Tuesday, October 28, 2014

The Cottage Cooking Club - October Recipes


Today, marks the sixth month of our international online cooking group, the Cottage Cooking Club. As a group, recipe by recipe, we are cooking and learning our way through a wonderful vegetable cookbook written in 2011 by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, called „River Cottage Everyday Veg“.

The Cottage Cooking Club online cooking group is meant to be a project aimed at incorporating more vegetable dishes in our everyday cooking, learning new ways to prepare tasty and healthy dishes, and sharing them with family and friends.

We will make an effort to use as much local, regional, organic and also seasonal produce as is resonably possible. With that goal in mind, during that month of October, I prepared a few wonderful dishes from the book.

Let us start with a picture of these lovely late summer squash that I came across at one of my favorite farmers´ markets at the beginning of the month – always delighted to find these bright yellow beauties (especially in early October). I grilled them and marinated them, following one of my favorites recipes from the book „Marinated courgettes with mozzarella“ (page 314) -  as a group we prepared that very same recipe in July of this year.




Onto this month´s recipes then. My first recipe for this October post is the „Baby beet tarte tatin" (page 48), from the chapter "Comfort Food & Feasts".




I could not believe my luck when I came across these yellow baby beets in Belgium. I carried them through Antwerp all day long when we visited a few weeks ago and kept thinking about making this wonderful savory tarte with them. The beets have to be roasted in the oven together with some butter, oil, cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Then they get covered with puff pastry, and need to be baked for a good 20 minutes. Once you turned the tarte out onto a plate, it is time to prepare the vinaigrette with shallots, Dijon mustard, cider vinegar, oil, pepper, salt and plenty of chopped fresh parsley. I do not think that there is any savory tart that is more photogenic or more delicious than this one.




The second recipe we enjoyed was the „Warm salad of mushrooms and roasted squash“ (page 94), from the chapter "Hearty Salads".




This is a delightful autumnal salad with lots of flavor and color. I chose one of my favorite squashes for this recipe, the „Butternut squash“ that I roasted with fresh sage from my herb garden. For the mushrooms, I chose some baby portabella mushrooms. My preferred kind of mushrooms.




For the „greens“, I bought some very seasonal lamb´s lettuce, the buttery leaves of that salad go so well with the meaty mushrooms and the slighty salty Pecorino Romano shavings that I used in lieu of the blue cheese (which the kids do not really appreciate). Utter delight on a plate is all I can say.




The third recipe was a soup. I love hearty soups. "Cannellini bean and leek soup with chilli oil" (page 165), from the chapter „Hefty Soups“ is a hearty, yet light enough soup to be served before a main course. Or as a main course with an assortment of breads and rolls alongside.The only qualm I had with this recipe is that my chilli oil did not have that wonderful reddish hue – it tasted nice and spicy but unfortunately the color was a tad pale.




Leeks are so abundant around here these days, making this soup was a really good choice for the month of October. Another plus is that this recipe is so easy to put together – especially since you can use canned white beans. The only advice I have is to use a very well seasoned vegetable stock for this or you might find the finished soup a bit bland, despite the added chilli oil. You can always use Hugh´s recipe for vegetable stock on page 130.




Onto recipe number four, the „Kale and onion pizza“  (page 186), from the chapter "Bready Things".




I made this recipe a while back and used tons of fresh spinach instead of the kale for this – this is our favorite vegetable pizza recipe of all times – you must try this if you have not already done so, you will not regret it, trust us.




Recipe number five this month was „White beans with artichokes“ (page 240), from the chapter "Store-Cupboard Suppers" – more of a non-recipe, so easy to put together using those canned white beans and those wonderful oil-preserved artichoke hearts that are readily available at Italian markets around here.




For the salad part I used more of the beloved seasonal lamb´s lettuce and added some local Belgian endives – there is an endive farm not far from where we live, and I loved using that fresh, slightly bitter salad in this recipe – it paired so well with the artichokes hearts and the creamy beans. To finish off this dish, I used a local goats cheese feta and crumbled it over top – makes me feel good to be able to use so many local and seasonal ingredients for this nice recipe.




Onto recipe number six „Broccoli salad with asian-style dressing“ (page 316), from the chapter "Mezze & Tapas".




So, it was time to pull out that steamer basket again for the broccoli. The dressing which consists of garlic, freshly grated ginger, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, spring onions, sea salt and pepper is actually almost identical to the Asian-inspired coleslaw on page 115 – a salad which I make on a regular basis to accompany Asian foods and which the kids adore. They could not get enough of this very tasty broccoli version – I made it twice this month and plan on making it many times still.




