A Wee Pinch of Sugar

My Ideas, My inspirations, My food

Smoked Mackerel and Gnocchi Hotpot

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Busy family lifestyles need quick options for healthy and quick meals and this smoked mackerel hotpot is one of my go to dishes. It’s definitely a dinner in a dash – it doesn’t take long to cook and that’s a bonus after a long day at work, particularly if there’s the added energy draining task of taking and collecting kids from after school school activities.

Smoked Mackerel

A pack of the smoked mackerel fillets from the supermarket is ideal for this recipe although it’s a versatile dish and can be made with other types of smoked fish, including tinned fish. Varying the vegetables also adds to the versatility and if you’re trying to get the kids to pack in the 5 a day fruit and veg for a healthier diet, it works well with celery, courgettes, spring onions, peas and green beans.

I normally use pre made gnocchi as it cooks so quickly, normally 2-3 minutes, and, as a standby by for last minute meals I usually keep a pack of the long life gnocchi in the store cupboard. It makes a nice change from pasta or potatoes and with its quick cooking time, what’s not to like.

Smoked Mackerel

Smoked Mackerel
Smoked Mackerel Hotpot
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Smoked Mackerel
Smoked Mackerel Hotpot
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Remove the skin from the mackerel - it should peel away easily - flake the flesh into bite size pieces and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and leek and cook gently for 1-2 minutes. Add the peppers and tomatoes and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Mix the cream cheese, milk and lemon juice together, add to the pan along with the herbs, stir to mix well and until thick and creamy.
  4. Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet. This normally takes 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, add to the pan along with mackerel and gently fold through the sauce. Tip the mixture into a shallow oven proof dish.
  5. Optional. sprinkle over the breadcrumb and cheese mixture and brown under a hot grill for 5 minutes or until golden brown
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Smoked Mackerel

The cheese and breadcrumb topping is optional but I think it gives a nice texture to the dish and contrasts well with the soft gnocchi and creamy sauce.

Blue Cod in the Galley Kitchen

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Blue cod in the galley kitchen. Another tale from our recent trip to New Zealand.

Kitchens have a certain magnetism for me and wherever I go it’s a given that I’ll end up in the kitchen. Even on holiday, I can’t drag myself away from the pull of a sharp knife and a stove. Holiday cooking, particularly if it’s in another country, has the added interest of new ingredients and local fresh food. Our current trip to New Zealand is taking in some sailing and that is giving me the opportunity to cook in the galley kitchen of the yacht, SV Defiant.

img_1691It’s much smaller than I’m used to at home and with space at a premium,  our host Lisa has organised it perfectly and that makes it a very cook friendly space. Everything you need to cook a meal is included – a two ring gas burner, an oven and a microwave.

Galley kitchen

There’s a fantastic range of kitchen utensils, pots and pans, including extremely sharp knives – essential for dealing with the fresh fish we’re catching. Lisa has a tremendously well stocked larder of dry and tinned ingredients; along with a treasure trove of herbs and spices, and it’s the first port of call when a fresh fish lands in the kitchen. I love that kind of cooking – rather than having a recipe in mind, looking at the main ingredients and building the dish with what’s in store.

We’ve eaten really well and with limited space; one pot dishes have made the cooking more manageable and of course there’s the added bonus of fewer dishes to be washed.

New Zealand has a fantastic coast line for fishing and is blessed with a natural bounty of great fish. Kia Morna – Food of the ocean – is plentiful here.

Blue cod are endemic to New Zealand and we found them in plentiful supply although restrictions are in place to control the numbers caught and all had to be over 33cm. Our catch of four was within the legal limits in the Marlborough sounds.  Restrictions are also in place regarding the transportation of filleted blue cod in this area and it’s not unusual for fisheries officers to board pleasure boats to check the size of the catch. Filleting blue cod in advance of cooking means the officers are unable to tell if the whole fish was of legal size.

This recipe came from the ingredients we had in stock in the board pantry and the freshly caught blue cod provided by our eager hunter gatherers.

Blue Cod

Blue cod

New Zealand Fishing

The hunter gatherers go off in search of fish.

