Season: Autumn

After 30 years in the making, Piper’s Farm has recently released their new cookbook ‘The Sustainable Meat Cookbook: Recipes & Wisdom for Considered Carnivores’. With over 100 seasonal recipes, the book explores the celebration of meat and the ethicality that comes with it. Within the cookbook is the autumnal favourite, the humble Toad in the Hole.

A true classic that makes the perfect midweek meal. We have spruced up this family favourite by adding some beautiful squash to give you an extra portion of delicious vegetables, making the meat go even further. With a good pinch of Maldon Salt, the warming flavours are elevated amongst the succulent sausages. Serve with lashings of onion gravy and you have the ultimate crowd-pleasing dish.

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
  2. To make the batter, add the flour to a mixing bowl with a good pinch of Maldon Salt and pepper. Add the eggs and gently whisk in the milk to form a smooth batter. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Place the squash wedges in a wide baking tray with the sausages, a drizzle of olive oil, rosemary, garlic and Maldon Salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes until the squash is tender and the sausages are cooked.
  4. To the roasting tin filled with squash and sausages, add the lard and place in the oven to heat up for about 5 minutes.
  5. When the tray is very hot, add the batter and quickly return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the toad in the hole is ready, sprinkle over the Cheddar and return to the oven to melt and bubble.
  6. To make the gravy, add a drizzle of olive oil to a pan over a medium heat and slowly cook the onions for about 25 minutes until fully softened and lightly golden.
  7. Then add the miso paste, Worcestershire sauce and water to the onions. Bring to the boil and season with Maldon Salt.
  8. Serve the toad in the hole with the onion gravy and some seasonal greens.

Griddling leeks is a wonderful way to enhance the sweet flavours by adding a smoky, charred element. This pairs perfectly with a Romesco – which is a sauce originating from Catalonian Spain made from red peppers, almonds and zingy garlic, vinegar, and chilli. Labneh is simply strained, salted yoghurt – wonderfully simple to make but adds creaminess and sourness to this plate. Topped with a nutty savoury granola using homemade Dukkah, which adds crunch and toasted saltiness. 

  1. Make the labneh a day ahead. Mix the yoghurt and salt in a bowl and then place in some muslin tied with string. Squeeze out any excess liquid and then place in the fridge in a sieve over a bowl overnight. The bowl will catch the drained excess liquid – the longer you leave it, the thicker your labneh will be.
  2. Make the Romesco sauce – toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden, set aside to cool. Add some roasted red peppers from a jar to a food processor along with the toasted almonds, Maldon Salt, garlic, sherry vinegar, parsley and paprika and blitz to a paste. Drizzle in the olive oil, add plenty of seasoning and blitz again. Set aside.
  3. Make the dukkah savoury granola – Place some hazelnuts, pistachios and sunflower seeds on a tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. When they are golden brown remove from the oven.  
  4. Take a frying pan and toast your spices and Maldon Salt – cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Once they are fragrant and beginning to pop, remove from the pan and crush in a pestle and mortar. Toast the sesame seeds in the pan and then add these to the crushed spices in a bowl. Roughly chop the hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and pistachios and add them to the bowl along with some salt and smoked paprika. Set aside to cool.
  5. Heat a griddle pan on high. Slice the leeks in half and brush with oil. Griddle them for 5 minutes on each side until they have char lines and are soft and tender.
  6. On a large platter, spread the labneh on the bottom. Pile up the griddled leeks on top. Spoon over some of the romesco sauce and then drizzle with oil. Sprinkle across your savoury dukkah mix, some final parsley leaves and serve.

Aubergine lends itself brilliantly here as it is such a meaty vegetable that works perfectly with Asian flavours. Sandwiched between fluffy homemade bao buns and topped with pickled smashed cucumber, salty peanuts, and lots of coriander – these are so good, and you really won’t miss the meat.

