Autumn Essentials - Becketts Farm | Our Favourite Recipes

Looking for culinary inspiration?

We’ve rounded up our favourite ingredients from around the Farm Shop to help you cook up exciting Autumnal meals.

Leek, Bacon and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

25g British butter

3 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

400g leeks, washed and sliced

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1.4l hot vegetable stock

142ml pot single cream

Method:

Melt the butter in a large pan, then fry the bacon and onion, stirring until they start to turn golden. Tip in the leeks and potatoes, stir well, then cover and turn down the heat. Cook gently for 5 mins, shaking the pan every now and then to make sure that the mixture doesn’t catch.

2. Pour in the stock, season well and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the vegetables are soft. Leave to cool for a few mins, then blend in a food processor in batches until smooth. Return to the pan, pour in the cream and stir well. Taste and season if necessary.

Top Tip: if you are using bread bowls, be sure the cut the lid off and keep whole. Empty out the bread, leaving enough round the edges to prevent it from leaking. The lid can be used to dip in once served.

Chilli Con Carne

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

1 red pepper, sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp oil

1 heaped tsp hot chilli powder (or 1 level tbsp if you only have mild)

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

500g lean minced beef

1 beef stock cube

400g can chopped tomatoes

½ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp tomato purée

410g can red kidney beans

Method:

Put your pan on the hob over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and the onion, stirring fairly frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft and slightly translucent.

2. Tip in the garlic, red pepper, hot or mild chilli powder, paprika and ground cumin. Give it a good stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Turning the heat up a little, brown the beef, breaking it up with two wooden spoons as it cooks. Keep stirring until all the mince is cooked all the way through.

4. Crumble the stock cube into 300ml hot water. Pour this into the pan with the mince mixture. Add a 400g can of chopped tomatoes. Tip in the oregano, sugar and add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Add the tomato purée and stir the sauce well.

5. Bring the your chilli to the boil, give it a good stir and then cover. Turn down the heat until it is gently simmering and leave for 20 minutes. Check on the pan occasionally to stir it and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan and that the liquid isn’t drying out. If it is, add a couple of tablespoons of water and lower the heat. After simmering gently, the sauce should look thick.

6. Drain and rinse a 410g can of red kidney beans in a sieve and stir them into the chilli. Bring to the boil again, and gently bubble without the lid for another 10 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too dry. Taste and season. Replace the lid, turn the down very low and leave your chilli for at least 10 minutes before serving. This is really important as it allows the flavours to mingle.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

750g/1lb 10oz pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks

350g sweet shortcrust pastry

plain flour, for dusting

140g caster sugar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp fresh nutmeg, grated

1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

25g butter, melted

175ml milk

1 tbsp icing sugar

Method:

Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 mins or until tender. Drain and leave to cool.

2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, then blind bake for 15 mins. Remove the beans and paper, and cook for a further 10 mins until the base is pale golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

3. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine. Pour into the tart shell and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set.

4. Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the icing sugar and dust over the pie. Serve chilled with a scoop of ice cream.