As Strong As Soup

This simple recipe is based loosely on a chutney from a restaurant somewhere in France (I can't quite remember where) and was intended to liven up simple game dishes. I think it would do very nicely on turkey sandwiches or alongside a leftovers curry around this time of year. If you're short of time, chop everything in a food processor - it won't make a big difference to the finished chutney. Vary the amount of chilli flakes and sugar according to how hot or sweet you like your chutney. This amount will make around 5 small jars. 750 g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small dice Juice of 5 or 6 clementines (or 2 oranges) 175 ml white wine (or cider) vinegar 100 ml sherry vinegar 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced 1 eating apple, peeled, cored and diced 3 tbsp honey 4 - 6 tbsp light brown soft sugar ½ - 1 tsp dried chilli flakes ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper ¼ tsp salt Put all the ingredients in...

I'm ashamed to say that if asked a year or two ago I would have guessed that ‘nduja was an obscure form of martial art undertaken only by itinerant goatherds in Tibet. These days I know that it’s a soft, fiery Calabrian pork sausage, which is delicious eaten as it is with a little bread but also makes an excellent addition to risottos, pasta sauces, stews and, as in this case, soups. If you haven’t tried it, you may be put off by the price or by the fact that it’s become a tad trendy. Please ignore the trendiness and, although it can be quite expensive, a little does go a long way. The sweetness of squash combines well with the ‘nduja and I used the variety 'crown prince' to make this soup. Crown prince is difficult to peel but has a lovely nutty flavour with a rather dry texture that I like a lot. Other types of squash will also work perfectly well. This same combination of roasted squash and ‘nduja can also be used to make an excellent risotto, especially if some chop...

This dessert is not only delicious and seasonal, it's also just that bit out of the ordinary (well, actually, it seems downright odd when you look at the list of ingredients) . The finished torta is thin, very moist, fairly delicate, not too sweet and tastes properly grown up.  There are a number of different variations on this torta but this version is essentially a Sophie Grigson recipe from the late 1980’s. I’m assuming that you know relatively restrained people, in which case this will serve around 8 of them. 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced 175 g pumpkin (weigh chunks of the flesh with no seeds or skin) 80 g caster sugar 2 tbsp milk 60 g plain chocolate, roughly chopped 60 g amaretti biscuits (not the soft ones), crushed into small pieces but not to a powder 60 g semi-dried figs, finely chopped 30 g sultanas ½ tbsp cocoa powder Finely grated zest of 1 lemon ½ tsp vanilla extract or paste 2 tbsp brandy 2 eggs, lightly beaten Grease ...

I must start by apologising for the paucity of posts lately. I've no really good excuse, but I've been struggling to find the time to cook anything new. Anyway, there are some dishes that I just never get around to adding to this blog, despite making them frequently. In this case I think it’s because I hardly think of it as a recipe at all – just some things thrown together. But this is my ultimate comfort food and whenever I feel like an unexpected item in the bagging area of life, then this is the dish I reach for - even if it is slightly odd. According to my notebook I first made this a little over 2½ years ago, which was not long after I read the first Ottolenghi cookbook. It’s not an Ottolenghi dish – he wouldn’t sink so low – but it owes a lot to the combinations of flavours in that book. It’s not a pretty dish either, but it is very tasty and flexible. This recipe will serve to comfort 2 hungry people. ½ butternut squash or a whole small squash, peeled , deseeded a...

This makes around 7 or 8 portions, depending on the size of the veg you use. 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks 1 onion, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or crushed if you can’t be bothered) 2 litres chicken or vegetable stock (or a combination of both) 3 small or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 2 medium-sized Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks A few small leaves of sage, chopped ¼ tsp 5 spice powder Generous pinch or two chilli flakes Generous squeeze or two of lemon In an oven tray coat the butternut squash pieces lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the squash until it’s fairly soft but not too charred at the edges – around 30 minutes at 180°C should be about right. In a large frying pan soften the onion with a small amount of oil, adding water to keep it from burning (and to keep the fat down). Add the garlic and soften briefly. Pour in 1½ litres of the stock, add th...