  1. Start by making your bao buns – in a large bowl, mix together the flour, caster sugar and Maldon Salt. In a small bowl or jug mix together 1 tbsp of warm water with the yeast and a pinch of sugar and then make a well in the flour and add the yeast mixture along with the milk, oil, rice vinegar and water. Mix to make a dough.
  2. In a kitchen aid, knead the dough with the dough hook for 5 minutes until smooth and springy. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm, leaving it to prove until doubled in size.
  3. Place the dough back into the kitchen aid and add the baking powder, kneading again for 5 minutes. Make into 18 balls of dough, rolling them in your hands and then placing onto a lightly oiled tray.
  4. Roll them out with a rolling pin into an oval shape (makes roughly 18) and then use some oil and a chopstick to fold them into little envelopes. Place each one onto some baking parchment and leave to prove again until they double in size.
  5. Once risen. Heat a steamer with some water at the bottom. Steam the buns on their sheets of parchment until puffed up and fluffy.
  6. Before you steam the buns, make the aubergine filling. Mix together the miso, rice vinegar, agave and mirin in a small bowl. Cut the aubergine into chunks and toss well in the miso glaze. Place into the preheated oven and roast until soft, charred and sticky.
  7. To make the pickled cucumber, cut the cucumber in half and then skin side up, bash the cucumber with the back of your knife so it breaks up on the board. Then roughly chop it into small pieces. Place in a bowl along with the garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chilli oil, sugar, and sesame oil. Toss well so it is all coated and leave to infuse.
  8. Serve the bao buns filled with the sticky aubergine, some of the smashed cucumbers, sliced radishes, chopped salted and roasted peanuts, sesame seed shichimi and coriander.

Want to know what gives a real fruity kick to your cake? Odysea’s preserved lemons are packed full of citrus flavours from the preserving of brine water & salt. The additions of honey and stem ginger will balance out this citrus cake, leaving you feel a certain warmth as the weather starts to cool down as we enter into the autumn season.

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Thoroughly grease a Bundt tin and tap out with caster sugar. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl mix together the plain flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, and Maldon salt.
  3. In a food processor, add the preserved lemon and stem ginger and blitz together until it forms a nearly smooth paste.
  4. In a stand mixer, add the softened butter and sugar and beat together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Then add the honey, olive oil and preserved lemon ginger puree and beat again. Finally add the dry mix and fold through until fully incorporated and smooth.
  5. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and smooth over the top. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until well risen, golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Garnish with lemon slices and a drizzle of lemon icing.

Of course we had to take part in the infamous TikTok trend of Baked Feta…The tangy, rich flavour of feta is perfect for a late summer treat with guests. Pairing up with Odysea, we used their delicious Flamed Roasted Red Peppers, giving a gentle sweetness as we slow bake the feta cheese. Don’t forget to add the Pomegranate Molasses either, as this will give the recipe the perfect sweet-and-sour tones to the savoury dish, almost acting like a balsamic.

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
  2. In a large baking tray place the block of feta in the middle. Then arrange the cherry tomatoes, shallot halves and sliced red peppers around the feta.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic and herbs and then drizzle over the whole dish. Bake in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes until the feta is golden and the vegetable has softened. Remove from the oven and drizzle with pomegranate molasses and scatter with the pomegranate seeds and fresh oregano leaves. Add a pinch of Maldon Salt and serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Most people think of potato when they envisage gnocchi but adding butternut squash is a great alternative – it gives a nutty sweetness and a beautiful orange colour. Pan fried and then simply served tossed through a fresh cavolo nero and kale pesto – it is a perfect warmer for the colder, Autumn months. Just make sure you have enough pecorino or parmesan to top generously!

