Minestrone is all about the seasons. My initial intention had been to describe this as an “Autumn Minestrone” – unbeknownst to me, and somewhat embarrassingly, I’vealready written that recipe. So, what you have before you is to be referred to as a recipe for Kale and White Bean Minestrone. It is to be made between the months of September and November.
It’s difficult to judge the general impression people will have of a recipe with the words ‘lamb neck’ in the title. Neck. It shouldn’t sound appetising. But to me, it does. Brought up ontraditional Welsh cawl, lamb neck (or scrag end) evokes memories of simple, warming stew lovingly made by either one of my parents. This recipe for Braised Lamb Neck Ragu, though vastly different in flavour, retains that basic feeling. It’s a joy to consume.
If you like plumbs and want to cook with them, look no further than the humble greengage. Adorably small, attractively green and somewhere between bitter and sweet, greengages lend themselves well to a wide spectrum of sweet dishes, bakes and preserves; not least this simple, yet devastatingly delicious Greengage and Honey Compote.
Autumn tends to be characterised by a distinct group of ingredients and styles –pumpkin,apple,piesandone-pot meals– but that isn’t the whole story. A simple, frugal pasta dish can be comforting and delicious in equal measure.Arrabbiata, with its hints of chilli and garlic demonstrates this perfectly, especially with a few butterbeans thrown in for good measure. Of course, chicken is the most common pairing with this Italian favourite, but for me it can often be a less-than-inspiring ingredient.Butterbeans all’Arrabbiatamixes things up beautifully, bringing an already incredible sauce to life.
Though a lot of what I enjoy about food blogging lies in the creation and development of new recipes, it also pleases me greatly to write recipes for classic dishes and timeless combinations. This is where recipes like Pumpkin and Sage Soup come into play. Trust me, you’ll not be able to help but enjoy this autumnal favourite.