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Seasonal ideas - Autum
So whats in season?? And What shoud I be doing with it??
It's time to dig out your casserole, dust off your pie-making skills - autumn is a time for hearty and warming soups, pies, casseroles and stews...
Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmesan Tart
The sweet tang of roasted butternut squash, matched with fresh sage and parmesan combine to wonderful effect in Camilla Schneideman's creamy vegetarian tart
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Servings: makes one 25cm flan
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Level of difficulty: Intermediate
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Preparation Time: 20 minutes
- Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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1 medium Butternut squash, halved lengthways
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1 Olive oil
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4 eggs
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3 egg yolks
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250 double cream
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200 Parmesan cheese, grated
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handful sage leaves, chopped
- sea-salt and freshly ground pepper
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90g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
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90g cream cheese
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160g plain flour
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65g fine polenta
- 1 egg yolk
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Put the butternut squash cut side up onto a baking tray. Drizzle over the olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and bake for about 45 minutes. The squash is ready when a knife slides into the flesh with no resistance.
2. Remove the squash from the oven and scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin. Using a potato ricer or a masher, mash to a puree. Leave to one side to cool, keeping the oven switched on.
While the squash is cooking, make the pastry.
3. For the pastry, blend the butter, cream cheese, flour and polenta in a food processor. Use the pulse button to make sure you don't over-mix it.
4. When the dough has come together, add the egg yolk and blitz a couple of times to combine. Transfer the dough to a kitchen counter and knead into a neat ball. Squash into a flat disc, cover in food wrap, and leave in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
5. For the filling, lightly beat the whole eggs, yolks, cream, grated Parmesan and the pureed butternut squash together. Season to taste and add the sage, stirring to combine.
6. Roll out the chilled pastry on a floured surface until 4mm thick. Use to line a loose-bottomed 25cm tart tin. Rest in the fridge for another 10 minutes - this chilling time helps prevent the pastry shrinking.
7. Cut out a circle of greaseproof paper, about 4cm larger in diameter than the flan dish. Press this disc over the base and against the sides of the case and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes at the same temperature as the butternut squash. This process is known as 'baking blind'.
8. Remove the paper and beans and return the pastry to the oven for 3-4 minutes, until beginning to colour.
9. Tip the filling into the tart and level it out. Return the filled tart to the oven, turn the heat down to 160C/gas 2 and bake for about 20 minutes, until the filling has set and the pastry is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Beef in Stout with Dumplings
by Antony Worrall Thompson
For a splendid hearty dish try Antony Worrall Thompson's slow-cooked beef casserol served with herbed dumplings
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Servings: 6-8
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Level of difficulty: Intermediate
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Preparation Time: 40 minutes
- Cooking Time: 5 hours 40 minutes, to 6 hours 40 minutes
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1.8kg chuck steak, cut into 5cm chunks
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2 tbsp vegetable oil
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55g unsalted butter
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40g plain flour
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salt and fresh ground black pepper
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450g Shallots
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225g bacon lardons
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1 tbsp Dijon mustard
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2 tbsp soft dark sugar
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175g pitted prunes, cut in half
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175g pickled walnuts, cut into four
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1 litre stout
- 900ml fresh beef stock
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2 strips leek
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2 thyme sprigs
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4 parsley stalks
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2 Bay leaves
- 2 celery sticks
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steamed or boiled carrots
- steamed or boiled green vegetables, such as broccoli and Savoy cabbage
1. Preheat oven to 140°C/gas 1.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan.
3. Meanwhile, place the beef in a large bowl and add the flour. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix together to coat the meat. Shake off any excess flour.
4. Add the beef to the pan and cook until the meat is brown on both sides.
5. Meanwhile place the shallots in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes to soften, drain, then peel.
6. Remove the meat and place in a large heavy-based casserole dish.
7. Add the bacon lardons to the frying pan used for browning the meat. Cook until golden brown. Add the peeled shallots to the pan and cook with the bacon lardons for 2-3 minutes.
8. Meanwhile add the mustard, brown sugar, prunes and pickled walnuts to the meat in the casserole dish and stir. Then add the bacon lardons and shallots to the dish.
9. Stir in about a quarter of the stout to de-glaze the pan which cooked the bacon lardons and shallots. Pour into the casserole dish. Add the remaining stout and the beef stock.
10. Make the bouquet garni by tying the leeks and herbs between two celery sticks. Add to the casserole.
11. Bring the casserole to the boil, cover and place in the oven. Cook for 5-6 hours or until the meat is tender.
12. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and herbs (reserving a little of the parsley for garnishing).
13. Add the milk and, using a fork, mix to form soft dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Shape the dough into 16 walnut sized dumplings.
14. Remove the stew from the oven and place the dumplings on top. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C/gas 4 and return the beef to the oven an cook, uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the dumplings have risen and are golden brown.
15. Sprinkle over the reserved parsley. Serve with carrots and green vegetables.
