One vegetable which I really, really, REALLY love is Butternut Squash. Actually I quite like any Winter squash, but I love butternut squash most of all. Kind of funny really because when I was growing up my mom couldn't get me to touch squash with a ten foot pole, and now it is one of my favourite things!
Butternut Squash is sometimes known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin or gramma. It is a type of winter squash that grows on a vine, with a sweet, nutty taste which is quite similar to that of a pumpkin. It has tan-yellow skin and orange fleshy pulp with a compartment of seeds in the bottom. I always
Its a pretty essential ingredient for autumn dishes and a must for the holiday table. It’s a big player in comforting soups, stews and sautes, but finding the right one can sometimes be difficult. If it’s underripe, the squash won’t have developed its signature taste. If it’s overripe, it may be dry, mushy or flavorless. Follow these tips the next time you’re at the grocery store or farm market to find the perfect recipe-ready butternut squash.
First pick it up to feel its weight. A ripe butternut squash should be hard and heavy for its size. Use your own judgement and pick up other squashes to get an idea of the average weight. If a squash is too light, it’s not ripe enough yet. You can also do the tried-and-true knocking test. Tap the outside of the vegetable. If it sounds hollow, it’s ready to eat. I also like to pick squashed that have large thick tops or "Necks", necks that are almost the same size as the bulbous bottoms. You get much more squash for your money. The bottom is mostly seeds, so most of the flesh will be in the upper part of the squash. If you get one with a tiny neck, you are really missing out!!
Examine the skin colour The deeper the hue, the better. A butternut squash should be dark beige. Green spots or streaks mean the squash isn’t fully ripened. Look for one with a matte finish, with colour that’s even across the entire surface. The thickness of the shell is also important. Use your fingernail to try to gently prick the surface. If your nail goes through easily, it’s not a good squash. You want one with a really hard exterior.
Stay away from any squash with obvious cuts, gashes, or soft spots that might lead to rot or mold. Brown marks, usually caused by frost, are a sign the squash won’t last as long or will have an undesirable texture.
The skin on the butternut squash is very tough and it can be somewhat difficult to cut. If you want, you can
pop it in the microwave before you start preparing it for a couple of minutes which will help to
make it softer and easier to remove. If you are slow roasting
the squash, you can just leave the skin on as it is quite edible and gets softer
when baked.
How to cut and peel your squash
Hold the squash steady on your chopping board and use a sharp knife
to trim off the top and bottom.
This will make it easier to stand still. Once you have done that, split the squash in half at the point where the long “neck”
section meets the round base section.
If you want to remove the skin you can either use a Y shaped or
swivel blade vegetable peeler or a knife.
Once the skin has been removed, cut the base section in half to
expose the seeds. Scoop them out using a spoon, and discard. Now you can slice the prepared butternut squash into wedges, chunks
or small cubes, depending on what you plan on doing with it.
For this dish, I peeled the squash and cut it into wedge sized pieces, each about 1 inch thick. These were tossed in a bowl along with some olive oil and maple syrup, along with some salt and pepper for seasoning.
You place them onto a lined baking tray that you have sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Its important that you line the tray unless you want a stuck on mess to clean up.
This then gets roasted in a moderate oven until the pieces of squash are fork tender and just beginning to caramelise a bit. You don't want them to get too dark, or burnt, but the roasting really helps bring out the natural sweetness, and also helps to keep the vegetable dry. Cook squash can often be very damp, even too damp, if you boil or steam it.
Oh yes, I also added a few sprigs of thyme to further flavour the squash while it is roasting.
Once its all tender you just tip it into a bowl and mash it until it is fairly smooth along with some butter. You decide how much.
You will want to taste it and see if you need any more salt and pepper. And if you need or want any more maple syrup, now is the time to add it. I sometimes add another small drizzle. Its just soooo good!
Stir in a bit more fresh thyme, chopped . . . the leaves only, and your beautifully flavoured mashed squash side dish is a fait accomplis!
Yield: 8
Maple Mashed Butternut Squash
prep time: 10 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 40 mins
This is a delicious way to prepare your holiday side of Butternut squash.
ingredients:
2 lbs. butternut squash flesh (after peeling and de-seeding)
a small handful of fresh thyme stalks (about 8)
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS olive oil
2 - 3 TBS maple syrup
3 - 4 TBS butter
salt and black pepper to taste
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a
baking tray with aluminium foil. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking
spray. Slice the butternut squash into wedges. Toss together in a bowl
with the olive oil, maple syrup and season lightly with salt and pepper. Scatter
onto the baking sheet with the thyme stalks.
baking tray with aluminium foil. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking
spray. Slice the butternut squash into wedges. Toss together in a bowl
with the olive oil, maple syrup and season lightly with salt and pepper. Scatter
onto the baking sheet with the thyme stalks.
