Cottage Cooking Club: October
I felt ambitious this month and chose 3 different recipes to make for Cottage Cooking Club, a cook-along group for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall´s “River Cottage Veg”. Started in May 2014 by the talented German blogger, Andrea, of Kitchen Lioness, this group is collectively making all the recipes in this book in one year.
The first recipe I tried was for Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Paprika. Cauliflower and broccoli are two vegetables that I’ve only recently started to enjoy. I like them best roasted. I’d never tried this seasoning combination before: roasted lemon wedges and smoked paprika. The flavors were delicious, but I mistakenly chose to roast the cauliflower in a high-sided roasting pan because it came out more steamed than what I expect for roasted. I might try this again, but if I do, I’d use a baking sheet with the hopes the cauliflower would caramelize.
The other two recipes were salads with warm interesting toppings.
One was topped with white beans with artichokes. This comes from the Pantry Suppers chapter. If your pantry is stock with a can of white beans and a jar of marinated artichokes you can whip this up whenever you wish. The beans and artichokes are sautéed together with garlic. This simple combination tops mixed greens for a light lunch.
Finally, what’s not to love about roasted squash and sautéed mushrooms on top of salad greens? I think this was my favorite of the three, so it’s pictured at the top of the post. The sweet roasted squash and the earthy mushroom were the perfect pairing. The tangy balsamic vinaigrette tied this hearty salad together. (This recipe called for blue cheese, I skipped it completely.)
After three months cooking along, I have to say that I’m really enjoying this book. The recipes are straightforward and delicious, offering flavor combinations that are sometimes familiar and sometimes new. I also value Andrea’s seasonal selections, allowing me to make the most of the best vegetables around each month. I wonder what November will bring?
If you are interested in reviews of other recipes selected this month, follow participant links here.
Posted on 28 October 2014, in Autumn, Cottage Cooking Club, Salads, Summer CSA and tagged artichokes, beans, cauliflower, Cottage Cooking Club, mushrooms, salads, winter squash. Bookmark the permalink. 8 Comments.
A Plateful of Happiness 
Drat!! I was planning on making the squash and mushroom salad, just couldn’t get to it. Now I find it was your favorite!! It looks delicious.
I like cauliflower too, but didn’t make the recipe. Sounds and looks terrific.
I did make a few dishes though. I really love this book. It gets me to make healthier things even when I’m busy. I’ll have to try out those salads!!! Well done my friend! I’m inspired!!
I really enjoyed the roasted squash and mushroom salad as well. I forgot to add the cheese, and still thought it was wonderful – it really does not need it.
It is fun to try new ways with vegetables isn’t it; so nice to have something different from the norm.
I made the artichoke and bean salad a month ago when I thought it was a selected recipe and it wasn’t. That was the same week I made the leftover beef salad that I thought we had made before. Must have been a crazy week or something. Anyway I liked the salad just as you said, because you always have it hanging around. Several of you made the roasted squash and mushroom salad and I must say that it’s something I now want to try. It looks beautiful and must taste just as good as it looks. Nice photo. Yes, I think roasted cauliflower and roasted any vegetable is better than steamed or whatever, I use a cookie tin with a small lip when I roast veggies. The flavoring for this dish was unique and surprising but seems to have been very flavorful. The problem is too many wonderful dishes to do and too little time. Right?
Your dishes look wonderful but I particularly love your photo of the mushroom-squash salad – it was one of my favourites this month as well. I’m enjoying this book too….so many great recipes.
Hi Betsy, Nice choices this month. I twice prepared the warm salad with the mushrooms and roasted squash and it was a hit on both occasions. I am too enjoying the book and am also enjoying pulling out some of my favorite keepers to prepare again over time. I didn’t prepare the white beans and artichokes- but kind of funny, I prepare something as this regularly, and always keep these basics in my kitchen. Thanks much for sharing!
Hi Betsy, all three of your dishes look so wonderful, I made the cauliflower with lemon and paprika as well and was really surprised by the flavor, it was delicious! Wish I would have prepared the mushroom and roasted squash salad, looks amazing!
I made the cauliflower and loved it. Your descriptions make me wish I’d made the salads, too.
It’s been fun playing with flavour combinations I’d never have thought of in this group. We’ve had a few favourites that we knew we were going to like and some that surprised us, too.
Dear Betsy, you chose three recipes that I also made and I love that I can compare “notes” now – the salad with the rosated squash and mushrooms was my personal favorite this month as well – also skipped the blue cheese (that one, my taste testers refuse to eat) – but if you get a chance to make this again, you might want to give Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) a chance – the saltiness is delightful with the meaty mushrooms and the sweet squash. Love, love that recipe. The artichokes are fabulous and easy and were loved by all and the roasted cauliflower is good but if you get your hands on Brussels sprouts, you should give that recipe a try instead – sweet roasted, late fall delight on a plate!
Thank you for youir wonderful post, insights and great pictures – your support and your continued participation – so nice to have you onboard, dear friend!
Andrea
P.S.: I particularly value your comment with respect to seasonality of the recipes – that is an issue that is very close to my heart (as you might have noticed) – stay tuned for November…