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Amanda Owen has a new book out, Celebrating the Seasons with the Yorkshire Shepherdess, which includes some of her favourites recipes.
Wild mushroom soup with wood sorrel and hazelnut pesto
SERVES 4
Ingredients
• 2tbsp Yorkshire rapeseed oil, plus extra for garnish
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed or grated
• 450g wild mushrooms, such as yellow chanterelle,
roughly chopped
• 50ml madeira or sweet sherry
• 850ml hot vegetable stock
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 200ml double cream
• 1tsp mushroom powder
• salt and black pepper
For the pesto:
• 25g chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 1 small bunch wood sorrel
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 10g Parmesan
To garnish:
• handful of wild mushrooms
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently for five minutes, until softened but not coloured.
Next, add the mushrooms and fry on a medium heat for eight minutes, until they are golden.
Pour the madeira over the mushrooms and cook on a high heat for about a minute until the alcohol evaporates.
Lower the heat and pour in the hot stock, then add the sprigs of thyme. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, blitz with a hand blender or in a liquidizer until the soup is smooth. Return the soup to a clean pan, stir in the cream and sprinkle over the mushroom powder, then season the soup and gently reheat over a low heat.
Meanwhile, place the pesto ingredients into a small food processor and blitz for a few seconds. Add extra oil if the pesto is a little thick and season to taste.
For the mushroom garnish, drizzle some oil in a small frying pan and gently fry the remaining mushrooms for a couple of minutes until golden.
To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls, scatter over the whole fried mushrooms, and top with a spoonful of pesto.
Tip: Try serving with some homemade spelt bread.
Chunky venison chilli
SERVES 4
Ingredients
• 2tbsp Yorkshire rapeseed oil
• 400g boned shoulder venison, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1tbsp ground cumin
• 2tsp ground coriander
• ¼tsp chilli powder
• 2tbsp tomato puree
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
• 1 green chilli, halved and deseeded
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 300ml hot beef stock
• 480g jar roasted peppers, drained and roughly
chopped
• 400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 30g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped, to
garnish
To serve:
• 150ml soured cream
• 1 lime, zested and cut into wedges
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Heat 1tbsp of the oil in a heatproof casserole dish, add the venison, brown and seal the meat for five minutes, then remove from the pan to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
Return the pan to a medium heat with the remaining oil, add the onion and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, until the onion has softened.
Return the meat and juices back into the pan, sprinkle over the dry spices and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato puree, garlic, chilli halves and cinnamon, and mix well for 30 seconds.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock, and bring to a simmer.
Cover with a lid, transfer to the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes until the meat is tender. Remove the lid, add the roasted peppers and kidney beans and cook for a further 15 minutes.
While the chilli cooks, mix the sour cream in a small bowl with the lime zest and season to taste.
Remove the chilli from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then stir through the chocolate and garnish with the coriander. Serve with rice, a dollop of zesty lime sour cream and lime wedges.
Tip: The chilli also works well with diced beef. Try serving with some wild rice and Mexican sides, such as homemade guacamole and tomato salsa.
Raspberry and almond scones
MAKES 8
Ingredients
• 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1tsp baking powder
• 85g butter, softened and cut into cubes, plus extra
for greasing
• 85ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50g caster sugar
• 100g fresh raspberries
• 30g flaked almonds
To serve:
• whipped or clotted cream
• homemade raspberry jelly
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, then add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Measure the milk into a jug, add the egg and whisk with a fork to combine. Stir the caster sugar, raspberries and two-thirds of the almonds into the flour, using a round-bladed knife, then add enough of the milk liquid to form a soft dough.
On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into an 18cm round. Cut it into eight wedges and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Brush each scone with any of the remaining liquid, then sprinkle over the remaining flaked almonds.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until well risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, then serve warm with cream and raspberry jelly.
Tip: If you prefer, substitute the almonds with white chocolate chips.
■ Celebrating the Seasons with the Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen is published by Pan, priced
£20.