Riverford recipes fresh ideas for autumn
1. fennel 2. radicchio 3. chard 4. squash 5. sweetcorn Chard, Sweet Potato & Quinoa Stew made by Kirsty at the farm
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fennel
Fennel has an aniseed flavour that’s stronger raw and milder cooked. It may come with its green feathery fronds attached. They’re good in salads, pasta dishes and to stuff fish. Remove them if you’re not going to use them, as they’ll draw moisture away from the bulb.
prep
Trim off the fronds and any stalks. If very large, you might want to remove the outer leaves, but usually a light peel is fine. To cut out the core, quarter the fennel lengthways. Put each quarter on its flat side. Cut a triangular piece out of the bottom, close to the core. If you’re parboiling or roasting fennel, keep the core in as it helps hold it together.
goes well with
Citrus fruit, walnuts, olives, fish, parmesan, chard, spinach.
cook simply
1. If you like a stronger aniseed flavour, finely slice fennel and eat it raw in a salad. Try with finely sliced pears, blue cheese and walnuts, or with orange, black olives and watercress. 2. For a milder flavour, cut into wedges and braise very slowly in a little oil or butter for about 20-25 mins until soft and caramelising. 3. Or cut into wedges and parboil for 5 mins then toss in a little oil and roast until tender and browning, either on its own or with other roasted veg.
easy idea
baked fennel & parmesan serves 2 Cut 2 trimmed fennel bulbs into wedges. Boil for 15 mins or until soft. Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Drain the fennel, transfer to the baking dish, season and dot with a little butter and parmesan. Bake at 190°C for 20-25 mins until golden.
roasted fennel & shallots with lemon &Â olives
serves 4, prep 5 mins, cook 50 mins 2 large/3 smaller fennel bulbs, trimmed (save the feathery fronds for garnish if they’re attached) 8 shallots, peeled & cut in half if large 12 pitted olives (green or black) oil for roasting 2 lemons - 1 juiced, 1 cut into thick slices Preheat your oven to 190°C. Cut each fennel bulb into 6 wedges. Boil in salted water for 5 mins. Transfer to a roasting tin with the shallots, olives and sliced lemon. Toss in just enough oil to coat. Season and squeeze over the juice from the other lemon. Roast for approx 45 mins until slighty sticky and lightly caramelised. Use the fronds to garnish.
braised fennel & peppers
serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 20-25 mins 1 tbsp olive oil 25g butter 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed & cut into thick slices 2 red peppers, sliced 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted & ground 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted & ground 2 garlic cloves, crushed 150ml white wine Heat the oil and butter in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the fennel and peppers. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften and brown. Add the coriander and fennel seeds, then the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Add the wine, cover and simmer until it has almost evaporated and the veg is tender. Stir to stop it sticking; add a splash of water if needed. Check the seasoning and serve.
radicchio
This dark red and white bitter leaf is a love or hate kind of veg. We grow two main varieties: Chioggia, a round-shaped radicchio and Treviso, a slightly more elongated variety. Use raw in salads, or cooked, either simply griddled, Italian style (read on!) or in risotto or pasta. If you’ve not tried it before, give it a go. If you’ve only had it raw, then try cooking with it, as the bitter flavour turns milder when you cook it.
prep
Cut in half, remove the outer leaves, then shred or cut into wedges as needed for your recipe. If shredding to use in salads or cooking, remove any tough central core. Leave the core intact if cutting into wedges, to help hold it together.
goes well with
Sweet fruit, eg. pears, persimmon, dates, and blue cheese, parmesan, bacon, walnuts, vinegars and good olive oil.
easy ideas
1. Griddled or roasted radicchio wedges. Make a dressing by whisking 1 tbsp balsamic or sherry vinegar with 3 tbsp good olive oil, 1 tsp dijon mustard and 1 small crushed garlic clove (optional). Season with salt and pepper. Cut 1 radicchio into wedges and toss in a little olive oil. Cook on a griddle, turning now and then, until lightly charred at the edges and soft inside. Toss in the dressing to serve. 2. Or roast the radicchio wedges at 200°C for 15 mins, turning halfway so they cook evenly, then toss in the dressing.
