Autumn Recipe: Apple Cake

Has anyone else got a glut of end-of-season apples to use up? If so, give this apple cake a try, with minimal sweeteners it’s perfect for the kids lunch box. Doesn’t seem to hang around for long though ....

Recipe: Apple Cake

Ingredients:

• 500g apples (weight before peeling & coring)

• 1 tbsp coconut or alternative oil

• 1 tbsp local honey (or maple syrup)

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 150g ground almonds

• 200g wholewheat spelt flour

• 4 tsp baking powder

• 50g dates, chopped small

• 50g nuts (mixed or single type), chopped small

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 300g yogurt (dairy or plant based)

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C

2. Grease a cake tin approx 20cm diameter

3. Peel & core the apples, cut into small pieces

4. Warm coconut oil in frying pan. Add the honey and cinnamon, stir to combine

5. When oil is sizzling add the apple pieces, cook over medium heat for 10 mins. Remove from heat & set aside

6. In a large mixing bowl combine ground almonds, spelt flour, baking powder, nuts, dates and ground ginger

7. Add the eggs, yogurt and cooked apple to the bowl. Mix well then transfer to cake in

8. Cook for approx 50 mins, until cake has turned golden in colour & skewer comes out clean

Autumn Recipe: Beetroot & Apple Overnight Oats

This breakfast recipe celebrates fresh autumn ingredients - apples and beetroot - that can be found in abundance during autumn in Cornwall, and it packs it’s plant-powered punch offering a vibrant, nutritious start to the day. Prepare this simple recipe the evening before then pop in the fridge overnight. Delicious served on its own or with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of granola.

Beetroot & Apple Overnight Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 80g oats

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 tbsp flaxseed

• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds

• 1 small apple (approx 60g when peeled and cored)

• 1 small beetroot (approx 60g)

• A few shavings fresh ginger

• 250ml almond milk (or alternative milk)

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Optional – granola and yogurt to serve

Method:

1. Place the oats, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and grated ginger in a mixing bowl

2. Peel and core then apple, then grate and add to the mixing bowl

3. Wash, top and tail the beetroot then grate and add to the bowl, mix well

4. Add the almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract to the bowl, mix well.

5. Place a lid or plate on top of the bowl and place in the fridge overnight.

6. Take out of the fridge approx 10 minutes before eating to warm slightly, give a good stir before serving

7. Optional - add toppings of your choice such as a dollop of yogurt (plant or milk based), and a sprinkling of granola

As shared via the Muddy Stilettos Cornwall blog

Autumn Recipe: Blackberry Sorbet

This recipe was shared in Drift Magazine Volume 6

I love the simplicity of this seasonal recipe, encouraging us out to forage for blackberries then with just a few ingredients and a few minutes on the cooker, it takes very little prep time. As it needs a few hours in the freezer it’s also a great one to prepare in advance for pudding the next day, just remove from the freezer approx half an hour before eating.

Image by John Hersey

Recipe: Blackberry sorbet

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 400g blackberries

• 150ml water

• 3 tbsp local honey

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 vanilla pod, haven both ways

• 6 mint leaves to decorate

Method:

• Place all ingredients except mint in a saucepan and gently heat, simmer for a couple of minutes then remove from heat.

• Allow to cool in the saucepan, then remove the vanilla pod.

• Place the mixture in a food processor and blend for a couple of minutes.

• Pour from food processor through a sieve to remove the pips, into a jug.

• Pour into a container and place in freezer overnight.

• Remove from freezer to soften half an hour before eating.

• Serve with a sprig of mint.

Autumn Recipe: Marrow Slices with Pickled Veg & Goats Cheese

This recipe was shared in Drift Magazine Volume 6

This recipe celebrates the abundance of vegetables available in autumn, and a use for the humble marrow which is often plentiful in the veg patch yet can get rather overlooked!

The vegetables, fresh herbs and spices in the pickled veg recipe below can be swapped depending upon availability and taste preference. The quantities given make a full jar’s worth - you will be left with a good few portions to use with other dishes.

Image by John Hersey

Recipe: Marrow Slices with Pickled Veg & Goats Cheese

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For pickled veg

• 400g seasonal veg - I used courgette, cauliflower, carrot, green beans, cabbage & beetroot

• 250ml cider vinegar

• 250ml water

• 25g Cornish sea salt

• 3 sprigs marjoram

• 3 sprigs dill

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

For the rest of the dish

• 100g goat’s cheese - I used Polmarkyn Dairy

• 1 marrow

• Oil - I used rapeseed

• Handful fresh herbs - I used marjoram

• Cornish sea salt & black pepper

Method

Make the pickled veg at least two days in advance

• Prepare a 1 litre glass jar with lid for storing the pickled veg by washing thoroughly then drying.

• Chop the veg into small pieces using all edible parts including stalks and leaves, then place in large bowl. Chop fresh herbs and mix with veg.

