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.

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

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

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!

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

Sausages with Curry Flavour by Mary Pope 1893

1 dozen button mushrooms
2 hard boiled eggs
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
½ teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon salt
A little pepper
1 beaten egg

Mince finely the eggs and mushrooms, add curry powder, salt, pepper, and one tablespoonful of the bread crumbs (which should be very fine); bind altogether with half the beaten egg and shape into little sausages, roll them in the remainder of the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until brown (about half a minute).  Sufficient for two persons.

Lentil and Tomato Sausages with Piquante Sauce by Mrs Bowdich 1892

1 pound soaked lentil
1 tin tomatoes
1 onion
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ pound breadcrumbs
1ounce each butter and flour

Boil the lentils and onion, sliced, in the tomato juice (having previously strained away the pulp) for one and a half hours; add one teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of pepper; strain.  When cool, take a quarter of a pound of the lentils, add the remainder of the seasoning and the tomato pulp, which must have been squeezed quite dry,  chop all fine, add three ounces of breadcrumbs and half a beaten egg.  Shape into little sausages, roll in the remainder of the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil.  Thicken the liquor which was strained off with the butter and flour, and serve separately.

River Cottage Veg Everyday

I love Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, but rarely watch his tv programmes because they’re just so meaty!  Well the good news for us veggie foodies is that for his new series, Hugh decided to go vegetarian for 6 weeks.  As well as being a self-sufficiency guru turned restaurant owner and celebrity chef, Hugh is also a passionate campaigner on food issues.  He now believes that we need to eat much less meat for the good of our own health, the welfare of animals and the future of the planet.  He even has the chefs at his restaurant trying to persuade the dining public to choose vegetarian main courses over meaty ones!

Well, of course we agree with that.  I’m also impressed with the recipe ideas in the programme, which look pretty good!  The recipes from the show are available over at the Channel 4 website.  This week’s Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin looks like a winner, and if you make it with frozen pastry, it couldn’t be simpler!

Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin
By HughFearnley-Whittingstall from River Cottage Veg

Baby Beetroot Tarte Tatin

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 25g butter
• 500g baby beetroot (no bigger than a
  golfball), scrubbed
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground black
  pepper

For
the rough puff pastry

• 400g plain flour
• 200g cold, unsalted butter, cut into
  small cubes
• Pinch of salt
• Iced water

For
the vinaigrette

• Green tops from a few spring onions,
  finely chopped
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 5 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a frying
   pan large enough for all the beetroot to sit snugly, add the beetroot and toss
   to coat in the oil and butter. Add the sugar and vinegar, season and taste,
   adjusting the vinegar and sugar if necessary.
2. Cover the pan with foil and place in
   an oven preheated to 190°C/gas mark 5 for approximately 30-40 minutes or until
   the beetroot are tender.
3. For the pastry, mix the flour with
   the salt and add the cubed butter. Add enough water to bring the mixture
   together into a fairly firm dough. On a floured surface shape the pastry into a
   rectangle. Roll out the pastry until it’s approximately 1cm thick. Fold the
   pastry into thirds, by taking the end furthest away from you towards you and
   then the end closest to you on top of that, you should again have a rectangle.
   Turn the pastry a quarter turn and repeat the rolling and folding a further
   five times. Wrap the pastry in cling film and rest in the fridge for 30
   minutes.
4. When the beetroot are cooked remove
   from the oven and arrange the beets neatly in the pan. Roll out the pastry and
   cut a circle a little larger than the pan. Carefully place the pastry over the
   beetroot tucking the excess pastry into the pan. Return to the oven and cook
   for 20-25 minutes until golden and puffed up.
5. Make the vinaigrette by placing all
   the ingredients in a clean jam jar and give it a good shake.
6. When the tart is ready remove from
   the oven and leave to rest for a few minutes.
7. To serve place a large plate over the
   pan and carefully, but quickly, turn upside down, remove the pan and pour over
   the vinaigrette.

