Spuds and chicory toasties

Simple, simple, comforting. That's the recipe in a 'spudshell'. The crunchy and wholesome toastie helps to ease off into a casual and relaxing evening. Especially, when the late October darkness is overtaking the northern hemisphere.

The familiar taste of potatoes, slightly bitter edge of chicory and grilled cheesy topping - all in all another great idea from Hugh Fearnly Whittingstall's "River Cottage Veg every day".

Crunchy and satisfying dinner bite

Ingredients for 4 toasties

- A good splash of rapeseed oil
- 4 small to medium unpeeled potatoes, cooked and sliced thickly
- 1 chicory, sliced sideways
- 3 tbs of crème fraîche
- 4 thick slices of sourdough bread, preferably homemade
- Goat cheese slices, enough to cover each bread slice
- Chopped parsley
- Sea salt and finely ground black pepper

Preparing the toasties

This recipe is ideal for using leftover spuds, but there is nothing stopping you from boiling a few potatoes especially to prepare the toasties. That's what we did.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat. When the oil is hot arrange the potatoe slices on the pan and fry until they start to turn golden. Move them around a little in the process and then turn on the other side. Add the chicory and stir gently until they start to wilt. Now the pan is ready for the crème. Stir it in and let it bubble until slightly thickened. Then add parsley, salt, and pepper, but do take into account how salty the cheese you're using is.

Preheat the grill and toast the bread slices lightly on both sides. Then spoon the spud mixture on each slice and top with the cheese. Grill until the cheese has melted and just begins to turn golden.

Put on a plate and enjoy hot and crunchy.

Apple and parsnip fritters with bacon

The combination of apple, parsnip and bacon may sound odd at first, but expect to surprise your tastebuds with the sourness of the apple cutting through the sweetness of the parsnip, all of which is complemented by the saltines of a crunchy bacon rasher. This recipe, like many posted before, is adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s “River Cottage Fruit Everyday”.

Ingredients for 10 to 12 fritters

- 300 g of peeled, topped and tailed parsnips
- 2 medium-large (about 300 g) Cox’s apples or any other large eating apples, peeled
- 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbs plain flour
- Sunflower oil for frying
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning
- 8 rashers of streaky smoked bacon

Preparing the fritters

Start by chopping the parsnips into sizeable chunks of about 5 cm long and put them in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them. Salt lightly and bring to the boil. As you will be frying them later you will only need to cook the parsnips for 3 minutes. Then take them off the heat and drain.

Once the parsnips have cooled down enough to handle them, coarsely grate them into a bowl. Do the same with apples and add the egg and flour to the bowl too. Season with plenty of salt and pepper and mix everything together well.

Get a non stick frying pan ready by heating it over medium heat and covering it with about 2 mm of oil. Make the fritters by taking 1 dessertspoon full of the apple and parsnip mixture and shaping it into a small burger like disk. For best results do this with your hands and place each fritter on a chopping board. Using a large spatula carefully lift every one and put in the sizzling oil. You will be able to fry about 4 or 5 fritters at a time so this will need to be done in batches. Fry for about 5 minutes on one side, carefully flip it over and fry for another 5 minutes.

Whilst frying the fritters, heat up another frying pan to high heat and fry the bacon rashers until crispy, turning them every so often.

Serve the fritters straight out of the pan.

For a delectable mouthful, enjoy every bite with a bit of salty bacon.

Homemade lamb burgers with plums

Introducing fruit to your dinner is a fantastic way to revamp old dishes with exciting new flavours. In this recipe adapted from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's "River Cottage Fruit every day!" we've used roasted plums to sweeten the lightly spiced lamb burgers. They deserved nothing less than to be served on freshly made buns.

