BRAISED FENNEL WITH TOMATOES
3 small fennel bulbs
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion sliced
1 garlic clove chopped
4 tomatoes peeled and chopped
6 fl ozs dry white wine
1 tbsp fresh basil
2 ozs fresh bread crumbs
OR 2 ozs wheat free breadcrumbs
OR 1 oz wheat free breadcrumbs and 1 oz oats
1 Pre heat oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2
Trim fennel bulbs and cut into slices about ½ inch thick
2 Heat olive oil in wok and fry onion and garlic for about 4 – 5 minutes over a moderate heat until slightly softened. Add the tomatoes, stir fry briefly and then stir in ¼ pint of wine, the basil and seasoning. Bring to boil, add the fennel, then cover 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 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
2 medium - 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 bicarb
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
large handful sultanas
2 sandwich tins, greased & lined
filling - good quality lemon curd with some lime juice to taste
icing:
200g tub organic cream cheese
100g icing sugar, sieved
juice of 1 lime
Preheat oven to 180 C
Grate courgettes.
Combine eggs, oil and sugar in bowl.
Sieve in flour, bicarb and baking powder and beat until well combined.
Stir in courgette and sultanas.
Pour into tins and bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and firm to touch.
Once cool, sandwich with lemon curd in middle.
cream cheese icing on top - firm in fridge if preferred.
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.
¼ pint water
sugar
juice ½ lemon
Simmer the medlar in water until soft then strain through a jelly bad. Add 1lb sugar to each pint of medlar juice, add sugar and lemon juice and boil rapidly until set.
Medlar Cheese
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. For every lb of pulp add half a cup of coarse sugar and half a teaspoonful of allspice. 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.
PUMPKINS
Are not just great for carving at Halloween so don't waste the insides and try a new pumkin recipe!
Cut pumpkin into small cubes and add to pot of water with diced onions to cook until tender and soft. Meanwhile, saute bacon pieces and garlic until browned. When pumpkin is cooked, mash or blend adding curry powder, salt and pepper to taste. Slowly add the cream and then bacon for a thick soup
Remove seeds from pumpkin, rinse in water and remove any strings of squash then pat dry. Place seeds, oil and salt into a bowl and mix until evenly coated. Spread out on a baking tray lined with baking sheet or tin foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes
MEDLAR FRUIT