Winter

Shimeji and Mouli Stir Fry

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A quick mid week meal, this stir fry is for a night when you’re on the run. We’ve thrown in some unusual shimeji mushrooms and crunchy white mouli to mix things up a bit and get the tastebuds going.

Ingredients: 2 shallots, 1 green chilli, 1 clove of garlic, 2cm ginger, 70g cavolo nero, 1 carrot, 70-100g mouli, 70g shimeji mushrooms small bunch of coriander.

From the larder: 175g noodles, 3 tsp sunflower or sesame oil, 1-2 tbsp soy sauce, (optional prawns or chicken).

Instructions:

  • Prepare all the veg: chop the shallot, chilli and garlic and ginger, shred the cavolo nero and thinly slice the mouli and carrot into batons. Break apart the shimeji mushrooms.
  • If using meat, prepare by peeling prawns or chopping chicken into pieces.
  • Bring a saucepan of water to the boil before starting to stir-fry the veg.
  • In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil on a high heat and if using, add meat and cook for a few minutes. Add shallots and stir fry to soften slightly. Add the chilli, ginger, garlic and then cavolo nero, mouli and mushrooms. Stir-fry for around 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are just reaching the right level of crunch and then stir in the soy sauce.stir-frying-veg-step-2-600px
  • While stir-frying the vegetables, cook the noodles for about 3-5 minutes in boiling water or according to packet instructions.
  • Drain the noodles and mix into the stir-fried veg. Serve immediately with coriander torn on top.

Caramelised Leek, Tomato and Herb Tart

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Baby onions, leeks, herbs and tomatoes make a fabulous mix for this super simple tart. Top it with goats cheese and and pop it in the oven for a tasty meal for two.

Ingredients: 1 leek, 100g baby white onions, 80g cherry tomatoes, sprig of oregano, sprig of marjoram.

Larder: 50–100g goats cheese, 1 roll of puff pastry, olive oil, 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
  • Slice the leeks and onions and place in a saucepan with a knob of butter. When the butter has melted and the leeks are separating and softening, add 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar and continue to cook on a low heat for about another 5 minutes or so until leeks and onions are soft and caramalised.
  • Meanwhile halve the tomatoes and strip herbs from their stems and chop.
  • Prepare the pastry by unrolling it on a tray, scoring a 1 inch border around the edge and then brush inside the border with olive oil.
  • When leeks and onions are soft, spread out on the pastry inside the border.
  • Top with halved cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with the herbs and finally dot chunks of goats cheese around the pastry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.tart-ready-to-bake-600px
  • Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden and then serve.

Rhubarb and Butternut Squash Lentils

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‘Tis the season for forced rhubarb! Normally tucked into sweet desserts, we’ve made a slightly unusual but utterly tasty supper of rhubarb and butternut squash based lentils which will make your taste buds tingle!

Ingredients: clove of garlic, 2 shallots, 200g butternut squash, 1-2 sticks of forced rhubarb, handful of spinach, small bunch of parsley.

Larder: 150g rice, 100g yellow/red lentils, 1-2 tsp honey, 1 tin tomatoes, 350ml water (optional ½-1 tsp fennel seeds).

Instructions:

  • Chop the shallots and dice a garlic clove. Peel and chop the squash into small 1-2cm chunks.
  • Sauté shallots, garlic, squash and optional fennel seeds for 5 minutes in a large sauté pan or saucepan.
  • Slice the rhubarb into about 1cm slices & add to the pan along with 2-3 tsp honey, allowing the honey to melt into the pan.sauteeing-rhubarb-and-shallots-600px
  • Stir in the lentils and then add the tin of tomatoes and 350ml water. Add a pinch of salt and simmer for 25 mins or until lentils and squash are soft. Add more water if needed.
  • Start cooking the rice in a saucepan according to packet instructions.
  • Just before serving, chop spinach and parsley add to the lentils and cook until spinach wilts.
  • Serve the rhubarb lentils with rice.

Lemongrass and Star Anise Pho

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A lovely warming noodle soup, this pho is brought to life with a delicious stock base starting with star anise and lemongrass packed full of fresh veg to make a great weeknight supper.

Serves 2

Ingredients: 1 Lemongrass, 12g ginger, 2 shallots, small bunch of coriander, 1-2 carrots, 1 pak choi, 1 star anise, a few slices of chilli (or more if you prefer), 1 spring onion.

From the larder: 100g rice noodles, 1.25L stock, 1-2 tbsp soy sauce (optional extra: tofu or beef strips).

Instructions:

  • Make the Pho stock. Chop the shallots, ginger, coriander stalks, remove the outer layer and slice the lemongrass. Place in a saucepan with the star anise and add 1.25 litre of stock and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer gently while you prepare the other veg.lemongrass-closeup-600px
  • Chop the pak choi, separating stalks and leaves and chop carrots into thin batons. Slice and set aside ¼ of the chilli (or more if you prefer), slice the spring onion and chop the coriander leaves. If using beef strips or tofu, prepare and cook in another pan.

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  • When everything is chopped, add the carrots and pak choi stalks to the simmering stock and then add the noodles and cook for 3 minutes.stock with veggies 600px
  • Add the pak choi leaves and cook for a further minute.
  • Ladle into big bowls and serve with spring onions, a few chilli slices and coriander leaves and if using, beef or tofu on top.landscape pho close up angle 600px

Christmas Parcel With Flower Sprouts

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A Christmas Pastry Parcel for the week before Christmas. This pastry is packed full of warm Christmassy flavours created by the parsnips, squash, allspice and rosemary and is accompanied by our favourite flower Sprouts.

Ingredients: 1 Shallot, 250g butternut squash, 4-5 baby parsnips or 1 normal-sized parsnip, handful of kale, 4-5 chestnuts, sprig of rosemary and 100g flower sprouts.

From the larder: 1 roll of ready-made puff pastry, 100ml cream, 1 egg, butter, ¾ tsp allspice, oil, salt and pepper.

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Peel and chop the butternut squash and chop the parsnips all into 1cm pieces. Toss in olive oil; place in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes.
  • Pierce the chestnuts with a skewer or cut a line in the chestnut shells and place on the baking tray in the oven. Roast for 8-10 minutes and then remove from the oven. Peel the chestnuts or scoop out their flesh and chop into pieces. Set aside for the pie filling later.
  • Chop the shallot and rosemary and sauté in a large sauté pan until shallots are soft. Finely chop the kale and add to the sauté pan.
  • When the squash and parsnips are soft, remove from the oven and mix into the sauté pan along with the chestnuts. Beat together the allspice, egg and cream. Remove the sauté pan from the heat and stir in the egg and cream mixture.
  • Unroll the pastry and place the whole sheet on a baking tray roughly 20cm x 30cm. Place the filling along the centre of the pastry lengthways. Lightly wet the edges with water and fold the pastry around the veg into tube. Brush with milk or left over egg. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden and crispy. While baking, steam the flower sprouts for about 3-4 minutes.pie-filling-in-pastry-unrolled-600px
  • Serve the Christmas parcel with the flower sprouts and enjoy!