Seasonal - Autumn

As we are now well and truly into the cold weather, here is a wee collection of my Autumn recipes.  I love all the seasons but what I love most is the change from one to another and my favourite of these is from Summer to Autumn.  The leaves go from green to a splendid array of golds, reds, oranges and browns, the mornings and evenings become dark and frosty, I find myself looking out my jumpers, scarves and hats and, most importantly, I can start cooking wholesome, cosy meals and filling up the freezer for the winter.

So, my idea of cosy meals are soups, stews, curries, hearty pasta dishes, roast dinners...I could go on and on but I am sure you get the picture.  So here are some of my favourites........


And, one more thing, the Autumn photos were taken by my husband who loves photography, head over to his photo journal to check out more of his work:

http://www.blipfoto.com/Dominic87

Venison Stew
Beef Biryani
Mushroom and Black Pudding Risotto
Chilli Nachos
Lamb Tagine
Italian Sausage Pasta
Roast Chicken
Ham and Lentil Soup

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Yes - I know it is boring but when I am having Chinese food, sweet and sour remains one of my favourites.  So this is my homemade version.  I would serve this with chicken, turkey, mixed with noodles or, my personal favourite and another nod to my childhood....with meatballs
I usually make a big batch of this and freeze half for an easy tea later in the month when money and energy may be in short supply.


Out of interest, have any of you found yourself creating your favourite takeaway dish at home....?

1 pepper (any colour but preferably red, yellow or orange)
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
Half a red chilli (you can vary this depending on taste)
A knob of ginger
Either one fresh pineapple or a 425 gram tin of pineapple in juice
4 star anise
50 grams of tamarind paste
100 grams of caster sugar
100 ml of rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 teaspoon of honey
Salt and Pepper

Chop all the vegetables and place in a pan with most of the pineapple (leave some aside to be added later).

If you are using a tin of pineapple add all the juice to the pan but if you are using a fresh pineapple add some water to the pan as well.

Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

Cool for a couple of minutes and then liquidise.





Return to the pan and add the remaining chopped pineapple, star anise, tamarind paste, caster sugar, rice wine vinegar and tomato puree.

Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes until it is reduced and sticky.

Add seasoning and honey to taste.

Fruit and Nut Brownie

You know those times when chocolate and only chocolate will do....? This is the ideal dish for times like that.  I serve it with some good quality ice cream and a hot chocolate sauce made by melting dark chocolate with some butter and syrup and then adding a good glug of Baileys - divine!!!  

 50 grams of chopped nuts (any will do - just choose your favourite!)

50 grams of sultanas

50 grams of dark chocolate

110 grams of butter

2 eggs

225 grams of soft brown sugar

50 grams of plain flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

Quarter of a teaspoon of salt

Pre-heat the oven to 200 Degrees.

Roast the chopped nuts for 15 minutes.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.

Add all the remaining ingredients to the melted chocolate mixture and stir until combined well.

Put in a large, lined baking tin and cook for 30 minutes. 

Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons of oil
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
500 grams of passata
500 grams of water
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of honey
8 sundried tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Dried mixed herbs
Half a teaspoon of dried chilli flakes

Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onion and garlic with a sprinkle of salt.

Cook over a very low heat for about 20 mins until softened.

Add the passata then fill the passata tub with water and add to the pan.

Bring to the boil then add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer for 15 minutes.

This sauce can be served with a number of accompaniments, here are some suggestions

Pasta
Gnocchi
Meatballs
Sausages
Lasagne
Chicken

Meatballs

1 tablespoon of oil
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
300 grams of mince
1 egg
Salt and pepper
A few drops of Worcester sauce
4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs

Heat the oil in a pan and then add the onion and garlic.

Sprinkle some salt over and cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not browned.

In a large bowl mix all the other ingredients and then add the slightly cooled vegetables.

Mix well then shape into 16 small balls (or make them bigger and do fewer, just whatever your preference is really)

Heat some more oil in a pan and cook the meatballs until cooked through.

There are many different dishes you can use these meatballs for, here are just a few:

Tomato Sauce

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Tagine

Curry

Prawn Curry

Adjust the spices according to taste, this one works as a mild or a fiery curry!

1 chopped onion

1 chopped chilli (any colour will do)

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 knob of fresh ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of chilli oil

1 tablespoon of red thai curry paste

300 grams of chopped sweet potato and butternut squash (although if you only had one, this wouldn't be a major problem)

400 ml of coconut milk

200 grams of raw king prawns

1 lime

Heat the two oils in a pan over a low heat.