  1. To make the gnocchi, cut the butternut squash in half and deseed, then cut into wedges. Place the chopped butternut squash onto a roasting tray. Drizzle and toss in oil, season well with Maldon Salt and add some sprigs of rosemary to the tray before roasting for 40 mins in the oven until soft.
  2. Remove from the oven and allow the squash to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, pass the pieces through a ricer.
  3. Tip the pureed squash into a pan and cook gently for 30 – 40 mins until the juices evaporate and you are left with a dense, smooth puree. Leave to cool.
  4. Once cooled, add to a bowl and mix in some grated nutmeg, seasoning, egg, flour, a pinch of Maldon Salt and grated parmesan. Mix until you have a soft pliable dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long, thin sausage and then cut into 3cm pieces. Roll them with a gnocchi board or gently press with the prongs of a fork. Set aside on a lightly floured tray whilst you roll the remaining.
  5. To make the pesto – Add the cavolo nero and kale to a pan of salted boiling water and blanch for a minute or so. Remove from the pan and place straight into a bowl of iced cold water. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the leaves and then place them into a food processor along with the grated parmesan, toasted pine nuts, crushed garlic clove, a pinch of Maldon Salt and olive oil and blitz until it forms a paste. Season well.
  6. Place another large pan of water onto boil and season well with salt. Once boiling pop the gnocchi to boil – they are cooked when they float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon. Heat a large frying pan with some oil and then add the gnocchi to the pan, tossing them until they are lightly golden.
  7. Finally pour in some of the cavolo nero and kale pesto and toss through the gnocchi. Spoon into bowls and garnish literally with grated parmesan, toasted pine nuts and a final drizzle of olive oil.

This recipe shows you how quick and easy it is to stir fry kale and is delicious and easy when served with golden garlic and fiery chilli. A perfect mid-week side dish, plus kale is packed full of vitamins and minerals to nourish your body. 

  1. Start by prepping your kale. The best way to prepare kale is to pull the leaves off the stem in the middle – the stem is very woody and takes a long time to cook down, it is also difficult to digest and so the leaves are the best part to eat. Once you have removed the stems just roughly tear the leaves.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Then add the sliced garlic and finely diced chilli. Fry this off for a couple of minutes until the garlic begins to start turning golden and toasty.
  3. Next add the kale and stir fry along with the garlic and chilli for roughly 5 – 8 minutes until the kale has softened and collapsed without losing its green colour. Now you want to season your kale with a good pinch of Maldon Salt and a splash of sherry vinegar – the combination of the salt and the sweet vinegar enhances the earthy flavours of the kale and also helps reduce any bitterness.
  4. Tip the stir-fried kale into a serving bowl and serve immediately whilst warm.

Let’s give the classic beef wellington a ‘vegetal’ twist this year with our delicious beetroot and chestnut filling!

The traditional beef wellington is a type of beef joint pasty, made out of fillet steak, coated with pate and duxelles and then wrapped in puff pastry before being baked. Many historians believed the dish is named after Arthur Wellesley, who was the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Beetroot is the main component for our wellington, giving it a deliciously sweet and earthy flavour. We pair the beetroot with a bundle of chestnut mushrooms, lentils and butternut squash to give a gloriously nutty undertone to the dish. Once combined and wrapped together with a beautiful crisp pastry, your wellington will be the perfect centrepiece for Christmas.

If you want to take out the beetroot component, we offer a wonderful Butternut and Mushroom Wellington, which both equally looks impressive in colour and flavour! We recommend serving either wellingtons with our mouthwateringly good hasselback potatoes and lemon & honey glazed carrots.

