The very exciting collaboration with Trish Deseine and Neff continues. Every month we will bring you seasonal recipes from Trish at home in France, perfect for entertaining, cooking at home and cooking for you.
As we fully embrace autumn, I love to add sweet notes to my cooking to help fend off any dreary wintery blues and this month’s menu uses wine and fruit to add depth and tang to dishes. Kale and apple are wonderful together, and added to a smoky-salty bacon base, they all make for a terrific autumnal soup which is good as is for a weekday supper, or elevated to a smarter dinner starter status. My lamb stew benefits from a slow simmer in some good red wine alongside added carrots and parsnips to give a rich, earthy background. Meanwhile the luscious orzotto soaks up the acidity and flavour of white wine as a first layer for some smooth sweet pumpkin and tender roast chicken. The cake, a beautifully buttery and fragrant hazelnut sponge, is chic enough to serve as dessert with cream and compote, or as a cutting cake for afternoon tea – and it’s made in no time at all, in one bowl. @trishdeseineencore @neffhomeie
KALE AND APPLE SOUP WITH PARMESAN CRISPS
Hearty, filling and bursting with goodness. This has got to be one of my favourite autumnal soups to have simmering on the Neff induction hob.
For 6
15 minutes preparation
30 minutes cooking
Ingredients
50g grated parmesan
350g bunch kale
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
50g cubed bacon or pancetta
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 litre good quality chicken or vegetable stock
2 or 3 tbsp crème fraîche
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oven to 190°C, 180°C Fan/Neff CircoTherm.
Set baking parchment, or better yet, a silicone baking sheet, on a baking tray.
Form round discs of grated parmesan on the tray, using a circular scone-cutter.
Put the discs into the oven and cook them for only a few minutes, until the parmesan is golden and bubbles slightly.
Take them out of the oven and leave them to cool and harden.
Wash the kale and shake off excess water. Remove the tougher parts of the stem and chop into 2-3cm pieces.
In a very large pan, fry the chopped onion with the pancetta in a little oil until it starts to turn golden, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the kale and stir until it is coated with the fat. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until the kale wilts.
Add the apples and the stock, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
Blitz the soup in a blender until smooth and check the seasoning. Add the crème fraîche, stir it through and serve with the parmesan crisps.
ORZOTTO WITH CHICKEN AND PUMPKIN
I much prefer orzo pasta to classic rice in this recipe. Its texture is less pasty and the nutty flavour delicious. This recipe requires hob work and my sensitive Neff induction hob helps me enormously.
For 4-6
5 minutes preparation
25 minutes cooking
Ingredients
50g butter
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 small shallot, finely chopped
100ml dry white wine
500ml chicken stock
2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
3-4 tbsp pumpkin purée (tinned or homemade)
500g orzo pasta
Plenty of grated parmesan
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based, shallow pan or frying pan.
Add the garlic, shallot and the orzo pasta and stir them together for a few minutes on a low to medium heat, but avoid any colouring.
Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, stirring well.
Start adding the stock, stirring all the time while the pasta cooks.
Bring to a low simmer, adding a little stock if it all gets too dry.
Add the pumpkin and the parmesan as it starts to soften.
Once everything is nice and creamy, but there’s still a little bite to the orzo, stir in the chicken to warm it through for 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and serve, topped with some fresh herbs and more parmesan.
RICH LAMB CASSEROLE IN RED WINE WITH CARROTS AND PARSNIPS
This is my go-to way to cook lamb in autumn and winter. Use a nice Cahors or Châteauneuf du Pâpe for an even richer flavour.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled, chopped
1.5kg lamb neck, cut into pieces
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 parsnips, peeled, chopped
500ml red wine
1 bouquet garni (fresh thyme, bay leaf, flat leaf parsley)
400g potatoes, peeled, sliced
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed casserole dish on the hob.
Heat the oven to 150°C, 160°C Fan/Neff CircoTherm.
Cook the onions for 3 minutes or so, stirring from time to time.
Add the pieces of lamb neck and let them colour for 5 minutes, turning them as they brown.
Add the carrots and parsnips and stir again.
Pour the wine into the casserole and top up with water so that the liquid just covers the meat.
Add the bouquet garni, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Close the casserole dish and let it simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Add the sliced potatoes to the casserole after an hour and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
Make sure the casserole is seasoned to your liking and serve!
HAZELNUT BUTTER CAKE WITH SPICED PLUM COMPÔTE
If you can find damsons, they are perfect with this lovely, light cake. Otherwise, you can use plums, mixed with fresh figs or grapes if you wish!
For 6-8
5 minutes preparation
35 minutes cooking
For the cake
5 egg whites
80g ground hazelnuts
150g caster sugar
75g flour
100g melted butter (I like salted)
For the compote
6-8 ripe damsons or plums, washed and dried, stones removed
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, 190°C Fan/Neff CircoTherm.
Butter and flour a 20cm cake tin.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Delicately fold through the hazelnuts and sugar until everything is smooth.
Just as delicately, mix through the flour and finish off with the melted butter.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes turn the oven down to 150°C, 140°C Fan/Neff Circo Therm, and cook for another 20-25 minutes.
Take the cake out of the oven and leave it to cool slightly before turning it out.
Dust the cake with icing sugar when the cake has cooled and you are ready to serve.
For the compôte
Put the fruit and the sugar into a small pan with a dash of water over medium heat.
The fruit will release its juices as it cooks.
Add the mixed spice and stir.
Let the compôte bubble for a few minutes then remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Serve it warm or cold with the cake.
Trish’s Neff Induction Hob www.neff-home.com/ie
Trish’s table settings feature Stable of Ireland napkins and tablecloth, serving ware from Nicholas Mosse and Newbridge Silverware Bead Cutlery. The shoot also features homewares from Magee 1866 and Foxford Home.
Photography by @franckschmitt_photographe.