Author Archives: admin

Warm Salad of Mushrooms and Roasted Squash

Posted on by

Serves 4

1 small squash (any type) or half a larger one

12 sage leaves, bruised

4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

100ml rapeseed or olive oil

A large knob of butter

300g open-cap mushrooms, thickly sliced

A small bunch of rocket

150g blue cheese, or goats cheese, crumbled

Sea  salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

3 tablespoons rapeseed or olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

(ideally apple balsamic)

 

Preheat the oven to 190 degs C/Gas Mark 5.  Peel, halve and deseed the squash.

Cut into 2-3cm chunks and put into a roasting tin with the sage leaves, garlic,

all but 1 tablespoon of the oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.

Toast for about 40 minutes, stirring once, or until soft and coloured at the edges.

 

Put the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan with the butter and place over

a medium heat.  Throw in the mushrooms along with a little salt and pepper and

fry for 4-5 minutes, or until they are cooked through and any liquid they release has

evaporated.

 

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil and balsamic vinegar together with

some salt and pepper.

 

In a large bowl, combine the still-warm (but not hot) cooked squash and mushrooms with

the rocket and cheese.  Add enough dressing to dress them lightly (you may not need it all),

toss together and serve.

 

River Cottage Veg Everyday,

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall

Annie Stacks Squash

Annie Stacks Squash

PEA AND PARSLEY SOUP

Posted on by

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive or rapeseed oil, plus extra to trickle

20g butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

A few sprigs of thyme, leaves only, chopped

1 litre vegetable stock (use a vegetable or chicken stock cube)

500g fresh shelled peas, or frozen peas

20g flat-leaf parsly, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

A few mint leaves, shredded, to finish (optional)

 

Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat and sweat the onion with the thyme until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the stock, peas (reserving a handful to finish the soup if you like) and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the peas are very tender.

Cool slightly, then puree the soup in a food processor or blender, or with a stick blender, until very smooth – you may need to do this in two batches if you are using a processor or free-standing blender.  Return the soup to the pan, adjust the seasoning and heat through.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls.  If you have some fresh, raw peas, scatter a few on top (or you could use blanched frozen peas).  Add the mint, if using, trickle over a little olive or rapeseed oil and serve.

Alternatively, you can let the soup go cold, then chill it lightly before serving, add the scattering of peas and mint, if using, and trickle of oil at the last minute.

From: River Cottage Veg, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Peas