Blue cod

Blue cod
Blue Cod Hotpot
Print Recipe
This is a healthy and robust dish using fish, potatoes and vegetables. I used what I had the hand along with the freshly caught fish - the dish can be easily varied using different vegetables & fish.
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
35 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
35 Minutes
Blue cod
Blue Cod Hotpot
Print Recipe
This is a healthy and robust dish using fish, potatoes and vegetables. I used what I had the hand along with the freshly caught fish - the dish can be easily varied using different vegetables & fish.
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
35 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
35 Minutes
Ingredients
Servings: People
Instructions
  1. Season the fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Optional - I marinated the blue cod fillets with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and a chopped garlic clove and set aside before cooking the veg.
  2. Heat the oil and butter in a large sauté pan - deep enough to hold all the ingredients.
  3. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add the potatoes and sauté, stirring occasionally until they start to colour and soften. Add extra oil and butter as required.
  5. Add the leek and red pepper and cook, stirring gently for a further 5 minutes. Add the herbs and chilli flakes.
  6. Stir in the wine and water, bring to a simmer, season and continue cooking until the potatoes and vegetables are almost cooked.
  7. Add the fish, cover and reduce the heat to low. The cooking time will depend on the type and thickness of the fish. The small blue cod fillets cooked in approximately 10 minutes. The fish can also be browned in a separate pan before adding to the main dish.
  8. Once cooked, check season, add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with the remaining lemon wedges on the side.
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Blue Cod

 

 

Link up.

I’ve also added this recipe to the #recipeoftheweek link up at Emily Leary’s, A Mummy Too blog.

Blue Cod

Vegan Haggis Roulade with Whisky Cream Sauce

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VEGAN HAGGIS ROULADE with VEGAN WHISKY CREAM SAUCE

One wonders what Robert Burns would have thought of vegetarian haggis – If he were around today I’m not sure he would pen another 8 verses of the ‘Address to a Haggis, but he would have surely delivered some worthy light hearted ditty in honour of this much in demand 21st century dish. It’s become so popular that well know Scottish haggis producer – MacSween’s say it accounts for one in four of all haggis sales.

Nourished by Nature

I invited my friend  Janice Clyne, to come up with a vegan recipe for Burn’s night and she created this delicious feast that both vegans and non vegans will not only hearty and satifying but packed full of flavour. Janice is a Glasgow based Food Scientist, health educator, plant based blogger and an outstanding advocate for real food. Her blog, Nourished by Nature  is well worth a look and is full of healthy vegan recipes. Janice used vegetarian haggis from Simon Howie for her recipe.

Vegan Haggis Roulade

This is a fantastic vegan dish to celebrate Burns Night! Wrapping the haggis filling in puff pastry makes for a rather delicious and impressive main course! The filling has plenty of texture and flavour with the addition of pine nuts, mushrooms, spinach, herbs and balsamic vinegar.

Vegan Haggis
Pre- scoring the pastry makes this a doddle to cut and serve and all the prep can be done in advance, leaving you free to enjoy the evening with a wee dram or two!

Vegan Haggis Roulade
This is fantastic served with potatoes and a big pile of steamed spring greens or the more traditional bashed neeps! We serve this with a delicious whisky cream sauce!

Ingredients – serves 6
1 pack of shop bought puff pastry
1 pack of Vegetarian haggis (450g)1 250g pack of mushrooms, chestnut, or any mixture you like1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 250g pack of mushrooms, chestnut, or any mixture you likefew tablespoons fresh herbs, thyme, sage or rosemary, or a teaspoon dried herbs
½ cup (50g) pine nuts
good few handfuls of spinach, washed and chopped
1 or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar½ cup (50g) pine nuts
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
soya or other plant based milk for brushing the pastry