Yummy Gluten-Free Corn Fritters

2 tblsp cooked, mashed potato
2 tblsp gluten-free flour (I used Doves Farm white flour)
2 tblsp yoghurt (or vegan yoghurt)
2 tblsp frozen sweetcorn
Small amount of milk (or non-dairy milk), just enough to bind
Hot oil for shallow frying

Mix all the ingredients well, and use just enough milk to make a dough which is wet, but not runny like batter.  Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot.  Make the fritters by placing a tablespoon of the mixture into the oil, and cooking them one or two at a time depending on the size of the pan.  Cook until browned then flip the fritter and cook the other side.

Perfect on their own, or make a meal of them with broad beans in a spicy tomato sauce.

It’s been a funny old year for weather, which is affecting various crops in different ways.  We had a terrible year for tomatoes as the damp, warm weather meant the plants got very mouldy.  But apples are apparently early and yielding well.  And while it may seem natural to hit the beach in all this glorious sunshine, it is actually autumn and there’s nothing better to do on a nice autumn day then spend a quiet hour picking blackberries.  Blackberries are a true superfood as they’re very high in antioxidants, vitamins C, E and K as well as manganese.  And they’re free!  Folklore dictates that you shouldn’t pick blackberries after Old Michaelmas Day, 11th October, as the devil has been doing unpleasant things to them!  The date at least probably makes sense, as by then the fruit may have been affected by mould.  So get picking over the next few days.

Another wonderful thing to do in the autumn is to make chutney.  Storing up some of summer’s sunshine to be brought out in the depths of winter is very satisfying, and bubbly cheese on toast topped with chutney is a great comfort food!  I may leave further chutney making ’til the hot weather’s over, as it’s also a lovely activity for colder days!  But I now have a store of blackberry and apple chutney tucked away in a dark cupboard ready to be brought out when winter really does kick in!

Blackberry and Apple Chutney

1lb / 400g Blackberries
3/4lb / 300g Bramley apples
½lb / 200g Onions
1 level tsp salt
¾ pint / 0.5 litres Malt vinegar
2 level tsp freshly grated ginger
½ level tsp ground cloves
10oz / 250g Demarara sugar

Thoroughly wash the blackberries and put them in a heavy bottomed saucepan.  Prepare the apples and onions by chopping them finely or mincing them in a food processor.  Put them into the pan with all the other ingredients except the sugar.  Bring to the boil and simmer for around 20 minutes to allow the fruit to soften, then add the sugar.

Leaving the pan uncovered, simmer the chutney until it thickens.  This should take 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Meanwhile heat some clean jars in an oven set at 100˚C for at least 10 minutes to sterilise them.

Pour the chutney into the jars and seal straight away.  The chutney is best left for at least 2 weeks before eating, to allow the flavours to fully develop.

*My hollyfoods range of chutneys and jams are for sale in Par Ici in Twickenham in west London.

Nikki Emerton, one of the owners of the guest house, now has a cookery book out featuring recipes developed while running Under the Lime Tree.  I came across this recipe from the book in The Vegetarian magazine and knew it just had to be tried.  The combination of bananas and chillies was a new one on me (and on many people I’d have thought!), and it certainly worked, giving what would otherwise be a fairly plain dessert option (bananas and ice cream) some much needed pep!

I used a chopped dried chilli which was probably hotter than a sprinkle of chilli powder, but that was calmed down wonderfully by a delicious vegan ice cream.  The option is given to use either maple syrup as I did, or caramel sauce, which I imagine would give a very different flavour, but one that would go really well with the bananas.

Nik’s Red Hot Nanas

Serves 4
4 ripe bananas
1/2 lemon, juiced
knob of butter
1 dessertspoon caramel sauce or (I used) 1 dstsp maple syrup
1 tbsp raw can sugar
a dash of water if necessary
a gentle sprinkle of hot chilli pepper

Peel and slice the bananas into a bowl then squeeze the lemon juice over to prevent them from discolouring while you make the sauce.

Drop the knob of butter into a pan and gently heat through.  Add either the caramel sauce or maple syrup, then the brown sugar and stir well.  you may need a dash of water if the sauce appears too thick.

Add the sliced bananas and mix in without breaking up the bananas if possible.

Srpinkle with hot chilli pepper – sparingly, stir in, then serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.

Red Hot Nanas as they sizzle in the pan