I'm going to try something new every week

I read somewhere that most people own lots of cookbooks but hardly ever use them. Also that people repeat familiar favourites over and over again.

I know I've got into this habit. I find something that's good then have it every week despite owning enough cookery books to fill a library.

So I've decided that every week I'll cook with an ingredient I've never had before. Last week was octopus and harlequin squash, this week was clams next week will be.....well who knows. There are so many good and varied ingredients out there it seems criminal not to try them.

Feel free to join me!

Have something new and exciting every week! Be adventurous and post your results here!

Inspire us!

I made pumpkin lasagne last night and it was yummy!! was really quite surprised. still got half a pumpkin left though.. man that stuff goes a long way

I made pumpkin lasagne last night and it was yummy!! was really quite surprised. still got half a pumpkin left though.. man that stuff goes a long way

Thats what I'm planning for tomorrow. Any leftover pumpkin will be put in the freezer for future.

My mate says that the big lantern pumpkins aren't that flavoursome but happily take adding flavourings. I'll be using this recipe but might tweak it a bit.

hmmm. i looked at that recipe, but i thought it might be a bit too creamy for me. Ended up cubing the pumpkin and then roasted it with a load of olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and sage. Had to use loads to get an impact on the taste, but the roasted flavours really came through in the end in the actual lasagne. Also took half the time! Definitely recommend tons and tons of cheese on top, the saltiness and the crunch of it was a yummy contrast

Hadn't thought of freezing the rest of it, good thinking...

hmmm. i looked at that recipe, but i thought it might be a bit too creamy for me. Ended up cubing the pumpkin and then roasted it with a load of olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and sage. Had to use loads to get an impact on the taste, but the roasted flavours really came through in the end in the actual lasagne. Also took half the time! Definitely recommend tons and tons of cheese on top, the saltiness and the crunch of it was a yummy contrast

Hadn't thought of freezing the rest of it, good thinking...

Come to think of it I may copy you and roast my pumpkin first with the spices

Thats what I'm planning for tomorrow. Any leftover pumpkin will be put in the freezer for future.

 

My mate says that the big lantern pumpkins aren't that flavoursome but happily take adding flavourings. I'll be using this recipe but might tweak it a bit.

Tbh that wasn't that good. The amount of effort needed to get flavour into the pumpkin plus the general naffness of the recipe left me underwhelmed. Harlequin squash is a thousand times nicer.

But at least I know now, there is a reason people carve those things rather than eat them.

i buy vegetarian good food when it comes out twice a year but i don't bother with cookbooks.... last night i made butternut squash and sage pizza which was delicious. tonight i'm planning on doing a mushroom biryiani

I got a subscription to the jamie oliver mag for my birthday and its got loads of great recipes, comes out bi-monthly so enough time to experiment before the next one. I've also got loads of cook books but I generally stick to a few fave recipes from each one, really they are more for inspiration and to get my tummy growling!!

Tbh that wasn't that good. The amount of effort needed to get flavour into the pumpkin plus the general naffness of the recipe left me underwhelmed. Harlequin squash is a thousand times nicer.

 

But at least I know now, there is a reason people carve those things rather than eat them.

I did the leftover pumpkin in a leek and red wine risotto tonight, same problem, the complete black hole of flavour from the pumpkin meant a lot of effort getting taste anywhere near the dish, even after I'd swilled out an old Marmite jar!

If you're not sure what to do with leftover pumpkin or squash, it's fantastic in a Thai-style soup - something like this one http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/775669/thai-pumpkin-soup

If I think I'm in a rut with cooking the same things, my trick is to go to the supermarket and buy whatever vegetables are on special offer and then look in my cookbooks to figure out what to do with them. Not only do I end up making something new, but as I'm looking through the cookbooks I find other recipes I like the look of and make them another day.

I tried cooking with celeriac for the first time tonight and it was lovely simply mashed with some potato, cheese and butter. Just right for a winter evening!

I tried butternut squash for the first time a few weeks ago, it was lush even the kids ate it which is a rarety in this house