Roast
in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and just beginning to
caramelise. Remove and tip into a bowl, discarding any stalks of
thyme. Mash together with butter to taste and the fresh thyme. Taste
and adjust seasoning as required. Keep warm until ready to serve.
in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and just beginning to
caramelise. Remove and tip into a bowl, discarding any stalks of
thyme. Mash together with butter to taste and the fresh thyme. Taste
and adjust seasoning as required. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Note - This can be made several days in advance. Cover and refrigerate and reheat in the microwave when needed.
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Another thing I really, REALLY like about dishes like this, is that you can make them up well ahead of time and just reheat them in the microwave at the last minute. It can really save a lot of time and hassle on the day you plan on serving it, especially during the holidays when you have about a bazillion other things to do! This is just so delicious! Never soggy and always perfectly cooked! This is a winner in every respect and goes very well with all kinds of roasted meats and poultry! Nom Nom!
This delicious soup I am sharing with you today is one I frequently made for dinner parties when I cooked at the Manor. It is elegant enough for entertaining, making it perfect for the upcoming holidays, but is also uses simple ingredients and is very easy to make. Another plus!
If you are not familiar with Parsnips, they are a root vegetable which is closely related to carrots and parsley. Its long, tuberous root has cream-coloured skin and flesh. Unlike other root vegetables, it is left in the ground to mature in the autumn, as it becomes sweeter in flavor after winter frosts.
I quite simply adore them, and you will often find them in my soups and stews as they lend a wonderful flavour to these types of things . . . and on their own they make a beautiful soup.
At Christmas many people roast partially cooked parsnips in the oven with a honey butter glaze as their flavour makes them a beautiful accompaniment to turkey and game. When I was a girl my mother used to par-boil them and then fry them in butter. Such a treat!
This delicious soup makes great use of some of the warm baking spices . . . ginger, and cardamom . . . you will also find garlic, which you might not think would work, but it does . . . beautifully! There is a bit of cayenne for heat, and of course along with the parsnips, there is onion.
A soup without any onion in it, is sadly lacking in something important
in my opinion! Onions and garlic lend such wonderful savoury flavours
to things. Without them, this soup might be a bit too sweet, I think.
The toasted hazelnut and dried cranberry topping on top gives this simple soup a bit of class.
It is a beautiful garnish with plenty of texture and colour, which helps to set off an otherwise very ordinary looking soup.
The hazelnuts adding a bit of crunch and the cranberry some jewel like sweetness . . .
The creaminess of the soup . . . that crunch of the nuts, the sweetness of the cranberries . . . it just all works in harmony to give you a delightful first course for any occasion!
Yield: 4
Creamy Parsnip Soup, with Ginger & Cardamom
prep time: 10 minscook time: 35 minstotal time: 45 mins
Creamy soup with a wonderful hint of sweet spices, ginger and cardamom, along with a toasted hazelnut and cranberry topping.
ingredients:
2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 TBS butter
large pinch of sugar
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (remove the seeds from green cardamom pods, and
grind them to a powder in your mortar and pestle)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pints chicken broth
1 1/4 pints single cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Garnish:
1 TBS coarsely chopped skinned hazelnuts
1 TBS dried cranberries
1 tsp butter
1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 TBS butter
large pinch of sugar
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (remove the seeds from green cardamom pods, and
grind them to a powder in your mortar and pestle)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 pints chicken broth
1 1/4 pints single cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Garnish:
1 TBS coarsely chopped skinned hazelnuts
1 TBS dried cranberries
1 tsp butter
instructions:
Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan over medium high heat.
Once it shimmers, add the parsnips, and onions. Saute,stirring very
little at first, and then more frequently towards the end, until the
parsnips start to turn golden brown. This should take 7 to 8 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and add butter, sugar, and garlic. Continue to
cook, stirring occasionally until all the vegetables are a rich caramel
colour, some 10 minutes longer.
Add the spices and cook, until
fragrant, then add the broth. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables
are tender. This should take about 10 minutes.
Using a stick
blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream and heat until
warm. Season to taste with some salt and pepper.
Heat the tsp of
butter for the garnish in a small saucepan. Add the hazelnuts and
dried cranberries. Cook until golden and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
ladle the hot soup into heated bowls and top each serving with a portion of the hazelnut/cranberry saute. Delicious!
