Squash Muffins and Whole Roast Cauliflower: two seasonal recipes from Seed Magazine

Whole roast cauliflower

with a mustard, blue cheese and sage topping

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN OR 6 AS A SIDE

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1⁄2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch of fennel seeds
• 1 large cauliflower
• unsalted butter, melted, for basting
• sea salt and black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING

• 1 tsp chopped sage
• 2 tsp fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp rolled oats
• 40g blue cheese, grated (we’d go for Stichelton or Bledington Blue)

METHOD

• Preheat your oven to 170C fan.
• In a bowl, mix both mustards with the oil, garlic, turmeric, fennel seeds and a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Cut a piece of foil, season it with salt, pepper and a splash of olive oil and place the cauliflower on top. Wrap the foil around the edges so that it comes halfway up the sides of the cauliflower and place on a small baking tray.
• Massage the mustard mixture all over the florets and place in the oven (at the same time as your roast chicken, if using the chicken juices for basting – see note). Roast for around 50 minutes, basting liberally every 20 minutes with the roast chicken juices or with melted butter.
• Meanwhile in a bowl, mix all the topping ingredients with a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper.
• Once tender, remove the cauliflower from the oven, cover with the topping mixture and place it back in the oven for 8 minutes, or until the topping is golden and toasted. Serve straight away.

NOTES

For meat eaters, this recipe works brilliantly if you’re roasting a chicken directly
on a shelf as you can sit the cauliflower on the shelf beneath and allow the juices to baste and infuse it with flavour. But it’s also an ideal main course for vegetarians – just basted with butter instead – and served with a selection of steamed greens.

Find this recipe along with other amazing seasonal recipes in Seed Magazine Vol 3

Squash, apple and walnut muffins

with a crunchy oat topping

MAKES 6

• 100g walnuts
• 100g muscovado sugar
• 150ml olive oil
• 50ml natural yoghurt
• 2 large eggs
• 150g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed sweet spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 50g rolled oats, plus extra to sprinkle
• 100g butternut squash, peeled and grated
• 100g apple, peeled and grated
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 180C. Line six holes of a deep muffin tray with cases or squares of parchment paper.
• Place the walnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 10–12 minutes or until golden. Remove and roughly chop.
• Combine the sugar, olive oil, yoghurt and eggs in a large bowl and beat until thoroughly combined.
• Into a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Tip this into the wet mixture and stir to combine evenly. Next stir in the oats, squash and apple and 80g of the walnuts, keeping the remainder to one side.
• Divide the batter between the muffin cases and sprinkle the top of each muffin with the remaining walnuts and a scattering of oats.
• Drizzle over the maple syrup and bake in the centre of the oven for 20–25 minutes until well risen and springy to touch.
• Place the muffins on a wire rack to cool. Either serve warm or once cool, store in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.

NOTES

Inspired by the flavours of a traditional carrot cake, these vegetable-based muffins are made with little sugar and wholesome oats. They don’t taste very sweet, so are suitable for breakfast as well as an afternoon snack. You can also leave out the apple and increase the quantity of squash for more of a savoury muffin.

Find this recipe along with other amazing seasonal recipes in Seed Magazine Vol 1