The flavours of North Africa and, more specifically, Morocco are perennial favourites. There’s something about the juxtaposition of savoury and sweet, so endemic in that cuisine, that’s simply fascinating. It’s certainly a contrast that you’ll find, and hopefully enjoy, in this simple recipe for chicken and butternut squash tagine.
It is my firmly held belief that butternut squash is one of the most enjoyable ingredients available in the autumn – it is simply delightful. Its name seems almost too perfect; when cooked to perfection it has a buttery quality and a sweet, nutty flavour. Moreover, its colour is so vibrant and so quintessentially autumnal that it really couldn’t belong to any other season. Happily, beyond these qualities it also works very well in many of the different types of food eaten at this time of year – soups, casseroles and rustic bakes. I already have so many recipes that make use of this fruit; it’s almost embarrassing that I should upload another! For a few more ideas, please see these delightfully frugal posts: butternut squash and sage risotto and butternut squash and leek soup
Butternut squash is one of my favourite fruits and in many respects an exceedingly suitable ingredient for a risotto. If applied correctly, squash can convey impressive flavour, smooth texture and vibrant colour. The best way to achieve this is to purée the fruit before stirring it in, thus conveying every one of its favourable traits. Believe me, this silky, luxurious risotto is destined to impress.
Before we get onto the soup may I ask you, my beloved readers, whether your blog has also become akin to a full time job? I seem to find myself spending hours making sure every post is as good as it can be, commenting on other blogs, replying to comments on my blog – it really can take it out of you. Having said that, I’m still very much enjoying my blogging experience and shan’t be going anywhere for what I hope is a considerable period of time. However, I may no longer have the time to reply to every single comment simply because I’m now getting so many of the damn things I can’t keep up. Actually, I say “the damn things” but actually I love each and every one as it means you’ve actually taken an interest.
My real love for food lies in those dishes pervaded by a sense of warmth and richness, qualities which are epitomised by autumnal cuisine. The idea behind this dish came from a GoodFood recipe entitled Indian Winter Soup. However, it was used more as a guide for what one should do with pearl barley, something I had never cooked before, rather than as a set of defined directions. This meal was simply delicious, so warming and nutritious – this soup really does perfectly encapsulate what autumn, my favourite season, means for my kitchen.