Issue #11 September 2023
Issue #11 September 2023
Hello & Happy September!
I’m going to get straight into the food for this one because September has to be one of the most exciting months for British seasonal food.
The summer crops are still abundant & gluts of courgettes, tomatoes & summer berries continue to come through, but we also start to see some of the fruits & veggies we associate with the colder & cosier months starting to turn up.
If you’re finding yourself with more ripe tomatoes than you know what to do with, batch cook the sauce from last months recipe for Tomato & Caper Pasta & freeze a few portions for when you need a quick & easy dinner.
If this confusing British ‘summer’ has you craving a comforting dinner but you still have loads of summer squash (courgettes) available at your local greengrocers or in your garden, then try the Courgette & Goats Cheese Risotto from June’s issue.
Its fig season! They are at their best from now until October.
Figs are amazingly versatile & whilst they are perfect just as they are, they pair very well with savory flavours, particularly cheese. A very simple but quite impressive lunch or picnic treat is to get some ready made puff pastry, cut it into a square, fill the middle with goats cheese, top with a sliced fig & pop it in the oven for around 10-15 minutes until the cheese is gooey & melted & the fig has gone jammy.
The fig tree is a gift that keeps on giving because not only are the fruits delicious, but the leaves can be used in so many different ways. You can use the leaves like spinach or use to wrap savory foods like fish or meat. However my favourite way to use fig leaves is in sweet dishes like ice cream. Fig leaves taste naturally slightly sweet & nutty, but taste nothing like the fig fruit.
This is a fig leaf & raspberry parfait that I had at Angelas in Margate & it was sensational. I think about it quite often…
What’s at its best this month…
Hero Ingredient Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Fennel seems to get written off pretty quickly by a lot of people & I think that’s for two reasons:
It looks kind of odd & a bit intimidating to prepare - I’m not ashamed to admit that the first time I cooked with fennel, I had to watch a Youtube video on how to prepare it.
The taste! Fennel does have an aniseed taste, which some people love & others absolutely hate, but please don’t decide you hate fennel because a Bassetts Liquorice Allsort was forced upon you by your grandparents when you were a kid…I hate liquorish, but I LOVE fennel.
So if either of the above reasons (or both) are why you aren’t cooking with fennel then I am here to hopefully change your mind about this unique & delicious vegetable.
Fennel is actually very easy to prepare, simply chop off the fronds (fluffy herb like bits on top, but keep these for dressings or salads), slice off the root at the bottom of the bulb & then remove any tough or dodgy looking outer layers (but keep these in the freezer for when you make stock) & you’re good to go!
Fennel is amazing both raw or cooked & this month’s recipes will show you how to use it both ways.
With a season that spans most of summer, fennel is at its best from June to September, so make the most of it while it lasts.
Fennel is part of the Apiaceae family, along with carrots, parsely, dill & coriander. The bulbs, leaves & seeds are all edible.
Recipe 01
Fennel Slaw
A very simple but delicious way to enjoy raw fennel is in a slaw.
This fennel slaw is fresh & fragrant which makes it a perfect accompaniment to something like a rich pork chop but it is delicious enough to hold its own as a side at a BBQ or picnic.
I think it’s also a more elegant alternative to a classic slaw which uses cabbage & carrots.
You can customise this slaw however you like, play around with it & add any leftover herbs you might have laying around or maybe add some grated apple.
Ingredients
2 Fennel
3 tbsp yoghurt (I prefer full fat Greek yoghurt)
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
Small handful fresh dill, finely chopped
Salt & pepper
Method
Start by prepping the fennel. Slice off the fronds (fluffy bits on top), then slice off the root at the base of the bulb, remove any of the tougher bruised outer layers. Using a sharp knife (or a mandolin) thinly slice the fennel lengthways then set aside in a bowl with the thinly sliced red onions.
To make the dressing add the yoghurt, mayo, Dijon, zest & juice of 1 lemon & finely chopped dill in a bowl, season well with salt & pepper & mix together.
Add the dressing to the sliced fennel & onion & mix well.
Taste the slaw & adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Recipe 02
Roasted Fennel with Tomatoes & Feta
My favourite thing about this recipe is that it’s a perfect example of minimum effort, maximum reward! The only prep is the fennel, which takes next to no time & then everything else is just a case of ‘chuck it on the tray’.
I think roasting fennel like this is probably one of the best ways to cook it as it goes beautifully sweet & caramelises, which pairs really well with the tartness of the tomatoes & saltiness from the baked feta.
If you want to make this vegan or you’re just not a fan of feta, leave it off, the roasted fennel & tomatoes alone makes a great side dish or lunch.
Ingredients
2 fennel
Large handful of tomatoes
1 block of feta
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch chilli flakes
Pomegranate molasses
Salt & pepper
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190°.
Prep the fennel by slicing off the fronds (fluffy herb like bits on top) but keep a few of these for serving, then slice off the root at the base of the bulb, then remove any of the tougher, bruised outer layers. Using a sharp knife slice the fennel lengthwise into slices roughly half a cm thick - you don’t want the slices too thin otherwise they will burn, but too thick & they won’t cook through. Place the fennel on a baking tray.
In a small bowl, mix together the 2 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1/2 a lemon & pinch of chilli flakes then pour over the fennel & toss together so the fennel is coated, then season with salt.
Cook in the oven for 8 minutes (set the timer on your phone!)
When the timer goes off, add the tomatoes & feta to the fennel, sprinkle the feta with chilli flakes & a glug of olive oil then return to the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the fennel is cooked through & the feta starts to turn golden.
Serve drizzled with pomegranate molasses & the fennel fronds & some freshly cracked black pepper.
Thanks for reading the September issue of A Bit More Seasoning & see you next month!
Emma x