SEASONAL RECIPES
A FANTASTIC SELECTION OF RECIPES & IMAGES BY DAPHNE LAMBERT
WARMING RECIPES FOR AUTUMN
Barley & mushroom soup
serves 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 sticks celery chopped
250g mushrooms, chopped
110g pot barley1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1.75 litre vegetable stock
handful of chopped parsley
black pepper & salt
In a heavy pan cook the onions until soft add the remaining vegetables and continue cooking until soft. Add the barley, thyme & stock and bring to the boil, cover & simmer for an hour until the mixture is thick and the ingredients all breaking down. Add parsley, season well with black pepper and salt and continue to cook a further 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Squash, sweetcorn, lentil & sage soup
serves 6
300g firm fleshed squash (red kuri, butternut, crown prince)
1 onion
2 leeks,
1 sweetcorn cob,
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
100g soaked green lentils
1.5 litres vegetable stock
6 sage leaves finely shredded
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Peel, seed and cut the squash into small neat pieces. Peel & chop the onion Trim the leeks, wash as necessary and thinly slice. Remove the leaves and silk from the sweetcorn and slice the kernels away from the cob. Put the oil into a large pan, tip in the squash, onion, leeks and garlic soften for about 5 mins. Add the paprika, corn kernels and lentils, stir well then tip in the stock Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir in the sage, season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve .
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Tomato & horseradish soup
serves 4
1 red onion
1 red pepper
300g tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
500 ml stock
1 chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
A thumb of horseradish grated
A handful of flat leaf parsley chopped1 lemon, zest and juice.
Oven 400C 200C
Peel and thickly slice the onion. Cut the pepper into chunks discarding the stem and seeds. Toss the tomatoes, onion and pepper in the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 25 minutes or until tender and lightly coloured Bring the stock to the boil, add the chilli, garlic and 1/2 the horseradish. Tip in the roasted veg and simmer for 1 minute. Cool slightly then blitz in a blender until smooth. Add half the parsley, the lemon zest along with lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste and blend again. Serve the soup with the remaining parsley and grated horseradish scattered on top of each bowl.
Spiced pumpkin soup
serves 4 -6
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions diced
3 teaspoons grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 dessertspoon ground turmeric
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 litre vegetable stock
1kg chopped pumpkin
Salt
Lightly toast the cumin and coriander seed in a small pan until they release their aroma. Tip into a pestle & mortar and grind. Gently cook the onion in the olive oil until tender. Add the cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne pepper, turmeric and garlic. Stir well, then tip in the pumpkin, add the stock and bring to boil. Simmer gently until tender. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth adding a little more stock if the soup is too thick Warm through, season with salt, and serve .
Courgette soup with ginger & turmeric
serves 4
1 leek
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium courgettes roughly chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2" piece ginger grated
2" piece of turmeric grated
1 handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves and stalks separated
1 litre vegetable stock.
Trim, clean and slice the leek and very gently soften in the olive oil for about 7 minutes. Stir in the courgettes, garlic, ginger, turmeric and the parsley stalks roughly chopped. Tip in the stock, bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes Remove from the heat, cool slightly then blitz until smooth. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stir into the soup. Season as necessary with salt and pepper and serve.
Sweet potato & kale soup
serves 4 – 6
1 onion, peeled & chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red chilli finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 litre vegetable stock
1 large handful of kale
sea salt & black pepper
Gently cook the onion, celery & carrots in the olive oil for 5 minutes Add the chilli and cumin, tip in the sweet potato, mix well, add the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Whilst the soup is cooking, strip the kale from any woody stem and finely shred. Remove the soup from the heat, cool slightly before blitzing until smooth. Return to the pan Add the kale to the soup and simmer gently, without the lid for a further 2 minutes Season to taste before serving.
Salmon "en papillote' with summer herbs.
serves 4
4 salmon fillets
olive oil
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped chervil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
110ml white wine
Oven 190°C / 375°F / gas mark 5
Cut four ovals of greaseproof paper large enough to contain the fish and leave a little space for air when folded over and crimped to seal. Lay the ovals on a table, brush with oil and lay a salmon fillet on each one. Season with salt and pepper and pile the herbs, garlic and shallot on top of each fillet and, finally, a splash of wine. Fold the greaseproof paper over and crimp the sides together to make an airtight seal. Place on a baking tray and bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Serve in the paper parcel and allow each person to unpack their own.
Three salad dressings
Miso dressing
1 heaped teaspoon dark miso
handful of parsley - chopped
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon seed mustard
Mix all ingredients together.
Raspberry & hemp oil dressing
Raspberry apple cider vinegar
Fill a jar with just picked raspberries, cover with raw apple cider vinegar and leave to infuse in a cool dark place for a month. Strain and bottle.
