Winter night supper sorted.

We’ve put together some of our best winter recipes into a winter night supper faves blog post so you have all you need in one spot. From an easy soup as a starter, through to a seasonal lip-smacking good chicken and cider main, followed up with an apple and vanilla tart to set you up for the fireworks bonanza ahead.

Carrot & ginger soup starter.

You will need…

1 kg carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1-litre vegetable stock

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cm fresh ginger grated

2 tsp ground cumin

400ml reduced fat coconut milk

Salt and pepper

Handful vegetable crisps

Toasted sourdough

Serves 6

Here’s what to do…

1. Place the carrots and vegetable stock in a saucepan and heat for about 20 minutes until carrots are tender.
2. Meanwhile heat the oil and gently cook the chopped onion, garlic and ginger until soft. Stir in the cumin, season and add to the carrots that are cooking.
3. When cooked, stir in the coconut milk.
4. Liquidise the mixture until blended, but still leaving a texture and season.
5. Serve in bowls/mugs, topped with vegetable crisp, and toasted sourdough.

Chicken with apples & cider main course.

You will need…

500ml bottle apple cider

8 skinless and chicken thigh fillets

2 tsp ground Allspice

50g butter

3 small Cox apples, cored and cut into wedges

150g Shiitake mushrooms, washed and sliced

100g white mushrooms washed and sliced

4 tbsp double cream

Salt and pepper

1 handful baby spinach leaves

Serves 4

Here’s what to do…

1. Pour the cider in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer until reduced by half
2. Roll the chicken thighs in the allspice and a scattering of salt
3. Melt half the butter in a large deep sided frying pan and fry the apple wedges and mushrooms until soft and golden. Remove from pan, drain and keep warm on a plate.
4. Melt the remaining butter and fry the chicken pieces until lightly browned. Stir in the reduced cider and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently covered for 20 to 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
5. Return the apples and mushrooms to the pan, add the cream and season.
6. When ready to serve add the spinach and stir until wilted.

Apple & Vanilla tart pudding.

You will need…

320g pack of ready rolled all butter puff pastry
5 large eating apples – Cox, Braeburn, or Russets
2 Lemons
25g Butter cut into small pieces
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 tbs Caster sugar
3 rounded tbs Apricot preserve

Serves 6-8

Here’s what to do…

1. Unroll the pastry onto baking paper and place on a baking tray.
2. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, place in a bowl and mix in the juice of 2 lemons and the vanilla essence.
(lemon juice prevents the apples from discolouring).
3. Spread the apple slices over the pastry in a random manner, leaving a small margin around the edge.
4. Pinch the pastry around all edges to form a frame.
5. Place the cubed butter on top of the apple slices, and sprinkle with caster sugar.
6. Bake in oven at 180C for 20-25 minutes.
7. When cooked heat the apricot jam with 2 tbs water and brush over the top of the apples and pastry to create a glaze.
8. Best served off the baking paper straight from the oven.

For more easy to prep recipes check our Food category on the blog above.

Happy Bonfire Weekend!