Butternut Squash & Bean Dip

Butternut Squash & Bean dip with crudite

I've always been a huge fan of hummous, so imagine my distress when my system could no longer handle the basic ingredient of that gorgeous snack/dip.

My recent journey has brought me to many points where I must cleanse and release that which no longer nourishes me on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels; I realized that I may be able to step through the portal and create a new way of being, and on the physical level a  new nourishing snack dip that incorporates the flavours I enjoy, and boost those flavours with new elements that resonates with the energy of where I am now.

I have been listening to very old skool music combined with new to me music - Stereo MC's, Paloma Faith & H.U.V.A. Network.

So the Butternut Squash sitting in the pantry called to me  and so too did that little jar of Ras El Hanout, Tahini with no place to go calls out to me and the music of Cafe Marakech crystalises that moment of inspiration into a recipe that will evolve into the lushousness you see above.

pre-heat the oven to 350F/ Fan Oven 180C 
You will need a roasting tin & a food Processor.

You will need

1 Butternut Squash, deseeded, and cut into chunks (peeling is optional)
2 red onoins, peeled and quartered

1 tbsp Olive oil
4 cloves smoked garlic (unpeeled)
1-2 tbsp of Ras El Hanout ( I prefer the Alfez mix)
a pinch of sea salt (if you have smoked himalayan salt that's good too)
small pinch of crushed chipotle  chilli (optional)


1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp Tahini paste
1 preserved lemon rind,chopped finely
1 small tub fat free greek yoghurt
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp spiced lemon tagine paste
1 small tub low fat creme fraiche/( fromage frais if you prefer)
Large bunch fresh coriander

METHOD

1. Put the chunked butternut squash in a roasting tin with the onions, unpeeled garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle over the Ras el Hanout and salt and chipotle. Then put your hands in their and toss so that all chunks and garlic are coated in the oil and the spice rub.

2. Put into the oven and roast for about 30-40 minutes or until you can see the edges of the squash caramelising.

3. Take out allow to cool a little. When cool enough to handle take out the garlic cloves and squeeze out the roasted garlic into the bowl of a food 

processor.

4. Add the butternut squash and onions and all the the juices that collected in the bottom of the roasting tin - use a silicone spatula for best results. Then add the tahini, more fresh crushed garlic, drained cannellini beans, fat free yoghurt, preserved lemon, Creme Fraiche. Pulse in the the food processer until it all melds together and add more yoghurt to loosen it if you desire. 
Add the tagine paste if using, and then add the coriander and taste and season as you wish.

5. Decant to a tub and leave to cool in the fridge. This is a dip that will get better over the next few hours as the flavours. It will also get thicker too, so you may wish to keep loosening it to your desired texture with yoghurt or you can use olive oil if you wish.

Serve with  raw veggies and a little chilli oil if you wish. 

Inspirational music for this journey.



Cafe Marakech

Can't Rely on you - Paloma Faith

The symbolism of the water cleansing and releasing and washing away all that is no longer valid on my soul journey was a large part of the evolving recipe that came to be my new favourite dip - and perhaps I should add that this recipe is still evolving -  as am I.



 

Misty Mornings, Dimensional Travel, Clementines

This morning I got up early and went out into the foggy misty morning, over field, through hedges and down to the river. Walking in the mists across the fields always feels like I am walking between the worlds, wandering in and out of the dimensions at will. It becomes a walking meditation flowing with nature and hearing the calls of all those beings wandering in the mists between our world and theirs.

When I eventually come back in to the kitchen I am renewed, energised and inspired. Of course there is the all important first and only cup of fresh coffee to be made and imbibed while choosing the music that inspired the above recipe. Still a cold and foggy day outside, and the only place to be is in a warm kitchen filled with music, a sage green candle burning, and some incense burning – a new delivery incense made in Santa Barbra of all places – such amazing aroma - shifting into a higher vibration and cooking and creating to create soul nourishing, light and flowing, heart warming food.

Requests were made for stew, a hearty winter casserole of chicken and vegetables – ‘something to stick to ya bones’ – and yet that wasn’t the energy that returned with me.  I wished to create a summery golden, dish that was bursting with light and harmony and reminiscent of warm days in the garden eating and laughing.

