With October marking Black History Month, our Pick of the Month draws on Jamaican flavours, combining pumpkin, coconut, ginger, allspice, and fresh herbs for a warming, flavourful autumn soup.

Pick of the Month:

Jamaican-Inspired Pumpkin & Coconut Soup

Ingredients‍

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp thyme

½ tsp chilli flakes

800g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed

400ml coconut milk

500ml vegetable stock

Juice of ½ lime

Salt and black pepper

Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and gently cook the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, allspice, thyme and chilli flakes and cook for another minute. Stir in the pumpkin or butternut squash, then add the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the squash is completely tender. Blend until smooth, season to taste and finish with a squeeze of lime. Serve topped with fresh coriander.

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Roasted Beetroot & Goat’s Cheese Salad

Ingredients

500g cooked beetroot, cut into wedges

1 tbsp olive oil

100g rocket, baby spinach or mixed salad leaves

100g goat’s cheese, crumbled

50g walnuts, roughly chopped

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

For the dressing

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Place the beetroot on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15–20 minutes until warmed through and slightly caramelised around the edges. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey to make the dressing. Arrange the salad leaves on a serving plate, top with the warm beetroot, goat’s cheese, walnuts and pumpkin seeds, then drizzle over the dressing before serving.

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Pear & Ginger Cake

Ingredients

175g butter, softened

150g light brown sugar

2 eggs

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

2 ripe pears, peeled and diced

100ml milk

50g crystallised ginger, finely chopped

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C fan and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then gradually add the eggs. Fold in the flour, ginger, and cinnamon, then add the diced pears and crystallised ginger. Stir in the milk to make a soft batter, then spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

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Beef & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500g lean beef mince

1 tbsp tomato purée

400ml beef stock

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried thyme

150g frozen peas

700g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

25g butter

50ml milk

75g grated cheddar

Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C fan. Boil the sweet potatoes in a saucepan of salted water for 15–20 minutes, until tender, then drain, mash, and stir in the butter and milk. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and carrots for 5–6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and beef mince and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking up the mince, until browned. Stir in the tomato purée, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and thyme, then simmer for 10–15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the peas and season to taste.

Transfer the beef mixture to a baking dish and spread the sweet potato mash evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the grated cheddar and bake for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and golden on top. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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