the top
• 250g plain white flour, or gluten-free white flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
• 100g butter, diced
• 100ml milk (approx.)

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

Peel the carrots and cut them and the pepper into 6cm long batons (about 2cm thick) – so they’ll fit in a frying pan (the size of a dinner plate) in a circular pattern. Trim if needed.

Add water, butter and carrots to the pan. Cover. Let it bubble away till the water has gone and the butter has created a glaze.

Shake the pan from time to time. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Mix the nuts, flour, salt, baking powder and rosemary. Rub the butter into the mix till it’s breadcrumby. Slowly stir in the milk – as much or as little as it needs – to form a dough.

Gently knead into a ball. Flatten into a circle that will cover the carrots. Arrange the carrots and pepper into a circular fanlike shape in the pan. Dust cinnamon and chilli powder evenly over the top. Cover with the pastry. Press it gently into the pan to embed the carrots and pepper. Bake for 15 mins, until the base is just golden.

Carefully flip the tart onto a baking tray (place the tray over the pan, using an oven glove to flip over) so the carrots face up.

Dust with reserved nuts. Drizzle a drop of honey over. Bake for 10-15 mins. Serve with a scattering of herby leaves over the top.

A Veggie Merry Christmas! And a Boxing Day recipe

It doesn’t look as though we’ll have a white christmas this year, although we have had some frosty mornings to get us in the right frame of mind.  Cakes and puddings are baked, the spuds are lined up and just a few more presents remain to be wrapped.

So there’s just time to give you some inspiration for using up the left overs on the day after the big feast.  There’s a joke that says if you haven’t got your brussels sprouts on cooking before the end of the school summer holidays then you’ve left it too late!  No doubt there are many of you who’ve forced yourself to eat soggy over-cooked sprouts on christmas day only to swear you’ll never eat them again.  They don’t usually feature on anyone’s favourite list of vegetables, but they’re actually highly nutritious and have a lovely savoury tang when lightly cooked. Anyway, these delicious sausages from Early Vegetarian Recipes will persuade anyone to give the sprouts another try!

Brussel Sprout Sausages 
Mary Pope (1893), Novel Dishes for Vegetarian Households

4 ounces cooked sprouts
2 ounces mashed potatoes
2 ounces bread crumbs
1 ounce butter
1 teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 egg and breadcrumbs

Mix the vegetables, bread crumbs, and flavouring well together, moisten with half the egg, form into sausages, roll in the other half of egg and bread crumbs, and fry in the one ounce of butter

Harlequin Squash Stuffed with Lemon Infused Quinoa

Sometimes our veg box delivery throws up some real gems.  Last week it was this colourful collection with harlequin squash and purple carrots.  I wanted to roast the squash, as that is not only the easiest way to prepare squash, but also really brings out the subtle flavours, enhances the gorgeous colour of the flesh and has the added bonus of a dramatic looking dish at the end of it! I also figured a light touch was required to make the most of these fabulous ingredients so decided on quinoa as a filling, although risotto rice would work well too.

Don’t forget the seeds of the squash, as they’re bursting with nutrients and make a delicious snack or addition to the meal in their own right.  In this instance the seeds roast in lemon juice and sprinkled over the finished dish, which was then served with roast purple carrots.

Harlequin Squash Stuffed with Lemon Infused Quinoa

1 harlequin squash
1 cupful quinoa
2 cupfuls water
1 lemon, juice and grated zest
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

For the seeds

Saved squash seeds
1 tblsp olive oil
1 dstsp lemon juice
Sprinkling of sea salt

Cut the squash in half and remove the stalk.  Scoop out the seeds and keep them to one side.  Roast in an oven 175C / 350F /  gas 4 for approximately 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft.

Meanwhile prepare the quinoa by cooking with the water for around 15 minutes until the water is absorbed.  Just before the end of cooking add the grated lemon zest and the juice, keeping enough juice to use for the seeds.  Add some salt and black pepper.

For the seeds:  wash the seeds from any flesh and pick out the plumpest seeds, discarding any small flat ones.  Put the seeds on a roasting tray and coat with the oil.  Put in the oven with the squash.  After about 10 minutes as the seeds are beginning to brown sprinkle them with the lemon juice and salt, mix thoroughly and pop them back into the oven for further couple of minutes until the seeds are browned.

