FORAGER'S FEAST

 

It’s no good keep picking from the hedgerows as it only encourages me to make more sweet puds desserts.

The bramble scones from the Kitchen Garden magazine were a delight warmed with clotted cream and sticky jam - and so simple and rustic to put together. I used marg instead of the coconut oil. If you’ve some berries left in your freezer I’d highly recommend them.

 

I've had some blackberry disasters recently. 

 

 

This blackberry soaked sponge didn't look or taste great.... 
 

And this lemon and blackberry cheesecake looked gorgeous and quite artistic for me but it didn't set so it was hopeless to dish up although it tasted quite nice!

 Here's your recipe as there is no link

 

• Sift seven ounces of flour into a bowl and rub in one and a half ounces of marg.
• Add 125mls of milk and bring the dough together.  They suggest almond or soya milk to make it more healthy.
• Add one and a half ounces of blackberries
• Knead lightly and pat into a round and cut into rough triangles.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes at 200 degrees in a fan oven.  I think mine took just a little longer.

DOUBLY DELICIOUS!

 

Joe wicks does it again!!! Just used the last of my aubergines some red peppers and coriander in a fragrant taste-laden curry that only took 30 minutes to cook and could quite easily rival the local takeaway. I drew the line at using paneer and swapped chicken thighs for breasts but it still made me want to make it again.

  

If you’re fonder of food from a different part of the world the aubergines also work well in a rigatoni pasta bake - I halved the cottage cheese and only used one tin of tomatoes but again I don’t feel it influenced the outcome in a negative way.

 

 

So nice to try more quirky veggies instead of the usual staples.

 

  https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/beef-and-aubergine-rigatoni-bake-with-tomato-and-basil

 

Can't find the recipe for the curry but here it is in a nutshell.  It would serve two people with rice and nan bread.

• Fry a red onion and add a shake of fenugreek seeds and two bashed cardamom pods.
• Add a red pepper and a medium chopped aubergine and three chicken breasts (his recipe would use 5 skinless thighs, bone-in) and fry till chicken loses its pinkness.
• Sprinkle in one and a half teaspoons of garam masala, some ground coriander, turmeric and paprika and cook out before squeezing in half a  tablespoon of tomato puree. Stir fry for a minute.
• Add 150mls of chicken stock, boil, and cook for 30 minutes till the chicken is done. 
• Add a chopped red chilli and a good handful of coriander just before the end of cooking.

 

SOUPER DUPER

 

Positively glowing with goodness, this soup uses some of  my red peppers continuing to ripen behind glass in the autumnal sunshine.

Warmed by two teaspoons of curry powder the broth is earthy and thickened with butternut squash and red lentils - a colourful concoction that is a joy to eat on a chilly day.

I put it together on a freezing afternoon when one of my nearest and dearest was challenging himself at a Beast Spartan event  - a 24k run and 30 gruelling obstacles in relentless rain - I think I thought some sort of ‘transference’ would occur to give him some kind of comfort too!

In contrast  I used my knobbly, gnarly celeriac to create a gentler more creamy soup, sharpened by tangy blue cheese  which was equally delicious. 

 

 

 Harvest was just a little earlier than expected as something else appeared to be thinking about having a nibble so thought I'd better get to it before they did!

 

 

https://www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/recipes/recipe_directory/t/the-happy-pear-spumpkinredpepperlentilsoup.html

 

 

https://www.littlesugarsnaps.com/2017/11/01/celeriac-spinach-blue-cheese-soup/

 

 

I used milk rather than cream in the celeriac soup and an onion instead of a leek and it still worked perfectly.  I also blended the spinach into the red pepper soup rather than just wilting and serving.