Method
1. First take your puff pastry out of the fridge and let it rest at room temperature.
2. Cook the haggis. The easiest way is to unwrap it, cut it into slices and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. Alternatively you can cook it in a pan of boiling water or in the oven following the instructions on the pack.
3. Wipe and chop the mushrooms into small pieces or slices, add them to a large pan with 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil with the herbs and cook for 5 to 10 minutes with a pinch of sea salt. Add a few handfuls of washed spinach and stir until it wilts down. Drain off any liquid then add a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar. Add the pine nuts, mix well, taste and adjust the seasoning. Mix with the cooked haggis and leave to cool.
4. Unroll the puff pastry onto a non stick baking tray. I always buy the kind which is already rolled into a sheet. Jus Roll do a good one, it comes in a green cardboard box. If you buy the small square one then you will have to roll it out into a rectangle shape about 14 by 10 inches. Keep the greaseproof paper the pastry is wrapped in underneath the pastry sheet, it makes it easier to fold.
5. With the long side facing you, layer your filling in the middle of the pastry sheet. Shape it with your hands into a long fat sausage shape.
6. Lightly brush all the edges with some soya milk.
7. Fold both the long edges of the pastry to cover the filling and press down firmly to seal the edges. Fold the edges in and pinch them together. You should now have a long sausage shaped pastry with a fold along the middle. Carefully flip the pastry roll over so that the join is on the bottom. It’s much easier to do this if you keep the greaseproof paper underneath. Just use the paper to carefully roll the pastry over, then remove the paper.
8. Cut slices into the top of the roulade and brush with soya milk. I cut mine into 10 slices but you could make it 12 if you have smaller appetites or more people to feed!
9. Bake in a hot oven at 220 or 200 or a fan oven for around 30 to 35 minutes until nicely browned and crisp!
10. Slice and serve with potatoes and greens and whisky cream sauce!

VEGAN WHISKY CREAM SAUCE

This is a delicious dairy free sauce, it’s a fairly thin pouring sauce which is perfect served in a gravy boat at the table! Feel free to add more whisky! We made this with an Islay malt whisky which imparted a lovely peaty, smoky flavour!

Whisky Sauce

Ingredients Serves 4 to 6
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 glug rapeseed oil
250 ml carton of Alpro Soya Cream or Oatly Cream
1 teaspoon dried herbs
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
2 teaspoons malt whisky
Sea salt and pepper
1 or 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Method
1. Heat the oil in a small pan, add the crushed garlic and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Add the herbs, a pinch of salt, the soya cream, mustard, whisky, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup.
3. Cook over a gentle heat for five minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more whisky/mustard/maple syrup to get a flavour to your liking.

 

Salmon with Miso Broth and Noodles

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Salmon with Miso Broth and Noodles

Cooking for one is something I enjoy doing as it gives me the chance to experiment with a few ingredients or even some leftovers. It also helps use up any small leftovers that might otherwise go to waste.

Leftovers

Salmon

This salmon with miso broth and noodles is the result of one such cook up. One tiny piece of salmon from the freezer and a few bits of leftover vegetables. This is an updated recipe from the original post when I first made this dish. I’ve added in a few extra ingredients – rice wine, garlic and fresh ginger.

Salmon with miso broth and noodles

Miso

Miso soup has become a real favourite of mine – it was a real saviour for me on a  sailing trip in New Zealand.  It’s the perfect antidote for a queasy stomach on a cold windy day with rough seas.  It’s since become a store cupboard staple and is a perfect partner for the salmon.

I used udon noodles as that’s what I had in the cupboard but the dish will work well with any noodles. The recipe gives quantities for one although it can be easily scaled up.  If you’re not keen on miso then chicken stock or vegetable stock will also work well.

I like to pan fry the salmon with the ginger, garlic and spring onion before adding to the broth but you make this a one pan dish by adding all the ingredients to the miso.

salmon with miso broth

Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Print Recipe
I love a fish soup or chowder and this Asian inspiredsalmon and miso broth is one of the easiest to make. It's an ideal quick meal for one and also makes good use of a few leftovers.
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Salmon with miso broth and noodles
Print Recipe
I love a fish soup or chowder and this Asian inspiredsalmon and miso broth is one of the easiest to make. It's an ideal quick meal for one and also makes good use of a few leftovers.
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 10 minutes
Cook Time
7-10 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Add 200 ml of boiling water to a pan and add the miso paste. Heat over a gentle heat to dissolve and add the soy sauce, rice wine, honey and lime juice. Add the noodles and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Udon noodles normally take around 7 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and mix well. add the salmon, soy sauce, spring onion, chilli and ginger - cook for 4-5 minutes or until salmon is cooked.
  2. In a separate frying pan, heat a tsp oil over a medium heat, add the salmon and cook for 5-6 mins, turning once. The ginger, garlic, chilli and spring onion can be added for 1-2 minutes - otherwise add straight into the miso broth with the other ingredients.
  3. Add the cooked noodle broth to a bowl, place the cooked the salmon on top sprinkle on the remaining spring onion Season with black pepper serve with additional lime wedges.
Recipe Notes

Check the finished dish before adding salt as the miso broth and soy sauce are both salty.

