November Recipes
Broad Bean & Feta Crostini
160g broad beans
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50g crumbled feta
1 tsp honey
squeeze of lemon juice
large handful of dill fronds
4 baguette slices
1 garlic clove, halved
4 blanched asparagus spears (when is season)
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the broad beans for 5-6 mins until tender. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice-cold water. Squeeze the broad beans from their pods and transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the olive oil, feta, honey, lemon juice and dill fronds. Season with black pepper and blitz to a smooth purée.
Brush the baguette slices with some olive oil and toast or griddle until golden. Rub with the cut side of a halved garlic clove. Spread the purée over the crostini.
When is season, finely chop the blanched asparagus spears and toss in a little olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice and place the pieces on top.
Leftover purée will keep in the fridge for up to two days.
Smoky Sausage & Squash Traybake
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 dsp/tbsp tabasco
8 caramelised sausages
2 red onions, cut into thick wedges
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm-thick slices
small handful of parsley, finely chopped
steamed new potatoes to serve
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Combine the fennel, paprika, cumin, oil, honey, tomato purée and tabasco in a large bowl. Start with a dessertspoon of tabasco, taste and adjust if necessary. Tip in the sausages, onions and squash, and toss gently with your hands to evenly coat everything.
Put all into a large roasting tin and spread out into an even layer. Roast for 30-40 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure everything is evenly browned. Scatter over the parsley and serve with steamed new potatoes.
Blackberry Cheesecake
150g digestive biscuits
50g ground almonds
100g butter melted
700g soft cheese
220g granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract, plus 1 tsp
3 eggs
250g blackberries, plus a handful to serve
250g soured cream
a few mint leaves, to serve
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the crushed biscuits with the almonds and butter, then press the mixture into the bottom of a 18-20cm cake tin lined with baking parchment. Bake for 15 mins then cool completely until the crust firms up.
Reduce the oven temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and place a baking tray filled with water at the bottom of the oven.
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Beat the soft cheese with 200g of the sugar. When fully combined, stir in the vanilla extract and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the soured cream. Whizz the blackberries in a blender and pour through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds, leaving about 60ml of blackberry purée. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and the remaining sugar then set aside. Pour half of the cheesecake mixture onto the crushed biscuit base and drizzle over half of the blackberry purée. Use a skewer to create a 'blackberry swirl'. Repeat with the remaining half of the mixture and blackberry purée.
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Bake the cheesecake for 50 mins-1 hr or until the edges are firm and the centre still wobbles. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and let the cheesecake cool inside until nearly cold. Then take it out, leave to cool completely and put it in the fridge overnight. Scatter over a handful of fresh blackberries and a few mint leaves to serve. Will keep chilled for up to three days.