Food and Drink

Recipe: Winter vegetable risotto

This is a splendid winter recipe from Dr Deborah Phillips, who works with Paul Connor on his fruit and vegetable stall at St Ives Farmers Market. This recipe is from Deborah’s book, Scrumptious St Ives.

INGREDIENTS 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped 2 parsnips, scrubbed and chopped 1 medium sized leek, washed and chopped 1 chunk (approx 500g) pumpkin or squash, deseeded, peeled, and chopped 1 fresh fennel bulb with leaves, (approx 150-200g), washed and chopped Half a bunch watercress or rocket, washed and chopped Half a small cauliflower, divided into florets 1 large glass dry Vermouth or white wine 1 small tin garden peas, drained 1 lemon rind and juice 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 300g risotto rice 11/2tsp olive oil 1tbsp cider vinegar Seasalt and ground black pepper to season METHOD First, prepare the stock. Boil carrots and parsnips in 1/2 litre water for approx 5 minutes. Drain. To this stock add the rind and juice of the lemon, cider vinegar, and the Vermouth/wine. The total amount required is about 3/4 to a litre of stock. You can adjust the amount during cooking with water or more wine. Pre-heat your over to 180c/gas 5. In a large pan with a lid, heat the oil, followed by the garlic, seasoning, leeks, cauliflower, pumpkin and fennel, and stir fry on medium heat for five minutes. Add the rice and chopped leaves and about half the stock. Stir all the ingredients together well and cook on a low heat for a further five minutes. Lid on, transfer the pan to the oven and cook slowly for a further 25 to 30 minutes. Check and stir often, and gradually add the remaining stock. When the liquid has been absorbed, check the rice and veg are tender. There should be a creamy texture. Add a little more hot water if required. Finally, add the peas and mix well. Return to the oven for a further five minutes.

You can also add 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs, and 100g fresh grated Parmesan or Gouda. Mix well and return to the over for five minutes.

Recipe: Poached pear with winter spices and brandy cream

Here’s a festive dessert from Daniel Rouncefield, AKA The Cornish Chef. Daniel’s speciality is creating dinner parties in customers’ homes, which has been keeping him busy this year. Find out more at thecornishchef.co.uk

INGREDIENTS 6 pears, peeled, kept whole with the stalk intact 1 vanilla pod 350ml of your favourite red wine — it’s important to use one you like drinking 300ml water 225g castor sugar 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half Juice and peel of an orange 1 star anise 4 cloves 2 sprigs fresh thyme For the brandy cream 284ml double cream 1 vanilla pod 1/2 tub marscapone 1 tbsp brandy (or two — well, it is Christmas!) 2 tso icing sugar METHOD Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and out in a saucepan with wine, sugar, cinnamon, spices, and thyme. Cut each piece of the pod into 3 long, thin strips, add to the pan, then lower in the pears. Poach the pears, covered, for 25-30 minutes making sure they are covered in liquid. The cooking time will vary depending on the ripeness of your pears. They should be tender all the way throughwhen pierced with a cocktail stick.

For the brandy cream, whip the cream and icing sugar together in a bowl until soft peaks form, then quickly fold in the brandy, then the marscapone. Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a strip of vanilla, a piece of cinnamon, and a small sprig of fresh thyme. Merry Christmas from the Cornish Chef!

Liz’s Quizzes

Liz is back with her St Ives Local quiz! Catch her live at the Castle Inn, St Ives, on Monday evenings; the Bird in Hand, Hayle, on Wednesday evenings; and the Balnoon Inn on Thursday evenings. For full details, and to book tables where necessary, follow St Ives Liz’s Quizzes on Facebook.

1. What CF was launched on 2nd November 1982? 2. What E is the official language of the Bahamas? 3. In the film Grease what P are the ladies? 4. What K is the capital of Jamaica? 5. What LOOPE is the Pacific? 6. What B is the main ingredient in Borscht soup? 7. What TBE is the nickname of the golfer Ernie Els? 8. What S does the American flag have seven of? 9. In the TV series ’Allo, ’Allo, which E was the wife of René? 10. In which I do the Pacers basketball team play? 11. Which actress played the part of identical twins Sharon and Susan in the 1961 film The Parent Trap? 12. In education/training, what does NVQ stand for? 13. Which animal is known as the ship of the desert? 14. What is the sum, in degrees, of the angles in a triangle? 15. Tipperary is in which European country? 16. What is the national bird of New Zealand? 17. In which decade of the 19th century were the Wimbledon Tennis Championships first held? 18. Which one of the Queen’s grandchildren gave birth in September? 19. What is the only US state that can be typed using letters from the same line on a QWERTY keyboard? 20. The Woolpack is the name of the local pub in which British soap opera? 21. The East Siberian Sea lies in which body of water? 22. The abbreviation ‘Re’ is short for which word? 23. The proposed merger of Sainsbury’s with which other supermarket was vetoed in 2019? 24. Who this year’s FA Cup final? 25. Bisque, pioneer ball, and pivot ball are all terms used in which game? 26. Germany has which flower as its national symbol? 27. The name of which fish can be used in the phrase to describe a type of pose, or for someone who has overdone the Botox? 28. Which country won this year’s Eurovision Song Contest (I am still fuming!)? 29. Epistaxis is the medical name for which common complaint? 30. Within two years either way, in which year was Napoleon Bonaparte born?

Answers on page 46