Marrow with Sour Cream and Parsley

500g marrow

250ml sour cream or yoghurt

2tsp chopped parsley

Cayenee pepper salt and garlic salt

Slice the marrow into thick rounds, then slice each round in half.

Scoop away the seed pulp and rinse the chunks under cold water.

Sprinkle the surface of each wedge with a little salt and garlic salt, then steam the marrow until it becomes tender.

Meanwhile mix together the sour cream or yoghurt, parsley and cayenne in a small bowl.

Serve the marrow hot and spoon a generous amount of the sauce over each portion.

 

Butternut Squash Soup

SERVES ONE

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins ( If you want you can add some raw peeled potato, chopped small, and cook that with the squash)

 Ingredients

butternut squash

onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

290ml/10fl oz water, boiling

1 chicken stock cube

1 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Method

Peel the butternut squash and remove the seeds.

Dice the squash and saute in the oil with the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes.

Add the water and stock cube and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the squash is tender.

Blend the soup in a food blender.

Season if needed and serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Our thanks to Gloria for this recipe

 

Beetroot Brownies

Ingredients 250g/10oz good, dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids),

broken into pieces

250g/10oz unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for greasing

250g/10oz caster sugar 3 free-range eggs 150g self-raising flour (we use wholemeal self-raising)

250g beetroot, boiled until tender, peeled and grated

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350�F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a baking tin of approximately 20 x 30 x 3cm and line the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Break up the chocolate into pieces, cut the butter into cubes then mix them up a bit in a heatproof bowl. As thminutes until the chocolate and butter starts to melt. Stir, and put back into the ove oven begins to warm up, put the bowl onto one of the shelves for a few en for a few more minutes to melt completely.

3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until combined, then beat in the melted chocolate and butter until smooth. Gently fold in the flour then the beetroot - be careful not to overmix or it will make the brownies tough.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth over. Bake for 20 minutes. Leave to cool and cut into squares.

 

Fried Green Tomatoes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

4 large firm green tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-in slices

freshly ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup finely ground cornmeal (or plain flour)

1 teaspoon paprika (Spanish smoked paprika if available)

2 eggs Vegetable oil

Method 

Sprinkle the tomato slices with the salt and pepper and set aside

Combine the cornmeal (or plain flour) and paprika in a shallow bowl.

 In another bowl beat the eggs.

Cover the bottom of a heavy frying pan with 1/2-in of oil, place on a medium-high heat.

Coat the tomato slices in the egg, then dredge them in the cornmeal/flour mixture. Fry as many tomatoes as fit comfortably in the pan until nicely browned, about 2 minutes a side.

Transfer fried tomatoes to a paper towel lined plate.

 Repeat until all the tomatoes are cooked.

The fried tomatoes can be served with sour cream

Our thanks to Gloria for this recipe

 

Cabbage & Sausage Bake

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 2 Hours

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.5kg cabbage

700g plain pork sausages (good ones!)

salt & pepper

butter

Instructions

Shred the cabbage and blanch in boiling water for about 4 minutes.

Drain and refresh.

Next butter an oven proof dish and set aside.

Slit the sausage skins and remove sausage meat.

Place a third of the cabbage on the bottom of the pot and season well.

Next place half of the sausage meat on top of cabbage, pressed down.

Continue with layers, seasoning each layer and finishing with a layer of cabbage.

Cover tightly and cook in the oven at 150C for about 2 hours.

 

Cabbage Gratin with Cheese, Bacon and Potato

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb savoy cabbage or cavalo nero (black kale)

4 medium potatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

150g (6 oz) diced bacon (preferably back)

1 onion, finely sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves 

 tsp chilli flakes

50g (2 oz) freshly grated parmesan

200g  cheese; taleggio is recommended but Gruyere, Gouda, Edam or even Cheddar could be used

Instructions

Peel and cut potatoes into chunks about 2cm thick and boil for about 5 minutes until just starting to soften. Drain.

Meanwhile fry the bacon until well coloured then lower the heat and stir in the onion, garlic and chilli. Fry gently until soft.

Cut the cabbage into coarse chunks.

Wash and add a third at a time to the onions and bacon.

As the cabbage wilts add the more until it is all incorporated. Mix with the potatoes and half the parmesan.

Butter a baking dish and add half the cabbage and potato mixture.

Dot with half the cheese then cover with the remaining mixture and top with the remaining cheese and parmesan.

Cook in a preheated (200C) oven for about 30 minutes.

 

Sweet Pumpkin Pie

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

2 large Eggs

80g caster sugar

1 pinch Salt

0.5 tsp ground ginger

 0.5 tsp ground mixed spice

0.25 tsp grated nutmeg

500g pumpkin puree

 50ml coffee liqueur

175ml double cream

150ml Soured cream

1 pinch icing sugar, for dusting

 For the whisky cream 250ml double cream

30ml whisky 2 tbsp caster sugar 

Method

Set the oven to 200C/gas 6.

Line a 23cm tart tin with sweet pastry.

Beat the eggs together with the sugar, salt and spices.

Add the remaining pie ingredients and stir well, until they are all combined.

Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for15 minutes.

Lower the heat to 190C/gas 5 and continue cooking for 45mins.

Remove from oven and leave to cool to room temperature.

To make the cream, simply whisk all of the ingredients together until thick.

Dust the pie with icing sugar and serve with whisky cream. 