A fruity take on a meaty burger

Ingredients

For 8 buns (adapted from www.theclevercarrot.com)
- 2 tsp of instant yeast
- 250 ml of tepid water
- 3 tbsp of milk
- 2.5 tbsp of granulated sugar
- 260 g of strong white bread flour
- 125 g of wholemeal bread flour
- 55 g of plain flour
- 2 medium sized eggs
- 1.5 tsp of sea salt
- 35 g of softened unsalted butter
- Sesame seeds (optional)

For 4 burgers
- 600 g of lamb leg steak
- 1 finely chopped medium onion
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1/2 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli
- 1 tsp of ground coriander
- 1/2 of fine sea salt
- 1 tsp of coarse ground black pepper
- Splash of olive oil for frying

For the roast plums
- 4 plums
- 25 g of butter
- 2 tsp of caster sugar
- Fine ground black pepper

Preparing the buns

Mix the water, milk, yeast and sugar in a small bowl and leave for 5 minutes until foamy.

Meanwhile, add the flours, salt and butter to another bowl and mix either by hand or by using a kitchen robot with a cake beater attachment (for example, Kenwood K-beater) until the mixture resembles small breadcrumbs. Slightly beat one egg and add it to the flour mixture together with the foamy yeast. Work the ingredients for long enough to achieve a well blended dough and knead for 10 minutes by hand or by using a kitchen robot with dough hook. Remove the dough hook and cover the bowl for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

After rising, remove the dough from the bowl and gently knock out the air by pressing it all over with stretched out fingers. Weigh the dough (you should have approximately 840 grams) and divide into 8 equal portions so that the buns will bake evenly. Shape the portions into small rounds and place them on a baking tray lined with grease proof paper. Cover lightly with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place to proof for 30 to 45 minutes. The dough should double in size. Meanwhile, preheat the (fan-assisted) oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Before putting the buns in the oven, slightly beat the remaining egg and brush each one carefully. For extra crunch, sprinkle the buns with sesame or other seeds of your liking. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven and leave to cool down. Meanwhile, focus your attention on frying the burgers and roasting the plums.

Great with burgers but also lovely for breakfast

Preparing the burgers 

Cut the steaks into large cubes and mince twice with the finest screen. Alternatively, you can use ready minced lamb. In a large bowl mix together the meat, onion, garlic, chilli, coriander, salt and pepper. This is best done by hand to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover the bowl with cling film and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius.

Once the flavours have seeped into the lamb, divide the mince into four equal portions. Shape each burger by making a ball with your hands and pressing it down with your palm to 1 inch thick discs. Set aside and prepare the plums by first stoning and halving them. Then put a knob of butter in the centre of each half and sprinkle with sugar and pepper. Place in an oven-proof dish and roast for approximately 20 minutes until the fruit is soft and starts to caramelise.

Whilst the plums are roasting, coat the burgers with olive oil and fry in a hot pan for 6 minutes on each side.

Slice four of the buns in half and put in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes prior to taking out the plums. Assemble the burgers by placing the meat and roasted fruit in between the bread slices.

Butternut squash and red lentil stew

It is a warming and flavoursome dish that combines creamy and soft texture of the butternut squash with delicately pronounced crunch of the red lentils. Although simple, there is much more to this dish than textures. The richness of spices makes it a joy to cook with as the exotic smells of turmeric, cinnamon and ground ginger infuse the kitchen air. Each delectable mouthful is intense and powerful with a peppery aftertaste from the coarse ground pepper. As with most meat free dishes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, no one ingredient is a star attraction. Instead, it is a harmonious blend of balanced components that creates a multidimensional and complete dish.

The following recipe is adapted from "River Cottage Veg everyday!" by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

This easy and comforting stew makes a perfect autumn weekday dinner. A scrumptious meal after a busy day in the City

Ingredients for 4

- Splash of rapeseed oil

- 2 chopped onions

- 2 chopped garlic cloves

- 1 finely diced celery stalk

- 100 g of red lentils

- 400 g of drained chickpeas from tin

- 500 ml of passata

- 300 g of butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into large chunks

- 50 g of orzo or alphabet pasta

- 1/2 tsp of coarse ground black pepper

- 1 tsp of ground turmeric

- 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

- 1 tsp of ground ginger

- 8 saffron strands

- A handful of parsley 

- A bunch of coriander, leave some for garnishing

- 2 bay leaves

- 1.2 litres of vegetable stock

- Optional dates to serve

Lusciously orange butternut squash provides texture to the stew whilst the seeds are a good topping for a home made bread

Preparing the stew

Ideally use a cast iron pan and heat the oil first. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft and lightly browned. Then stir in the celery, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. 