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For further information on using up leftovers see the Zero Waste Scotland website

I’ve added this recipe to the Recipe of the Week link on Emily Leary’s blog,  A Mummy Too.

Salmon with miso broth and noodles

Turkey Leftovers – Christmas Turkey Biryani

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Turkey leftovers are well loved in our house and with Christmas dinner over for another year, it’s time to make sure that all the meat is used up. Leftovers are one the things I love about Christmas food and there is something quite satisfying about stripping down the carcass and gathering any other little jewels that survived the festivities.

Turkey Biryani

One of my favourite ways to use up some of the turkey is to make a biryani. I’m not particularly keen on adding cooked meat to a curry but but I do like adding it to rice dishes. And, of course, don’t forget to boil up the carcass to make some comforting turkey broth.

Turkey Leftovers

I’ve listed the spices needed for the recipe but you could easily adapt by using curry powder or curry paste. Just go with what you’ve got available rather than buying extra.

I Like to serve this with some spicy chutney and a raita.

Turkey Leftovers

Turkey Biryani
Print Recipe
This turkey biryani is perfect for using up leftover turkey from the Christmas dinner or any chicken from the Sunday roast. It also works well with other cooked meats such as lamb or beef.
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Turkey Biryani
Print Recipe
This turkey biryani is perfect for using up leftover turkey from the Christmas dinner or any chicken from the Sunday roast. It also works well with other cooked meats such as lamb or beef.
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4-6 15 Minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Wash the rice in several changes of water then put the rice in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water, season with salt and set aside.
  2. Add the butter and the vegetable oil to a large saute pan and when the butter has melted, add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Add the ginger and garlic and chilli to the pan along with the spices and continue cooking for for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of water if the ingredients start to dry out.
  4. Drain the rice, run under cold water then add to the pan along with the stock and dried cranberries. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Scatter the turkey over the top of the rice, replace the lid and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed.
  6. Remove from the heat, add half the coriander to the pan and using a fork, mix the turkey and the coriander through the rice. check seasoning and serve.
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Food Waste

Food waste is such a huge problem all year round and during the festive period  50,375 tonnes of food and drink is expected to be binned in Scotland alone.  We’re all being enouraged to shop smart and save money simply by avoiding food waste.

Further information with recipes and tips on preventing food waste can be found at Love Food Hate Waste Scotland

Food Waste

 

Christmas Food Waste

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Let’s prevent over £90 million worth of food waste this Christmas

 

Food Waste

Food Waste

Food waste will be huge problem this Christmas and now is the time to start thinking ahead and have some ideas for using up the Christmas leftovers.
Collectively, people living in Scotland could save more than £90 million¹ by not wasting food this festive season. That’s a saving of £38 for every household in Scotland.
With 50,375² tonnes of food and drink expected to be binned in December, Scots are being encouraged to shop smart and save money simply by avoiding food waste.
According to figures from Zero Waste Scotland the equivalent of over 700,000 wheelie bins full of food is expected to be thrown away this month.
In December alone Scots are expected to throw away over 3.5 million mince pies, more than 240,000 Christmas puddings, and the equivalent of over 100,000 turkeys³. Using these items up – or not over-buying them in the first place – represents a potential saving of over £3 million.
Action to tackle household food waste has already seen the amount generated drop by 6% (between 2009 and 2014), resulting in a saving to household budgets of £92 million.
Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, said: “At Christmas it can be tempting to buy – and therefore waste – more food. But with a little preparation people can save money and be kinder to the environment. In Scotland we are working towards a 33% reduction in food waste by 2025. That’s the most ambitious target in Europe, and everyone in Scotland has an important part to play in helping the country achieve that goal.”
Ylva Haglund, Food Waste Campaigns Manager at Zero Waste Scotland, said: “With all the food most of us buy in the run up to Christmas, this can be a difficult time of year to avoid throwing food out. But taking a little bit of time to check your fridge and cupboards and make use of what you already have can save you a lot of money.
“The average household could save £460 a year by putting food to better use – simply by thinking ahead when shopping for meals, freezing extra portions and following recipes to use up any ingredients instead of just buying more.
For inspiration on cutting down food and drink waste this Christmas and saving money, see the top tips below:

Leftover Tips

· Keep your festive leftovers aside to make some quick and easy recipes – great for a head start on Boxing Day dinner.
· To use up any uneaten Christmas meal staples, curries, stews and soups are tasty and hassle-free to make. And who doesn’t love a classic turkey sandwich with leftover cranberry sauce? Easy recipes using leftovers can be found on the Zero Waste Scotland website
· To use up your Christmas pudding, create a really easy and delicious dessert of Christmas pudding ice cream. Just mix custard and whipped cream together then stir in the crumbled Christmas pudding, perhaps adding a little leftover rum, whisky or Baileys, and then freeze.
· Believe it or not, mince pies work really well as a base for another cake. Add in chocolate, orange or nuts, or use in trifle.
Freezing and storing
· Freezing the food you have left from your Christmas feast could save you cash. Freeze as soon as you can – within two days – and eat within three months if possible.
· You can freeze just about anything. Cream (whip it a little beforehand) and cheeses like Stilton freeze really well, just put them in an airtight bag or container and store in the freezer.
· If you have leftover salad or lettuce leaves put a piece of kitchen roll in the bottom of a pot, add the leaves and then seal. This will keep them fresh for much longer than leaving them in the bag.
New Year’s resolutions – how to cut down on food waste next year
· Only attempt a big food shop if you’ve prepared a shopping list to avoid buying food you won’t use.
· Remember to check your cupboards first before you go shopping, as you may already have a lot of the ingredients you need.
· By washing, chopping, bagging and freezing your veg in advance you can save a lot of time, and they will retain the same nutritional value as if you prepared them from fresh.
Anyone wishing to find out more about food waste, including easy and tasty recipes, should visit the Love Food Hate Waste website at  Zero Waste Scotland is also encouraging Scots to share their own festive recipes on Twitter and Facebook.

 

St Andrew’s Day – Healthy Salmon Bake

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St Andrew’s day is a wonderful day to celebrate our Scottish culture and central to many of Scotland’s and indeed worldwide celebrations will be the food.

St Andrew’s Day Food

Unlike Burns night where haggis is the star of the show; St Andrew’s day isn’t associated with any particular food, but, there’s no shortage of fresh seasonal produce to chose from. Alongside many of Scotland’s traditional offerings like Scotch beef and lamb, there’s a magnificent selection of fresh seasonal produce to chose from. Game is plentiful and I recently heard legendary chef, Albert Roux encourage young chefs to make more use of this including Scotland’s mountain hare.

With St Andrew being a fisherman it seems appropriate to celebrate the day with seafood and one of the nations finest foods – Scotland’s king of fish – Scottish salmon.

But, if like me, your day is busy, then a healthy meal that can be on the table in a very short time is ideal. This simple smoked salmon bake is packed full of flavour and some of the prep can be done in advance. The recipe will also work well with salmon fillets or hot smoked salmon.

Smoked Salmon Bake

St Andrew's Day. Smoked salmon bake

 

Perfect after a busy day.

St Andrews Day. Smoked salmon bake

St Andrew's Day. Smoked salmon bake
Smoked salmon bake
Print Recipe
This all in one salmon bake is quick and easy and a great way of getting the family to eat more fish and vegetables.
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
St Andrew's Day. Smoked salmon bake
Smoked salmon bake
Print Recipe
This all in one salmon bake is quick and easy and a great way of getting the family to eat more fish and vegetables.
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings Prep Time
4 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 mins
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Pre heat the oven to 190C/ 170 fan Gas 5. Par boil the diced potato in salted water until it is soft but not completely cooked. Drain and leave to cool.
  2. In a large bowl, gently mix together the salmon, cooked potatoes, spring onions, peas, parsley or dill, creme fraiche and milk.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a medium sized oven proof dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together and sprinkle across the top to cover the fish mixture.
  4. Cook in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes until piping hot and the topping is golden brown.
  5. If you want to serve some extra vegetables, broccoli works well as a side.
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Sausage and Pumpkin with Orzo

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Pumpkin is one of vegetables that signals a change of season in the kitchen. As the clocks move and we leave the lighter nights behind, the light and fresh dishes we’ve become accustomed to over the summer months are replaced with more hearty and robust meals.

