Pumpkin Korroke

These are one of my favourite Japanese things to eat out. We always have them when we go to Yo! Sushi. I didn't have any panko so I just used brown breadcrumbs. They were still really tasty served over salad.

Squash Korroke
(Serves 3-4)

500g squash/pumpkin
2 tbsp light soy sauce
salt and pepper
1 tbsp flour (if using normal pumpkin)
1 egg, beaten
70ml sake
70g flour
panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 200C.

De-seed and peel the pumpkin and cut into chunks. Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins until soft. Either puree of mash with the soy sauce and salt and pepper.

Make the pumpkin mixture into patties.

Whisk together the egg and sake. Add the flour and mix again.

Dip the croquettes into the batter, then cover in panko crumbs, making sure that they are evenly covered. Put onto a baking sheet and then into the fridge for 30 mins to chill slightly.

Heat the oven again to 200C. Bake the croquettes for 10-15 mins until golden and crunchy on the outside.

Squash and Sweetcorn Pancakes

I'm loving pancakes at the moment, in all sorts of varieties. I made slightly larger pancakes and I served them with hummus, yoghurt and cherry tomatoes. Yum!

Squash and Sweetcorn Pancakes (from Little Grazers)
(Makes 10 little pancakes)

100g butternut squash, cubed
100g plain flour
120ml milk
1 egg
45g frozen sweetcorn
1/2 tsp paprika
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
vegetable oil

Add the butternut squash to a steamer over some boiling hot water and steam until softened. Add to a bowl and mash, set aside and allow to cool.

Add the flour and egg and whisk until you have a smooth slightly thick batter. Stir in the cheese, sweetcorn and paprika.

Grease a frying pan over a medium high heat with some vegetable oil. Add heaped tbsps of the mixture to make mini pancakes and cook until golden on both sides.

Squash and Kale Pasta Bake

I really enjoyed this pasta bake, the squash with all that cheese makes a lovely and rich sauce and I added in the kale and sun-dried tomatoes as I thought they would probably go! Delicious!

Squash and Kale Pasta Bake (adapted from Jen's Food)
(Serves 4-6)

Approx 700g butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp oil (for roasting)
300g dried pasta shapes
125g grated vintage or extra mature cheddar plus 25g for sprinkling on top
50g cream cheese
4-5 tbsp hot water
freshly grated nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
handful kale, chopped
6 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

Preheat the oven to 200°C

Put the squash chunks in a roasting dish and toss with the oil, season with salt and pepper then roast for 40-45 mins until tender. When the squash is done let it sit for a couple of mins so it's not too hot then transfer to it a food processor or blender with the cream cheese, cheddar and 4-5 tbsp of the pasta cooking water. Blend until smooth then season with freshly grated nutmeg and ground pepper and pulse a couple of times. Stir the kale and sun-dried tomatoes into the sauce.

When you take the squash out of the oven, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water.

Put the grill on to heat up. Return the pasta to the pan it was cooked in then add the cheesy squash mixture and mix together thoroughly. Next transfer the pasta and sauce to a large baking dish and sprinkle over the remaining 25g cheddar. Grill for 10 mins or until golden and crispy on top. Serve with steamed green veg or a green salad.

Squash Gnocchi with Creamy Mushrooms

I made a whole pile of squash gnocchi a little while ago and froze them. Now I'm starting to use them in dishes. I have never tried fried gnocchi before, but it totally works, these were absolutely delicious. The sauce didn't go creamy but it was a passable sauce and the mushrooms an squash mad a lovely combination. You could, of course, use normal gnocchi.

Squash Gnocchi with Creamy Mushrooms
(Serves 2)

25–30 gnocchi
120gr mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
4 tsp oil

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the gnocchi and cook until they all float, about 1–2 mins. Drain.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the gnocchi and sauté until light brown, stirring occasionally, 12–15 mins.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a medium frying pan. Add the onion, mushrooms and paprika and sauté until mushrooms start to brown. Add the mustard and stir to combine.

Remove from heat and stir in yogurt. Arrange gnocchi on small plates. Spoon over the sauce and serve.

Chicken, Squash and Pesto Lasagne

I've been making lots of stuff with squash, I had one huge one and I've made several things with it. This lasagne was delicious. The top layer went lovely and crunchy and then teh soft pasta underneath.

Chicken, Squash and Pesto Lasagne (from Good Food Magazine July 2013)
(Serves 6)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, crushed
4 skinless chicken breast
1 tbsp plain flour
600ml chicken stock
500g tub mascarpone
190g jar pesto
bunch basil leaves, chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
good grating of nutmeg
12 lasagne sheets
85g Parmesan, grated
splash of milk
50g pine nut

Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Add the onions and cook until softened, then add the garlic and cook for a few mins more. Push the onions and garlic to the edge of the pan, add the chicken breasts and cook for a few mins each side to brown. Sprinkle over the flour and stir it into the onion mixture. Pour in the stock and season. Cover and simmer for 10 mins or until the chicken is cooked through.
Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Add half the mascarpone and the pesto to the chicken, stirring until the mascarpone has melted into the sauce, bubble for a few mins to thicken a little, then remove from the heat and stir in the basil.

