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Autumn Comfort Supper

Serves
6
Dishes
4

A slow, warming supper for a cold evening: roasted squash soup with sage brown butter, beef braised in red wine until it falls apart, buttery mash, and a tall apple pie. The stew and the pie are both better made the day before.

On the menu

  1. StarterRoasted Butternut Squash Soup

    Serves 6 as a starter in smaller bowls.

  2. Beef Bourguignon: Beef braised in red wine until spoon-tender, with bacon, onions and mushroomsMainBeef Bourguignon

    Made a day ahead and reheated.

  3. SideMashed PotatoesMake ×1.5
  4. Apple Pie: Flaky double crust, a juicy filling that holds its shapeDessertApple Pie

    Baked in the morning (it needs at least 2 hours to cool) or the day before; serve at room temperature or rewarmed, with cream.

To drink

A red Burgundy or another Pinot Noir. Non-alcoholic: warm spiced apple juice, simmered with a cinnamon stick, cloves and a strip of orange peel.

The day before

  • Make the bourguignon; cool, lift off the fat and refrigerate it in its pot.
  • Make the flaky pastry (it keeps 3 days) and the pie filling (it keeps 2 days); or bake the whole pie, which keeps 2 days at room temperature.
  • Roast the squash and make the soup (without the brown butter); refrigerate.
  • Peel the potatoes and keep them in cold water in the fridge.
  • In the morning, if not done: assemble and bake the pie (about 1½ hours with chilling); cool on a rack.

Game plan

Counted back from the moment you serve.

  1. 1 h 15 min before serving

    Reheat the stew gently on the stove, covered, stirring now and then, until bubbling (about 30 minutes), then keep it on the lowest heat.

  2. 55 min before serving

    Potatoes on to boil (15–20 minutes once simmering).

  3. 25 min before serving

    Drain and rice the potatoes; fold in the hot milk and butter; keep warm over barely simmering water. Reheat the soup.

  4. 10 min before serving

    Make the sage brown butter (2–3 minutes).

  5. 5 min before serving

    Serve the soup with the brown butter and crisp sage.

  6. 15 min after serving

    Scatter parsley over the stew and serve it with the mash.

  7. 1 h after serving

    Slice the pie and serve with cold cream.

Shopping list

Produce

  • 2 onions
  • 300 g small pearl onions or shallots
  • 1 head garlic (7 cloves)
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper, Russet or Yukon Gold)
  • 1.5 kg butternut squash
  • 300 g button or chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 lemon
  • 1.5 kg apples, a mix of tart and sweet
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch thyme (4 sprigs)
  • 1 bunch sage

Meat & fish

  • 150 g smoked bacon lardons
  • 1.5 kg beef chuck (shoulder)

Dairy & eggs

  • 1 large egg
  • 500 g unsalted butter
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 300 ml heavy cream, to serve with the pie

Pantry

  • tomato paste (2 tbsp)
  • 400 g all-purpose flour
  • cornstarch (3½ tbsp)
  • 150 g sugar
  • demerara or coarse sugar (1½ tbsp)
  • 1 liter vegetable stock
  • 400 ml beef stock (Brown Stock or store-bought)
  • Pantry check: neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed), olive oil, fine sea salt, black pepper

Spices

  • ground cumin (1 tsp)
  • dried chili flakes
  • ground cinnamon (2 tsp)
  • nutmeg
  • bay leaves (2)

Drinks

  • 750 ml dry red wine (1 bottle)