radicchio & fruit salad with date & allspice dressing serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 5 mins
Radicchio goes really well with sweet, ripe fruit. Persimmons or pears are a good seasonal choice. Also try sliced oranges for more piquancy, or pomegranate seeds. 2 tbsp date syrup or honey zest & juice from ½ an orange 1 tsp dijon mustard ½ tsp ground allspice, from fresh ground berries (or ¾ tsp pre-ground) 4 tbsp olive oil 1 good-sized radicchio, finely sliced, tough core removed 2 persimmons or pears, sliced into thin wedges 75g walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry frying pan 8 dates, pitted & finely chopped
Put the date syrup, orange zest and juice, mustard, allspice and olive oil in a large bowl. Whisk together. Season with salt and pepper. Add the radicchio, persimmons or pears, walnuts and dates and toss together gently to combine. Serve straight away.
radicchio, bacon & perl las blue tart serves 8, prep 1 hr 20 mins inc chilling time, cook 1 hr for the pastry: 125g plain white flour 125g wholemeal flour 1 tsp fine sea salt 150g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus extra to grease the tin 1 egg, lightly beaten 1-2 tbsp cold water or milk for the filling: oil for frying 150g rindless smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped 1 onion, finely diced 1 radicchio, shredded leaves from 4 thyme sprigs, plus a few extra to serve 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 eggs 200ml Riverford double cream 100g perl las blue cheese, crumbled Put the flours, salt and butter in a food processor and blitz until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and blitz again, adding just enough milk or water to bring the mixture together in a ball. Remove, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Meanwhile, lightly grease a flan tin. Roll out the pastry on a floured board and lay in the tin. Cover with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking
beans (or use dried pulses or beans). Chill again for 10 mins, while you preheat your oven to 200째C. Bake the tart blind (covered with the beans) for 15 mins. Remove the paper and beans and cook for another 5-10 mins, until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 180째C. Meanwhile, make the filling: heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, fry the bacon until crispy, then remove to a plate. Add a little more oil, the onion, radicchio, thyme and garlic. Fry gently until soft and wilted (approx 8-10 mins). Stir in the bacon and season. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and stir in the cream. Spoon the radicchio filling into the cooled pastry case, crumble over the perl las blue cheese and carefully pour over the egg mixture. Transfer to the oven and cook for 25 mins or until just set and lightly golden on top. Leave to cool slightly before sprinkling with a few extra thyme leaves to serve.
this in you could make & use a round flan tin pastry good ready-made
radicchio & mushroom frittata serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 20 mins
oil for frying, eg. sunflower/light olive 1 onion, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 200g mushrooms, cleaned & sliced 3 thyme sprigs, leaves only 1 radicchio, shredded 100g blue cheese, crumbled 6 eggs, lightly beaten Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep frying pan. Add the onion and fry on a low heat for 8 mins, stirring now and then to stop it catching. Add the garlic and fry for another 2 mins. Remove to a plate. Add a splash more oil, turn up the heat and fry the mushrooms and thyme leaves until softened, approx 2-3 mins.
Add the onion back to the pan with the radicchio. Stir until the radicchio has wilted (it will change to a darker reddish brown colour). Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the blue cheese. Pour the eggs over the top and tip the pan from side to side so they spread evenly. Cook on a very low heat until the frittata is about two thirds set on the bottom. Finish under a medium grill until the top is just set. Serve warm, cut into wedges.
d good with a sala or seasonal greens
chard
You can often use chard in recipes instead of spinach. It takes slightly longer to cook.
prep
Wash well to remove any grit (it’s easiest to drop the leaves into a bowl of water and let the dirt sink to the bottom). Strip the leaves from the stalks, which take longer to cook. Some recipes don’t call for stalks, but you can fry them for soups, stews and stir fries.
goes well with
Lamb, chilli, garlic, lemon, tomato, squash, mushrooms, good olive oil.
cook simply
1. For soups, stews, risottos, pasta or curry, strip the leaves from their stems and blanch (boil) in salted boiling water for 3 mins. Then drain and refresh in a bowl of iced or cold water. This stops the cooking process and keeps the leaves bright green. When cool, drain again, squeeze out any excess moisture with your hands and chop the leaves. Add just before the end of cooking. 2. You can use the stalks by finely chopping and slowly frying them with onion, carrot and celery as the base of a soup or stew (a soffrito). 3. Adding chard or other greens to a lentil dal feels extra healthy, bringing freshness and colour.
