Warming recipes to cosy up with
Nothing beats curling up in front of the fire with a steaming bowl of soup or comforting casserole after a long winter walk. Here are two of my favourite recipes to warm the cockles:
Butternut squash and ginger soup
This recipe is particularly warming thanks to generous amounts of fresh ginger. You can vary the amount according to taste. If you’re not sure, go with less.
If you don’t fancy the hassle of chopping up and de-seeding fresh squash, then frozen, cubed squash works well, although the fresh version is definitely more flavoursome. Serve with a rustic loaf and plenty of butter.
Serves four
Ingredients
1kg peeled and chopped squash (fresh or frozen)
1 medium onion
2 teaspoons of honey
About 3cm of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped (vary to taste)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into batons
1 litre of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Method
Heat oven to 180C fan
Roast the onion, carrots and squash with olive oil for about 40 minutes
Drizzle the honey over the top of the squash immediately after taking it out of the oven
Heat a saucepan over a medium heat with oil and add the ginger for about a minute
Pour in the stock and bring to the boil
Stir in the roasted veg and season to taste
Blend and serve with a rustic loaf and plenty of butter
Sausage and chorizo casserole
This recipe is perfect for all the family and is a great one to share in big steaming bowls around the table with hunks of bread or creamy mash. The smoked paprika makes all the difference as do quality, British sausages.
Serves four
Ingredients
One pack of six plain British pork sausages
A chorizo ring
A tin of butter beans
Two tins of chopped tomatoes
One carton of passata
One medium onion
Three cloves of garlic
Three teaspoons of smoked paprika powder (or to taste)
Two teaspoons of dried, mixed herbs
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method
Place the sausages under a grill to cook, turning midway through
Meanwhile, heat a pan with olive oil over a medium heat and soften the onions
Chop and add the chorizo to the pan with the onions midway through cooking
Crush and add the garlic cloves and cook for one minute, stirring as you go
Add the tomatoes, herbs, paprika and salt and pepper
Slice the cooked sausages into bite sized chunks and add to the tomato mix with the butter beans
Simmer for 20 minutes and serve with mashed potato or crusty bread and butter.
