Mobile Kitchen (photo - Sarah Cowhey)

 Today turned out better than i had expected as i was dreading a cold, wet day at the market.  I had a very enthusiastic day fulled of wonderful tales of food an recipes and life in general.
I celebrated Pumpkins, Pork Chops, Quince and Spinach today.  I am always grateful to be able to cook such super fresh produce and to be able to teach food that is so so seasonal, unbelievably fresh and extraordinarily tasty.  I am very thankful to all the hardworking and passionate vendors at the market.  If it wasn't for them we wouldn't have the pleasure of having such flavoursome food.  Thank you once again.



Pumpkin (photo - Sarah Cowhey)

PUMPKIN AND RICOTTA TART Serves 2-4

photo - Sarah Cowhey

200g roasted pumpkin, cubes                
Handful fresh walnuts
A little chopped sage
150g ricotta cheese (Evansdale Cheese)
Pinch salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 garlic clove
100g Rocket leaves
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sherry vinegar
3 Tbsp walnut oil or a good quality oil

Shortcrust pastry
175g plain flour
1 tsp caster sugar
A pinch of salt
125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
About 3 Tbsp cold water

Preheat the oven to 190 C

First make the pastry. Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor and process briefly to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in enough water to make a dough. Wrap in glad wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Dice the pumpkin into bite sized pieces, toss with a little oil, salt and pepper, 1 crushed garlic clove (skin on), couple of sage sprigs (stalks included). Roast until tender (10 -15 minutes). Remove from the oven and set aside.

Roll the pastry out to 20 cm large circle. Place onto a oven tray.

Toss the cooked pumpkin, walnuts, sage and ricotta together gently. Season with salt and pepper. Spread over the base of the pastry, sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake at 200C for 10-15minutes.

Meanwhile; mix the maple syrup, vinegar, oil and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper together, taste and correct if necessary. You are wanting it taste sweet and sour with a maple after taste!

Brydone Growers (thank you Nigel for your delicious pumpkins)

Roast Pumpkin, Spinach and Ricotta Salad
Serves 2

200g fresh baby spinach, washed and drained well
250g Pumpkin
2 red onions, sliced into thinnish wedges
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Olive oil
100g fresh ricotta cheese

Dressing: 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (balsamic or red wine)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 190C, with a roasting tray in the oven to get hot (it will get your pumpkin off to a good start).

Dice the pumpkin into bite size pieces. Place into a bowl with the onions, cumin, pumpkin and rosemary. Drizzle over a little oil and season with salt and pepper. Place all the ingredients and oil onto the hot oven tray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until caramelized and tender. Set aside.

Make the dressing. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the spinach, tip in warm pumpkin and onions. Pour over your dressing and crumble in your Ricotta, season and toss gently. Serve immediately!

Leckies Butchery (thank you for the Pork Chops)

PORK CHOP WITH GLAZED QUINCES AND SAGE

Serves 4


Photo - Sarah Cowhey

 4 pork chops (good quality)
4 sprigs fresh sage
1 lemon
2 quinces, stewed
150 ml chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
25 butter, diced

Stewed Quince
2 whole quince, washed and cut into wedges or diced (core removed)
200-300g sugar ( to taste)
1 cup water

Cook the quince with the sugar, water and a couple of sage stalks over medium heat until tender.
Preheat a heavy based fry pan to hot.

Drizzle a little oil over the pork chops, season well with salt and pepper, rub it into the meat on both sides.

Cook all four chops together. Keep the temperature up on high as you are wanting to get a crisp, golden cararmel exterior of you chop. Turn it over after 3 – 4 minutes (depending on size). Add the sage leaves and let get fragrant and crispy. cook for 1 minute, then add the cooked quince and a little liquid, add enough stock to loosen the sauce and to lift of any sediment (flavour) from the bottom. Remove the pork chops and keep warm. Let the sauce bubble away vigorously, taste it and adjust the seasoning, it may or may not need a little lemon juice. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter. Whisk until emulsified and glossy.

Serve the pork chop on some wilted spinach, with the glazed quinces an all that delicious sauce drizzled over the chops.


RICOTTA – literally meaning “recooked” uses the whey, which is a by-product of cheese production. It can be made from cow’s milk or sheep’s milk.
 Ricotta is a fresh cheese (similar to cottage and cream cheese). It is creamy white in appearance, slightly sweet in taste and has a slightly grainy texture.

Evansdale Ricotta, Stewed Quince (photo - Sarah Cowhey)




It is lovely added to desserts (especially cheesecakes) crumbled over sweet or savoury tarts, tossed through pastas and salads. It is also delicious simply drizzled with a little honey and toasted nuts.

Evansdale Cheese (Thank you for the Fresh Ricotta)

QUINCE FINANCIERS
Quinces slightly tart and floral perfume goes perfectly with these petite and airy cakes.

Makes 12

Photo - Sarah Cowhey

¼ cup all purpose flour
½ cup ground almonds
¾ cup icing sugar
Pinch salt
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 Tbsp beurre noisette butter (instructions below)
100g quince paste (membrillo or stewed quinces)
Sprinkle of ground almonds

1kg quinces, peeled and cored

Firstly melt 113g butter in a small pot, let it bubble away gently for 2-5 minutes. You are wanting the butter to turn a light golden brown in colour , and you will smell a nutty aroma. This is beurre noisette butter! Set aside.

In a large bowl add the flour, almonds, icing sugar and salt. Lightly whisk the egg whites together, add to the dry ingredients along with the beurre noisette butter. Mix until just combined.

Spoon into greased and lightly floured Financiers tins or friand moulds, top with a little of your quince paste and a sprinkle of ground almonds. Bake for 10 minutes or until just firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven, let sit for a minute or two, remove from the tins and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

Quince (photo - Sarah Cowhey)