Interesting fact: Did you know that nearly all carrots were purple until the late 16th century? It’s the orange carrots that are mutants! Less sweet and more earthy than regular carrots, these purple carrots (plus a little red cabbage) are what gives this soup its spooky color, perfect for Halloween. If you can’t find them, replace them with purple cauliflower or broccoli. This soup is packed full of antioxidants, so you’ll be eerily glowing with health while still getting your scare-fest fix!
Ingredients:
4 servings
– 1 Tablespoon olive oil
– 1 red onion, peeled and sliced
– 4 purple carrots, peeled and chopped (try to find ones with the least amount of orange in the middle for a more vibrant soup).
– 1/4 red cabbage, chopped
– 1 potato, peeled and chopped
– 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
– ¼ teaspoon salt
– ¼ teaspoon black pepper
– 3 ¼ cups hot vegetable/chicken stock (water + 2 cubes is fine)
– ¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
– 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Witch’s fingers:
– one 11-ounce pack rolled pie crust pastry
– 10 whole blanched almonds
– 1 Tablespoon tomato puree
– 1 egg
– 2 Tablespoons cheddar
Directions:
1. Make the witch’s fingers first. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and get a baking sheet ready.
2. Unroll the pie crust pastry and cut into eight rectangles. Roll each piece into a cylinder/finger-shape, then squeeze the pastry fingers so that you have a fatter bit in the middle (this will be the knuckle) and at the end (where the fingernail would be).
3. Score three lines across the “knuckles,” then brush all of the fingers with egg wash.
4. Place a small blob of tomato puree on the finger nail area, then place an almond on top of the tomato paste for the fingernails. Sprinkle a little bit of cheese on the fingers for flavor.
5. Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Then take out of the oven and leave to cool slightly.
6. While the pastry fingers are cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add in the onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add in the carrots, cabbage, potato, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir, then add in the hot stock.
7. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and blend the soup using a stick blender. Stir through all but one tablespoon of the cheese and test for seasoning (add a little more salt and pepper if required).
8. Ladle out into four bowls and drizzle on the cream. To make the spider web, drizzle (or use a squeezy bottle) the cream in concentric circles, then drag a cocktail stick from the center to the outer edge of the bowl. Do this all the way around until you have a spider web pattern. Serve the soup with the still-warm witch’s fingers.
Make the witch’s fingers first. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking sheet. Unroll the pie crust pastry and cut into eight rectangles. Now make fingers! Roll each piece into a cylinder or finger shape, then squeeze the pastry fingers so that you have a fatter bit in the middle (for the knuckle) and at the end (where the finger nail would be). Score three lines across the “knuckles,” then brush all of the fingers with egg wash. Place a small blob of tomato puree on the finger nail area.
Place an almond on top of the tomato paste for the fingernails and sprinkle a little bit of cheese on the fingers for flavor. Put your fingers (well, not YOUR fingers) in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Then take out of the oven and leave to cool slightly.
While the pastry fingers are cooking, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add in the onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add in the carrots, cabbage, potato, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir, then add in the hot stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and blend the soup using a stick blender. Stir through all but one tablespoon of the cheese and test for seasoning (add a little more salt and pepper if required).
Ladle the soup into four bowls and drizzle on the cream. To make the spider web, drizzle the cream in concentric circles, then drag a cocktail stick from the center to the outer edge of the bowl. Do this all the way around until you have a spider web pattern. Serve the soup with the still-warm witch’s fingers.
What will you make for your Halloween dinner? Share your creations with us using the hashtags #britstagram and #iamcreative.
