Spiced roasted vegetable and lentil soup

I started making soup the other day by roasting some vegetables and then sat down to have a flick through this months Delicious. Two minutes later I was up and tweaking my soup with something inspired by the flavours of James Walt's Butternut pumpkin soup with spiced creme fraiche. Apparently his restaurant Araxi is one of the best in Canada (it says it in the article so it must be true). Anyway his soup is on the cover of this months magazine and mine looks....a bit special (mainly due to blurry photos). I know there is some sort of bloggy rule about not including blur, but I have decided to whack it up anyway as it just tastes so damn good!

The original recipe looks great and easy to follow...but as per usual I didn't have most of the ingredients so this is what you get instead.

Spiced roast vegetable and lentil soup

Roast vegetables (use whatever variations you have)
3 Carrots
1/3 Kent pumpkin
2-3 Sweet Potatoes
1 Red Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Garam Marsala
1/4 - 1/2 tsp Cumin
3/4 Cup Red lentils
4 cups of stock (add more water if needed)

Use about this many vegies!

Chop vegies and roast in a large roasting pan with a glug of olive oil, cumin and garam marsala. Roast in a moderate oven until cooked (you know what I mean, brown and smooshy) about 45 mins.

When cooked transfer to a stock pot with stock and lentils. Cook on a medium heat until lentils are cooked through (about 45 mins). Wizz! (With a stick blender or transfer to normal blender). Add a little hot water if too hot. 

Serve with Yogurt / Sour Cream and Crusty bread. 

Super blurry photo due to haste at eating while hot!

Walt's recipe was served with a spiced creme fraiche, which I never buy unless its on special. What I had in the fridge was home made yoghurt and some low fat sour cream. So this is what you get.

Spiced Sour Cream and Yoghurt
2 Tbsp Sour Cream
2 Tbsp Yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice

Mix together and put in fridge for an hour.

I used the leftovers of this the next day on a jacket potato wit lashings of cheese, yum!

Love Pie

Since its well and truly on the way to winter I'm finding more and more meals I am cooking are of the comfort variety. I love pie, its easy, and sooo comforting!

This recipe owes a lot to Veggie num num. I didn't have all the ingredients so came up with this instead.
Despite being vego it has to be the meatiest pie I have made. Mr CC kept stoking on the gravy and polished it off in about two minutes flat.

And yes, this is made in a love heart cake tin.......my pie dish broke a while back and I have been too lazy to replace it.
Enjoy!

Mushroom and Lentil Pie
Pastry (enough for pie and top).
Surprise surprise I used Belinda Jeffery's Shortcrust recipe. The pastry from veggie num num above looks pretty good, or use your own (or just buy some).

For the filling
500g  mushrooms, diced. (I used flat)
1 leek
1 clove garlic
Splash red wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1Tbsp flour
1 can brown lentils
sage
rosemary
1 dollop sour cream

Brown leek in a sauté pan in some olive oil on a medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until mushrooms start to brown. Add lentils. Add a generous splash of red wine (and some for yourself!). Mix the stock and flour together and add to pan. Add herbs to taste and put on a low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until gravy has started to reduce. Stir sour cream through just before spooning into pie.

Line pie dish with pastry, add mushroom mixture, put on a pastry lid and brush with milk and bung it in the oven on about 180c for about 30 minutes.


While at the farmers market I managed to score a bunch of heirloom carrots! They are so pretty, I wanted to stick them in a vase. I also managed to get the last bunch of baby asparagus. I usually use foil in the recipe below, but didn't have any, hence I get to go all masterchef wanky and call in something that sounds remotely french and fancy. I also served it with some potatoes in olive oil and rosemary (hmmm, what fancy words can I call that?)

Honey Carrots and Baby Asparagus in papier. 
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of baby asparagus
T butter
T honey
sprinkle thyme

Wrap all ingredients in foil or baking paper.

Wack in the oven for about 45 minutes on 180c.

OK. Not the prettiest pictures ever...but hey, I have 2 kids under 3 and I'd rather dinner was hot. 

What comfort foods do you crave?