It also means an abundance of home grown seasonal vegetables – along with the appearance of colourful beetroots, swiss chard, and kale and parsnips,  pumpkins bring some much needed brightness to darker days.

Pumpkin is one of my regulars in these hearty and satisfying meals as it’s so versatile and nourishing and I love to roast it with other ingredients or use it in soups and casseroles.

Great selection of pumpkin available

Types of Pumpkin

There’s such a great selection available at this time time of year and they all have great flavour. Don’t be put off by the tough skin, pumpkin can be roasted with the skin on and then it’s easily removed once cooked.

This sausage and pumpkin recipe is one of my favourite autumn comfort food meals and is great for limiting the amount of washing up as it’s all cooked in one pan. I used Red Kuri pumpkin for this recipe but any squash or pumpkin will work and it’s also a good way to use up any leftover Halloween pumpkin.

A great one pan supper

Pumpkin and sausages

Made with a few key ingredients

Pumpkin and sausages

Sausage and pumpkin with orzo
Sausage and Pumpkin with Orzo
Print Recipe
This one pan dish is a real winner and lets face who doesn't like sausages. In this recipe I used spicy Italian sausages but any pork sausage will be perfect. If using pork sausages a good pinch of chilli flakes will add a welcome kick to the dish.
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Sausage and pumpkin with orzo
Sausage and Pumpkin with Orzo
Print Recipe
This one pan dish is a real winner and lets face who doesn't like sausages. In this recipe I used spicy Italian sausages but any pork sausage will be perfect. If using pork sausages a good pinch of chilli flakes will add a welcome kick to the dish.
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Servings Prep Time
4 15
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat the oil in roasting tin and brown the sausages. Set aside.
  2. Add the pumpkin and the red pepper to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
  3. Return the sausages to the pan, add the cider and the stock, season well and add the sprig of sage to the pan.
  4. Transfer the roasting ton to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Add the orzo, stir to mix well, adding more stock if required. Retrn to the oven and continue cooking for approximately 10 minutes until the orzo is cooked. Add the chopped parsely and sage
  5. Add the chopped parsley and sage. To save on washing up, serve the dish up at the table in the dish it was cooked in.
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Sausage and pumpkin with orzo

Halloween Recipes

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Halloween  is next week and for many the appearance of the bright orange pumpkin in the shops usually means it’s time to get carving the lantern.

Pumpkin recipes

Halloween Food

However, the pumpkin is a great fruit, yes it is a fruit, not a vegetable and an extremely versatile one at that. For me it  signals that not only is Halloween around the corner but that Autumn has arrived and it’s  time for a change of flavours in the kitchen. Different seasons bring new colours, new aromas, and the pumpkin denotes warm, spicy earthy tones that add comfort to food as we move away from salads and the lightness and freshness of summer food. One thing to bear in mind is that the large pumpkins are usually grown with Halloween in mind and can be a bit bland. Flavour can be added with herbs and spices and rather than waste the flesh and seeds from a carved pumpkin, it can be cooked up into some delicous treats.

Pumpkin works well in casseroles and curries, as a soup, in risotto and as a stuffing for certain pasta, a roasted veg and even in a cake or a dessert. When I mentioned that I was making a selection of cakes and desserts with my pumpkin haul, there were a few raised eyebrows in the house,  not surprising as my boys would never eat it as a savoury dish, preferring to carve it in to a lantern to go trick or treating or to adorn the doorstep on Halloween. However, like other fruit or vegetable cakes it makes a lovely addition as it lends a nice subtle sweetness and moistness to a sponge cake and it’s also a nice change for a cheesecake or pie. Warm spices such as cinnamon, ginger and chilli compliment the flavour of pumpkin as do sweet flavours such as orange and surprisingly for some chocolate. These recipes make a nice change from the soups and savoury dishes and where possible I have reduced the calorie content by using oil or ‘lighter’ ingredients.

Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Ginger Sauce

Pumpkin recipes

 

Ingredients

225g digestive biscuits

60g butter

Juice and zest of 1 orange

340g cooked pumpkin. Either roast or steam

25g fresh ginger grated

225g golden caster sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs

Sauce

175g Plain chocolate

50g butter

1 tbsp ginger wine or a tbsp of the syrup from the preserved ginger.

2 pieces of preserved ginger (from a jar) chopped

Place the chocolate,  butter and milk in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water, stir until melted and creamy. Stir in the ginger and set aside until needed.

Cheesecake

Heat the oven to 170oc /. Fan Gas 3

Grease and line a 10 in/25cm loose bottomed cake tin.

Crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs.

Melt the butter over a low heat, stir in the biscuit crumbs along with the orange zest Press the biscuit crumb mix into the base of the tin and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pumpkin, grated ginger, sugar, and cinnamon until the mixture is smooth. A food mixer will make this much easier.

Beat the eggs and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for approximately 90 mins until set and a skewer comes out clean. Once cool,turn onto a serving plate, cover and chill overnight. To serve, dust lightly with icing sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Pumpkin recipes

Pumpkin and apple samosas

Makes 12

1 packet of Filo pastry

Filling Ingredients

225g pumpkin chopped into a small dice

110g apples chopped into a small dice

25g sultanas

25g grated ginger

1 tbsp plain flour

Light muscovada sugar   Combine the filling ingredients together. Unroll the Filo, and cover with a damp tea towel.

Take one sheet of pastry and brush with melted butter or oil, fold one third, brush again and fold I the final third to make one long strip of pastry.

Place a spoonful of the filling at one corner end of the Filo and fold diagonally to make a triangle. Continue folding until you reach the end of the pastry strip and have formed a triangle parcel. Brush with melted butter or oil, place on a baking sheet and bake, 200C/ 180c fan Gas 6 for 20 – 30 mins until crisp and golden.

Allow to cool slightly,  dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with low fat creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt.

My next healthier Halloween offering is my Chocolate & Orange Pumpkin cake and although it contains sugar , there’s no artificial colourings.

Pumpkin recipes

 

This is a recipe I have adapted from my Mother in laws chocolate cake and the various carrot cakes I have made over the years. It’s made with fresh pumpkin and rapeseed oil as I find using oil makes for a more moist cake and much lower in saturated fat than butter.

The frosting is made with light cream cheese, icing sugar and grated orange rind,  although a lighter option is an orange drizzle icing.

Ingredients

Cake

300g self raising flour

300g light muscovada sugar

1tbsp ginger

2.5 tsp cinnamon

60g cocoa powder (Green and Blacks gives the best flavour)

1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs beaten

140 ml rapeseed oil

30 ml natural yoghurt

Zest of 1 orange

650g pumpkin grated.

Frosting

200g light cream cheese

85g butter

100g icing sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Approx 2 tbsp orange juice.

Oven Temp 180oc/ fan 160oc gas 4

30×20 cm loose bottomed cake tin – greased and lined with baking parchment

Put the dry ingredients, flour,sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder and salt in to a large mixing bowl.

Beat the eggs, add the oil and yoghurt and orange zest and mix well. Fold in to the dry ingredients and then stir in the grated pumpkin ensuring that it is mixed well.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 35 – 40 mins or until springy to touch.

Frosting

Beat the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the orange zest / juice until you achieve the desired flavour.

I find too much zest and juice makes the finished flavour to orangey and can be overpowering for the flavour of the cake. Using a palette knife to spread and swirl the frosting over the cake. Decorate as required.

Notes. Once frosted the cake keep well for a few days in the fridge. Lower the calorie count by using an orange drizzle icing.

Orange Drizzle Icing

Juice of 1 orange and zest of 1/2. 100g granulated sugar Mix ingredients together and drizzle over cake.

 

 

My thanks to Debra at Gardens Inspired Blogspot  for the pumpkin garden pictures.