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You need not wait for a special occasion to make this delicious soup. It tastes good any time. I often make it just for a light supper with some crusty bread. I don't always do the garnish in that case. (I know, lazy me.) This is one of the recipes that you will find in my new book coming out in the New Year, entitled "A Year In The English Kitchen". Bon Appetit!
One skill that every cook should master is the ability to make a proper Béchamel Sauce.
To be able to do so will hold every cook in good stead in the kitchen and in all truth a basic béchamel, or cream sauce as it is also called, forms the basis for many other sauces.
Béchamel is a white sauce which is made by combining hot flavoured or seasoned milk with a roux (which you can see in the photo below).
One of the basic sauces, the classic recipe calls for milk flavoured by heating it with a bay leaf, slice of onion and a blade of mace of nutmeg. This is left for about half an hour to infuse and then the sauce is thickened with a roux.
A roux is made from combining equal parts of butter and flour.
Generally speaking, there are three different kinds of roux: White, straw-coloured (blond) or brown, depending on the colour you want your finished sauce to be, with the difference in colour having been created by browning the flour (or not) to varying degrees.
After mixing the melted butter and flour in a saucepan over heat, the roux must be cooked and stirred for a short time to help eliminate the floury taste.
The longer a roux is cooked, the darker it becomes. For a basic cream/béchamel sauce you will not want it to brown at all if you can help it.
When thickening a preparation with a roux, it is crucial to respect the hot/cold balance of the mix. A hot roux must always be mixed into a cold liquid, and a cold roux into a hot liquid.
When using a cold roux (which is made simply by rubbing butter and flour together without heating it) you must allow enough time for the roux to melt and let the thickening liquid to cook for a few minutes.
Then it should thicken nicely without leaving a floury after-taste.
I scanned this photo from my original Betty Crocker Cookery Book, which I have had for many years. It best describes the steps to follow when making a basic béchamel or cream sauce and gives you quantities to use for the various thicknesses.
Thin sauces are what you will want when you are using it for a garnish for meats, vegetables, etc. For a bake you will want the sauce to be of a medium thickness and if you are making something like meat or vegetable croquettes, you will want a thick sauce.
Yield: Makes 1 cup
Bechamel Sauce
prep time: cook time: 15 minstotal time: 15 mins
I think this was one of the first things I learnt how to make in home economics at school. When well made, this simple sauce has a proper place in homey, creamed dishes, often making leftover stretch or giving cooked foods a new life. A good bechamal is the basis for many dishes such as souffles, or macaroni and cheese. The foolproof way to achieve a perfectly smooth sauce is to have the milk hot when you add it to the butter and flour. It uses an extra pot, but perfection is perfection.
ingredients:
2 TBS butter
2 TBS plain flour
285ml of hot milk (1 1/4 cups)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS plain flour
285ml of hot milk (1 1/4 cups)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
instructions:
Melt the butter in a heavy
bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook,
whisking constantly until the flour is cooked out and bubbles a bit. Do
NOT let it brown. This will take about 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot
milk, slowly, whisking constantly until the milk is all whisked in and
the sauce thickens. Bring to the boil. Stir in the salt and pepper to
taste. Lower the heat to very low and continue to cook, whisking, for
an additional 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. If you are
using the sauce later, cover the top with a round of baking parchment
to prevent a skin from forming. (You can also pour a very thin layer of
milk over top which works in much the same way.)
Variations:
Thick
Cream Sauce - Use 3 TBS of flour to 225ml/1 cup of milk. This is the
consistency needed for souffles and meat, poultry or fish croquettes.
Lemon
Cream Sauce - Just before serving, beat in 2 large egg yolks, 6 TBS of
butter (1 TBS at a time) and 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
Cheese
Sauce - Stir in 60g/1/2 cup of grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2
minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Mornay
Sauce - Add 2 TBS of grated Parmesan Cheese and 2 TBS of grated Swiss
cheese during the last two minutes of cooking. Stir until blended.
Just before removing from the heat, beat 2 TBS of the sauce into 1
lightly beaten egg yolk. Stir the yolk/sauce mixture back into the
sauce and add 2 TBS butter. Continue to cook, stirring, for one
minute longer.
Sauce - Add 2 TBS of grated Parmesan Cheese and 2 TBS of grated Swiss
cheese during the last two minutes of cooking. Stir until blended.