chard, bacon, rosemary & chilli pasta serves 2, prep 10 mins, cook 25 mins
oil for frying, eg. sunflower/light olive 150g bacon lardons or chopped rashers 1 onion, finely diced 300g chard, leaves stripped from stalks, stalks finely chopped 200g spelt fusilli pasta 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 red chilli, deseeded & finely chopped 1 rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped 25g grated parmesan 1 lemon Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and fry for 2-3 mins until browned. Remove to a plate. Add a splash more oil to the pan and turn the heat down. Add the onion and chopped chard stalks. Fry gently for 10 -15 mins, stirring now and then to stop
them catching. Boil the chard leaves for 3 mins, then drain. Refresh in a bowl of cold water, then drain again and squeeze out any liquid. Roughly chop the leaves. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, add the garlic, chilli, rosemary and bacon to the onion and chard stalks. Season (easy on the salt because of the bacon). Stir fry gently for 3 mins. Add the chard leaves and stir fry for 3 mins. When the pasta is tender, drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Stir the pasta into the chard and bacon sauce, with three quarters of the parmesan, 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest and a splash of cooking water. Check the seasoning, then sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan to serve.
chard, sweet potato & quinoa stew serves 2, prep 10 mins, cook 25 mins
oil for frying, eg. sunflower/light olive 200g chard, leaves stripped from stalks, stalks finely chopped 1 onion, finely diced 1 carrot, finely diced 1 stick celery, finely diced 1 rosemary sprig, needles very finely chopped so they look like breadcrumbs 1 large sweet potato (approx 500g), peeled & cut into 3cm dice 50g quinoa, rinsed & drained 1 pack (500ml) Riverford fresh chicken stock (or use good veg stock) 1 bay leaf Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan, add the chard stalks, onion, carrot, celery and rosemary. Fry on a low heat for 10-15 mins, stirring now and then to stop it catching. Add a splash of water if it looks like it might. Add the sweet potato and quinoa. Pour in the stock and bring up to a low boil. Add the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 13 mins. Meanwhile, boil the chard leaves for 3 mins, then drain. Refresh in a bowl of cold water, then drain again and squeeze out any liquid. Roughly chop the leaves. After 13 mins, stir in the chard leaves. Cook for 2 mins, to finish cooking the quinoa. Check the seasoning before serving (remove the bay leaf before eating).
front cover recipe
squash
Squash keep really well if the skins are intact and unblemished. Just sit them on a shelf in the kitchen or a veg rack (they like a warm place). 1 medium-large squash feeds about 4-6 people. For most recipes that use squash, you could also use a small sugar pumpkin.
goes well with
Sage, thyme, chilli and other Asian or Indian spices, greens, nutmeg, red onion, pork, blue cheese, walnuts, pistachios.
which squash, which recipe?
Butternut A good all rounder and easy to peel. Great halved, roasted and stuffed or added to soups.
Onion squash, kabocha, small sugar pumpkin, crown prince It’s best to cut roundish squash into halves or wedges, skin on. Toss in a little oil, season and place cut side down on a non-stick baking tray at 190°C for about 30-45 mins. Eat as they are, skins and all, or scoop out the flesh for mash, soup, curries, pasta, risottos and stews. Spaghetti squash Roast halves of deseeded squash, drizzled with a little oil cut side down on a non-stick baking tray for 30-45 mins until soft. Use a fork to pull spaghetti-like strands from the flesh. Serve as a side dish or use as a lower carb alternative to pasta. Our squash box is a good way to experiment with the different varieties.
easy idea
roasted squash soup Roast wedges of squash until tender. Gently fry an onion and add some chilli, cumin and coriander if you like. Blitz with the squash flesh in a blender with approx 1 litre veg stock and season. Try some fried bacon pieces, fresh coriander or a dollop of yogurt on top. A squeeze of lemon or lime juice will balance the natural sweetness.
