Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasting the squash brings out the sugar in the veg. The result is a deliciously sweet soup.

1,2 kg butternut squash or seasonal pumpkin, e. g. hokaido
1 large carrot
1,25 l vegetable stock
sea salt
freshly grated black pepper
1 onion
1 garlic clove
extra virgin olive oil

toasted pumpkin oil and toasted pumpkin seeds for serving

Cut the squash or pumkin in half, core and cut into wedges. I didn't peel my butternut squash because we normally eat the skin when I roast them. Cut the carrot into wedges as well. Season with pepper and salt. Place on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes at 200-220 °C/gas mark 5 or 6 until the vegetables are browned and cooked.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. When the vegetables are ready, sauté the onion and garlic in a little olive oil, place the roasted vegetables on kitchen paper to remove any excess oil and add to the stock. Bring to the boil and purée. Check the seasoning. To serve drizzle a little pumpkin oil and scatter some pumpkin seeds on top.

Shredded Winter Salad

I hate boiled white cabbage with a vengeance but like it as or in a salad. This is a Jamie Oliver inspired recipe from Jamie's Great Britain. Jamie uses mayonnaise but I opted for something a little lighter.

2 large carrots, coarsely grated
2 uncooked beetroot, coarsely grated
2 handfuls of very finely sliced white cabbage
1 Abate pear or 2 small pears
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 small handfuls of toasted, chopped walnuts

Dressing:
150 ml soured cream or crème fraîche
1 tsp mustard
2-3 tbp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tbsp (elderflower infused) cider or sherry vinegar
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place the vegetables, fruit, herbs and nuts into a large bowl. Make the dressing and mix together. Marinate for about an hour.

Spicy Rosemary Nuts

Our next-door neighbour makes the most fantastic chilli nuts but won't reveal his recipe. ;) I've experimented but haven't really managed to come up with a good alternative  - until now! On a German (partly bilingual) blog by Die Raumfee, I saw a recipe that I've adapted and that's worked out really, really well. Thank you Katja!

600-800 g mixed nuts (e. g. almonds, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, macademia nuts, pecan nuts, walnuts)
1 egg white
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chilli flakes, ground
1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the nuts in a roasting tray and roast at full whack for 5- 10 minutes until they are golden. The time depends on your oven. (Our gas oven is really slow.)

2. Beat the egg white until stiff and mix in all the seasoning. Mix in the nuts, then return the mixture to the roasting tray. Bake for 30 minutes at gas mark 2/120 °C.  To prevent the nuts from sticking to the tray mix them up after about 10 minutes.

3. After they're fully cooled, store them in airtight jars. They won't last long!

Pistachio Rice

Normally, I don't buy basmati rice because I prefer brown rice but when I spotted brown basmati at the supermarket the other day I was keen to try it out.

300 g brown basmati rice
50 g unsalted toasted pistachio nuts, shelled and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp cumin, toasted and ground
200 g brown basmati rice

1. Wash and cook the basmati according to the packet instructions in lightly salted water until tender.
2. Toast the cumin in a non-stick pan and grind in a mortar.
3. Coarsely chop the pistachios and grate the carlic.
4. When the rice is done, heat some olive oil. Add the pistachios, garlic and cumin to the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and mix well. Serve immediately.

Swiss Walnut Tart (Engadiner Nusskuchen)

I came across this recipe via a community sister of a home décor website I'm active on and simply had to try it out. It's wonderful - and I don't normally eat cakes! One little thing: I find the shortcrust pastry a wee bit sweet so reduced the amount of sugar, originally 150 g. Also, I always use fine unrefined brown sugar instead of white sugar. In this case I think it probably enhances the overall butterscotch taste. But anyone who loves pecan pie, banoffi pie, florentine biscuits etc. has got to try this! :))))

Shortcrust pastry:
160 g butter, softened
100 g sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 egg
300 g flour

Filling:
20 g butter
300 g sugar
250 g coarsely chopped walnuts
250 ml whipping cream, warmed

1 egg yolk for brushing

1. Work the softened butter, sugar, flour and egg into a shortcrust pastry, then chill.

2. In the meantime make the filling:

Melt the butter over a low heat in a saucepan, add the sugar and over a medium to high heat keep stirring until the sugar has melted and you have a smooth, thick caramel. If there are lumps, don't worry just keep stirring until they have dissolved.

Add the walnuts and warmed cream and bring to the boil. Leave to cool a little. Don't worry if there are hard bits and the mix isn't quite homogenous, that happened to me as well but they'll dissolve with the heat from the oven.

3. While the nut mix is cooling, get your shortcrust pastry out of the fridge and divide in two parts: 1/3 for the lid and 2/3 for the base.

Roll out the base or press into a 24 cm spring tin or flan dish bringing it up to form a rim. Use a fork to stab some holes into the bottom. Now add the nut mix.

Roll out the pastry for the lid and cover the cake. Fold any excess pastry over, with a fork stab a few holes into the lid and brush with egg yolk.

4. Baking times:

fan-assisted oven: 30-40 min at 180 °C on the second level from the bottom

gas oven: 40 min at gas mark 5 (200 °C)

Check if it's finished with a skewer - there will still be a little sticky caramel on the skewer.

