This seasonal vegetable broth will really warm the cockles

THE Halloween season brought with it lots of varieties of the squash family. From the familiar orange pumpkins carved for the night itself, to smaller squash like Crown Prince and Acorn.

Some of the lesser known varieties look amazing piled in a big basket for storage, bringing their colour to the kitchen for a few weeks yet.

One of my favourite squashes is the elongated Butternut. I love the buttery, nutty flavour from which it takes its name, and the smooth texture of the flesh of this member of the Cucurbita family.

The versatile Butternut lends itself to soups, stews, curries, not to mention this gorgeous veggie packed broth to warm the cockles as the temperature drops.

Loaded with the caramelized tastes of the butternut, this broth also has a vegetal slant from the yellow pepper and green beans, plus extra rounded nutty tastes in white cannellini beans and a little spice from dried chilli flakes too.

When it comes to flavur, it’s all happening in a bowlful of this broth.

There’s also lots going on in goodness terms, as the veggies bring lots of vitamins and the cannellini add plant based protein.

All in all, it makes a filling and tasty lunch, served with crusty bread.

If you’re making lunch a thing this weekend, why not follow it with dessert?

Summer’s Eton Mess is a famous creation of seasonal strawberries, cream and crushed meringue. I’ve created a winter version called Hot Mess, with the berries poached in a spicy syrup, then stirred into a cream and crushed meringue mix while still warm.

A light pud for lunch time serving in the winter season.

Butternut and Bean Broth

Ingredients (serves 4) 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1 small squash, peeled, deseeded and in chunks 2 yellow peppers, seeded and chopped 100g green beans, stalks removed and roughly chopped 500mls vegetable or chicken stock 75mls tomato passata 2 x 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ½ tsp dried mixed herbs Good pinch dried red chilli flakes (optional) Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp fresh curly parsley, roughly chopped Method Heat oil in a pan and add onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes over low heat till softened but not browned.

Add squash, pepper and green beans and turn up the heat to medium. Cook, stirring for a couple more minutes.

Pour over stock and add tomato passata and cannellini beans. Stir in herbs and chilli flakes if using.

Bring to bubbling then lower heat and simmer, covered, till veggies are tender.

Season and add parsley.

Serve with crusty bread.

Hot Mess

Ingredients (serves 4) 300g frozen mixed berries, defrosted 1 tsp brown sugar or to taste 1 tsp ground ginger Half a cinnamon stick Squeeze of lemon juice 300mls cream 4 meringue nests, broken Method Place berries in a pan with sugar, a splash of water, ground ginger, cinnamon and lemon juice. Gently heat to bubbling. Remove from heat and reserve, keeping warm.

Whip cream thick.

Strain the berries and keep the juice. Pick out the cinnamon stick. Reserve a few berries and a little juice for topping. Stir the remaining warm berries and broken meringues into the cream making a rough mixture.

Spoon into serving glasses and top each with reserved berries and a little juice

Wine match

THERE are some buttery, nutty flavours here from the squash and cannellini beans and vegetal notes from the peppers and beans, plus the spice of chilli and sweetness of tomato passata. Quite a mix for a wine to deal with.

So we are going to have to go for a big wine with its own personality. And where better to look than Australia, for its famous Shiraz? Lidl’s Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021 is full of fruity character and ripe flavours but also has the familiar spiciness of this well known grape.

Lots of plum and blackberry tastes in the mouth, finished with the warmth of black pepper and a hint of herbacousness as well. Great for this broth and also for vegetable based curry dishes.

Just €8.99 a bottle, find it in Lidl stores now, part of the wine selection for the coming festive season.

RECEIPT

MAIN DISH

Butternut squash 99c

Yellow peppers x 2 €1.98

Green beans 200g €1.20

Organic Cannellini beans 400g can x 2 €2.58

Dried Mixed herbs x 12g jar 35c

Fresh parsley pack €1.20

Total: €8.30

DESSERT

Frozen Mixed berries 340g €1.15

Meringue nests x 8 €2

Cream 500mls €1.99

Ground ginger 28g jar 73c

Cinnomon stick 13g jar €2.50 (special offer)

Total: €8.37

GRAND TOTAL: €16.67