Two seasonal stews to keep the chill off this autumn

Autumn is the time to shine for wild mushrooms and seasonal shellfish, says Hannah Twiggs. Here’s two ways to cook them from Brindisa

Let seasonal seafood shine in this stew (Brindisa/Sophie Rushton-Smith)

Autumn brings a cornucopia of colour to farmers’ markets, writes Gurdeep Loyal in the latest instalment of our guide to shopping at Borough Market.

From red Russet apples and wild mushrooms and game birds, to butternut, acorn, pumpkin and delicata squashes; from turbot, king of the flatfish, to fresh clams; from freshly excavated beetroot to custard-coloured quinces to the purple of ripe autumn figs… there’s many a sight to behold.

The recipes below are from Brindisa, a Spanish food stall that is celebrating its 25th anniversary at the market this year.

From a clam and chickpea stew that’s perfect for cosy evenings to a hearty haricot beans with wild mushrooms, make the most of the season’s bounty with these delightful dinners.

Clam and chickpea stew

This recipe is from Monika Linton’s book Brindisa: A True Taste of Spain and has been adapted by Sophie Rushton-Smith. For the best taste and results with this recipe, Rushton-Smith recommends using the best quality shellfish you can find.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

800g of shellfish, for example, clams or cockles

A jar of Brindisa sofrito sauce

A jar of Navarrico chickpeas

200ml or half a bottle of Fumet fish stock

½ tsp of sugar

1 tbsp finely chopped parsely

Method:

1. Prepare the shellfish you have chosen for the stew well, wash and discard any shells that have broken etc.

2. Heat the Sofrito sauce in a pan and add a jar of chickpeas. Heat together for 2 minutes, until the mixture comes to a simmer.

3. Add the fumet rojo, there should be enough liquid for the chickpeas to begin to float. Taste the liquid and add the sugar if the sofrito tastes a little too acidic.

4. Add the shellfish (clams, cockles etc), bring to a vigorous boil, and put the lid on the pan for 1-2 minutes, just long enough for the shellfish to cook and release their juices.

5. Take the pan from the heat, stir in the parsley, and add a twist of black pepper.

6. To serve, lift out the chickpeas and shellfish with a slotted spoon and put into small bowls, then cover them with a ladleful of the cooking liquid. Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley.

Haricot beans with wild mushrooms

This bean and mushroom stew is cosy, hearty and comforting (Brindisa)

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 jar Navarrico haricot butter beans

150g wild mushrooms

Brindisa Arbequina olive oil

2 shallots

2 cloves garlic

Parsley

Method:

1. Drain the beans, dabbing with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

2. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut them into medium-sized pieces. Dice the shallots and slice the garlic. Chop the parsley.

3. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat with a little olive oil. Cook the mushrooms until they just start to colour.

4. Reduce the heat, add the shallots and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes to soften. It is crucial because of the subtlety of flavours that you do not burn or over-brown your garlic.

5. Add the beans and warm through.

6. To finish, salt to taste, add a glug of olive oil and sprinkle over with parsley.

For more information on what you can find at Borough Market, visit: boroughmarket.org.uk