Olive Magazine October 2019

The peculiarities of a seasonal shift have always fascinated me. Why, for example, do I always look to pocket the shiniest, smoothest conker I can find, and keep it in my jacket for the whole season, as a good luck charm? Why do I suddenly become obsessed with baking at this time of year? (I’ll blame Bake Off for that one.) And why do I battle against myself on when is acceptable to turn the heating on? The answer is surely when I’m cold, but I normally only buckle a good few weeks, and probably a bout of flu, later. These little habits herald the arrival, officially (no chance of an Indian summer now, folks), of autumn – and, when it comes to food and drink, I am definitely here for…

JUICER Use this tastefully minimalist juicer to help you make your next lemon drizzle cake. £17.99, zarahome.com MATCHES These extra-long retro matches will help you light dinner party candles without burning your fingers. £6, souschef.co.uk TEA TOWELS There’s nothing fishy about these soft cotton tea towels printed with a jazzy sardine motif. £12/set of 3, John Lewis CANISTER Keep your teabags fresh in this stylish monochrome patterned jar. £10, Sainsbury’s GELATO This velvety gelato now comes in 100% recyclable plastic packaging. Your tummy (and the environment) will thank you. £5.50/500ml, Sainsbury’s CHOCOLATE GUIDE Cocoa nerds will love this in-depth look at Britain’s best artisan chocolatiers. £15.99, amazon.co.uk CAKE STAND With its pretty floral pattern and deep-blue hue, this porcelain cake stand is perfect for showing off your finest bakes. £36, oliverbonas.com HOT SAUCE Sharp with a decent kick of scotch bonnet heat but mild enough…

Garlic and cumin butter prawns 20 MINUTES | SERVES 2 EASY | GF whole raw king prawns 12unsalted butter 100gcumin seeds 1½ tspgarlic 4 cloves, finely choppedflat-leaf parsley a small handful, choppedlemon juice a squeezecrusty bread to serve (optional) • Shell the prawns, leaving the little end tail in place. Butterfly the prawns by gently running a sharp knife along the back of the prawns so that they open up and remove the black vein. • Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Lightly crush the cumin seeds with a pestle and mortar and add to the pan with the garlic. Fry for 1 minute before tossing in the prawns and cooking for 2-3 minutes until they’ve turned pink. Stir through the parsley and a good squeeze of lemon juice, and serve with…

Orange and Aperol drizzle cake 1 HOUR 50 MINUTES | CUTS INTO 8-10 SLICES | EASY Your favourite cocktail as a cake – perfect for a grown-up afternoon tea. butter 175g, melted, plus extra for the tingolden caster sugar 225gAperol 1 tbspalmond extract1/8 tsporange 1 large, zested plus 3 tbsp juiceeggs 2 medium (1 whole, 1 separated)plain flour 250gground almonds 75gegg whites 2 medium DRIZZLE Aperol 5 tbsplemon juice 2 tbspgranulated sugar 125g • Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 31/2. Butter a 900g loaf tin and line the base and ends with a strip of baking paper. Put the butter, sugar, Aperol, almond extract, orange zest and juice into a large bowl with the whole egg and one yolk. Beat with an electric whisk for a few minutes until really pale and fluffy. Fold in…

Roast partridge and cinnamon pears with warm barley and roots salad 1 HOUR | SERVES 4 | EASY pearl barley 200grapeseed oil 50mlWilliams pears 2, halved, cored and cut into 6 wedgesground cinnamon 1 tsppartridges 4, oven-ready (see cook’s notes)carrot 1 large, finely choppedcelery 1 stick, finely choppedonion 1 small, finely choppedgarlic 1 clove, smashed but left wholesmoked streaky bacon 2 rashers, choppedbay leaf 1thyme 2 sprigsflat-leaf parsley a small bunch, roughly choppedlemon 1, zested and juiced • Cook the pearl barley in a large pan of boiling salted water for 25-30 minutes or until tender, then drain really well. • Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and cook the pear wedges for a few minutes until caramelised. Scoop out into an ovenproof dish and…

Spaghetti and three-cheese pie 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES | SERVES 6 | EASY | V butterspaghetti 350gspring onions 1 bunch, finely choppedgarlic 1 clove, crushedeggs 3, beatensingle cream 150mlwhole milk 250mlparmesan (or veggie alternative) 100g, finely gratedmature cheddar 100g, gratedgrated mozzarella 100gchives 1 bunch, choppedgreen salad to serve • Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and base-line a deep 20cm springform tin with baking paper. Wrap the bottom of the tin tightly with a couple of sheets of foil to guard against leaks. • Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water but drain just before it’s tender as it will continue to cook in the oven. Rinse under cold water until cool then drain again. • Cook the spring onions in a knob of butter until really soft then add the garlic and…