Add the onion, chilli, garlic and ginger and cook over a low heat with some salt for 15 minutes.

Once the vegetables are softened add the curry paste and turn up the heat until it sizzles.

Add the sweet potato, butternut squash and coconut milk.

Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes until the sweet potato is softened but not falling apart.

Add the prawns and cook for a further 5 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked right through.

Add the zest and juice of the lime and serve alongside some naan breads and a cold beer!

Venison Stew

A perfect autumn alternative to a Sunday roast.

1 tablespoon of oil

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoonfuls of plain flour

400 grams of venison

Salt and pepper

Dried mixed herbs

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce

250 ml of stock

A handful of berries (blackberries, blueberries, redcurrants or blackcurrants would all work)

Pre-heat the oven to 100 Degrees.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chopped onion and garlic.

Put the flour in a bowl with some salt, pepper and mixed herbs.

Mix the venison with the flour and then add to the pan.

Brown the meat then add the vinegar and cranberry sauce, cook for a minute or so until it sizzles and then add the stock.

Bring to the boil then put in an oven proof dish and place in the over for an hour and 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and drop the berries in, then cook for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with vegetables, potatoes and some Yorkshire puddings.

Cheese and Apple Grill

Calm down - I am not suggesting for one minute that you need a recipe for cheese and toast, it is just that this blog is so reflective of the kind of food I ate and cooked while I was growing up and with this in mind, I had to include this dish.

Now most people would perhaps just call it cheese on toast with apple or a cheese and apple toastie but not my Mum, this dish was given a proper name to reflect the joy of eating it.

So here it is, my Mum's cheese and apple grill - a dish that for all my life will mean one thing.....home.

2 slices of wholemeal bread
1 big wedge of cheese (mature cheddar is best)
1 green apple
Black pepper

Toast the bread on one side, as you do this, grate the cheese and core and slice the apple.

Once the bread is toasted on one side, turn it over, cover generously with the cheese and apple.

Grill until the apple is slightly softened and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Sprinkle a little black pepper over and serve.

You could serve this with some chutney but to be honest its perfection is in its simplicity so save yourself the bother of opening the jar!

Beef Biryani and Chickpea Dahl

Biryani is a favourite dish of mine in an Indian restaurant, most recently I had a chicken version when I was out for a meal with some friends and it got me thinking about trying a homemade version.  I had a look round for different recipes and then basically took ideas from all of them and came up with this version.  I used beef because I had it in the freezer but you could use chicken, lamb, pork, prawns or even do a veggie version.

I have served this with chickpea dahl which is a dish from my childhood but, and please don't judge, we used to eat a tinned version of dahl.  I can also tell you (and again, do ask you not to judge!) that the tinned version was fabulous - I LOVED it!!  We used to eat it with tandoori chicken drumsticks and rice (or occasionally chips).  I have looked for the tinned version in supermarkets but have never had any luck so here is my own homemade version.  It goes well with the biryani, which is quite a dry dish but I would also recommend eating this with my childhood dish of tandoori drumsticks and chips.

One note on both these dishes is that the quantity of spices can be changed according to your taste.  The quantities I have specified make a medium curry so decrease if you would prefer it mild and increase if you are in the mood for a hottie!

Beef Biryani

200 grams of brown rice
1 teaspoon of salt
I tin of coconut milk
2 tablespoons of oil
2 onions
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons of chopped fresh ginger
300 grams of beef, sliced into strips
3 handfuls of frozen green peas
1 teaspoon of chilli powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of ground coriander
Half a teaspoon of turmeric
Half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons of creme fraiche
4 handfuls of raisins
A handful of chopped coriander

Place the rice in a pan with the salt and pour the coconut milk over the rice.

Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer, cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped onions, crushed garlic and ginger and fry for a couple of minutes until golden brown.

Add the beef and stir fry until cooked to your preference.

Add the peas and all the spices, cook for one minute, then add the cream fraiche, raisins and rice.

Cover the pan with a clean tea towel and cover with a lid (this will hold in all the steam).

Cook over a very low heat for 10 minutes.

Serve with the chopped coriander sprinkled over, wedges of lemon and chickpea dahl.

Chickpea Dahl

1 tablespoon of oil
1 red chilli
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 medium potato, chopped into small cubes
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons of creme fraiche
2 tablespoons of curry powder
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1 tin of chickpeas

Heat the oil in a pan then add the chopped chilli, ginger, onion, garlic and potato.

