A Cornish recipe for autumn

A seasonal recipe from Jude Kereama to help warm the cockles as the temperatures begin to drop and the evenings draw in.

In this month’s issue of Cornwall Living explored various ways to winter wellbeing here in the Duchy, and in line with that, Jude Kereama – chef, restaurateur and four-time contestant on the BBC’s Great British Menu – gave us an insight into his own approach to feeling great as the evenings draw in. And while much of his methodology to wellbeing at this time of year is geared around staying energised with regular exercise and a healthy diet, he also admitted that are some creature comforts that even he turns to when the temperatures drop.

Below, you’ll find a recipe for one of Jude’s favourite winter treats: Winter Minestrone with Kale Pesto. “I love to make this after a Sunday roast chicken,” says Jude. “All the chicken bones go into a slow cooker overnight with all the herbs and juices left over from cooking, to make a delicious homemade chicken stock. Any leftover vegetables can be diced and added to the soup to reheat at the end, and I always make extra. The best bit, is that it gets tastier with time!”

WINTER MINESTRONE WITH KALE PESTO

Ingredients

For the Minestrone

Cold pressed Rapeseed oil
3 rashers streaky bacon diced
1 medium white onion diced
2 diced carrots
3 sticks diced celery
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1.2 litres homemade chicken stock
400gms tinned whole peeled plum tomatoes
400gms tinned cannellini beans
1 diced potato
100gms diced butternut squash
1 large handful shredded cabbage/kale/Swiss chard
Parmesan cheese grated
100gms pasta ( it could be macaroni, broken up spaghetti, penne chopped smaller, wholemeal or whatever you have in the cupboard).  Cook in salted water and reserve for later.
Salt and pepper

For the Kale Pesto

85gms shredded kale without stems
35gms picked flat leaf parsley
3/4 cup of Cold pressed rapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup toasted nuts (hazels, pinenuts, almonds, cashews, again whatever you have in your cupboard)
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
35gms grated Parmesan

Method

To make the Minestrone

 In a heavy pot add a splash of Rapeseed oil and add bacon. Cook out for a few minutes and then add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and cook until softened.  Add all herbs, chicken stock, and hand crushed whole peeled tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and take a cup of the cannellini beans and a cup of the soup liquid and blend till smooth and mix back into the minestrone.  Add the butternut squash and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the cannellini beans and cook until the potatoes are tender. Season the soup well.   Add the shredded greens and cooked pasta and heat through to finish.  Add any leftover diced vegetables from your roast the night before.

To make the Kale Pesto

Add kale, parsley, rapeseed oil and garlic into a food processor and blend till smooth.  Add nuts and pulse.  Stir in lemon juice, seasoning and parmesan.  Keep in a jar in the fridge.

To serve

Spoon the minestrone into bowls and top with the pesto.  Serve with crusty bread