Month: October 2017

Roast Autumnal salad

October 23, 2017

 

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It’s very easy to grab our favourite comfort foods at this time of year as the weather starts to change but we need to also keep eating something thats going to be good for us. Don’t get me wrong, it’s lovely to be having soups and stews but we still require something light.

This Autumnal warm salad will boost that vitamin c needed. It is super easy and looks great and colourful. You can also put some squashes in there including using up Pumpkin if you like, which is perfect for this time of year.

Those earthy flavours just burst out into this salad pairing perfectly with the honey, fennel and goats cheese. This mixture could even go onto a puff pastry tart or a great pizza topping.

This recipe is for my regular cooking slot on BBC Radio Leicester. Ady Dayman filled in for Ben Jackson who I usually do the show with. I have to admit though, I have felt shocking over the past couple of days. I have been really ill, even as I write this so the recording isn’t usually as thorough as it normally is. I do apologise! However I could’nt let my listeners down and plodded on through as I enjoy doing the show much. More reason why I did this dish really so I could try and boost my immune system!

Click here to hear the recording.

Roast Autumnal salad of beetroot, carrots, goats cheese, honey and fennel:

 

Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

Roasted vegetables:

  • Roughly 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil.
  • A good handful of fresh beetroot 3-4 good size peeled and chopped into chunks ready for roasting.
  • 3 good size carrots peeled and sliced into chunks for roasting also.
  • 2 red onions chopped into chunks.
  •  Sprinkle of salt and cracked black pepper to season.
  • 1 tbsp honey ( I used local Leicestershire honey )
  • a good sprig of lemon thyme, thyme and oregano ( If you can’t get lemon thyme, use a little lemon in there )

At the end of roasting add :

  • Handful of fennel fronds/tops chopped loosely
  • chopped chives
  •  2 handfuls of your choice of greens for the salad.  I used mizuna in mine, but you can use any peppery salad such as rocket, watercress or even Spinach.
  • 100-150 grams of goats cheese crumbled
  • Any oil and honey left in the roasting dish. Use to drizzle over the salad.

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Method 

  •  Preheat oven to 180c.
  • Par boil carrots for 5 minutes, just to soften them slightly.
  • Roast Beetroot for 10- 15 minutes in Rapeseed oil
  • Then add in your carrots and roast for a further 5-10 minutes.
  • Then pop in your Red onion and herbs. At this point add more oil if needed and coat all vegetables in honey.
  • Place back into the oven and roast for a further 10 minutes or until vegetables are cooked. I like to have my beetroot still having a little bite as it tastes more earthy.
  • Once out of the oven , add fennel and chives to the mixture. Sprinkle in the goats cheese.
  • Place on top of your leaves or toss together. Add any oil and honey from the roasting tin and more goats cheese if you wish.

 

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Linguine with sausage meatballs and chard

October 2, 2017

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This seasonal pasta dish will be on the table in under 20 mins. A great dish for this weekend if you have guests coming over. It has a velvety sauce that will wow your guests but it’s not too filling. It’s also great for a quick midweek meal when you have a couple of sausages left in the fridge.

It can be adapted if you can’t get the lovely seasonal chard either to spring greens or cavolo nero ( dark kale ). Maybe a friend who has an allotment or veggie patch will gladly give you some.

I think sometimes chard can be pushed aside slightly. Many people I speak to shy away from it as they aren’t sure how to use it. It sometimes can confuse people with its large leaves and stems. I personally love the veg and feel it should be showcased more. It’s beautiful colours are a delight to look at. Especially as we are in Autumn now. Mine are still growing well in the kitchen garden, some have bolted as I want them to go to seed but the others are fine.

I may even grow some more over the coming months.

Listen here where you can hear me cooking this super simple, quick and inexpensive recipe for Ben Jackson on BBC Radio Leicester.

 

Linguine with sausage meatballs and chard:

 

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Ingredients:

(Serves 2)

Sausage Meatballs:

  • 3-4 pork sausages ( Meat taken out of the skins )
  • A small handful of fennel fronds/tops chopped
  • A sprig of sage chopped ( 4 leaves )
  • Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Pasta:

  • 200g, linguine ( I used dry )
  • Good glug of Rapeseed oil ( I use cold pressed )
  • 1 medium sized red onion diced
  • 1 large clove of garlic chopped, use 2 if very small
  • 4-5 chestnut mushrooms sliced
  • A good pinch of chilli flakes or you can use fresh.
  • 2 large handfuls chard chopped roughly, stalks a little smaller. If you can’t get chard, use spring greens or cavolo nero.
  • 1/4 gel pot of chicken stock
  • 2 ladles hot water from the pasta
  • Slug double cream
  • fresh parmesan grated

 

 

Method: 

  • Cook linguine to packet instructions
  • Mix together the sausage meat, herbs and seasoning and create small meatballs. This will make roughly 16 small sized ones.
  • Whilst that is cooking, fry of the onion in rapeseed oil on a medium heat for a minute, then add in the mushrooms. You may need to add a little more rapeseed oil.
  • After a couple of minutes bring your mixture to the sides of the frying pan.
  • Add in your meatballs into the middle and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring as you go.
  • After a couple of minutes, add in the garlic and toss all together.

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  • When the meatballs are starting to brown slightly, pop in the chard.
  • As it cooks down, add in your chilli flakes and chicken stock.
  • Add in the water from the pasta and reduce down for a minute or two.

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  • Drain off your pasta, keep some water if you feel you need to add a little more.
  • Add a slug of double cream and a little grated parmesan

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  • Add your pasta to the sauce using tongs or a spaghetti spoon so you don’t add too much at once. Fold the velvety sauce through the pasta.
  • Serve into large pasta bowls and add a sprinkle of grated fresh parmesan.

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