vegetarian

Whole Roast Pumpkin with Autumnal Rice Pilaf

Cooking

I’ve been deliberating posting savoury recipes for a few years now but have always held back due to the simple fact that I called this site ‘tassybakes’ and so must, by my own ruling, share only baked goods (yeah, I’m quite neurotic). I’ve decided that’s a pretty stupid ruling especially as I’m a professional chef by day, who cooks savoury dishes the majority of the time.

Anyway you get the picture, I’m going to share savoury recipes with you, starting with this whole roast pumpkin. You part roast it before filling it with rice, wild mushrooms, cavolo nero, a load of spices, stock and pecans, then it’s popped in the oven for 15 minutes and voila, the rice is cooked and the flavours have seeped into the pumpkin flesh- delicious. You can adapt the recipe and use whatever veg or nuts you have lying around so go wild!

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

  • 2 small/medium pumpkins or 1 large pumpkin
  • 1tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1/2tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2tsp mixed spice
  • sea salt and black pepper

For the rice

  • 250g basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly
  • 2tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 large white onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 green chilli, diced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6-8 cardamom pods, cracked
  • 1tsp ground turmeric
  • 1tsp ground cumin
  • 2tsp garam masala
  • 2tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200g fresh wild mushrooms
  • large handful cavolo nero or kale
  • 100g pecans
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • Green chutney, tamarind chutney, yoghurt and pomegranate seeds, to serve (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c. Slice the top of the pumpkin (or pumpkins) off and hollow out (reserve the seeds and roast them with spices, if you like). Drizzle with oil and rub with spices and seasoning all over, inside and out. Place on a tray (lid included) and roast for 25-35 minutes or until the flesh is very tender.
  2. Rinse the rice several times in cold water then leave to soak until required.
  3. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the sliced onions. Cook out until lightly browned and very soft, then add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for a further few minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cardamom pods and all other spices and cook, stirring often until aromatic. Now add the mushrooms and a little more oil if required, and cook until caramelised. Don’t stir more often than is necessary or they won’t colour up.
  4. Drain the rice. Add the pecans, cavolo nero and rice to the saucepan and stir to coat in the oil and spices. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then carefully transfer to the cooked pumpkin. Turn the heat down to 160c on the oven and pop the lid on top of the pumpkin to seal in the steam.
  5. Return the now filled pumpkin to the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and leave to stand, lid on, for a further 10 minutes.
  6. Now you’re ready to serve. Slice the pilaf-filled pumpkin into big wedges and enjoy with green chutney, yoghurt, tamarind chutney and some pomegranate seeds, if you like.

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Rhubarb, Cardamom and White Chocolate Frangipane Tart

Pastry, Uncategorized

Tart rhubarb and sweet white chocolate is a delicious flavour pairing, and one I will keep returning to for the duration of the rhubarb season. In this bake I’ve applied the combination to a classic frangipane tart, using rhubarb compote in place of jam, and a filling studded with chocolate chunks and flavoured with cardamom. It’s a winner, and in my opinion, better than the standard strawberry variety (controversial).

Ingredients (enough for one 7.5 inch wide/ roughly 2 inch deep tart tin- serves 8)

For the pastry (there will be some leftover which will freeze well)

  • 250g plain flour
  • 140g unsalted butter
  • pinch salt
  • 30g caster sugar
  • 2 egg yolks

For the rhubarb filling

  • 400g rhubarb, sliced into 2 inch batons
  • juice and zest 1 orange
  • 30g caster sugar

For the almond frangipane

  • 120g soft unsalted butter
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 120g ground almonds
  • 1tsp ground cardamom
  • 100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 30g roughly chopped almonds

Method

  1. Start off by making the pastry. Place the flour, butter, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs. At this stage add the egg yolks  and pulse again until the mix comes together in large lumps (alternatively, rub the butter into the flour, salt and sugar using your fingertips then stir in the yolks using a cutlery knife). Tip the dough out and shape into a disc using your hands. Wrap in cling film and chill for 20 minutes.
  2. While the pastry is chilling start on the rhubarb compote filling. To do this simply put 300g of the rhubarb (reserve the other batons for the top of the tart), the orange juice and zest in a saucepan along with the caster sugar. Heat gently, stirring often, until the rhubarb has broken down and reduced to a thick compote consistency. Set aside to cool.
  3. Lightly grease an 7.5 (or 8) inch straight sided tart tin. Retrieve your pastry from the fridge and roll out to around 3mm thick and line the tin, pushing it right into the corners and trimming any excess. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill for 20 minutes or until firm. Preheat the oven to 190c.
  4. Line the pastry case with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the walls of the pastry are cooked and supporting themselves. Remove the beans and baking paper and return to the oven until the base is crisp and cooked through (about 10 minutes). Set aside to cool.
  5. While the pastry is baking, toss the reserved rhubarb batons in 1tbsp caster sugar and place on a tray- bake for 10 minutes.
  6. Now it’s time to make the frangipane. To do this simply cream together the butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy, then add in the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Finally, tip in the cardamom, salt and almonds and briefly mix once more until combined. Reduce the oven temperature to 170c.
  7. Now it’s time to assemble the tart. Spread the rhubarb compote over the base in one even layer, then add half the frangipane and sprinkle over half the chopped white chocolate pieces. Add the remaining frangipane and top with the rest of the white chocolate, chopped almonds and roasted rhubarb batons.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot or cold.