• Pack the vegetables and fresh herbs into the glass far, pressing down so there is a 5cm (approx) gap at the top of the jar.

• Make the brine - place water, cider vinegar and salt in a pan, bring to a simmer to dissolve salt.

• Remove from heat, add peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric and ginger, stir well. Leave to cool.

• When cool, pour brine over the vegetables, making sure there are no air gaps.

• Place the lid tightly on the jar and store in fridge.

• Leave for at least 48 hours before using to let the flavours develop. It will keep for a couple of months in the fridge.

To assemble on the day

• Cut marrow rings into 12 rings approximately 1cm thick (allows for 2 per person).

• Place 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan and heat gently. Place marrow rings in pan, season with salt, pepper and fresh herbs and sauté for a couple of minutes each side until turning golden. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

• Crumble cheese into small pieces and set aside.

• To serve, top each marrow rings with a spoonful of pickled veg, sprinkle crumbled goats cheese on top, season with pepper and fresh herb leaves.

Autumn Recipe: Windfall Slaw

The orchard here at Botelet is teeming with apples - somewhat earlier than normal this year after the unseasonably hot spring - and I’ve been loving playing around with recipes with the kids. So far we’ve made a few variations of apple cakes and muffins, and I’ve been trying to coax them towards the windfalls first and foremost (especially for cooking with) to leave those that are still growing for harvest in the coming weeks .. with mixed success!

We’re slightly apple-caked-out at the moment so this recipe has been a great savoury addition to the lunch table, also using up some seasonal offerings from this week’s Real Food Garden veg box. I’ve been using it as a side dish, and heaped on toast as a fresh, tangy topping.

Enjoy - and I’d love to know your favourite windfall recipes!

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Recipe: Windfall Slaw

Makes approx six servings

Ingredients:

• 3 good-sized apples peeled, cored and grated (I used windfalls)

• 2 carrots, grated - and finely chop some of the leaves, if you have them

• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped, including leaves - reserving some leaves for garnish

• 50ml oil, I used olive oil

• 100ml vinegar, I used cider vinegar

• 1 desert spoon honey - I used local runny honey, for a vegan version you could use maple or agave syrup

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

• 1 desert spoon tahini

• Few shavings of grated ginger

• Sea salt & pepper
  

Method:

• Grate the apples and carrots, finely chop the celery and a small handful carrot leaves and place all in a mixing bowl.

• Measure the oil and vinegar into a jug, add in the mustard, tahini, grated ginger and salt and pepper, mix well.

• Pour liquids over vegetables and mix well.

• Optional - garnish with celery leaves

Recipe: Autumn Overnight Oats

Breakfast is, hands down, my favourite meal of the day. I love the freshness of flavours and textures in the morning as my body and mind are gearing up for the day. Overnight oats sit particularly well for me, the oats feel easily digestible having been soaked overnight creating a beautifully creamy texture, and I love making some subtle changes to the recipe, bringing in fruits and spices to reflect the season.

As with every recipe I’m drawn to - this is incredibly simple! Combine all of the ingredients and let them soak in the fridge overnight - no cooking needed. You can easily adapt it, I recommend playing around with the quantities to suit your preferences. In the morning top with fresh fruits, compote, toasted seeds, yogurt and maple syrup.

This year I made this recipe a lot while blackberries were in season (topped with blackberry and apple compote), I then froze batches of blackberries so that I could continue using them later in the season - these are what I’m using today, along with apples from the orchard here at Botelet. Freezing foraged foods is a great way of making them last through the seasons - especially as we head into winter and there isn’t such an abundance of fruit to be found in the garden and hedgerows.

On a very chilly morning, warm your overnight oats gently with an extra splash of milk in a pan before serving.

Overnight oats are on the menu at our monthly Botelet Breakfast Club - this recipe will be appearing at our November event for the last time this year before we move into our winter recipe! I hope you enjoy - I’d love to know your thoughts.

Tia x

Autumn Overnight Oats

Makes 2 large or 3 smaller bowls

Ingredients:

• 90g oats

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 tbsp flaxseed

• 1 apple peeled, cored and grated

• 1 cardamom pod, seeds crushed

• Few shavings fresh ginger

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

• Handful blackberries (fresh or frozen)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 250ml organic milk (cows or nut milk for vegan version)

Method:

• Place all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.

• Add the blackberries, stir gently then add the milk, vanilla extract and maple syrup, continue stirring to combine.

• Place a lid or plate on top of the bowl and store in the fridge overnight.

Notes:

• If using frozen blackberries, I like to remove them from the freezer a couple of hours before making the recipe, that way they start to defrost before going back in the fridge, and they give the dish a lovely purple hue.

• The apple peelings can be laid flat on a baking tray and dried in a slow oven making a tasty snack for later in the day, or a chewy topping for your breakfast.

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