Recipes

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Thanks to Blue Peter for the inspiration of pumpkin and spicy gingerbread. It is also terribly simple to stir together. We had great fun making this at River Cottage on Halloween, much to the delight of the young ghouls and pink fairies.

Stir together:

250 g flour

1 tsp. bicarbonate soda

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

Grinding of nutmeg

Pinch of allspice

In a heat proof bowl pour:

100 ml. very hot water

Then add and stir carefully until melted:

50g butter

Followed by

3 Tbsp treacle

150 g soft brown sugar

Stir well until melted. Add to it:

100 g mashed pumpkin

In a small cup beat

1 large egg

Then add it to the pumpkin mixture and stir. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the pumpkin mixture. Mix it well, then pour into a 18x 23 cm greased tin or individual patty tin. Bake at 180 C for about 30 minutes in large tin, 15 – 20 minutes for fairy cakes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick, which should come out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Gnocchi Serves 2-4

Pumpkins and other members of the squash family such as butternut and harlequin squash, are extremely versatile vegetables. In America they are known as winter squashes as they will keep under airy and dry conditions right through the winter months. With plenty of fibre, Vitamin A and other essential nutrients eating pumpkins is an easy way to five a day. Nutty and sweet, these Cinderella vegetables can provide everything from warming soups to creamy pies.

Bring to a boil:

600 g pumpkin or squash puree

250 ml water

pinch of salt

Grating of nutmeg

While still over the heat add:

approximately 375 g plain flour

in small amounts stirring with a thick wooden spoon constantly until thick. The exact amount will depend on the amount of moisture in the pumpkin and flour. When done, the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pan into a round smooth ball of orange. This process should take about 10 minutes. Take off the heat and beat in:

1 whole egg plus 1 yolk

100 g parmesan cheese, grated

Knead lightly on a floured surface adding

a little extra flour

as necessary. Roll into logs and cut up into 2 cm pieces. Use a fork to make indents on the side. (You may cover these closely and refrigerate for up to 24 hours at this point.)

Boil in a large pan as for pasta

Water with a touch of salt

Drop the gnocchi into the water a few at a time. They should rise to the top in about 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve coated with

melted butter

grated or shaved parmesan cheese.

For extra pizzazz add a few fresh sage leaves to your melted butter and cook for about 30 seconds

Cinderella’s Truffles

Herrod’s once expressed interest in stocking these delightful truffles—simple enough for children to make, elegant enough for a London food hall or dinner party.

Combine all ingredients until smooth:

200 g digestive biscuits, crushed

100 g ground almonds

50 g icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon cinnamon

150 g best quality dark chocolate

150 g pumpkin puree

3 Tbsp rum OR 1 Tbsp vanilla

Icing sugar for dusting

Roll into balls the size of a large marble. Place each in a sweet paper case in an air proof tin. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. They should keep for about three weeks in the refrigerator.

Paradise Pumpkin Pie

This really is paradise: a New York style cheese cake combined with a pumpkin pie. The cream cheese adds the right touch of smoothness and class to the sweet spices of the pumpkin mixture. Use a good flavoured pumpkin, such as small sugar which is bred for pie making, or one of the Australian blues for depth of flavour.

Combine until smooth:

200g/ 8 oz cream cheese

50 g/ 2 oz sugar

½ tsp vanilla

Then add:

1 egg

Mix well. Spread on the bottom of an

Unbaked pie shell

Combine in a separate bowl:

200 g/ 8 oz cooked, pureed pumpkin

150 g/ 8 oz double cream

100 g/ 4 oz soft brown sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp powdered ginger

¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch ground cloves

Dash salt

Pour over the cream cheese and swirl them together. Bake at 180 C/ 350 F for about one hour. Cool.

Elderflower Sorbet Serves 4 - 6

This is a most elegant, fragrant sorbet. It also is terribly easy to make with our cordial.

Make up

800 ml/ 20 fl ounces of elderflower cordial to your normal drinking strength using plain water.

Pour into a freezer container and freeze until nearly solid. Mash with a sturdy fork until slushy, or whizz with a hand blender. In a clean bowl whip

2 egg whites*

until stiff. Gently fold the eggs into the slushy cordial. Freeze again until solid. Remove from the freezer 15-30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly.

Variations

· For a truly posh version dilute the cordial with left over champagne (should you happen to have some) or sparkling wine instead of water.

· For a child’s version use apple juice to dilute the cordial, skip the egg whites, but freeze it in lolly moulds, or small yogurt pots with a wooden stick pushed in half way through freezing.

*Take care as there is a potential health risk using raw eggs for small children and pregnant women.

Other Serving Suggestions for Elderflower Cordial

· Make up a fresh fruit salad and drizzle undiluted elderflower cordial over the top. Stir gently to mix. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

· Add a healthy splash of undiluted cordial to anything you are making with gooseberries: fools, ice creams, crumbles and cobblers. Reduce the amount of sugar slightly to account for the syrup.

· Make your gin and tonic a Devon Gin and Tonic by adding a splash of elderflower cordial to your regular sun downer.

· Try a Devon Spritzer: mix some white wine, elderflower cordial, and sparkling water to taste.

Spiced Blackberry Vinegarette

Simple but elegant. Great with slightly bitter or mustardy-hot salad leaves. Be sure to use a good quality olive oil. Use your sense of taste to adjust the balance of flavours depending on your herbs and pungency of olive oil.

Shake together in a small jar or whisk in a small bowl:

1 Tbsp spiced blackberry vinegar

1 tsp mustard powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs OR 1 tsp mixed Italian herbs

1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)

3 -4 Tbsp olive oil

Taste and adjust to suit. Use with a leafy green salad.

Will keep for a week in a tightly covered jar.

Spiced Blackberry Drizzle

Transform some plain, lightly cooked vegetables into a gormet delicacy. Particularly nice with purple sprouting broccoli.

Steam until cooked, but still with some bite:

500 g/ 1 lb spring cabbage, shredded, OR

fresh asparagus, peeled at the ends OR

purple sprouting broccoli

Drizzle with

Blackberry vinegar, to taste

Sprinkle with

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Serve at once.

Blonde Brownies

Gooey and rich like their chocolate counterparts, but with a dreamy butterscotch flavour. Terrifically easy and surprisingly quick to make with a minimum of washing up afterwards.

This recipe was especially requested by members the Teignmouth Community Choir, but there is no need to sing while you bake (unless you want to).

Melt in a large saucepan:

250 g butter

Stir in until dissolved:

600 g dark brown soft sugar

Cool this slightly, then beat in:

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence

Sift together in a large bowl:

230 g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Tip the flour mixture into the sugar and butter and stir well. Add if you wish:

60 g chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are nice)

Pour the batter into a large roasting tin (33 x 23 cm/ 13 x 9 in). Bake in a medium oven (180 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 5) for approximately 25 - 30 minutes. Cut once the brownies have cooled.

This recipe makes a large number of brownies, but they freeze well. If you wish, halve the ingredients and then bake in a swiss roll tin. Be sure to decrease the baking time proportionally.