Autumn Vegetable Chicken Soup.

So the chill is in the air, the days are certainly getting  shorter and the hearty comfort food is here to stay for the next few months. I just love to make nice soups and serve them as a main meal with plenty of bread and butter. For this recipe I make the stock , but you can use a shop bought stock if desired, also it is a great way to use up the leftover roast chicken, or left out the meat all together and use a veggie stock! This recipe makes 6 adult size portions, also you can freeze it.
Stock:
1 small chicken (just over 1kg)
1 onion
1 small chunk of ginger (optional)
2 bay leaves
4-6 black peppercorns
around 2 ltr
Prepare the chicken,put onion , ginger, peppercorns, bay leaves in the saucepan and fill up with water , bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 hours.

When the stock is ready take out the chicken , separate the meat from the bones and skin, set aside. Strain the liquid. I ended up with just over 1,5 ltr of stock.

Soup:

2 white onions

3 cloves of garlic

a splash of olive oil

a knob of butter

200 ml of white wine

2 carrots

1 parsnip

half a celeriac

half a swede

1/8 of a big pumpkin (about 500 gr)

a cup of red split lentils (cooked)

a bunch of parsley (fresh or frozen)

a pinch of grated nutmeg

salt to taste

Heat up the olive oil in the saucepan , which you are going to use.Chop up the onions and garlic and brown them. Add the butter and wine , when the onions start turning golden.

Peel and chop all the vegetables and put them in the pot.

Feel up with the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

At this stage either blend or mash the vegetables, leave it a bit chunky!

Put the soup back on the heat , stir in the chicken , lentils , parsley and nutmeg.

Bring to the boil, switch off and tuck in!

Enjoy!