spiced squash, apple & cider soup serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 40 mins
oil for frying, eg. sunflower/light olive 1 leek, finely sliced 1 carrot, diced 1 stick celery, diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 25g fresh ginger, peeled & grated 1 fresh chilli, deseeded & finely chopped 1 tsp toasted & ground cumin seeds 1 tsp toasted & ground coriander seeds ½ tsp turmeric 1 tsp garam masala 1 medium-large squash, peeled & diced 1 apple, peeled, cored & diced 250ml cider (we used Ashridge) 2 packs (1 litre) Riverford chicken stock or good veg stock sliced fresh chilli & black onion seeds to garnish (or use pumpkin seeds)
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the leek, carrot and celery and fry on a low heat for for 10 mins, stirring so they don’t catch (add a splash of water if needed). Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and spices and fry for 2 mins. Stir in the squash and apple. Pour in the cider and simmer for 2 mins, then the stock. Season and bring to a simmer, cover and simmer for 20 mins, or until the squash is tender. Blitz in a food processor or blender until smooth. Gently reheat, checking the seasoning. Garnish with sliced or chopped chilli and a sprinkling of black onion seeds.
roasted squash & red onion wedges with garlic & sage serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 45 mins
1 large/2 small squash, cut into thick wedges with skins left on 4 red onions, peeled & cut into wedges with root intact a few garlic cloves, peeled but left whole a small handful of sage leaves oil for roasting
allots you could use sh and try instead of onions y too thyme or rosemar
Toss the squash and onions in a baking dish in just enough oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast at 190째C for 20 mins. Toss in the garlic and sage (leaving small leaves whole and shredding larger ones) and turn the veg so they cook evenly. Roast for another 20-25 mins, until tender.
roasted squash & garlic mash with crispy fried onions serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 1 hour
A firm-fleshed squash works best here, eg. butternut or crown prince. If you don’t have a deep fat fryer, you can fry the onions in a deep pan approx 1 quarter full with oil, but take care, use a thermometer to monitor the temperature and keep an eye on them. 1 whole garlic bulb olive oil 1 large squash approx 1.5kg, cut in half lengthways sunflower oil for frying 2 large onions, very finely sliced Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut a small slice off the top of the garlic bulb, to reveal the cloves inside. Place cut side up on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and season. Wrap the foil around the garlic to seal. Place in a roasting tin and pop in the oven for 15 mins. Rub the cut side of the squash with a little olive oil, season and, after 15 mins, place cut side down in the roasting tin with the garlic. Bake both for another 45 mins, until the squash is tender. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180°C. Add the onions and fry for a few mins until golden brown. Depending on the capacity of your fryer, you may need to cook in batches. Drain on kitchen paper.
When tender, remove the squash and garlic from the oven. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the soft roasted garlic out of the bulb. Scoop the squash flesh out of the skins and lightly mash, stirring in enough roasted garlic purée and seasoning to your taste (we like lots!). Keep any leftover garlic in the fridge (very good spread on toast before grilling with cheese). You may need to gently reheat the mash, then serve sprinkled with the crispy onions.
green thai squash & sprouted seed curry serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 25 mins
oil for frying, eg. sunflower 1 onion or 2 shallots, finely sliced 6 tbsp thai green curry paste (see our website for recipe, or use shop-bought) 1 large butternut or 2 smaller squash, peeled & cut into 4-5cm chunks (approx 1kg diced weight) 400ml tin coconut milk 2 limes ½ pack Riverford mixed sprouting seeds 30g coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the onion and fry on a low heat for 10 mins, stirring to stop it catching. Add the curry paste and stir for 1 min. Add the squash. Stir the tin of coconut milk and add to the pan with half a tin of water. Simmer for approx 15 mins or so, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender. Stir in the sprouting seeds. Season and squeeze in lime juice to taste. Stir in the coriander, saving a few leaves for garnishing. Serve with rice.
squash, lemon & almond muffins
family-friendly
makes 12, prep 20 mins, cook 40 mins You’ll need a muffin tin lined with paper muffin cases. This will also work with gluten-free self-raising flour (Doves Farm make an organic one).
300g squash, peeled & diced weight 125g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature 125g light brown soft sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 tsp almond essence finely grated zest of 2 lemons 125g self raising flour 150g ground almonds 1 tbsp clear runny honey 12 whole blanched almonds, toasted in a dry frying pan until lightly golden
Steam or boil the diced squash for 15 mins, until very soft. Drain, leave to cool, then mash with a potato masher. Preheat your oven to 200°C. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl (an electric hand-held mixer makes life easier), until pale, light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Stir in the almond essence, lemon zest and squash. Gently fold in the flour and ground almonds. Spoon roughly equal amounts into your muffin cases. Bake for 5 mins, then turn the heat to 180°C and cook for approx 20 mins until golden. Leave to cool. Gently warm the honey in a small pan. Brush a little over the top of each muffin and top with an almond.
