SMOKY PUMPKIN, KIDNEY BEAN & CAVOLO NERO SOUP

Serves 4

I love this simple, comforting soup. Unlike many pumpkin soups, it contains no coconut cream or dairy products, so it’s surprisingly light, but the bacon (or ham) bones give it a subtle smokiness.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, peeled, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

400g bacon bones or 1 ham hock

1.4kg butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into small chunks

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

150g cavolo nero, washed, stalks removed, roughly chopped*

1 x 400g can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

Warm oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add onion, garlic and chilli, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add bacon bones or ham hock, pumpkin and bay leaf, then pour in 5 cups cool water, adding a little more if pumpkin isn’t quite covered. Add sea salt, cover and bring to boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, with lid slightly ajar, for 1 hour. Remove from heat. Remove and discard bacon bones and bay leaf. Cool slightly. Using a stick blender, puree soup in pan until smooth. Place pan over a low heat until soup is just bubbling. Stir in cavolo nero and cook, partly covered, for 20 minutes. Add most of kidney beans after 10 minutes. (If using baby spinach, it won’t take as long to cook — 5 minutes should do it — so you can add the kidney beans at the same time.) Taste soup and season with salt, if necessary. If it seems a bit too thick, add a splash of water to thin it. Ladle soup into warm bowls and garnish with remaining kidney beans and freshly ground black pepper. *Also known as Tuscan black cabbage, cavolo nero is available from greengrocers and most supermarkets. Substitute baby spinach leaves.

VISIT

You can arrange a guided tour of John and Lyndall Picone’s remarkable tropical orchard, where you’ll be shown around the trees and have the chance to sample what’s in season, ripe and ready to eat. (02) 6684 6104 or 0412 926 208.

EAT

FLEET is the tiny multi-award-winning restaurant that’s an absolute must if you’re staying in the area. Owners Astrid Mccormack and Josh Lewis, together with their right-hand man Robert Mudge, get everything right from the minute you step in the door: a warm welcome, extraordinary cooking, knowledgeable service, and an intriguing wine and cocktail list. Be sure to book well ahead. 2/16 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads. (02) 6685 1363; fleet-restaurant.com.au 100 MILE TABLE This tiny café on the Byron Bay Arts and Industry Estate is our go-to for coffee, brunch and lunch. It has a small constantly changing menu peppered with food you can’t wait to eat. Wonderful noodles, the best focaccia ever (honestly), scrumptious cakes, simple, fresh salads — they’re all here. 4/8 Banksia Drive, Byron Bay. (02) 6680 9814; 100miletable.com

FEDERAL DOMA CAFE It’s a locals’ thing, but sushi and some of the best hot chips you’ll ever eat, are an incredibly popular combination at Federal Doma, a quirky Japanese/australian café in the Byron Bay hinterland. 3–6 Albert Street, Federal. (02) 6688 4711. POP-UP EVENTS If you want to feel like a local, keep an eye on the region’s newspapers for word of pop-up dinners in the various halls that dot the area. You’ll find some fabulous food and, no doubt, new friends, at these great community events.

BUY

LOCAL PRODUCE Scoop up fresh fruit and vegetables straight from the growers from one of the many roadside stalls that dot the Byron Shire. Most have honesty boxes for payment. You’ll find eggs, avocados, limes, honey and whatever else is abundant and in season. BOON LUCK FARM Grab Asian greens and herbs at the lovely Asian grocer and homewares shop Red Ginger in Byron Bay. Fresh-picked produce is delivered a couple of times a week — and sells fast. 111 Jonson Street, Byron Bay. (02) 6680 9779; redginger.com.au SALUMI AUSTRALIA makes brilliant Italian smallgoods in Billinudgel and you’ll find their range at delis and even the local independent supermarkets. I’m never without a chunk of their smoked pancetta in my fridge. (02) 6680 5030; salumi.com.au

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Some pieces from Belinda’s cutlery collection; kidney beans are a key ingredient in Belinda’s smoky pumpkin soup; the soup is a perfect dish for winter, using seasonal ingredients.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Boon Luck Farm; 100 Mile Table has an industrial feel and communal tables; snack on pea, mint and ricotta crostini with pecorino at 100 Mile Table; a Josh Lewis creation of crab, zucchini and shaved bunya nut at Fleet Restaurant; inside the 14-seat dining room at Fleet.