  1. Preheat oven to 180C / 356F / Gas Mark 4
  2. Begin with the butternut squash. Place the diced squash onto a baking tray and drizzle with some oil, Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Place into the oven and roast for 20 minutes until soft and cooked through.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan heat 1 tbsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened. To the softened onions, add the crushed garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Next add the chopped chestnut mushrooms and continue to cook these for 5 – 8 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and beginning to caramelize.
  4. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the chopped sage and thyme leaves, followed by the cooked puy lentils and double cream. Allow this to fry and cook for 3 minutes, mixing well so everything is well combined. Remove from the heat and add the crumbled cooked chestnuts, Maldon Salt, cracked black pepper and the cooked butternut squash. Set aside and allow to cool.
  5. Once the mixture has cooled, you are ready to assemble.
  6. On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry block until it is a roughly 30 x 40cm rectangle and 1cm thick. At this stage you want to carefully lift the rolled pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Next spoon on the cooled filling and spread out evenly, leaving a 1-inch boarder along the top and 1cm board round all the rest of the edges. Next take the cooked beetroot and make sure they are dry of any excess liquid. Choose beetroot that are similar in size and place them in a row down the middle.
  7. Take one of the long sides and lift it up and over the beetroot to enclose them. Pinch the pastry together at the seams and rest the whole wellington seam side down. Pinch the pastry at either end of the wellington also, and trim off any excess.
  8. Use the excess pastry to create long strips and decorate the top of the wellington with a lattice pattern (optional). And brush the entire thing with the beaten egg.
  9. Place the wellington into the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes (but the longer, the better) to cool.
  10. When ready to bake, take your chilled wellington from the fridge and place into the preheated oven. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp all over.
  11. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

How to avoid your wellington becoming soggy?

The pastry base of your wellington may become soggy from the juices of the beetroots and mushrooms dripping down to the base when cooking.

To avoid this from happening, make sure that the beetroots and chestnut mushrooms are cooked until all of the liquid has evaporated. You can do this by chopping the vegetables finely and fry until dry. Equally, you can blot the veg with kitchen paper to ensure any further water is taken out.

What sauce goes well with a wellington?

A red wine sauce goes beautifully well with a wellington! You should add a handful of minced shallots to a red wine, slowly cooking on low heat until it is reduced by two thirds. Once reduced to a desired consistency, you can strain and discard of the shallots, leaving a beautiful red wine sauce to be served.

A salty dog is known to date back to the 1920s and consists of salt, gin and grapefruit juice – if you omit the salt rim then it is known as a Greyhound. It is refreshing, classic and simple.

Place the Maldon salt onto a small, flat plate. Run some of the fresh grapefruit around the rim of a tall highball glass. Turn the glass upside down into the salt and turn it so the salt sticks to the edge of the rim.

Carefully fill the glass with ice. Pour in the Tanqueray Gin and then fill the glass with the grapefruit juice, gently stir. Garnish with a slice of fresh pink grapefruit.

This risotto is a wonderful combination of earthy beetroot, salty blue cheese and nutty walnuts. The beetroot dyes the whole dish a beautiful pink colour making it a treat for the eyes as well as the tastebuds.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place each beetroot onto a piece of foil, drizzle with oil and wrap each individually. Then place them onto a baking tray and into the preheated oven, roast them for 30 minutes until soft and tender.

Whilst the beetroot is roasting you can start the risotto. In a large wide frying pan heat the olive oil and 30g of butter. When the butter is melted and foaming add the finely chopped onions along with a pinch of Maldon salt. Allow the onions to cook over a gently heat until soft and translucent. After they have softened, add the garlic and fry for an additional 2 minutes.

Next add the arborio rice and stir so all the grains are well coated in the onions. Fry for 2 minutes and then add the red wine, allowing the wine to bubble and be absorbed by the rice. Once the wine is absorbed begin adding the hot vegetable stock a ladle at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next. The rice should be tender but still with a little bite.

Once the beetroot has roasted, remove from the oven and unwrap the foil to allow them to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle carefully peel away the skins (you might want to wear gloves for this as they can stain your hands). Once peeled, roughly chop 3 of the beetroot and place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and pureed. Chop the other two beetroot into a small dice.

Pour the pureed beetroot into the risotto and stir through, it will turn it a brilliant pink colour. Next add the diced beetroot and stir through. Check the seasoning of the risotto and add a generous pinch of Maldon salt and some cracked black pepper. Finally add the 10g butter at the end and melt through to give a creamy and glossy texture.

Divide the risotto among 4 plates and then top with the crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts and thyme leaves. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a final sprinkle of Maldon salt.