I have had a life-long obsession with food. Richness, bold flavours, luxurious taste sensations and decadence are my calling cards which have led me to cook and create throughout my working life. Every morsel and dish is made from scratch with love and I am highly passionate about consistently serving exquisite food.

Winter is a season for hearty, soul warming foods and I am passionate about creating delicious breads, slow cooked dinners and decadent desserts for my Kitchen Angel and private chef clients using hand selected, locally sourced ingredients the region is recognised for.

As a private chef I work with a variety of group sizes and can provide everything from divine platters to sharing feasts and six course degustation menus. I specialise in catering for dietary requirements and am equipped to cater in homes, venues, holiday rentals and outdoor locations. Winter is the perfect time to add in special après ski options for clients hosting guests after a day on the mountain.

Every morsel and dish is created from scratch with love and I am highly passionate about consistently serving exquisite food.

My favourite winter recipe is a heart-warming roasted tomato, pumpkin and red lentil soup that uses cost effective and easily obtained ingredients. Red and brown lentils make it both nourishing and delicious and a comforting dish for the whole family to enjoy after a day out on the slopes.

Bon Appetit.

Roasted Tomato, Pumpkin & Red Lentil Soup

Yield: 4 litres

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 kg truss tomatoes cut horizontally
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic
• 2 quality chorizo sausage diced (optional)
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 350g carrots
• 500 kg pumpkin, small dice
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 cup brown lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons thyme (loose)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1.5 litres quality chicken stock
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Line baking tray, horizontally slice tomatoes and cut out seeds. Add to tray with brown sugar, thyme and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss and bake for 1 hour.
3. Dice chorizo and sauté in 2 tablespoons olive oil to release the fat and flavour. Remove from pot and set aside leaving the fat in the pot. Dice onions, crush garlic and sauté in the oil for 5 minutes until soft. Add smoked paprika and bay leaves.
4. Once roasted tomatoes are cooked, roughly chop or blitz in a food processor until loosely chunky. Add roasted tomatoes, diced carrots, canned tomatoes, chicken stock and lentils. Bring to boil then simmer for 60 minutes.
5. Add pumpkin and return chorizo to the pot. Cook for a further 15 minutes until pumpkin is tender but still holds its form.
6. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Season with 1 tsp salt and pepper. Check seasoning.
7. Serve with crusty bread.