 

Roast Squash Soup

Serves 4

1 medium pumpkin or 2 small squashes

2 tbsp olive oil

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled, but lightly crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

To serve

1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbsp olive oil More oil for drizzling - extra virgin olive oil,or British hempseed oil

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5.

Cut the pumpkin or squashes into rough chunks or small wedges - there's no need to peel them.

Scrape out the seeds and surrounding fibres.

Lay the pieces of pumpkin in a large roasting tin and trickle over the oil.

Add the lightly squashed garlic, season well and toss together.

Roast for 35-40 minutes, turning once or twice, until the pumpkin or squash is tender and nicely browned.

Then use a spoon to scrape all the soft flesh away from the skin. Heat the stock in a large pan.

Squeeze out the soft flesh from the roasted garlic cloves and put it in a liquidiser with the roasted pumpkin flesh and enough hot stock to cover it (do this in batches).

Liquidise until completely smooth, then pour into a clean pan.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Add more stock to get the consistency you like - I like it pretty thick and creamy.

Heat the soup through without letting it boil.

Meanwhile, fry the thinly sliced garlic in olive oil until just golden.

Serve the soup into warmed bowls, scatter a few thin shards of crisp garlic over each and finish with a drizzle of well-flavoured oil.

 

Whole Pumpkin Baked with Cream

A medium pumpkin serves 4-6 generously

1 medium (3-4kg) pumpkin or several small squashes (1 per person)

Up to 500g Gruyure cheese, grated (depending on the size of your pumpkin)

up to 1 litre double cream (ditto)

freshly grated nutmeg

a knob of butter salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Slice the top off the pumpkin or squashes three-quarters of the way up and retain; this is your lid.

Scoop out all the seeds and surrounding fibres from the pumpkin.

Place the scooped-out pumpkin on a baking tray or in an ovenproof dish (which must have sides to catch any leaking cream - an accident that shouldn't, but can, happen).

Put enough grated Gruyure into the empty cavity of the pumpkin to fill about a third of it, then pour in double cream until the cavity is two-thirds full.

 Add a few gratings of nutmeg, a little salt and plenty of black pepper.

Throw in a knob of butter and replace the lid, so the pumpkin is whole again.

Place in a fairly hot oven (190�C/Gas Mark 5) and cook for 45 minutes-11/4 hours, depending on the size of the pumpkin.

Test for doneness by removing the lid and poking at the flesh from the inside. It should be nice and tender.

At this point, the skin may be lightly burnt and the whole thing just beginning to sag a bit.

Be wary: when the pumpkin is completely soft and cooked through, there is a real danger of collapse.

The larger the pumpkin, the bigger the danger.

Don't panic if it happens - it will look a bit deflated but will still taste delicious. Serve small squashes individually in bowls, with spoons to scoop out the flesh.

Serve the larger pumpkin by scooping plenty of flesh and the creamy, cheesy liquid (the Gruyure comes out in lovely long, messy strings) into warmed soup bowls. Either way, serve piping hot. 

 

Sloe and Apple Jelly (for rabbit, hare and game)

A very simple recipe, measure out equal quantities of ripe sloes and green apples, place in a pan and cover with cold water.

Cook until the fruits are soft; pour into a jelly bag and leave to drip for a few hours.

Measure the juice. For every 1-pint or 600 ml of juice add 1lb or 500g of sugar.

Bring to the boil stirring the sugar regularly.

Boil hard until setting point is reached and pour into warm sterile jars.

 

Celeriac and Potato Gratin

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Peeled celeriac

peeled potato

cream

milk

garlic clove,

crushed parmesan,

 grated Instructions

Layer alternate layers of sliced potato and celeriac.

Warm half cream and half milk with a crushed garlic clove and pour over to fill half the dish. Finish with some grated parmesan or other cheese.

Cover with foil and bake in a moderate oven for at least 1 hour 30 minutes.

Uncover for the final half hour.

 

Celeriac & Blue Cheese Soup

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

500g (1LB) celeriac

1 onion

3 tbsp oil

150ml (5fl oz) dry cider

900ml (1 1/2 pints) vegetable stock

1 cooking apple

150ml (5fl oz) single cream

100g (4oz) blue cheese salt and pepper

Instructions

Peel and chop the celeriac and onion.

Saute in hot oil for 10 minutes until the onion is transparent.

Add the cider and the stock.

 Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the celeriac is tender.

Add the chopped apple and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Transfer to a liquidiser and blend until smooth.

Return to the pan.

Add the cream and crumbled cheese, heat gently and stir until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.

 

PARSNIP & BLUE CHEESE SOUP

Cooking time: 10 to 30 minute

Ingredients

30g/1oz unsalted butter

1 onion, finely sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 parsnips, peeled and diced

570ml/1 pint chicken or vegetable stock

150ml/5fl oz double cream

110g/4oz Blue cheese crumbled

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Gently melt the butter in a medium saucepan.

Saute the onion, garlic and parsnip for 5-6 minutes, to soften.

Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring all the time, and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes

Then stir in the cream and cheese and continue to simmer for a further five minutes.

Blend the soup in a liquidiser until smooth.

Return the soup to the pan, season and reheat, then pour into individual serving bowls.

 

PARSNIP CRISPS

Ingredients

2 cups groundnut oil

1 peeled parsnip

 salt, to taste

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil to 180C/350f/Gas4 (a cube of bread should go golden brown if dropped in).

Using a vegetable peeler, cut the parsnip into long, thin strips.

Fry these in hot oil until golden and crisp.

Drain on kitchen roll.

Serve.