Chocolate Tahini Tiffin with Orange and Fig (Vegan)

Chocolate, Uncategorized

It’s January. It’s bloody freezing. I’ve hit a new level of pale, the Christmas tree has gone to festive heaven and everyone appears to be chasing a dry January (with varying levels of success) or hitting the gym. With these bleak facts in mind, I’m not going to share a protein-5cal-superfood recipe (that would be off brand anyway); instead, here’s a delicious way to use up any old dried fruit and nuts you have lying around after Christmas. It’s not an energy ball but it’s not the worst thing you could be eating. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 200g 70% dark chocolate
  • 50g coconut oil
  • 100g tahini
  • 1tbsp maple syrup
  • generous pinch sea salt
  • zest 1 orange
  • 150g mixed nuts (I used pistachios, almonds and pecans), roughly chopped
  • 120g dried figs, roughly chopped (I love figs with orange and tahini, but you could use any dried fruit)
  • 2tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Method

  1. Place the chocolate, coconut oil, tahini, maple syrup, seas salt and orange zest in a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl) and melt gently, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once the contents of the bowl have melted, mix briefly to form a smooth, glossy liquid. Set aside to cool a little.
  3. Once the chocolate mix has cooled, stir through the mixed nuts, dried figs and most of the sesame seeds. Tip into a lined tin/mould (mine was roughly 20x12cm) and level out with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle over the remaining sesame seeds, then leave in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
  4. Once set, slice up and serve (keep refrigerated).

Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownies (Vegan/Gluten Free)

Chocolate

I’ve tried a lot of vegan brownies which are dry, crumbly or ‘raw’. Sure, there’s a time and a place for healthy alternatives and we can’t just slob around eating sugar-laden baked goods all day, but if I want a brownie and I’m vegan (I’m not I’m just being really selfless…) I want the real thing, not a load of dates and coconut oil. With this not-very-2018 thought in mind, I’ve been attempting to put together a recipe for a completely vegan and gluten free brownie which rivals a conventional dairy/egg based one. The recipe I’ve devised delivers a fudgy core and crisp top, rich flavour and all round delicious result- give it a try, it’s a good place to start with vegan baking.

Ingredients (makes 16 small brownies, or 9 big ones!)

  • 125g smooth peanut butter, plus 50g more for the core and topping
  • 75ml vegetable oil
  • 275g dark chocolate (I used half 60% and half 80%), plus 75g roughly chopped for chocolate chips
  • large pinch salt
  • 100ml aquafaba (the starchy water you get in a can of chickpeas- you will get about 100ml from one can)
  • 1tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 1tbsp water (this replicates an egg yolk very well!)
  • 100g dark brown soft sugar
  • 100g golden caster sugar
  • 100g gluten free plain flour (I used Doves Farm)
  • few chopped peanuts, for topping (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Grease and line a 20x20cm square brownie tin.
  2. Mix together the flaxseed and water at this stage to give it time to thicken an form an egg-yolk consistency. Put the oil, peanut butter and 275g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Allow the ingredients to melt together, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat to cool to room temperature.
  3. Place the aquafaba in a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment) and whisk until soft peaks just form. At this stage add in the flax mixture, sugars and salt (it’s amazing how much this looks like eggs whisked together with sugar!). Whisk again until the sugars are well incorporated then fold in the cooled chocolate mixture with a metal spoon, followed by the flour. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared tin then dot over half of the extra peanut butter and some of the chopped chocolate. Top with the remaining batter and repeat the peanut butter/chocolate stage, then finish with the peanuts (if using).
  4. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until crisp on top but very slightly wobbly in the middle. Leave to cool completely then slice up and serve.

Enjoy!