Recipes Inspired by Harvest

Allotment Cake

Makes 12 portions | Prep time – 45 minutes | Cooking time – 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the cake
125g – courgettes, peeled and grated
125g – parsnips, peeled and grated
125g – beetroot, peeled and grated
2 – eggs
280g – caster sugar
240g – sunflower oil
375g – plain flour
6g – salt
5g – bicarbonate of soda
3g – baking powder
8g – ground cinnamon
4 – lemons

For the glaze
375g – fondant icing
60g – beetroot, peeled and finely grated

METHOD
1. Heat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
2. Mix grated vegetables and set aside for later.
3. Whisk the egg and sugar, then slowly add the oil to emulsify.
4. Sieve the dry ingredients and fold into the egg mixture. Then add the grated vegetables followed by the lemon zest and mix well to combine.
5. Pour mixture into a greased and lined 23cm cake tin and bake for 1 hour and 30 mins or until cooked.
6. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to fully cool.
7. To glaze: melt the fondant icing in a microwave with a little water for 10 seconds at low power until liquid. Then add the beetroot and stir gently to combine. Then pour liberally over the cooled cake.
8. Leave to set.

Celeriac Soup

Serves 6 | Prep time – 20 minutes | Cooking time – 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the soup
2 tbsp – rapeseed oil
2 – onions, peeled and sliced
1 – celery stalk, washed and roughly chopped
1 – large celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped
4 – eating apples, peeled, cored and quartered
5g – fresh thyme leaves
2 litres – vegetable stock
200ml – almond milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the slaw
1 – red apple, cored
1 – green apple, cored
50g – celeriac, peeled
1 – lemon, juiced
15g – chives, finely chopped
Sea salt

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the onions and celery and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until soft.
2. Add celeriac, apples and thyme leaves to the pan and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.
3. Add the stock, season and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes until the celeriac is tender.
4. Remove from the heat and blitz until smooth. Stir in the almond milk and heat through.
5. For the slaw, cut the apples and celeriac into julienne, toss in lemon juice, season with salt and then gently stir in chives.
6. Serve in deep soup bowls with a spoon full of slaw in the middle.

Spinach Cake

Makes 12 portions | Prep time – 1 hour | Cooking time – 20-25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the cake batter
150g – whole egg
5g – salt
230g – caster sugar
260g – sunflower oil
300g – plain flour
15g – baking powder
300g – spinach, pureed – finished weight
2 – lemons
10ml – lemon juice

For the filling
200g – full-fat cream cheese
100g – mascarpone
40g – caster sugar
10ml – vanilla extract

To finish
6 – raspberries, torn into rough pieces
15 – small mint leaves

METHOD
1. Place egg, salt and sugar in mixing bowl and whip until light and well-aeriated.
2. Continue whipping and add oil in a slow but steady stream, the same way as when making mayo or French dressing.
3. Sieve flour and baking powder and add to egg mixture a quarter at a time, fully folding in each time making sure there are no lumps.
4. Add spinach purée, lemon zest and juice and mix well.
5. Place in 2 greased and lightly-floured 22cm sandwich pans and bake in pre-heated oven at 170⁰C for 20-25 minutes or until when checked with a skewer it comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool fully in tins before turning out.
7. For filling; place all filling ingredients in medium bowl and beat until slightly thickened.
8. Spoon half filling all over bottom tier of cake and sandwich with other. Spoon remaining cream over top and spread evenly.
9. Garnish with raspberries and mint.

Vegan Spiced Lentil Soup

Serves 8 | Prep time – 15 minutes | Cooking time – 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS
130g – red lentils
3 – large red peppers
30ml – rapeseed oil
1 – onion, finely chopped
3 – garlic cloves, crushed
2 x 400gm – cans chopped tomatoes
120g – tomato paste
500ml – vegetable stock
100ml – water
1/2 tsp – harissa
1/2 tsp – paprika
2 tbs – parsley, chopped
Cornish sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place red peppers on a baking tray and drizzle with rapeseed oil, cook for about 30 minutes, until tender and the skins have slightly blistered.
3. Remove peppers and leave to cool. Peel off the skins and roughly chop.
4. Place a large saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil. Sauté onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until soft.
5. Add vegetable stock, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, cooked peppers, harissa and paprika and using a stick blender blend these ingredients together until smooth.
6. Add lentils to the pureed soup and simmer on a medium heat until soft for about 30 minutes.
7. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning to taste.
8. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.