roast squash with lentils and toasted goat's cheese

 

i know autumn has arrived when squashes and pumpkins appear in the shops and markets. i love trying different types and took full advantage of a recent offer for a mixed selection in my vegetable box.

the gem squash will be boiled and mashed with lots of butter, salt and pepper. i roasted the onion squash for a chorizo, bean and squash salad (similar to this) and the acorn squash was used in a wonderfully simple and very delicious meal of roast squash with lentils and goat’s cheese.

 the acorn squash has a thin skin which means you don’t need to peel it before roasting and eating (this is true for onion and butternut squash as well) and the sweetness contrasts wonderfully with earthy puy lentils and rich tangy goats cheese. i served this with a green salad on the side.

Click to read more ...

courgette, chickpea and feta salad

as usual, september in london is proving to be so much warmer and sunnier than august. this weekend i’ve spent some very peaceful time out in the garden, removing most of the leaves from my tomato plants in the hope that this will speed up the ripening of the many green tomatoes that remain, as well as having a leisurely outdoor lunch of crab and cherry tomato linguine with one of my favourite friends. david and i also spent a lovely sunday wandering through regent’s park, along the canal and up to marine ices for ice creams.

this courgette and chickpea salad is definitely something for these final sunny days, with its courgette ribbons and basil crème fraiche dressing. it’s from my newest cookery book, salads by peter gordon of providores. there’s a good range of cold weather salads that i’m looking forward to trying but in the meantime, this is perfect for these later summer days.

Click to read more ...

feta and herb muffins

i love the idea of having fresh muffins with my weekend early-morning cup of tea.

for once i organised myself sufficiently to do it. i used an old favourite as the base for the recipe but flavoured them with shallots, feta and herbs (sage, rosemary and oregano from the garden). i ate them straight from the oven, tearing them open to let them cool down a little before eating, with a cup of tea. perfect.

roasted sweet potato salad with blue cheese

 

over the past week or so the weather in london has started to turn. i’m not ready to use the “a” word but there is a definite nip in the air and warm snugly clothes are looking more appealing than my summer sandals.

this means i’m starting to change what i want to eat, although i’m not ready to succumb to stews and bakes. this roasted sweet potato salad is a good half-way house, with the slightly caramelised pepper and potato hinting at the warming foods which will be appearing in the coming months, while the salad keeps things light.

Click to read more ...

orrechiette with asparagus, feta and chorizo

 

chorizo makes frequent appearances in my cooking but, unless there is a pizza involved, it rarely appears in its pre-sliced form. however, a pack of mildly-flavoured chorizo slices which i was sent by abel & cole got me thinking.

i spoke to various friends who had lots of great ideas for using chorizo (or salami for that matter) slices but the idea that caught my fancy simply involved dry-frying it so that the edges crisp up, much as it would on a pizza. i added the juice of a lemon to the pan when it was done, to make a dressing from the oil which the meat released, and then used this to garnish a fresh summery pasta dish of broad beans, asparagus and feta cheese.

this was a really good use of the chorizo (which i’d otherwise have nibbled on with a glass of red wine) and is a nice way to lift a gentle and mildly flavoured dish. i particularly liked the way the chorizo took on a slight lemony tang which made it particularly mouth-watering.

Click to read more ...