Cook for a few minutes then add the tin of chopped tomatoes and all the spices.

Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and add the creme fraiche and the drained chickpeas.

Cook for about 10 minutes until everything is soft and piping hot.

As with most food, this is actually better if left over night and then re-heated so that that the flavours have a chance to develop.

Chocolate Cheesecake

A perfect dish for those with a serious sweet tooth!

100 grams of crushed chocolate digestive biscuits
50 grams of melted butter
150 grams of plain chocolate, broken into pieces
700 grams of full fat soft cheese (make sure this is at room temperature so it should be taken out of the fridge a little while before you make the cheesecake)
225 grams of caster sugar
Half a teaspoon of vanilla essence
A good glug of Baileys
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 160 Degrees.

Grease a 20 cm loose bottomed or spring release tin.

Mix together the crushed digestive biscuits and melted butter and press into the prepared tin.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of water then leave to cool slightly.

Put the cheese in a large bowl and beat until soft.

Add the sugar and beat again until well mixed.

Beat the vanilla essence and the eggs in one at a time.

Add the baileys and stir it through gently.

Spread the mixture on top of the base and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the cheesecake becomes puffy round the edges but still soft in the centre.


Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool.

Chill well and then serve.

Salmon Tacos

This is originally from 'Season to Season' by Sophie Dahl.  I love this recipe book - it is full of lovely, light meals and includes lots of vegetarian options which I do like for a wee change.  I really enjoy the style of Sophie's writing too, kind of like a food memoir in which she talks about her food legacy and inspiration along with the beautiful recipes and photos.

Writing a food memoir is actually my secret ambition but I will see how my blog goes before I get carried away!

The salmon I use for this recipe comes from a fish van, I can't seem to find the actual name of it but I am sure it comes from Eyemouth.  It has a great selection of fish and seafood but this salmon is a particular favourite in my household.  We quite often just stick it in the oven for 15 minutes then eat it with a salad and some crusty bread but this recipe is an alternative suggestion.

Incidentally  I have eaten tacos lots of times with chilli or other mince varieties but my personal favourite is my Barbecue Mince.  However, this recipe has opened up a whole new world to me of how tacos can be used.  If you have any ideas I would love to hear them, some of the fillings I have thought about are crab, chicken or couscous but I am open to suggestions!



75 grams of mayonaise
75 grams of creme fraiche
1 teaspoon of dried red chilli flakes
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 lemon
1 bunch of chopped fresh coriander
225 grams of honey glazed hot smoked salmon (this means cooked salmon steaks as opposed to the smoked salmon you have for your starter at Christmas!)
Tacos
Half a red cabbage
1 shallot
2 peppers
1 splash of extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Mix the mayonaise, creme fraiche, chilli flakes, cumin, juice and zest of a lemon and coriander in a bowl.


Flake in the salmon and season to taste.

Put the chopped cabbage, shallot and peppers in a bowl and sprinkle over the oil and salt.

Warm the tacos and serve alongside the salmon and cabbage salad so people can fill them as they see fit!

Barbecue Mince

When we were growing up we ate tacos all the time and what made them so special was this mince.  Obviously as children we did not want anything too spicy so this was Mum's alternative.  It almost has a sweet taste and trust me, in a taco with cheese and salad it is the food of angels!  The last time I made it, we actually didn't have any tacos so had it in soft tortillas with cheese sprinkled over the top but I have to be honest, I don't think there is anything this mince would not taste good alongside!

If you want another idea for a taco recipe, check out my Salmon Tacos.



A splash of oil
250 grams of lean beef mince
1 onion
1 pepper
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of vinegar
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of dried mustard powder
150ml of water

Heat the oil in a pan.

Add the chopped peppers and onion and cook for a few minutes till softened.

Add the mince to the pan and brown it.

Add the tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes.

Blend the remaining ingredients to a smooth paste then add to the pan.

Bring to the boil then simmer until the sauce has reduced and the mince is cooked.

Serve with tacos or soft tortillas, salad and lots of grated cheese.

