Today’s recipes should warm you up when the weather takes a turn for the worse. I am a great lover of soups and these are two good ones. Each will make a great lunch and I’ve noticed people are getting back into the habit of bringing a good lunch to work. Pumpkins are now in season and with this recipe, the flesh is all carved out and nothing goes to waste. Plus, it will last for a week in your fridge. Pumpkin and beans make a surprisingly good partnership, but the haricot beans do take time to cook, so you can use canned ones if you want to speed up the process.
Borscht is a very popular soup in most parts of Eastern Europe and it was Polish twins, Peter and Paul, who were working in my kitchen, that first introduced me to it. I am always surprised that some people don’t like beetroot. This is a very healthy soup and it has a nice sweet and sour taste to it. When choosing beetroot, look for plump, firm roots and avoid any that is showing signs of decay. I always grate it in a food processor to stop my hands from staining, but you can also wear rubber gloves.
Happy cooking
Beetroot borscht
Serves four to six
1 tbsp of Donegal Rapeseed oil
1 leek, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
275g (10oz) of beetroot, peeled and grated
100g (4oz) of potatoes, diced
150g (5oz) of carrots, finely grated
1.2 litres (2 pints) of beef/vegetable stock
2 tsp of red wine vinegar
1 tsp of sugar
3 tbsp of sour cream
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Dill sprigs, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the leek and celery for about two to three minutes until softened, but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Add the beetroot, potato and carrots, stirring to combine.
Pour the stock into the pan, season and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender and the soup has thickened slightly, stirring occasionally.
Season the soup to taste, then stir in the vinegar and sugar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Ladle the soup into warmed serving bowls and add a small dollop of sour cream, then garnish with the dill sprigs and serve.Pumpkin and haricot bean
Serves 10 to 12
275g (10oz) of dried white beans, soaked
2 tbsp of finely-chopped fresh sage
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2kg (4 1/2lb) of pumpkin or butternut squash
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2.75 litres of vegetable/chicken stock
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Pesto, to garnish
Rustic crusty bread, to serve
Drain the soaked beans and place in a pan with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and return to the pan, then cover with 5cm (2in) of fresh water. Add half of the sage, garlic, bay leaves and thyme, and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for one hour, or until the beans are tender, topping up with boiling water as necessary. Drain and rinse briefly, discarding the bay leaves and thyme.Preheat the oven to 230ºC (475F, gas mark nine). Cut the pumpkin/squash into wedges, not more than 7.5cm (3in) thick, and scoop out the seeds. Brush all over using one tablespoon of the oil and place them in a large roasting tin. Season generously and roast on a high shelf in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until softened and caramelised, turning once.Heat the remaining two tablespoons of the oil in a large pan. Add the remaining sage and garlic, the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 10-15 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then season and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are completely tender and softened.Leave the pumpkin to cool, then scoop the flesh away from the skin – you should have about 1kg/2 lb in total. Add to the pan and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and has started to collapse. Purée the soup, then add the beans, season and reheat gently.To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each serving with a teaspoonful of pesto. Serve hot with some bread.
Today’s recipes should warm you up when the weather takes a turn for the worse. I am a great lover of soups and these are two good ones. Each will make a great lunch and I’ve noticed people are getting back into the habit of bringing a good lunch to work. Pumpkins are now in season and with this recipe, the flesh is all carved out and nothing goes to waste. Plus, it will last for a week in your fridge. Pumpkin and beans make a surprisingly good partnership, but the haricot beans do take time to cook, so you can use canned ones if you want to speed up the process.
Borscht is a very popular soup in most parts of Eastern Europe and it was Polish twins, Peter and Paul, who were working in my kitchen, that first introduced me to it. I am always surprised that some people don’t like beetroot. This is a very healthy soup and it has a nice sweet and sour taste to it. When choosing beetroot, look for plump, firm roots and avoid any that is showing signs of decay. I always grate it in a food processor to stop my hands from staining, but you can also wear rubber gloves.
Happy cooking
Beetroot borscht
Serves four to six
1 tbsp of Donegal Rapeseed oil
1 leek, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
275g (10oz) of beetroot, peeled and grated
100g (4oz) of potatoes, diced
150g (5oz) of carrots, finely grated
1.2 litres (2 pints) of beef/vegetable stock
2 tsp of red wine vinegar
1 tsp of sugar
3 tbsp of sour cream
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Dill sprigs, to garnish
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the leek and celery for about two to three minutes until softened, but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Add the beetroot, potato and carrots, stirring to combine.
Pour the stock into the pan, season and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are completely tender and the soup has thickened slightly, stirring occasionally.
Season the soup to taste, then stir in the vinegar and sugar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Ladle the soup into warmed serving bowls and add a small dollop of sour cream, then garnish with the dill sprigs and serve.Pumpkin and haricot bean
Serves 10 to 12
275g (10oz) of dried white beans, soaked
2 tbsp of finely-chopped fresh sage
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2kg (4 1/2lb) of pumpkin or butternut squash
3 tbsp of olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2.75 litres of vegetable/chicken stock
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Pesto, to garnish
Rustic crusty bread, to serve
Drain the soaked beans and place in a pan with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and return to the pan, then cover with 5cm (2in) of fresh water. Add half of the sage, garlic, bay leaves and thyme, and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for one hour, or until the beans are tender, topping up with boiling water as necessary. Drain and rinse briefly, discarding the bay leaves and thyme.Preheat the oven to 230ºC (475F, gas mark nine). Cut the pumpkin/squash into wedges, not more than 7.5cm (3in) thick, and scoop out the seeds. Brush all over using one tablespoon of the oil and place them in a large roasting tin. Season generously and roast on a high shelf in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until softened and caramelised, turning once.Heat the remaining two tablespoons of the oil in a large pan. Add the remaining sage and garlic, the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 10-15 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then season and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are completely tender and softened.Leave the pumpkin to cool, then scoop the flesh away from the skin – you should have about 1kg/2 lb in total. Add to the pan and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and has started to collapse. Purée the soup, then add the beans, season and reheat gently.To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each serving with a teaspoonful of pesto. Serve hot with some bread.
SHARING OPTIONS