If using a spring tin turn out of the tin and leave to cool on a rack, otherwise leave and serve in the flan dish. Optionally serve with whipped cream or to complement the sweetness of the cake with crème fraîche, soured cream or Greek yoghurt.

Triple Pumpkin Pasta

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash
pasta of your choice
4 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
toasted pumpkin oil
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
frehsly grated parmesan
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and very finely choppped

1. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Cut into segments.
2. Place the squash segments in a roasting tray, season with pepper and salt and drizzle with olive oil.
3. Place in the oven and roast for 30-45 minutes at gas mark 6-7/ 220 °C until soft.
4. Boil the pasta in salted water.
5. In the meantime, chop the squash into bite-sized chunks.
6. Distribute the pasta and squash evenly into four bowls.
7. Drizzle with a little olive oil and pumpkin oil and sprinkle with fresh rosemary, pumpkin seeds and freshly grated parmesan.

Use any pumpkin variety you fancy apart from the really large ones. They're great for carving and soup but not that tasty otherwise.

Raspberry Ricotta with Rosemary

250 g fresh or frozen raspberries (defrosted)
1 tsp very finely chopped fresh rosemary
zest of a lime
juice of 1/4 lime
2-3 tbsp maple syrup
25 g of shelled unsalted roasted pistachios, chopped
250 g of ricotta


1. Purée the raspberries and stir in maple syrup to taste.
2. Set aside a couple of tablespoons of the puréed rapsberries as well as 1/4 of the pistachios.
3. With a fork blend in the ricotta.
4. Add the rosemary, lime zest, lime juice and the remaining chopped pistachios.
5. Serve drizzled with rapsberry purée and sprinkled with pistachios.

Alternative:
1. Fold in a couple of spoons of whipped cream for a richer flavour.

2. Substitute the ricotta with mascarpone.

Bucatini with Steamed Asparagus and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

I'm crazy about asparagus this time of year. But no Sauce Hollandaise for me. I roast it in the oven, steam it, use it in salads, risottos, omelettes with pasta or eat it on its own...the possibilities are endless.

The following recipe makes a delicious week-day dinner for four.

500 g bucatini pasta
600 g green asparagus, steamed
toasted pumpkin seeds
(organic) toasted pumpkin oil
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
parmesan shavings

1. Cook the pasta as per packet instructions (about 17 min). Drain and drizzle liberally with olive oil.
2. Snap the asparagus spears to get rid of the woody bits. Wash and place into a steamer. Season with pepper and salt. Steam for about 5-7 minutes turning them using tongs until the spears are al dente.
3. Cut the asparagus into 2 cm long sections.
4. Place a portion of pasta onto heated plates and scatter the asparagus over the top.
5. Drizzle some toasted pumpkin oil over each serving and scatter with toasted pumpkin seeds.
6. Season with black pepper (optional) and add the parmesam shavings.
7. Serve immediately.

Salad with Seeds and Quail Eggs

12 quail eggs, hard boiled
2-3tbsp of toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
cherry plum tomatoes
2 little gem lettuces/ 1 Romaine or Cos lettuce
1 avocado, chunks scooped out
vinaigrette to taste

Boil the quail eggs as per packet instructions, i.e. place into boiling water, place the lid on the saucepan and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain and add cold water.

Arrange the salad ingredients on a deep platter or in a shallow bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Tip:
Little gem is quite a sturdy lettuce (but, to be honest, rather bland) as are Romaine and Cos lettuce, and can be dressed a little in advance. If using more delicate leaves, don't dress them until you're ready to serve the salad. Or place the bowl on the table and serve the dressing in a separate jug so everyone can help themselves. That way if there is any left over salad, it won't get wasted but can be put in the fridge for later.

Carrot Salad with Sesame Seeds

500g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
herb salt
freshly ground black pepper
2tbsp sherry or white wine vinegar
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed sunflower oil
2tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in the oven at a very high heat until golden
1tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)

Mix pepper, herb salt and vinegar, then add the oil. Pour over the carrots, mix well and leave to marinate for a couple of hours before serving. Add the toasted sesame seeds just before serving.

preparation time: 15 mins
marinating time: at least 1 hour

4 flake muesli

Sunday morning and the last of the muesli has been consumed for breakfast...Better get on and make a new batch or there'll be tears before bedtime.

1kg jumbo oat flakes
1kg barley flakes
1kg rye flakes
1kg wheat flakes
250g Thomson raisins
200g dried dates, chopped
200g dried figs, chopped
50g brown linseed
50g sesame seeds
100g sunflower seeds
100g pumpkin seeds
250g whole mixed nuts, toasted

1. Using one humungous bowl or two large bowls, pour in the flakes and mix them well with a large spoon or with your hands.



2. Add the seeds, nuts and raisins and mix well.



3. Chop the figs and dates to roughly the size of raisins and add to the muesli mix. These dried fruits are really sticky and tend to clump so it's easier to break them up using your hands.



Variations:
dried apricots
toast the seeds
break up the nuts by wrapping them in a tea towel and bashing them with a rolling pin

Enjoy with milk or your favourite non-dairy milk product.