Recipes

Method

Halloween Pumpkin Soup

1. Cut the top off the pumpkin and set aside. Scoop out the seeds and fibres from the middle, and discard or set aside if you want to prepare the seeds. Using a sharp knife and a spoon, carefully hollow out the pumpkin removing the flesh, and roughly chop.
2. Leave 2cm of flesh all around the inside and try not to pierce the skin. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then cook the onions gently for 10 minutes until they are softened and golden-brown.
3. Add the pumpkin flesh, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with the lid and cook for 30–40 minutes until the pumpkin is golden and cooked through, stirring occasionally to prevent the base from burning. Pour the stock into the pan, bring to the boil then simmer for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Use a hand-blender to purée until smooth, or transfer the soup to a food processor and blend in batches, then return the soup to the pan.

To serve the soup inside the pumpkin:

1. If you want to serve the soup in the hollowed out pumpkin, preheat the oven to 170ºC/335ºF/Gas 3.
2. Pour the soup into the pumpkin shell, put the lid on top and place onto a large baking tray.
3. Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes, to bring the soup up to temperature.
4. Then carefully remove from the oven and serve the soup in the pumpkin at the table on a heat-proof mat.

Witches’ Broomsticks

1. Turn on the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/Gas 5**. Cut some baking paper to fit 2 baking trays. Cut the butter into small pieces.
2. Put the flour into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub in to the flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
3. Finely grate the cheese and add almost all of it to the bowl.
4. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and beat with a fork. Add almost all of the eggs to the flour mix. Combine with your hands into a big ball.
5. Divide the pastry into 4. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface and using a rolling pin, roll out one piece until it is about the thickness of a pound coin. Use a table knife to cut the pastry into thin strips and lift on to a baking tray. Repeat with the rest of the pastry.
6. Make the witches’ brooms ticks by sprinkling the cheese over the breadsticks and pressing in the Twiglets.
7. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden. Leave to cool.

Devilish Salsa

1. Chop and finely dice the chillies, red pepper, tomatoes and red onion. Roughly chop coriander and mix together with the rest of the ingredients.