Halloween is just around the corner and I’ve got some recipes to get you in the mood for “fright night”!
Soup is my go-to dish now the weather is turning colder and this recipe is a lovely blend of sweet carrot, with the gentle heat of ginger and it is perfect after a night of “trick or treating”.
Kitchens across the north-east will be filled with pumpkins and I’ve got some great ideas for using the flesh and the seeds for a tasty autumnal dish.
I got my pumpkins from Udny Pumpkins, which is just a few miles from my restaurant, so you can’t get fresher or more local than that.
Lovingly planted by Jenny Fyall and her family, her culinary pumpkins are organically grown and fertilised using just compost and nettle fertiliser, which is made especially on their farm.
They come in all shapes, sizes and colours and each has their own unique taste and flavour.
Another Aberdeenshire producer, the Piggery-Smokery #epicbacon is also a must try.
The award-winning Dark Dubhloch™ Back Bacon has a dark liquorice, treacle flavour which goes perfectly with the creamy Blue Murder cheese.
Carrot and coconut soup spooked with ginger
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1kg carrots, diced
- 350g onion, diced
- 50g ginger, diced
- 400ml coconut milk
- 500g potatoes
- 2tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 3g turmeric
- 15g sea salt
- 1 tbsp heather honey
- 2g cracked black pepper
Method
- Peel and dice the onion, carrots, ginger, potato and garlic.
- Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onion and ginger for two minutes to release the flavours.
- Add in the garlic then turmeric and stir.
- Finally put in the potato and carrots.
- Pour in the tin of coconut milk, then refill the can with water twice and add to the pan.
- Season with sea salt, cracked black pepper and add in the honey then leave to simmer for around 25 minutes.
Chefs Tip: Use the peelings from the carrots and place in a deep fat fryer or in the oven to make crunchy carrot crisps to top your soup.
Udny pumpkin and spelt pancakes, with Piggery Smokery Dark Dubhloch Bacon and Blue Murder cheese
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 500g pumpkin
- 100g spelt
- 20g wheatgerm
- 50g oats
- 200g Blue Murder cheese
- 300ml milk
- 2 eggs
- Pinch salt
- Splash rapeseed oil
- 5-6 rashers Piggery Smokery Dark Dubhloch™ bacon
- 40g pumpkin seeds
Method
- Cut the pumpkin up into chunks, drizzle with oil and roast in oven for 30-40 minutes at 200C Fan/220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
- Remove the pumpkin from the oven and scoop out the flesh. Set aside and keep warm.
- In a bowl put the milk, two eggs and add the oats, wheat germ and spelt.
- Whisk to form a pancake batter. Once combined, add a pinch of salt and whisk again.
- Meanwhile, preheat a non-stick frying pan, add a splash of rapeseed oil, swirl it round so it coats the pan and remove any excess oil.
- Using a small ladle, spoon the pancake mixture into the centre of the pan, swirling the pan so mixture covers the base.
- Keep the pan on the heat and allow to cook, turn over and cook. Once the pancake is cooked, remove from the pan and place to one side.
- In a clean pan, crisp the Piggery Smokery bacon rashers.
- Taking your serving plate, place your large pancake in the middle, crumble the cheese on to it.
- Then add the pieces of pumpkin, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and top with the bacon rashers.