When the squash are cooked, pile the quinoa mixture into the centre of the squash, sprinkle the seeds over the top and serve with roast vegetables.

Lemon Roast Squash Seeds

 

Squash and Lentil Soup

Brrr!  It suddenly got cold and I’m running round the house turning the heating on and getting extra jumpers!  It had to happen of course, after our strangely warm autumn so far, but I still feel unprepared.

So what’s the only rational response to this turn of events?  Well, steaming bowls of hot chocolate obviously.  But if you’re looking for a healthier option then the steaming bowls have to be filled with soup, and nothing really beats a thick warming soup for a winter feel good factor.

This soup was made on the spur of the moment with store cupboard ingredients, including frozen butternut squash, which has become one of my favourite standbys.  Of course fresh squash would be even better, but having healthy ingredients in the freezer means quick dishes like this can be made without much thought or planning.

Squash and Lentil Soup

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 tblsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp black mustard seed
5 or 6 chunks frozen butternut squash
1 cup red lentils
1 pint water
1 tsp herbamare salt (or use sea salt)
1 heaped tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground black pepper

Heat the onion in a large saucepan and cook the onion, carrot, garlic and spices (except the garam masala) for several minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the spices.  Add the squash and lentils and stir briefly, then add the water and salt.

Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for around 20 minutes.  Add the garam masala and black pepper, taste the soup and add more salt if necessary.

Use a blender to blend the soup until smooth.  If you don’t have a blender, then the soup is fine as it is!

Great Veggie Food at the Italian Lakes

Lake Orta

After a long weekend in Stresa on the shores of Italy’s Lake Maggiore, it’s official: I’ve fallen in love!  I know it’s not a new discovery, but this really is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Blue shimmering waters surrounded by majestic mountain peaks receding into the mist.  Gorgeous!

Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore

It was one of those trips that just fell into place, with beautiful sunny weather, and unually for vegetarian travellers, great food at every turn.  Each day seemed to bring another delicious lunch in a yet more spectacular location.  There was a real sense of seasonal eating here, with much use made of local mushrooms, pumpkins and root veg.  There were top quality simple meals of pasta with tomato sauce fresh bread and salad, but also unusual dishes of herby polenta and sweet pumpkin gnocchi.  We only had four days, but as well as Stresa we visited Arona, also on Lake Maggiore and Orta San Giulio on Lake Orta.  We ate well everywhere and below is a list of recommendations.

Sunrise over Lake Maggiore

La Piazzetta, Piazza del Popolo, Arona (http://www.lapiazzettadiarona.com)
Overlooking Lake Maggiore to the Rocca de Angera on the far side. The had a special 3 course mushroom menu here and we had a wild mushroom tagliatelle as well as gnocchi in a rich tomato and mozzarella sauce.

Al Buscion, 18 Via Principessa Margharita, Stresa
We stopped in here twice for pre-dinner drinks and nibbles.  It has a great atmosphere and excellent wine list.

La Botte, 6/8 Via Mazzini, Stresa
Excellent herby polenta with garlicky roast vegetables and a rich wild mushroom risotto.

The New Bar, Isola Superiore dei Pescatori, Lake Maggiore – on the far shore of the island from the ferry port.
Another spectacular location on the lakeside with views over to Verbania.  A simple meal of pasta and tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil panino with a goats cheese salad and bread.

Cafe Torino, 23 Piazza Cadorna, Stresa
Great value pizza with salad and bread, served with style in a lively atmoshpere.

Trattoria Due Piccioni, 61/63 Via Principe Tomaso, Stresa
Top class cuisine with knowledgable and friendly staff.  We had Tortino Rustico, an eggy savoury cake with grilled courgettes and Gnocchi with pureed pumpkin topped with crumbled amaretti, sweet and intriguing.

Ristorante Due Santi, Piazza Motta, Orta San Giulio
An even more sublime view over Lake Orta towards Isola San Giulio accompanied by another simple, but perfect meal of pasta, bread and salad.

Isola San Giulio, Lake Orta