8 minute read
AUTUMN RECIPES FROM THE TWYFORD PANTRY
How lucky have we been with some of the warmer weather this Summer! A little too warm in places for some of you I imagine but it’s been great to get more use out of the summer wardrobe this year for sure. I hope your gardens have fared well and not too much has been lost with a lack of rain – especially as its Harvest Festival time coming up in a few weeks’ time, and the inspiration for the recipes I have chosen for this issue. We also officially say hello to Autumn this month on September 22nd. I don’t know about you; I think the seasonal calendar dates seriously need some updating to match what is happening weatherwise! Hopefully the next couple of months will remain to be warm, so we can sit on blankets rather than be wrapped in them and enjoy some of the last days in the garden and barmy evenings before it starts getting colder again and we knock the moths off the jumpers.
Officially Harvest Festival is on 2nd October in 2022 (The Sunday closest to the Harvest Moon) but can be celebrated on or around that date depending on where it is taking place. For those that are unsure, it’s the nearest we get to a Thanksgiving where we celebrate and give thanks for the crops grown on the land this year… so BIG THANKS to all the farming families out there. Historically it was held when the last the of the crops had been harvested and the community knew whether they had enough food to see them through the Winter months but nowadays it is more symbolic. We celebrate our gratitude, not just for the food from the land, whether it be farmed on a large scale or from our own gardens and allotments, but also how lucky we are with the positive things in life – friends, family and our community. There are many ways you could celebrate it if you are not planning on attending a church service - Arrange a get-together with nearest and dearest (and make use of the fruits of your labour outdoors), do a doorstep delivery to someone in your community who would appreciate a treat – either fresh vegetables or home picked flowers, or you could just drop an item into the food bank basket the next time you are shopping. Its good for the soul to stop and say thank you every now and then, so this seems like a good a time as any!
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With love and gratitude from mine to yours. Tina x
the Twyford Pantry
Roasted Vegetable Harvest Soup (serves 4)
Ingredients
2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil 6 cloves garlic ½ medium butternut squash, peeled, chopped into 2 cm cubes, seeds reserved 2 red bell peppers, cut into quarters 2 medium carrots, sliced into 2 cm pieces 1 fresh jalapeño, seeds removed, cut in half 1 medium onion, cut into wedges ½ tsp ground cumin, paprika powder, salt, ground black pepper 720 ml vegetable stock 180 ml canned full-fat coconut milk plus little more for garnish Roasted squash seeds 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil ¼ tsp ground cumin, paprika powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, ground black pepper
Optional garnish coconut cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Toss all the roasted vegetable ingredients together on a lined baking tray. Spread out evenly and bake for 30 minutes or until the
squash and carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. Toss the vegetables once or twice while they are baking. Meanwhile, clean off the butternut squash seeds. Toss the seeds with oil and spices and bake on another lined baking tray for 15 minutes, until slightly golden. Stir once halfway.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. After the veggies have roasted, add them straight to a large pot on high heat along with the vegetable stock and coconut milk, and blend using a immersion blender. Alternatively, it can be added to a standing blender in batches and blended until smooth. Allow to heat through, garnish with the seasoned seeds and coconut cream if using and enjoy!
source: www.pickuplimes.com
Classic Ratatouille (serves 4)
Ingredients
2 red onions 4 cloves of garlic 2 aubergines 3 courgettes 3 red or yellow peppers 6 ripe tomatoes ½ a bunch of fresh basil , (15g) olive oil a few sprigs of fresh thyme 1 x 400 g tin of quality plum tomatoes 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ½ a lemon
Method
Prep your ingredients before you start – peel and cut the onions into wedges, then peel and finely slice the garlic. Trim the aubergines and courgettes, deseed the peppers and chop into 2.5cm chunks. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Pick the basil leaves and set aside, then finely slice the stalks. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan or saucepan over a medium heat, add the chopped aubergines, courgettes and peppers (you may need to do this in batches) and fry for around 5 minutes, or until golden and softened, but not cooked through.
Spoon the cooked veg into a large bowl. To the pan, add the onion, garlic, basil stalks and thyme leaves with another drizzle of oil, if needed. Fry for 10 to 15 minutes, or until softened and golden. Return the cooked veg to the pan and stir in the fresh and tinned tomatoes, the balsamic and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Mix well, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Cover the pan and simmer over a low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, or until reduced, sticky and sweet. Tear in the basil leaves, finely grate in the lemon zest and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Serve with a hunk of bread or steamed rice.
source: www.jamieoliver.com
Visit our website communitycontact.co.uk for these other great recipes:
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