Recipes - to share your recipe on this page please email it to [email protected]

BRAISED FENNEL WITH TOMATOES

Ingredients

3 small fennel bulbs

2 - 3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

6 fl oz dry white wine

1 tbsp fresh basil

2 oz fresh bread crumbs or 2 oz wheat free breadcrumbs or 1 oz wheat free breadcrumbs and 1oz oats

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 150C/300F/Gas mark 2

Trim the fennel bulbs and cut into slices about ½ inch thick

2. Heat the olive oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan and fry onion and garlic for about 4 to 5 minutes over a moderate heat until slightly softened. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, stir fry them briefly and then stir in 5 fl oz of the wine, basil and seasoning. Bring to the boil, add the fennel, then cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Arrange the fennel in layers in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the tomato mixture and sprinkle the top with half the breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. From time to time, press down on the breadcrumb crust with the back of a spoon and sprinkle over another layer of breadcrumbs and a little more of the wine. The crust slowly becomes golden brown and crunchy.

Adapted from recipe from “Vegetarian and Vegetable Cooking” by Christine Ingram

---

 

COURGETTE CAKE

Ingredients

2 medium to large courgettes, grated using course side of box grater
2 large eggs
125ml vegetable oil
150g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large handful of sultanas

For the filling:

good quality lemon curd with added lime juice to taste

For the icing:

200g tub organic cream cheese
100g icing sugar, sieved
juice of 1 lime

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two sandwich cake tins.

1. Combine the eggs, oil and sugar in a bowl.

2. Sieve in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and beat until well combined.

3. Stir in the coarsely grated courgettes and the sultanas.

4. Divide the mixture and pour into the tins. Bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and firm to the touch.

5. Once cooled, spread the lemon curd and lime juice filling over the top of one cake and sandwich it together with the other.

6. Mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and lime juice together to make the topping. Spread it thickly on top of the cake and place it in the fridge to firm it up (if preferred).

---

 

MEDLAR JELLY

Medlar fruit are inedible until they begin to decay and should be left on the tree until late November then stored in a cool, dry box until they turn reddish brown and become soft and juicy. This ripening process is known as bletting.

 

 

 

Method

1. Heat up a pan of water to a simmer. Add the ripe (bletted) medlars and simmer until soft.

2. Remove from the water and strain through a jelly bag.

3. Add 1lb sugar to each pint of medlar juice, then add the lemon juice and boil rapidly until set.

 

---

MEDLAR CHEESE

Medlars, bletted or close to being so

Coarse sugar

Allspice

 

 

Method

1. Add the medlars to a bowl and place over boiling water in a saucepan to boil gently until soft enough to pass through a sieve.

2. For every pound of pulp add half a cup of coarse sugar and half a teaspoonful of allspice.

3. Add all the ingredients together in a pan and stir over heat with a wooden spoon until thickly reduced, skimming it occasionally. Turn into moulds, and keep them in a cold place until ready to serve.

 

---

PUMPKIN AND BACON SOUP

Ingredients

1pumpkin

2 onions

1 tablespoon curry powder

400g bacon cut into small pieces

salt and pepper

 

Method

1.Cut the pumpkin into small cubes and add to a pot of water with diced onions to cook until tender and soft.

2. Meanwhile, sauté the bacon pieces and garlic until browned.

3. When the pumpkin is cooked, mash or blend it, adding curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slowly add the cream and then bacon for a lovely, thick soup.