We're now into November and the weather is becoming progressively autumnal. At this time of year I love to cook foods that use seasonal ingredients and reflect the colours of nature, especially the golden shades of falling leaves, but I also instinctively crave dishes that provide warmth and comfort. I think my Golden Autumn Soup fits the bill beautifully.
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 medium size sweet potato, diced
1 medium potato, diced
Half a medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
About three good handfuls of soup mix (the ones that contain lentils, barley, beans and split peas)
1 tablespoon of tomato purée
1 litre of vegetable stock
Seasoning to taste
Method1) Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil (or butter if you prefer) in a large saucepan. Lightly fry the onion and celery in a little oil until soft.
2) Add the other vegetables, toss with the onion and celery and leave to sweat over a low heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and pulses and mix in well with the vegetables, then add the tomato purée and make sure everything is well coated.
3) Finally add the vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer), bring to the boil, season to taste, cover the pan and leave to simmer for about an hour until all the ingredients are cooked quite softly.
Feel free to play around with the quantities and add any other vegetables or herbs that take your fancy or that you have to hand. The important thing is that the soup is a rich shade of gold and makes you feel warm on the inside.
Golden Autumn Soup
