Warming Winter Recipes with the Best of Natoora Produce
Winter brings a generous range of hearty roots, greens and pumpkin, and there is no better way to enjoy them than with produce chosen by the experts at Natoora. In this article we share a collection of warming winter vegetable recipes that make the most of seasonal ingredients, perfect for cosy dinners and festive gatherings throughout the colder months.
Whole Roasted Delica Pumpkin, Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms, Basmati Rice, Chestnuts & Corinth Currants
There’s nothing more celebratory than a stuffed centerpiece. Natoora’s Wild Mushroom Mix makes a festive, earthy pairing to the sweet Delica Pumpkin. Don't skip the whipped feta, it really does add a lovely salty, creamy kick. Pre-cooked basmati rice can be used as an easy time saver, too. This recipe can be made ahead up to Step 7, placed in the fridge overnight, and then roasted the next day – simply add another 30 minutes or so to the roasting time in Step 11.
Product: Delica Pumpkin
Origin: Mantua, Italy
Supplier: Oscar Zerbinati
Season: Sept - March
Ingredients
100g basmati rice
100ml extra virgin olive oil
1x medium white onion, chopped
3x sprigs lemon thyme, picked
2x garlic clove, minced
200g Ponthier cooked chestnuts, chopped
200g Wild Mushroom Mix
2x Delica Pumpkin, approx 800g each
50g Corinth Currants
25g Parsley, finely chopped
1x Lemon, zest and juice
200g feta
50g greek yoghurt
100g butter
1tbsp pul biber
50g pumpkin seeds
1x Pomegranate, seeded
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Fill a medium saucepan with water, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Add 2 tsp salt along with the basmati rice and bring back to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until cooked al dente: if you bite into a rice grain you should still be able to see and feel a white nutty center. Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.
2. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil, chopped white onion, along with the picked lemon thyme and 1tsp salt. Stir to coat and cook on a low to medium heat until translucent, stirring often, for around 10 minutes. Once the onions are soft and translucent, add the garlic and the chopped chestnuts, stir and fry for 3-4 minutes to caramelise. Add the wild mushrooms and stir. Cook on a high heat for 3-4 minutes stirring often to avoid burning. Dump the whole mix into a large bowl.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C and adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 2x layers of aluminum foil followed by parchment paper and set aside.
4. Using a paring knife remove the top of the Delica pumpkin in one piece by cutting a 3-4 inch wide circle around the pumpkin stem to form a lid. Remove the lid and set aside. Using a large spoon running along the cavity of the pumpkin, loosen and remove the seeds and stringy pulp and discard. Scrape and discard the seeds and pulp from the lid as well. Set the pumpkin onto the baking parchment and foil lined tray, with the lid aside. Drizzle the inside of the pumpkin with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Repeat with the second pumpkin.
5. Add the chopped chestnuts, currants and parsley to the large bowl with the mushroom mix. Add the zest and juice of the lemon along with the drained and cooled rice. Stir to mix and season to taste.
6. Scoop the rice and mushroom mix to the hollowed Delica Pumpkin and gently pack, leaving around 1 inch gap at the top to allow the rice and filling to expand. Pop the lid back on, drizzle with olive oil and season generously again.
7. Wrap the pumpkin with the baking parchment followed by the 2 layers of foil, tightly sealing each one before the next. Ensure the lid stays in its position.
8. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for around 1 hour.
9. In the meantime, prepare your whipped feta by placing it in a small food processor and blending to a crumble. Add half the yoghurt, scrape down the sides and blend again until just incorporated. Add the rest of the yoghurt, scrape down the sides and blend again until incorporated, being careful to not overmix. Set aside.
10. To make your crispy topping, heat the butter in a medium frying pan on a medium heat until brown. Take off the heat and add the pul biber and pumpkin seeds and stir quickly. Careful it will sizzle and may spit. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
11. After 1 hour, peel the wrapping gently and check to see if you can pierce the pumpkin with a paring knife. If there is a little give and the pumpkin is nearly cooked, unwrap it and put back into the oven for another 30 minutes to caramelise the exterior.