sweetcorn For the best flavour, eat sweetcorn soon after getting them as, once they’re picked, the sugars start turning to starch and they lose some of their natural sweetness.
goes well with
Chilli, lime, lemon, squash, pork, peppers, crab and herbs such as coriander, chives and thyme.
prep
If not cooking the corn in their papery husks, peel these back and twist them off. Remove any stringy bits too (the silk). Stand the cob on its end and run a serrated or sharp knife down each side, using sawing movements to remove the kernels.
cook simply
1. Boil or steam de-husked sweetcorn cobs for between 5-10 mins (fresher cobs take slightly less time to cook than older ones). Smear with plenty of salted butter and season with freshly ground black pepper. This takes a lot of beating. 2. Stir fry 4cm lengths in a little oil for a few mins. 3. To BBQ, first soak the husks in a large bowl or bucket of water for 20 mins to stop them burning. Cook, turning occasionally, for 20-30 mins, depending on size. The husk acts as a protective barrier and then peels back to make a handle. Serve with chilli and coriander butter and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, or a drizzle of chilli sauce. Alternatively, roast whole cobs in their husks in the oven for the same amount of time, or peel back the husks, rub with oil and grill or griddle until lightly charred.
thai sweetcorn fritters
creamed corn
3 sweetcorn cobs 100g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 3 eggs 75ml milk 3 tbsp thai green curry paste handful of fresh coriander leaves oil for frying, eg. sunflower/coconut
2 large sweetcorn cobs knob of butter, approx 25g 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely diced ½ a pot (125ml) Riverford double cream leaves from 3 fresh thyme sprigs ½ tsp paprika
serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 20 mins
Boil the sweetcorn cobs in a large pan of salted water for 5-10 mins, until tender. Drain, leave to cool, then cut off the kernels. Put the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs until you have a thick, smooth batter, then gradually whisk in the milk. Stir in the curry paste, sweetcorn kernels and coriander leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a layer of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add spoonfuls of the batter. Fry in batches for 3-4 mins on a medium high heat, until golden, then flip them over and cook the other side. Drain on kitchen paper before serving.
serves 3-4, prep 5 mins, cook 20 mins
Remove the papery husks and any stringy bits from the cobs. Use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels. Melt the butter and oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently for approx 10 mins, stirring often. Add the corn kernels, cream, thyme and paprika. Season and simmer for 8-10 mins, stirring often, until tender. For a creamier texture, purée a little of the mixture and stir back in.
simple side dish
pork, sweetcorn & bean chilli with roasted squash & lime soured yogurt serves 4, prep 10 mins, cook 1 hour 10 mins oil for frying, eg. sunflower/light olive 1 onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 400g pork mince 2 red chillies, finely chopped & deseeded (or left in for more heat) leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried 15g fresh coriander leaves, stalks finely chopped, leaves kept separate 1 tbsp tomato purĂŠe 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted & ground in a pestle & mortar 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tin chopped tomatoes 2 small squares dark chocolate 2 small squash, cut in half lengthways 2 sweetcorn cobs, kernels removed 1 tin black beans or kidney beans, rinsed & drained 1 pot Yeo Valley Greek yogurt 1 lime, finely grated zest & juice Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onion and fry gently for 10 mins, stirring now and then to stop it catching. Add a splash of water if it looks like it might. Add the garlic, pork, chillies, thyme leaves and coriander stalks. Turn the heat up a touch. Stir well, breaking up the pork with your spoon. Cook for a few mins, until the pork has lost all its bright pink
colour. Add the tomato purÊe, cumin and paprika. Stir for 2 mins. Add the chopped tomatoes and chocolate. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on a low simmer, stirring occasionally. After the chilli has been cooking for 20 mins, brush the cut side of the squash halves with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down in a baking dish and pop in the oven to roast at 200°C. Cook squash and chilli for a further 25 mins. Uncover the chilli, add the sweetcorn kernels and beans. Simmer for approx 10 mins, until the corn is tender. Remove the squash from the oven. Check the chilli for seasoning and stir in the coriander leaves. Mix the yogurt with the lime zest and juice and a good pinch of salt. Spoon the chilli into the squash cavities, and serve with a good dollop of lime yogurt.
ing hearty and warm on a cold day
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