It is Brussels sprouts season, so I made the „Roasted brussels sprouts with shallots“ (page 352), from the chapter "Roast, Grill & Barbecue". What is not to love about this hearty dish – Brussels sprouts and shallots seem to be a match made in heaven, roasted with tons of fresh thyme from my herb garden, lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper, sea salt and olive oil, these tiny cabbages turn into a sweet delight that everyone gobbled up.




Did you know that Brussels sprouts are actually called „Rosenkohl“ (literally meaning „rose cabbage“) in German – funny sometimes how differently the same things can be called in various languages. The first recorded harvest of this lovely autumn/winter vegetable can be traced back to the year 1587 in what was then the Netherlands and is Belgium today.




While I prepared the sprouts, I decided to make the „Roasted cauliflower with lemon and paprika“ at the same time. Almost the same procedure as the above Brussels sprouts – roast the cauliflower florets with lemon juice, pepper, salt, olive oil and a bit of hot smoked paprika.




There are two kinds of this smoked paprika with a rather intense flavor, hot and mild – we liked the spicy kick from the paprika in this dish – overall nice but not quite as nice as the roasted sprouts. But roasting cauliflower is a nice way to prepare this vegetable, no doubt.




Pumpkin and raisin tea loaf“ (page 394) from the chapter of „Sweet Asides“ was my ninth recipe from the October line-up. What would the month of October be without some sweet baked dessert with pumpkin – I used grated „Hokkaido“ also called "red curry squash" for this recipe, no butter, no oil, just Muscovado sugar (form the British shop), four eggs, zest and juice of a lemon, raisins (that I plumped up in some warm apple juice for about thirty minutes), ground natural almonds, self-raising flour (also from the British shop), sea salt, freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg – I also added two teaspoons of homemade vanilla sugar.




I baked this tea cake in my special so-called „saddle of venison baking pan" („Rehrücken-Backform") – love the shape of that pan. We rather enjoyed this loaf cake with a cup of tea in the afternoon – the kids preferred it with a bit of butter and jam – a nice easy, seasonal tea cake.




To gild the lily and just in case you need further convincing that I am a true life fan of the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipes and his River Cottage Series, I made two recipes from his latest cookbook called „River Cottage Light & Easy – Healthy Recipes for Everyday“.

The first recipe I made was the „Carrot cornbread“ (page 67), from the chapter „Baking“. I made this easy cornbread with with freshly grated carrots as a side to the above „White beans with artichokes“ – a nice, moist cornbread with just a hint of sweetness from the almond milk and the carrots and what a gorgeous color too. This bread is also great as a side to a hearty winter soup and just plain, dunked in a bit of your favorite oil, such as linseed oil or olive oil.




Then, I just could not pass up the opportunity to prepare another sweet recipe – apart from the Pumpkin and raisin tea loaf. I opted for the very seasonal „Chestnut and almond shortbread“ (page 380), from the chapter „Treats“.




Who would have thought that shortbread with chestnut flour (readily available at Italian markets), wholemeal buckwheat flour, ground almond flour, Muscovado sugar and sunflower oil could taste this delightful – I did add a pinch of ground cinnamon and some vanilla sugar but other than that I stayed true to the original recipe – what a delightful addition to your cookie repertoire and with its crumbly texture and definite nutty taste, a treat that is sure to please even the most discerning cookie lovers.

Chestnut flour is quite popular for sweet as well as savory dishes in France where it is called "farine de châtaigne" and in Italy, where it is known as "la farina di castagne".




If you are looking to reduce your use of wheat flour and dairy ingredients, would like to use new grains and oils – this new cookbook would certainly be worth adding to your Christmas wish list...

Another month full of wonderful recipes- I managed to incorporate all of the above recipes in our regular schedule and was very pleased that the recipes I prepared were received with so much enthusiam and curiosity – I owe another big, fat „Thanks“ to my utterly devoted taste testers and keep enjoying to cook from this cookbook!




Please note, that for copyright reasons, we do NOT publish the recipes. If you enjoy the recipes in our series, hopefully, the Cottage Cooking Club members and their wonderful posts can convince you to get a copy of this lovely book. For more information on the participation rules, please go here.

To see which wonderful dishes the other members of the Cottage Cooking Club prepared during the month of October, please go here.


32 comments:

  1. Lovely post, Andrea! Another great month of recipes. I'm so glad you were able to get golden beets! I was thinking, that this tarte would be gorgeous using a mixture of red and gold. After seeing this, I like the look of all golden, as well as the red beets I used. I failed on making the chile oil - nasty burnt flavor - but mine never got that beautiful red hue either. I so agree with you on the roasted squash salad - so good. The only recipe I did not get to was the kale and onion pizza - hoping to be able to make this for a make-up week. The shortbread looks out of this world! I so want one this moment! Enjoy the rest of the week Andrea, and I hope all is going well.