Meanwhile, put the squash in a large bowl with 2 tbsp of water, cover with cling film and microwave on high for 12-15 mins, until really soft. Season the squash with a little nutmeg and some salt and pepper, and mash lightly with a fork.

Heat oven to 180C. Spoon half the chicken mixture into the bottom of a 20 x 30 cm ovenproof dish. Cover with 4 lasagne sheets, then the butternut squash and half the Parmesan. Top with another 4 lasagne sheets, the remaining chicken mixture, then a final layer of lasagne. Mix enough milk into the remaining mascarpone to make a smooth sauce. Season with more nutmeg, salt and pepper, then pour over the lasagne. Scatter over the remaining Parmesan and the pine nuts.

Put into the oven and bake for 40 mins until crunchy and golden on top. Scatter with a few extra basil leaves before serving.

Squash Gnocchi, Sausage and Kale Bake

I have a lot of squash leftover sitting in my shed from the Pick Your Own back in October. So I'm now endeavouring to do things with it, the first thing I thought of was gnocchi, so I made a huge batch of the dough, most of which I froze but the rest of which I used to make this lovely bake. It was very tasty.

Squash Gnocchi, Sausage and Kale Bake
(Serves 4)

250g gnocchi or squash gnocchi
6 sausages, sliced
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp plain flour
250ml milk
2 tbsp pesto
100g mozzarella, grated
salt and pepper, to taste
25g parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease an ovenproof dish.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, cook the sausages over a medium-high heat for 8-10 mins or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; set aside. Place the frying pan back on the heat and cook the kale for 5 mins, or until wilted a little. Put the sausage back into the frying pan.

In a saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 1 min. Whisk in flour until mixture thickens. Add the milk gradually and whisk until the sauce thickens. Stir in the pesto and 50g of the cheese. Stir until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the gnocchi, sausage, and kale to the cheese sauce and stir to combine, pour into the ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 mins. Remove the foil and bake for an 5 mins longer, or until the cheese is golden and melted. Serve with a green salad

Foodie Reads 2016: The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club by Marlena Di Blasi - Whole Roasted Cheese and Wild Mushroom-stuffed Pumpkin

Every week on a Thursday evening, a group of four Italian rural women gather in a derelict stone house in the hills above Italy’s Orvieto. There – along with their friend, Marlena – they cook together, sit down to a beautiful supper, drink their beloved local wines, and talk.

This is the second book about Italy that I have read so far this year. I found this one a bit rambling and confusing. It is apparently a memoir but it reads more like fiction, the characters don't feel quite convincing as real people. It's also not very fast paced so might be good to take on holiday.

There is a section of recipes in the back of the book and I went for the Whole Roasted Cheese and Wild Mushroom-stuffed Pumpkin. I made a mini version and stuffed a small squash. It was delicious and after taking a while to cut some of the flesh out of the squash actually really easy to make. I can see how it would make a good sharing dish if done in a whole pumpkin.

Whole Roasted Cheese and Wild Mushroom-stuffed Pumpkin
(from The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club)

1 large pumpkin
105g butter
2 large onions, finely chopped
300g mushrooms
salt and pepper
720g mascarpone
300g emmental cheese, grated
100g Parmesan, grated
3 eggs, beaten with 80ml cognac
2 tsp nutmeg, grated
8 slices day-old bread, cut into 2cm squares

Slice the top of the top of the pumpkin, remove the seeds and strings, then carve away a cm or so of its interior flesh with a thin, sharp knife. Cut the flesh into small chunks and set aside.

In a medium frying pan, melt 45g of butter and saute the onions, reserved pumpkin flesh and mushrooms until they are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl combine the cheeses, eggs and cognac and nutmeg. Beat with a wooden spoon and then stir in the onions, pumpkin and mushroom mixture.

Melt 60g butter in a frying pan and brown the bread, tossing the pieces about until they are golden and crispy.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Place the pumpkin in a large heavy baking dish or baking tray. Spoon 1/3rd of the cheese mixture into the pumpkin, add half the bread, another third of the mushroom mixture, the remaining bread and then the last of the mushroom mixture. Put the top back on the pumpkin and roast for 1 1/2 hours until the pumpkin flesh is soft.

Serve cut into chunks.

Squash, Sausage and Chard Pasta

I loved this pasta dish, I think squash makes the most awesome pasta sauce and I used some lovely Italian sausages. I'm definitely going to try making some different variations on this.

Squash, Sausage and Chard Pasta (from Green Lite Bites)
(Serves 4)

1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 sausages
400ml chicken stock
1-2 acorn squash, peeled and cut into chunks
4 tbsp 0% greek yogurt
1 tsp dried sage
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper
250g whole wheat pasta
100g swiss chard, sliced

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the squash, cook for 15-20 mins, then drain and puree.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a frying pan and brown the sausage with the onion and garlic. Once brown add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium and add the pumpkin, yogurt, sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to combine everything. Keep over a medium heat until the sauce begins to boil again then lower to a simmer.

Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan with the squash and sausage. Stir to coat. Add the chard and stir in until it wilts. Serve.

Ham, Spinach and Quinoa Stuffed Squash

This is my second dish using the leftover ham. This was delicious and I have discovered that I like quinoa much better if I cook it myself rather than buying it pre-cooked. 

Ham, Spinach and Quinoa Stuffed Squash (adapted from Thyme for Cooking)
(Serves 2)

1 acorn squash 

90g quinoa
240ml chicken stock
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
240g slice baked or deli-style ham, cut into small pieces
handful spinach leaves
2 tbsp fresh sage
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
120ml chicken stock
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water

Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Put onto a baking tray/ roasting dish and cover with foil. Bake in a 200C oven for 30-45 mins.

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in the chicken stock according to packet instructions.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion for 5 mins, then add the garlic, cook for a couple more minutes. Add the ham, spinach and sage and cook until the ham starts to brown and the spinach is wilted. Add the mustard and chicken stock and stir well to combine.

When ham mixture is simmering add in the cornflour mixture, a little at a time, you may not need it all. It wants to be thick but not a paste.

When the quinoa is done add it to ham mixture and stir to combine.

When squash are ready scoop out a little of the flesh and mix with the  ham mixture. Then put it back into the squash skins. Bake uncovered for 10 mins, until heated through.

Thai Squash Soup

With the first of my large squash haul I made soup. I used 2 onion squash, which made enough for 3 servings. It lovely and lightly spicy this soup.

Thai Squash Soup (from Veg Hog)
(Serves 4)

1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 cm fresh ginger, chopped
1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 small pumpkin or 2 small squashes, cut into chunks
1l vegetable stock
1 lemongrass stick
3 kaffir lime leaves
160ml coconut cream
2 tsp miso
juice 1 lime
2 tsp brown sugar
handful coriander leaves, chopped

Heat a large saucepan with a tbsp of oil, add the onion and fry until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for about 1 min more. Add the cumin and coriander and stir well. 

Add the squash or pumpkin to the pan. Fry for a couple of mins and then add the vegetable stock.

Pour the coconut cream into the soup. Add the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves cover and leave to simmer for 25-30 mins over a medium heat.

Add the lime juice, miso, sugar and coriander. Remove the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass from the soup.

Once the squash is soft, puree the soup and serve.

Squash Stuffed with Tex Mex Rice and Beans

This was really yummy again. The sweetness of the squash mixed with the spiciness of the chipotle paste worked really well together. This was kind of a southwestern style dish really yummy and filling.

Squash Stuffed with Tex Mex Rice and Beans (from Green Gourmet Giraffe)
(Serves 4-6)

2-3 small squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, washed and chopped
250g brown basmati rice, cooked
2 tbsp chipotle sauce
100g cheese, grated
400g tin corn, drained and rinsed
400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp lemon juice

Bake the squash for about 1-2 hours at 180C until they feel soft, check after 1 hour. Chop off the top and scrape out seeds.

Fry the leek for about 10-15 mins until soft. Mix with the remaining ingredients and taste to check the seasoning.

Stuff as much stuffing as possible into the squash and put back into the oven and bake for about 30 mins. If you have remaining filling, bake in a greased oven dish until top is crispy..

Burmese Chicken Curry

Back in January my parents went on a trip to Burma, whilst they were there they watched a cookery demonstration and ate Burmese curry. They were given the recipes to take home with them and this is mine and my Mum's take on the recipe that she brought back from Burma, which was rather vague. This is for chicken curry, there is a fish one too which I'll have a go at in due course.

I made this over half term, so it was a collaboration between my Mum and I. It was incredibly tasty and had different flavours to those I've had before in a curry. I also love the colour contrast between the vivid orange of the squash and the green of the peas and beans. We put the squash in early as I wasn't sure it would cook properly added in last as the recipe suggested. It melted down to form this fabulous sauce but you could add it in at the end after par-boiling if you like.

Burmese Chicken Curry
(Serves 4)

2-3 onions, chopped
1/3 stick lemongrass, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cm piece ginger, peeled and chopped
400g chicken, cut into cubes
1 small squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
handful sugar snap peas or mange tout, chopped
handful green beans, cut into 2 cm lengths
chilli powder
1 tbsp turmeric
salt and pepper
400ml water

Place the chicken into a bowl and add the chilli powder, turmeric, salt and pepper, this is very much to taste, add as much or as little as you like. Coat the chicken well with the spices then marinade in the fridge for an hour.

Blanch the squash in boiling water for about 4 mins.

Heat a casserole dish and saute the onion and garlic in oil for 2-3 mins. Add the lemon grass, some ginger and 50ml of the water, continue to saute for 2-3 mins. Add the salt, some more chilli powder and some more turmeric if you wish.

Add the marinated chicken and squash and the rest of the water, cook for about 30 mins. Stirring the chicken every 5 mins. If it looks like it is starting to dry out and stick add a bit more water.

Add the peas and beans and continue cooking for 3-5 mins. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice.