LAWRENCE MURPHY: Autumn's bounty begins squashing into the kitchen
Outside it’s pouring and I’m reminded that someone has already told me that we are officially in autumn.
It will soon be game season, which is such a fantastic time of year in any kitchen, and the foragers will be bringing in their mushrooms and berries to accompany the game.
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Hide AdThe first butternut squash were delivered to me in the middle of last week, grown on Owen’s allotment along with sweetcorn and runner beans.
The squash were not huge, but they had few seeds and were as sweet as you could imagine. The perfect ingredient for a bowl of soup when the rain is smashing against the windows and your wife wants to know what’s for lunch.
Normally I cook the squash using butter and cream to make a silky smooth soup, but for this recipe I’ve added spice and used coconut milk for an entirely different flavour. The quantities will make you two large bowls if you’re hungry or four smaller ones to be eaten as a starter.
Spiced butternut squash and coriander soup
Ingredients
400g butternut squash flesh cubed
1 onion chopped
1 stick celery chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Teaspoon coriander seed
Teaspoon cumin seed
1 bird’s eye chilli
Small knob ginger peeled and chopped
250ml vegetable stock
400ml coconut milk
Small bunch coriander leaf picked
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Method
1.Heat a large pan over a medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil.
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Hide Ad2. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and celery and cook for three minutes.
3. Stir in the seeds and chilli.
4. Now add the squash and cook for another three minutes.
5. Pour over the stock and coconut milk and bring up to simmer for 12 minutes.
6. Make sure the squash is soft before liquidising.
7. Taste and season.
8. Pour into bowls and top with the coriander leaf.
Lawrence’s restaurant is Fat Olives at Emsworth (fatolives.co.uk). 01243 377914.