12. To serve, spread the whipped feta on the bottom of your platter, place the stuffed Delica pumpkin on top and top with the crunchy spicy butter along with the pomegranate seeds generously.
Roscoff Onion Tarte Tatin
In our decadent savoury take on a classic tarte tatin, we use Roscoff Onions from their namesake region in Brittany. Grown in the area since the 17th century, they have such a unique, mild flavour that they are geographically protected. Make the pastry the day before to free up time. Re-roll and excess trim to make little savoury biscuits.
Product: Roscoff Onions
Origin: Brittany, France
Season: AYR - peak flavour now
Ingredients
For the pastry:
150g block of butter, frozen for at least 2 hours
155ml buttermilk or 50:50 mix of milk and cream with juice of 1 Leafy Lemon
290g unbleached white flour*
1 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
For the filling:
700g Roscoff Onions, whole unpeeled
Extra virgin olive oil**
Salt
Method
For the pastry:
Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl then tip out onto a large, clean work surface. Grate the frozen butter over the flour mix evenly. Working quickly, gently mix the butter into the dry ingredients.
Make a well in the mix, pour the buttermilk into it and gently work it into a dough. Once combined, flour your surface a little if the dough is sticking and gently press it together to form a single mass.
Roll out until 2cm thick, cut in half, stack halves on top of each and repeat. Roll out the final mix to about 1.5cm and put in the fridge to chill.
For the filling:
Set oven to 180°C.
Wrap three or four whole onions in foil with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil. Bake for 30 minutes until there is a little bit of resistance when squeezed.
Set aside to cool in their foil parcel (they will continue to cook a little).
Once cooled, remove the skin and any tough outer layers, but keep the onions whole as you do so. Then slice them in half crossways to expose the rounds.
To finish:
Heavily grease an oven proof shallow round dish or cast iron pan with butter and then sprinkle with salt. Tightly pack the onion halves flat side down into the pan – choose the right size pan to make sure they are really tight. Place the pan on the hob and caramelise the bottom of the onions until lightly golden.
Trim the pastry to fit the dish then place it on top of the onions and brush with melted butter. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crispy.
Leave to cool slightly then, using a thin knife, run around the side of the dish to dislodge anything that might have stuck. Place a plate on top of the pan and flip the whole thing over so that the tart is now the right way up, with the caramelised rings of the roscoff onions exposed. Garnish with thyme leaves.
TIP: Make the pastry the day before to free up time. Re-roll and excess trim to make little savoury biscuits.
Caramelized Radicchio and Bon Bon Dates
Most commercial date operations start with unevenly ripened fruits, which are dehydrated to allow for long-term storage. When it comes time for packaging, they are artificially rehydrated and sometimes soaked in glucose syrup to simulate freshness.
For this recipe, we used the Bautista family’s organic Bon Bon Dates — picked up to three weeks ahead of standard Medjool Dates when they are perfectly ripe, but haven’t begun to dry out. Not heated or treated in any way, they are only available fresh, when sugars are high and flesh is thick.
Product: Radicchio Treviso
Origin: Veneto, Italy
Season: Oct - March
Ingredients
2 heads Radicchio Treviso
50ml extra virgin olive oil (we use Senia)
Large pinch of salt
25ml saba, date syrup, or pomegranate molasses (plus extra for drizzling)
2 Bon Bon Dates
Method
Set oven to 190°C.
Cut the radicchio into four lengthways pieces, keeping the stem intact.
Arrange on a roasting tray and dress with oil, salt, and saba.
Cook for 12 minutes or until it starts to caramelize.
Pit the dates, then chop roughly.
Place radicchio on a serving plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with flaked salt, chopped dates, and a liberal drizzle of saba.