The music of the moment was the Bliss album – Hundred Thousand Angels.
A Hundred Thousand Angels

Another track that invokes a full throated sing along is I am the Light

Looking round the kitchen I saw an abundance once more of Clementine’s – they seem to multiply in the fruit bowl until they spill over and shout out for attention.

I went into the depths of the kitchen cupboard to dig out the perfect cooking dish – a Spanish terracotta dish I bought years ago in Spitafields market, after failing to buy one in Spain.

INGREDIENTS

2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthways

2 small leeks, sliced in small chunks

1 red pepper, sliced thinly

1 sweet potato, sliced into small chunks

Juice of 12 Clementines

1/2 pint water

1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon

Salt,

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh or dried thyme to taste

METHOD

Pre heat oven to 190C/ Gas Mark 5

1. Put chicken and vegetables into the dish. Season and add thyme and bouillon powder.

2.  Add clementine juice and water and stir a little to mix in powder.

3. Use tin foil to cover the dish and put into preheated oven.

4. Cook for 1 hour and then take out to check chicken is done. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required. At this point I add a little orange zest and use cornflour paste to thicken.

5. I served this with Soba Pumpkin and Ginger Brown Rice Noodles

Soba Pumpkin and Ginger Rice Noodles

So a fat free and gluten free dish - you can serve this with brown rice or even potatoes, but I found we enjoyed this light citrus summer dish as an antidote to the winter blues.

Samhain Blessings and Pumpkin Solace sans Marmite

There is something about Samhain and the Autumn that brings me to yearning for warming comforting food - especially when the day begins with mist and fog, and the cloud never lifts. A blazing fire in the garden with Bay leaf trimmings, Rosemary and pine brings those cleansing and farseeing feelings and energies to all who inhale that scented smoke. What better to follow an invigorating fire that kickstarts the new year of incoming energies, than a heartwarming Pumpkin soup with a little kick.

A beautiful pumpkin and so many ideas and ways to go with this wondeful fruit for the autumn season. I look forward to my squash season and will order a box of various squash for the season. I had 2 pumpkins and several other varieties. My favourite are the crown prince squash which have the orange flesh and an incredible sweetness when roasted.

Normally I would make a heavy meaty textured soup with marmite and green tomato chutney, chilli and sage and thyme. This time I was looking for a flavour and texture that resonated with my energies in this moment - so very different to last year, much higher and more delicate to be reflected in what foods, textures anf flavours I use to nourish myself ( and any who wish to partake.)

I have been cooking with a Lebanese 7 spice mix - Nutmeg, Ginger, Allspice, Fenugreek, Cloves, Cinnamon & Black Pepper. I have been using it with meatballs, or for some spicy potatoes.

So first things first - for a robust flavour, in as much as Pumpkin has flavour, always roast the pumpkin.

PUMPKIN SOUP

1 medium pumpkin

1 small acorn squash

2 tablespoons Lebanese 7 spice mix

Marigold Bouillon made up into 1.5 litres stock

Pomegranate molasses

Olive oil or sunflower oil

Lime Juice

Salt

2 shallots, or 1 small red onion

1. Chop pumpkin half and scoop out pumpkin seeds and stringy goop. Save the seeds to dry out and toast with tamari and sunflower seeds.

2. I don't skin the pumpkin until its cooked because it is way easier then to do so. Put pieces of pumpkin and squash in large pan - I have a large enamel pan that always feels right for this kind of roasting. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil or any vegetable oil and the spices and toss the pumkin until coated - use your hands. Add a sprinkling of rock salt.

3. Roast at 190C or Gas Mark 5 for about 30 minutes until the pumpkin is slightly charred around the edges. Remove and leave to cool for a few moments.

4. Slice a couple of shallots, or finely slice a red onion - it rather depends on what you intuit to be the right colour for the dish- each person is different.

6. Add a knob of butter to a large pan - I have my Granny's soup pan I always use - and a couple of glugs of olive oil. Add the onion and cook slowly until it is translucent.

7. Take the pumpkin and squash flesh off the skin, and add to the pan -and put the lid on and allow to sweat for a 5-10 minutes. If it seems to catch add a little more butter or oil.

