Pea Pod or Mange Tout Soup

I used pea pods that didn't have much in the way of peas inside, they are a bit tougher than specially grown mange tout but it still works if you simmer it for about 10 minutes longer. It is a cheap and delicious soup, one even for people who wouldn't normally eat peas.

Serves 4
2 tbsp vegetable oil or about 15g butter
1 medium or 2 small onions, chopped finely
2 medium or 3 small potatoes,washed and diced without peeling
About 250g pea pods or mange tout, trimmed and sliced, easiest to do this with sharp scissors
1 tsp dried parsley
Good shake of white pepper
900ml vegetable or chicken stock
Salt to taste
100ml single cream or milk, optional, just add another 100ml of stock

Heat the oil or butter in a large saucepan and sweat the onion for a few minutes then add the potato, mange tout, parsley and pepper. Do this over a low light.
Stir as they sweat and leave for about 5- 10 minutes.
Pour in the stock and season with salt to taste.
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20- 30 minutes.
A few minutes before the end of cooking time add the cream or milk if using. Stir well.
Cool for 30 minutes then blend until smooth. Reheat as necessary and serve.
Crusty bread, oat cakes, or cheese scones go really well with this tasty soup.

Autumn Chutney

Autumn Chutney
This is the time of year when I make lots of different chutneys. I prefer to make a few jars of lots of varieties, or different combinations of fruits and vegetables rather than a huge batch of the same one. A big tip is to a make a small amount of a new flavour to make sure you like it.
Here are a few of our favourites. If you make them now the flavours will have matured to perfection in time for Christmas.
I use fresh ginger in my chutney, usually as the flavour is fresher and fruitier, but ground ginger is fine.

Apple Chutney
I tend to use soft brown sugar in all my chutney for a rich caramel flavour,  but golden or white gives a good flavour too. Use a combination of any apples you have for this recipe.

Makes about 7x 500g jars

3.5kg apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small dice and drizzled with the juice of 1 lemon
2 small onions, finely chopped
500g sultanas
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
500ml malt vinegar
500ml cider vinegar or all malt vinegar
1.2kg sugar
1 rounded tsp ground ginger or 2cm piece of fresh chopped finely
2 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
2 rounded tsp salt

Place all the ingredients in a large pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Raise the heat and bring to the boil.
Then reduce the heat so the mixture is simmering and continue to simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
When the mixture is thick and glossy ladle inti sterile jars and seal immediately.
Label the jars when cool.
Leave for at least four weeks to mature.

Green Tomato Chutney
 Our red tomatoes are very precious to us as we eat so many, but at the end of the season this is a brilliant way of using up your tomatoes that are still green or pale orange.

Makes about 3x 500g jars

2kg tomatoes, chopped finely
3 onions, chopped finely
450g cooking apples, cored and diced, peel if you wish
200g raisins
600g soft brown sugar
600ml white vinegar or half malt and half white
1 tsp mixed spice
2cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped or 1 tsp ground ginger
2 level tsp salt
Put all the ingredients in a large pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 and half hours. Stir occasionally.
The chutney should be thick and smooth.
Ladle into sterile jars and label when cool.
To vary:
Spice it up by adding 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 level tsp chilli flakes or a small chopped red chilli and 1 teaspoon medium curry powder.

Allow the chutney to mature for about 4 weeks.

Plum Chutney
I love plums jam, wine or eaten as a fruit, but this is heavenly on a Brie sandwich.  Don't be tempted to peel the fruit as the peel enhances the flavour.

Makes about 4x 500g jars

1.5 kg plums, de-stoned and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
200g raisins
200g dried prunes, chopped
300ml malt vinegar
300g soft brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 level tsp mustard seeds
1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon

Put all the ingredients together in a large pan and heat to boiling.
Turn the heat down so the mixture simmers.
Allow it to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
The mixture will have come thick and glossy.
Ladle into jars and label when cool.
Leave to mature for about 2 weeks.

Vegetable and Lentil Lasagne

Vegetable and Lentil Lasagne
We are not vegetarians, but enjoy eating tasty vegetable dishes and this really fits the bill. If you wish to make it for vegetarians make sure the cheese is suitable, that is, made with vegetarian rennet.

Serves 4- 5

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
 2 medium carrots, diced
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 medium courgette, chopped
100g mushroom, sliced thinly or chopped if very big
200g red lentils
400g can chopped tomatoes
500ml carton passata
150ml dry white wine or water
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
Black pepper and salt to taste
2 tsp brown sugar or honey

Lasagne sheets, I tend to use about three layers of six sheets for this recipe but use less or more as your dish permits.

For the white sauce:
600ml milk
60g butter
60g plain flour
1/2 tsp mustard powder
Pinch salt
Black pepper to taste
50g cheddar and 30g Gran  cheese grated and combined together

100g cheddar and 30g Gran Padano cheese grated, for the top

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion, garlic, celery and carrot together for a few minutes on a medium heat.
Add the pepper,  courgette and mushrooms and cook together for 3-4 minutes
Stir in the lentils.
Stir in the tomatoes, passata and wine or water.
Add herbs, sugar and seasoning and stir well.
Simmer for about 30 minutes.
Make the white sauce, put the milk in a pan over a low heat.
Mix the butter and mustard powder into the flour in a small bowl.
Raise the heat under the milk and add the butter and flour mixture. Whisk gently as the sauce comes to the boil. Simmer for another minute or so to cook out the flour.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses and season to taste. It always better to season after adding the cheese as it so salty. Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas mark 4.
Put a couple of ladles of the vegetable  sauce in a large deep ovenproof dish and swirl it over the base of the dish. Add a spoonful of the white sauce also.
Place a layer of lasagne sheets over the sauce and continue layering until you have used all the vegetable mixture.
Finish with a layer of lasagne and pour the rest of the white sauce over the top
Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 40- 50 minutes in the oven.

We tend to serve this with a crisp green salad with lots of chopped red onion.
If you wish to make the lasagne feed six people serve with a few slices of garlic bread also.