Just before removing from the heat, beat 2 TBS of the sauce into 1
lightly beaten egg yolk. Stir the yolk/sauce mixture back into the
sauce and add 2 TBS butter. Continue to cook, stirring, for one
minute longer.
Note - to make a larger quantity, simply double the ingredients.
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One of the most common uses for a béchamel sauce is something you have probably already done if you have ever made a macaroni cheese from scratch, and that is to make a cheese sauce!
That is what I have done here to make a variation of one of our favourite dishes and that is a Broccoli & Cauliflower Cheese!
Basically, it is a very simple dish. Blanched florets of broccoli and cauliflower, put into a baking dish you have lined with some cheese sauce and then napped all over with the same sauce.
I like to add a crispy topping to mine.
This topping is very easily made by blitzing some bread, butter and strong cheddar together in a small food processor.
It makes a lovely crumble that you can then scatter over top of the whole dish.
As the dish cooks in the oven, the crumbs crisp up beautifully with a lovely golden finish.
One key for success is to make sure that your vegetables are drained really well before adding them to the dish.
If you don't do this then you could end up with a bit of a watery finish, which is not exactly what you want!
I could sit down to a dish of this all on its own quite happily! It also makes a great vegetarian main if you have a veggie coming to supper!
Whether you enjoy this as a side dish or a vegetarian main there is one thing you can count on for sure and that is that it will be enjoyed by all!
Make sure you use a well flavoured cheddar for the sauce. It makes all the difference in the world.
Yield: 4
Broccoli & Cauliflower Cheese
prep time: 25 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 50 mins
Some people may eat this as a main course, and it certainly makes for a delicious one. Other's may choose to have it as a side dish. Whichever way you choose, you will not be disappointed.
ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower, broken into bite sized florets
1 medium broccoli, crown, broken into bite sized florets
1 1/2 pints milk (3 cups)1 bay leaf
1 onion, halved
a few whole cloves
freshly grated nutmeg
4 TBS butter
4 TBS flour
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
120g mature farmhouse cheddar, grated (1 cup)
5 TBS finely grated Parmesan cheese
30g strong cheddar cheese (1 ounce)
1 TBS cold butter
1 slice rustic white bread torn
instructions:
First make the bechamel sauce. Place the onion, stuck with the cloves
and the bay leaf into a saucepan with the milk. Bring just to the boil,
then remove from the heat and allow to stand for 30 minutes to allow
the onion and herbs to infuse the milk with their flavour. At the end of
half an hour, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Cook
for one minute, then slowly whisk in the infused milk, discarding the
onion, bayleaf and cloves. Whisk and cook until thickened. Turn heat
to very low and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently
as to prevent it from catching. Remove from the heat and then whisk in
the grated cheddar and Parmesan, along with the mustard. Flavour with
some grated nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 4.
Place in the heated oven and bake until it begins to brown in places and the sauce is bubbling. (20 to 25 minutes) Serve hot.
and the bay leaf into a saucepan with the milk. Bring just to the boil,
then remove from the heat and allow to stand for 30 minutes to allow
the onion and herbs to infuse the milk with their flavour. At the end of
half an hour, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Cook
for one minute, then slowly whisk in the infused milk, discarding the
onion, bayleaf and cloves. Whisk and cook until thickened. Turn heat
to very low and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently
as to prevent it from catching. Remove from the heat and then whisk in
the grated cheddar and Parmesan, along with the mustard. Flavour with
some grated nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 4.
Bring
a pot of salted water to the boil and then add the vegetable florets. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they are crispy
tender. Drain very well. Cover the bottom of your baking dish lightly with some of the cheese sauce. Add the well drained vegetables. Pour the cheese bechamel sauce over top, covering it well.
a pot of salted water to the boil and then add the vegetable florets. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they are crispy
tender. Drain very well. Cover the bottom of your baking dish lightly with some of the cheese sauce. Add the well drained vegetables. Pour the cheese bechamel sauce over top, covering it well.
Blitz the topping ingredients in a small food processor until crumbly. Scatter these crumbs over top.
Place in the heated oven and bake until it begins to brown in places and the sauce is bubbling. (20 to 25 minutes) Serve hot.
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You can make a delicious casserole out of almost any cooked vegetable and a cream sauce. Potatoes, carrots, swede, turnips, etc. All work very well. You can add a bit of horseradish to the sauce when cooking potatoes or carrots. This is delicious.
Cabbage is really delicious when steamed until crispy tender and then baked in a béchamel sauce with some crumbs on top. Fish is also lovely when baked with a béchamel.
