Autumn's Gold

 

Butternut Squash Tart

This tart has plenty of delicious flavours. 

Ingredients

 Butternut Squash cut into cubes - my squash was large - I used 1/3rd

puff pastry sheet - ready bought

(does anyone make their own these days?) 

One large chopped onion

3 crushed cloves of garlic

finely grate 2cms of fresh root ginger 

6 sliced chestnut mushrooms

two handfuls of shredded kale

a large handful of walnuts

9 dried figs cut into quarters

(I get mine from Lidl) they sell  

soft/moist dried fruit

cheese of your choice - I used vintage English cheddar

finely chopped fresh Rosemary

l tespn ground corriander

1 tespn ground cummin

1/2 tespn curry powder

nutmeg & ground black pepper

3 teaspns tahini (sesame seed paste)

Oven setting 220℃ fan for 20 - 25 mins

Gently roast onion, butternut squash & garlic in rapeseed/olive oil. Once almost cooked add mushrooms, kale & root ginger to soften. When ready add the spices and set aside to cool. Prepare the pastry, spread with a thin layer of Tahini, add the butternut mixture. Top with figs, chopped walnuts, sprinkle with Rosemary, freshly ground black pepper &  nutmeg, then add a layer of cheese.

 

Autumn

has been slow to show her face this year, but now she is turning golden. 

I want autumn colour from the food cupboard too, so what could be better than a bowl of golden soup? 

Ingredients

2½ pints of vegetable stock

1 large butternut squash

2 large red onions

crushed garlic

3/4 carrots

2 sweet potatoes,

Cumin, turmeric, coriander, chilli flakes & natural sea salt, season to your own taste.

2 tbspns Tahini & 

a tin of Coconut Milk

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Cut the butternut squash in half, deseed, and roast until soft. The flesh is then easily scooped out of the skin for the soup.

Par boil the chopped sweet potatoes & carrots.

Cook the onions & garlic in your preferred oil until it begins to turn brown.

Add the veg stock to the onions, then the par boiled root veg, finally add the squash, along with seasonings and the tahini. I put my mine in the Slow Cooker and leave it for several hours, but it will take about 30mins on top of the cooker. If you have a stick blender, blend smooth when finished, and then add the tin of creamy coconut milk at the very end.

A bowl of steaming golden soup, topped with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

Thank you for the lovely comments on my previous post - they cheered me up. I am pleased to say that my wrist & hand are now slowly making progress. I always read & appreciate every message received from you all. 

Autumn Tart

Ingredients

Sheet of shortcrust or puff pastry
Butternut Squash
Sweet potato
Red onions
Garlic
Red pepper,
Runny honey
Pesto
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Black pepper
Natural salt crystals

Prepare the vegetables, drizzle over some runny honey, then sprinkle with the spices, add olive or rapeseed oil and roast for about 20mins at 220℃ or until the vegetables begin to caramelise.
Allow the roasted vegetables to cool then place on to the pastry - top with some pesto, and cook for 20 more mins at 200℃.

I made some pesto but used a generous amount of cashew nuts rather than pine nuts. Pine nuts are such a ridiculous price for so few these days, and I also added much more Parmesan cheese than usual to the pesto for this tart.

Enjoy

Butternut Squash Lebanese style

A tasty vegetarian dish from the Middle East

 Ingredients for 4

1 large butternut squash, deseeded, skin removed

Extra virgin olive oil

70g tahini

juice of l lemon & 1 lime

 3 cloves of crushed garlic

1 red & 1 green chilli, deseeded & finely chopped

½ tsp chilli powder, plus extra

3 tbsp toasted pine nuts

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 small bunch of coriander chopped (use stems as well as leaves) 

 Heat oven to 190℃ (210℃ for non-fan)

Slice squash, drizzle with oil and roast on baking tray for about 30/40 mins, turning a couple of times until tender and the edges caramelise

For the dressing combine tahini, lemon & lime juice in bowl and beat in 6 tbsp water to smooth paste. Heat a little olive oil in frying pan, then add chopped garlic, chillies and chilli powder.

Cook for 1 min over medium heat then add tahini and walnuts and continue to cook for another minute. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped coriander.

Arrange squash on serving plate, cover with sauce, scatter pine nuts over top together with a light sprinkle of chilli powder only if you like your food more spicey (on the photo the pine nuts were included in the sauce but subsequently I prefer them added at the end

*******************

Whilst the tahini is out of the cupboard why not quickly whizz up some humous

drain 400g tin of chickpeas

tablespoon of tahini

1 clove garlic

tbsn extra virgin olive oil

some sea salt

small spoon chilli powder

juice of two limes or one lemon

approx 12 stalks with leaves of fresh coriander

blend all together until smooth, taste and add more seasoning if required.

Add whatever fresh herbs you prefer, or use sundried tomatoes, red pepers, the choice is almost endless