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    1. Cathleen, the golden beets were a first for me - I was so pleased and could not resist making the Tarte Tatin with them and did not regret it. The chilli oil was a bit of a let down, particularly since I was aiming for that lovely reddish hue. But it still tasted nice and spicy. As far as the shortbread is concerned - you already know that I do not really like to publish the recipes but if you are interested, I will send it to you, just send me a mail and let me know: andrea@thekitchenlioness.de
      Thank you for participating in the CCC - andrea

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  2. As always, another fabulous, interesting and educational post from a very special lady. When you joined FFWD (about the same time I did), we all were so fortunate. You have added so much to that group and are certainly an inspiration in CCC. I certainly credit you with launching me into the veggie world in a big way. I will try the pizza. I'm not a fan of kale so shied away from making it. Spinach, I love. So, that's a done deal. The Warm Mushroom and Roasted Squash salad must be heavenly. So many of the CCC group has made it. Must make that also. We still have great squash in our farmers markets. I'll make the hefty soup this Winter, for sure. I loved the tea loaf but really covet the round mold! Very lovely photos, as always. Thgank you for making the time and effort required to do this, Andrea.

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    1. Mary, my dear, so nice that we both enjoyed the Pumpkin and Raisin Tae Loaf so much - a simple, yet delicious recipe. I will be around later today to post my comments on both your posts - cannot wait to see all your creations. The "Spinach Pizza" has become a favorite at our house - the soup is a true keeper for those wintry and cold days and the salad was one of my personal favoriet dishes this month - visually and tasewise I must say - I love it when veg dishes turn out so appealing and yummy at the same time - good for our health and your hearts.
      Thank you for your incredibly kind comment - I am quite honored to be part of two such wonderful cooking groups with so many very talented home bakers and cooks - thank you for making me feel "part of the group".
      Hugs and kisses,
      Andrea - if you look closely, you can even "see" me on FB, I am in the background of the picture with that talented German chef Stevan Paul. Hubby thought I should at least be in one picture...

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  3. You've done a beautiful job as always, Andrea, with the recipes, the photos and the write-up. The broccoli salad was a big success here, as was the kale pizza (even though I put too much topping on) though I would love to try it with the spinach now. Wonderful idea! And who wouldn't love a vegetable called "rose cabbages"?

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    1. Zosia, see, our kids share the same taste - our twelve year-old is nuts about the Asian broccoli - and I am a very happy camper - overall, all the recipes were a huge success at our house - so many different veg to choose from these days and, yes, we love those roasted "rose cabbages".
      Thank you so much for participating again this month,
      Andrea

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  4. Looking at your gorgeous photographs makes me hungry! What a nice selection you made this month! The broccoli salad looks like a winner along with all the others you made too. I love the shape of your tea bread, so unexpected. Why is it that the shape can make all the difference? Think of dried pasta shapes. I can't wait to see what you choose for November. thanks for being so inspiring.

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    1. Betsy, so nice that you enjoy this month´s recipes - and you are so very right about the shape of foods making a difference - for some reason, I am not too too crazy about regular loaf cake pans but I am quite fond of my very German so.called "saddle of venison" baking pan - it makes cakes looks more delicate and pretty and the slices are very easy to cut. I should send you one from my collection.
      Thank you for participating this month - hope you and Howard had an October filled with delicious and healthy foods.
      Andrea

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  5. Andrea. Wow. Wow. Wow. As always, your photographs are so truly beautiful. I am quite inspired on your interesting story of the month, and very much enjoyed a bit of historical background on the Brussels Sprouts. Educational, Instructional, and lots of fun. The golden beets for the Tarte Tatin look luscious. Though I ran out of time for Posting, I've the ingredients (red however, instead of the gorgeous golden color) in tow for preparation this next couple of days and reading the raves on this dish I cannot wait to taste it. What a wonderful leader you are in talent, inspiration, and your coordination efforts. Cheers on yet another month of splendid work and Thank You!

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    1. Peggy, now you are making me blush, dear friend - I am quite honored by your utterly wonderful comment. And you certainly make me very happy when you tell me that you enjoy our online cooking group and all the recipes so much! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, dear friend!
      There is always time to try your hand at the Baby Beet Tatin a bit later and then include it in your current post or in a separate post if you prefer!
      Thank you for your friendship, your support and your devoted participation - it all means a lot to me!
      Andrea

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  6. Every recipe, every photo is gorgeous. I love the name "Rosenkohl" - such a pretty name! And I am also glad you are beginning to get yellow/golden beets in Europe. When I posted a recipe years ago, I was told they weren't available there. The tart looked wonderful! The bean and leek soup and the roasted cauliflower also looked amazing. I hope Hugh is not reading... I think your photos are far more enticing! :) Maybe he is reading and will hire you to photograph his next book! Bis bald, dear friend. We can hardly wait for our trip there in July! xo, David

