Three comfort food recipes to devour

When the weather’s cold, there is nothing better than a steaming hot dish of home cooked, comfort food. Seasonal Spuds shared three delicious British recipes for a tasty Sunday lunch, or dinner, with friends or family. 

Gluten-Free Dill & Spinach Sweet Potato Waffles

Seasonal Spuds said: “Fluffy, golden waffles that make for a deliciously different brunch or lunch. You’d never know they were vegan.”

Ingredients:

One large, sweet potato (300g)

300ml almond milk

One tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Three tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for cooking

180g gluten free plain flour

One and a half teaspoons baking powder

Three-quarter teaspoon sweet smoked paprika

Two spring onions, finely sliced

Small bunch dill, finely chopped

Small bunch parsley, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the spinach:

Two tablespoons olive oil

400g frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

Quarter teaspoon grated nutmeg

One tablespoon dairy-free butter

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dairy-free crème fraîche, sour cream or yogurt, to serve

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Method:

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/gas mark seven. Prick the sweet potato all over with a fork, place on a tray and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, then cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Place in a bowl to one side.

Pour the milk into a jug and stir through the apple cider vinegar. Leave to one side for five minutes, then stir in three tablespoons of olive oil. Sift the flour, baking powder and smoked paprika into a large bowl, then stir through the chopped herbs. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in the milk mixture.

Mash the sweet potato flesh well with a fork, add to the batter and whisk to combine. Preheat a waffle maker and brush with a little olive oil. When ready, pour the batter into the waffle maker and cook for six minutes, or until the waffles are puffed and golden all over. Keep the cooked waffles warm while you repeat with the remaining batter.

While the waffles are cooking, prepare the spinach. Add the oil to a pan and place over a medium heat. When glossy, add the spinach and cook gently until warmed through. Add in the nutmeg and dairy-free butter and season well. Serve alongside the waffles with a few dollops of dairy-free crème fraîche, sour cream or yogurt.

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Gluten-Free Brown-Butter Sweet Potato Loaf Cake With Mascarpone Frosting

Seasonal Spuds said: “Brown-butter, warming spices and creamy, tangy mascarpone icing make this unassuming sweet potato loaf cake into something really special.”

Ingredients:

One large, sweet potato (300g)

200g unsalted butter

200g soft light brown sugar

Four medium free-range eggs

65ml milk

One teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of ½ an orange

240g gluten free plain flour

60g ground almonds

Half a teaspoon xanthan gum

One and a quarter teaspoons baking powder

One teaspoon baking soda

Half a teaspoon fine salt

One tablespoon ground cinnamon

One teaspoon ground ginger

Half a teaspoon ground nutmeg

Quarter teaspoon ground all spice

For the mascarpone icing:

50g salted butter, softened

200g icing sugar

250g full-fat mascarpone cheese

One tablespoon orange juice

Half a teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/gas mark seven. Prick the sweet potato all over with a fork, place on a tray and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool, then cut in half and scoop out the flesh. Place in a bowl to one side.

Reduce the oven temp to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas mark four and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Put the butter in a small saucepan and place over a low heat. Melt the butter gently, swirling the pan every so often, until the butter turns golden brown. You’ll know it’s almost ready when the splattering and sizzling dies down and it smells overwhelmingly nutty and delicious.

Pour into a small bowl, scraping out all the little brown bits (that’s where all the flavour is) and allow to cool a little.

Add the sugar to a large mixing bowl and pour over the butter. Whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the sweet potato puree and whisk until well combined. Add in the eggs, one by one, whisking well between each addition. Whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and orange zest.

In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, ground almonds, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and all spice. Add the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Pour the cake batter into your prepared loaf tin and smooth out the top. Place in the oven and bake for an hour and 20 minutes, or until risen, golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean/with just a few stray crumbs attached. If the loaf starts browning too quickly, cover the top with some foil.

Rest the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to cool. To make the mascarpone icing, place the butter in a mixing bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat until fluffy. Sift the icing sugar in in two stages, beating until smooth. Add the mascarpone, followed by the orange zest and vanilla extract and whisk together once more until thick, smooth and creamy. Spread the icing over the top of the loaf cake, finishing with a few decorative swooshes on top.