I’ve created two vegetarian dishes for October because I think root vegetables, such as squashes, are at their best at this time of year.
We are gardeners at home and I also think that, sometimes, the best leaves are the late-season leaves.
We’ll get lettuce almost all year, but the ones in late autumn are full of flavour.
Then there’s mustard, chard, young brassicas, pak choi and bok choi – all bursting with flavour.
The first recipe shown here, pan-fried gnocchi with chilli and sage, is a vegetarian dish I relish.
The gnocchi is twice cooked – first by poaching, then it is drained and pan-fried which puffs it up and turns it a wonderful golden colour.
Serve with big chunks of roasted butternut squash, chilli, flavoursome sage and decent olive oil and you have a superb dish.
When it comes to making a winter salad you’re spoiled for choice as the late autumn leaves have big strong flavours which are especially good when partnered with root vegetables such as beetroot and parsnips which can be roasted off or deep-fried.
To make a winter salad interesting, put some pulses or lentils through it, then add a really pungent dressing made with creme fresh and fresh horseradish and a little bit of lemon juice.
PAN-FRIED GNOCCHI WITH CHILLI AND SAGE
SERVES THREE
150g warm potato mash
1 egg yolk
15g unsalted butter
55g plain flour
4 tbsp clarified (separated) butter, using the oil
Half a butternut squash, peeled
Olive oil
1 red chilli
6 sage leaves
Salt
Mill pepper
Grated Parmesan to serve
Salad to serve
Cut the butternut squash into bite-size cubes and roast in a 180C oven for 30 minutes, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, warm the mash gently in a saucepan, using a heatproof spoon to stir.
Do not overheat. Add the butter, keep the heat warm enough just to melt the butter. When the butter is incorporated add the seasoning, nutmeg and the egg yolk and again mix well.
Finally, fold in the flour. Use your hands to finish mixing in the flour, taking care not to overwork as this will toughen the dough.
Split your mixture (gnocchi) into three. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll finger-thick long sausage shapes. Cut into 2.5cm pieces, squeezing the centre to form a bow-tie like shape.
Bring a large pan of salted water to a simmer. Poach the gnocchi very gently for five minutes and drain carefully on to a clean tea towel. Allow to cool or refrigerate.
In a smaller pan heat two tablespoons of clarified butter until hot then add the sage leaves and the slices of red chilli. Fry until the sage turns crispy. The chilli oil will be spicy so use as much or as little as you prefer.
When required, heat a frying pan and add another tablespoon of clarified butter.
Gently fry the gnocchi until golden and season if required.
Throw in the roasted butternut squash chunks.
To serve, pile 6-8 gnocchi and squash on each warm plate and top with the fried chilli, sage and drizzle with the chilli oil and a little grated Parmesan.
Serve with a lightly dressed rocket leaves if you like.
WINTER SALAD
SERVES TWO
Selection of winter leaves (celery leaves, brassica tops, chard)
1 beetroot
1 parsnip
1 carrot
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
6 peeled walnut halves
2 tbsp assorted seeds
30ml crème fraiche
1 tsp grated fresh horseradish (or wasabi)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
FOR THE CRISPY PARSNIPS:
1 parsnip, thinly sliced lengthways (use a potato peeler)
Sunflower oil for deep frying
Chop the carrot, one parsnip and beetroot into chunky strips and roast in a hot oven at 180C for 30 mins, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned.
Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy based saucepan or wok to 190C or until a bread cube turns golden in 20 seconds and rises to the surface.
Fry the thin parsnip slices until golden and crisp like. Drain and leave them on a sheet of kitchen paper until required.
For the dressing, mix the crème fraiche, lemon and horseradish.
To assemble the salad mix everything together, including the roast veg. Drizzle over the dressing and top with the crispy parsnips.
A perfect winter dinner party starter.