Mushroom and Black Pudding Risotto

So, to tell you about this recipe, I have to tell you about my friend, Maria.  She is one of my favourite people in the world and one of my favourite things about her is that, like me, she just LOVES food.  Maria and I have had many many conversations about favourite foods, including one memorably quiet Friday at work when we made a list of our top 10 foods and this dish was on Maria's list.  You may agree, as I did at the time, that this is a pretty unusual combination but with this in mind I was intrigued.  Fast forward a few months and I was at Maria's house for dinner and got my first chance to try this.  At this point I realised that although Maria deserves the credit for bringing this dish to my attention, the actual kudos has to go to her husband, Scott and son, Stevan who make this dish.  It is HEAVENLY and although my version is tasty I promise you that it is far cry from the perfection of Scott's risotto.  So although Scott and Stevan can have the credit for the best risotto ever, Maria still gets the credit for being a great friend and a person who is always there for me when I need her with wine, risotto and a shoulder to cry on.

1 litre of stock
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
Half a head of celery
400 grams of risotto rice
2 glasses of white wine
Seasoning
90 grams of parmesan cheese (although i have used cheddar before and it is still pretty tasty so don't worry if you don't have any parmesan)
8 mushrooms
Dried mixed herbs
1 black pudding (the sausage shaped one which will give you small rounds, not the big slices you would have with your bacon at breakfast - although if this is all you had in the house, it's not a major problem!)

In a pan heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter, add the finely chopped onion, celery and 2 cloves of the garlic and fry very slowly for about 15 minutes until softened.

Add the rice to the pan and keep stirring until the rice starts to look slightly translucent.

Add the wine and keep stirring until it has been absorbed by the rice.

Add your first ladle of stock and a pinch of salt.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and massaging the creamy starch out of the rice, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next - this will take around 15 minutes.

Carry on adding the stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite, if you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.

Remove from the heat and add another tablespoon of butter and the cheese, stir well, place a lid on the pan and leave it to sit so that the cheese and butter melts into the risotto giving a perfect, oozy finish.

Melt the remaining butter in a pan and add the final crushed garlic clove and the chopped mushrooms, cook until softened.

Sprinkle some dried herbs over the mushrooms then push them to the side of the pan and add the sliced black pudding.

Once the black pudding is heated right through, serve the risotto in the centre of your plate with the garlic mushrooms on top and the black pudding round the edge.

Additional Notes
If you have any left over risotto, I recommend using it for risotto balls the following night.  Put some whisked egg in a bowl and some breadcrumbs in a seperate bowl.  Heat some oil in a pan, then shape the cold risotto into balls, dip in the egg then the breadcrumbs and fry until golden.

Limone e Pinole Gnocchi

Any Italian speakers out there, please tell me Google translator is accurate!  This is my Lemon and Pine Nut Gnocchi.  Up till relatively recently I had only actually used gnocchi in Nigella's fantastic Rapid Roastini recipe (just roast your gnocchi in the oven with oil and salt until golden and crispy, perfect!).  I then used it in my Mustard Pork recipe (also originally a Nigella recipe - have you worked out who my favourite chef is yet!?).  Having discovered the delights of it boiled and with a sauce, there is no stopping me now.  I also love the texture of a harder vegetable like sweet potato with the soft fluffiness of the gnocchi.  Simple but delicious - a perfect weeknight dinner!

1 pack of gnocchi
2 large sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons of garlic oil (although you could just use regular olive oil with some crushed garlic if you don't have any garlic oil - I am just giving you the lazy girl's version here!)
4 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts
1 lemon
3 tablespoons of creme fraiche

Pre-heat the oven to 200 Degrees

Chop the sweet potato (I don't bother peeling it) and pour the garlic oil over it with some salt then put in the oven for 20 minutes.

Toast the pine nuts in the oven for 5 minutes then put these aside with the sweet potato.

Put the gnocchi in boiling water until cooked, it is ready once it rises to the surface (this only takes a couple of minutes).

Meanwhile place the zest and juice of the lemon in a pan with the creme fraiche and heat gently.

Once the gnocchi is cooked, drain it and add it to the lemon mixture along with the sweet potatoes.

Mix until everything is combined and serve with the pine nuts scattered over the top.

Lemon and Coconut Cake

200 grams of butter
200 grams of caster sugar
50 grams of ground almonds
75 grams of desicated coconut
200 grams of self raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
4 eggs
2 lemons
125 grams of icing sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees

Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.


Add the dried ingredients and the eggs and mix until combined.


Mix in the zest of the two lemons.

Put in a spring form tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Once the cake is cooked, leave to cool in the tin.

Put the juice of the two lemons and the icing sugar in a pan and heat until combined into a smooth syrup.


Pierce holes in the top of the cake using an uncooked piece of spaghetti (yes - you read correctly!).

Pour the syrup over the cake and leave to soak in while it cools.

Once cool, remove from the tin, slice and enjoy!