Le Creuset
Recipe Guide

Sweet potato is not only nutritionally beneficial, but these purple varieties also add great natural sweetness and a vibrancy to this loaf. Twisted and turned into the bread, the sweet potato's vivid purple colour really makes this a simple showstopper. This recipe uses a Dutch oven method, making for a perfectly risen and airy loaf.

• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: Over 2 hours

Ingredients

• 200g purple or orange sweet potatoes
• 1 - 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 packet white bread mix
• Flavourless oil, for greasing
• Milk, to wash
• 1 tablespoon of black sesame seeds

Method

1. Prick the sweet potatoes and place in the microwave for 4 - 6 minutes to steam-cook. Scoop out the potato flesh and mash with the milk until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Prepare the bread mix according to the packet instructions. Place the Signature Cast Iron 20cm Round Casserole, including the lid, in the oven on the lowest temperature setting to warm through for approximately 20-30 minutes.
3. Once the bread has proved according to the packet instructions, divide the bread into 6 equal balls. Flatten each ball and spoon an equal amount of sweet potato into the centre of each portion. Fold up the edges to enclose the sweet potato.
4. Roll each ball into 20cm long sausages. Slice longways down the middle of the sausage ensuring you leave 2cm of dough at the top to hold the two strands together. Twist the two strands round each other to create a basic plait exposing the purple potato inside. Wind each plait up into a roll and tuck the end underneath for form a bun. Repeat for all 6 balls.
5. Remove the casserole from the oven and lightly grease, including the lid, with a little oil. Nestle the plaited buns into the casserole, replace the lid and allow to prove for a second time for approximately 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
6. Preheat the oven up to 210˚C/ Fan 190 ˚C/ Gas Mark 7.
7. Remove the lid from the casserole, brush the loaf with a little milk, then sprinkle with the black sesame seeds and place the casserole uncovered into the oven to bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and a crust has formed.
8. Serve as a sweet or savoury bread - great for breakfast with peanut butter or good quality salted butter. Alternatively, serve alongside a steaming bowl of soup or Thai-style curry.

Cook's Notes

• Be careful when you milk-wash your loaf - if too much milk drips down the side it will make it harder to release your loaf from the casserole. It is best to use a pastry brush for this job.
• This recipe is very simple and can be altered as desired. If you have a sweet tooth, try adding white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts. If you prefer savoury, add mix nuts and seeds to the second prove and sprinkle with parmesan before baking.
• If you would prefer you can steam cook the potatoes for 40 minutes instead.

This rich autumnal dish is great for some midweek comfort - velvety, creamy squash sauce is stirred through quick and easy fresh pasta and is made all in one pot making it a winning dish.

• Serves 6
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 750g butternut squash, diced
• 1 white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 sage leaves
• 5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 400ml vegetable stock, warm
• 180ml double cream
• 50g Parmesan cheese
• 500g fresh linguine
• Fresh parsley, roughly chopped to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/ Gas Mark 4.
2. Place the diced butternut squash in the Signature Cast Iron Shallow Casserole along with the onion, garlic, sage, thyme and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper before drizzling over the oil.
3. Give all the ingredients a toss in the oil and then roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After this time, turn the butternut squash and continue to roast for a further 10 minutes (you don’t want to colour the squash, rather just soften).
4. Once the squash is cooked through, remove from the oven and spoon into a blender. Add the stock, cream and Parmesan before blitzing into a smooth, silky sauce.
5. Return the sauce to the casserole and place over a medium to low heat. Add the fresh pasta and warm through until the pasta is cooked- this will take a 3-5 minutes. If the sauce is a little thick, add a splash of warm water.
6. Finish with the roughly chopped parsley.

Cook's Notes

• Not a fan of pasta, why not try this dish with spiralized vegetables instead. This would work great with courgetti or even sweet potato pasta.
• Why not try this dish with another seasonal squash - look for squash that is naturally sweet in flavour and smooth in texture, you don’t want anything too fibrous.
• To make it a balanced plate, serve this dish alongside seasonal greens or a winter salad - bitter kale works perfectly with the rich, creamy sauce.
• Don’t have fresh pasta? Simply swap for cooked dried pasta instead.

The rich umami flavours of the white miso work perfectly with tasty chicken thighs. Crisping and caramelising nicely in the oven, this Japanese-inspired chicken is served with roasted tenderstem broccoli and finished with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

• Serves 2
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 300g baby potatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• ½ tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons runny honey
• ½ tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 chicken legs, skin on
• 150g tenderstem broccoli
• ½ tablespoon sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/ Gas Mark 6.
2. Place the baby potatoes in the rectangular dish and into the preheated oven whilst you prepare the marinade.Do you not add any oil here?
3. Combine the miso, sesame oil, mirin, honey and soy sauce and gently whisk to mix all the ingredients.
4. Score the chicken thighs and coat in the marinade. Carefully remove the potatoes from the oven and place the marinated chicken on top. Roast for 35 minutes.
5. Remove the dish from the oven, add the broccoli stems and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is crispy and caramelised, the potatoes are cooked through and the broccoli is just roasted.

Cook's Notes

• This chicken carries great flavour, even cold. Use any leftovers for lunch the next day - shred the meat off the bone and fold into a wrap along with crunchy vegetables like cucumber, radish, carrot and lettuce and serve alongside chilli mayo. 

There’s something magical about apples and lemon. When combined they create the most extraordinary, eloquent floral note. It’s hard to describe but it’s something I always love. I like to add some fresh thyme leaves to this tart because its savoury, green aroma complements apples and works so well in a sweet context. This tart is sensational served warm from the oven with double cream but can be equally delicious for breakfast the next morning with a nice hot cup of coffee.

• Serves 8
• Preparation time: 30 minutes
• Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large Bramley apple (about 400g), peeled, cored and diced
• 1 lemon, juice and ½ the zest
• 2 teaspoons tender thyme leaves
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 4-6 dessert apples (depending on size), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

For the rough-puff pastry

• 150g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• Good pinch of salt
• About 100ml iced water
 

For the frangipane

• 75g unsalted butter, softened
• 75g golden caster sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 75g of ground almonds

Method

1. First, make the pastry. In a bowl, combine the butter cubes with the flour and salt. Then add just enough iced water to bring everything together into a dough full of big pieces of butter.
2. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough in one direction away from you to make a rectangle about 1cm thick. Fold the two short ends into the middle so they overlap. Give the pastry a quarter-turn and repeat the rolling and folding process three more times.
3. Wrap the pastry in cling film, then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove the pastry from the fridge and repeat the folding process a further three times. Wrap the pastry again and place it in the fridge to chill.
4. Then, put the Bramley apple dice in a pan with the lemon zest, half the thyme leaves and 75g of the sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of water and cook, covered, over a low heat. Stir regularly until the apple pieces have dissolved and you have a thick, slightly translucent purée – this should take about 25-30 minutes. Spoon into a bowl, cool, then place in the fridge to chill.
5. For the frangipane, cream together the butter, caster sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and ground almonds and mix until combined. Set aside.
6. Heat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C Fan/ Gas Mark 5. Roll out the pastry on a well-floured surface about 4-5mm thick. Using your Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick 26cm Square Roaster as a guide, line the roaster with the pastry and trim to fit. Use a dull knife to score a 2cm margin around the base of the 4 sides of the pastry but don’t cut all the way through. 
7. Spread the frangipane mixture out over the pastry, taking it up to the margins if you can.
8. Now spread the chilled apple purée evenly over the top of the frangipane, again, almost to the edges.
9. Arrange the dessert apple slices over the purée in overlapping lines, running back and forth, until you have used them all up.
10. Bake the tart for 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is risen and crisp and the apples are soft and golden.
11. Sprinkle over the remaining thyme leaves then allow the tart to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes

• The Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick 26cm Square Roaster is the ideal dish for baking this sweet “appley” pastry. Thanks to its brilliant non-stick qualities, you’ll get a perfectly crisp base and a tart that’s easy as pie to slice and serve.
• My recipe for rough-puff pastry is very simple and much quicker than making a traditional puff. That said, if you want a good pud and you’re in a hurry, shop-bought puff pastry will work just as well too.
• There’s no reason not to swap the apple slices for slices of ripe pear or even plum halves – they’ll both go well with the frangipane and the Bramley apple sauce.

I like to look for the ‘spare rib’ joint for this wonderfully rich and comforting braise. It comes from the top of the shoulder and is beautifully marbled, which means it’s ideal for cooking slowly at a low heat. I like to get this dish cooking then head out into the garden or go for a blustery autumn walk before gathering round the table to eat.

• Serves 4
• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• A dash of oil
• 1 x approximate 350g piece of cured pork belly (streaky bacon or pancetta), cut into 2-3cm cubes
• 1.2-1.5kg fresh pork shoulder (spare rib joint), skinned, boned and rolled
• 2 leeks, halved and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2–3 rosemary sprigs
• 2–3 thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 450ml cider
• 450ml pork, chicken, or vegetable stock
• A knob of butter
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, cut into thick slices
• 200ml double cream
• A small bunch of parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/ 130°C Fan/ Gas Mark 2.
2. Start by heating the oil in the oval casserole over a medium heat. Add the cubes of cured pork belly pieces and cook the meat for 6–8 minutes, or until well-browned and golden on all sides. Cooking the meat gently allows all that lovely well-flavoured fat to render out of the meat without anything becoming too dark. Le Creuset Cast Iron Casseroles are perfect in this instance, because they transfer such a glorious even heat.
3. Lift the pieces of browned pork belly out of the casserole using a spatula or slotted spoon and set aside. Add the pork shoulder joint to the casserole.
4. Season the meat all over with salt and pepper then fry gently on all sides until the pork has taken on a deep golden colour and smells irresistible. Set the browned pork shoulder aside with the pork belly.
5. Now add the leeks to the same casserole, along with the sliced garlic, all the fresh herbs and a little seasoning. Sweat the leeks for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then sprinkle in the flour and cook for a further 3–4 minutes, before pouring in the cider and stock and bringing to a simmer.
6. Return the browned pork and pork belly to the casserole and give everything a gentle stir to mix the ingredients together. Then place the tight-fitting lid on and place into the oven for 2 hours.
7. Meanwhile, set a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter. When it is bubbling, add the mushrooms and season them lightly. Sauté the mushrooms, turning them regularly for 6–8 minutes until cooked through. Set aside.
8. When the pork shoulder is ready add the fried mushrooms and double cream to the casserole and stir well. Return the casserole to the oven for 15 minutes without its lid.
9. Stir in the chopped parsley and check the seasoning before bringing to the table with a dressed green salad and some good bread.

Cook's Notes

• This lovely slow cooked dish is perfect for a weekend supper when you have a moment to slow down a little and spend some time in the kitchen pottering around with good ingredients.
• I like to serve this pork dish with mashed potatoes, but it would work equally well with rice, polenta, or a simple pasta.
• If you can’t find a spare rib joint, try this same recipe with a rolled pork belly instead. It’ll be even richer.