The last fleeting days of summer are sadly on their way out, and it’s becoming quite difficult to ignore the steady advance of russet leaves and discarded conker shells as they make a bid to take over the pavements.
There’s also the subtle introduction of mince pies and toffee apples onto the supermarket shelves, hinting at Halloween, and of course Christmas. If you find the onset of winter depressing, then you can at least feel somewhat heartened by the prospect of a whole new seasonal menu.
Cold weather calls for warm dinners and hearty comfort food – shepherd’s pie, roast potatoes, lashings of gravy and of course: soup. If the word ‘soup’ conjures up associations of weak, thin broth (or consuming an entire loaf of bread on the side to fill up) then it may be time to investigate some delicious new soup recipes.
Soup is an excellent way to use up any spare vegetables you may have loitering around the fridge – if you prefer a smoother soup, why not blitz them in the food processor and add them to the pot?
The idea that soup recipes will leave you feeling hungry half an hour after consumption is something of a misconception. To bulk up a light soup, try adding vermicelli noodles to the mix, or even some thin sausage-style dumplings.
Embrace the colder weather with warming meals – for inspiration; take a look at soup recipes from Waitrose. A pea and mint soup garnished with a dollop of fresh cream is the ideal way to banish those autumn chills.
