WHITE BEAN AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients
For the soup:
2 400g tins white beans rinsed
1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 kg (2lb) butternut squash, seeded each half cut into wedges
4 tablespoons good olive oil
2 onions finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½" dice
2 sticks celery, cut into ½" dice
1.5 litres/ 3 pints vegetable stock

For the Parsley Puree:
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon maldon sea salt
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 tablespoons good olive oil
4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
lemon juice to taste

Our recipe this week is courtesy of Antony Worrell Thompson, try it out with some of his Rock Salt Ciabatta Croutons for a warm, filling, lunchtime snack!

Method
Place your squash in a roasting tray and roast in the oven preheated to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4 oven with 1 tablespoon olive oil for about 45 minutes or until the squash has softened and caramelised. Remove the flesh from the skin.

At the same time, heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions, carrots, celery, 6 cloves garlic and sage and cook over a medium heat until the onions are soft but not brown. Add the stock and bring to the boil, simmer for 20 minutes. Add the roasted squash and half the beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Place the soup in a liquidizer and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan, add the remaining beans, stir to combine. Season to taste.

For the parsley puree, add the garlic with the sea salt to a blender with the parsley and blend until smooth, then add the olive oil, the Parmesan and the remaining parsley. Add lemon juice to taste.

Serve a teaspoonful of parsley puree in each bowl of the hot soup.

Preparation & cooking: Overnight and 1½ hours
Made in advance: Up to 24 hours
Freezing: Yes
Serves: 4-6

CATHEDRAL CITY’S VEGETABLE LASAGNE

Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
2 courgettes, chopped
225g mushrooms, sliced
30ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
10ml dried oregano
800g chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
salt and pepper
350g fresh lasagne
3 tbsp Cathedral City Mature Grated

For the Béchamel sauce
60g butter
60g flour
salt and pepper
pinch nutmeg
500ml milk
125g Cathedral City Mature Grated

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, onion, peppers and courgettes and fry for 1-2 minutes, until soft. Add the herbs and fry for another few minutes. Add the mushrooms with the tomatoes, tomato puree and seasoning to the pan. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime make the béchamel sauce. Melt butter in saucepan, add flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Blend until smooth. Stir over heat for 1 minute, gradually adding the milk, stir until sauce boils and thickens. Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add grated Cathedral City cheese, stir until it melts. Set aside.

Spread a small amount of the tomato sauce in the base of a 2.8 litre oven-proof dish. Cover with a layer of lasagne and a layer of vegetables and top with a layer of béchamel sauce. Continue layering this way until all the ingredients are used up.

Finish with a layer of béchamel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Cathedral City cheese. Bake for 45 minutes or until the lasagne is piping hot and well browned. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

DUCK BREAST WITH REDCURRANT AND RED WINE SAUCE

Ingredients
Bag of Florette Crispy Salad
2 duck breasts
2 shallots finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
Pinch of fresh thyme, finely chopped
5 cherry tomatoes chopped in half
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Glass of red wine
30g butter
55g red currants (or 3 tbsp redcurrant jelly)

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

Slash the fat on the duck breast and then sear it on both sides in a very hot pan.

Remove it from the pan and place in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, drain off any excess fat from the frying pan. Put in the shallots, garlic, thyme and tomatoes and cook for a minute or two.

Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and red wine. Add the butter and redcurrants and reduce the sauce for a couple of minutes.

Remove the duck from the oven to rest, and then slice on the diagonal. Serve with the sauce drizzled over it and some crusty French bread.

Serves 2

In the Goddess Spotlight

Jane and Jeremy Hooper winners of BBC 2's ‘The Restaurant’, last week opened their restaurant Eight at the Thatch in Thame, Oxfordshire. In partnership with star of the show French chef Raymond Blanc we are sure it will be a fantastic success.
For booking information visit www.thethatchthame.co.uk

SPICED APPLE AND CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE ROULADE

Ingredients
150g plain chocolate
3 tbsp water
4 large eggs, separated
100g Fruisana Fruit Sugar

For the filling;
2 small bramley apples
100g cranberries
50g Fruisana Fruit Sugar
½ tbsp ground cinnamon
200ml double cream
Chocolate leaves

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C(electric)/160°C(fan), 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

Break the chocolate into pieces and place with the water in a saucepan, over a gentle heat to melt.In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and Fruisana until creamy and thick. Then whisk in the warm melted chocolate.

In a clean grease free bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff and then fold into the egg yolk mixture.

Pour the mixture into a greased and lined swiss roll tin 20 x 30cm (8 x 12 inch).

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until evenly risen and firm to the touch. Then remove from the oven.

Leave to stand in the tin for 10 minutes then cover with a clean tea-towel and leave for 4 hours (to allow it to set and become pliable).

Peel and slice the bramley apples and place in a saucepan with the cranberries, cook until softened. Stir in the Fruisana and the ground cinnamon. Leave to cool.

Whip the double cream until firm and then stir in the apple mixture.

Turn the roulade onto a piece of greaseproof paper lightly sprinkled with Fruisana. Carefully remove the lining paper.

Spread the cream mixture evenly over the roulade and roll up like a swiss roll. Store in the fridge until required.

FABULOUS VANILLA FAIRYCAKES

Ingredients

150g Caster sugar

150g Self raising flour

150g Butter or soft margarine (room temperature)

3 Medium eggs

2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract

150g Icing Sugar

Water to mix

You will need: 24 Paper cake cases & 2 Fairy cake baking trays

Method

Place your paper cake cases into your trays and leave to one side.

Cream your butter and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture turns white and fluffy. Slowly add beaten eggs and vanilla extract while whisking continuously. Sift the flour into the mix and then carefully fold in until it is all combined.

Spoon mixture into cases and bake at 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4 for 20-25 minutes until spongy to the touch and golden brown. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile mix your icing sugar with a little water until smooth a quite thick.

To serve spread a little icing onto the cooled fairy cakes and finish with a topping of your choice, e.g. Chocolate sprinkles.