A squash is for life, not just Halloween

November 16, 2020November 16, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 1 Comment

On my daily stroll around the block (gotta’ get those lockdown steps in) my route is surprisingly still peppered with shrivelled decaying Halloween pumpkins. Staring at me with their empty eyes from windowsills and porches got me thinking. After the 31st of October, do pumpkins and squashes get a little forgotten about? A squash is for life not just for Halloween… Well perhaps not for life, but this versatile ingredient can be baked, curried, squashed (literally) and stuffed – which is my favourite method, especially when it involves cheese. I opted for an onion squash for this recipe but feel free to experiment as you’ll be spoilt for choice this time of year.

Mini squash fondues
Serves 2 / Hands on time 30 mins / Takes 1 hour
2 mini squashes (roughly 550g each) I used onion squash
75g vegetarian Emmental
75g Gruyere or medium cheddar cheese
50g Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Handful of finely chopped fresh parsley
4 tbs white wine or prosecco
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Crusty bread and salad leaves to serve

Method
1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6. Finely grate the cheeses and mix them together in a large bowl. Put to one side.
2. Using a sharp knife carefully cut the tops off the squashes to create the lids and put to one side. Carefully hollow out the squash by cutting a hole in the top and then scooping out the seeds with a spoon.
3. Once you’ve hollowed out the squash, check to see if each squash stands up on its own. If they’re uneven and tilt, carefully level off the bottom of your squash with a knife, taking care not to cut too deep (if you do accidently create a hole, pop the bottom back on and make a little foil coat for your squash to sit in to prevent it from leaking). Alternatively, use foil to create a stable bed for your squashes to sit in.
4. Crush a garlic clove into each squash, followed by a small sprinkle of parsley and 1 tablespoon of white wine into each. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. Fill each squash with half the cheese and then add another tablespoon of wine to each squash. Season again and stuff the squashes with the rest of the cheese. Top with the remaining parsley, season with salt and pepper and pop the individual squash lids on.
6. Put both squashes on a baking tray and bake them for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven, remove the lids and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately with a simple green salad and stale for dipping and scooping.

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Winter ribollita

December 17, 2018February 19, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 7 Comments

Because we can’t all survive on mince pies this December… Or can we?

Winter ribollita
Serves 4 / Hands on time 10 mins / Total time 50 mins / V Vn Gf Df ❄
1 tsp olive oil
1 white onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
½ tsp salt
1 can plum tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 litre vegetable stock, I use 2 Knorr stock pots
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
100g cavalo nero or kale, roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil to serve

Method
1. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, add 1 tsp of olive oil over a low to medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, celery, parsnip, carrot and the salt. Give it a good stir, cover with a lid and leave to soften for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
2. Add a can of plum tomatoes and break them up with a spoon. Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and the vegetable stock before upping the heat and bringing to the boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 mins before adding the cavalo nero and parsley. GIve it a stir and cook for a further 5 mins.
3. Take off the heat, ladle into bowls and top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve with crusty bread and good crack of black pepper.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Vn– Vegan Gf– Gluten free Df– Dairy free
❄ – Suitable for home freezing once cooled. Consume within 3 months.

Winter root vegetable salad

September 30, 2016November 1, 2019 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

They suddenly looked up, their glossy black eyes bore into ours as we reluctantly walked towards them. ‘We’ll be alright’ I thought ‘after all, they’re just a bunch of stupid’… But then they bolted, like a shoal of fish they ran as one to the corner of the field before swiftly turning to face us blocking our exit. Oh shit. Several began to stomp their hooves, others edged closer but the rest simply stood staring, waiting for us to make our next move.
Fuck this! We turned and started to briskly walk towards the nearest stile but they were hot on our tail, I started to run but so did they. AGHHHHHHH! I clambered over the stile followed by a breathless Jamie and my petrified mother whose pacemaker was in over drive. We pulled her over just as they reached the fence, their eyes wild and blood thirsty.
As you know, I don’t eat cows but after this encounter I might consider it. ‘They won’t hurt you’ the locals said, ‘they’re just curious’ curious my arse, they tried to eat my mum!
Anyway, apart from that we had a marvellous walking holiday so apologies for the late post. To celebrate my return to civilisation and a reletively cow free Camden, I thought I’d treat myself to a roasted vegetable salad with goats cheese. Didn’t fancy cow cheese, too soon.

Winter root vegetable salad
Serves 2 / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 1 hr / V Gf
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds and sticks
1 medium beetroot, peeled and chopped into rounds (I used golden beetroot)
1 medium cooking apple
1 large sweet potato
4-5 sprigs of thyme
60g lambs lettuce
100g vegetarian soft goats cheese
1 tbs rapeseed oil
Dressing
2 tsp Pomora extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F/gas mark 7. Peel the vegetables apart from the apples. Chop the sweet potato into wedges and the carrots into a combination of rounds and sticks. Slice the beetroot relatively finely and core the apple and cut into eighths (don’t cut them too small or the apple with disintegrate).
2. Tip the veg onto a large oiled baking tray and add the sprigs of thyme. Season well with salt and pepper, add the rapeseed oil and give it a shake and turn until the veg is nicely coated.
3. Roast in an oven for 40-45 minutes, shaking the vegetables halfway through roasting.
4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Put to one side.
5. Once roasted, remove the vegetables from the oven and pick out the thyme sprigs. Serve warm on a bed of lambs lettuce topped with soft goats cheese and a good drizzle of dressing.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V– Vegetarian Gf– Gluten free