As the days are getting cooler our minds are turning to comforting food

As the evenings draw our minds turn to comforting food that will warm the soul and the belly. The food at this time of year lends itself to this type of cooking. Deep root vegetables, dark leafy greens, earthy potatoes, squashes and wild mushrooms are all in full flight at the moment.

Beetroot in particular is right on point at the moment. Buy it from a farm shop dusted with muck and the leaves intact. The roots won’t be exactly the same size as their counterparts in the supermarket shelves but they will taste sweeter with an intense flavour. You can eat them raw in salad, peeled, grated and mixed with spices, fried onions and a sweet and sour dressing. For cooking them I prefer to wrap them in a foil parcel with sprigs of rosemary or thyme and bake them. Boiling beetroot used to be the preferred method of cooking but I find it seeps them of some of their flavour and colour.

Beetroot soup is delicious and healthy. When you’ve roasted them peel and chop then add to an aromatic mix of fried onion, ginger, chilli and garlic with potatoes, stock and coconut milk. When the potatoes are soft blend to a smooth puree and top with some toasted coconut with pumpkin seeds for a texture contrast. Hearty, warming and good for you – what more would you need on a crisp, autumnal day?

Meatloaf is one of those dishes I get an awful craving for, normally after I’ve seen it being eaten in an American movie. It’s essentially beef mince, pork sausage meat and flavourings bound together with crumbs and egg. Press it into a loaf tin and bake. Slice it and serve with an onion gravy and some creamy mashed potatoes. I add some Burren Balsamics roast onion vinegar to the gravy to add some zing – it’s a real taste game changer. This makes a generous meatloaf and if you happen to have any left over it also surprisingly makes a good sandwich. Place a slice between buttered bread or in a bap, with a good dollop of chutney or mustard for a heartwarming snack. Or dip it into the beetroot soup….