MENU dorset issue 27 MENU27.dorset pdf issue 27issue.final-4F | Page 10

 P
Dorset
L E N T Y 
From Farm to Fork
Po a c h
c la s s ic e d p e a r s is
a
w in t e r
Yo u
dese
t h e m w c a n a ls o s t u r t .
f
f
it
for a s h s of t chee
avou r y
se
t w is t .
r u sa le m
R o a st Je s a n d y o u
e
k
o
a rt ic h e to b o th e r
v
d o n ’t h a th e m . Ju st a
p e e li n g w il l d o .
sc r u b
Five seasonal ingredients you should be eating this month
1
Pears
T shelves. Thankfully, the most popular – Comice and Conference – are both sweet, juicy
here are thousands of varieties of pear, but you only see a few on the supermarket
and cook well, although the latter is more granular. Simple yet elegant, a poached pear is a
thing of beauty, whether simmered in red wine, sweet white wine or even water. A pinch
of spice – saffron or cinnamon – wouldn’t go amiss either. Pear pals up with chocolate and
hazelnuts as well as savoury flavours like blue cheese and chicory, or even roast pork.
2
Jerusalem Artichoke
A soup, as these tubers are silky smooth when blitzed with a great stock. For that same
t their best from November, Jerusalem artichokes make for a wonderful warming winter
Also in season
reason, you can make a puree to go with fish and they mash well with potato. You can roast
them with balsamic vinegar, though, to bring out a little sweetness, and if you slice them
thinly enough, they can even be enjoyed raw in a salad. Admittedly Jerusalem Artichokes
are a bit of a sideshow, but if you treat your veg with as much care as your meat, you’ll have a
truly memorable feast.
10
3
4
5
Pumpkins
P
umpkins and squashes come into season in September, but thanks to their association
with festivals such as Halloween and Thanksgiving, they are at their most popular right
now. You probably wouldn’t want to eat the innards of a Jack O’ Lantern as they’re not as
sweet as the smaller varieties, but roasted chunks of a Crown Prince, Rouge Vif d’Etampes
or even the ubiquitous butternut squash are terrific in everything from salads to vegetarian
chillies and curries. Try grating the flesh and adding it to your cake mix, too.
Apples
Bake it… Add diced apples to
your batter for a Russian
Sharlotka cake
11
d
e , st u ff e
I n a la tt t a n d v e g ,
a
e
w it h m t, so u p o r
le
in a ta rt re ’s m o re to
e
p u re e , th in s th a n ju st
pu mpk oween .
H a ll
Beetroot
Grate it… Eat raw in salads
with nuts and a lemony
dressing
Celeriac
Roast it… Until slightly
charred and serve with your
Sunday dinner
Swede
Chestnuts
T
he most famous swede dish is neeps and tatties, in which the root is boiled for days
(well, nearly an hour ), mashed with roast potatoes and served as an accompaniment to
Haggis. However, with its sweet, peppery flavour, it can be the star ingredient in something
spicy like a vegetarian chilli or a vegan version of kedgeree – just make sure you chop the veg
up nice and small, because swedes can take a while to become tender.
Puree them… Add to cream or
cake mixes
Crab
Serve with… Pasta. Last chance
to eat crab this month so
enjoy it!
Celery
F
rom beans to peas and lettuce to spinach, this is usually the time to forget about British
summer veg as we go back to our roots, but celery hangs around like the last to leave the
party. Which is a good thing as it’s a party animal, an essential and tasty vessel for many
dips that you might make for your Christmas entertaining. Forget the hummus, though,
and mix things up with a rich, walnut tarator sauce or a beetroot, yogurt and dill dip. Celery
is also an essential ingredient in homemade veg stock and as a base for risottos and creole
cooking, too.
Sw ed e w ill
ni ce ly al on gs lin e up
id
an d ba co n in e ro ot s
w in
co m fo rt fo od te r
.
C el er y is n’
t
sc oo pi n g up ju st fo r
it ’s go od fo a d ip ,
r
cr un ch to ad d in g
in sp ir ed sa as ia n-
la ds to o.
Parsnips
Roast it… Then blend into soup
with other root veg and chilli
Venison
Braise it… Cook chunks of leg
or shoulder meat in a stew with
root veg
Salsify
Mash it… With butter and
cream
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