Once you have mastered this sauce the world really is your oyster as to the number of ways you can use it! Bon Appetit!
I confess I have a real weakness for chicken burgers of any kind. In fact whenever we go to McDonald's or any other fast food place, I will choose a chicken burger over a beef burger 99% of the time. Usually they are fairly good.
I also like to make my own at home. They are always delicious. I saw this recipe the other week for baked ones on a blog called Spoon Fork Bacon, and they looked fabulous! So fabulous that as soon as I saw them I wanted to make them!
I adapted the recipe to what I have available here in the UK, with fabulous results. I did cut down on the amount of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper as we I don't like things to be overly spicy.
Pounded boneless, skinless chicken breasts are tender and delicious, having been marinated in buttermilk for two hours prior to coating and baking. Buttermilk helps to really tenderise chicken, and gives it a nice flavour.
Once you have marinated the chicken you dredge them in a crumb mixture, made by mixing together panko crumbs, flour and some seasonings, etc. I tend to be a bit judicious when adding spicy ingredients, but that is due to my gastric problems. By all means use the full amount if you don't mind a bit of heat!
What I liked about these is the fact that they are baked and not fried, although to be honest, there is a fair bit of butter used. 1 TBS of melted butter gets spooned over each breast once you have coated them. They are placed on top of a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet to cook in a hot oven. This helps to maintain the integrity of the crumb coating and the butter also helps them to turn a nice golden brown.
A delicious mixture of melted butter, honey, along with some more smoked paprika and cayenne is brushed on the finished burgers. I chose to brush them with some of it for the last 5 to 10 minutes of bake time to really get the flavours in there, and then finished them off with the rest after they were finished baking.
This gave them a really delicious flavourful crisp glazed sweet and spicy coating that worked really well! I added some crisp rashers of streaky bacon to ours, but that is down to you whether you chose to do so or not!
In my opinion bacon and burgers go together like peas and carrots! I like a bit of bacon on my burgers, chicken or otherwise!
Tucked into toasted brioche buns with the addition of shredded lettuce and ranch dressing, these went down a real treat! I served them with some oven chips on the side!
Yield: 4
Honey Hot Chicken Burgers
prep time: 2 hourcook time: 30 minstotal time: 2 hours and 30 mins
These delicious burgers are simple and easy to make. Do plan ahead as the chicken needs to marinate in the buttermilk for two hours. We like to serve them with the optional crisp streaky bacon, but its not necessary. Everyone always loves these. I serve with some oven chips to make a hearty, yet simple weeknight supper.
ingredients:
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts,
pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
360ml (1 1/2 cup) buttermilk
140g (1 cup) plain flour
120g (1 cup) panko breadcrumbs1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
180g (3/4 cup) butter, melted and divided
85g (1/4 cup) liquid honey
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 Brioche burger buns, lightly toasted
shredded lettuce
ranch salad dressing
Crisp cooked streaky bacon (optional)
instructions:
Season the chicken breasts lightly on both sides. Place into a shallow baking dish and pour the buttermilk over top. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Grease a cooling rack really well and then place on top of a baking sheet.
Place the panko crumbs, flour, garlic powder, turmeric, smoked paprika, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl and mix well together. Remove the chicken from the fridge and, working with one at a time, remove them from the buttermilk and dredge really well in the bread crumb mixture. Place them onto the cooling rack, leaving plenty of space in between each one. Discard any buttermilk let in the dish. Spoon 1 TBS of melted butter over each coated piece of chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Whisk together the remaining melted butter, the honey, paprika and cayenne pepper. Brush generously over each piece of chicken to glaze. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with the remainder of the honey mixture to finish.
Spread the bottoms of each toasted bun with ranch dressing and top with some shredded lettuce. Place a chicken breast on top of each, then top with more shredded lettuce and some more ranch dressing, finally covering with the top of the buns. Serve immediately.
Note - smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp, makes an excellent addition. Plan on two rashers for each burger. You can also marinate and coat the chicken ahead of time if desired, keeping the coated burgers in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them.
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I really, REALLY, REALLY enjoyed these burgers. I do think that if you didn't want to go faffing about and coating your own chicken breasts, you could use a good quality frozen crumbed chicken breast. They would not be quite as spicy as you wouldn't have the spices in the coating, but the spicy glaze would work very well, adding some about 5 minutes prior to the end of the cook time and the remainder at the end. Whichever way you choose to do these, from scratch or with a cheat you are in for a real treat! Bon Appetit!
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