Seasonal February Recipes

Be inspired to cook something delicious from our selection of seasonal recipes. Make use of the wonderful seasonal vegetables like kale and purple sprouting broccoli. From easy midweek meals to satisfying one pots for all the family, there is something for everyone to enjoy with these versatile dishes.

CHORIZO & ROOT VEG BULGAR WHEAT

INGREDIENTS
½ swede, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks
150g baby carrots, halved lengthways
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tbsp sweet smoked paprika
2 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra drizzle to serve
150g mild cooking chorizo, sliced
150g bulgur wheat
½ lemon, juiced, plus lemon wedges, to serve
½ bunch of parsley, leaves picked
salad leaves, to serve (optional)

METHOD

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss together the swede, carrots, onion, garlic, paprika and olive oil in a roasting tin. Season and roast everything for 10 mins. Add the chorizo and continue cooking for 15-20 mins more until the swede is tender and the chorizo is crisp. Cook the bulgur wheat following pack instructions.

Toss the cooked bulgur through the veg and chorizo mixture with the lemon juice, then scatter over the parsley. Season and drizzle with a little extra oil. Serve with lemon wedges and salad leaves, if you like.

CHICKEN, KALE AND MUSHROOM POT PIE

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
2 garlic cloves, crushed
350g chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
300ml chicken stock
100g crème fraîche
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
100g kale
2 tsp cornflour, mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
375g pack puff pastry, rolled into a circle slightly bigger than your dish
1 egg yolk, to glaze

METHOD

Heat ½ tbsp oil over a gentle heat in a flameproof casserole dish. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins until softening. Scatter over the thyme and garlic, and stir for 1 min. Turn up the heat and add the chicken, frying until golden but not fully cooked. Add the mushrooms and the remaining oil. Heat oven to 200C/180 fan/gas 6.

Add the stock, crème fraîche, mustard and kale, and season well. Add the cornflour mixture and stir until thickened a little.
Remove from the heat and cover with the puff pastry lid, pressing into the sides of the casserole dish. Slice a cross in the centre and glaze with the egg. Bake for 30 mins until the pastry is puffed up and golden.

Orecchiette with Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Calabrian Pesto

INGREDIENTS:
400g purple sprouting broccoli
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
375g orecchiette or other pasta shapes
grated parmesan or pecorino (or vegetarian alternative), to serve
For the pesto:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ½ small red onion, chopped
1 plum tomato, chopped, 75g aubergine, cut into small chunks
125g roasted peppers from a jar, drained, 1 garlic clove, chopped
1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and chopped (leave the seeds in if you want a more fiery pesto)
40g blanched almonds, lightly toasted in a dry pan
60g ricotta, 10g basil or parsley leaves

METHOD

First, make the base of the pesto. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan and add the onion, tomato and aubergine. Fry over a medium-low heat for 8-10 mins until the onion is pale gold and the tomatoes and aubergine are soft. Add the peppers and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and chilli, and cook for another 2 mins. Transfer to a plate and leave to cool.

Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Trim the broccoli at the base, then halve any large pieces lengthways. Put in a roasting tin, drizzle with the olive oil and season. Add the garlic and turn everything using your hands – make sure the garlic is under the broccoli so it will toast without burning. Cook in the oven for 15-20 mins (check on it during cooking for doneness).

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. It usually takes a little less time than it says on the packet.

For the pesto, tip everything on the plate into a food processor along with the almonds and the remaining 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Season and pulse to blend everything together. Stir in the ricotta and taste for seasoning. Tear the basil and stir that in too.

Drain the pasta and toss it with the broccoli (including the garlicky juices from the roasting tin) then use as much of the pesto as it takes to coat the pasta and serve the rest on the side. Grind over some black pepper and serve immediately with the grated cheese.