Mix raspberry apple cider vinegar with hemp oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Courgette -herb dressing
1 medium courgette - chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
small handful chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
a few sprigs of fennel
½ teaspoon sea salt
Blitz all ingredients together until smooth & creamy.
Cucumber -arame salad
serves 4-6
50g whole skinned almonds, soaked 12 hours
25g sunflower seeds, soaked 12 hours
25g arame seaweed, soaked 20 mins.
2 cucumbers
8 radish
1 red pepper
1 medium carrot
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 teaspoon tamari
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon apple concentrate
Slice the cucumber & radish diagonally. Cut the red pepper in half and remove the seeds. Cut into long thin strips. Place cucumber, radish, pepper, drained and rinsed almonds, sunflowers and arame in a bowl.
Blend the remaining ingredients together to make a dressing and toss through the salad.
Foods that support a strong immune system
Our immune system depends on many nutrients to work effectively and the ideal immune-boosting diet is really no different from the ideal everyday diet but if you are a bit-off track at the moment here are a few pointers.
The thymus gland produces hormones responsible for immune activity and special white blood cells called T cells, which destroy infected cells. T cell activity and the production of antibodies depend on vitamin B6. Spinach, turnip greens, leeks, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts and shiitake mushroom, all in season at the moment, are a good source of vitamin B6 as are whole grains.
Vitamin C intake is essential to immune function. Vitamin C helps immune cells to mature and improves the performance of antibodies and macrophage. Citrus fruits, cauliflower, broccoli and kale are good sources and all abundant at the moment. Other good sources are strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in the summer and rosehip, elderberries and blackberries in the autumn. Preserve these fruits to have in the Winter months. Vitamin C along with vitamins A & E and zinc & selenium are important anti-oxidant nutrients – they disarm the free radicals which invaders produce.
Eat fresh green leaves every day. The chlorophyll in green leaves supports our immune system by combating unhealthy colonies of bacteria, yeasts & fungi in the body and reduces inflammation.
Good bacterial balance in the gut is important for immune function. Eat plenty of lactic ferments like sauerkraut and kefir.
If you work inside all day you are probably not getting enough sun. When we lack vitamin D our immune systems are vulnerable to bacteria and viruses. Eggs, yogurt, shiitake mushroomsare good sources as well as fatty fish – herrings, sardines, mackerel, wild salmon.
Garlic is a wonderful antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal and turmeric, ginger and cinnamon are powerful spices to add to your immune boosting diet.
Eat plenty of good fat, cold pressed olive oil and organic butter are both beneficial. Fresh seeds and nuts are rich in essential fatty acids as well as vitamin E, zinc and protein. Cooking with poly unsaturated oils creates toxic trans-fatty acids and exposure to air creates rancidity. Altered oils of this nature suppress the immune system.
Make certain you eat three meals a day. If you are battling adrenal fatigue, diabetes, weight issues, hormone or blood sugar problems you may need to eat 5 smaller meals. If all your commitments
allow try to take a few early nights and allow your body to rest and restore. Never underestimate the positive effect to the immune system from having a good 8 hours sleep!
Baked mackerel fillet with green leaf salad and a citrus-chilli dressing
4 mackerel fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice and zest of half a lemon
1 clove garlic finely chopped
Selection of green leaves (watercress, mizuna, lamb's lettuce, mint, fennel, flat leaf parsley).
Dressing: 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small chilli seeded and chopped, salt and pepper.
Serves 4
Mix the olive oil, garlic and lemon together. Place the mackerel fillets in an oiled baking dish and pour over the marinade, leave for 15 minutes. Pick over the leaves and divide between 4 plates.
Blend all the dressing ingredients together in a processor.
Bake the fish in a moderate to hot oven, 180 degrees celcius, for 12 minutes. Place a fillet on top of the leaves on each plate and spoon over the dressing.
Chunky vegetable and white bean soup
A diet rich in vegetables and pulses supports the immune system.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 carrot peeled and diced
2 sticks celery diced
1 leek trimmed, washed and cut into slices
1 turnip peeled and diced
1 tsp tomato puree
1 litre vegetable stock
400g tin of haricots beans
1 head of broccoli florets
large handful finely shredded spinach
handful of chopped parsley
Serves 4-6
Cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender
Add the carrot, celery, leek and turnip and cook for a further 2 minutes
Stir in the tomato puree, add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Add the haricots beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli and the spinach, cook for a further 2 minutes, stir in the parsley, season and serve.
PREVIOUS RECIPES
We update our recipes regularly and so have a huge archive of previous collections for you to enjoy. Have a look at some of our old favourites.
Pumpkin Recipes
Pick me up juices
Packed Lunch Ideas
Autumn Feast
KEEP LOOKING
We update our recipes regularly so check back to see what's new in our seasonal recipe book.