This week's recipe blog includes a sweet potato dessert that may surprise you and the comeback of cauliflower in your Seasonal FarmBOX!
Cauliflower is known to be a great source of fibre and vitamins and can even help strengthen bones, boost the cardiovascular system, and prevent cancer.
The purpose of these recipes is to give you some inspiration for the week ahead. We’ve suggested meal ideas based on our produce selection and they can all be enjoyed on their own, or with any protein that suits your appetite.
Enjoy!
Grilled cauliflower with winter pesto
A delicious way to enjoy cauliflower, teamed with a pesto, white bean mash and crispy onions. Use it as a main, or side dish.
- 3 shallots or 1 onion
- olive oil
- 1 large cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon ground dried chilli
- 2 x 400 g tins cannellini beans
- HERB PESTO
- 25 g unsalted nuts , (whatever kind you have)
- 3-4 sprigs of herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon
To make the crispy onions, peel and thinly slice the shallots or onion into rings. Heat a good splash of oil in a pan and slowly fry the shallots for 15 minutes, until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on kitchen paper to crisp up.
Trim away the cauliflower stalk, then boil the cauliflower whole in a pan of salted water over a medium heat for 3 minutes, then drain and leave to cool.
Next rub in the chilli, sea salt and black pepper, and drizzle with a little oil. Leave to one side.
For the pesto, toast the nuts in a dry pan over a low heat until golden, then either bash with a pestle and mortar or blitz in a food processor until combined.
Pick and add the herbs with a pinch of salt and blitz or bash again until you have a thin paste. Season with lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper, and set aside.
Heat the cannellini beans and a couple of tablespoons of their liquid in a pan over a low heat for 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Mash and stir through 1 to 2 tablespoons of the pesto.
Preheat a pan over a high heat.
Quarter the cauliflower and char on the pan for 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden and charred.
Divide the mash between four plates and top with a wedge of cauliflower, a drizzle of the herb oil and the crispy shallots.
Baked Sweet Potato Pudding
Did you know that sweet potato is also a popular dessert menu, as well as being a super nutritious savoury vegetable? This recipe is a great dessert to show off to guests.
- Butter for greasing ramekins
- 5 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups cooked sweet potato (mashed or pureed)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Dash of allspice
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional: heavy whipping cream or frozen whipped dessert topping
- Optional: Cinnamon sugar
Heat the oven to 180 c.
Butter six to eight ramekins and place them in a larger baking dish or roasting pan.
In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs until blended.
In another bowl, combine the sweet potato, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Beat well and, with the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add the milk and vanilla; blend well. Add the beaten eggs and blend thoroughly.
Fill the ramekins almost full. Place the pan with the ramekins into the preheated oven and pour about 2cm of near-boiling water into the pan.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the puddings are set.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the ramekins cool.
Serve the puddings warm, at room temperature, or chilled with whipped cream or thawed frozen whipped topping and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, if desired.
Turnip Bake
Not sure how to use your turnips? Then this recipe is for you! This dish is great as a side to your favourite protein.
- 3 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Dash ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 190°. Place turnips in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain.
In a small bowl, combine turnips, 2 tablespoons butter and eggs. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper and nutmeg; add to turnip mixture and mix well. Transfer to a greased baking dish.
Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve immediately.
Cumin and Honey-Roasted Carrot Salad
The perfect salad to be enjoyed in winter! The sweetness of the honey roasted carrots will have you craving this salad daily!
- 1 cup barley
- 1 tbs mint, chopped
- 1 red onion, cut into eighths
- 2 tbs flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tbs honey
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 60g goat’s cheese, crumbled
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 500g carrots, peeled, halved, cut into thick batons
- 1 tbs pine nuts 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- 1 packet salad mix
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place barley in a small saucepan with 3 cups boiling water. Simmer, partly covered, for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, place carrot and onion in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with oil, cumin seeds and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking. Drizzle with honey, stir and roast for 5 minutes more.
Add lemon juice and most of the herbs to the barley. Stir through and spoon into a serving bowl. Top with roast carrot and onion, remaining herbs and cheese. Drizzle with a little extra honey and serve.
Orange cupcakes
In the mood for something sweet? Then these orange cupcakes are sure to cure the craving.
- 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 125g butter, melted, cooled
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 oranges, rind grated, juiced
Icing
- 2 1/2 cups pure icing sugar, sifted
- 1 orange, rind grated, juiced
- 12 Jaffa sweets (optional)
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 cup capacity muffin pan. Alternatively, line holes with paper cases. Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre.
Add milk, butter, eggs, orange rind, vanilla and 1/2 cup of orange juice to flour mixture. Using a large metal spoon, stir gently to combine.
Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Make icing: Mix together icing sugar, orange rind and 1/4 cup of orange juice until smooth and well combined. Spoon over cupcakes. Top each with 1 Jaffa. Allow to set before serving.
Creamy roasted cauliflower soup
This cauliflower soup will satisfy your warm winter soup craving. It’s creamy, yet nutritious.
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Fine sea salt
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. If desired, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.
On the baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake until the cauliflower is tender and caramelized on the edges, 25 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway.
Once the cauliflower is almost done, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and turning translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the broth.
Reserve 4 of the roasted cauliflower florets for garnish. Then transfer the remaining cauliflower to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, to give the flavours time to meld.
Once the soup is done cooking, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, carefully transfer the hot soup to a blender, working in batches if necessary.
Add the butter and blend until smooth. Add the lemon juice and nutmeg and blend again. Add additional salt, to taste.
Top individual bowls of soup with 1 roasted cauliflower floret and a sprinkle of chopped parsley, green onion and/or chives.
Cucumber boats
Serve this crunchy combination of zucchini, scallion, carrot, parsley, and basil stuffed in cucumber boats at your next family dinner or event. Or…have them as a healthy snack!
- 1/3 cup; plus extra for drizzling Balsamic Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup diced zucchini
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup diced red capsicum
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 4 cucumbers
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
In a mixing bowl, combine zucchini, scallions, carrots, capsicum, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Add Balsamic Salad Dressing and toss to combine.
Cut cucumbers lengthwise. Scoop out centre of each piece using a small spoon to create “boats”. Spoon filling into cucumber boats and drizzle with additional dressing. Top with cheese and nuts. Serve.