Autumn Cooking

 

Foraging for blackberries always signals the beginning of Autumn Cooking. Traditionally, this involves baking crumbles, making casseroles and lots of soup. 

I'd already ordered the vegetables that I use to make a smooth roasted-veg soup, based on a French Recipe.

When we first cruised the boat in France, the weather was distinctly unkind. As we travelled along the Northern Canals, heading south, it rained, snowed, galed and generally did not live up to the expectations of May weather in France. I discovered PurSoup in the supermarkets. A 1L box of wonderfully smooth vegetable soup. Up to that point, I always refused vegetable soup, never having tasted a good, home-made velouté. 

It's taken me years to find a combination of vegetables and processing that comes anywhere near that life-saving soup.

I like to use squash (gives a buttery flavour), parsnips (sweet and creamy) onions, leeks, sweet potato, and any green vegetable I have in the fridge, freezer, or larder (yesterday it was canned green beans).

I have tried many methods of preparing the soup. The following is the fastest and gives reliable results. Peel and chop the veg, drizzle with olive oil, and microwave on full power for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable stock in which to cook the 'roasted' veg. I use Knor Stock Pots, as they contain the least noxious additives. Add the stock to the bowl and cook for a further 20 minutes on full power.

Now it's time to blitz the veg. I used to use my Food Processor but discovered there was less washing-up and a smoother finish using a hand-held. 

It's best to leave the veg to cool before blitzing, but I was so hungry yesterday that I could't wait. I add freshly-ground black pepper at this stage as microwaving increases its effects.

The final stage is dividing the soup into portions. ready for storing in the fridge, or freezing for later use.

Two ladels is enough for a serving for one. 

A serving of hot soup with crusty bread makes a lovely lunch. For a more hearty meal, add cream or cheese to the soup before warming.

There is enough stored in the fridge for soup this weekend. The remainder is in the freezer; so handy when running out of steam and not wanting to cook from scratch on a chilly day.

As for the crumbles? I am waiting for some more  individual ramekin dishes to arrive before I can start baking.