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The Broad Palate – November ’23

Redlands Lane resident Ann Shaw has taken up the baton laid down by Richard Childs & The Bishops’ Kitchen‘s recipes which ended in Spring ’22 and will be providing us with two seasonal recipes each month 🙂

Squash and Sausage Pasta – serves 4

A punchy, hassle-free, easily adaptable dish, great November comfort food. Use any crumbly vegetarian sausages instead, if you prefer, and roast any veggies that need using up in place of the squash!

Half a butternut or other squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Olive oil
0.5 tsp red chilli flakes
1 tsp fennel seeds, bashed
1 tsp dried sage or 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh
400 g pack good sausages, (I use Cumberland or Lincolnshire), skinned
Half tbsp dried oregano
200ml white wine or veg/chicken stock
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tsp sugar
400 g fusilli or penne
15g Parmesan cheese , plus extra for serving
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat oven to 200°C/180° fan. Toss squash in a little olive oil and tumble onto a baking tray. Add salt and pepper to taste and roast for 25-30 mins until cooked and slightly charred. (Can be made the day before and stored in fridge).
In the meantime, heat a glug of oil in a large frying pan on a medium/high heat and add the skinned sausages, breaking them down with a spatula until you have a coarse mince. Allow to brown a little then add in the chilli, fennel and sage.
Press the meat down further until caramelised and brown. Add the oregano and wine/stock and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add zest and juice of a lemon and 1-2 tsp sugar.
Keep warm on a low heat. Finally add the roasted squash.
Cook the pasta, drain and reserve a mugful of the cooking water. Add the pasta and the reserved water to the meat mixture. Stir well until hot through and add the grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
Check seasoning and enjoy!

Pear and Apple Sponge – serves 4-6

Old-school comfort food, great for using up any fruit glut. Obviously, just use whatever fruit you have/prefer! Lovely with cream or custard (or both!)

3 eating apples and 3 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced
55g-85g (2-3oz) caster sugar or light brown sugar (depending upon sweetness of fruit)

For the sponge:-

115g (4oz)self-raising flour
115g (4oz) softened butter
115g (4oz) caster sugar (preferably golden)
2 large eggs
1 heaped tbsp yogurt (or squeeze of lemon in a quarter cup of milk left for 5 min)
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Flaked almonds (optional)

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan. Place fruit and sugar in a pan over a medium heat. Simmer gently for 5-8 minutes until fruit has softened. Place in an ovenproof dish around 20cm/8ins diameter and set aside.
Tip all the remaining ingredients (minus the flaked almonds) into a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy using a stand or hand-held mixer.
Spread this mixture over the fruit and smooth top. Sprinkle with flaked almonds if desired. Bake in centre of oven for 30 minutes or until sponge is cooked through and a skewer comes out clean from the centre.
Leftovers great with a cup of tea !

Thank you to Ann Shaw for her recipes – we look forward to more!
To revisit the recipes provided by Richard Childs – please click HERE 🙂