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    1. Dear David, of course I should have called these beets "golden" but I just translated the Dutch word for them which means "yellow beets" - these were the first ones I ever found around here and I was thrilled to bits when I held them in my hands and prepared this lovely Tarte Tatin with them. Unfortunately, I do not believe that Hugh is reading my posts but if he were, I would be delighted to get one little comment one day...
      We have cooked sixty (!) recipes from his book already and we still love it!
      July sounds perfect, already planning some not-to-be-missed activities - especially visits to my very favorite church.
      Ganz herzliche Grüsse von uns allen,
      Andrea

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  7. Hi Andrea, after see your beautiful pictures I am now inspired to prepare a few more of this months recipes for my family. The beet tarte tatin and the spinach and onion pizza look and sound fabulous! Thank you for all your efforts to keep our cooking group together and going forward!!

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    1. Cheri, I am glad that I could provide a bit of inspiration to you and all the other incredibly talented members of the Cottage Cooking Club - it is a pleasure organizing this group of lovely bloggers and it is fun to cook all these recipes from the River Cottage book.Thank you for being part of this wonderful experience!

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  8. All your dishes look gorgeous and I love the rest of your photos, too. You made so many of the recipes this month - I love seeing how the ones I didn't choose turned out. I can't believe it's been six months already - you have made this group such a lovely place to visit every month.

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    1. Teresa, six months already, hard o believe isn´t it?! Only another fourteen months to go, not bad, I must say. And it has been more than fun - my kids have become quite the veg lovers and are always willing to try every single dish I place in front of them - makes me incredibly happy and proud to be doing this!
      Thank you for your support and participation,
      Andrea

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  9. You have such a way with taking any humble vegetable and turning it into a thing of beauty with your dishes. Please know that I'm reading your blog even if my comments aren't going through again on blogspot. :)

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    1. Karen, thank you kindly - do not worry about the comments. It has been one of those months - but I am also doing my best to visit all my favorite blogs before the weekend for comments and to marvel at all the pictures, recipes and writing. Vegetables are indeed fun to work with and I am absolutely enarmored with the task of cooking my way through each and every recipe of this lovely book with so many incredibly talented bloggers "by my side".

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  10. All of these dishes are so beautiful and vibrant and colourful! They make me like autumn (even though it is the prelude to winter).

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    1. Gaye, thank you kindly! True, we are living in different time zones but in my humble opinion, vegetables are always attractive.

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  11. Damn delcious and fancy looking dish!!!!

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    1. Dear Dede, I sincerely hope that you can see more than one dish here...seriously, hope all is well! Thank you for stopping by!

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  12. Everything looks great...but that baby beet tart simply stopped me in my tracks. Gorgeous!

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    1. Cakespy, thank you for stopping by my blog and taking the time to leave a comment - the Baby Beet Tarte Tatin was the most beloved recipe this month amongst the members of the Cottage Cooking Club - loved making it using some lovely golden baby beets that are almost impossible to find around here.

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  13. Andrea, man kriegt den Mund nicht mehr zu, wenn man diese gelungenen Fotos anschaut. Gemuese kann so appetitlich aussehen. Darauf muss HFW irgendwann reagieren.... Hast du das Maronenshortbread mit der Gabel 'abgestochen'? Genial!!! Ich wuensche dir noch viel goldenes Herbstlicht fuer weitere Fotos! Liebe Grüße!

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    1. Liebe Wally, ja, das Shortbread habe ich der Gabel abgestochen. Durch das Maronenmehl und das Buchweizenmehl ist es doch sehr "crumbly and tender", muss man ganz vorsichtig sein...aber sowas von lecker, anders eben.
      Wir haben bis jetzt ziemlich Glück mit dem warmen Wetter - ich hoffe auch, dass sich das noch hält!
      Vielen Dank für deinen lieben Kommentar,
      Andrea

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  14. What an amazing post! I would happily try any of these recipes. And I think I know what I'm going to do with those golden beets that are sitting in my fridge!

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    1. Thank you, Beth, glad that you enjoy the Cottage Cooking Club post!

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  15. Oh wow. These dishes look sensational! I'm a huge fan of Hugh too. I recently bought his Three Good Things book and have loved cooking with it.

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    1. Trishie, I took a long look at the "Three Good Things" book - just do not have the time right now to be making too much from it as I am currently indulging a little in his latest "Light & Easy" cookbbok that was published on September 11, of this year. So many new techniques and recipes to learn from that book too.
      Thank you for the comment!

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  16. Stunning, as usual. I just want to dive into your photos, Andrea.
    Gosh, I'm so hungry now!

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    1. Colette, wish I could have shared some of this lovely food, dear friend!

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