Add the lentils, chickpeas, saffron, passata, parsley and coriander. Gently simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the flavours start to come together. 

Then add the squash, stock and bay leaves. Cover and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust salt if needed. Lastly, add orzo or pasta and continue cooking for a few more minutes until it is tender.

Scatter with coriander and serve steaming hot. For an extra tasteful adventure, accompany the stew with dried dates. Their caramel sweetness beautifully cuts through the spices and excites the taste buds even more.

Dates, perhaps unusual, are a perfect match for this stew

Kale and mushroom lasagne

We bought into the radical idea of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to put vegetables centre stage. This wholesome and warming dish oozes with the earthy taste of kale smothered in thick béchamel and is complemented by the aromatic chestnut mushrooms. A completely meatless version of lasagne that elevates the crunchy texture of cavolo nero.

The following recipe is adapted from "River Cottage Veg everyday!" by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Ingredients for 6

For the filling
- 300 g of cavolo nero, tough stalks removed
- 30 g of butter
- 500 g of sliced chestnut mushrooms
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2 sprigs of finely chopped thyme without stalks
- 20 g of grated parmesan
- Slush of olive or rapeseed oil
- Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

For the lasagne sheets
- 190 grams of '00 flour
- Pinch of ground sea salt
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 to 2 tsp of water

For the béchamel sauce
- 150 ml of semi-skimmed milk
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 roughly chopped onion
- 1 roughly chopped celery stalk
- A small handful of black pepper corns
- 50 grams of unsalted butter
- 50 grams of plain flour
- 2 tsp of Dijon mustard

Preparing the lasagne sheets

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Lightly beat the eggs, put them in the centre of the flour mixture and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients with the egg (either by hands or a kitchen robot). If the mixture becomes to dry add the water, one teaspoon at a time.

Once a firm dough has been formed shape it into a round and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Afterwards, divide the dough in 5 to 6 equal portions and roll the dough to 1 mm thick sheets using a pasta maker. Leave the sheets to rest for 15 to 30 minutes before assembling the lasagne.

Preparing the lasagne dish

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (gas mark 4).

In a medium size saucepan pour the milk and add the bay leaf, onion, celery and pepper corns. Heat until just before simmering. Set aside to allow the milk to infuse.

Roughly chop the cavolo nero and then put into a large saucepan. Pour cold water, enough to cover the kale and add salt. Once boiling reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until lightly tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add half the mushrooms with a little salt and pepper. Stir frequently until all the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms start to caramelise. Then add the garlic and thyme. Stir and fry for a little longer. Set the mushroom mixture aside and repeat with the remaining half.

Reheat the infused milk until just before simmering and then strain. In a large pan melt the butter and cook gently for less than a minute. Then stir in the flour until well combined with the butter for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the milk (in 3 to 4 batches) whilst whisking vigorously to incorporate each batch of milk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Return to the heat and cook until bubbly and thick. Stir frequently and then add mustard and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix the cavolo nero with half of the béchamel sauce in a separate bowl.

Spread half of the remaining bechamel over the bottom of an ovenproof dish (ours is 23 by 30 cm). Divide the lasagne sheets into three batches. Place the first batch of the lasagne sheets over the béchamel sauce in the dish. Then spread the cavolo nero. Place your second batch of the lasagne sheets over the kale. Then spread the mushrooms. Finally, place the last batch of the lagagne sheets over the mushrooms and cover with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with the cheese and drizzle with a little oil. Bake for 30 minutes until the lasagne is golden and lightly crispy on top.

Kale and mushroom lasagne (with a roast homegrown tomato)