8.  Take the lid off and stir around and then add the vegetable stock - I use marigold bouillon for convenience.

9.  Turn up the heat and allow to simmer for about 35 minutes - and when the liquid has reduced and the soup is thickening take off the heat and liquidize. I use my liquidizer and a jug- the simplest way for me.

10. Return to the pan and taste and season as needed. Add a a couple of teaspoons pomegranate molasses and a couple of squeezes of lime juice. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and then add some creme fraiche.

11. I served with Apple and Guinness Soda bread.



The Music for this little excursion into texture was a new album courtesy of my brother - http://youtu.be/ZgRnLM9Vi24

http://youtu.be/Se9yBvqQHxk



The following day I was moved to add the remainder of the Red Cabbage with apple and juniper berries to the soup, adding a whole new level - perhaps the background music inititated that move - Quivver remix of Led Zep - Babe I'm gonna Leave

Samhain - Chocolate Clementine Cake

I Allow my soul's vision and strength to come into my being.

The track below was my musical inspiration for this beautiful cake/dessert

Fearless - Indra Cooking creative music

Reading through my journal, I came across a list of affirmations I wrote a few years just before my Samhain ritual. Blessings and energies I wanted to welcome into my life, along with a list of all aspects, beliefs and habits I wished to release. All to be released through fire and to welcome in the new energies through the beautiful scented smoke of Bay leaves, and applewood from the fire in the garden.

Coming to 2011 Samhain I came across a recipe originally from Nigella Lawson before it went through the alchemical, magical process of creation, manifestation and energetic process that resulted in this cake.

Clementines



Thinner skinned than oranges, sweeter and juicier, were calling from the fruit bowl - destined for a superior goal than squeezed for juice, wishing for chocolate - always a good theme for Samhain.

Chocolate - always my cupboards have a store of chocolate - bought by the box wholesale - ready for use. Strong dark Green & Black's 85% Cocoa solids chocolate. Rich, intense, beautifully scented. An abundance of free range eggs beg to be used. Reading through the recipe as is often the way, I discover that the cake ingredient tin does not hold ready ground almonds, fresh from the supermarket, but the pantry does hold a jar of toasted flaked almonds from a previous foray into florentines. So I toasted my almonds a wee while more, and ground them in the, Goddess sent, food processor. Almonds will never grind as fine as those you buy, but the rougher texture enhances the cake, and allows this ingredient to shine within the cake.

CHOCOLATE CLEMENTINE CAKE

4-5 clementines (weight between 375 -400g) - I had 440g.

6 eggs

1 heaped teaspoon GF baking powder (leave it out if you wish, I did)

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (don't leave this out)

220g Ground almonds

250g caster sugar (You can used granulated if necessary )

50g Cocoa powder (Green & Blacks unsweetened)

Pre-heat oven to 190 C, or 180 C for a fan assisted oven.

METHOD

1. Put whole clementines into a pan and cover with water, and bring to the boil, and simmer for 1 hour until the fruits are soft and squishy. Do not peel them, skin and all is boiled.

Leave to cool and then process to a pulp in the food processor. Set aside.

2.  Butter 20cm springform tin and line with greaseproof or baking parchment.

3. Place sugar and eggs into bowl and mix. Do not whisk until soft and fluffy because this is a fudgy cake, not a souffle cake. You can use a whisk if you wish but not for longer than 2 minutes. Add rest of ingredients, adding clementine pulp last. Mix thoroughly with each addition.

4.  Pour into the lined tin and bake for 35-45 minutes in the oven. You may need to cover the top with a round of greaseproof to prevent the top burning. When you check the cake, it will come out slightly sticky, and that's perfectly fine.

5. Allow to cool in tin and then remove outer ring, leaving to fully cook on cake rack, on base, until cold. Then you can remove it and put onto to a cake stand or plate.

As you can see it's a bit rough and ready in appearance, but it is soft, moist and absolutely delicious. I will serve it with a little heated orange liquer and honey syrup, and a mix of lowfat creme fraiche and cream. The clementines were almost marmalade like in their texture and the toasted ground almonds added another level to this cake. A resounding success to be remade for Samhain and no doubt tweaked once more.

The decorating and serving process was enhanced by this beautiful track I'm listening to at the moment - Indra - The Other World. I have no idea how to get hold of this music, and I wish I did, so if you have any ideas let me know.

http://youtu.be/gxLEWPIKnjk